I stopped by the new bookstore on Kaya Grandi, and picked up a piece of software called "Leer Papiaments" (Learn Papiamento). I was afraid it would only run in Dutch, but when I popped it into my laptop, it happily installed itself and began to teach me Papiamentu in Japanese, because that's the default on my laptop. It runs according to your default input language, so it will teach you Papiamentu in English, Spanish, Dutch, pretty much whatever you like. It's the only Papiamentu instruction software I know of that will run in English.

How much did it cost? Good news as well. The Papiamentu/English dictionary is being republished. I will have the estimated dates of arrival next week. It probably will retail for the same price it was two years ago. It will be in the same format and contain some new words.

80 florin ... not bad for such a specialty piece of software.

Link to the mfg.
http://www.eurotalk.com/en/product.php?productid=AMT5084

I wish someone living on the islands would start an online bookstore. Someone could make a little spare change buying Papiamentu instructional materials and reselling them to those of us who can't get to the islands very often.

The book store is out of the item already..good news travels fast!

I bought that CD in 2001 online as I recall.

Ann, did you find it helpful?

Here is a fun exercise..
Idioms in papimentu:


?Pipit?i komkomber na boka di mucha, ta hende grandi a pon?钊
Literally: Cucumber seeds in a childs mouth were put there by adults. Or, whatever comes ?out of babes mouths? they heard from an adult
If you have any that you would like to add in English, we will see if we can get a translation.

I went to the book store yesterday and found they were out but was able to order it online from eurotalk.com. Cost was about $50. The bookstore said they would order more but did not say when.

(Message edited by barry_b on January 25, 2008)

I just received this ..Notice that the proceeds of the sales go to Jong Bonaire.

After more than five years out of print, the Ratzlaff Papiamentu-English Dictionary is once again on the market

The most comprehensive Papiamentu-English Dictionary available, by Betty Ratzlaff-Henriquez, is again available for sale in the ABC islands and on the internet at http://www.papiamentudictionary.com This popular dictionary had been out of print for more than five years.
Jong Bonaire, a non-profit after school program for teens, has reprinted this Second Edition of the dictionary as a fund-raising effort for the youth center. Any profit from the sales of the dictionary will go to help fund activities at Jong Bonaire.
Retail price of the dictionary will be US$ 45 (or NAfl 80.) The price on-line is also US $45 but buyers must also pay shipping and handling costs when they order on line. The retail price is close to what the books sold for 10 years ago but the price also includes a donation to Jong Bonaire.
On Bonaire the book can be purchased at Bonaire Chat ’n Browse, Addo’s Bookstore, Flamingo Bookstore or Valerie’s Airport Shop.
A School Dictionary Program has also been started to get donations of the books for schools who can afford to buy them. Organizations or individuals that wish to donate copies of the dictionary to a school can purchase 10 or more copies at a discounted price of NAfl 63 for schools. The donated dictionaries will be delivered to any school in the ABC Islands chosen by the company, along with a letter notifying the school of the gift and the donor.
Organizations or individuals who wish to participate in the School Dictionary Program can send an e-mail to schools@papiamentudictionary.com along with their name, address and contact information so that someone can get back to them to complete the donation.