Sranantongo
What does "oso" mean?
oso is Sranantongo for house, home. Pronounced O-so.
Oso is house and home at once, and it is one of the most productive words in the language. Oso dresi is home remedy, herbal medicine. Dede oso is the house of mourning, where people sit through the nights after a death. Wroko oso is a workshop. The word rarely refers to the building alone; it refers to the household inside it.
Mi e go na oso. (I am going home.)
Oso is not the same as an address. "Na oso" means at home, with the family, and an invitation of "kon na mi oso" is about the yard and the people, not a tour of the building.
Frequently asked questions
What does oso mean in English?
oso is Sranantongo and literally means house, home. Oso is house and home at once, and it is one of the most productive words in the language. Oso dresi is home remedy, herbal medicine. Dede oso is the house of mourning, where people sit through the nights after a death. Wroko oso is a workshop. The word rarely refers to the building alone; it refers to the household inside it.
How do you pronounce oso?
Say it as O-so. Sranantongo is understood by almost everyone in Paramaribo, including people who speak Dutch, Sarnami or Javanese at home.
Is Sranantongo a real language?
Yes. Sranantongo is a full creole language with its own grammar and spelling, formed in Suriname with roots in English, Dutch, Portuguese and West African languages. Dutch is the official language of Suriname, but Sranantongo is the lingua franca on the street.