When do you know to say "yo" at the end of a statement in Creole?

There are many instances where you will find "yo" at the end of a sentence.

"yo" is Haitian Creole for "they, them, their". And it also comes after nouns as a plural article.

Would you take a look at the following examples?

As a plural article (the):

the books → liv yo

the cars → machin yo

She's painting the chairs. → L'ap pentire chèz yo.

I love the flowers. → Mwen renmen flè yo.


I hope you brought the kids' toys.
M espere ou te pote jwèt timoun yo. (see possessive nouns)

As a plural demonstrative adjective (these, those):

these plants → plant sa yo

those kids → timoun sa yo

Look at all these people! → Gade moun sa yo!

I don't believe in these things. → Mwen pa kwè nan bagay sa yo.

I love these shoes. → Mwen renmen soulye sa yo.

Where did you find these? → Kote w te jwenn sa yo?

As the subject pronoun (they), "yo" comes before the verbs.

They are done. → Yo fini.

They talk too much. → Yo pale twòp.

As plural possessive adjective (my, your, their...) or within the possessive pronouns (theirs - pa yo)

my eyes → zye mwen,  zye mwen yo or zye m yo

his children → pitit li or pitit li yo

our children → pitit nou or pitit nou yo

I don't want her to drive, so I took her keys.

Mwen pa vle li kondwi, se pousa mwen pran kle li yo.

Thanks for returning my books.

Mèsi deske ou te retounen liv mwen yo.

Yesterday I saw your kids.

Yè mwen te wè timoun ou yo.


I did not like his last classes.
Mwen pa't renmen dènye klas li yo.


I can't believe she threw away all her clothes.
Mwen pa ka kwè li te jete tout rad li yo.


I brought my papers.
Mwen te pote papye mwen yo.

As the object pronoun (them), you will find "yo" at the end of a phrase also.

I love them.

Mwen renmen yo.

I talked to them.

Mwen te pale ak yo.

Those are mine. Don't touch them.

Sa yo se pa'm. Pa manyen yo.

I can't find my shoes. Have you seen them?

Mwen pa ka jwenn soulye m yo.  Eske ou te wè yo?

Ask me anything

I don't understand "yo"! It's a pronoun, but you put it behind words to make them plural, so how do you know which one you have in a sentence?

When "yo" follows a subject or noun, it's a plural definite article.
example:
Ti moun yo - the children
kabann yo - the beds
fanm yo  - the women, the ladies
Kabann yo chè - the beds are expensive
fanm yo kontan - the ladies are happy.

When "yo" follows a verb, it's an object pronoun.
example:
gade yo - look at them
m renmen yo - I love them
li manje yo - he ate them

When "yo" comes before a verb, it's a subject pronoun.
example:
yo kontan - they are happy
yo pale anpil - they talk a lot
yo sezi - they are surprised

:) "yo" is also a possessive adjective when it follows a noun.

example:
kay yo a bèl - their house is beautiful
machin yo a twò chè - their car is too expensive
lekòl yo a piti - their school is small.

Sometimes it helps to look at it in the context of a sentence.

Find the meaning of yo in the following  2 sentences.

1. yo renmen machin yo anpil.

2. papa yo mouri.  Sa fè yo tris.
hope that answers your question.

Ask me anything

Exercise 63 - Review of the possessive Adjectives

After reviewing the possessive nouns and possessive adjectives you may take an online test by clicking on the following links:
http://hosted.onlinetesting.net/HaitianCreole/login.pl


Other places to find more about possessive adjectives are LESSON 16 (2/19/2010 blog) and EXERCISE 25 (10/13/2010 blog)

1. Let's begin with the basics:
My car - machin mwen
My dad - papa m (the "m" is the contracted form of "mwen".  So "papa m" is the same as "papa mwen")
my book - liv mwen
your car - machin ou

your dad - papa ou or papa w

his car - machin li

our car - machin nou

our dad - papa nou or papa n

their car - machin yo

2.  Now let's move to the next level

My house - kay mwen
Important! - Sometimes a definite article is added after the possessive adjective like this:
My house - kay mwen an
The definite article can be omitted when using demontratives (this is, that is, these are, those are).
The definite article can be omitted when using nouns  in such a specific way that there is no way of having more than one: father, mother, grandpa, grandma, husband, wife, heart, etc...
My mother - Manman m instead of Manman m nan
My grandmother - Grann mwen instead of Grann mwen an
His grandfather - Granpapa li instead of Granpapa li a
Our father - Papa nou instead of Papa nou an
This is my luggage.  Sa se malèt mwen.
Those are my books.  Sa yo se liv mwen.
Very Important - You know that the Haitian Creole Language have about five definite articles: a, an, la, lan, nan.  Just follow the rules before you place them in a sentence.

Examples:
his car - machin li an
your book - liv ou a
my uncle - tonton mwen an ...or...my uncle - tonton m nan (follow the rules of the definite article)
our family - fanmi nou an
my friend - zanmi m nan
their child - pitit yo a
his brother - frè li a ... or...his brother - frè l la
his book - liv li a

3. Now let's make sentences with the possessive adjectives.
1. My book is red. - Liv mwen an wouj.
2. His car is small - machin li an piti.
3. My dad is sick - Papa m malad.
4. My uncle is here - Tonton m nan la.
5. Our school is far - Lekòl nou an lwen
6.  This is my mom. - Sa se manman m.
7. This is my shirt - Sa se mayo m nan. or you could also say: Sa se mayo m.
8.  This is my book - Sa se liv mwen an. or you could also say: Sa se liv mwen.
9. I understand your language - M konprann lang ou a.
10. Come to my house - Vini lakay mwen.
11. Come to my party - Vini nan fèt mwen an.
12. Come to my school - Vini nan lekòl mwen an
13. Come to their party - Vini nan fèt yo a.
14.  Come to her school - Vini nan lekòl li a.
15. My pencil is yellow. - Kreyon m nan jòn.
_________________________

Learn more about Possessive adjectives at these links:

Possessive adjectives 1

Possessive adjectives 2
Possessive adjectives 3

Possessive adjectives 4

Lesson 13 - Subject Pronouns

I - Mwen, M

you - Ou, W

He/She/ It - Li, l

We - Nou, N

You - Nou, N

They - Yo, Y


1. She buys five houses. - Li achte senk kay. Or L achte senk Kay.

2. We come to see you. - Nou vini wè w. Or N vini wè w

3. They sing all night. - Yo chante tout nan nwit.

4. They buy all the food. - Y achte tout manje a.

5. I show you the way. - Mwen montre ou chimen an
___________________________________________________________

Let's practice. Translate the following sentences.

1. He is happy.

2. She walks fast.

3. I sit next to you.

4. We bring good news.

5. They talk a lot.

Find answer key at the bottom of this page



1.li kontan    2.li mache vit    3. m chita bò kote w    4.nou pote bon nouvèl    5.yo pale anpil.