I'm confused about using "pa" for possession rather than negation. How do you say "the car is not mine" vs the "the car is mine" (Machin nan pa m')? It's confusing because "The car is not good" would be "Machin nan pa bon" right?

You are right.  This can be confusing.
And yes, you got the translation right on "The car is no good"


Whenever you see the word "pa" in Creole, there's always a great possibility that it might be a possessive pronoun, especially if it's followed by a pronoun (contracted or non contracted) like this: pa mwen or pa'm, pa ou or pa'w, pa nou or pa'n, etc...

You'll especially be alerted when you see the Haitian Creole  negative indicator  "pa" right next to a possessive pronoun pa'm, pa'w, or pa'l, etc... in a sentence, like this:  Se pa pa'm nan. That's not mine.
. 
Just remember that with all the contractions (pa'm, pa'w, pa'l, pa'n) if you stumble on the contracted "pa't", this last one is not a possessive pronoun, it'S the contraction of the negative indicator 'pa' and the past tense indicator 'te'.

Here are some examples:

Sa se pa'm nan. (contracted)
Sa se pa mwen an. (non contracted)
This is mine.


Kote pa'w la? (contracted)
Kote pa ou a? (non contracted)
Where's yours?


Pa'm nan pi gwo. (contracted)
Pa mwen an pi gwo. (non contracted)
Mine is bigger.


Have you heard the expression:
Jodi a se tou pa'w, demen se ka tou pa'm.
Today is your turn, tomorrow might be my turn.


also,
There's a popular slogan in Haiti that says: Pa'm pi bon. Mine is better
People use it especially when they talk about religion :)


Sa se pa pa'l la. (contracted)
Sa se pa pa li a. (non contracted)
That's not his / hers.


Sa se pa ti bebe pa'n nan. (contracted)
Sa se pa ti bebe pa nou an. (non contracted)
This is not our baby.


Sa se pa't pa'w la.  Poukisa ou te pran'l?
That wasn't yours.  Why did you take it?


The car is mine.
Machin nan se pa'm.


The car is not mine.
Machin nan pa pa'm.
or 
Machin nan pa pou mwen (to make it easier)

Here is some links to other posts, including an audio one, about possessive pronouns.
'PA' is not always NEGATIVE
POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Haitian Creole "pa" is not always "negative", is it?

Download link for this audio clip:


 

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

 

Zanmi mwen yo, Bonjou!

Hello my friends!

Kouman nou ye?

How are you doing?

Mwen espere tout bagay ap mache byen.

I hope everything is going well.

WORD: PA

Pa → negative indicator

Pa → forms possessive pronoun

Pa  → steps

Pa → by means of,  via, per, by ....

Pa → negative (not, do not, don’t …)

1. Se pa sa.

    It's not that.

   That's not it.

2. Pa fè sa.

   Don’t do that.

3. M pa’t konnen (contracted)

    Mwen pa te konnen (uncontracted)

   I didn’t know.

Pa → part, form possessive pronouns

4. Sa se pa’m. (contracted)

    Sa se pa mwen. (uncontracted)

   That’s mine.

5.  Sa se pa l la. (contracted)

     Sa se pa li a. (uncontracted)

    This is his/hers

6. Sa se valiz pa m nan.
    This bag is mine.
    That's my bag.

More on possessive pronouns

Pa → by means of, through, via ...

7. Pase pa dèyè a.

    Go through the back

8. M’ap voye l pa lapòs.

    I’ll send it by mail

9. Mwen touche de fwa pa mwa.
    I get paid two time per month.
    I get paid twice a month.

10. Vwayaj la ap koute $150 pa tèt.

    The trip will cost $150 per person


11. Pran medikaman ou twa fwa pa jou jan yo preskri l la.
      Take your medicine three times per day as prescribed.

Pa → steps

12. Li dwe fè premye pa a.

     She/He must take the first step. 

13. Jodi a se jou konje m.  Mwen p'ap fè yon pa. 

     Today is my day off.  I won't make one step.

    Today is my day off.  I won't go anywhere.

14. Chak pa mwen fè mennen m pi pre lakay.

     Each step I take leads me closer to home

15. Ti pa ti pa n’a rive. (contracted)
      Ti pa ti pa nou va rive. (uncontracted)
     Little step little step we'll arrive.

     Step by step we’ll get there

Fè pa – pardon, go easy on, forgive

16. Fè pa m → forgive me

17. Fè pa l tanpri → forgive him, go easy on him please

18. Mwen fè pa w jodi a, men pa fè sa ankò.

     I forgive you today, but don't do that again.

     I'll let it slide today, but don't do that again.

Se tout pou jodi a.  Mèsi e n'a wè.

That's all for today,  Thanks and see ya.


Track: Reyinyon Konbit by Manno Charlemagne

Some usage of the possessive pronouns in Haitian Creole

Download link for this audio clip:

 


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

Bonjou e yon bèl kout chapo pou tout moun!
Hello and hats off to everyone!


Kouman nou ye?  M'espere nou trè byen.
How are you?  I hope you are well.


Mine → Pa mwen (pa'm)
Yours → Pa ou (pa'w) 
His / Hers → Pa li (pa'l)


My friend
zanmi mwen (using possessive adj.)
zanmi pa mwen* or zanmi pa m (using possessive pronouns)
* zanmi pa mwen → friend mine, friend of mine literally


Your house
Kay ou (using possessive adj.)
kay pa ou or kay pa w la*  (using possessive pronouns)
*kay pa ou → house yours, the house of yours literally


My book is lost.
Liv mwen an pèdi (using possessive adj.)
Liv pa'm nan pèdi* (possessive pronouns)
*Liv pa m nan pèdi → the book of mine is lost literally


Know your definite articles!!!! :)


1.  Sa yo se timoun pa m yo. (contracted)
     Sa yo se timoun pa mwen yo. (un-contracted)
     sa yo               |  se    |    timoun  |   pa mwen  |  yo
     these/those    | are   |    kids      |  mine          | the
     These are my kids.


2.  Dezi pa m se pou m sèvi w. (contracted)
     Dezi pa mwen se pou mwen sèvi ou. (un-contracted)
     Dezi mwen se pou m sèvi w. (using possessive adj.)
     Dezi      | pa mwen | se   | pou   |  mwen | sèvi     | ou
     Desire  | mine        | is     | for    |   I         | serve  | you
     My desire is to serve you.




3. Pa m nan pi gwo pase pa w la.
    pa m  |  nan  |  pi      |  gwo  | pase     | pa w    | la
    mine  |  the   | more |  big    | than     | yours   | the
    Mine is bigger than yours.


4.  Pran machin pa m nan pito. (contracted)
     Pran machin pa mwen an pito. (un-contracted)
     Take my car instead.
     Use my car instead.


5.  Jounal pa yo a mouye, konsa yo vòlò pa nou an.
     Their newspaper got wet, so they stole ours.


6.  Eske sa se pa w la?
     Is this yours?


7.  Kote machin *pa'l la? (contracted)
     Kote machin *pa li a? (un-contracted)
     Where's his car?
*See more ways to use the third person with possessive pronouns below.


8. Tradisyon granpapa nou se eritaj pa nou. (un-contracted)
    Tradisyon granpapa nou se eritaj pa'n. (contracted)
    Our grandparents' tradition is our heritage.


9.  Jodi a se tou pa w, demen se ka tou pa m. (contracted)
     Jodia a se tou pa ou, demen se ka tou pa mwen. (un-contracted)
     Today is your turn, tomorrow might be my turn


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


* When using the third person in the possessive pronouns, you can replace the pronoun by a proper name or noun.  You'll see this often in spoken and written Creole.
Example:
Instead of:   Pa li a → his
you'll have:  Pa Jozèf la → Joseph's
or :               Pa manman m nan → my mother's


Using it in a sentence:
Sa se pa'm nan.  Sa se pa'w la.  E Sa se pa Jimmy an.
That's mine.  That's yours.  And that's Jimmy's.


Here's another sentence:
Mwen pa't ka jwenn pa'm nan, men mwen te jwenn pa Rosie a.
I could not find mine, but I found Rosie's.


One more example:
Mwen te resevwa tout lèt yo, men mwen pa't resevwa lèt pa Michelle la.
I received all the letters, but I did not receive Michelle's.


Did you know that the "pa" of the possessive pronoun translate into 'part, portion, allotment'?
Would it be easier if I said: 
my part → pa mwen or pa'm
your part → pa ou or pa'w
our portion → pa nou or pa'n


other helpful links for possessive pronouns:
Yours, Mine, and Ours 
Not mine
Pa m

Track: Li Di m konsa by Claude Marcelin

you used "pa m" for "mine"...can you explain this because I thought "pa" also means "not". Your example: Liv sa se pa m.

Yes, "pa" indicates the negative in Haitian Creole.
But, the word "pa" also have other definitions/roles in Creole.

And one of them is to indicate the possessive pronouns.

Mine

Pa mwen (uncontracted)

Pa m (contracted)

Yours

Pa ou (uncontracted)

Pa w (contracted)

His/hers

Pa li (uncontracted)

Pa l (contracted)

Ours

Pa nou (uncontracted)

Pa n (contracted)

Theirs

Pa yo

Examples:

1. This is mine.

Sa se pa mwen.

or

Sa se pa m.

2. The house is yours.
Kay la se pa ou.
or

Kay la se pa w.

3. This is yours.
Sa se pa ou an*.
or

Sa se pa w la*.

* Sometimes you'll see a definite article after the possessive pronoun.

The definite articles will follow a set of rules.  See #3 & #4, the sentences are the same, except that one has a contracted pronoun and the other one does not.  The Creole definite article will change according to the word it follows.

4. This is mine.

Sa se pa mwen an*.

Sa se pa m nan*.

5. This is not mine.
Sa se pa pa mwen an.

Sa se pa pa m nan*.

In example #5, see how the first "pa" indicates the negative, and the second "pa" does not.

6. This is my own food.
Sa se manje pa mwen an.

Sa se manje pa'm nan.

7. Don't sit here. This is my own chair.

Pa chita la. Sa se chèz pa mwen.

Pa chita la. Sa se chèz pa m.

8. Are these your kids?

Eske sa yo se timoun pa ou yo?

Eske sa yo se timoun pa w yo?

Mine Yours and Ours- possessive pronouns
possessive pronouns 2
possesive pronouns 3

The following is FYI only:

FYI:  Other translations/definitions of "pa" in Haitian Creole.

pa  → indicates negative, as in: Mwen pa konprann. - I don't understand

pa → helps to indicate possessive, as in:  Tè sa a se pa m. - This land is mine.

pa (n.) → step, as in: I will take one step every day.  M'ap fè yon pa chak jou.

Ask me anything

The "pa" representing possession is very confusing to me. How do you say "This is NOT mine."

This is not mine.

Sa se pa pa mwen an.

or

Sa se pa pa'm nan. (contracted)

Example:
1.  This is mine.
     Sa se pa mwen an.

2.  This is not mine.
     Sa se pa pa mwen an.

3.  This is yours.
     Sa se pa ou la.

4.  This is not yours.
     Sa se pa pa ou la.

5. I'll give you mine.
   M'ap ba ou pa mwen an.

6. This is hers.
    Sa se pa li.

7. This is not hers.
    Sa se pa pa li.

8.  This book is mine.
     Sa se liv pa mwen an.

9.  This book is not mine.
     Sa se pa liv pa mwen an.

10.  This child is ours.
       Sa se pitit pa nou an.

11.  This child is not ours.
       Sa se pa pitit pa nou an.

Note:  The definite articles you see at the end of the Creole sentences (a, an, la, nan) sometimes accompany the possessive adjectives (mwen, ou, li, nou, yo).

Here are some links on the possessive adjectives:
possessive adjectives 1

Possessive adjectives 2
Possessive adjectives 3

Possessive adjectives 4

Ask me anything

Yours, Mine and Ours

Yours → pa ou  or  pa'w
Mine → pa mwen  or  pa'm
ours → pa nou   or  pa'n

This is mine.
Sa se pa'm.

This team is mine.
Sa se ekip pa'm.

Where is yours?
Kote pa'w?

This book is yours.  You can have it.
Sa se liv pa'w.  Ou mèt pran l.

This country is ours.
Peyi a se pa'n.

tet mwen

tèt mwen → my head, or myself

Tèt → (literally means head), it is also used to mean “self”.

Use the corresponding pronoun after tèt.

Example:
1. Mwen renmen tèt mwen.

    I love myself.

2. Mwen fèmen tèt mwen deyò.

    I locked myself out.

3. Ou dwe renmen tèt ou.

    You must love yourself.

4. Poukisa w ap pale ak tèt ou?

    Why are you talking to yourself?

5. Ti fi sa pa renmen tèt li.

    This girl doesn't like herself.

6. Moun sa yo pa respekte tèt yo.

    These people have no respect for themselves.

7. Mwen fè manje pou tèt mwen.

    I cooked for myself.

Ask me anything

Lesson 15 - Object Pronouns / Possessive Pronouns

Object pronouns

Me - Mwen (contracted form: m)

You - Ou (contracted form: w)

Him/her - Li (contracted form: l)

Us - Nou  (contracted form: n)

You (plural) - Nou (contracted form: n)

Them - Yo

Examples:

1. I love them - mwen renmen yo
2. she understands me - li konprann mwen 
3. we love you - nou renmen w
4. Sierra found it - Sierra te jwenn li
5. the people hated us - Moun yo te rayi n
_________________________________________________

Possessive Pronouns

The possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs are translated as the followings:

Mine - Pa mwen or  contracted form: Pa m

Yours - Pa ou or contracted form: Pa w

His / Hers - Pa li or contracted form: Pa l

Ours - Pa nou or contracted form: Pa n

Yours - Pa nou or contracted form: pa n

Theirs - Pa yo

Examples:

1. This book is mine - Liv sa se pa mwen

2. The house is his - Kay la se pa l.

3. The country is ours - Peyi a se pa n

4.  The money is theirs - lajan an se pa yo

5.  This is yours - Sa se pa w.

6. The babies are mine. - Bebe yo se pa mwen.

7. I love them very much. - Mwen renmen yo anpil.

8. The car is his. - Machin nan se pa li.

9. He likes it a lot. - Li renmen l anpil.

10. Give me liberty or death! - Ban m libète ou lanmò!
__________________________________________________________

Let's practice! Translate the following phrases.
1. The chairs are mine. Do not sit on them.

2. The house is mine. My daughter sleeps in it.

3. The shirts are his. He washes them every week.

4. God bless you.

5.  He told me the truth.

6.  He asked me to marry him.

Answer key at the bottom of this page



 1.chèz yo se pa m.Pa chita sou yo    2.kay la se pa-m.Piti fi mwen an dòmi ladan l    3.chemiz yo se pa-l.Li lave yo chak semèn.    4.Bondye beni w    5.Li di m la verite     6.li mande m maryaj