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Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Fòk sa chanje!

Yes, i agree with you. And everyone agrees with you, too, that 'things must change'. Would you mind taking the first step :)

Monday, April 25, 2011

Let's go!


Let's go! - An nou ale!

link to download this audio clip:
http://limanecasimi.audioacrobat.com/download/28b87b7f-71ac-c867-48ef-fc124365425c.mp3
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Click the play button to listen to this audio lesson.
Follow along.  First sentence is in Creole as written here.



Bonswa tout moun! - Good evening everyone!

To go - ale, al*

Let's - an nou  - (contracted*: ann, an'n, an-n)

*Note: Contracted and non-contrated forms are used interchangeably.
1. Ann al dòmi. - Let's go to sleep.

2. Ann al travay. - Let's go to work.

3. Ann ale lavil. - Let's go to town

4. Ann al chache papa m. - Let's go pick up my dad.

5. Ann al legliz. - Let's go to church.

6. An-n al manje. - Let's go  eat.

7. Ann al gade yon fim. - Let's go see a movie.

8. Ann ale promennen. - Let's go strolling.

9. Ann ale lekòl. - Let's go to school.

10. Ann ale Ayiti. - Let's go to Haiti.

Se tou pou jodi a.  Mèsi, orevwa, e an nou pale Kreyòl.
That's all for today.  Thank you, goodbye, and let's speak Creole.

Track: Caraïbes Oh by La Compagnie créole.

this guy is sweet

This guy is sweet - Mesye sa janti.

you can also say,

This guy is sweet (likable) - Mesye sa emab.

a little

a little - yon ti
a little boy - yon ti gason
a little lie - yon ti manti
a little water (some water) - yon ti dlo

rock

rock - wòch

how is 'saltwater and fresh water' translated?

saltwater - dlo sale ( pronounced dlo-sah-lay)
fresh water - dlo dous

What do you think of eternity?

Is this a soul-searching question?

Well, I am living in Adam's, Eve's, and Benjamin Franklin's eternity. And it doesn't look that bad.

Ask me anything

have you come across chante Creole 'ban mwen yon ti bo'?

the old version?


Ban mwen yon ti bo doudou.

Lyrics
Depi twa jou lapli pa ka tonbe            It hasn't rained in 3 days.
Se de zye mwen te ka sèvi an arozwa My eyes have become a watering can
An arozwa pou awoze lari                  a watering can to water the streets
Kon doudou mwen te ka pase           so when my honey would walk by
pou la pousyè pa tonbe nan zye m.    the dust won't get into my eyes

Ban mwen yon ti bo doudou,             Give me a little kiss honey
yon ti bo doudou,                              a little kiss honey
yon ti bo.                                           a little kiss
Ban mwen yon ti bo                          Give me a little kiss
pou soulaje kè an mwen                   to comfort my heart

Ban mwen yon ti bo doudou,             Give me a little kiss honey,
yon ti bo doudou,                                a little kiss honey,
yon ti bo.                                             a little kiss.
Doudou, ban mwen yon ti bo              Honey, give me a little kiss
pou soulaje kè an mwen                      to comfort my heart.





Ask me anything

Haitian creole Alphabet

Haitian Creole alphabet song: http://sweetcoconuts.blogspot.com/2011/10/finally-haitian-creole-alphabet-song.html
Listen to the Haitian Creole alphabet here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_a4MX1SdPk

Haitian Creole alphabet (as officially published in 1979)


a - ah

an - an

b - be

chse ach

d - de

e - e

è - è

en - en

f - èf

g - je

h - ach

i - i

j - ji

k - ka

lèl

mèm

n - èn

ng - èn je

o - o

on -on

ou - ou

oun - oun

p - pe

r - èr

s - ès

t - te

ui - yi

v - ve

w - doubleve

y - igrèg

z - zèd





I haven't seen anything about the Creole alphabet. Where can I find that information?

As a child growing up in Haiti, what were the 5 most common medicines kept in your medicine cabinet? Which one did you dread the most?

First of all, the “medicine cabinet” was rather a straw basket filled with mostly aromatic leaves.
The 5 most common childhood medications I remember were:

1. papaya leaves for deworming,
2. basil leaves for good digestion,
3. Acacia leaves for skin and tooth care,
4. lemon grass and orange tree leaves (don't know what for)
5. garlic roots skin and cloves for stomachache.

These leaves were used to make tea with either sugar or salt.  Some of the leaves were boiled in water. Some were mashed up for the extraction of a greenish juice which I hated very much.

I don't need it...

I don't need it. - M pa bezwen li.

Can you please define the expressions 'mezanmi' and 'amoushe?' Not sure of the correct spelling. thanks!

Mezanmi! is an interjection uttered when you are surprised, scared or shocked. It is synonymous with oh dear!, Oh my God!, oh no!. It may be used to convey a range of emotions.
Examples:
1. you just found out that a good friend had suddenly died, you are shocked and say, "Mezanmi!"
2. You're walking in the woods and come upon a poisonous snake, you'd say, "Mezanmi!" and just split.
3. Your child just spilled chocolate syrup on your expensive white carpet, you'd say, "Mezanmi!"
_______________
Mezanmi also means, "my friends".
You come up onto a group of people that you know. You could say, "Bonjou mezanmi!" (Hello friends).


If speaking publicly, you could start your speech with, "Mezanmi,..." meaning, (my fellow people,...)
________________
Ah monchè - is synonymous with 'come on, man!'  It conveys a persuasive emotion.

help

help (n.) - èd

help (v.) - ede

Help me - Ede mwen.

Can I help you? - Eske m ka ede ou?

I will help you. - M pral ede ou.

Wap mennen, Haitian Creole translation

wap mennen (expression) - you're doing well, you're thriving

nap mennen (expression) - we're thriving