Bonjou! Learn to Speak Haitian Creole

Bonjou! ...Mèsi! ...E Orevwa! Search for English or Haitian Creole words translation. Also search the whole site for expressions, idioms and grammar rules. And ask questions about the language in the ASK QUESTIONS HERE section.

Most requested translations added here for your convenience: I love you → Mwen renmen w. I miss you → Mwen sonje w. My love!Lanmou mwen!

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Lesson 1 - Vowel Sounds

***Audio voice included for practicing the vowel sounds.
Just click on the play button when you get to the practice section.
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The Haitian Creole vowels are divided into two groups.

Non nasal vowels - a, e, è, i, o , ou
Nasal vowels - an, en, on
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a pronounced like the letter "a" in fat, cat, car - Please say out loud: papa, mama, baba, tata, lala, gaga

an pronounced like the sound in "uh-huh" - Please say out loud: ban, ran, pan, van, nan-nan, dan, gan (n is always silent unless indicated by "-", "double n", or a "n'n" as in ban-n, van-n, kann, fann, an'n

àn pronounced like the "an"sound in "Liliane" - Please say outloud: bekàn, soutàn, avwàn, lamàn 

e pronounced like the sound of "ay" as in ray, say, lay . Please say out loud: - prete, mete, bwete, tete, fele, rete

è pronounced like the sound of "et" as in wet, vet, get, met, let - Please say out loud: bèkèkè, mèt, lèt, dèt, malèt.

en pronounced like the sound "en" makes as in garden, den - Please say out loud:mennen, genyen, senyen,fennen, tenten, limen

i pronounced like the sound of "ee" as in see, meet, peep - Please say out loud: piki, di, mimi, ti pitit, pipirit

in pronounced like the sound of "in" in "win" - Please say out loud: vin, machin, boulin

o pronounced like the sound of "ow" as in low, grow, row - Please say out loud: poto, dodo, toto, roro, yoyo, tito, Sodo

ò pronounced like the sound of "o" as in more, corps, sore - Please say out loud: mò, lò, kò, tòtòt, bòkò

on pronounced like the sound of "oun" as in young, - Please say out loud:non, don, vonvon, fon

ou pronounced like the sound of "ou" as in you - Please say out loud: jou, joumou, dou, fou

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Let's Practice! Click on the play button and listen. 

(if the pace is too fast you may pause to repeat.)


Download this audio clip here
:http://limanecasimi.audioacrobat.com/download/8bc8d644-2d46-37a0-b432-ccf33446aed0.mp3


1. Papa, Nana, Tata, kapab, pala, kay

2. Pantan, chany, gan, vant, jant ... - ... pann, ran'n, van-n.

3. Bekàn, soutàn, avwàn, pàn, lamàn

4. Rate, mete, bwete, fele, gete, rele

5. Tèt, pèp, rèl, pwomès, fyèl.

6. fennen, mennen, senyen, vwazen, peny

7. machin, boulin, rasin, vin, min

8. Zanmi, piti, piki, zegwi, manti

9. Chapo, towo, poto, dodo, wololoy

10. Kò, vòlò, dakò, mantò, atò.

11. Bonbon, tonton, zonyon, kamyon, sanwont

12. Koukouy, sekou, mapou, woule, souke

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Also, let's practice vocalizing the following sentences.

Click on the play button and listen.

(If the pace is too fast you may pause to repeat)



This audio clip is available to download at this link:
http://limanecasimi.audioacrobat.com/download/9ec8db15-0ddb-1bf8-1b43-df7b22492cb6.mp3



1. Ou sound - Nou damou pou tout moun ki pale dou.
We're in love for everyone that is soft spoken

2.  On sound - Yon bon tonton san non manje yon zonyon tou won.
A good uncle without name ate an onion that's all round.

3. e sound - Pepe te manje yon pate ki pike.
Pepe ate a spicy pâté.

4.  a sound - Tata pa kapab chita dwat.
Tata can't sit straight.

5. an sound - Prentan se tan pou dans.
Spring is dancing time.

6. àn sound - Lap manje avwàn sou yon bekàn.
He's eating oatmeal on a bike.

7.  o sound - Mario mete yon chapo pou l dodo sou do.
Mario put on a hat to sleep on his back.

8. è sound - Pwomès se dèt, men vrè dèt pi rèd.
Promises are debts, but real debts are worse.

9.  en sound - Mwen genyen senk pen e vennsenk boutèy diven.
I have five breads and twenty-five bottles of wine.

10.  ò sound - Yo dakò pou bay lòt tò.
They agree to give others the blame.

11. i sound - Pitit li li yon liv ki difisil anpil.
His child read a book that's very difficult.

12. in sound - Machin nan vin ak tout boulin.
The car came with great speed.

Track:  Ban m la jwa by Emeline Michel

23 comments:

  1. Is there audio with this that i am missing?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think the Haitian Creole language is very Beautiful

    ReplyDelete
  3. Am I missing something since I cant find the 'green arrow' for the audio lesson?

    Love the site, congratulations, and thank you.

    E.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi E!
    The audio button is green and it's way down in the LET'S PRACTICE section.
    It is a green arrow that says VOCAROO. It is right under the word LET'S PRACTICE! Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  5. im going to learn creole in no time

    ReplyDelete
  6. Glad to hear that. Remember to find a friend to practice with.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Mandaly,

    Am writing from Paris France.
    I was directed by a friend to your web site which I did sincerely found instructive informative and educative.

    My mother was a New York born Haitian native from Delmas Port of Prince and my father a grandson of a Nigerian slave.

    I speak French and American English but dont speak creole. Since, have been trying to learn my mothers language which is the Haitian creole.

    I would be grateful in any way you could be of help.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hey Tunde,
    Glad to hear from you. Because you speak French it'll be no sweat for you to learn the Haitian Creole language. You may use this site as a Haitian Creole resource center 'cause that's all it is. Get yourself a good book on the Haitian Creole language, take a class, and most importantly start making friends with people who speak the language. Don't forget to let me know of your progress. Take care.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Mandaly,
    thank you for your counsel. Have been listening, repeating and enjoying your your previous lessons through the Vocaroo.
    Also, I've been trying to socialize and make friends.

    Could you suggest which of those particular Haitian creole authors I should purchase.

    Thank you so much
    Tunde

    ReplyDelete
  10. Bonjou Tunde!
    I'm glad that this was helpful to you.
    Thanks for letting me know.
    1. You'll need a good haitian creole dictionary. I have found the Bryant C Freeman Haitian-English dictionary to be the most complete. It is also very expensive. You might want to start with Charmant Theodore Haitian Creole - English dictionary.

    2. As far as books are concerned. I think it's better to take a class and use the book as resource. Take a trip to the nearest Haitian bookstore and browse through the pages of potential books as there are some basic, advanced, phrases, idioms, and grammar books.

    If no store near you go to www.educavision.com and start window shopping. You got to find the right one for you.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Salut Mandalay,
    Tu m'as autant donnée là et merci. Franchement, tu es si clairvoyante et tes conseils, je les vois en sens pratique.
    Apparemment tu es une pédagogue.

    I'll be going to some stores in town to go search for the books and also see if there are places where I may take a class.

    Tunde



    In fact,I went to take a look at the Educa Vision Inc site. To my amazement there were Haitian creole books.

    Now am loaded with tools to set me up.
    Thanks mam.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Eh bien Tunde, tu es sur la bonne route. Bonne chance et continuez à faire des amis qui parlent bien le Créole.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Howdy Mandalay,

    Do you realize that the audio lesson for the week 3/21/2010 doesn't relate to the "Pa negative form exercises below.

    I may be lost and shouldn't have been assertive here. May be am the one who couldn't find his way around your site.

    I know you can resolve this issue, so when next I come back to the site I'll be able to listen and follow the audio pronunciation guide line.

    Merci beaucoup pour ta compréhension.

    Tunde

    ReplyDelete
  14. Mandaly,

    You should excuse.
    Am sorry to have bothered you.
    Finally, the audio lesson now synchronizes perfectly with its given "Pa negative form" exercises below.

    Thank you.


    Tunde

    ReplyDelete
  15. Parfait! I'm glad you worked it out. Keep on learning my friend:)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Bon jou Mandaly.
    kijan nou ye ?
    Kounye a, mwen rive pale yon ti kreyol pa two byen. Gras a dye mwen ka rive. Mèsi anpil pou tou bagaye w te ban mwen.

    Learning its quite an intriguing process and candidly,have been having a lot of fun doing this between my private practice graphic designs and my advertisement job.

    Have been reading a lot and have been listening too and also have been trying to exchange with the few kreyol vocabs I possess.

    Haitian Creole becomes more audibly clear to me and also more glaring.

    In fact, your new website is great, mwen renmen li. Na wè anko.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Glad to hear from you again Tunde.
    It's great to hear about your progress.
    Keep it up!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I cannot thank you enough for having created this blog. I am haitian-american, both my parents are haitian, but they never spoke creole to me at home, so whenever I'd see relatives (like my grandma) I'd always be so confused as to what they're saying! But thank you so much for making this! With your help, I'll be able to talk to her in no time. Merci beaucoup! :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Going to Haiti in October and want to be able to communicate the best I can with the people there. Thanks for this site!!!
    -K

    ReplyDelete
  20. Mesi anpil pou w website. Nothing like hearing from a native speaker to pronounce those vowels correctly!

    ReplyDelete