Haitian Creole

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

why would i learn creole is not a language it is a dialec

It is a dialect spoken by millions of people throughout the world (Haiti, Martinique, Guyana, Guadeloupe, Seychelles, etc...)

I think one learns a language to communicate, not because of the language's status.

Ask me anything

I don't understand

I don't understand - M pa konprann

Ask me anything

How does "if...then" work in Creole? e.g. Si ou genyen konpetisyon ou (then they will suspect you of cheating)? What word is used for "will"?

Two of the ways to make the future form in Haitian Creole:

I will - m pral
you will - ou pral
he/she/it will - li pral
we will - nou pral
they will - yo pral

or

I will - mwen ap (map)*
you will - ou ap (wap)
he/she/it will - li ap (lap)
we will - nou ap (nap)
they will - yo ap (yap)
*contracted form is in parentheses.

Examples:

1. Si ou manje mango a, w'ap malad.
If you eat the mango, then you'll get sick.

2. Si ou dòmi bonè, w'ap leve bonè.
If you go to bed early, you'll get up early.

3. Si nou bwè lèt, n'ap gen fòs.
If we drink milk, then we will get strong.

4. Si li etidye, l'ap pase egzamen an.
If she studies, then she'll pass the exam.

5. Si ou fè silans, m'ap ba ou yon kado.
If you stay quiet, then I will give you a gift.

6. Si ou respekte manman'w ak papa'w, w'ap viv lontan.
    If you honor your mother and father, then you'll live long.

7. Si ou chèche li, w'ap jwenn li.
    If you look for it, then you'll find it.

8. Si ou ri avè li, l'ap ri avè w.
    If you smile at her, then she'll smile back at you.

9. Si yo mande m, m'ap di yo.
    If they ask me, then I'll tell them.

10. Si ou pran medikaman ou, w'ap fè mye.
    If you take your medicine, then you'll get better.

***(check out the following post where instead of the future form (will), you'd use the conditional form (would).
Ask me anything

If...then... (with would instead of will), continued from previous post.

I would - m'ava or m'a va
you would - w'ava or w'a va
he/she/it - l'ava or l'ava
we would - n'ava or n'a va
they would - y' ava or y'a va

If...then... (continued)

Examples;

1. Si ou pran vitamin ou, w'a va byen grandi.
    If you take your vitamins, then you'd grow strong.

2. Si ou konpòte w byen, m'a va kontan.
    If you behave, then I would be happy

3. Si ou ekri m, m'a va ekri w tou.
    If you write to me, then I would write back.

4. Si ou salwe m, m'a va salwe w tou.
   If you greet me, then I'd greet you too.

5. Si yo lapriyè fò, m'a va delivre yo.
    If they pray fervently, then I would deliver them.