Curaçao: language
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Most Curaçao children grow up to be muti-lingual, the linguistic abilities of the local population are above average. If you happen to speak Dutch you're in luck: 90% of the inhabitants speak Dutch. Most text on traffic signs is in Dutch as well. But if you are fluent in either English or Spanish, you shouldn't have much trouble getting around either. The mother tongue of the locals is Papiamento. Besides Dutch and English, this is the third official language of the Netherlands Antilles. This originally Creole language is a mixture of many other languages like Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English and a number of African languages. You will find it is appreciated if you try to speak a few words in Papiamento. To get you started, here are some common phrases and their translation:
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