Which exercise?
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Hi Mandaly, does this phrase have a non-literal translation? Or does it simply refer to confusion? "Mezanmi se mele mwen mele!"
Hi. This expression does not have a literal translation.
Mezanmi se mele mwen mele - Oh dear! I'm stuck, Oh dear I'm in trouble, or Oh dear! I'm in deep *#@%!
Mele - mixed, stuck
Mezanmi is derived from the french 'Mes amis'. Its literal meaning is 'My friends'.
Mezanmi is an interjection, it can be translated as: Oh dear!, Geez!, Oh God!
Both definitions are used in Haitian Creole.
Example: You walk up to a group of people in a meeting and you say, Bonjou mezanmi! meaning 'good morning everyone' or 'Good morning friends!'
Or,
You are driving on the road and another driver just rear-ended you, you'd interject, "Mezanmi!"
Or
You're listening to the news and just learned of a very hainous crime that someone had committed, you may also interject, "Mezanmi! what is this world coming to?"
Notes you'd be interested in:
When you see this type of phrase "se mele mwen mele" (where the verb, adjective or attribute is doubled), it is a sort of authentication of the said sentence.
Example:
Se mache map mache - I am just walking
Se li map li - I am just reading
Se grangou mwen grangou - I am just so hungry
Se kontan mwen kontan - I am just so happy
Se kouri map kouri - I am just running
Se pale map pale - I am just talking
Se vini mwen vini - I am here.
Mezanmi se mele mwen mele - Oh dear! I'm stuck, Oh dear I'm in trouble, or Oh dear! I'm in deep *#@%!
Mele - mixed, stuck
Mezanmi is derived from the french 'Mes amis'. Its literal meaning is 'My friends'.
Mezanmi is an interjection, it can be translated as: Oh dear!, Geez!, Oh God!
Both definitions are used in Haitian Creole.
Example: You walk up to a group of people in a meeting and you say, Bonjou mezanmi! meaning 'good morning everyone' or 'Good morning friends!'
Or,
You are driving on the road and another driver just rear-ended you, you'd interject, "Mezanmi!"
Or
You're listening to the news and just learned of a very hainous crime that someone had committed, you may also interject, "Mezanmi! what is this world coming to?"
Notes you'd be interested in:
When you see this type of phrase "se mele mwen mele" (where the verb, adjective or attribute is doubled), it is a sort of authentication of the said sentence.
Example:
Se mache map mache - I am just walking
Se li map li - I am just reading
Se grangou mwen grangou - I am just so hungry
Se kontan mwen kontan - I am just so happy
Se kouri map kouri - I am just running
Se pale map pale - I am just talking
Se vini mwen vini - I am here.
HI ! What does delro means ?
Delro is not a Haitian Creole word. What sentence and context was it used in?
Saturday, February 19, 2011
hi
Haitian Creole greetings
Bonjou - good morning
bonswa - good afternoon, good night
allo - hello
salut - greetings
lapè avè w - peace be with you
sak pase - what's up, what's going on
onè respè - honor and respect
How do you say kretyen in hatian Creole?
Kretyen is Haitian Creole for Christian.
It is pronounced "cray-t-yen". The "n" at the end is not vocalized.
It is pronounced "cray-t-yen". The "n" at the end is not vocalized.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Hi, I have been looking for the meaning of the word 'pisannit'. I once intercepted a note in class with that word written in it.
Pisannit - pronounced pee-suh-neet means bedwetter.
menw ta kenbe chat la yon lot kote
That's an interesting one!
Although the Creole word "chat" means 'cat', often Haitians will use that word to describe a burglar or a "very" private part of the female anatomy.
Although the Creole word "chat" means 'cat', often Haitians will use that word to describe a burglar or a "very" private part of the female anatomy.
The meaning is in the context.
"I would have held that cat somewhere else."
"I would have caught that cat somewhere else."
Thanks. I do have one more question, how do you say 'tame a wild animal'? need help with part of speech.
tame (v.) - donte
tamed (adj.) - dosil
wild (adj) - sovaj (adj.) This adjective always come after the noun in Creole.
acting wild - debòde, dechennen
animal - bèt
Wild animal - bèt sovaj
tamed animal - bèt dosil
tame a wild animal - donte yon bèt sovaj
She is acting wild - li debòde or li dechennen
tamed (adj.) - dosil
wild (adj) - sovaj (adj.) This adjective always come after the noun in Creole.
acting wild - debòde, dechennen
animal - bèt
Wild animal - bèt sovaj
tamed animal - bèt dosil
tame a wild animal - donte yon bèt sovaj
She is acting wild - li debòde or li dechennen
What is 'chat mawon'?, Is it a brown cat?
Chat is Haitian Creole for Cat
mawon is Haitian Creole for the color brown.
But,
Chat mawon is a wild cat
mawon is Haitian Creole for the color brown.
But,
Chat mawon is a wild cat
Mandaly, where do you place the pronoun when you want to say, "What's hurting you?" Is it at the end of the sentence?
usually after the verb.
examples:
hurt - fè mal, blese
fè mal - means causing pain
blese - usually means wounded, hurt
what's hurting you? - Kisa kap fè ou mal?
What's hurting him? - Kisa kap fè li mal?
That truly hurt me - Sa vrèman fè mwen mal
Does this hurt you? - Eske sa fè ou mal?
Also,
my head hurts - tèt mwen ap fè m mal
my teeth hurt - dan m ap fè m mal
her feet hurt - pye li ap fè li mal
my knee hurt - jenou m ap fè m mal
hope that helps.
examples:
hurt - fè mal, blese
fè mal - means causing pain
blese - usually means wounded, hurt
what's hurting you? - Kisa kap fè ou mal?
What's hurting him? - Kisa kap fè li mal?
That truly hurt me - Sa vrèman fè mwen mal
Does this hurt you? - Eske sa fè ou mal?
Also,
my head hurts - tèt mwen ap fè m mal
my teeth hurt - dan m ap fè m mal
her feet hurt - pye li ap fè li mal
my knee hurt - jenou m ap fè m mal
hope that helps.
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