Nature & Outdoors

1. E laman ta masha bunita aki

   E la-man ta ma-sha bu-ni-ta a-ki

   The sea here is very beautiful

   Usage

   Praise the beautiful Caribbean sea around Aruba

   Grammar Note

   "Beautiful" is bunita. Bieu means "old" and never "beautiful"

2. Unda ta e playa mas bunita?

   Un-da ta e pla-ya mas bu-ni-ta

   Where is the most beautiful beach?

   Usage

   Find the most beautiful beach in Aruba

   Grammar Note

   "playa" from Spanish "playa" (beach); Aruba has world-class Eagle Beach and Palm Beach

3. Tin hopi cactus aki

   Tin ho-pi cac-tus a-ki

   There are lots of cacti here

   Usage

   Comment on Aruba's distinctive desert landscape with cacti

   Grammar Note

   "Many" is hopi. Bonchi means "bean" and is not a quantifier. Aruba is a dry island; cacti and the iconic divi-divi tree define its landscape

4. E solo ta hopi kayente awor

   E so-lo ta ho-pi ka-yen-te a-wor

   The sun is very hot right now

   Usage

   Describe the intense tropical sun — Aruba has nearly 300 sunny days per year

   Grammar Note

   "kayente" means "hot"; "hopi" (very) goes before the adjective; "awor" is the Papiamento word for "now"

5. Tin turtuga di laman aki?

   Tin tur-tu-ga di la-man a-ki

   Are there sea turtles here?

   Usage

   Ask about sea turtles — Aruba has nesting sea turtles on its beaches

   Grammar Note

   "Sea turtle" is turtuga. Wowo means "eye", not "turtle". Sea turtles nest on Aruba's beaches

6. Mi ke snorkel riba e ref

   Mi ke snor-kel ri-ba e ref

   I want to snorkel on the reef

   Usage

   Plan to snorkel Aruba's coral reefs

   Grammar Note

   "Snorkel" is an English loan, but the reef itself is Papiamentu "ref". Aruba's clear Caribbean waters are ideal for snorkeling

7. E bunker ta masha históriko

   E bun-ker ta ma-sha his-tó-ri-ko

   The natural rocks/bunker is very historic

   Usage

   Comment on Aruba's natural geological features

   Grammar Note

   "históriko" means "historic"; Aruba has notable rock formations like Casibari and Ayo

8. Ki tempo ta bini mañan?

   Ki tem-po ta bi-ni ma-ñan

   What weather is coming tomorrow?

   Usage

   Ask about the next day's weather

   Grammar Note

   "tempo" from Portuguese "tempo" (weather/time); "mañana" from Spanish "mañana" (tomorrow)

9. E divi-divi ta e palu nashonal

   E di-vi-di-vi ta e pa-lu na-sho-nal

   The divi-divi is Aruba's national tree

   Usage

   Talk about Aruba's iconic divi-divi tree

   Grammar Note

   The divi-divi tree always bends in one direction (trade winds) and is called "nature's compass" in Aruba

10. Mi ke mira e puesta di solo

    Mi ke mi-ra e pues-ta di so-lo

    I want to watch the sunset

    Usage

    Enjoy the Caribbean sunset in Aruba

    Grammar Note

    "puesta di solo" from Spanish "puesta de sol" (sunset) — "puesta" means "setting"

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