Limonense Creole Dictionary
Basic English – Limonense Creole Appendix
Minor Alejandro Mora Hernández
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the Limonense Creole English Dictionary! This resource is designed especially for those who wish to explore and understand the variant of Creole English spoken in the Limon region of Costa Rica.
Limonense Creole English is an authentic and vibrant form of communication that has emerged over generations in this beautiful coastal province. This English variant combines elements of English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and African languages, reflecting Limón's rich multicultural history.
In this dictionary, you will find a wide variety ofwords and phrases used in Limonense CreoleEnglish, along with their meanings and possible origins. You will learn how to communicate effectively in everyday situations and immerse yourself in the unique culture of this coastal region.
Limon is known for its rich Afro-Caribbean tradition and vibrant music, dance and cuisine. Through this dictionary, you will not only discover the distinctive language of the Limonense community, but also the richness of its cultural heritage.
Whether you're planning to visit Limon, interested in learning about this language variant, or just curious about local expressions and idioms, this dictionary will be your guide to immerse yourself in the fascinating world of Limon Creole English.
Get ready to discover unique words and phrases, learn the history of this variant of English, and immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Limón! This dictionary will help you explore and better understand the exciting world of Limonense Creole English!
Abbreviations
adj adjective
adv adverb
aux v auxiliary verb
conj conjunction
def art definite article
demons adj
demonstrative adjective
demons pron demonstrative pronoun
fam familiar
fem feminine
fig figurative
indef adj
indef art
indef pron
interrog adj
indefinite adjective
indefinite article
indefinite pronoun
interrogative adjective
interrog pro interrogative pronoun
m masculine
n noun
num numeral
pers pron
personal pronoun
phr phrase
plur
poss adj
poss pron
plural
possessive adjective
possessive pronoun
prep preposition
rel pron
relative pronoun
sing singular
v verb
A /a/ pron. I is a first person singular pronoun.
Aal /á/ adv. You use all to indicate that you are referring to the whole of a particular group or thing or to everyone or everything of a particular kind.
Aarayt /árait/ adj. If you say that someone or something is all right, you mean that you find them satisfactory or acceptable.
Aat v. the organ in your chest that sends the blood aro und your body.
Áatum /ätam/ n. The season of the year between summer and winter, lasting from September to November north of the equator and from March to May south of the equator, when fruits and crops become ready to eat and are picked, and leaves fall.
Afi /afi/ v. It is the third person singular of the present tense of have
Afta /áfta/ prep. In addition to the uses shown below, after is used in phrasal verbs such as ask after, look after, and take after.
An /an/ conj. You use and to link two or more words, groups, or clauses.
An /an/ n. The part of the body at the end of the arm that is used for holding, moving, touching, and feeling things
Anderstans /ánderstan/ v. Word forms: 3rd person singular present tense understands, present participle, participle understanding, past tense, past participle understood.
Antil /ántil/ prep, You use until with a negative to emphasize the moment in time after which the rest of your statement becomes true,ortheconditionwhichwouldmake it true.
Ar v. /ár/ It is the plural and the second person singular of the present tense of the verb be.
As /ás/ pron. It is the third person singular of the present tense of be
At /át/ prep. You use at to indicate the place or event where something happens or is situated.
Ay /ai/ pron. I is a first person singular pronoun.
Báain /báin/ prep. adv. At the back (of).
Bait v. /bain/ To use your teeth to cut into something or someone.
Bak /bák/ adv. you move back; you move in the opposite direction to the one in which you are facing or in which you were moving before.
Beks /beks/ adj. If you are upset, you are unhappy or disappointed because something unpleasant has happened to you.
Beta /beta/ adj Better is the comparative of good Bi /bi/ v. You use be with a present participle to form the continuous tenses of verbs.
Biliv /bIliev/ n. If you believe that something is true, you think that it is true, but you are not sure
Bin /bin/ v. It is the past participle of be Bikáa /bIká/ conj. For the reason that.
Born /born/ v. When a baby is born, it comes out of its mother's body at the beginning of its life
Bot /bot/ conj. You use but to introduce something which contrasts with what you have just said, or to introduce something which adds to what you have just said.
Bowt /bout/ prep. You use about to introduce who or what something relates to or concerns.
Brait /brait/ adj. full of light, shining
Buk Dem /bukdam/ n. A book is a number of pieces of paper, usually with words printed on them, which are fastened together and fixed inside a cover of
Bway /buai/ Boys n. A boy is a child who will grow up to be a man.
Byebiv /bievi/n. A baby is a very young child, especially one that cannot yet walk or talk
Byek /biek/ adj. If something is baked into a system or situation, it is there as a basic part that cannot easily be changed or removed.
Byeyv /bieIv/adv.It combines with adverbs such as well or badly to form adjectives that describe people's or animals behavior.
Chaanz /tchanz/ n. an occasion that allows something to be done.
Chien /tchien/ n. a series of things of the same type connected in a line, or a series of people standing in a line
Cow /kou/ n. A cow is a large female animal that is kept on farms for its milk
Dat /dat /pron. You use that to refer back to an idea or situation expressed in a previous sentence or sentences.
Daak /dák/ adj With little or no light
Daans /dánz/ v. To move the body and feel to music
Datde /datd/ pron. Contraction of that is or that has.
De /de/ det. You use the atthe beginning of noun groups to refer tosomeone or something that you have already mentioned or identified
Ded /dEd/ v. When people, animals, and plants die, they stop living.
Dem det. You use those to refer to people or things which have already been mentioned.
stronger paper or cardboard. Books contain information, stories, or poetry, Der pron. There is used as the subject of the verb be to say that something exists or does not exist, or to draw attention to it.
Dey /dei/ pron. You use them to refer to a group of people, animals, or things.
Di /dI/ det. You use the at the beginning of noun groups to refer to someone or something that you have already mentioned or identified
Did /dId/ v. Did is the past tense of do.
Die /deI/ n. used to refer to the period in 24 hours when it is naturally light
Dis /dIs/ adv. You use just to say that something happened a very short time ago, or is starting to happen at the present time.
Don /don/ prep. If one thing is over another thing or is moving over it, the first thing is directly above the second, either resting on it, or with a space between them.
Dota /dota/ n. A doctor is someone who is qualified in medicine and treats people who are ill Downt /dount/ aux. Didn't is the usual spoken form of did not.
Drai /draI/ adj. Used to describe something that has no water or other liquid in, on, or around it.
Drink /drIn/ n. If you call someone a fool, you are indicating that you think they are not at all sensible and show a lack of good judgment.
Du /du/ aux. Do is used to form the negative of main verbs, by putting not after do and before the main verb in its infinitive form, that is the form without 'to'.
Down /doun/ aux. Do not is the usual spoken form of do not.
Drap /drap/ v. To fall or to allow something to fall.
Driimz /drimz/ n. A series of events or images that happen in your mind when you are sleeping
Dye /dei/ n. A day isoneof the seven twenty-four hour periods of time in a week.
Dyer /daier/ pron. Contraction of that is or that has.
E
Egzis /égzis/ v. To be, or to be real.
Eni /éni/ det. You use any statements with negative meaning to indicate that no thing or person of a particular type exists, is present, or is involved in a situation
Ev /év/ prep. You use of to combine two nouns when the first noun identifies the features of the second noun that you want to talk about.
F
Faada /fáda/ n. Your father is your male parent. You can also call someone your father if he brings you up as if he was this man.
Faal /fál/ v. If someone or something falls, they move quickly downwards onto or towards the ground, by accident or because of a natural force.
Fada /fáda/ n. Your father is your male parent. You can also call someone your father if he brings you up as if he was this man.
Fala fachin monki adj. If You are envious of someone, you want something that they have.
Fayt /fit/ v. If you fight something unpleasant, you try in a determined way to prevent it or stop it happening
Fi /fi/ prep. You use to when indicating the place that someone or something visits, moves towards, or points at.
Fiilingz /fílinz/ phr. Emotions, especially thoseby other people.
Foni /foni/ adj. Someone or something that is funny is amusing and likely to make you smile or laugh
Fors /forz/ ord num. The first thing, person, event, or period of time is the one that happens or comes before all the others of the same kind.
Fownd /faund/ v. It is the past tense and past participle of find
Fren /frén/n.A friend issomeonewhoyou know well and like, but who is not related to you.
Frii /frí/ adj. Not limited or controlled
From wen /fram-uen/ adj. Someone who is old has lived for many years and is no longer young.
Ful v. /ful/ If you waste something such as time, money, or energy, you use too much of it doing something that is not important or necessary, or is unlikely to succeed
Fut /fut/ n. It is the plural of foot G
Gan owm /ganuom/ n. Someone's home is the house or flat where they live.
Gat /gat/ v. It is the past tense and past participle of get
Get /gét v. It is the past tense of become
Gens /génz/ prep. Disagreeing witha planor activity
Gi /gi/ v. To offer something to someone, or to provide someone with something.
Go /go/ adj. Means pleasant or enjoyable.
Gow /gou/ v. When you go somewhere, youmove or travel there in past.
Gran-pupa /gránpupa/ n. Your grandfather is the father of your father or mother. You can call your grandfather.
Gud /gud/ adj Very satisfactory, enjoyable, pleasant, or interesting
Gwain /guain/ ph. You can use going on before a number to say that something has almost reached that number.
Gyáda /giáda/ v. To connect someone or something in your mind with someone or something else
Haspital /jaspital/ n. A hospital is a place where people who are ill are looked after by nurses and doctors
Hay /jai/ adv. You use here when you are referring to the place where you are.
If conj. You use if in conditional sentences to introduce the circumstances in which an event or situation might happen, might be happening, or might have happened.
Ignorant /ignotrt/ adj. If you describe someone as ignorant, you mean that they do not know things they should know. If someone is ignorant of a fact, they do not know it.
Im /aim/pron. You use he to refer to a man, boy, or male animal.
In /in/ prep. Someone or something that is in something else is enclosed by it or surrounded by it. If you put something in a container,youmoveitsothatitisenclosedbythe container.
Inspiríeshan /inspireshn/ n. someone or something that gives you ideas for doing something.
Invígibl /invígibl/ adj. Used to refer to money that is added to a country s economy by activities such asthe serviceandfinancial industriesrather than the production of goods in factories:
It /ít/ v. When you eat something, you put it into your mouth, chew it, and swallow it.
It /it/pron. You use it to refer to an object, animal, or other thing that has already been mentioned
Ivnin /ívnin/ n. The evening is the part of each day between the end of the afternoon and the time when you go to bed
Iyvin /ívin/ adv. You use even to suggest that what comes just after or just before it in the sentence is rather surprising
Iz /iz/ v. It is the third person singular of the present tense of be1 Is is often added tootherwords and shortened to s.
Jes /yes/ adv. You use just to say that something happened a very short time ago, or is starting to happen at the present time.
Jiel /yiel/ n. A places where criminals are kept to punish them for their crimes, or where people accused of crimes are kept while waiting for their trials
Jomp /yamp/ v. To push yourself suddenly off the ground and into the air using your legs.
Kip /kip/v. Ifsomeone keeps or is kept in aparticular state, they remain in it.
Klier /klier/ adj. Easy to understand, hear, read, or see
Kloud n. /klaud/ A grey or white mass in the sky, made up of very small floating drops of water.
Kom v. /kam/ When a person or thing comes to a particular place, especially to a place where you are, they move there.
Kot op /kotap/ n. You use crud to refer to any disgustingly dirty or sticky substance.
Kozin /kouzin/ n. Your cousin is the child of your uncle or aunt.
Kyan /kiam/ mod v. To be able to:
Kryebin /kriebin/ n. A horse is a large animal which people can ride. Some horses are used for pulling ploughs and carts.
Lak lock /lak-lok/ n. A divice that prevents somyhing such as a door from being opened and can only be opened with a key
Laafafta /láfta/ v. When you laugh, you make a sound with your throat while smiling show that you are happy or amused. People also sometimes laugh when they feel nervous or are being unfriendly
Laas det. You use last in expressions such as last Friday, last night, and last year to refer.
Láitnin /laitnin/ n. A flash of bright light in the sky that is produced by electricity moving between clouds or from clouds to the ground
Layk /laik/ prep. If you say that one person or thing is like another, you mean that they share some of the same qualities or features.
Layn /lain/ n. A line is a long thin mark which is drawn or painted on a surface.
Lef /lef/ v. If you leave a place or person, you go away from that place or person.
Lef /lef/ adj, adv on or towards the side of your body that is to the west when you are facing north
Limon /limon/ /n. It is the seventh province of Costa Rica.
Ler /ler/ v. To receive or become conscious of a sound using your ears
Ler /let / n. the mixture of gases that surrounds the earth and that we breathe.
Leta /leta/ n. A written message from one person toanother,usuallyputinanenvelope and sent by post
Lis /lis/ adj. You use the least to mean a smaller amount than anyone or anything else, or the smallest amount possible
Liv /lIv/ v. If someone lives in a particular place or with a particular person, their home is in that place or with that person.
Liiv /liv/ v. To go away from someone or something, for a short time or permanently.
Lyet /laiet/ adv. Late means near the end of a day, week, year, or other period of time.
M
Man /man/ n. A man is an adult male human being. Mari /mari/v.Whentwopeople get married or marry, they legally becomes partners in a special ceremony. Marnin /marnin/ n. The morning is the part of each day between the time that people usually wake up and 12 o clock noon or lunchtime
Mek /mék/ v. You can use make with a wide range of nouns to indicate that someone performs an action or says something.
Mi /mi/ pron. A speaker or writer uses me to refer to himself or herself. Me is a first person singular pronoun. Me is used as the object of a verb or a preposition
Mi /mi/ det. A speaker or writer uses my to indicate that something belongs or relates to himself or herself.
Mids /mids/ n. The part of a person that makes it possible for him or her to think, feel emotions, and understand things.
Milk /milk/ n. It is the white liquid produced by cows, goats, and some other animals, which people drink and use to make butter, cheese, and yoghurt.
Min /min/ v. If you want to know what a word, code, signal, or gesture means, you want to know what it refers to or what its message is.
Molest /molest/ v. If you do not bother to do something or if you do not bother with it, you do not do it, consider it, or use it because you think it is unnecessary or because you are too lazy
Mosimad /mósimad/ adj. Someone who is mad has a mind that does not work in a normal way, with the result that their behavior is very strange
Muuv /múv/ v. To cause to change position
Nait /nait/ n. The part of every 24hour period when it is dark because there is very little light from the sun
Nays in pi /naisipi/ adj. If you say that something is disgusting, you are criticizing it because it is extremely unpleasant.
Neba /neba/ adv. Means at no time in the past or at no time in the future
Neks /neks/ ord num. The next period of time, event, person, or thing is the one that comes immediately after the present one or after the previous one.
Nier /nier/ adv, prep. Not far away in distance
No /no/ adv. You use not with verbs to form negative statements
Noadi /noadi/ pron. It means the same as anyone
Nuo /nuo/ v. To have information in your mind
Now /nau/ adv. You use now to refer to the present time, often in contrast to a time in the past or the future
Now /nau/ v. If you know a fact, a piece of information, or an answer, you have it correctly in your mind.
Nwo /nuo/ v. If you know a fact, a piece of information, or an answer, you have it correctly in your mind
Nyem /niem/ n. The name of a person, place, or thing is the word or group of words that is used to identify them.
Ogli /ogli/ adj. If you say that someone or something is ugly, you mean that they are very unattractive and unpleasant to look at.
Ogos /ógos/ n. It is the eighth month of the year in the Western calendar.
Ow mosh /oumach/ n. the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole
Ou moch /oumach/ ph. Used to ask how great a distance is.
Ou moch /oumach/adj. Havinglived for along time; no longer young Owtsay /outsei/ prep. If you are outside a room, you are not in it but are in the passage or area next to it.
Papi /pápi/ n. A clown is a performer in a circus who wears funny clothes and bright make-up, and does silly things in order to make people laugh.
Paraláiz /paraláiz/ v. To stop something or someone from moving:
Partna /partna/ n. Your partner is the person you are married to or are having a romantic or sexual relationship with.
Plyes /plais/ n. A place is any point, building, area, town, or country.
Pópet /pápet/ n. A toy in the shape of person or animal that you can move with strings or by putting your hand inside.
Profamin /profmin/ n. If you pretend that something is the case, you act in a way that is intended to make people believe that it is the case, although in fact it is not.
Pipil /pípil/ n Used to refer to everyone, or informally to the group that you are speaking to
Put /put v. When you put something in a particular place or position, you move it into that place or position.
Pye /pei/ v. When you pay an amount of money to someone, you give it to them because you are buying something from them or because you owe it to them.
Pyepa /peipa/ n. Your age is the number ofyears that you have lived. Q
Qwai /quai/ adj. Someone or something that is quiet makes only a small amount of noise.
Rait /rait/ adj. If you are right about something or someone, you are correct in your judgement or statement about it, him, or her.
Rang /ran/ adj. If someone is wrong, they are not correct in their judgement or statement about something.
Rayt /rait/ v. When you write something on a surface, you use something such as a pen or pencil to produce words, letters, or numbers on the surface.
Retar /retar/ v. If you challenge ideas or people, you question their truth, value, or authority.
Ron /ran/ v. When you run, you move more quicklythanwhenyouwalk,forexamplebecause you are in a hurry to get somewhere, or for exercise.
Rownd /round/ adv. In a circular direction or position; around.
Ryen /raien/ n. It is water that falls from the clouds in small drops. S
Saaf /sáf/ adj. Not hard or firm.
San Xose n. /san sosé/ It is the first province of Costa Rica
Se /sé/ v. When you say something in past, you speak words.
Shayn /shain/ad.A shining achievementorqualityis a very good one which should be greatly admired.
Shi /shi/ pron. You use she to refer to a woman, girl, or female animal who has already been mentioned or whose identity is clear.
Staat /stat/ v. To begin doing something.
Stap /stap/ v. To finish doing something that you were doing:
Shain /shein/ v. To send out or reflect light
Strit /strit/ n A street is a road in a city, town, or village, usually with houses along it.
Strang strán/ adj Powerful having or using great force control.
Swell /suel/ v. To become larger and rounder than usual; to (cause to) increase in size or amount.
Swiit /suit/ adj Especially of food or drink) having a taste similar to that of sugar; not bitter or salty
Sho-cho /schutcho/ adj. If you say that something is disgusting, you are criticizing it because is extremely unpleasant.
Shuor /shur/ adj. certain; without any doubt
Shwo /shu/ v. When you act, you do something for a particular purpose.
Si /si/ v. When you see something, you notice it using your eyes.
Sii /sí/ n. The salty water that covers a large part of the surface of the earth, or a large area of salty water, smaller than an ocean, that is partly or completely surrounded by land
Sik /sik/ adj. If you are sick, you are ill. Sick usually means physically ill, but it can sometimes be used to mean mentally ill.
Sins /sinz/ prep. You use since when you are mentioning a time or event in the past and
indicating that a situation has continued from then until now.
Skai /skai/ n. The area above the earth, in which clouds, the sun, etc. can be seen:
Skuwl /skul/n.A school isaplacewherechildren are educated. You usually refer to this place as school when you are talking about the time that children spend there and the activities that they do there.
Smaal /smál/ adj. A small person, thing, or amount of something is not large in physical size.
Son /san/ n. The sun is the ball of fire in the sky that the Earth goes round, and that gives us heat and light.
Soun /sun/ n. Something that you can hear or that can be heard.
Spanish /spánish/ v. The way that you behave is the way that you do and say things, and the things that you do and say.
Spéshal /speshal/ adj. Not ordinary or usual Spiki /spík/ v. When you speak, you use your voice in order to say something
Taak v. /ták/ When you talk, you use spoken language to express your thoughts, ideas, or feelings.
Tait /tait/ adj, v. Held or kept together family or closely.
Tamara /támara/ adv. You use tomorrow to refer to the day after today.
Taylet /táilet/ n. A toilet is a large bowl with a seat, or a platform with a hole, which is connected to a water system and which you use when you want to get rid of urine or faeces from your body.
Taym /taim/ n. It is what we measure in minutes, hours, days, and years.
Tel /tel/ v. If you tell someone something in past, you give them information.
Tiif /tíf/ n. A thief is a person who steals something from another person.
Tin /tin/ n. It means possessions, articles of clothing, etc.
Toch /totch/ v. If you touch something, you put your hand onto it in order to feel it or to make contact with it.
Ton /ton/ v. To (cause to) move in a circle around a fixed point or line.
Trii /trí/ n. A tall plant that has a wooden trunk and branches that grow from its upper part.
Tu /tu/ prep. You use to when indicating the place that someone or something visits, moves towards, or points at.
Uman /iuman/ n. A woman is an adult female human being.
Úonli /unli/ adj. used to show that there is a single one or very few of something, or that there are no others:
Uu /iu/ pron. Used especially in questions as the subjectorobjectofaverb,whenaskingwhichperson or people,orwhenaskingwhatsomeone´snames is.
Wa /ua/ pron. You use what in questions when you ask for specific information about something that you do not know.
Waan /uánv. To wish for a particular thing or plan of action. "Want" is not used in polite requests.
Waapin /uápin/ n. something that has happened.
Waip /uaip/ v. to slide something, especially a piece of cloth, over the surface of something else, in order to remove dirt, food, or liquid
Waiz /uaiz/ adj Having or showing the ability to make good judgement, based on a deep understanding and experience of life
Wan /uan/ v. If you want something, you feel a desire or a need for it.
Wapil Kil filop /uapil lil flop/ n. It is the area of activity that involves styles of clothing and appearance.
Wat /uat/ pron. You use what in questions when you ask for specific information about something that you do not know.
Wel /uel/ adv. You say well to indicate that you are about to say something.
Wen /uen/ adv. You use when to ask questions about the time at which things happen
Wen /uen/ adv, conj at what time; at the time at which.
Wer /uer/ adj. You use where to ask questions about the place something or someone is in, or is coming from or going to.
Weray /ueri/adj.Youuse where to ask questions about the place something or someone is in, or is coming from or going to.
Wi /ui/ pron. A speaker or writer uses we to refer bothtohimselforherselfandtooneormoreother peopleasagroup.Youcanuse we beforeanoun to make it clear which group of people you are referring to.
Wid /uid/ prep. If one person is with another, they are together in one place.
Wik /uik/ n. A week is a period of seven days. Some people consider that a week starts on Monday and ends on Sunday.
Wok /uok/ v. People who work have a job, usually one which they are paid to do.
Won /uon/ adj. You use own to indicate that somethingbelongstoaparticularpersonorthing.
Worid /uorld/v. If you worry, you keep thinking about problems that you have or about unpleasant things that might happen
Work /uork/ v. People who work have a job, usually one which they are paid to do.
Workin /uorkin/adj. People have jobs whichthey are paid to do.
Woz /uoz/ v. It is the first and third person singular of the past tense of be
Wyet /uaiet/ v. When you wait for something or someone, you spend some time doing very little, because you cannot act until that thing happens or that person arrives
Ya /ia/ adv. You use here when you are referring to the place where you are.
Yai /iai/n.Oneofthetwo organs in your face thatare used for seeing
Ye /ie/n. A year is a period of twelve months or 365 or 366 days, beginning on the first of January and ending on the thirty-first of December.
Yer /ier/ adv. You use here when you are referring to the place where you are.
Yet /iet/ adv. You use yet in negative statements to indicate that something has not happened up to the present time, although it probably will happen. You can also use yet in questions to ask if something has happened up to the present time. In British English the simple past tense is not normally used with this meaning of yet.
You /iu/pron. A speaker or writer uses you torefer to the person or people that they are talking or writing to. It is possible to use you before a noun to make it clear which group of people you are talking to.