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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 chape. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chape. Show all posts

How do you get the concept of 'away' in phrases like 'walked away', 'ran away', or 'flew away'?

We look at these phrasal verbs as expressions or terms which in turn are expressed by its own term in H. Creole. We do not usually translate the verb and then the preposition or adverb that comes after it as if it were two different words.
Some examples:

to walk away → kite
to run away → sove
to fly away → vole ale
to look away → detounen figi
to get away → chape poul, sove, or chape
to throw away → jete
to lock away → fèmen, anfèmen
to stay away → rete lwen

and its the same with other prepositions:
to look after → gade, siveye, pran swen
to run into → kontre ak, kwaze ak
to call off → anile
to turn down → rejte, refize
to break in → kase
etc...

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

How do I say GET LOST! in Creole?

Get lost! (Scram!, Beat it!)
Soti la!
Retire kò w la!
Rale kò w la!
Degèpi!
Rache manyòk ou!
Òltegèt!

egz:
Retire kò w la! Pa janm parèt figi w isit la ankò!
Get lost! Don't ever show you face around here again!

Also,

To take off (to split, to run)
Degèpi
Rache manyòk
Kraze rak
Chape poul
sove

egz:
Lè touris yo te tande gen yon siklòn k'ap vini, yo te rache manyòk yo bay teren an blanch.
When the tourists heard that there was a hurricane on the way, they took off and cleared the area.

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

I am looking for examples of idioms in Creole. Phrases that when translated literally would not be understood very well. For example in English one can say, "I have a bone to pick" which has nothing to do with picking bones, but about confronting someon

I can think of a few.  Here they are:

1.
gate san (used as a transitive verb)
literally: spoil blood
meaning: upset
Ou ap gate san'm.
You're upsetting me.

2.
Sou de chèz (used as adverb)
Literally:  on two chairs
meaning: thoroughly, in depth, in great details, quickly
M'ap ba ou li sou de chèz.
I'll give it to you in great details.

3.
Chape poul (used as verb)
Literally: to escape one's chicken
meaning: to escape, to run away, to flee
Li te chape poul li.
He ran away.

4.
al bwa chat ( used as inrtansitive verb)
Literally: go wood cat
Meaning: to die.
L'al bwa chat. or (l'al bwachat)
He died.

5.
Ale nan peyi san chapo (used as intransitive verb)
Literally: go in country without hat
meaning: to die.
Li ale nan peyi san chapo.
He died.

6.
achte figi (used as transitive verb)
Literally: to buy one's face
meaning: to flatter someone
Mwen p'ap achte figi'w.
I will not flatter you.

7.
met dlo nan diven (used as verb)
Literally: put water in wine
Meaning: calm down, simmer down, relax
Si'w pa met dlo nan diven'w, wa di bagay ou pa dwe di.
If you don't calm down, you'll say things you're not supposed to say.

8.
pran nan twa wa (used as intransitive verb)
literally: take in three kings
meaning: to be in trouble, to be stuck, to be in a jam
Mwen pran nan twa wa.
I'm in a jam.

9.
pran fil (used as intransitive verb)
literally: take thread 
meaning: to succeed, to become popular, to flourish
Biznis li a pran fil.
Her business is flourishing.

10.
rache zèb anba pye (used as transitive verb) 
literally: cut grass under someone's feet
meaning: prevent someone from succeeding
Fè atansyon ak Fito, se zèb l'ap koupe anba pye'w.
Be careful of Fito, he's trying to make you fail.

11.
tet nèg (used as adjective)
literally: head of man
meaning: expensive
Mont sa koute tèt nèg.
This watch is expensive.

12.
Bat laponyèt (used as intransitive verb)
literally: beat arm (wrist)
meaning: masturbate
Gason kanson pa bat laponyèt.
Real man don't masturbate. (this is just a sentence example)

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