Learn Cape Verdean Kriolu
Join our engaging Kriolu language courses or try our new
"Full Conversational Kriolu App" today!
About Pina and Bean Learn Kriolu's Creators...
Doreen Pina-Pena
Gilberto & Carmem Fernandes
Adebayo Adegbembo
As a third-generation Cape Verdean American, I grew up surrounded by the sounds of Kriolu. Both sets of my grandparents were born in Brava, Cape Verde, and spoke only Kriolu when they immigrated to the United States. While my older siblings had the privilege of learning the language directly from them, I, like many younger siblings, only picked up a few playful phrases—words like “fastente” (pain in the butt) and “konfida” (show-off) that became part of our family conversations.
My personal journey to reconnect with the Cape Verdean language and culture has been both beautiful and challenging. It’s what inspired me to create resources like the book “Conversational Cape Verdean Kriolu for Everyone”, the new “Conversational Kriolu” app, and my online classes—all designed to help others like me who want to learn, practice, and celebrate Kriolu.
Adebayo Adegbembo
Gilberto & Carmem Fernandes
Adebayo Adegbembo
Adebayo is a children’s book author, program engineer, and the owner of Wafunk Publishing. From the very beginning, he has been my steadfast support in shaping the creation of the beloved Pina and Bean characters.
His guidance and expertise provided the foundation for “Conversational Cape Verdean Kriolu for Everyone”, helping to bring clarity and structure to every step of the process. Throughout this journey, Adebayo has shown incredible patience—what I often call “the patience of God”—as he helped me transition my book into an interactive language-learning app "Conversational Krioliu, using the game development platform Unity.
His creative and technical influence continues to be a key part of this project’s success.
You can learn more about his process of "Repourposing Children's Books" process by visiting his page below..
Gilberto & Carmem Fernandes
Gilberto & Carmem Fernandes
Gilberto & Carmem Fernandes
Gilberto and Carmem Fernandes are the warm and authentic Cape Verdean voices featured in both my book "Conversational Cape Verdean Kriolu For Everyone",and the Conversational Kriolu App. Native to Praia, Cape Verde, their deep knowledge of Kriolu and Cape Verdean culture has ensured that every voiceover feels genuine and true to the language.
Their approach is always quick, friendly, and professional, making them a joy to work with on any project. In addition to their voice work, Gilberto also provided the upbeat island-inspired background music track titled “Don”, which brings extra energy and atmosphere to the app.
I’ve always been able to count on their timely and high-quality delivery, and I’m grateful for the heart and authenticity they bring to this project. Check out his video, "Don" used as our background music clip for the "Conversational Kriolu App".
~ It's Finally Here ...
We Launched the full Conversational Kriolu App!
The full Conversational Kriolu!
- We’re excited to announce the launch of the 14 kriolu stories in both the iOS and android versions of our Kriolu App,
These stories are based from my book, “Conversational Cape Verdean Kriolu for Everyone.”
This interactive app is a fun and exciting way to learn our beautiful language!
About Pina and Bean
Our Mission
At Pina and Bean, we aim to make learning basic Cape Verdean Kriolu fun and engaging. Our mission is to empower children and adults alike to converse confidently in basic Cape Verdean Kriolu through interactive lessons and games.
At Pina and Bean Learn Kriolu, our mission is to provide high-quality language education that fosters cultural understanding. We believe that learning Kriolu opens doors to new experiences and enriches personal growth.
NEXT CLASS BEGINS; February, 2026!!!
OUR NEXT CLASS STARTS
February 2026 @ 7:00 (est),
Reserve your seat now...