The present perfect tense resembles the simple present tense in Haitian Creole. You may use the past tense indicator “te” to indicate this past action which has conssequences in the present. But you’ll notice that often times Haitians omit “te” altogether.
Examples:
Examples:
1.I have seen his glory.
Mwen te wè glwa li.
You will also hear: Mwen wè glwa li.
2. You have played a good game.
Ou te jwe yon bon jwèt.
You will also hear: Ou jwe yon bon jwèt.
3. I have found what I was looking for.
Mwen te jwenn sa m t’ap chache a.
You will also hear: Mwen jwenn sa m t’ap chache a.
4. We’ve come here to talk to you.
Nou te vini la pou pale ak ou.
You will also hear: Nou vini la pou pale ak ou.
5. I have not slept yet.
Mwen poko dòmi.
Poko (pa ankò) – present tense for “not yet"
Patko (pa te ankò) – past tense for “not yet"
In Haitian Creole there’s no difference between the simple past and the past perfect tenses. We continue to use the past tense indicator “te” for both simple past and past perfect tenses.
Examples:
(simple past tense)
1. I thought you saw her.
Mwen te panse ou te wè li.
(Past perfect)
Mwen te panse ou te wè li.
(Past perfect)
2. I had seen it with my own eyes.
Mwen te wè li ak pwòp je m.
(simple past and past perfect tenses)
3. This morning, in class, we spoke about the book we had read.
Maten an, nan klas la, nou te pale sou liv nou te li a.
(past perfect)
4. I hadn’t spoken to my brother since that day.
Mwen pa te pale ak frè mwen an depi jou sa.
(simple past and past perfect tenses)
5. When I arrived this morning, the rain hadn’t fallen yet.
Lè mwen te rive maten an, lapli a patko* tonbe.
*Patko being the past tense of poko. Which means “not yet"
The simple future perfect tense also resembles the simple future tense in Haitian Creole.
Mwen te wè li ak pwòp je m.
(simple past and past perfect tenses)
3. This morning, in class, we spoke about the book we had read.
Maten an, nan klas la, nou te pale sou liv nou te li a.
(past perfect)
4. I hadn’t spoken to my brother since that day.
Mwen pa te pale ak frè mwen an depi jou sa.
(simple past and past perfect tenses)
5. When I arrived this morning, the rain hadn’t fallen yet.
Lè mwen te rive maten an, lapli a patko* tonbe.
*Patko being the past tense of poko. Which means “not yet"
The simple future perfect tense also resembles the simple future tense in Haitian Creole.
1. By next year, I will have completed all my classes.
Ane pwochen, m’ap konplete tout klas mwen yo.
2. By the time you turn 30, you will have had one million friends on facebook.
Distans pou ou gen trant tan, w’ap gen yon milyon zanmi sou Facebook.
3. I bet that, by December, she will have already forgotten me.
Mwen parye, distans pou Desanm rive, l’ap gentan bliye m.
4. Come and see me at noon. I will have already been home before 11:30.
Vini wè mwen a midi. M’ap gentan lakay anvan onzè edmi.
I often include "gen tan" to create something resembling a perfect tense.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't spoken to my brother since that day.
Mwen pat gen tan pale ak frè mwen an depi jou sa.
When I arrived this morning, the rain hadn’t fallen yet.
Lè mwen te rive maten an, lapli a patko gen tan tonbe.
Have I been deluding myself as to the effectiveness of this tactic to differentiate between simple tenses and perfect tenses?
gen tan - to have time
ReplyDeletegentan - already
The second sentence (about the rain....) is accurately translated.
But your first Creole sentence is translated like this:
Mwen pat gen tan pale ak frè mwen an depi jou sa.
I hadn't had the time to talk to my brother since that day.
There is no way to distinguish the simple past tense and past perfect tense in Haitian Creole. They are just "past tense".
It is not necessary to add "gentan" or "gen tan" in your sentences to indicate perfect tenses. Dakò :)