Language & English Friendliness in Sal

Good to Know

• Sal's tourism focus means English proficiency is significantly higher than other Cape Verde islands, especially in Santa Maria where you can often manage with English alone.
• Cape Verdean Creole has its own written system (ALUPEC) but is primarily a spoken language; locals will appreciate efforts to learn basic Portuguese or Creole phrases.
• Portuguese remains the default language for accessing help outside tourist areas—use Portuguese rather than English when asking locals for directions or assistance.
• Young people and service industry workers are most likely to speak English; older residents may speak only Portuguese and Creole.