Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Bonjou, my wife is asking, what can be the opposite of "pa gendwa"---"it is good when you do that"--- for our granddaughter. Mesi

You may use "gen dwa" or "mèt (don’t use with negatives)"

gen dwa - may, to be allowed, to be permitted
pa gen dwa - may not, to not be allowed, to not be permitted
mèt  - mayto be allowed, to be permitted
Do not use "pa" after "mèt"  for these instances.  There are circumstances where you can use "pa" after "mèt", but this is not one of them.

Here are some examples:

1. Ou gen dwa vini si w vle. – You may come if you want.

2. Nou gen dwa fè sa n vle. – You may do as you please.

3. Ou mèt vini. – you may come.

4. Nou mèt manje kounye a. - You may eat now.

5. Ou mèt jwe ak jwèt ou yo lè'w fin fè devwa w. - You may play with your toys when 
you've done your homework.

6. Ou mèt rele'm vin chache w lè klas ou fini. - You may call me to pick you up when your class is over.

7. Ou mèt antre. – you may enter.  You may come in
But you would say

8. Ou pa gen dwa antre – You may not come in.

9. Ou mèt ale. – You may go.
But you would say

10. Ou pa gen dwa ale nan sinema avèk vagabond sa a. – You may not go to the movies with this jerk.

11. Ou mèt ale nan kizin nan men ou pa gen dwa antre nan chanm mwen, se refij prive m.
You may go into the kitchen but you may not go in my room, that’s my private refuge.


You may use “gen dwa” like this:

12. M gen dwa pa’t wè l.
I may not have seen it.

13. Li pale avè w men li gen dwa pa renmen w.
She talks to you but she may not like ou.
In this example, do not put “pa” after “gen dwa”.  If you do the meaning of the sentence would change

14. Li di w li renmen w, men li gen dwa pa di l nan fason ou panse a.
She says she likes you but she may not mean it in the way you think.

15Li gen dwa te di sa kòm zanmi.
She may have said it in friendship.

16. Nou gen kèk tan nou pa wè l. Li gen dwa te kite peyi a. Li gen dwa te marye. Li gen dwa pa nan kad nou.  Oubyen li menm gen dwa mouri.
We haven’t seen her in some time. She may have left the country.  She may have gotten married.  She may not want to have anything to do with us. Or she may even be dead.


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

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