Rete! ...Rete! ...Rete!

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Bonjou tout moun! kouman nou ye?
RETE
RETE to live, to dwell, to stay with
RETE to keep up, to be left over, to remain
RETE to stop, to cease, to pause


Rete (abite, demere, viv) → live, dwell, stay or stay with

1.  Mwen rete New York kounye a.
     I live in New York now.

2. Li bezwen yon kote pou li rete.
    She needs a place to live.

Rete → remain, be left, continue, keep up

3.  Li rete yon semèn pou li etidye pou egzamen yo.
     It remains one week for him to study for the exams. (literally)
     He has one week left to study for the exams.

4. Nou rete de jou anvan fèt la.
    We have two days remaining before the party.

When saying, "There remain.../There remains..." or "There's ... left over", Haitians may begin a sentence with Rete.... and not the subject.
5.  Li rete yon lòt timoun anndan kay la. ...
     Rete yon lòt timoun anndan kay la.  
     There remains another child inside the house. 
     There's another child left inside the house.

6.  Rete kat pen sèlman nan panye a.
     There's only four pieces of bread remaining in the basket

Rete → to keep up, to stay, to continue to be...

7.  Rete jan ou ye a.  Pa chanje.
     Stay the way you are.  Don't change.

8.  Rete kote ou ye a.  M'ap vin chache ou.
     Stay where you are.  I'll come to pick you up.  

9.  Rete konsa. Pa bouje.
     Stay like that.  Don't move.

10.  Rete fèm nan lafwa.
       Remain firm in the faith.
       Keep the faith
     
11. Rete trankil.
      Remain calm. 
      Stay calm.

12.  Rete nan volonte Bondye
       Remain in God's will.


Rete → pause, stop

13. Rete taksi a pou mwen.
      Stop the taxi cab for me.

14. An nou fè yon ti rete la pou yon moman.
      Let's rest here for a moment.

15.  Depi li koumanse, nanpwen anyen ki ka rete'l.
       Once it starts, there's nothing that can stop it.

16.  Li te mouri paske kè li te rete.
       He died because his heart stopped.

Enben zanmi mwen yo, se te tout pou jodi a.  M'ap di nou yon gran mèsi.  Pase yon bon jounen e orevwa!

****ONE other use for rete.  People might use it to express impatience or eagerness or show a little surprise when something unexpected happens when they say WAIT!  or GEEZ! Where the hell are you? Here are some examples:

1.  Rete! Kote ti fanm nan?! Mwen te voye l nan magazen an depi lontan.
     Geez! where's that girl?!  I sent her o the store ages ago.

2. Rete! kote you ye?  M'ap tann ou toujou!
    Man! Where are you?  I'm still waiting!

3. Rete! Sa k'ap pase la?
    Wait! What's going on here?

4. Rete! sa w'ap fout di konsa?!
    Oh man! What baloney are you talking about?!

5.  Rete! Apa s'on moun fou ou te ye?
     Geez!  I didn't realize you were insane!

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words