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!

Thursday, May 31, 2012

how do you say have a nice time sweetheart

Have a nice time sweetheart.
Pase yon bon tan cheri.

There are many different ways to say sweetheart in Haitian Creole.
See link:  Sweetheart

THANK YOU, HAVE A NICE DAY

Thank you, have a nice day.
Mèsi, pase yon bon jounen.


See link:  Have a nice day!

How do you say 'boy' in Creole


boy - gason, ti gason, bonòm, ti bonòm
son - pitit gason

See link:  Family members

How do you say not home in Haitian Creole

Most popularly, you would say:  Pa la.
But you can also say: Pa lakay (pronoun)


He's not home.
Li pa la.
or
Li pa lakay li.


I'am not home.
Mwen pa la.
or
Mwen pa lakay mwen.


We're not home at this time.
Nou pa la kounye a.
or
Nou pa lakay nou kounye a.

"Cry baby" in Creole?

Cry baby → rechiya, rechinya, rechiyen, rechinyen, rechinyè, petevi, dèyè manman, souse dwèt, tete dwèt, kriyadò, nyè


See more in Rechinya

How do you spell "You let me go" in Haitian Creole

You let me go.
Ou kite'm ale.


Let me go.
Kite m ale.


Let go of me.
Lage'm.


Leave me alone
Kite'm an repo.


Give me some peace and quiet.
Ban'm lapè.


Get off of me.
Sot sou mwen.
Rale kò'w sou mwen.

Could you give a lesson on the use of "Afè" being used as "This thing of" or "This business of"? i.e. 1. Afè de mwatye sa, s’on malpwòte. 2."Afè ale nan fèt chak jou a, m vle w koupe sa sèk."

Ah yes of course :)


In the examples that you have given here, you can use afè, zafè, koze, bagay, or even abitid.
The word "afè", here refers to a tendency, a practice, or habit.   
And it will be translated in English, like you said, as: this thing of..., this question of..., this habit of...., this practice of ..., etc...


*Don't forget to add your article or demonstrative adj. at the end of the subject phrase.



Zafè manje deyò chak jou sa a* dwe sispann.
This* habit of eating out every day must be stopped.

Zafè manje ze chak jou sa a* ap mande'w kont yon jou wi.
This* thing of eating eggs every day will catch up with you on day.

Afè de mwatye sa*, s’on malpwòte.
This* thing of half and half is crap.
Malpwòpte can be translated as filth, crap, baloney, garbage etc...

 Afè ale nan fèt chak jou a*, m vle w koupe sa sèk.
The* habit of daily debauchery must be stopped.

Lè Paul te vin prezidan konpani an, zafè mete sandal pou vin travay la* te sispann.  Li fè tout moun mete soulye kounye a.
When Paul became president of the company, the* practice of wearing sandals to work was abolished.  He had everyone wear shoes now.





Other translation for Creole word afè:


Afè , also know in Haitian Creole as: zafè, bagay, koze; and when appropirate, pawòl,  will translate in English as: thing, romance (hooking up), business, personal business, belongings, sexual organs, a phenomenon, a deal, or an agreement.


Pa mele nan zafè m.
Don't meddle in my personal business


Yo fè zafè.
They hooked up romantically.


Pa manyen zafè m.
Do not touch my belongings.


Afè'm pa bon.
Business is not good.
I'm doing well financially.


Li panse li se yon gwo zafè.
She thinks she's a big deal.
She thinks she's all that.

grit?

grit n. → ti gravye, gravye, gwo grenn sab, also detèminasyon, fyèl, kran

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Bonjou! I have run into the phrase "pat rive" a few times. Can you help me figure out what it means? (As in: "Ministè Travo Piblik Transpo ak Kominikasyon an patenarya ak Sant Nasyonal Rechèch ak Fomasyon pat rive reyalize konferans de près....)

pat rive or pa't rive contracted form for pa te rive

Pa            |  te             |   rive
negative   | past tense |  arrive, manage, succeed, achieve, come to
indicator    indicator


Nou pa't rive wè yo.
We didn't manage to see them.


Li pa't rive reyalize rèv li anvan li te mouri.
She didn't succeed in achieving her dreams before she died. 


Mwen te tande li, men mwen pa't rive konprann li.
I heard it, but I didn't manage to understand it.



How to say "bunch of..." as in "Bunch of cowards/scaredy cats"

Bunch of crooks!
Bann vòlè!


They are a bunch of cowards.
Yo se yon bann kapon.

What would it cost you?

What would it cost you?
Kisa sa ta koute w?
Kisa li ta koute w?

I've been in Haiti for one year. I lived in haiti for 9 months, 25 years ago. I can read and speak creole to a degree but for the life of me I'm not understanding creole spoken to me.Is something wrong with my brain? Any suggestion about what I can do abo

Good conversation and practice of listening skills should help to get you reacquainted with the nuances of the language again.  Is there a Creole-speaking friend / acquaintance with whom you can have regular conversations in Creole?  

nan lavi ap fè bagay ki bon se pa janm a bagay fasil pou fè!

Ou pale gwo laverite :)

Nan lavi a, fè sa ki byen pa janm fasil.
Doing the right thing in life is never easy.

Hmmmmmph, petit se pa manti non!

Hmmmmmph, petit se pa manti non!
Child, It's no lie!
or
My friend, it's no lie!

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

how would you say "turn the light off, or get off of the couch!"

For 'turning off' appliances, you would say 'etenn' or 'fèmen'.  Please check these links on Turning on / Turning off.

*Get off (to withdraw, to pull out, to go away)  → leve, soti, or retire kò w

Get off of the couch.
Leve sou kanape a. (Get up from the couch)
Soti sou kanape a. (Get away from the couch)
or
Retire kò w sou kanape (Remove your body from the couch.)


Get off of my lawn.
Soti sou gazon mwen an.
Retire kò'w sou gazon mwen an.


Get off of my property.
Soti sou pwopriyete mwen
Retire kò'w sou teren mwen




*Get off (as in to disembark, to settle, come down) → desann, rete
EXAMPLE:
Saying to a tap-tap driver:↓
Driver, I will get off right here.
Chofè, m'ap desann la a.


Get off of the tree, otherwise you might fall.
Desann pye bwa a, sinon ou ka tonbe.

How do you say 'white house' in Creole?


white house (as in a house that is of the color white) → kay blan
White House (the place where the president stays) → Mezon Blanch or Palè a

The president gave a speech in front of the White House.
Prezidan an te bay yon diskou devan palè a.
or
Prezidan an te bay yon diskou devan Mezon Blanch lan.


We bought this little white house last year.
Nou te achte ti kay blan sa a ane pase.

Mezanmi!, Oh Bondye!, Woy!, Anmwe!

Adye o!  Sa'w genyen ou sezi konsa?  ☺

I asked some women what attributes are considered attractive here...they replied that it does not matter much whether one is skinny or chubby, just if they are "sexy". Can you explain?

They are right.  Chubby is as sexy as skinny.
Chubby can be considered a sign of good health or wealth in a country where food is scarce.
And since "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder (Sa'k lèd pou youn ka bèl pou yon lòt)", sexy can be whatever pleases you.

Usually, in Haiti, when someone says seksi, they mean nice bodily curves (chubby or skinny)

I've read "The Fruit of the Spirit" a few different ways in Creole. Can you give me the closest translation to these? Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control? Thank you!

In my "own" Creole I would say:
"Fwi Lespri yo se lanmou, lajwa, lapè, lapasyans, jantiyès, konpasyon, senserite, sansiblite, ak metriz tèt ou."

Monday, May 28, 2012

mwen konte ke ti moun mwen yo te kapab aide ou

Mwen konte timoun mwen yo te kapab ede'w.
I hope that my kids were able to help you.

I am going on a missions trip with my church this coming August to Ducis, Haiti. The mission is interested in us doing BP screening and handing out basic info written in Haitian Creole. Do you have any suggestions?

Do you have printed materials that are printed in English.  You might find some on the net or at some clinics.  We might translate them and make a little leaflets in Creole...

how do you use the word piga? what does trakka mean?


The best English translation for "PINGA!" that I can't think of is 'DON'T!",  "DON'T YOU DARE!", or "YOU BETTER NOT..."
PINGA is always used as a warning, with the understanding that there might be consequences.

Examples:

As auxillary / modal verb
Pinga ou fè sa!
Don't you do that!

Pinga ou pale ak moun sa yo.
Don't talk to these people.

Pinga ou kite nonm sa pran tèt ou.
Don't let this man take your head (literally)
Don't be taken by this man.

As a noun:
Mache sou pinga w.
Walk on your pinga. (literally)
Be vigilant.

Yo te ba l yon pinga.
They gave him an warning.


See more sentences with PINGA 

Traka → nuisance, problems, headache, dilemma, a bother, impediment, misfortune

W'ap ban'm traka.
You're giving me a headache.

Ala de traka!
What a nuisance!

Other Haitian Creole nouns that are synonymous with traka are: pwoblèm, tèt chaje, ka, malediksyon, devenn, lapenn, tribilasyon, kalamite, tray

How are the word DETAN and ANPALAN DE used in Creole? Are they present partiples? Got examples?

An palan de → speaking of ..., about


You'll hear:
Anpalan de Felix, kote li?
Speaking of Felix, where is he?


Anpalan de òdinatè a, eske ou te sonje deploge li yè swa?
Speaking of the computer, did you remember to unplug it last night?


detan (also written as antan, etan, pandan) → while, as, in the time that


Detan nou t'ap pale a, vizitè yo te gentan parèt
While we were talking, our guest had already arrived.

sugar daddy? gold digger?

Sugar daddy (is this anything like 'the money man'?) → ti pouchon
gold digger → opòtinis, woulibè, eksplwatè, parazit, sansi, sousèt san

WHAT DOES Cheri 2 jou an jou mw we wap vin bel pa vre MEAN ?

wow.. from chrysalis to a butterfly ...

Cheri, de jou an jou, mwen wè w'ap vin pi bèl.  
Honey, I see you're getting more and more beautiful each day

Sunday, May 27, 2012

what does tet chage mean in english

Tèt chaje click on link

translate "no one seeks after God in creole

No one seeks after God.
Pa gen moun k'ap chache Bondye.
or
Pa gen okenn moun k'ap chache Bondye.

Haitian Creole word FÈT as English's 'should, suppose to, ought to'

Download link for this audio:


 

To listen to this audio clip, press the play button and follow along :)



  


Bonjou zanmi'm yo.  Kouman nou ye?  M'espere tout moun trè byen.
Hello my friends.  How are you?  I hope everyone's well.


Fètto be made, to be born, to occur,  and also party, celebration, holiday, birthday
Fèt → ought to, should, to suppose to, to have to



Fèt → party, celebration, birthday, holiday

Fèt as holiday
Easter holidays → Fèt Pak
Christmas holidays → Fèt Nwèl
Independence day → Fèt Lendepandans or Fèt Endepandans or Jou Fèt Lendepandans
Flag day → Fèt drapo or Jou Fèt drapo
Mother's Day → Fèt dè Mè or Fèt Manman Yo or Jou Fèt Manman
Father's Day → Fèt dè Pè or Fèt Papa yo or Jou Fèt Papa
Valentine's Day → Fèt Sent Valanten or Jou Fèt Sent Valanten
Chocolate Day  (on February 9) → Jou Fèt Chokola :)
National Toothache Day  → Jou Fèt Maldan :(
etc...

1. Mwen renmen sezon fèt la.
    I love the holiday season.


2. Kilè fèt ou?
    When is your birthday?


Fèt as delight, rejoicing, revelry ...
3. Nancy te kontan wè mari li. Yo te mete yo toutouni sou kabann nan... Se te bèl fèt...
    Nancy was happy to see her husband.  They got naked on the bed.... It was bliss...


To use as a verb, you will say, fete (fay-tay) → to party, to celebrate, to revel, to have a good time, to rejoice...
click on the link.


Fèt → to be born


4. Ti bebe a te fèk fèt.
    The baby was just born.


5.  Mwen te fèt ak yon enfimite.
     I was born with a handicap.

Fèt →happen


6. Sa k'ap fèt zanmi mwen?
    What's happening my friend?
     
7. Sa k'ap fèt nan peyi a kounye a?
     What's going on in the country now?

Fèt → to be made


8. Gato a fèt ak ze, sik, farin, lèt ak ti moso chokola. 
    The cake is made with eggs, sugar, flour, milk and chocolate chips.


Fèt → suppose to, should, made to

9. Ou pa't fèt pou di sa. (Notice "pa't" indicates negative and past tense)
    You were not made to say that. (Literally)
    You should not have said that.


10. Ou fèt pou mande'l eskiz.
      You're made to apologize. (Literally)
      You should apologize


11. Nou fèt pou'n viv lib.
      We're made to live free. (Literally)
      We're supposed to live free


      #11 in the past tense would be:
       Nou te fèt pou'n viv lib.→ We were made to live free.


12.  Li pa't fèt pou fè sa. (Notice "pa't" indicates negative & past tense)
       He's not made to do that. (Literally)
       He should not have done that.


13.  Lòm pa fèt pou viv sèl.
       Men are not made to live alone. (Literally)
       Men should not live alone


Enben, zanmi m yo, se tout pou jodi a.  Mèsi anpil.  M'espere n'a wè ankò.
Well my friends, that's all for today.  Thanks a lot.  I hope to see you again.


Track: Nan Men Bondye by Marlene D. Adrien


Lyrics


Ala yon bon bagay, se lè'w nan men Bondye
Pou'l pase men pran ou, pou Li transfòme ou
Travay sa pran yon ti tan.  Li fè'w soufri anpil
Men lè ou byen gade, pa gen pi bon plas pou'w ye.


Lavi a ap malmennen* w, ou santi ou vle fou
Ou chwe* nan tout sa'w fè. Ou ka rele "Anmwey!"
Men lè ou vin sonje, Jezi te fè'w pwomès, 
"Pa janm bliye chak jou, M'ap toujou avèk ou."


Lè dife eprèv* y, limen anba pla* pye'w
Nanm ou ape gwonde*, "Poukisa se mwen menm?"
Pinga ou fè jwèt Satan ki vle dekouraje'w
Sou jenou'w pou'w rete.  Nan pye jezi sovè w.


*malmennen v. → to mistreat
*chwe v. to fail
*eprèv n.trial
*pla → sole, base, footing, floor
*gwonde → roar, rumble, complain

ou de tout fason (in Creole?)

Ou de tout fason.
You are flexible
You are easy going

how do you say how tall are you ?

How tall are you?
Ki wotè w?

See link:  Dimensions & Sizes

How to say Happy Mothers Day

Happy Mother's Day
Bòn fèt dè mè
or
Bòn fèt manman.

May / Might (in Creole), which verb to use?

To suggest possibility or probability in Haitian Creole,  use kapab or its contracted forms kab or ka (please see link for  more info on ka, kab, kapab)


may be / might be


1. He might be a crook.
    Li ka se yon volè.
    Li ka yon volè.


2.  It may be a tumor.
     Li ka se yon timè.
     Li ka yon timè.


3. Answer the phone.  It might be your father calling.
    Reponn telefon nan.  Li ka se papa'w k'ap rele.


4.  It may be too late.
     Li ka twò ta.




may / might


5.  He might be sleeping.
      Li ka ap domi. 


6.  He might have been sleeping.
     Li ka t'ap dòmi.


(in #5 and #6, note how Haitian Creole progressive marker is used after "ka", to indicate present of past progressive.


7. I might have forgotten.
    M ka te bliye.
(in #7, note how Haitian Creole past tense marker te is used after "ka", to indicate a form of the past tense.)


8.  This may take a while.
     Sa ka pran yon ti tan.


9.  It might rain later.  Bring your umbrella.
     Li ka fè lapli pita. Pote parapli'w.


10. The shoes might be too small for him.
     Soulye a ka two piti pou li.


11. May I talk to you in private please?
      Eske m'kapab pale ak ou an prive tanpri?

Friday, May 25, 2012

Do you understand me? (Creole)

Do you understand me?
Eske'w konprann mwen?
Ou konprann mwen?


Did you understand what I said?
Eske'w konprann sa'm di a?
Ou konprann sa'm di a?


I understood a little bit.
Mwen konprann yon ti kras.
Mwen konprann tou piti.

"He's on time." (Li se sou tan?)

'on time' → a lè, a tan. 


He's on time.
Li alè.
Li vin alè. (He came on time)

Please come on time.
Tanpri vini alè.


I want to depart on time.
Mwen vle deplase a lè.

examination of conscience, "Have I respected my parents and elders?, Have I lied?, Have I not loved God above all."... any others you can think of? Thanks :D

Mwen panse ou vle mwen tradui sa.  Se sa?

Egzaminasyon* konsyans
Eske'm respekte paran'm ak granmoun?
Eske'm bay manti?
Eske'm pa mete Bondye anvan tout bagay?
Eske'm trete pwochen'm menm jan ak tèt pa'm?
Eske'm respekte lavi?


*egzaminasyon oubyen egzamen

I told you so. (Creole, best way to say it :)

I told you so.
Mwen te pale w.


We told you so.
Nou te pale w.


You were warned.
Yo te pale'w.
Yo te avèti'w.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

When is tankou preferable over "menm jan ak"?

1.
If you mean to say 'as if' , use 'tankou'
example:
I remember it like it was yesterday.
Mwen sonje sa tankou se te yè.


2.
Between 'tankou' and 'menm jan ak', tankou it will be your best choice when you mean 'such as'.
example:
A important person like myself, ...
Yon moun enpòtan tankou'm, ...


3.
If you want to have a contracted pronoun after the prep (as in: He's tall like me → Li wo tankou'm.), use tankou.  You may not use a contracted pronoun after menm jan ak, unless you're from North Haiti. (People from northern Haiti naturally use their pronouns a little different).

Expressions,in Haitian Creole, that are use to say similar to, like, equal to, as, same as, resembling, just like:
tankou (like, similar to, equal to, as, such as, just like)
Menm jan ak (same way as, the same as, same as)
Menm jan avèk (same way as, the same as, same as)
kòm (like, similar to, as)
kou (like, similar to, as)
kon (like, similar to, as)


Tankou link

I can't seem to get the meaning of this sentence: "N' pa konn sak blan sak nwa" Is it 'we don't know a white sack from a black sack'?

No.  I'm not reading it that way.  I think it's missing a couple of apostrophes.  Maybe if I rewrite it (the way it should have been written) you might get it:  There it is: Nou pa konn sa'k blan sa'k nwa.

Blest to be a blessing. How do you say that or something similiar?

Wow,  let's see how we can translate that in Creole :-|

Translating with similar wording:
Blessed to be a blessing.
Mwen rann gras dèske m'se yon gras. (I give grace because I'm a blessing)


And then there are many other ways to say this too:
Blessed to be a blessing
Mwen rann gras deske mwen se yon benediksyon.
Mwen rekonesan dèske mwen se yon benediksyon.
Mwen rekonesan deske mwen se yon gras pou tout.





What foods are 'ble' and 'nwa'?

Ble is coarse wheat or wheat.  It looks like rice or barley grains and has a brownish color
nwa is nuts and cashews

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

There's no more (in Creole)

There's no more.
Pa gen ankò.
or
Nanpwen* ankò.


There's no more water.
Pa gen dlo ankò.
or
Napwen dlo ankò.

There's no more crying.
Pa gen kriye ankò.
or
Nanpwen kriye ankò.


There was no more doubt.
Pa't gen dout ankò.


There will be no more suffering.
P'ap gen soufrans ankò.

Use Nanpwen instead to translate there is no/there are no in the present tense.

The line. The line is long. I stood in line for an hour.

The line → Liy lan

The line is long. → Liy lan long.

I stood in line for an hour.
Mwen te kanpe nan liy lan pou inèdtan.

What does Podjab mwen mean?

Podyab mwen! → Poor little me!, Poor me!
Podyab ou! → You poor thing!
Podyab! → You poor thing!

did you have another baby?

Did you have another baby?
Eske ou te fè yon lòt bebe?

What is expression "koke shot"?

koke chòt → to put someone in a tough spot, to ask tough questions that you know the 'answerer'  might not be able to answer

what is 'can't' in creole

can't → pa kapab

Kapab can be written in Creole as ka, kab, or kapab, please, click on the link.

I can't speak.
Mwen pa ka pale.
Mwen pa kab pale
or
Mwen pa kapab pale.


You can't do that to us.
Ou pa ka fè nou sa.
Ou pa kab fè nou sa.
or
Ou pa kapab fè nou sa.

"praise God, come all people praise God."

Praise God, come all people praise God.
Louwe Bondye, vini tout moun pou louwe Bondye.


Praise the Lord.  Come all people to praise the the Lord.
Louwe Letènèl.  Vini tout moun pou louwe Letènèl.


Give God the glory.  Come everyone to give God the glory.
Bay Bondye glwa. Vini tout moun pou bay Bondye glwa.


Some links:
Praise the Lord.  God is good.  God bless you.  Be thankful.

Mandalay, are there any other derivatives for your name?

Yes, I think so.

The name is Mandaly.  But people have called me Mandalay , Mandly, Mandalie, Mandarine, Magdalie, Magalie, Magdalène, Mangdalie, Mandy, Manda, Daly, and even Dada.  Now, you have to know that this last one, Dada, is a Haitian Creole nickname for buttocks :).  

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

How do I say, "Grandma, I don't know a lot about Haiti, but I am no less your grandchild. Thank you for loving me. Rest in peace" ?

Grann, mwen pa konn anpil sou Ayiti, men mwen pa pi piti pase pitit pitit ou.  Mèsi deske ou te renmen m.  Repoze anpè.

what does "mwen renmen ou Kris, plis ke janmin tanpri pa kitem egare mean?

Mwen renmen ou, Kris, plis ke jamè.  Tanpri pa kite'm egare*.
I love you Christ more than ever.  Please do not let me stray away.

*egare, here, means to stray away, to wander off, to be lost, to get off your path, to lose your way

Mandalay, what's best way to say expression 'back to back' as in "I work two days back to back"

back to back (is it anything like 'two consecutive days'?) → swivi swivi, youn apre lòt, youn dèyè lòt

I worked two days back to back.
Mwen te travay de jou swivi swivi.
Mwen de travay de jou, youn apre lòt.


"Jesus, all for Jesus. All I am and have and ever hope to be. All of my ambitions hopes and plans I surrender these into your hands. For it's only in your will that I am free." for a retreat Thank you! We'll sing it in english/but want them to undstnd

Jesus, all for Jesus.
Jezi, tout pou Jezi.
All I am and have and ever hope to be.
Tout sa mwen ye, sa mwen genyen, e sa mwen ta vle ye.
All my ambitions, hopes and plans,
Tout anbisyon, lespwa, ak plan mwen yo
I surrender these into your hands.
Mwen lage sa yo nan men ou.
For it's only in your will that I am free
Paske se sèlman nan volonte ou mwen gen lalibète

Lyrics to 'Batay la se pou Letènèl'

Batay la se pou Letènèl pouki sa wap kraze kò'w? 
Batay la se pou L'etènèl rete ansilans. 
Ou mèt eseye depi jodi pou rive demen se pa anyen w'ap regle 
Pito'w lage batay la nan men Letènèl


Izrayèl te devan lamè wouj
Farawon dèyè l, l'ap mache al rankontre l
Kijan pou yo fè?  Ki moun ki kab delivre yo?
Te gen yon men envizib ki t'ap gide Moyiz avèk pèp Izrayèl la
Touswit Letènèl pale, se te delivrans.


Amalèk parèt sou Izrayèl pase pa dèyè'l atake'l ak gwoup li yo
Moyiz monte sou montay, moun yo te desann al batay
Amalèk pa't kapab reziste chak fwa Moyiz leve men'l anlè bay Bondye
Viktwa batay la te la nan men Letènèl.


Sayil pa't kab sipòte David paske Bondye te chwazi'l pou'l t'al ranplase'l
David pran lafuit, Sayil dèyè'l pou touye'l
David epanye lavi Sayil pandan'l t'ap dòmi
Li pa't mete men sou li.
Sayil mouri, Letènèl te delivre David


Anpil fwa Kretyen yo konn panse se yo menm ki kapab mennen batay la.
Se sa ki fè pafwa yo konn pèdi batay la
Aprann lage batay la nan men Letènèl
Se li menm ki konnen sa l'ap fè
Bay Letènèl batay la, w'a gen laviktwa

Ou samble Avek yon zombi.

Podyab.  Sa se pa yon konpliman.

Ou sanble ak yon zonbi.
You look like a zombie.
You look like you're at death's door.

how to prepare dried lima beans ?

Are you making it into a sauce or is it mixed with rice?
Is it the green or dried white beans?
Either way, if it's dried, you'll have to boil it until tender.
Then you can mix it with rice, add it to your chicken sauce, spinach legumes, etc...

Save a spot at your table for me when it's ready.  I'd bring the grenadine :)

Where can I attend a class live to learn Creole?

Check with your local library, public schools, or any Haitian Clubs or Association in your area.

how to write 'discourage' in creole

discourage (v.) → demoralize, dekonseye, dekouraje, detounen
discouraged (adj) → lase, about, delala, dekouraje, demoralize

"Come, now is the time to worship. Come, now is the tiem to give your heart. Come, just as you are to worship. Come, just as you are before your God." Thank you!!!

Translating this so you can sing might have a different "prose" than if you just wanted to say it.

Come, now is the time to worship
Vini, kounye'a* se tan pou adore


Come, now is the time to give your heart
Vini, kounye'a se tan pou bay kè ou


Come, just as you are to worship.
Vini, pou adore jan ou ye


Come, just as you are before your God.
Vini, jan ou ye la devan Bondye'w.


*Say kounye'a as a two-syllable word if you're singing this: Kou-nya

In one of the examples "sa yè" is translated as everyday. Is this phrase interchangeable with "chak jou"? ~yfs

Hi :)

Would you happen to have the whole sentence which included "sa yè"?  Thanks.

Every day → chak jou, toulejou

Monday, May 21, 2012

how would I write " God " in creole?

It's one word:  Bondye
Bondye, comes from the French Bon Dieu which means good God.


See links: God bless you, God is good

Do you have a lesson on conjunctions in Creole?

There are some... scattered in the blog posts :(   Here are some of them:
They are all under the label: but and conjunctions
because - paske and deske
because of
unless, only if, except if, save that
untill, till
since, once, as soon as, 
But, however, and

don't be a show off?/attention getter/ drama queen??...

A show off (attention getter, drama queen) → enteresant, fè wè, patespere, grandizè, gran chire, gran limena, gran lajè


Don't be a show off.
Sispann fè enteresant.
Sispann fè moun wè.
Sispann fè grandizè.
Sispann fè gran chire
etc...


She's just a show off.
Li se yon patespere
Li se yon fè wè.
Li se yon enteresant.
Or you can say it the popular way Haitians say it.
She's just a show off.
Enteresant ki nan kò l.
Fè wè ki nan kò l.


She's showing off.
L'ap fè enteresant.
L'ap fè moun wè.
L'ap fè gran panpan.

Congrats (in Creole)

Congrats → konpliman, chapo ba, felisitasyon, bravo, ayibobo!
see links: Congratulations

how do you say "nobody greater than you" in Haitian creole

No one is greater than you.
Nanpwen pi gran pase w.
or
Pa gen pi gran pase w.


You could say either one :)

"I'm sorry I didn't know that was still broken"

Oh my!  did you sit in the broken chair again ☺?

I'm sorry I didn't know that was still broken.
Eskize'm, mwen pa't konnen li pa't fonksyonen toujou.


does thebtea helps promote healthier skin, when consumed durnig pregnancy

What is thebtea?

You're welcome (in Creole)

You're welcome (from a 'thank you'?) - padekwa, deryen, etc...

See links:  Thank You and You're Welcome, Thankful

Is there some way you can translate a personal letter for me?... do you have an email address?

limanecasimi@aol.com

Eske m byen di sa? 1.Pou kisa ap kriye bebe a? 2. Bebe a kriye akòz li pa gen bibon li. 3. Bebe a kriye akòz li vle domi nan bèso li. 4. Li te netwaye chanm mwen. Kounyeya chanm mwen pwòp. ~yfs

A big WOW!

In number one, say instead:  Poukisa bebe a ap kriye? (Why is the baby crying)
Everything is perfect.  Good job!

'Soul' in Creole

Soul → nanm, bonnanj, sometimes lespri

see link: Nanm

what would “pap jam ger lot” mean? (not sure if I spelled it correctly)

It's probably spelled "pa'p janm gen  lòt" or with the contracted indefinite article 'yon', "P'ap janm g'on lòt" contraction for "P'ap janm gen yon lòt" which means in English  "There will never be another one".

P'ap janm gen lòt tankou l.
There will never be another like him/her/it.


P'ap janm g'on lòt tankou w.
There will never be another like you.

adult

adult → granmoun, pèsonaj, grandèt


See these links: Elders, family members

how do you say "nobody greater than you" in Haitian creole

No one is greater than you.
Pa gen moun ki pi pase w.
Nanpwen moun ki pi gran pase w.


or also,


Pa gen pi gran pase w.
Napwen pi gran pase w.

to say "no more" or "there's no more" (in Creole)

There's no more.
Pa gen ankò.
Pa rete anyen.
Pa rete anyen ankò. 


There's no more food.
Pa gen manje ankò.
Pa rete okenn manje.


There's no more cake.
Pa gen gato ankò.
Pa rete okenn gato.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

how do you say your picture was beautiful in creole

Your picture was beautiful.
Foto w la te bèl.

Sa vle di, foto a te bèl, men moun ki nan foto a pa't bèl?

Hello is there any way you can please list the steps of the game " do" the one that is play with the 5 medium rocks

Yes  It's called Jwèt Woslè or Do Kre I ÈS
I did write a post on it. See this link:  Jwèt Woslè

Telling your child: Don't touch that...it's not a toy. (in Creole)

Don't touch that... It's not a toy.
Pa manyen sa ... se pa yon jwèt li ye.

How to say kisses

kisses → bo, bobo, beze, bizou

pwevwa pwosperite vag vas nan riches

Is 'vag vas nan riches' the correct spelling?
It doesn't seem right.
Let me know

Saturday, May 19, 2012

avek ou mwen santi beni

With you I feel bleesed

Are you tired? (Creole)

Are you tired?
Eske ou fatige?
Eske w bouke?
Eske w delala?
Eske w afebli?

what does wap fe efo mean in creole

W'ap fè efò.
W'ap fè jefò.
W'ap fè zefò.
You're making an effort.
You're getting there.

what does anvi mean in creole

Anvi v. → to desire, to want

See link:
Anvi 

there was a pic of a truck packed full of bananas and this was the cation: me gig bannann kiyez k'ap tonbe ranmas enpe sa pase an afica men konpayi sa konn fe machin vre li joli tou bon vre..(in english please)

Well, this truck had a badly written Creole caption.
Was the first half really written as you have it here?

Sa w'ap fè la?

Sa w'ap fè la?
What are you doing?
see link:
What are you doing?

What is the word for calf (back of lower leg)?

calf (of the leg)mòlèt, or the street name kokoye (as in coconut)


I have a pain in my calf.
Mwen gen yon doulè nan mòlèt mwen.

Bonswa Mandaly! Kouman ou di: "Most of the time" Mèsi! Doug

Most of the time → pli souvan, le pli souvan, anpil de fwa, anpil fwa, plizyè fwa

Friday, May 18, 2012

Different ways to say wait?

do you mean wait v. as in to pause?
tann, ret tan, or pasyante

MrsChaddie - Bonjou! This was posted on Facebook by some of my Haitian friends. Can you help me understand it and the cultural feelings behind it? Un nègre riche est un mulâtre et un mulâtre pauvre est un nègre Mesi e Bon Fet Drapo!

Hi MrsChaddie, It actually says: 'A rich negro is a mulatto and a poor mulatto is a negro.'  It's an idiom from way back, when there where different social classes in Haiti based on the percentage of black blood running  in one's vein.

This idiom mainly states that Wealth is important, or Money talks.  Or you can even translate it as:  Money is power (in Haitian colonial times of course).

Is haitian creole your language?

Is haitian creole your language? (Creole)
Eske Kreyòl Ayisyen se lang ou?

What's the best way to say 'what about" as in "what about me?", "What about you?"

Say: E


What about me?
E mwen menm?


What about the car? Do you still want it?
E machin nan?  Ou vle l toujou?


What about the meeting?  Do you want me to cancel it?
E reyinyon an?  Ou vle m anile li?

Bòn Fèt Drapo Ayisyen

Koulè peyi m
Fyète peyi m
Se pwen bousòl mwen
Se pwen komen nou
Monte wo
Monte pi wo!
Konsa, tout kote ou ye
Zye nou va toujou leve sou ou


ou fin tounen ayisyen net

Ou fin tounen Ayisyen nèt.
You've completely turned into a Haitian.

How would you say 'on the dot'. I want to say 'Be there at nine on the dot.'

On the dot → pil, egzak


Be there at nine on the dot.
Vini a nevè pil.

What is Creole's 'toupi'?

toupi (used as an adverb) → exact likeness, spitting image

Li sanble ak papa l toupi.
He's looks exactly like his dad.

Ou sanble ak manman w toupi.
You're the spitting image of your mother..

toupi or topi (the toy) → spintop, spinning top, or top

how do i say your people is my people

Your people are my people.
Pèp ou se pèp pa'm.
or 
Pèp ou se pèp mwen.


Your people shall be my people.
Pèp ou va pè pa'm.
or
Pèp ou va pèp mwen.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

so, mandaly, 'ke kase' really means to be nervous. Even though 'kase' means 'to break'. So 'ke kase' has none to do with a "broken heart' . Am i right?

Wi, ou korèk.  Ou byen di.

Kè kase (as a verb) to be antsy, to be tense, to be panicking, to be anxious.

m kase.
I have a bad feeling.

m pa janm kase.
I never worry.

Chak kou l'ale kay doktè, kè'l ap kase.
Every time she goes to the doctor's, she gets nervous.


Poukisa kè'w ap kase konsa?
Why are you so worried?



Kè kase (as a noun) → anxiety,  fear, apprehension

Ou ban m kè kase.
You frightened me.

Ou pa bezwen gen kè kase.
You don't need to worry.


Mwen dòmi ak kè kase.  Mwen leve ak kè kase.
I go to sleep with fear.  I wake up in fear.

Another expression, kè sote is used in the same manner.

Other Haitian Creole expressions for kè kase (n.) are: kè sote, laperèz, anksyete, kè sou biskèt, enkyetid, lafreyè, sousi, or lakrent (all are used in everyday conversation)

Now if you wanted to say a broken heart, then you would say kè brize

where were you? (in Creole)

Where were you?
Kote ou *te ye? (non contracted)
Kote w te ye? (contracted)


Kote ou te ye? (non contracted)
Kote w te ye? (contracted)

Ki bò ou te ye? (non contracted)
Ki bò ou te ye? (contracted)


*te indicates past tense


Where are you? link
Where? link

WHat are some terms of endearment for a child?

ti cheri, ti chouchou, ti choupèt, ti kè, kè mwen, bebe, amou kè, boubou, bou, cheri amou kè mwen
Check this link: Endearing names

rèz, pran rèz, bay rèz


What does pran rez mean? I heard it in a song. Ayiti pran rez, famn yo pran rez, something like that ...
  1. pran rèz → to be duped, to be hoaxed, to be deceived, to be played, to be fooled, to expect something and not receive it.

    rèz, n. → a hoax, a spoof, a prank, trick, deception 

    bay rèz (literally: to give a hoax) → to prank someone, to give a hoax, to dupe someone, to deceive

sak passe wa bu le

O O!  I think you're trying to tell me something :)
Check this link out :) Sa'k Pase?

Mandy, can you explain the expression Li 'pa manje anyen frèt'? thanks!

Pa manje anyen frèt (literally who do not eat anything cold)to be a spitfire, to be a hell raiser, to be of very strong will and conviction, to be bold and daring.

Don't play with that lady.  She's a little spitfire.
Pa jwe ak fanm sa.  Li pa manje anyen frèt non.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

se sa wi la

Se sa wi la!
That's it!
That's what it is!


Generally it's Se sa! That's it!, but sometimes people add wi or wi la after it.

how do you say answer your phone (an Creole?)

Answer the phone.
Reponn telefòn nan.


Answer the phone danm it!
Reponn telefòn nan fout!

Haiti, how I miss you! My heart is with you forever!

Ayiti, Ala m sonje w!  Kè mwen avè w pou tout tan!

You are amazing! And it would be nice if you translate that too.

Dakò :)

Mèsi wi!

You're amazing!
Ou anfòm!
Ou fòmidab!
Ou pa mal ditou!
Ou eksepsyonèl!
Ou mayifik!

What is kwasans,Seyans, Antwot, Asoupli mean. if you can explain them and give the English translation.

kwasans (from the French croisssance) can mean growth, advancement, development.
Kwasans, in Haitian Creole, also means puberty
Fè kwasans → to reach sexual maturity and be capable of having children.  To begin menstruation.


Seyans (from French séance) a session,  a stage/concert hall / movie  performance, a theater act

Antwot (from French Entre autres literally means amongst others among others, moreover, amongst others

Asoupli (from the French assouplir) soften, polish, refine

Are there multiple translations for: Mwen pat gen le chwa.

Mwen pa't gen lechwa.
Mwen pa't gen chwa.
or 
Mwen pa't gen okenn chwa.
all mainly translates:
I didn't have a choice.

How do you say Happy Flag Day in Creole?

Happy Flag Day!
Bòn Fèt Drapo!


Happy Haitian Flag Day!
Bòn Fèt Drapo Ayisyen!

What is a 'gangan'?

gangan is a popular nickname for a houngan (voodoo priest)

IM TRIED OF PEOPLE FOR GETTING THERE ROOTS WHEN THEY COME TO AMERICA OR LOSING THEMSELVES REMEMBER MONEY DON'T MAKE YOU, YOU MAKE MONEY.

I think you mean, "I'm tired of people forgetting their roots ....."  right?

Well, can you blame them?  America is fascinating.... land of opportunity and freedom ...
I don't know about other countries, but there are over a million Haitians, living in America today, who are professionally working in diverse fields.  If they had stayed in Haiti, what kind of opportunities do you think they'd have?

Now I have never met one Haitian who' s not proud of their roots and doesn't have hope of a better and more productive Haiti.  But, what can they do?  The country's been mismanaged, and sometimes even human rights is threatened.  But I do see light at the end of that tunnel.  How far would we have to go to reach it?  We'll see...

is mimi a creole word and if so what is it's meaning?

mimi is what Haitians call a cat, kitten, or pussycat.

When Americans are trying to get a cat's  attention, they say, "Here, kitty kitty!"
When Haitians are trying to get a cat's attention, they'd say, "Mimi! Mimi!..."

Remember that the generic Haitian Creole term for cat is chat

how to say i will hit you


That sounds scary.....


I will hit you - M'ap frape w

What's the difference between nenpot and okenn? - yfs

nenpòt - any, anything, whichever
nenpòt sa, nenpòt kisa, nenpòt bagay → anything
nenpòt kote, nenpòt ki kote → anywhere
nenpòt lè → whenever


Nenpòt moun kapab jwe gita.
Anyone can play guitar.


Yo kwè nenpòt sa li di.
They believe anything he says.


Mwen p'ap manje nan nenpòt restoran.
I will not eat in just any restaurant.




Okenn - none, no, not any


Okenn moun pa vini.
No one came.


Pa gen okenn lajan nan kont lan.
There's no money in the account.


Mwen p'ap pale ak okenn moun.
I will not talk to anyone.
I'll tak to no one.

success

success → siksè, reyisit, triyonf

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

I would like to learn Our God (song) in Creole, but I'm unsure of pronunciation. Where can I hear a clear pronunciation of all these words/song?

Is it Our God is greater, Our God is stronger by Tomlin or Our God is an awesome God?

"Once bitten, twice shy" do you have this idiom in Creole?

Wi wi.

Chat chode nan dlo cho pè dlo frèt. (a scalded cat fears cold water)

how do you say will you marry me or will you be mine

Will you marry me?
Eske ou vle marye avè m?


Marry me.  You will be mine, and I will be yours.
Marye avè m.  Mwen va pou ou, e ou va pou mwen.

Will you be my wife?
Eske ou dakò pou vin madanm mwen?

four ways to say Please" in Creole

How do you say, "Shuffle the cards and cut the deck."

Bwase kat la, e melanje l (literally: stir it up and mix it up)

also

Bwase kat yo e mele pil la.

Is 'pran nanm' the same as 'pran lespri'?

Wi wi :)

See link: Pran nanm

What does mwen renmen nou renmen ak manke ou ton mean in english

It's trying to say:  We love you and miss you too.

Why is the word 'pyès' used to signify 'no one'?

Pyèspièce, pièce de monnaie) → piece, a simple piece of coin

When PYÈS means NONE;  It literally means Not even one PIECE, Not even one UNIT

So you would hear in Creole:

Pa gen pyès moun la.
There not even one piece of a person there. (literally)
There's no one there.


Mwen pa gen pyès lajan.
I don't even have one coin. (literally)
I don't have any money.


See more on PYÈS
Daughter → Pitit fi
See this link please:  Family Menbers

How can you use PINGA? As a noun or as a verb?


You could use it as a noun and auxillary.

The best English translation for "PINGA!" that I can't think of is 'DON'T!",  "DON'T YOU DARE!", or "YOU BETTER NOT..."
PINGA is always used as a warning, with the understanding that there might be consequences.

Examples:

As auxillary
Pinga ou fè sa!
Don't you do that!

Pinga ou pale ak moun sa yo.
Don't talk to these people.

Pinga ou kite nonm sa pran tèt ou.
Don't let this man take your head (literally)
Don't be taken by this man.

As a noun:
Mache sou pinga w.
Walk on your pinga. (literally)
Be vigilant.

Yo te ba l yon pinga.
They gave him an warning.


See more sentences with PINGA 

Monday, May 14, 2012

what is the Haitian creole expression for 'biological clock'

The term used most often is almanak.
Rarely, you would hear òlòj byolojik

what does vini non vini non pak pase mean?

vini non → come, come here

I'm not sure what 'pak pase' would refer to.  It's probably a typo.  Check the link Sak Pase.  Maybe that's what they meant.


"Are feelings what we should go by"

Eske se sou santiman n'ap aji?
Eske se sou santiman n'ap boule?

"Then, Than..." I don't know how this translate if it does... thanks!

Yes, they both translate.

Than → pase


pi cho pase solèy la
hotter than the sun


pi frèt pase glas.
colder than ice


pi presye pase
purer than gold.


then → alò, atò, alèkile, enpi,e, lè sa, lò sa, apre, apre sa, etc...


N'ap priye, enpi n' ava manje.
We'll pray, then we'll eat.


Lè nou fin fè tout travay, se alèkile yo parèt.
After we're done working, it is then we got there.



Anyen menm?

1. anyen menm 
   anyen ditou  
   nothing at all  
   nothing

2. M pa santi anyen menm.
    I don't feel anything at all.

3. Mwen pa gen anyen ditou.
    I have nothing at all.

4. Li pa't ban m anyen menm
    He gave me nothing at all.

5.  Sa pa't anyen menm.
     Sa pa't anyen ditou.
     That' was nothing at all.

Differentiate when to use rete, sispann, and kanpe for 'stop'

At some point in time they all can be translated basically as 'stop'.
They all can be used as nouns or verbs.

As nouns, they would be translated as the English's pause, stop or rest
M'ap fè yon ti kanpe.
I'm taking a rest.


Lapli a fè yon ti sispann.
The rain has stopped a little.


Machin nan fè yon rete.
The car made a stop

Now, as verbs
kanpe → rest, pause, settle, position, place, stand, bring to an end, stop, halt
example:
Yo pa't kapab fini travay la akoz lapli a.  Yo kanpe nan mitan wout.
They couldn't finish the job because of the rain.  They stopped halfway.


Poukisa ou kanpe chante a?
Why did you pause the song?


Sispann → discontinue, halt, end, suspend
Sispann is the your best choice when you want to use the verb 'to stop' with another verb.
example:
Sispann pale.
Stop talking.


Yo te sispann ekri.
They stopped writing.


Rete → come to a stop, wait, stick around, stop, halt
example:
Rete la.
Stop right there.


Ou dwe rete sou limyè wouj la.
You must stop on the red light.

"Why is the rum always gone?"--Jack Sparrow

Hmm... probably because it's Barbancourt :)

"Did I say that right?" "Am I making sense?"

Did I say that right?
Eske m byen di sa?
Eske m byen di?
Eske m byen pale?


Am I making sense?
Eske sa'm di a fè sans?

Am I correct?

'plop plop' ?

plop plop, vit vit, prese prese, rapido presto  →  rapidly, swiftly, in no time

Apa w chanje foto w ! (in English)

I noticed you changed your picture.
or
How come you changed your picture?

Sunday, May 13, 2012

There is / There are (present, past, future, and others...)

Download link for this audio clip.


 


To listen to this audio, click the play button and follow along :)



  


Bonjou mezanmi!  Kouman nou ye?
Hello!  How are you?


M'espere tout bagay ap mache trè byen.
I hope everything is going very well.

There is / there are
Gen  or genyen

Examples:
Singular
Gen fòs nan tèt ansanm.
Genyen fòs nan tèt ansanm.
There's strength in unity.

Plural
Gen 2 kalite moun nan monn nan...
Genyen 2 kalite moun nan monn nan...
There are two types of people in the world...



Present tense
1. Gen klas apremidi a. 
     There's class this afternoon.

     Pa gen klas apremidi a. 
     There's no class this afternoon.

Past tense 
in this order↓
Affirmative: te (past tense marker) verb
Negative: Pa (negative marker) + te (past tense marker) + verb


 2. Te gen klas apremidi a. 
      There was class this afternoon


      Pa te gen klas apremidi a. (non contracted)
      Pa't gen klas apremidi a.  (contracted)
     There was no class this afternoon

Future  

in this order↓
Affirmative: ap/pral/va (future tense marker) verb

Negative: Pa (negative marker) + ap/pral/va (future tense marker)

 verb



3.  Ap gen klas apremidi a. 
     There will be class this afternoon.


     Pa ap gen klas apremidi a. (non contracted)
     P'ap gen klas apremidi a. (contracted)
     There'll be no class this afternoon.


4.  Pral gen klas apremidi a.
      There will be class this afternoon.


     Pa pral gen klas apremidi a.
     There'll be no class this afternoon


5.  Va gen klas apremidi a.
      There'll be class this afternoon.


      Pa va gen klas apremidi a.
      There'll be no class this afternoon.

Using other auxillaries

6. *Ka gen anpil kriye nan antèman sa.
    There might be a lot of crying at this funeral.
    *Ka, kab, kapab → may, can


7. Ta va gen batay si lapolis pa't la.
     There would have been a fight if the police had not been there.


8.  Pa ta gen libète, si zansèt nou yo pa't goumen.
      There would be no freedom if our ancestors did not fight.


9.  Ta dwe gen yon gad nan baryè a.
      There should be a guard at the gate.


10.  Fòk gen yon fason pou fè sa.
       Fò gen yon fason pou fè sa.
       Dwe gen yon fason pou fè sa.
       There must be a way to do this.


Se te tout pou jodi a mezanmi.  Mèsi e n'a wè.
That was all for today.  Thanks and see ya.

Track: Ede m chante chante sa (Help me sing this song) by Boukan Ginen

Lyrics
Hey….
Gen lontan n’ap chèche
Yon kote pou n viv
Yon kote pou nou tout ka viv anpè vre
W’a ede m chante chante sa
Monkonpè mwen!
Ah!  woulo woulo woulo
Monkonpè mwen! (4 liy, 3 fwa)

Hey….
Se chita m chita, n’ap gade
Nou wè se tout bon l’ap vin menase vre
Fò n  ede m chante chante sa
Monkonpè mwen!
Ah! woulo woulo woulo
Monkonpè mwen! (4 liy, 2 fwa)

Moun chowou -l o
Frè mwen!
Monkonpè mwen!

Hey….
Twòp pwoblèm nan peyi mwen
Fè nou pa ka jwenn
Yon kote pou nou tout ka viv anpè vre
M’oblije chante chante sa
Monkonpè mwen!
Ah! woulo woulo woulo
Monkonpè mwen! (4 liy, 2 fwa)

Moun chowou-l o
Frè mwen!
Monkonpè mwen!

Hey….
Mezanmi!
Kouman nou ye?
Anba tèt chaje* sa yo!
Kouman nou ye?

Kouman nou ye?
Anba vant kòde* sa yo!

Kouman nou ye la?
Kouman nou ye?
Anba maswife* sa yo?

Tèt chaje, n → inconvenience, grief, torment, distress, problem, hindrance
Vant kòde, n → reeling stomach, calamity, suffering
Maswife, n → greased pole, dilemma, impediment, obstacle