In spite of Cape Verde's small size, each island has developed its own way of speaking Creole. Each of these nine ways (there are 10 islands, one of which is uninhabited) is justifiably a different
dialect, but the scholars in Cape Verde usually call them "variants". These variants can be classified into two branches: in the South there are the Sotavento Creoles, which comprise the
Brava,
Fogo,
Santiago and
Maio variants; in the North there are the Barlavento Creoles, which comprise the
Boa Vista,
Sal,
São Nicolau,
São Vicente and
Santo Antão variants. Since some
lexical forms of Cape Verdean Creole can be different according to each variant, the words and the sentences in this article will be presented in compromise model, a kind of "middle Creole", in order to ease the understanding and in order not to favor any variant. Whenever it will be necessary the
phonemic transcription (or sometimes the
phonetic transcription) will be shown immediately after the word. For the writing system, check the section
Writing system. From a linguistic point of view, the most important variants are the Fogo, Santiago, São Nicolau and Santo Antão ones, and any deep study of Creole should approach at least these four. They are the only islands that have received slaves directly from the African continent, that possess the most conservative linguistic features, and that are the most distinct from each other. From a social point of view, the most important variants are the Santiago and São Vicente ones, and any light study of Creole should approach at least these two. They are the variants of the two bigger cities (
Praia and
Mindelo), the variants with the greatest number of speakers, and the variants with a
glottophagist tendency over the neighboring ones. These variants have significant literature: • Brava: Eugénio Tavares • Fogo:
Elsie Clews Parsons • Santiago: Carlos Barbosa, Tomé Varela da Silva, Daniel Spínola • São Vicente: Sérgio Frusoni, Ovídio Martins • Santo Antão: Luís Romano Madeira de Melo
Dialectal differences Sotavento The Sotavento Creoles are spoken in the
Sotavento Islands. Some characteristics: • The imperfective aspect of the past is formed joining the particle for the past
-ba to the verb:
ta + V+
ba. • The personal pronoun for the second person of the plural is
nhos. • The subject form of the personal pronoun for the first person of the singular is represented by a nasalization. Ex.:
N anda pronounced instead of "I have walked",
N sta ta sinti pronounced instead of "I am feeling",
N lababa pronounced instead of "I had washed". • The object form of the personal pronoun for the first person of the singular disappears but nasalizes the preceding vowel. Ex.:
leba-m pronounced instead of "take me",
mete-m pronounced instead of "put me",
kudi-m pronounced instead of "answer me",
konpo-m pronounced instead of "fix me",
bunbu-m pronounced instead of "put me on the back".
Brava Brava Creole is spoken mainly on
Brava Island. One of the least spoken being seventh place and one of the firsts to have written literature, in which
Eugénio Tavares wrote some of his poems. Besides the main characteristics of Sotavento Creoles, Brava Creole has the following: • The progressive aspect of the present is formed by putting
sta before the verbs:
sta + V. • The sound that originates from Portuguese (written
ão) is rather than . For example,
kurasan , not
kurason "heart";
man , not
mon "hand";
razan , not
razon "reason".
Fogo Fogo Creole is spoken mainly in the
Fogo of
Cape Verde. Besides the main characteristics of Sotavento Creoles, Fogo has the following: • The progressive aspect of the present is formed by putting
stâ before the verbs:
sta + V. • The sound that originates from Portuguese (written
ão) is represented by instead of . Ex.
kurasan instead of
kurason "heart",
man instead of
mon "hand",
razan instead of
razon "reason". • The sound switches to when it is at the end of syllables. Ex.
artu instead of
altu "tall",
kurpa instead of
kulpa "to blame",
burkan instead of
bulkon "volcano". • The sound disappears when it is at the end of words. Ex.:
lugá instead of
lugar "place",
midjó instead of
midjór "better",
mudje instead of
mudjer "woman". • The diphthongs (oral or nasal) are in general pronounced as vowels. Ex.:
man instead of
mai "mother",
nan instead of
nau "no",
pa instead of
pai "father",
re instead of
rei "king",
txapé instead of
txapéu "hat". • The pre-tonic sound is velarized near labial or velar consonants. Ex.:
badjâ "to dance" pronounced ,
kabelu "hair" pronounced ,
katxo "dog" pronounced .
Maio Maio Creole is spoken mainly on
Maio Island. It numbers the entire island population which includes a small part which also speaks Portuguese. It is one of the least spoken Cape Verdean Creole and is after
Brava and ahead of
Boa Vista. Besides the main characteristics of Sotavento Creoles, Maio Creole has the following: • The progressive aspect of the present is formed by putting
sta before the verbs:
sta + V. • The unstressed final vowels and frequently disappear. Ex.:
kumadre instead of
kumadri "midwife",
vilude instead of
viludu "velvet",
bunite instead of
bunitu "beautiful",
kantade instead of
kantadu "sung". • The sound (that originates from old Portuguese, written
j in the beginning of words) is partially represented by . Ex.
janta instead of
djanta "to dine",
joge instead of
djogu "game", but in words like
dja "already",
Djo "John" the sound remains.
Santiago Santiago Creole is spoken mainly on the
Santiago Island of
Cape Verde, including the capital of the country,
Praia. Besides the main characteristics of Sotavento Creoles, Santiago Creole has the following: • The progressive aspect of the present is formed by putting
sa-ta before the verbs:
sa-ta + V. • In the verbs, the stress goes back to the before the last syllable in the forms for the present. Ex. (the accents are used only to show the stress, they don't exist in formal written of these words used in Santiago):
kánta instead of
kantá "to sing",
méxe or
méxi instead of
mexê "to move",
párti instead of
partí "to leave",
kônpo or
kônpu instead of
konpô "to fix",
búnbu instead of
bunbú "to put on the back". • Some speakers pronounce the voiced sibilants as voiceless. Ex.
kása instead of
káza "house",
oxi instead of
oji "today". • Some speakers pronounce the sound as . Ex.:
karu instead of
karru "car",
féru instead of
férru "iron",
kural instead of
kurral "corral". • The sound is slightly aspirated . • The sounds , and are pronounced as alveolars , , and not as dentals , , • The nasal diphthongs are de-nasalized. Ex.:
mai instead of
mãi "mother",
nau instead of
nãu "no". • The stressed sound is pronounced when it is before the sound at the end of words. Ex.:
kural instead of
kurral "corral",
mâl instead of
mál "bad",
Tarafâl instead of
Tarrafál "
Tarrafal" (place name).
Barlavento The Barlavento Creoles are spoken in the
Barlavento Islands. Some characteristics: • The imperfective aspect of the past is formed joining the particle for the past
-va to the verbal actualizer
ta:
tava + V.Note: In São Nicolau, along with
tava + V also subsists the older form
ta V+ba. • The personal pronoun for the second person of the plural is
bzote. • The unstressed vowels and frequently disappear. Ex.:
kmadre for
kumadri "midwife",
vlude for
viludu "velvet",
kdi for
kudi "to answer",
txga for
txiga "to arrive". • Raising of the stressed sound (oral or nasal) to in words that used to end with the sound . Ex.:
ólte from
altu "tall",
kónde from
kantu "when",
makóke from
makaku "monkey". Also with pronouns:
bto-be from
bota-bu "throw you".
Boa Vista Boa Vista Creole is spoken mainly in the
Boa Vista Island. It is the least spoken form of Creole in the language. Literature is rarely recorded but one of the speakers who was born on the island is
Germano Almeida. Besides the main characteristics of Barlavento Creoles, Boa Vista Creole has the following: • The progressive aspect of the present is formed by putting
ta ta before the verbs:
ta +
ta + V. • In the verbs that end by
~a, that sound is replaced by when the verb is conjugated with the first person of the singular pronoun. Ex.:
panho-m instead of
panha-m "to catch me",
libo-m instead of
liba-m "to take me",
koso-m instead of
kosa-m "to scratch me". • The stressed
e is always open . Ex.:
busé instead of
bosê "you (respectful form),
dréte instead of
drete "right",
txobe instead of
txove "to rain". The stressed
o is always open . Ex.:
bó instead of
bô "you" (but it is written
bo - without accent,
konpó instead of
konpô "to fix",
tórte instead of
torte "crooked". • The sound at the end of syllables is pronounced . Ex.:
furrtâ instead of
furta "to steal",
mdjér instead of
mdjer "woman",
pórte instead of
porte "harbor". • A originating from the junction of and is replaced by . Ex.:
kár instead of
kaze "which ones",
er or
ar instead of
es "they",
kér instead of
kes "those". • A Portuguese (written
j in the beginning of words) is partially replaced by . Ex.
janta instead of
djanta "to dine",
joge instead of
djogu "game", but in words like
dja "already" and
Djo "John", the sound remains.
Sal Sal Creole is spoken mainly in the island of
Sal. Besides the main characteristics of Barlavento Creoles, Sal Creole has the following: • The progressive aspect of the present is formed by putting
ta ta before the verbs:
ta +
ta + V. • In the verbs that end by
~a, that sound is represented by when the verb is conjugated with the first person of the singular pronoun. Ex.:
panho-m instead of
panha-m "to catch me",
levo-m instead of
leva-m "to take me",
koso-m /koˈsɔm/ instead of
kosa-m "to scratch me". • The sound (that originates from old Portuguese, written
j in the beginning of words) is partially represented by . Ex.
janta instead of
djanta /dʒɐ̃ˈtɐ/ "to dine",
joge instead of
djogu "game", but in words like
dja "already",
Djo "John" the sound remains.
Santo Antão Santo Antão Creole is spoken mainly in the
Santo Antão Island. It is ranked third of nine in the number of speakers and it is before Fogo and after the neighbouring São Vicente. Besides the main characteristics of Barlavento Creoles, Santo Antão Creole has the following: • The progressive aspect of the present is formed by putting
ti ta before the verbs:
ti +
ta + V. • The adverb of negation used with verbs, adverbs and adjectives is
n. Ex.: ''Mi n' kre
instead of N ka kre'' "I don't want". • The sounds and are palatalized to and when they are at the end of syllables. Ex.:
fésta "party" pronounced instead of ,
gósga "tickles" pronounced instead of ,
més "more" pronounced instead of . • The stressed final sound is pronounced . Ex.:
já instead of
djâ "already",
lá instead of
lâ "there" (accents only to show the stress, because the words
ja,
dja and
la don't nees accent in Cape Verdean); and all the verbs that end by
~â,
kalká instead of
kalka "to press",
pintxá instead of
pintxâ "to push", etc. • Palatalization of the stressed sound (oral or nasal) to in words that use to end by the sound . Ex.:
ents instead of
ants "before",
grende instead of
grande "big",
verdede instead of
verdade "truth". Also with pronouns:
penhe-m instead of
panha-m "to catch me". • Palatalization of the pre-tonic sound (oral or nasal) to when the stressed syllable possesses a palatal vowel. Ex.:
esin instead of
asin "like so",
kebésa instead of
kabésa "head". Velarization of the pre-tonic sound (oral or nasal) to when the stressed syllable possesses a velar vowel. Ex.:
kotxor instead of
katxor "dog",
otun instead of
atun "tuna". • The diphthong (oral or nasal) is pronounced . Ex.:
pé instead of
pai "father",
mén instead of
mai "mother". The diphthong (oral or nasal) is pronounced . Ex.:
pó instead of
pau "stick",
no instead of
nau "no". • The sound (that originates from Portuguese , written "lh") is represented by the sound :
bói instead of
bódje "dance (noun)",
oi instead of
odje "eye",
spei instead of
spedje "mirror". Between vowels that sound disappears:
véa instead of
bédja "old (feminine)",
oá instead of
odja "to see",
páa instead of
pádja "straw". When it is immediately after a consonant, it is represented by :
mlior instead of
mdjor "better",
klier instead of
kdjer "spoon". • The sound disappears when it is between vowels. Ex.:
goava instead of
goiaba "guava fruit",
mea instead of
meia "sock",
papaa instead of
papaia "papaw". • The sound (that originates from old Portuguese, written "j" in the beginning of words) is totally represented by . Ex.
ja instead of
dja "already",
janta instead of
djanta "to dine",
Jo instead of
Djo "John". • Some speakers pronounce the phonemes and as labialized and . • Existence of a certain kind of vocabulary (also existing in São Vicente) that does not exist in the other islands. Ex.:
dansa instead of
badja "to dance",
dze instead of
fla "to say",
fala instead of
papia "to speak",
guita instead of
djube "to peek",
rufna instead of
fulia "to throw",
stóde instead of
sta "to be",
txoka instead of
furta "to steal",
txuke instead of
porke "pig", etc.
São Nicolau São Nicolau Creole is spoken mainly in the
São Nicolau Island. Besides the main characteristics of Barlavento Creoles, São Nicolau Creole has the following: • The progressive aspect of the present is formed by putting
ta ta before the verbs:
ta +
ta + V. • In the verbs that end by
~a, that sound is represented by when the verb is conjugated with the first person of the singular pronoun. Ex.:
panho-m instead of
panha-m "to catch me",
levo-m instead of
leva-m "to take me",
koso-m instead of
kosa-m "to scratch me". • The sounds and are pronounced by some speakers as and when they are before palatal vowels. Ex.:
fdjera instead of
fgera "fig tree",
patxe instead of
pake "because",
Pridjisa instead of
Prigisa "
Preguiça" (place name),
txin instead of
ken "who". • The sound (that originates from old Portuguese, written
j in the beginning of words) is partially represented by . Ex.
janta instead of
djanta "to dine",
joge instead of
djogu "game", but in words like
dja "already",
Djo "John" the sound remains. • The unstressed final vowel does not disappear when it follows the sounds or . Ex.:
tabaku instead of
tabóke "tobacco",
frangu instead of
frónge "chicken".
São Vicente São Vicente Creole is spoken mainly in the
São Vicente Island. It is spoken primarily in the São Vicente island, but also in a large segment of the Cape Verdean
diaspora population. It is the second most widely spoken Cape Verdean dialect. It has produced literature from many writers and musicians including
Sergio Frusoni and many more. Besides the main characteristics of Barlavento Creoles, São Vicente Creole has the following: • The progressive aspect of the present is formed by putting
ti ta before the verbs:
ti +
ta + V. • The sounds and are palatalized to and when they are at the end of syllables. Ex.:
fésta "party" pronounced instead of ,
gósga "tickles" pronounced instead of ,
más "more" pronounced instead of . • The stressed final sound is pronounced . Ex.:
já instead of
djâ "already",
lá instead of
lâ "there" (accents only to show stress, because
ja,
dja and
la don't need accent in Cape Verdean language); and all the verbs that end by
~â,
kalká instead of
kalka "to press",
pintxá instead of
pintxa "to push", etc. • The sound (that originates from Portuguese , written "lh") is represented by the sound :
bói instead of
bódje "dance (noun)",
oi instead of
odje "eye",
spei instead of
spedje "mirror". When it is after the sound , the sound remains:
fidje "son",
midje "corn". When it is immediately after a consonant, the sound remains:
amdjor "better",
kdjer "spoon". • The sound (that originates from old Portuguese, written "j" in the beginning of words) is totally represented by . Ex.
ja instead of
dja "already",
janta instead of
djanta "to dine",
Jo instead of
Djo "John". • Existence of a certain kind of vocabulary (also existing in Santo Antão) that does not exist in the other islands. Ex.:
dansa instead of
badja "to dance",
dze instead of
fla "to say",
fala instead of
papia "to speak",
guita instead of
djobe "to peek",
rufna instead of
fulia "to throw",
stóde instead of
sta "to be",
txoka instead of
furta "to steal",
txuke instead of
porke "pig", etc. For more examples, see the
Swadesh List of Cape Verdean Creole (in Portuguese). ==Cape Verdean Creole examples==