What is a Heritage Learner?
A heritage learner is someone who grew up connected to a language / culture but wasn’t formally taught to speak it fluently.
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 Cape Verdean 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 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 support language education for 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, the Conversational Kriolu App, using the game development platform Unity. His creative and technical influence continues to be a key part of this project’s success in language education. You can learn more about his process of
Gilberto & Carmem Fernandes
Gilberto & Carmem Fernandes
Gilberto & Carmem Fernandes
Gilberto and Carmem Fernandes are the warm and authentic voices of Cape Verdean Kriolu featured in 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 ensures that every voiceover feels genuine and true to the language. Their approach is always quick, friendly, and professional, making them a joy to collaborate with on any project. In addition to their voice work, Gilberto also provided the upbeat, island-inspired background music track titled “Don”, which adds extra energy and atmosphere to the app. I’ve always relied on their timely and high-quality delivery, and I’m grateful for the heart and authenticity they bring to this language education project. Check out the video featuring "Don", our background music clip for the Conversational Kriolu App.
~ It's Finally Here ...
We Launched the full Conversational Kriolu App!
The full Conversational Kriolu experience is here!
We’re excited to announce the launch of 14 captivating kriolu stories in both the iOS and Android versions of our Conversational Kriolu App.
These stories are inspired by my book, “Conversational Cape Verdean Kriolu for Everyone.”
This interactive app offers a fun and engaging way to immerse yourself in our beautiful Cape Verdean Kriolu language and enhance your language education!
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, making our Conversational Kriolu App an essential tool for effective language education.
At Pina and Bean Learn Kriolu, our mission is to provide high-quality language education that fosters cultural understanding. We believe that learning Cape Verdean Kriolu opens doors to new experiences and enriches personal growth, especially through our Conversational Kriolu App.
NEXT CLASS BEGINS; February 11, 2026!!!
OUR NEXT CLASS STARTS
February 11,2026 @ 7:00 (est),
Join us to enhance your language education with our Cape Verdean Kriolu course. Reserve your seat now and get ready to use the Conversational Kriolu App!