Portuguese is the official language of São Tomé and Príncipe, alongside three local creoles. How much English and French you will hear, useful phrases and travel tips.
Wondering what language is spoken in Sao Tome? The official language is Portuguese, spoken by virtually the whole population. Alongside it live three Portuguese-based creoles: Forro, Angolar and Lung'ie (Principense). English is spoken by only a small minority, mostly in hotels and tourism, so a few words of Portuguese go a long way.
Below we explain what each language is, how much English you can count on, a handful of useful phrases and how to travel comfortably if you do not speak Portuguese.
In this article
- What language is spoken in Sao Tome: Portuguese
- The three local creoles
- Do they speak English in São Tomé?
- Is São Tomé a Spanish or Portuguese-speaking country?
- Useful Portuguese phrases for your trip
- And in Forro, to win some hearts
- Can you travel without speaking Portuguese?
- Frequently asked questions
- Travel with an English-speaking guide
What language is spoken in Sao Tome: Portuguese
It is European Portuguese, not Brazilian, although with its own accent and a slower, softer rhythm. Practically everyone speaks it, and it is the language of school, government, the press and road signs. For many young São Toméans it is now their first language.
For an English speaker this means something quite specific: signs, menus and leaflets are partly guessable if you know some French or Spanish, but spoken Portuguese at normal speed is hard to follow. European Portuguese swallows its unstressed vowels, which makes it tricky to the ear even for people who read it reasonably well.
The three local creoles
Forro (or Santome)
The most widely spoken creole, used on São Tomé island. It was born in the 16th century from the mixing of Portuguese with Bantu languages and languages from the Gulf of Guinea. It is the language of family life, music and everyday expressions, although among young people it is losing ground to Portuguese.
Angolar (or Ngola)
Spoken in the south of the island, around Angolares, by the descendants of a group of Africans who, according to oral tradition, survived a shipwreck or escaped the plantations and settled independently on the southern coast. It has more Kimbundu influence than Forro.
Lung'ie (Principense)
The creole of Príncipe island. It is the most endangered of the three: it has very few active speakers left, almost all elderly, and there are projects under way to document it.
You will also hear Cape Verdean Creole in communities descended from the workers brought from Cape Verde to the roças.
Do they speak English in São Tomé?
A little. English and French are taught at school as foreign languages, but only around 5% of the population speaks English, and about 7% French, according to the census figures quoted by Wikipedia. In practice you will find English at the main hotels in the capital, at the Príncipe resorts and with some guides; at the market, in taxis or in small villages, almost none.
Interestingly, French is slightly more common than English: the country is a member of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie and has an Alliance Française in the capital.
Is São Tomé a Spanish or Portuguese-speaking country?
Portuguese. It was a Portuguese colony from the late 15th century until independence in 1975, and it belongs to the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). Spanish is not spoken there.
The confusion usually comes from its neighbour, Equatorial Guinea, about 300 km away, which is the only country in Africa where Spanish is an official language. The two share a sea, but not a language.
Useful Portuguese phrases for your trip
- Good morning: Bom dia
- Good afternoon / evening: Boa tarde / Boa noite
- Thank you: Obrigado (said by a man) / Obrigada (said by a woman)
- Please: Por favor
- Sorry / excuse me: Desculpe
- How much is it?: Quanto custa?
- Where is...?: Onde fica...?
- I don't understand: Não percebo
- Do you speak English?: Fala inglês?
- Water, please: Água, por favor
- The bill, please: A conta, por favor
- Very good: Muito bom
And one you will hear all the time: leve leve. Literally "light, light", it is the national philosophy: no rush, everything gets there in the end. Use it and watch people smile.
Featured trip
São Tomé and Príncipe Circuit — 8 Days
And in Forro, to win some hearts
- Hello: Seja
- Thank you: Blogado
Two words of creole open more doors here than a whole paragraph of correct Portuguese.
Can you travel without speaking Portuguese?
You can, but you miss a lot. Logistics are not the problem, as pointing and smiling solve most of that. What gets lost is the best part of the trip: the stories of the roças, the conversation at the market, what the fisherman tells you on the beach.
That is why travelling with an English-speaking local guide changes the experience completely in this particular destination, far more than in countries where tourism already runs in English. It also makes the practical side easy: we cover the rest in our São Tomé tour guide article.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main language in São Tomé and Príncipe?
Portuguese, the official language, spoken by almost everyone. Forro is the most widespread creole.
Is English widely spoken in São Tomé?
No. Only around 5% of the population speaks it, mostly in hotels and tourism in the capital and on Príncipe.
Is French spoken in São Tomé and Príncipe?
A little more than English: around 7% of people speak it, it is taught at school and the country is a member of the Francophonie.
Is the Portuguese there like Brazilian Portuguese?
No. It is European Portuguese, with its own local accent and expressions.
What is Forro?
The most widely spoken Portuguese-based creole in the country, native to São Tomé island and born in the 16th century.
How many languages are spoken in total?
Portuguese as the official language, plus three local creoles (Forro, Angolar and Lung'ie) and Cape Verdean Creole in some communities. English and French are foreign languages taught at school. More facts about the country (capital, population and nationality) in capital of São Tomé and Príncipe.
What currency is used in São Tomé?
The dobra (STN), pegged to the euro at €1 = 24.5 dobras. Bring euros in cash. Our article on how much a trip to São Tomé costs explains how much to take.
Travel with an English-speaking guide
Whatever language is spoken in Sao Tome, you will not need to worry about it with us. We run our trips with official local guides who speak English (as well as French, Portuguese and Spanish), and that is exactly what turns this destination from "beautiful" into "unforgettable": without a common language, much of what makes São Tomé and Príncipe fascinating stays on the other side of it.
Discover our 8-day São Tomé guided circuit, a private trip with an English-speaking guide for all 8 days, from €1,250 per person, flights not included. Read the complete São Tomé travel guide or get in touch.