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Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Rete kè pòpòz (Remain Calm) - Audio

Download link: http://limanecasimi.audioacrobat.com/download/adc55445-43d5-cac3-bd14-c9a63bee3b2f.mp3

Listen to audio here: http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/WKpjtc0W

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Mezanmi, Mariette toujou kè pòpòz.  Li pa janm gen kè sote.
Mariette is always calm.  She's never anxious.

Ou menm nenpòt ti bagay kontrarye w. Dis min toujou mare nan fwon w.  Lè w gen pwoblèm, men longè bouch ou.
As for you, anything little thing upsets you.  You always have a frown on your face.  When you have problems, your lips are that long (pouting).

Se lavi a k'ap malmennen m pitit.  Kanta pou Mariette, m pa konnen kouman fè li pa janm kite anyen twouble l.  M'ap mande m kijan l fè l.
Life isn't good to me child.  As for Mariette, I don't know how come she never lets anything trouble her.  I wonder how she does it.

Enben petèt li pa gen okenn tèt chaje nan lavi l.
Well maybe she doesn't have any problems in her life.

Okontrè, dam sa a plen pwoblèm.  Li pa viv lasante. Bòs li toujou ap ba l presyon nan travay li.  E mari l ap fè l pase nan je zegwi.
To the contrary, this woman has a lot of problems.  She's not in good health. Her boss is always giving her pressure at work.  And her husband does not treat her that well.

Petèt li se milyonè, li pa gen pwoblèm lajan.
Maybe she's a millionaire, she doesn't have money problem

Se pa sa.  Moun ki milyonè pa fè kalite dyòb l'ap fè a.  Enpitou bil li men wotè.
That's not it.  Millionaires don't do the type of job she's doing.  And her bills are that high.

Petèt se medikaman li pran pou l kalme l.
Maybe she takes medication to stay calm.

Non. Si l t'ap pran medikaman li ta soule tout tan.  Men li toujou ap souri.  Kèlkeswa sa k pase li li toujou rete trankil.  Li pa janm pèdi sanfwa l.   Kè l pa janm kase. Kè l toujou pozeSa k fè sa?
No.  If she was taking medication she'd be drowsy all the time. But she's always smiling.  Whatever happens to her, she is always temperate.  She never loses her cool.  She's never anxious. She's always poised.  Why is that?

Enben, sanble li jwenn sekrè lavi a.
Well it seems that she has found the secret to life.

Sekrè lavi a? Kounye a ou vle di m ou konn sekrè linivè antye?
The secret to life?  Now you mean to tell me that you know the secret of the entire universe?

M pa ka di w m konnen l men m gen yon lide.
I can't tell you that I know it but I have an idea.

Ki sa l ye?  Di m li tanpri pou m ka gen lajwa tou.
What is it? Tell it to me please so that I may also have joy.

Gen yon pwovèb Ayisyen ki di, "Rete trankil se remèd kò".  M panse sekrè lavi a nan pwovèb sa a.  Pa chaje tèt ou, rete kè pòpòz.  Se sekrè a.
There's a Haitian proverb that says, "Being serene is the body's remedy". I think the secret to life is in this proverb. Don't trouble yourself, remain calm.  That's the secret.

Enben konpliman Monchè.  Pou valè moun k'ap chache sekrè lavi a enpi se ou k jwenn ni.  Se pou w vann sekrè sa a bay tout moun konsa nou va rich e mwen finalman va gen kè kontan tankou Mariette.
Well congratulations my dear.  So many people are looking for the secret to life and it is you that finds it.  You must sell it to everyone so that we will be rich and I'll finally be as happy as Mariette.

Eske w sèten Mariette se pa bonnanj ou?
Are you sure Mariette isn't your spirit (alter ego)?

W'ap pase m nan betiz.  M p'ap okipe w.  M'ap rete kè pòpòz.
You're making fun of me.  I won't pay attention to you.  I will stay calm.

Track: Sa nou ye? by Fernand Marlu

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

10 comments:

  1. kamsa hamnida
    (mesi anpil) in Korean

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pou valè moun k'ap chache sekrè lavi a enpi se ou k jwenn ni.
    please translate 'vale" in detail.

    kamsa hamnida

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Valè, in Haitian Creole, translates worth, value, cost, price

      It also translates many, so many, plenty, an abundance, a large number

      We’ll concentrate on this second translation as this is what’s used in the audio post.
      Here are some examples of using “vale” to translate ….many or a large number, …. As it is used in the audio post:

      In these first groups of examples, we use it to say “large quantity”:
      1.
      Gen yon valè moun ki pa konn li nan peyi sa a. – There are a number of people that do not know how to read in this country.

      2.
      Mwen gen yon valè bib lakay mwen, m’a prete w youn. - I have many bibles at home, I’ll lend you one.


      Sometimes we say “pou valè” – basically ….for the amount or because of the amount…..
      1.
      Pou valè bagay mwen gen pou‘m fè jodi a, m pa kwè m’ap kapab ede w. Because of the many things I have to do today, I don’t think I’ll be able to help you.

      2.
      Pou valè mechanste m tande ou fè, m pa kwè si m ka fè w konfyans - For the amount of wickedness I’ve heard that you’ve committed I don’t think I can trust you.


      And sometimes we use “vale” before a noun where it means …so many, many, a great undefined number, …
      1.
      Valè moun ou genyen nan fanmi w, enpi ou pa't ka jwenn youn ki ka ede w - You have so many people in your family, and you couldn't find one that can help you.

      2.
      Valè malonèt yo fè w, enpi ou retounen isit la. Ou pa gen nen nan figi w. - In spite of all the insults thrown at you, you still come back here. You have no shame.

      3.
      Valè Ayisyen ki gen nan sal la, enpi pa menm gen youn ki ka pale yon bon Franse. M twouve sa dwòl.. All these Haitians in a room and not even one can speak perfect French. I found that bizarre.

      Delete
  3. Dis min toujou mare nan fwon w.
    (I need more explanation for min, when you say 'miens', I have no idea of
    understanding for that word 'miens'
    (kamsa hamnida)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dakò :)

      Haitian Creole “min” translates demeanor or appearance

      This sentence is a Haitian Creole expression, it means that someone looks angry, someone has a gloomy facial expression.

      If we could translate this expression literally it would say that dis min mare nan fwon w - ten frown lines on your forehead

      If you see someone with an angry face, you could ask:
      Poukisa dis min mare nan fwon w konsa?
      Which means:
      Why are you so angry?

      Delete
  4. Pou valè moun k'ap chache sekrè lavi a
    Can you translate ?
    I don't understand the way you translate "vale".

    kamsa hamnida

    ReplyDelete
  5. vale - many, so many, a great quantity.

    Pou valè moun k'ap chache sekrè lavi a . - So many people are looking for the secret to life....

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mesi anpil pou sekre lavi a! Anpil moun ap chache pou sa, se vre!
    Mwen renmen misik tou. Li ba m' ke popoz:-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wi se vre. Anpil moun ap chache li :)
      Kontinye kenbe la.

      Delete