Languages In Mauritius - A Traveller's Guide

Mauritius is a multi-lingual country. Being very diverse, the people of Mauritius speak a variety of languages. Mauritian Creole, French and English are the most commonly spoken languages in Mauritius. Most people in Mauritius speak either English or French and are bilingual, if not trilingual. So, it is very easy to communicate, even if you know just English. A majority of the population speaks Mauritian Creole while French is the commonly used language in media and education. Other languages spoken in Mauritius are Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Marathi, Mandarin and Gujarati. 

1. Mauritian Creole - The Native Language of Mauritius

Around 90 per cent of Mauritians speaks the Creole, which is a mixture of parent languages of French, English and few Indian and African languages. It is visible that the language is highly influenced by immigrants from China and India. Mauritian Creole is considered to be the native language of Mauritians. It is not used in formal contexts and is limited to informal conversations.

A standard script for this Creole does not exist. This language saw its origins in the late 18th century when the slaves arrived on the Island. They used a pidgin language to communicate amongst themselves and also with their French masters who could not understand the African languages. Over the generations, this pidgin developed into a language, which is now casually used by all residents despite their diverse ethnic backgrounds.

Useful Phrases in Creole

If you walk into the villages of Boris Cheri, there is a high possibility that you come across a person who waives at you saying 'Bonzur'. Don't you worry, he just said 'Hi'. Here is a guide to the most common phrases and words that you might require when you visit Mauritius.

Phrases and Translation

Hello	Bonzur
When?	Kan
Goodbye	Bye
Why?	Ki fer?
Thank you	Merci
Who?	Ki sa na?
Please	S'il vous plait
Where	Kote sa?
Yes	Oui
Toilet	Toilette
No	Non
Good	Bon
Market	Bazar
Restaurant	Restorant
Luggage	Valiz
Hotel	Lotel
Doctor	Dokter
I don't understand	Mo pas compran
Excuse me	Exkize moi
Sorry	Sori
How are you?	Ki Many'r?
My name is...	Mo nom li...
I am from...	Me sort...
What's your name?	Ki ou non?
Looking for	Pe rod
Call	Appel

2. Bhojpuri - A Regional Language of Mauritius

It might be surprising to know that this North-Central Indian language is also spoken in Mauritius. 5.3% of Mauritians speak Bhojpuri. Termed as the most rapidly developing language in the world, Bhojpuri has a different dialect in Mauritius. Here is a translation guide for useful phrases and words in Bhojpuri.

Hello	pranaam
Welcome	aain naa
How are you?	kaa haal ba?
What's your name?	tohar naav kaa ha?
Yes	haan
No	naa
I don't understand	naikhe samajh mein aavti
Please speak slowly	tani aahista aahista bola
Please say that again	tani dubaara kaha
Excuse me	maaf Karin
Sorry	maaf Karin
Please	meharbani karke
Thank you	dhanvaad
Help	madad kara
Stop	rook
Call the police	pulis ko bulaava

3. French

French is spoken by 4.3% of Mauritians. Besides, French is also used both as an official language and as a medium in education. It is considered to be one of the principal languages of Mauritius. Mauritius shares this distinction of being a both English and French-speaking country with Canada, Cameroon and Vanuatu. Here are a few useful phrases and words in French that might come in handy.

Hello	Bonjour
Please	S'il vous plait(see-voo-play)
Thank you	Merci( mair-see)
Goodbye	Au revior(oh-reu-vwar)
I don't understand	Je ne comprehends pas( zhue neu kompron par)
I don't speak	Jen ne parle pas francais( zheu neu parl par fron-say)
I want	Je veux (zheu veu)
I am	Je suis(zheu swee)
I am looking for	Je cherche (zheu share-sh)
To eat	Manger (mon-zhay)
To drink	Boire(bwar)
To play	Payer(pay-yeh)
To buy	Acheter(ash-tay)
Toilet/washroom	La toilette(lar twa-lette)
Some water	De l'eau(deu-lo)
A bank	Une banque(une bonk)
We are lost	Nous sommes perdus(noo voolon allay are)

 
With this guide, it will be an easy trail for you in Mauritius. Next time, you don't have to look for a local guide to order food or ask for directions.