To (as in a destination): I am walking to my room. (M'ap mâché nan chanm m? or M'ap mâché al chanm m?) Or something else? Also I'm confused by how I would say "off of": Get off of me. Fall off of the table. Etc.

I.

I am walking to my room – “M’ap mache al nan chanm mwen” is correct

You can also say: M pral nan chanm mwen  (I’m going to my room)

Adding the Creole verb “ale” helps to indicate that you’re walking towards the room.

M’ap mache nan chanm mwen means “I am walking in my room”

 

II.

You may add the verb “ale” to indicate that you are moving to …a direction.

Examples:

N’ap kondi al Miami instead of N’ap kondi Miami (We’re driving to Miami)

Mwen te mache al lakay instead of Mwen te mache lakay (I walked home)

 

III.

As far as the preposition “to” is concerned, it may not be translated in Creole in these cases:

Mwen pral lekòl (I’m going to school)

Nou prale lavil. (We’re going to town)

Eske ou  prale legliz jodi a? (Will you go to church today?)

Nou prale lakay. (We’re going home)

 

 IV.

And sometimes we use “NAN”

Nan may indicate at, to, to the, in, or in the

Examples:

Li prale nan mache. (He’s going to the market)

Mwen pral nan magazen an. (I’m going to the store)

Mwen pral nan konsè a. (I’m going to the concert)

Mwen pral nan fèt la. (I’m going to the party)

Mwen prale nan reyinyon an. (I’m going to the meeting)

Li nan travay.  (She’s at work.)

Mwen te wè li lopital la. Or M te wè l nan lopital la. (I saw her at the hospital)

 

V.

And finally… a little correction in your sentence :)

Say “chanm mwen” instead of “chanm m”

We don’t usually use contractions after consonants

Chanm mwen, not chanm m (my room) We don't use the contracted “m” after “chanm” because of the ending consonant “m” in “chanm”

Liv mwen, not liv m (my book) We don't use contracted “m” after “liv” because of the ending consonant “v” in “liv”

Kabann ou not kabann w (your bed) We don't use contracted “w” after “kabann” because of the ending consonant “n” in “kabann”

Bagay li not bagay l (his thing)  We don't use contracted “l”  after “bagay” because of the ending consonant “y” in bagay)

Mwen prale avèk ou not Mwen prale avèk w (I will go with you)  We don't use contracted “w” after “avèk” because of consonant “k” at the end of “avèk”

BUT you CAN say Mwen prale avè w (I’m will go with you) We use contraction “w” after “avè” because we have a vowel “è” at the end of “avè”

You can also say:

Papa mwen or papa m (my father) because “papa” ends with a vowel “a”.  SO it's ok to use a contraction after a word that ends with a vowel.

Mwen renmen ou or Mwen renmen w (I like you) because “renmen” ends with the nasal vowel “en”

manman mwen or manman m (my mother) because “manman” ends with the nasal vowel “an”

Rele mwen or Rele m (call me) because “rele” ends with a vowel “e”   

 

VI.

OFF OF / OFF  may be translated with some Haitian Creole expressions.  We may use Haitian Creole terms "retire" or "wete" (to take away or take out), or "soti" or "sot" (out of)

Examples:

Get off of me  (Get off me?)– Soti sou mwen, wete (or retire) kò w sou mwen

   Soti sou mwen – get away from me

  Wete kò w sou mwen – remove your body from me, remove yourself from me, get away from me.

She fell off heaven – Li tonbe sot nan syèl

He fell off the horse – Li sot tonbe sou chwal la.

She fell off the bed. – Li sot tonbe sou kabann nan.

The spoon fell off the table . – Kiyè a sot tonbe sou tab la

Take your feet off the table – Wete pye w sou tab la

He took off his hat – Li wete chapo l.

He took the hat off the table. - Li wete chapo a sou tab la.

Keep off the grass – Rete lwen gazon an. (Rete lwen – Stay away)

Keep the car off the grass. - Wete machin nan sou gazon an.

Same as:

Get off me. - Wete kò w sou mwen or Sot kò w sou mwen or Soti kò w sou mwen.

She got off the car. – Li te desann machin nan. (Get off – desann, soti)

I’m going to get off right here. – M’ap desann la a.

(check LABELS at the bottom)

 

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

Nou te ale nan konsè a yè - Nou ale lekòl chak jou -- It looks like "nan" means 'to' but why is it in one sentence and not the other?

Nan → to, at, in

Sometimes the articles make the difference.  Take a look at the following examples:

Going to school → ale lekòl

Going to church → ale legliz

Going home → ale lakay

Going to New York → ale New York

Going to Mexico → ale Meksik

Going to a concert → ale nan yon konsè

Going to a theater → ale nan yon teyat

Going to a school → ale nan yon lekòl

Going to a restaurant → ale nan yon restoran.

Going to a wedding → ale nan yon maryaj

Going to a home → ale nan yon kay

Going to the store → ale nan magazen an

Going to the school → ale nan lekòl la
Going to this theater → ale nan teyat sa.

Let's go to this house → An ale nan kay sa.
Let's go home. → An ale lakay.

Check these links out.
http://sweetcoconuts.blogspot.com/2010/10/exercise-31-going-places.html
http://sweetcoconuts.blogspot.com/2010/10/exercise-33-going-places-part-2.html
http://sweetcoconuts.blogspot.com/2011/10/nan.htmll
http://sweetcoconuts.blogspot.com/2011/06/prepositions-at-to-on-in.html

Ask me anything

nan

nan → Haitian Creole adverb and preposition

Nan → in, inside

It's in the box.

Li nan bwat la.

She's in the room

Li nan chanm nan.

The car is in the garage.

Machin nan nan garaj la.

Nan → among, of

One of them

One among them

youn nan yo

Two of them

Two among them

de nan yo

A lot of them

many among them

anpil nan yo

Many of the girls did not come back.

Anpil nan fi yo pat tounen.

Nan → at

She's at work.

Li nan travay.

Come pick us up. We're at the airport.

Vin chache nou. Nou nan aewopò a.

She's at a better place now.

Li nan yon pi bon plas kounye a.

I'll see you at the library.

Ma wè ou nan bibliyotèk la.

We were at the park when this happenned.

Nou te nan pak la lè sa te pase.

Nan → in amount of time

In two hours, we will see the results.

Nan dezèdtan, na wè rezilta yo.

We'll get married in six months.

N'ap marye nan six mwa.

Meet me in one hour.

Vin rankontre m nan inèdtan.


Nan → to

She went to the market.
Li ale nan mache a.

We're going to the soccer game.
Nou prale nan match  foutbòl la.

We're going to the movies tonight.
Nou prale nan sinema aswè a.

She went to the party.
L'ale nan fèt la.

When we die, we'll all go to heaven.
Lè nou mouri, nou tout prale nan syèl.

Ask me anything

Prepositions: AT, TO, ON, IN

AT
Use the Haitian Creole words "nan" or "kay/lakay" in places where you used "at" for directions and locations.
Example:
1. I am at school. - Mwen nan lekòl la.

2. I am at the party. - Mwen nan fèt la.

3. We are at the concert. - Nou nan konsè a.

4. I am at a crossroad. - Mwen nan yon kafou.

5. I'm at the doctor's - Mwen kay Doktè.

6. I'm at my mom's - Mwen kay manman m.

7. They are at the inauguration . - Yo nan inogirasyon an.

8. Turn at the curb and go through the gates.
    Vire nan koub la, e antre nan baryè a.

9.  I saw her at the funeral. - Mwen te wè li nan antèman an.

10. It happened at the worst time. - Sa rive nan pi move moman an.


Use the Haitian Creole "a" when telling time and asking questions with "at". 
Examples
1. At what time are you coming? - A kilè wap vini?

2. At five.  - A senkè.

3. At what temperature? - A ki tanperati?

4. At what age? - A ki laj?

To
The preposition "to" is dropped in sentences that involve directions and locations, and infinitive clauses.
1. I will go to mexico - M prale Meksik.

2. I'm going to church - M prale legliz.

3. I hope to see you . - M espere wè w.

4. I tried to talk. - M eseye pale.

You may also use Haitian Creole word "nan"  to translate preposition "to" in places where you could also use "at".
1. I'm going to church - M prale nan legliz la.

2. She went to the party. - Li ale nan fèt la.

3. I am going to my Mom's. - M prale kay manman m


Use Haitian Creole word "a",  when using phrases such as: "from... to..."
1. From my dad to my mom. - De papa m a manman m.

2. From me to you. - De mwen menm a ou menm.

3. From John to Stacy. - De John a Stacy.

ON
The Haitian Creole word "sou"  usually translates the preposition "on".
Examples;
1. The letter is on the table. - Lèt la sou tab la.

2. Sit on this chair. - Chita sou chèz sa.

3. Put this dress on. - Mete rad sa sou ou.

In
The Haitian Creole word "nan", or "anndan" usually translates the proposition "in"
Examples:
1. She lives in a box. - Li rete nan yon bwat.

2. Put the books in your bag. - Mete liv yo nan valiz ou a.

3. In what year where you born? - Nan ki ane ou te fèt?

4.  In what month? - Nan ki mwa?

5.  You're in trouble. - Ou nan problèm.

Also see other preposition exercises at the following links:
Preposition to
prepositions at, in, from

Exercise 32 - Answers to Exercise 31

Let's see how you did in Exercise 31.

Here are the answers to the questions from the previous blog


1. Ki kote Chelsea Clinton te marye? (Where did Chelsea Clinton get married?)
Answer: Chelsea Clinton te marye Rhinebeck, New York. (Chelsea Clinton was married in Rhinebeck, NY)

2. Nan ki vil prezidan Clinton te fèt? (What city was president Clinton born in?
Answer: Prezidan Clinton te fèt Hope. (President Clinton was born in Hope, Ark.)

3. Ki bò prezidan George H. W. Bush te fèt? (Where was president George H. W. Bush born?)
Answer: Prezidan George H. W. Bush te fèt Milton, Massachussets. (president George H. W. Bush was born in Milton, Ma.)

4. Nan ki peyi George W. Bush te fèt? (In what country was George W. Bush born?)
Answer: George W. Bush te fèt Etazini (U.S.). (George W. Bush was born in the US)

5. Ki bò prezidan Bill Clinton moun? (where is president Clinton from?)
Answer: Prezidan Bill Clinton moun Hope, Arkansas. (president Clinton is from Hope, Arkansas)

6. Nan ki eta yo te tire prezidan John F. Kennedy? (In which state did president John F. Kennedy get shot?)
Answer: Yo te tire li Texas.(He got shot in Texas)

7. Nan ki vil prezidan John F. Kennedy te fèt? (Where was president John F. Kennedy born?)
Answer: Prezidan John F. Kennedy te fèt Brookline. (president John F. Kennedy was born in Brookline, Ma)

8. Ki kote Obama yo rete? (where do the Obamas live?)
Answer: Obama yo rete Washington, D.C. (the Obamas live in ahington, D.C)

9. Ki bò JFK Jr ta prale lè li te mouri? (Where was JFK going when he got shot?)
Answer: Li ta prale Massachussets. (he was going to Massachussetts)


10. Nan ki eta New Haven ye? (In which state is New Haven?)
Answer: Li Connecticut.(It's in Connecticut.)
________________________________
Since the next five questions and answers pertain to you - the answers will vary. So I will answer them as it pertains to me. But you can, of course, e-mail me if you want me to check your answers. Thanks. Be blessed.

Answers to personal questions from previous blog.

1. Nan ki vil ou te fèt? (In what city where you born?)
Answer: M te fèt Port-Au-Prince. (m te fèt Port-Au-Prince)

2. Ki kote ou moun? (where are you from?)
Answer: M moun Ayiti. (I'm from Haiti)

3. Ki bò papa ou moun? (Where's your father from?)
Answer: Papa-m moun La Colline, Ayiti. (my father's from La Colline, Haiti)

4. Nan ki eta ou rete? (In which state do you live?)
Answer: M rete Florida.  (I live in Florida)

5. Ki kote ou ta renmen rete?  (where would you like to live?)
Answer: M ta renmen rete Alaska. (i would like to live in Alaska)