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Thursday, April 12, 2012

Haitian Creole "pa" is not always "negative", is it?

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Zanmi mwen yo, Bonjou!
Hello my friends!

Kouman nou ye?
How are you doing?

Mwen espere tout bagay ap mache byen.
I hope everything is going well.

WORD: PA

Pa → negative indicator
Pa → forms possessive pronoun
Pa  → steps
Pa → by means of,  via, per, by ....


Pa → negative (not, do not, don’t …)

1. Se pa sa.
    It's not that.
   That's not it.

2. Pa fè sa.
   Don’t do that.

3. M pa’t konnen (contracted)
    Mwen pa te konnen (uncontracted)
   I didn’t know.


Pa → part, form possessive pronouns

4. Sa se pa’m. (contracted)
    Sa se pa mwen. (uncontracted)
   That’s mine.

5.  Sa se pa l la. (contracted)
     Sa se pa li a. (uncontracted)
    This is his/hers

6. Sa se valiz pa m nan.
    This bag is mine.
    That's my bag.

7. Pase pa dèyè a.
    Go through the back

8. M’ap voye l pa lapòs.
    I’ll send it by mail

9. Mwen touche de fwa pa mwa.
    I get paid two time per month.
    I get paid twice a month.

10. Vwayaj la ap koute $150 pa tèt.
    The trip will cost $150 per person


11. Pran medikaman ou twa fwa pa jou jan yo preskri l la.
      Take your medicine three times per day as prescribed.


Pa → steps

12. Li dwe fè premye pa a.
     She/He must take the first step. 

13. Jodi a se jou konje m.  Mwen p'ap fè yon pa
     Today is my day off.  I won't make one step.
    Today is my day off.  I won't go anywhere.

14. Chak pa mwen fè mennen m pi pre lakay.
     Each step I take leads me closer to home

15. Ti pa ti pa n’a rive. (contracted)
      Ti pa ti pa nou va rive. (uncontracted)
     Little step little step we'll arrive.
     Step by step we’ll get there



Fè papardon, go easy on, forgive

16. Fè pa m → forgive me
17. Fè pa l tanpri → forgive him, go easy on him please

18. Mwen fè pa w jodi a, men pa fè sa ankò.
     I forgive you today, but don't do that again.
     I'll let it slide today, but don't do that again.

Se tout pou jodi a.  Mèsi e n'a wè.
That's all for today,  Thanks and see ya.


Track: Reyinyon Konbit by Manno Charlemagne

2 comments:

  1. Oh Mandaly, se chante a, Reyinyon Konbit pa Manno Charlemagne, se tre bèl! Mwen ta remnen anpil li pawòl yo ak tradiksyon...Mèsi!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anything for you, zanmi m :)
      Very meaningful song...

      N’ap rele wololoy woy!
      We’re crying O!
      N’ap rele woy!
      We’re crying O!
      N’ap rele wololoy!
      We’re crying O!
      Ban m peyi mwen, wayo!
      Give me my country O!
      N’ap rele O O O!
      We’re crying O!

      Reyinyon nan konbit la, sa annile
      The fellowship meeting is canceled
      Akoz de fèt ekselans la, le premye woy wayo woy woy!
      Because of his excellency party, on the first O!
      Majistra kominal la pase lèzòd
      The mayor gave an order
      Kou ou wè labrin di swa
      Once it’s dusk
      Moun pa ransanble O O O!
      People don’t come together
      Sitwayen nan kanton an
      The citizen of the district
      Leve kanpe di anmwe devan kazèn nan
      Stand up to cry before the garrison
      Y’ anraje O O O!
      They are upset O!

      Reyinyon nan konbit la, sa annile
      The fellowship meeting is canceled
      Poutèt fet lapenitans la, premye me woy wayo woy woy!
      Because of the penance holiday, on May first O!
      Majistra kominal pase lezòd
      The mayor gave an order
      Kou wè labrin di swa, moun pa rasanble O O O!
      Once it’s dusk, people don’t come together O!
      Ti jennjan nan kanton an
      The young men of the district
      Leve kanpe di anmewy devan kazèn nan
      Stand up to cry before the garrison
      Libète! O O O!
      Freedom O!

      Afè de mwatye sa, s’on malpwòte
      This business of half and half, it’s filth!
      Rechanj chire sa, fòk sa chanje vre
      This torn costume, it must truly be changed
      Sonnen kòn lanbi a
      Resonate the horn of the conch shell
      Pou sa chanje
      To bring a change
      Kout ba nan ma soupoudre sa
      'This deceiving salted meat'
      Fò’l peye woy wayo
      He must pay
      N’ap rele woloy
      We’re crying O!

      Malere nan kanton an
      The desititutes of the district
      Leve gade
      Look
      Chak lane se menm chanson an
      Every year it’s the same song
      Sa sa ye?
      What is this?
      Kapital tou limen, Chato l tout koulè
      The capital all lit up, its castle is all colors
      Bèl diskou an Franse
      Beautiful speech in French
      Bò bouda l kreve O O O
      The side of his buttocks (pockets) is ruptured
      Afè pake rad sal, fok sa lave
      This business of dirty laundry, It must be cleaned
      Nechel ak plizye mach pye sa, fò’l kreve
      This ladder with many steps, it must be ruptured (broken)

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