FUTURE FORMS

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Yon bèl salitasyon a tout moun k’ap koute.  Kouman nou ye?

A beautiful greeting to all listening.  How are you?

Jodi a nou pral pale sou fòm fiti nan lang Kreyòl Ayisyen an

Today we’ll talk about the future form in the Haitian Creole language

FUTURE FORM MADE WITH: ap, pral, a, ava, va

AP and PRAL  generally used for an immediate future

VA, A, AVA generally used  for an indefinite future.

USING A, AVA, or Va to form the future tense

1. Nou va wè demen. (using 'va' to form future)

    N’ava wè demen .  (using 'ava' to form future)

    N’a wè demen.  (using 'a' to form future)

    We’ll see you tomorrow.  (See you tomorrow)

2. Ou va fèmen pòt la lè w fini. or

    W’ava fèmen pòt la lè w fini.  or

    W’a fèmen pòt la lè w fini.

    You’ll shut the door when you’re done. 

3. Avèk èd ou, yo va travay san pwoblèm.  or

    Avèk èd ou, y’ava travay san pwoblèm.  or

    Avèk èd ou, y’a travay san pwoblèm.

    With your help, they will work with no difficulty.

....Continuing to use A, AVA, or VA to express the future

4.  Kilè mwen va wè w? or

     Kilè m’ava wè w?    or

     Kilè m’a wè w?

     When will I see you?

5. Si ou kwè ou va wè glwa Bondye. or

     Si ou kwè w’ava wè glwa Bondye.  or

     Si w kwè w’a wè glwa Bondye.

     If you believe you’ll see God’s glory.

Using AP or PRAL to form future tense

6.  Mwen pral benyen talè.

    I am going to shower soon

    

    Remember that you might also hear:

    ex: 1 - M’a pral benyen talè.

    ex: 2 -M’ava benyen talè.

    ex: 3 -  M’a benyen talè.

     all of which are future forms

7. M’ap rete tann ou devan bibliyotèk la.

    I will wait for you in front of the library.

    

   Remember that you might also hear:

   ex: 1 - M’ava rete tann ou devan bibliyotèk la

   ex: 2 - M’a ret tann ou devan bibliyotèk la.

8.  M’ap pran de (2) konprime anvan m’al dòmi.

     I’ll take two pills before bed.

Enben mezanmi, se te tout.  Mèsi e n'a wè.

Well that was all.  Thanks and goodbye 


More links to uses of   A, AVA, VA
Other links:  SEE YOU LATER

Is "Wi ou pral" correct in saying, "Yes, you will."?

"pral" is not used as an auxillary for short answers.
When one says: "Wi, ou prale." it means: "Yes you will go"

Example:

Are you going to the church?

Eske ou pral legliz la?

Yes I'm going.

Wi mwen prale.

Are we going to Mexico?

Eske nou prale Meksik?

Yes we are.

Wi nou prale.

Am I going with you?

 Eske mwen prale avè w?

Yes, you are.

Wi ou prale.

Short answers in English does not mean short answers in Creole.

Are you going to miss me?

Eske ou pral sonje m?

Yes I am.

Wi mwen pral sonje w.

Are you going to sit down?

Eske ou pral chita?

Yes I will.

Wi mwen pral chita.

Will you sing?

Eske ou pral chante?

Yes I will.

Wi mwen pral chante.

Will you come to the party?

Eske w'ap vini nan fèt la?

Yes I will.

Wi m'ap vini.

Will they recognize me?

Eske y'ap rekonèt mwen?

Yes they will.

Wi y'ap rekonèt ou.

Will I see you again?

Eske m'ap wè ou ankò?

Yes you will.

Wi w'ap wè m.

Will you be here?

Eske w'ap la?

Yes i will.

Wi m'ap la.

Ask me anything

Expressing the future tense with "va" instead of "ap" and "pral"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-7yO1QH_tY

Play

other links:

Expressing the Haitian Creole future tense with "va"

Ask me anything

Using "va" instead of "pral" in the Haitian Creole future tense

va → to be going to

"pral" is used to indicate the future tense in Creole.
"va" is also used to indicate the future tense in Creole.
Example:
Mwen va pale avè li. - I will talk to her.
Ou va wè li demen. - You will see him tomorrow.
Nou va wè demen. - We will see you tomorrow.


Contractions of subject pronouns and "va"
Sometimes you will encounter the contracted form a subject pronoun and "va".

Mwen va is contracted to ma, m'a

ou va is contracted to wa, w'a
li va is contracted to la, l'a
nou va is contracted to na, n'a
yo va is contracted to ya, y'a

Example:
Mwen va kontan wè w. or
M'a kontan wè w.
I will be happy to see you.

Nou va wè pita. or
N'a wè pita.
We will see each other later.

You jou, nou va konprann pouki.  or
Yon jou, n'a konprann pouki.
One day, we'll understand why

Si ou etidye, ou va pase egzamen an. or
Si ou etidye, w'a pase egzamen an.
If you study, you will pass the exam.

Kilè mwen va wè w?  or
Kilè m'a wè w.
When will I see you?

books teach different forms of the future Kreyol tense markers as pral ,va, a I believe pral is the correct long version, va is the passive form but i think "a" is a shortened form of pral, as in N'a we pita. or M'a rele w pita. am I correct???

In "N'a wè pita", "N'a" is the short version of "Nou va" → we will

In "M'a wè ou", "m'a" is the short version of "M'ava" → I will

So, "y'a vini" is short for "yo va vini" → they will come

And, "l'a pale" is short for "l'ava pale" → he/she will talk.


"Pral" is a short version of "prale" → which comes from "pral ale" and means "going to or going to go"
example:
M pral chante demen - I am going to sing tomorrow.
Li pral repoze pita. - He's going to go get some rest later.
Nou pral manje ansanm. - We're going to eat together.

"al" is a short version of "ale" → which means to go.
Example:
Li al travay - She went to work
M'a al gade pou ou. - I'll go look for you.
N'a al tann ou. - We'll go wait for you.

Sometimes, you will also hear "ap" → which belongs to the progressive form family.
Examples:
M'ap rete tann ou. - i'll be waiting for you.
L'ap kontinye lapriyè - She'll continue to pray.
N'ap kontinye kwè - We'll continue to believe
Did this help?

Ask me anything

what does 'gen pou' mean? example: 'li gen pou vini?' seems like it means something like 'he wants to come, but has no plans to, or doesn't know when.' thanks!

'gen pou' is a determiner for the future tense. Like you said, it means 'plan to'.

M gen pou ale lavil. - I have plans to go downtown.

Li gen pou vini aswè a. - She plans to come tonight.

Nou gen pou chante nan konsè a. - We plan to sing at the concert

Ask me anything

How does "if...then" work in Creole? e.g. Si ou genyen konpetisyon ou (then they will suspect you of cheating)? What word is used for "will"?

Two of the ways to make the future form in Haitian Creole:

I will  -  m pral
you will  - ou pral
he/she/it will - li pral
we will  - nou pral
they will - yo pral

or

I will - mwen ap (map)*
you will - ou ap (wap)
he/she/it will - li ap (lap)
we will - nou ap (nap)
they will - yo ap (yap)
*contracted form is in parentheses.

Examples:

1. Si ou manje mango a, w'ap malad.
If you eat the mango, then you'll get sick.

2. Si ou dòmi bonè, w'ap leve bonè.
If you go to bed early, you'll get up early.

3. Si nou bwè lèt, n'ap gen fòs.
If we drink milk, then we will get strong.

4. Si li etidye, l'ap pase egzamen an.
If she studies, then she'll pass the exam.

5. Si ou fè silans, m'ap ba ou yon kado.
If you stay quiet, then I will give you a gift.

6. Si ou respekte manman'w ak papa'w, w'ap viv lontan.
    If you honor your mother and father, then you'll live long.

7.  Si ou chèche li, w'ap jwenn li.
    If you look for it, then you'll find it.

8. Si ou ri avè li, l'ap ri avè w.
    If you smile at her, then she'll smile back at you.

9.  Si yo mande m, m'ap di yo.
    If they ask me, then I'll tell them.

10. Si ou pran medikaman ou, w'ap fè mye.
    If you take your medicine, then you'll get better.

***(check out the following post where instead of the future form (will), you'd use the conditional form (would).
Ask me anything

If...then... (with would instead of will), continued from previous post.

I would - m'ava or m'a va
you would - w'ava or w'a va
he/she/it - l'ava or l'ava
we would - n'ava or n'a va
they would - y' ava or y'a va

If...then... (continued)

Examples;

1.  Si ou pran vitamin ou, w'a va byen grandi.
    If you take your vitamins, then you'd grow strong.

2.  Si ou konpòte w byen, m'a va kontan.
    If you behave, then I would be happy

3.  Si ou ekri m, m'a va ekri w tou.
    If you write to me, then I would write back.

4.  Si ou salwe m, m'a va salwe w tou.
   If you greet me, then I'd greet you too.

5.  Si yo lapriyè fò, m'a va delivre yo.
    If they pray fervently, then I would deliver them.

i will be there

I will be there. - M'ap la.

or

I will come (show up) - M'ap vini.

Ask me anything

Lesson 23 - Future Tense - Verb To Be

The Verb To Be - Future Tense

The future tense of the verb to be is formed by adding pral, ap, or ape after the subject.

I will be late. - M pral anreta.

We will be surprised. - Nou pral sezi.

This will be a great day. Sa pral yon gran jou.

She will be a great painter. Li pral yon gran pent.

Those will be ripe. Sa yo pral mi.

That car will be yours. Machin sa pral pa w.

These shoes will be hers. Soulye sa yo pral pa li.
_____________________________________

Let’s review. Translate the following sentences.

1. The oranges will be ripe.

2. That house will be mine.
______________________________________

Negative and Future Tense of the verb To Be = Subject + Pa + Pral

or

Contracted form = Subject + Pap

Example:

Regular form:  M pa pral la. (I will not be here.)
Contracted: M p'ap l.a (Iwill not be here.)

Regular form: M pa pral nan machin nan. (I will not be in the car.)
Contracted: M p'ap nan machin nan. (I will not be in the car)

Regular form:  Chantal pa pral chante. (Chantal will not sing)
Contracted: Chantal p'ap chante. (Chantal will not sing)

Regular form: Zoranj yo pa pral mi. (The oranges will not be ripe)
Contracted: Zoranj yo p'ap mi.  (The oranges will not be ripe.)

Regular form: Ti Bebe a pa pral la. (The little baby won't be there)
Contracted: Ti Bebe a p'ap  la. (The little baby won't be there)

Regular form: Li pa pral nan bato a. (She will not be on the boat)
Contracted form: Li p'ap nan bato a. (She will not be on the boat.)


Thanks! Shane :)

Regular form: Tika p'ap kontan. (Tika will not be happy)
Contracted: Tika p'ap pral kontan. (Tika will not be happy)
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Let’s practice what we have learned about the verb TO BE so far. Translate the following sentences.

1. I am hungry.

2. I am not hungry.

3. I was hungry.

4. I was not hungry.

5. I will be hungry.

6. I wil not be hungry

7. She is in the crowd

8. She is not in the crowd

9. She was in the crowd

10. She was not in the crowd

11. She will be in the crowd

12. She will not be in the crowd.

Find answer key at the bottom of this page.

1.m grangou    2.m pa grangou    3.m te grangou    4.m pa te grangou    5.m pral grangou    6.m pa pral grangou    7.Li nan foul la    8.li pa nan foul la    9.li te nan foul la    10.li pa te nan foul la    11.li pral nan foul la    12.li pa pral nan foul la