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!

Showing posts with label as. Show all posts
Showing posts with label as. Show all posts

kòm, kon, tankou, menm jan → Just as, as, like, since?

Download link for this audio:

 Click here to download… 

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

 
Bonjou zanmi mwen yo.  Kouman nou ye?

Kòm → like, as (prepositions)
Kòm → as (conjunction)
Kòm si → as if

Kòm comes from the French:
Kòm ( from French comme)
kòm si (from French comme si)
kon (from French comme)
konsa (from French comme ça)

Kòm / antanke  → in the role of, as, like

1. Kòm bon zanmi ou, mwen ta konseye’w pou rele’l.
    Antanke bon zanmi'w, mwen ta konseye'w pou rele'l.
   As your good friend, I would advise you to call her. 

2. Kòm yon papa, kijan ou ta regle sa?
    Antanke yon papa, kijan ou ta regle sa?
   As a father, how would you handle this? 

3. Mwen renmen'w kòm zanmi, pa kòm yon menaj.
     Mwen renmen'w antanke zanmi, pa kòm yon menaj.
    I like you as a friend, not as a boyfriend


Kòm (kon, kou, tankou, menm jan)comparison

4Doulè a te si tèlman sevè, li te kriye kon yon ti bebe.
    Doulè a te si tèlman sevè, li te kriye tankou yon ti bebe.
    Doulè a te si tèlman sevè, li te kriye menm jan ak yon ti bebe.
    The pain was so severe, he cried like a little baby

5. Se te yon nuit trè klè.  Lalin nan te klere kon solèy midi.
    Se te yon nuit trè klè.  Lalin nan te klere kou solèy midi.
    Se te yon nuit trè klè.  Lalin nan te klere menm jan ak solèy midi.
    It was a very clear night.  The moon shone like the noon sun

6. Mwen renmen vwa’w.  Ou chante kòm yon zanj.
    Mwen renmen vwa’w.  Ou chante tankou yon zanj.
    Mwen renmen vwa’w.  Ou chante menm jan ak yon zanj.
     I like your voice.  You sing like an angel


Kòm  → (seeing that) since

7. Kòm se konsa ou vle fè li, mwen swete’w bòn chans.
   Since that's the way you want to do it, I wish you luck. 

8. Kòm nou pa’t gen machin, nou te oblije mache.
   Since we didn't have a car, we had to walk. 


Kòm si (kòmsi as one word, konmsi, tankou si) → as if

9. Lè’m te wè li nan landmen, nou te pale kòm si anyen pa’t pase.
   When I saw her the next day, we spoke as if nothing happened

10. Li te anbrase'm kòm si’l te konnen li pa t’ap janm wè’m ankò.
     She hugged me as if she knew she would never see me again. 

And.... zanmi'm yo, se te tout pou jodi a, mèsi anpil anpil. Orevwa e pase yon bon jounen.

Mizik Poukisa w'pa pale manman? pa Manno Charlemagne

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

When is tankou preferable over "menm jan ak"?

1.
If you mean to say 'as if' , use 'tankou'
example:
I remember it like it was yesterday.
Mwen sonje sa tankou se te yè.


2.
Between 'tankou' and 'menm jan ak', tankou it will be your best choice when you mean 'such as'.
example:
A important person like myself, ...
Yon moun enpòtan tankou'm, ...


3.
If you want to have a contracted pronoun after the prep (as in: He's tall like me → Li wo tankou'm.), use tankou.  You may not use a contracted pronoun after menm jan ak, unless you're from North Haiti. (People from northern Haiti naturally use their pronouns a little different).

Expressions,in Haitian Creole, that are use to say similar to, like, equal to, as, same as, resembling, just like:
tankou (like, similar to, equal to, as, such as, just like)
Menm jan ak (same way as, the same as, same as)
Menm jan avèk (same way as, the same as, same as)
kòm (like, similar to, as)
kou (like, similar to, as)
kon (like, similar to, as)


Tankou link

Please use tankou in a couple of sentences. Meci.

tankou → like, similar to, parallel to, the same as

In Haitian Creole, you can say tankou or menm jan ak.
Tankou and menm jan ak are synonyms.

You talk just like your dad.
Ou pale tankou papa ou.  or
Ou pale menm jan ak papa ou.

I love you like my son.
Mwen renmen ou tankou pitit gason m.  or
Mwen renmen ou menm jan ak pitit gason m.

I want a car similar to Kendra's car.
Mwen vle yon machin tankou machin Kendra a.  or
Mwen vle yon machin menm jan ak machin Kendra a

You walk like a soldier.
Ou mache tankou yon sòlda.  or
Ou mache menm jan ak yon sòlda.

He built a house similar to the one he had before.
Li bati yon kay tankou sa li te genyen avan an.  or
Li bati yon kay menm jan ak sa li te genyen avan an.