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!

Sunday, May 13, 2012

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

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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

7 comments:

  1. Mandaly, what a hauntingly beautiful song. Thanks so much for sharing it and for the lyrics! Se pou Bondye beni tout nou ki pote tèt chaje...

    ReplyDelete
  2. What exactly does this mean?
    Nou wè se tout bon l’ap vin menase vre
    Mèsi!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tout bon for real, true
      tout bon vre for real, true

      Nou wè se tout bon l'ap vin menase vre
      We see it's for real it's becoming a threat. literally
      We see that the threat is real.

      See this link for expression tout bon : tout bon vre

      Delete
  3. WOW! great song.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hello, I'm writing a Spanish song in memory of my brother based on this beautiful song but I can't get any good translation. Would you please translate the lyrics? I would really appreciate it!

    ReplyDelete