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!

Saturday, March 31, 2012

never give up on your goals

Never give up on your goals.
Pa janm abandonnen objektif ou.
Pa janm abandonnen anbisyon w.
Pa janm abandonnen misyon w.
Pa janm abandonnen ministè w.

ou sanble aveck yon ti

Ou sanble avèk yon ti ...
You look like a little ...

run to mama...is it kouri a manmanm?

non :)

Run to mama.
Kouri al jwennn manman.

Come to Mama.
Vin jwenn manman.

What does "poze lakay" mean? "Fresco lakay"? (On a truck offering cold drinks in Little Haiti Miami)

poze lakay
homestyle refreshment
homestyle leisure
homestyle relaxation

Fresco lakay
homestyle slushy
homestyle water ice
homestyle italian ice

Hold it! (Creole)

Hold it! (to wait)
Tann!


Hold it. (keep it)
Kenbe l.


legion of doomed

Legion of the doomed
Lejyon moun pèdi
Lejyon moun kondanen
Bann moun pèdi

how's love?

How's love?

I don't get that :-|

Ask me anything

Usually like "He usually does that"

He usually does that.
Se abitid li. (it's his habit/vice/routine)
or
Li toujou fè sa.

What do you see? Like when you are asking your little girl what she sees when she is looking out the window

What do you see?
Kisa ou wè?
Kisa ou wè la?
Sa ou wè?

What are you looking at?
Kisa w'ap gade?
Kisa w'ap gade la?
Sa w'ap gade?

will you go to work for GCA or do you have other plans?

Eske ou pral travay pou GCA a, oubyen eske ou gen lòt plan?

Ask me anything

Friday, March 30, 2012

'Fè pa m'?

Fè pa m!
Mizèrikòd!
Gras!
Padon!
Gras la mizèrikòd!
Have pity on me!
or 
Forgive me!


praying Haitians say that a lot.

'pa vle wè' is expression for 'to hate'?

yes.

pa vle wè → hate, can't tolerate
pa ka wè → can't tolerate, can't stand
Pa ka sipòte → can't stand, can't tolerate


Mwen pa vle wè li.
I hate him.


M pa ka wè lè w fè sa.
I hate when you do that.


Mwen pa ka wè li.
I can't stand her.
I can't tolerate her.


Mwen pa ka wè chen k'ap jape.
I can't stand barking dogs.
I can't tolerate barking dogs.


other Creole words for hate are: deteste, degoute, rayi

say heart in creole

Ask me anything

Where can I find Haitian Creole Catholic Mass responses?

Do you mean prayers such as: Hail Mary, Our Father in Heaven, ... or other mass responses?
Here are some sites that may be helpful:
http://www.wakingupcatholic.com/ht/common-catholic-prayers/109-act-faith.html
http://www.wakingupcatholic.com/ht/common-catholic-prayers/109-act-faith.html

or

Contact Mr. Mapou at Libreri Mapou (305)757-9922.
He has some Creole Catholic prayer books.

Mèsi :)

Ask me anything

what are you doing?

What are you doing link
Kisa w'ap fè la?  
Sa w'ap fè la?
or
Kisa w'ap fè?  

my turn

Understanding "pa" as possessive link
Use "pa" as possessive here link


my turn
tou pa m
(contracted from 'tou pa mwen')

your turn
tou pa w (contracted from 'tou pa ou')

their turn
tou pa yo

It's my turn.
Se tou pa m.

It's not your turn.
Se pa tou pa w.

What does Neg poze la mean?

Maybe you meant: Nèg ap poze la?
which literally mean: Man is resting there
Coming from a native, it would mean: I am taking a break. or I am resting.

'On the way' as in: They're on their way. or It's on its way.

on the way → nan wout.


They're on their way.
Yo nan wout.


It's on its way.
Li nan wout.


I'm on my way.  Be patient.
Mwen an wout.  Pran pasyans.


The package is on its way.  I mailed it yesterday.
Pake a nan wout.  Mwen te poste li yè.


The kids are on their way.  They left two hours ago.
Timoun yo nan wout.  Yo te kite dezè d'tan pase.


The team is on its way.  Their bus left at 10.
Ekip la nan wout.  Bis yo a te kite a dizè.




On the way to... → Sou wout


We were on the way to Arcahaie when it started raining.
Nou te sou wout Lakayè lè li te koumanse fè lapli.


They were on their way home when they decided to head back.
Yo te sou wout lakay yo lè te deside tounen.


He was on his way to work when he got the call.
Li te sou wout travay li lè li te resevwa apèl la.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

mwen pa menm sou bo ou

Mwen pa menm sou bò ou.
I'm ignoring you.

'It has been' as in: It's been a long time. It's been days. or It's been a year. Mèsi boubout mwen :)

You can use "Depi ...." or  "Sa fè ...."

Depi de jou m pa wè w.
Sa fè de jou m pa wè w.
Mwen gen de jou depi m pa wè w.
It's been two days since I've seen you.

Depi twazan li malad.
Sa gen twazan li malad.
Li gen twazan depi l malad.
It's been three years since she's been ill.

It has been ...
Sa fè ...
Sa gen ...

Sa fè lontan depi mwen pa wè w.
Mwen gen lontan depi m pa wè.

It's been a long time since I haven't seen you.

Sa fè kèk jou depi mwen te dènye wè li.
Nou gen kèk jou depi dènye fwa nou te wè l.

It's been days since we last saw her.

Sa gen dezan depi m pa al nan plaj.
Mwen gen dezan depi m'ale nan plaj.

It's been two years since I been to the beach.

Sa gen twò lontan.
(Mwen) gen twò lontan.

It's been too long.



Sa gen lontan depi m te tande chan sa a.
Mwen gen lontan depi m pa tande chante sa a.

It's been a while since I heard that song.

mwen mande poukisa fanmi mwen se pa sere tankou li ta dwe? english translation

Mwen mande poukisa fanmi mwen se pa sere tankou li ta dwe.
I wonder why my family is not as tight/close as they should be.

PS: No need for "se" in the Creole sentence.

lets see how this will go

Lets see how this will go.
Ann gade kijan* sa pral pase
also:
Ann wè kijan* sa pral pase.

*and of course, you can always have kijan, kouman or kòman.

mwen vle diw sa kap fet

Mwen vle di w sa k'ap fèt.
I want to tell you what's going on /what's been going on.

How can i say "Sometimes" in Creole?

sometimes → pafwa, kèk fwa, dèfwa, gen de fwa or gendefwa, gen de lè or gendelè


Pafwa mwen panse avè w.
Sometimes I think about you.



Gen de fwa mwen pa konprann ou.
Sometimes I don't understand you.



Dèfwa mwen al promnen nan plaj la.
Sometimes I take a stroll on the beach.



Kèk fwa li salye m, men se pa tout tan..
Sometimes he says hello, but not always.

Vire tounen?

Vire tounen (as a verb and also a noun?)


vire tounen (literaly 'turn return')
to come and go 
to run an errand
to give the run around
to turn around
coming and goings


Gen yon bann vire tounen  lakay vwazen an.  M'ap mande m sa k'ap pase.
There's a lot of activity at the neighbor's house.  I wonder what's going on.


Mwen pral fè yon vire tounen la.
I'm going to run an errand.


Chak kou m mande l lajan m, l'ap fè m vire tounen
Every time I ask for my money, he gives me the run around.


Poukisa w'ap fè m vire tounen konsa?
Why are you giving me the run around?

'Chak kou ou vini' - 'Each neck you come'? Doesn't make any sense. Thoughts?

You're right it does not make any sense, because Creole 'kou', here, means 'time'.

Kou, kon, kòm → as, as soon as, like, as well as, when, time
ex:
chak kou / chak kon / chak fwa → every time, each time

Chak kou li vini, li toujou pote pen Ayisyen.
Every time he comes, he always bring Haitian bread.

Mwen te vole kou yon zwazo.
I flew like a bird.

Granmoun kou timoun dwe prezante.
Adults as well as children should be present.

Kou papa l pati, li koumanse fèt la.
As soon as his dad left, he started the party

Kou → a strike, a blow
Bay kou → to hit, to deal a blow, to afflict
ex:
Li ban m yon kou.
She hit me.

Pa ba l kou.
Do not hit her.

Vòle sa yo ban m yon kou. Yo devide kont bankè mwen.
These crooks dealt me a blow.  They emptied my bank account.



Kou → course, a session, curriculum
Kou Kreyòl la va dire twa mwa.
The Creole class will last three months.


Kou → neck
ex:
Mwen gen kou fè mal.
I have neck pain.

What does outreach mean in creole

Outreach can be translated in Creole as: Kanpay (a campaign), efò, zefò, jefò (collective effort)

Ask me anything

"Sèk" -- For me, "circle" has an "r" sound that "dry" doesn't, but "sèrk" doesn't seem right. Thoughts?

None of the Creole words "sèk" have an "r" or "r" sound.
You will definitely hear the "r" from people who are used to saying "cercle" in French.
So whenever you hear that "r" in "sèk", please know that it's the French in them talking :)

sèk (Sèch, chèch) → dry
sèk → circle, clan, entourage, company
sèk → suddenly, right then and there


Gòj mwen sèk. Mwen bezwen yon ti dlo.
My throat is dry. I need some water.


Ann fè yon sèk pou n priye.
Let's form a circle in order to pray.


Mwen pa vle fè pati nan sèk ou.
I don't want to be part of your clan.


Machin te kanpe sèk.
The car stopped suddenly.


Li t'ap jwe nan lakou a.  Men lè li te wè chen an li te kanpe sèk, epi li tanmen kouri.
She was playing in the yard.  But when she saw the dog she stopped suddenly, then she started running.
Ask me anything

"Sharpen your pencil. It's dull."

Sharpen your pencil. It's dull
Fè pwent kreyon w lan. Li pa gen pwent.

Pencil sharpener → tay kreyon
Sharpen a pencil → fè pwent kreyon an
Sharpen a knife → file yon kouto
a dull pencil → yon kreyon san pwent.
a dull knife → yon kouto ki pa file.

sharp → file, pwenti, pike
dull → san pwen, ki pa file, raz

What's "ata"? As in "Ata nou obeyi, li beni nou."

Ata even

The sentence that you're asking about doesn't seem to go well with 'ata'.


'Ata nou obeyi, li beni nou'
Even we obey, he blesses us.


Was it perhaps written differently?


Other examples with 'ata':

Ata manman m te nan fèt la.
Even my mom was at the party.


Fim te si tèlman tris, ata Big Joe te kriye.
The movie was so sad, even Big Joe cried.


M t'ap mache si dousman, ata yon ti tòti te mache pi vit pase w.
I was walking so slow, even a little turtle walked faster than me.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

how do you say pride?

pride → fyète, diyite, ògèy

Ask me anything

What is the phrase used to make sure someone is paying attention to a story being told?

Are you paying attention?
Are you following?
W'ap swiv? 
or
Eske w'ap swiv?
This question is directed at a single person.




Are you paying attention?
Are you following?
N'ap swiv
or
Eske n'ap swiv?
This question is directed at a group of people.

Creole word for 'remember' - "Remember who you are"

Remember → sonje, chonje


Sonje is Creole for "to remember" and to "miss"


Remember who you are.
Sonje ki moun ou ye.


We will always remember you.
N'ap toujou sonje w.


You may not remember me, but I used to ...
Ou ka pa sonje m, men mwen te konn ....


Do you remember me?
Eske ou sonje m?
Eske ou sonje kilès mwen ye?


Remember to buy milk.
Sonje achte lèt.  


Remember me Lord.
Sonje m Senyè


Remember when we use to play like kids?
Ou sonje lè nou te konn jwe tankou timoun?


Do you remember where you put it?
Eske ou chonje kote ou te mete l?


what does al chita mean

Al chita. or Ale chita. → Go sit down. or Go make yourself scarce.

what is your name?

"touche" in 'M pa touche jodi a'? (thank you)

Toucheto get paid, to obtain payment for work done,  to have a payday, to collect money


I didn't get paid today.
M pa't touche jodi a.


He didn't pay me, so I did not get paid.
Li pa't peye m. konsa mwen pa't touche.


Today is payday.
Jodi a se jou nou touche.


When will we have a payday?
Kilè n'ap touche?


I get paid biweekly.
Mwen touche chak kenzèn.


I've worked hard, but I haven't received any money.
Mwen travay di, men m poko touche okenn lajan.


Every time Fefe gets paid, he heads straight to the bar.
Chak kou Fefe touche, l'ale tou dwat nan ba a.

What is "fè sirèt"?

Mezanmi o!

"fè sirèt" is a mishap that many Creole speakers experience when speaking French.  They swap the French "u" for "i", and the "i" for "u".
It sounds awful. It is funny and embarrassing especially for an "intellectual" who's speaking French in a public/social setting.
If this happens while speaking Creole, it's no biggie.  
But some Haitians will never forgive you for scorching their ears like that.  Some will even make fun of you.
Students have been merciless to teachers trying to teach a class in French when they can't even handle their French. 
"Fè sirèt" ~ to speak with a sour mouth

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

how do say what i said in creole

what I said
Sa m te di.


That's not what I said.
Se pa sa m te di.


Oh yes, that's what you said.
Men wi, se sa w te di.



I agree. That's what we said.
M dakò. Se sa n te di.

"We'll see about that."

We'll see about that!
Na wè sa!

Is there a Haitian word for Mamajuana (DR drink) or do they use the same word?

yes, you'll hear "mariguana, mariwana, or marijuana"

Ask me anything

"Don't dwell on it."

Don't dwell on it.
Pa rete sou sa.
Pa pede repete sa.
Pa kenbe sa sou kè w.
or
Bliye sa non!

"Don't pout."

Don't pout.
Pa boude.
Pa boude figi w.
Pa mare figi w.

or 
Pa mare min ou.

You can use any of the three.

"Grant me a more understanding heart."

Grant me a more understanding heart.
Ban m yon kè ki gen bon konprann

Always and forever (in Creole)

Always and forever
Tout tan e pou tout tan.
or
Toujou e pou tout tan

I want to say "I don't %&*! speak Creole" In Creole to people who think I look Haitian and start speaking Creole to me at work. is there a mild Creole cuss word I could use in there that won't offend people too much?

The whole point of cussing is to offend.
In my opinion, you either offend or you don't.
There's no halfway zanmi :)

'It's time for a change' Is it 'li le pou yon chanj"?

It's time for a change.
Li lè pou yon chanjman.
Li lè pou sa chanje.

Based on what you said, 'Here they come' will be translated as 'Men yo'.

Wi, se sa!

Here they come!
Men yo!
Men y'ap vini!

how do you say do you want to be friends in creole?

What is this about anyway? Are you asking someone to be your friend? I was under the impression that friendship occurs naturally? If you guys click, then you're friends. And if you don't, then "orevwa!". Now, I will shut my mouth :)

Do you want to be friends?
Eske ou vle nou fè zanmi?

Do you want to be friends with me?
Eske ou vle fè zanmi avè m?

how do you say grandma in haitian

Expression "Give me my ears!" means to "shut up" in Creole?

Yes,  It's a very nice way of asking someone to quiet down and let you enjoy some peace.

Ban m zòrèy mwen.
Ban m zòrèy mwen non!
Be quiet.
Stop nagging me.


Also,


Ban m repo m.
Ban m repo m non!
Leave me alone.
Stop bugging me.

leave her alone (in Creole)

Fanm se MOVE

Se pa vre :)
Tout fanm pa menm.
Se lavi a ki move.

is "Genator" a Haitian name, or word?

It's not a Haitian Creole word.
I do not know if it's a name or not..

Ask me anything

"paid in full"

Paid in full
peye konplètman

Ask me anything

Here they are! → Men yo!

Download link for this audio:


 



To play this audio clip, press the play button and follow along :)


  


Listen to the short greeting :)


Yon bèl bonjou a tout moun k'ap koute
A beautiful hello to all listening


Kouman nou ye?
How are you?


M espere jounen nou ap pase trè byen
I hope your day is going well


Men → hand (your hand → men ou)
Men → but, however, 
Men → here, here is, here come (NOT a synonym for Creole "isi" or "isit")


1. Men li!
    Men ni!
    Here it is!
    Here it comes!


2. Men nou.
    Here we are.


3. Men lapli a!
    Here comes the rain


4. Men papa m.
    Here's my dad.
   Here comes my dad.


5. Men y'ap vini.
    Here they come.


6. Men mwen! (Eske ou te rele m?)
    Here I am! (Did you call me?)
    
     Men mwen Senyè!
    Here I am Lord!


7. Men liv ou t'ap chache a.
    Here's the book you were looking for.


8. Men enfòmasyon ou te mande a.
   Here's the information that you requested.


9. Men sa ki te pase
    Here's what happened.    


10. Men kouman sa te pase.
      Here's how it happened.


Se tout.  Mèsi e orevwa.
That's all. Thanks and goodbye.

Monday, March 26, 2012

This lady tells me 'mwen gen yon rhim'. Can you translate that?

Mwen gen yon rim.
I am congested.
I have a head / nasal congestion

Why is there a recent past and a definite past in Creole? Recent past uses the present while the definite past uses the TE marker?

You know, this in not a slam dunk case where you'll know whether or not you should use "te" to indicate some form of past tense in Creole.
Haitians are just comfortable not using "te" to indicate the past tense whether they're talking about a recent or a "definite" past.

If you want to be sure that people understand that you're talking about the past, go ahead and use the indicative "te" which is the accurate form of the past tense, especially in formal writing.

You'll hear in Creole (mostly in spoken form):

1. Mwen manje deja → I ate already
2. Mwen fèt Okap → I was born Okap
3. M'ap tann ou depi maten → I have been waiting for you since morning.
4. Li mouri setan pase → He died seven years ago
5. Tout bagay byen pase → Everything went well

When these sentences should have had the "te" because they are all past tense.

1. Mwen te manje deja → I ate already
2. Mwen te fèt Okap → I was born Okap
3. M t'ap tann ou depi maten → I have been waiting for you since morning.
4. Li te mouri setan pase → He died seven years ago
5. Tout bagay te byen pase → Everything went well

how do you say help me get my cindy back in creole

Help me get my Cindy back
Ede m retwouve Cindy mwen an


Is Cindy a girlfriend? Then you should write:
Ede'm retwouve menaj mwen Cindy.
or

Help my Cindy to come back to me.
Ede Cindy mwen retounen vin jwenn mwen.

How do you form the past progressive with ALE? Is it TE + AP + ALE=TE PRALE or T APRALE?

Usually it's "t'ap prale"
And what you hear is "t'a prale" when people fuse the "p" at the end of "t'ap" with the "p" at the beginning of "prale".
Very often people get rid of the "e" at the end of "prale" and say: "t'ap pral"


Mwen t'ap pral Okap.
I was going to Okap.

Nou t'ap prale lekòl lè lapli te koumanse tonbe.
We were going to school when it started raining.

Ki kote ou t'ap prale lè m te wè w la?
Where were you going when I saw you?

Let's sing a song (in Creole)

Let's sing a song.
Ann chante yon chan.
or
Ann chante yon chante

what does bobbing chicken head mean in haitian

I had no idea this was a Haitian thing.
Is the chicken Haitian?

Ask me anything

Kouman vs. Kijan

Use either when asking a question.

Use kouman, kòman, or kijan for how
Kouman ou ye?
Kijan ou ye?
Kòman ou ye?
How are you?


Kouman w santi w?
Kijan w santi w?
Kòman ou santi w?
How are you feeling?


Kouman ou rele?
Kijan ou rele?
Kòman ou rele?
How are you called?
What's your name?


Kouman yo di "book" an Kreyòl?
Kijan yo di "book" an kreyòl?
Kòman yo di "book" an kreyòl?
How do they say "book" in Creole?
________
But, use Creole "Konsa" when you want to say "how as in the way"


That's how it is.
Se konsa li ye.


This is how we party.
Se konsa nou fete.


This is not the way to do it.
Se pa konsa pou fè li.

Thank you the cross Lord (in Creole)

Thank you for the cross Lord.
Mèsi pou lakwa Senyè.


We thank you for the cross.
N'ap di w mèsi pou lakwa.

Have you ever ...? simple sentences in Creole

Have you ever...?
Eske ou janm/jamè...?


Have you ever seen rara in Haiti?
Eske ou janm wè rara Ayiti?


Have you ever gone up a coconut tree in Haiti?
Eske ou janm monte yon pye kokoye Ayiti?


Have you ever sung a Creole song?
Eske ou janm chante yon chan Kreyòl?


Have you ever ridden in tap-tap?
Eske ou janm monte yon tap-tap?


Have you ever called! psst! to signal the tap-tap driver to stop ☺?
Eske ou janm rele psst! pou fè chofè tap-tap la kanpe?

Seize the day :)

Seize the day.
Pwofite jounen an
Pwofite tan an.

My car broke down

anpàn (pran pàn, gen pàn) - to break down (car)
pàn - breaking down, trouble, problems

pàn machin - car trouble pàn kawoutyou - flat tire
pàn gaz - out of gas
pàn motè - motor trouble
pàn lajan - to be broke
leve pàn - to repair
leve pàn yon machin - to repair a car

1.
Pa gen pàn (same as Pa gen pwoblèm) - No problem.
Nou pa gen pàn, nou genyen Jezi - We're alright, we got Jesus

2.
My car broke down.
Machin mwen pran pàn.


3.
My car broke down on the road.
Machin mwen pran pàn sou wout la.


4.
My car ran out of gas.
Machin mwen an pran pàn gaz.


5.
My car is broken down.
My car does not run
Machin mwen anpàn

6.
Can you fix my car?
Eske ou ka repare machin mwen an?
Eske ou kapab leve pàn machin mwen an?


7.
What's wrong with the car?
Ki pàn machin nan genyen?
Sa machin nan genyen?



what is hatian word for yes

"Yes" is simply "wi" in Creole

how to spell 30 in creole

kokorat

a bum, good-for-nothing, scamp, or crook

"Tou cho tou bouke" is expression for?

Tou cho tou bouke
all out of breath

Li parèt sou nou, tou cho tou bouke, pou ban nou move nouvèl la.
She came to us, all out of breath, to give us the bad news.

"Nou pral DJAYI!" What is "djayi"?

Djayi → to have fun, to hit the streets and have some serious fun, to lose yourself in the moment


Nou te djayi nèt nan kanaval la.
We had some serious fun at the carnival

Ou bon, ou gen zantray. Ou pran lanmo w bay lavi ou pot lape lajwa. Ala ou gran. Ou renye nan fon ke m. Ala ou bon Senye (nan Angle..mesi)

Ou bon, ou gen zantray.
You're good, you have entrails/heart?
Ou pran lanmo w bay lavi ou pot lape lajwa.
You take death, you give life, you bring peace joy
Ala ou gran.
How great you are 
Ou renye nan fon ke m.
You reign deep in my heart 
Ala ou bon Senyè
How good you are Lord

Se sèl ou k’ te ka ou (Nan angle tanpri)

Se sèl ou k’ te ka ou 
Only you could be you

Sunday, March 25, 2012

as haitians would like to say

Do you mean: As the Haitians say...

As the Haitians say...
Kou Ayisyen yo di...
Menm jan Ayisyen yo di...

I have to water my plants. I have is under the scope here...m gen, m dwe...it's more like some activity i urgently need to do

Yes.
I have to (I must, I ought to, I should)
Fòk mwen wouze plant yo
Fò m wouze plant yo
or
M dwe wouze plant yo.

How do you write " Jesus loves you" intended for children?

Jesus loves you
Jezi renmen ou.(uncontracted)
Jezi renmen w. (contracted)

bannana tree? pye bannann oubyen pye fig mi Pye bannann should be plantain tree

You got it.
banana tree → pye fig, or pye fig mi
plantain tree → pye bannann

bender, carousel, drinking spree? say just one or two most common words for this cool activity :)

Activity for me? Yay ☺!!!!!

bender, drinking spree, carousal? (as in to go on a drinking binge?)
voye kleren/tafya desann
deboche nan kleren/tafya
banboche

tell me, can grapevine plant grow and also produce fruits in haitian climate? M ap mande ou kesyon sa paske kek moun di'm ke gen jaden rezen yo nan plenn lan bo kote Montruis(kijan ou di Montruis an kreyol)

Repons lan se "Wi!"
Gen bon kalite jaden rezen Ayiti.
Rezen yo pa donnen Monwi sèlman non! Yo kapab donnen tout kote Ayiti.

Montruis pwononse tankou Mon-wi

Kijan ou di "jungle" an kreyol?

Junglerakbwa, raje, forè, jeng

sak genla

Sa ki genyen la?
Sa'k gen la?
What's going on here?

-first guy from the left side -first guy from the right side

The first guy to the left /right
Premye mesye a goch /dwat la

First guy from the left / right side
Premye mesye sou bò goch / dwat la

what does mwen mean

Mwen → I, me, my, ...

Pretty little liars. (female if that makes a difference)

Yeah, Creole speakers say: mantè (for males and females), and mantèz ( strictly for females)

Pretty little liars
Bèl ti mantèz

Saturday, March 24, 2012

translate hello friend in creole

Hello friend
Bonjou zanmi
Alo zanmi
Sali zanmi
Sa'k pase zanmi
Kout chapo zanmi

what does Mwen fou pou ou mean

Mwen fou pou ou.
I'm crazy for you.

to "pay tribute"? (respect, honour, that sort of thing)

to pay tribute → onore, bay omaj, selebre

Friday, March 23, 2012

sanble w se swaf mwen tou vi mwen (is this something like I'm thirsty to appear like you all my life?)

yes.  
I thirst to be like you in all my life.

faone m jan w vle tout vononte m se bel tankou w (nan angle)

fasone m jan w vle
fashion me the way tou want

tout volonte m se bel tankou ou
all my will is as beautiful as you

Ask me anything

Sentete se sa m vle tout vi mwen (nan angle tanpri)

Holiness is what i need all my life

Ask me anything

anfom kou bas- what is the back-story of this phrase? mwen konnen sa vle di "excellent" oubyen "great" - men, poukisa? tou, sa ke fe "adye" "koulangit" and "wipip" vle di literalman? mwen pa vle di nan madichon pa aksidan! :)

Anfòm kou bas → "bas" may have something to do with a bass drum or conga. Where it would literally mean :as awesome as a bass drum

Dye (from French: Dieu) → God

Adye (A Dieu!) → to God (literally)

Bondye (Bon Dieu) → good God (literally)

Wipip! → Wow! Geez!

Koulangit (is a more tame version of Koulangèt)
Koulangit is acceptable
Koulangèt is bad

Depi w'ap pale Kreyòl, w'ap di yon madichon kanmenm :)

Ask me anything

Nothing he says is stupid = Anyen li di estipid. Nothing he says isn't stupid = Anyen li di pa estipid. Correct? Or does "Anyen" demand "pa" to complete the negative?

Nothing he says is stupid.
There's nothing he says that is stupid (literally).
Pa gen anyen li di ki estipid.

"to prod" -- not just to push (i.e. use something blunt), but to use something pointed (and, thus, painful)

that would be "dige" or "djige" in creole.  (yes, that can be iritating, painful and provoking)

To prick → dige, djige

i give myself away

I give myself away (by William McDowell?)

I give myself away
Mwen renmet ou tèt mwen
So you can use me
Pou ou sèvi ak mwen


Here I am, Here I stand
Wi, men mwen, men m kanpe
Lord my life is in your hands
Senyè, lavi mwen nan men w
Lord, I'm longing to see you desires revealed in me
Senyè, m'anvi wè dezi ou yo revele nan mwen


Take my heart take my life
Pran kè mwen, pran lavi'm
as a living sacrifice
Tankou'on sakrifis vivan
all my dreams, all my plans
Tout rèv mwen, tout plan mwen
Lord I place them in your hands
Senyè m'plase yo nan men w


My life is not my own, to you I belong
Lavi mwen pa pou mwen, Se pou ou li ye
I give myself, I give myself to you
Mwen renmèt mwen, Mwen renmèt tèt mwen ba ou

_____________

I give myself away (to someone?, to something?)


I give myself to (someone)
Mwen remèt tèt mwen bay (someone)
Mwen lage tèt mwen nan men (someone)


I give myself to (something)
Mwen lage tèt mwen nan (something)

ti moun yo

timoun, ti moun → kid, child

timoun yo, timoun yo → the kids

Timoun yo grangou.
The kids are hungry

Timoun yo kontan.
The kids are happy.

Timoun yo ap jwe.
The kids are playing.

Timoun yo se fiti nou.
The kids are our future.

Bon jou, Mandaly, Is there a Creole term for "rain-check?"

I cannot think of a specific Creole term for rain-check (n.)
Haitians use garanti, randevou

As for to take a raincheckreflechi sou sa, revni sou sa, retcheke avèk

I'll take a rain check.
M'a reflechi sou sa.
M'a revni sou sa.
M'a retcheke avè w.

mwen santi m' byen le w touchem nanm mwen tresayi. mwen vle viv yon lot moman damou avek ou. (in English)

mwen santi m' byen le w touche'm
I feel well when you touch me
nanm mwen tresayi.
My soul thrills with excitment.
mwen vle viv yon lot moman damou avek ou.
I want to live another moment of love with you ....Jesus?

Pa lafwa mwen jwenn tout sa m’ bezwen Nan prezans ou Senye pa lafwa mwen gen tout sa m’ bezwen pa la fwa mwen pran tout sa w’ kite pou mwen nan prezans ou pa la fwa mwen pran tout sa m’ bezwen (in English)

Pa lafwa mwen jwenn tout sa m’ bezwen Nan prezans ou Senye
By faith, I find all that I need in your presence Lord
pa lafwa mwen gen tout sa m’ bezwen
By faith, I have all that I need
pa la fwa mwen pran tout sa w’ kite pou mwen nan prezans ou
By faith I take all that you have left for me in your presence
pa la fwa mwen pran tout sa m’ bezwen
By faith, I take all that I need.

Tout sa w’ genyen, tout se pou mwen Nan Jezi kri ou te banm tout Latè avek tout sa k’ ladann Se pou ou, Se pou mwen, Se pou nou (in English) THANK YOU!!

Tout sa w’ genyen, tout se pou mwen
All that you have, all is mine
Nan Jezi kri ou te banm tout
In Jesus Christ  you gave me all
Latè avek tout sa k’ ladann
The earth and all that is in it
Se pou ou, Se pou mwen, Se pou nou
It's yours, it's mine, it's ours

What does the haitian name Derline mean?? What does the Haitian name Juvens mean??

Derline looks like it's a derivative of Darline (cheri)
Juvens looks like it's a derivative of Joven (young one)

ban mwen blague paste-a ki tap pete pandan lap preche

LOL!!!

Pa bon ditou!!!

Ask me anything

li te bien oumen

Is it: Li te byen, e ou menm?

What does "Sew sa!" mean?

Do you mean "sou sa"?

How do you pronounce the Haitian name "Georges"?

Jòj

Ask me anything

Are okenn and anyen the same thing.

anyen → nothing, not anything, none
Mwen pa gen anyen.
I have nothing
I don't have anything.


Anyen pa'p rete m.
Nothing will stop me.

Mwen pa't ba li anyen.
I gave him nothing.
I didn't give him anything


Okenn → no, not, not any,
Mwen pa wè okenn moun.
I didn't see anyone.


Pa gen okenn bis ki prale Okap jodi a.
There isn't any bus going to Okap today.

Li te ban m lajan an san okenn pwoblèm.
He gave me the money without any problems.

what dose honneur mean

Creole "onè" from French: honneur → honor

Ask me anything

wat does c toujou konsa mean

Se toujou konsa → It's always like that.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

ANPIL? When it modifies a noun it becomes an adjective, and therefore is before it. When it modifies a verb, it becomes an adverb and goes at the end. e.g. Mwen anpil manje vs mwen manje anpil. How can I help students understand this?

You, pretty much, got it. 

But your given examples should be:

Mwen gen anpil manje (adj)
I have a lot of food.

Mwen manje anpil.(adv.)
I eat a lot.

manje is a verb and also a noun in Haitian Creole. So this example might be confusing to some students.
______________

As an adjective, anpil is placed before the noun.
Anpil (adj.) → many, a lot of, lots of, several, numerous, abundant, a great deal of



Examples:
Nou gen anpil konfyans nan ou.
We have a great deal of faith in you.

Mwen te ba li anpil lajan.
I gave him lots of money.

Anpil moun te panse li te mouri.
Many people thought he had died.

Gen anpil bagay ou pa'p ka konprann kounye a.
There are a lot of things you can't understand now.

Mwen te rele'l anpil fwa, e li pa't reponn.
I called her many times, and she didn't answer.


As an adverb, anpil modifies a verb or an attribute.

Mwen sonje w anpil. (modifies verb)
I miss you a lot.


Yo te fache anpil. (modifies attribute)
They were very angry.


Nou te mache anpil, anvan nou te rive. (modifies verb)
We walked a great deal before we arrived.

Mwen priye anpil jou sa yo.(modifies verb)
I pray a lot these days. 


Li te kontan anpil, lè li te wè w. (modifies attribute)
He was very happy when he saw you.

Mwen te panse anpil sou sa, e repons lan se "non". (modifies verb)
I thought a lot about it, and the answer is "no"

Hi Mandaly~ I got some Christian Creole praise music in Haiti last week...but no lyrics with them :( Do you know the song Ou se Bondye on the album Fasone m' Jan w vle?

You'll find this piece on Youtube, with the lyrics included: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbkrNFHRer8

What's a sensitive (but concise) way to say "a special-needs baby"?

Is Special needs the politically correct term, in the US, for people with disability?
If yes, then a "special-needs baby" is yon ti bebe enfim or yon ti bebe andikape in Creole.

"Cuba contributes more money per capita than the U.S." How do I say "per capita"?

per capita → pa pèsòn, pa pèsonn, or pa grenn moun

Ask me anything

Where do I place the definite article!?

Download link for audio:  

To listen to this audio clip, click the play button and follow along :)
 


Bonjou tout moun!
Kouman nou ye?


"Where do we place the definite articles in a sentence in Haitian Creole?"


Singular definite articles are: a, an, la, lan, nan
Plural definite articles: yo


Example:
Chemiz lathe shirt
ze athe egg
kapitenn nanthe captain
nimewo yothe numbers


"Where do we place the definite article in, say, a relative clause or a sentence subject?" 


Example:
The book that I want  is blue
Liv la mwen vle ble (not correct)
Liv mwen vle a  ble (correct)




1.  Flè a
     The flower.


2. Flè jòn nan
    The yellow flower


4. Flè jòn ou te ban mwen an trè bèl.  
    Flè jòn ou te ban mwen an            |  trè bèl.
    The yellow flower that you gave me  | is very beautiful.




5.  kay la
    The house.


6. Kay anbwa a 
    Kay anbwa a  
    The wooden house    


7. Kay anbwa ki te fèk bati a te boule
    Kay anbwa ki te fèk bati a                 | te boule
    The wooden house that was just built  | got burned




8. dans lan
    The  dance


9. Premye dans lan pa't bon.
    Premye dans lan  | pa 't bon.
    The first dance       | wasn't good.


10. Premye dans gwoup la te pèfòme a pa't bon.
      Premye dans gwoup la te pèfòme a             | pa't bon.
      The first dance that the group had performed  | wasn't good


11.  Ti gason ki t'ap kriye a gen setan.
       Ti gason ki t'ap kriye a    | gen setan
       The boy who was crying    | is seven years old.


12. Mwen te renmen kado ou te ban m nan.
      Mwen te renmen | kado ou te ban m nan. (contracted)
      Mwen te renmen | kado ou te ban mwen an.(uncontracted)
      I loved                   | the gift that you gave me.


13. Rad ou te achte a bèl.
      Rad ou te achte a              | bèl
      The dress that you bought  | is pretty.


14. Mwen pral pale ak moun ki te la yo.
      Mwen pral pale ak  | moun ki te la yo.
      I will speak with      | the people who were there.

15. Kenbe sa ki nan men w lan
      Kenbe   |  sa ki nan men w lan.
      Hold      | that / the one which is in your hands
      Hold on to what you've got.


Enben se tout.  Mèsi e orevwa
Well that's all.  Thanks and goodbye