Talk Like A Mauritian

There is no questioning the beauty of Mauritius' beaches. The famous white sands, which slope gently into sapphire blue waters, have long lured visitors to the island. Beyond their achingly picturesque aesthetics, as a tourist you can beat your way through Mauritius by using English. However, sometimes it is very useful to know some French or Creole expressions. Due to the fact that French is similar to Creole, Mauritians tend to understand and speak it better than English. Beyond the usual prudence, the challenge is to locate places, as signs with street names are rare. It may be helpful to know a few words in Creole to identify places by asking for directions and understanding Creole. Expressions like “Mo pe rode” (I’m looking), “Kot mo capav trouvé?” (Where can I find?), “Cass contour” (Turn),“Saute simin”(Cross the road) and “Robot”(Traffic Lights) can keep you away from being lost in Mauritius. “Pena Problem” is an expression you’ll hear frequently that means “No Problem”. Everything is good for Mauritians as nothing creates much of a hassle or inconvenience when it comes to providing the best hospitality the island has to offer. You’ll hear a lot of “Tou Korek” that means “Everything’s okay”, spreading positive vibes everywhere. Meanwhile phrases like “Bonzur” (Hello), “Ki maniere?”(How are you?), Si ouplé (Please), "Exkize moi" (Excuse me), “Mersi” (Thank you), Mo apel (My name is), and Ou kapav koz anglé? (Do you speak English?) comes in handy for small talk. Who knows, this may win you great company or maybe even a complimentary cocktail as Mauritians love it when tourists try to interact in Creole. Here you can find a little English-French-Creole dictionary, with helpful expressions and phrases, ensuring you a cordially splendid time at Mauritius.