If I wanted to play the game “I’m thinking about something that…” and have kids guess what I’m thinking about would I say: “Divine sa m’ap panse…” and “M’ap panse sou yon bagay ki…”? What would be the most natural way to phrase this?

Hi. Although both can be used, the first one gets my mind ready to start guessing....feels more interesting.
And I think you would proceed slightly differently with whichever one you use. For example, if you're thinking about a banana,

Devine sa m’ap panse… li jòn ... li long... li se yon fui...
M’ap panse a yon bagay ki jòn... ki long... ki se yon fui...

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What does lanjèz mean? I always hear "yo lanjèz"

Landyèz or landjèz - malicious, gossiping woman with a dirty mouth.

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Is there a certain poem or biblepassage, common at Creple weddings, that contain the phrase-you are the breath of my life. Please explain.

When you say Creole weddings, do you mean Haitian weddings?
 Nope, we do not have any traditional bible verse or poem that includes this passage in the Christian arena. There are a couple of traditional hymns that we do sing at Christian weddings, especially #312 of the Haitian Chants D'Esperance. These days most Haitian weddings are westernized, but you can still see traditional Haitian weddings in the countryside.
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Someone told me that retresi and ratresi are not the same. retresi is used for things like shoes that has shrunk and ratresi means to shorten something. Can you give me some examples of that?

Actually ratresi and retresi are synonymous. Some Haitians in one region say retresi and others say ratresi.
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I'm looking for all the lyrics for "Li Touche m"

Kè mwen te chaje ak fado lou

Peche ak wont mwen te kouvri mwen

Alò men Jezi te touche m

Kounye a mwen santi vin chanje

Li touche m

O li touche m

E lajwa te neye nanm mwen

Yon bagay te pase

Kounye a m konnen

Li touche m nan gran bonte li

Depi m te jwenn Sovè beni an

Depi l te sove m e geri m

Mwen pap janmen sispann louwe li

M ap chante glwa li etènèlman

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What does "Mazonbel" means?

It's a root vegetable.

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Just wondering if you know of any Haitian Proverbs related to gratefulness? Thank you!

Hi, a couple of proverbs about gratefulness:
Poul bwè dlo, men li pa bliye Bondye - Chickens drink water, but they don't forget God
Sonje lapli ki fè mayi leve - Remember the rain that makes corns grow.

And a couple of proverbs about ingratitude:
Ou pa ka chita sou kui bèf enpi w ap pale bèf mal - You can't sit on the cow's leather and then badmouth the cow.
Fè byen, granmesi nanpwen - There's never any thanks for good deeds
Granmesi bourik se kout baton - Gratefulness is shown to the donkey by whipping the donkey.


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Hi Mandaly, what's the reference here? bet mouri kite mize pou pwal (or po)? thanks

I think is bèf (with an accented "e" and an "f" at the end) mouri kite mizè (with an accented "e") pou po (instead of pwal) li.

bèf mouri kite mizè pou po li - some people may have different meaning for this, but my grandmother used it to refer to what happens to this animal's hide after death. The hide is used in drum, whip, stool, floor mat fabrication and many other things.  She especially says it to refer to many beatings sustained by the drum's or conga's head.

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Yon zanmi m te ban m "Dous makos." Ou konnen manje sa a?

Yes, it's a type of milk caramel candy.

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How do you say these terms in the context of playing a game: "it's your turn," "go clockwise" or "counter-clockwise"? Mèsi!

It's your turn - Se tou pa w. Sometimes we also say Se kou pa w.
your turn - tou pa w. or kou pa w.
Go clockwise - Ale an rotasyon adwat, tankou zegui yon revèy.
Go counterclockwise - Ale an rotasyon agoch, nan san envès zegui yon revèy.

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Could you help me translate this instruction: “Read this story out loud, please. When you’re done you can keep it.” (I’m stuck on how to specify “out loud” as opposed to silently and on “keep it.”)

Haitians say a hot vwa or byen fò for out loud or aloud
to keep (in this instance) may be translated as kenbe or pran.

"Read this story out loud, please. When you’re done you can keep it.”  - Tanpri, li istwa sa a a hot vwa. Lè nou fini, nou mèt kenbe li.

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what is the difference between "mwen sonje ou" and "'mwen manke ou"?

They both supposed to mean I miss you.
But the difference is if someone says Mwen sonje w, you know that they are 100% Haitian natif natal speaking our beloved Creole. If they say Mwen manke w, then they are definitely some fake Haitian who mistakesFrench for Creole. Be careful, those are the types of people that will give you Nana for Sizàn.

Bay Nana pou Sizàn (literally to give Nana for Suzanne) means to give someone an imitation product instead of the real thing, it also means to be a sham or to try to trick someone.

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I am listening to Yves Dejean's lecture. I cannot translate the proverb he quotes, "Baton ou gen nan men w se avè l ou bay kou". Èske w ede mwen? Mèsi!

Hi. Sorry for the late response :)

Sometimes Haitian say: Baton ou gen nan men w lan, se avè l ou pare kou - You use the club that you have in your hands to block a blow.
or sometimes they say: Baton ou gen nan men w lan, se avè l ou bay kou - You use the club that you have in your hands to give a blow.
Both meaning that you use your the resources, skills, or talent you already have to work to your advantage, to get you ahead, or to get you out of a jam.  Wouldn't it be harder to use resources that you don't have to get what you want? :)

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How do you say refrigerator magnet in creole?

Refrigerator magnet - leman pou frijidè

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What does this sentence mean: bizou a nou tou lede ok!

I think they meant to write nou toulede (from French touts les deux) or nou toude which means both of you.
bizou a nou toulede - kisses to both of you

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What is the creole word meaning drifter (to wonder)

A wanderer?
We may call them vagabon, moun k ap drivaye, grenn pwomennen, , fritè, or penpennè, ets.

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Why would a Haitian waitress cross a knife and fork on a plate

I wouldn't look too much into it. It's probably just by force of habit and lack of training by her employer or the restaurant.


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Hi Mandaly! What does this expression mean, "Jodia dan pouri gen fòs sou bannann mi"? Thanks!

Well, basically it's always been that way ----Dan pouri toujou gen fòs sou banana mi. (a rotten tooth always prevails over ripe bananas)
 The proverb in question suggests things as they usually are.
Other proverbs that may be in the same category:
Ravèt pa gen rezon devan poul. (Roaches don't have a chance when it's time to face chickens)
Jodi pou ou, demen pou yon lòt. (Today is your turn, tomorrow is someone else's.)
Yon jou pou chasè, yon jou pou jibye. (a day for the hunter, a day for the prey)

Your question is a little confusing because the word jodia erroneously implies that the tables have turned.






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