Sierra Leone Creole or Krio is the lingua franca and the de facto national language spoken throughout the Sierra Leone. Krio is spoken by roughly 6,250,000 people—nearly all of Sierra Leone's population. While English is Sierra Leone's sole official language, Krio is far, far more widespread. Krio is the native language for some 300,000 Krios—the descendants of enslaved people from the West Indies, United States and Britain, who overwhelmingly live in Freetown. There are also small Krio speaking communities in The Gambia, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea, but the language is of practical value for travel only in Sierra Leone.

Krio is an English-based creole, but is closer to being a fully-fledged language, as it has fixed grammatical structures and rules. Most of its vocabulary comes from English but Krio is very similar to and mutually intelligible with Jamaican Patois. If you speak English, you should find this language very easy to learn as it basically sounds like a casually pronounced and phonetically and casually spelt version of English. It developed this way, so people from all walks of life from the slaves right through to captains of industry and wealthy land / plantation owners could communicate in some kind of poor version of English.

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

ɛ eh

like bed

e ay

like day

ɔ oh

like English cot

o oh

like bone

u oo

like fool

i ee

like machine

Consonants

b

like boy

ch

like chair

d

like day

f

like fun

g

like girl

gb

like, well, gb

h

 ?

j

like jump

k

like kick

l

like lump

m

like mango

n

like nunchuk

ny

like piñata

ŋ ng

like sing

p

like pellet

r

like ring

s

like sun

t

like telephone

v

like voltage

w

like water

y

like young

z

like zero

zh

like pleasure

Common diphthongs

aw

like now

ay ?

like bye

ɔy oy

like coy

Phrase list

Some phrases in this phrasebook still need to be translated. If you know anything about this language, you can help by plunging forward and translating a phrase.

Basics

Hello.

Kushɛ / Adu. (koo-sheh / "Ah-do")

How are you?

Aw Di bodi? / Aw di go de go? (Aw Di boh-di ? / "Aw di go day go")

Fine, thank you.

Di Bɔdi fayn / nɔ bad. (Di Bɔdi fayn / nor bad)

What is your name?

Wetin yu nem? / Wetin yu nem?(weh-teen you nehm? / weh-teen no you nehm?)

My name is ______ .

Mi nem ______ / Mi nem na ______ . (mee nehm _____. / Mi nehm na ______)

Nice to meet you.

Ah gladi fɔ mit yu. (ah glah-dee foh meet yoo.)

Please.

(Bo) Duya. ((bo) doo-yah)

Thank you.

tɛnki. (tehn-kee)

Yes.

Yes. (Yehs)

No.

Nor . (nor )

Excuse me. (getting attention)

Bo duya. (Bo do-ya)

Excuse me. (I need to get past)

Kɔmɔt na rod. (koh-moht nah rohd)

Excuse me. (begging pardon)

a bayg padin. (ah bayg pahr-din)

I'm sorry.

A bayg (o) (padin). (ah bayg (o) (pahr-din))

Goodbye (I'm going)

A de go. (ah day goh)

I can't speak Krio [well].

Ah nɔ sabi tɔk Krio [fayn fayn ]. (Ah nor sah-bi tohk creo [fine fine ])

Do you speak English?

U sabi tɔk inglish? (you sah-bi tohk ingi-lish ?)

Is there someone here who speaks English?

Pɔsin de ya we sabi tɔk inglish? ( ?)

Help!

ɛp mi! (ehp mee!)

Look out!

Kɔmɔt! (koh-moht !)

Good morning. (How is you morning)

Aw di mohnin (Aw di mo-nin)

Good evening.

()

Good night.

. ( )

Good night (I'm going to sleep)

A de go sleep (Ah di go sleep)

I don't understand.

A no undestan (Ah no under-stan)

Where is the toilet?

 ? ( Wusei na di toilet?)

Leave me alone

Lɛf mi saful. (lehf mee sah-full)

Problems

Leave me alone.

. (Lef meh .)

Don't touch me!

No touch me! ( No-toch- me!)

I'll call the police.

. ( Ah dae can call police pan u.)

Police!

 ! ( !)

Stop! Thief!

 ! ! ( !Tiefman! !)

I need your help.

Gimme ɛp (Gi-mi ehp)

It's an emergency.

. (Na urgent tin .)

I'm lost.

. (Ah no sabi ousai ah dae .)

I lost my bag.

. ( Ah don loss me bag.)

I lost my wallet.

. ( Ah don loss me wallet.)

I'm sick.

. ( Ah nae .)

I've been injured.

. (Ah don hot mesef. .)

I need a doctor.

. ( .Ah no dae feel well)

Can I use your phone? (Give me your phone - requests are more direct, they are not demanding, it's just how they ask)

Ah keen use u phone? (gi-mi fon)

Numbers

1

( wan)

2

(tu )

3

(tri )

4

(fo )

5

(fyv )

6

(syx )

7

(sεvun )

8

(εyt )

9

(nyn )

10

(tεn )

11

(ilεvun)

12

( )

13

( )

14

( )

15

( )

16

( )

17

( )

18

( )

19

( )

20

( )

21

( )

22

( )

23

( )

30

( )

40

( )

50

( )

60

( )

70

( )

80

( )

90

( )

100

( )

200

( )

300

( )

1,000

( )

2,000

( )

1,000,000

( )

1,000,000,000

( )

1,000,000,000,000

( )

number _____ (train, bus, etc.)

( )

half

( )

less

( )

more

( )

Time

now

( )

later

( )

before

( )

morning

( )

afternoon

( )

evening

( )

night

( )

Clock time

one o'clock AM

( )

two o'clock AM

( )

noon

( )

one o'clock PM

( )

two o'clock PM

( )

midnight

( )

Duration

_____ minute(s)

( )

_____ hour(s)

( )

_____ day(s)

( )

_____ week(s)

( )

_____ month(s)

( )

_____ year(s)

( )

Days

today

(Tide )

yesterday

( Tradae)

tomorrow

( tumara)

this week

( )

last week

( )

next week

( )

Sunday

( )

Monday

( )

Tuesday

( )

Wednesday

( )

Thursday

( )

Friday

( )

Saturday

( )

Months

January

( )

February

( )

March

( )

April

( )

May

( )

June

( )

July

( )

August

( )

September

( )

October

( )

November

( )

December

( )

Colours

black

( )

white

( )

gray

( )

red

( )

blue

( )

yellow

( )

green

( )

orange

( )

purple

( )

brown

( )

Transportation

When?

Wetin? (way-teen)

Bus and train

How much is a ticket to _____?

( )

One ticket to _____, please.

( )

Where does this train/bus go?

( )

Where is the train/bus to _____?

( )

Does this train/bus stop in _____?

( )

When does the train/bus for _____ leave?

( )

When will this train/bus arrive in _____?

( )

Directions

I want to go to _____

A wan fɔ go _____ (ah wahn foh goh _____)

How do I get to _____ ?

( )

...the train station?

( )

...the bus station?

( )

...the airport?

( )

...downtown?

( )

...the youth hostel?

( )

...the _____ hotel?

( )

...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate?

( )

Where are there a lot of...

( )

...hotels?

( )

...restaurants?

( )

...bars?

( )

...sites to see?

( )

Can you show me on the map?

( )

street

( )

Turn left.

( )

Turn right.

( )

left

( )

right

( )

straight ahead

( )

towards the _____

( )

past the _____

( )

before the _____

( )

Watch for the _____.

( )

intersection

( )

north

( )

south

( )

east

( )

west

( )

uphill

( )

downhill

( )

Taxi

Taxi!

( )

Take me to _____, please.

( Duya, kerr me go ...)

How much does it cost to get to _____?

( Na omos for go... )

Take me there, please.

( )

Lodging

Do you have any rooms available?

( yu get room? )

How much is a room for one person/two people?

( )

Does the room come with...

( di room get... )

...bedsheets?

( )

...a bathroom?

( )

...a telephone?

( )

...a TV?

( )

May I see the room first?

( )

Do you have anything quieter?

( )

...bigger?

( )

...cleaner?

( )

...cheaper?

( )

OK, I'll take it.

( )

I will stay for _____ night(s).

( )

Can you suggest another hotel?

( )

Do you have a safe?

( )

...lockers?

( )

Is breakfast/supper included?

( )

What time is breakfast/supper?

( )

Please clean my room.

( )

Can you wake me at _____?

( )

I want to check out.

( )

Money

Money

kɔpɔ (coh-poh)

Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars?

( )

Do you accept British pounds?

( )

Do you accept euros?

( )

Do you accept credit cards?

( )

Can you change money for me?

( )

Where can I get money changed?

( )

Can you change a traveler's check for me?

( )

Where can I get a traveler's check changed?

( )

What is the exchange rate?

( )

Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?

( )

Eating

A table for one person/two people, please.

( )

Can I look at the menu, please?

( )

Can I look in the kitchen?

( )

Is there a house specialty?

( )

Is there a local specialty?

( )

I'm a vegetarian.

( )

I don't eat pork.

( )

I don't eat beef.

( )

I only eat kosher food.

( )

Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard)

( )

fixed-price meal

( )

a la carte

( )

breakfast

( )

lunch

( )

tea (meal)

( )

supper

( )

I want _____.

( )

I want a dish containing _____.

( )

chicken

( )

beef

( )

fish

( )

ham

( )

sausage

( )

cheese

( )

eggs

( )

salad

( )

(fresh) vegetables

( )

(fresh) fruit

( )

bread

( )

toast

( )

noodles

( )

rice

( )

beans

( )

May I have a glass of _____?

( )

May I have a cup of _____?

( )

May I have a bottle of _____?

( )

coffee

( )

tea (drink)

( )

juice

( )

(bubbly) water

( )

(still) water

( )

beer

( )

red/white wine

( )

May I have some _____?

( )

salt

( )

black pepper

( )

butter

( )

Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)

( )

I'm finished.

( )

It was delicious.

( )

Please clear the plates.

( )

The check, please.

( )

Bars

Do you serve alcohol?

( )

Is there table service?

( )

A beer/two beers, please.

( )

A glass of red/white wine, please.

( )

A pint, please.

( )

A bottle, please.

( )

_____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please.

( )

whiskey

( )

vodka

( )

rum

( )

water

( )

club soda

( )

tonic water

( )

orange juice

( )

Coke (soda)

( )

Do you have any bar snacks?

( )

One more, please.

( )

Another round, please.

( )

When is closing time?

( )

Cheers!

( )

Shopping

Do you have this in my size?

( )

How much is this? ɔmɔs fɔ am?

( oh-mohs foh ahm)

That's too expensive.

(ihn dear / ihn tumos )

Would you take _____?

( )

expensive

( dear )

cheap

( )

I can't afford it.

( ihn dear )

I don't want it.

( AH nor want am)

You're cheating me.

( )

I'm not interested.

(..)

OK, I'll take it.

( )

Can I have a bag?

( )

Do you ship (overseas)?

( )

I need...

( )

...toothpaste.

( )

...a toothbrush.

( )

...tampons.

. ( )

...soap.

( )

...shampoo.

( )

...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen)

( )

...cold medicine.

( )

...stomach medicine.

... ( )

...a razor.

( )

...an umbrella.

( )

...sunblock lotion.

( )

...a postcard.

( )

...postage stamps.

( )

...batteries.

( )

...writing paper.

( )

...a pen.

( )

...English-language books.

( )

...English-language magazines.

( )

...an English-language newspaper.

( )

...an English-English dictionary.

( )

Driving

I want to rent a car.

( )

Can I get insurance?

( )

stop (on a street sign)

( )

one way

( )

yield

( )

no parking

( )

speed limit

( )

gas (petrol) station

( )

petrol

( )

diesel

( )

Authority

I haven't done anything wrong.

( )

It was a misunderstanding.

( )

Where are you taking me?

( )

Am I under arrest?

( )

I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen.

( )

I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate.

( )

I want to talk to a lawyer.

( )

Can I just pay a fine now?

( )