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Wednesday, May 4, 2011

In Haiti, what do you call a "stunner", a "dreamboat", a beautiful Haitian woman?

If she has dark skin, she's called a "bèl nègès'" or a "marabou".
If she's mulatto, she's sometimes called a "bèl grimèl".
She would probably be an 7 to 10 on a 1-10 scale, 1 being plain and 10 being most desirable

thank you for the food

Thank you for the food - Mèsi pou manje a

Please translate these proverbs..fight fire with fire, early bird catches the worm

Fight fire with fire -
Remèt je pou je, dan pou dan.
(Literal translation: Give back eye for eye, tooth for tooth)

Early bird catches the worm -
Pye kout pran devan.
(literal translation: People with short legs, walk ahead)

Can you explain 'looks like' and 'sounds like' in Creole? 'the food looks good' - 'manje a sanble bon?' but what about 'It sounds like it's raining?' thanks!

'Li sanble' is theHaitian Creole translation for 'sounds like' and 'looks like'.

It looks like it's going to rain. - Li sanble li pral fè lapli.
It sounds like you're in pain. - Li sanble ou gen doulè.
The food looks good. - Manje a sanble l bon. (l = li)

how to write "very nice of you"

It's very nice of you. - Ou fè byen. or

It's very nice of you. - Ou trè janti, Se trè janti.

You are very kind. - Ou trè janti.

You are very nice. - Ou trè janti.


It's very nice of you to clean the church - Ou fè byen pou netwaye legliz la.
Thank you, it's very nice of you. - Mèsi, ou trè janti.

How can I ask a child if he or she needs to go the restroom?

Do you need to go to the restroom? - Eske ou bezwen ale nan twalèt?

mandaly, can you translate "it's all talk and no action."?

It's all talk and no action. - Tout se pale met la.

Look at ...Look for

Link to download audio clip: http://limanecasimi.audioacrobat.com/download/7a149fd1-376f-822e-4512-6cf6f9fa7d90.mp3




Bonjou Mezanmi!
Hello friends!

Look at - gade
look for - chèche, chache

Look at:

1.  Map gade ou.
     I am looking at you.

2.  Lap gade ou.
     He/ She is looking at you.

3.  Gade sa ou fè.
     Look at what you did.

4.  An nou gade verite a.
     Let's look at the facts.

5.  Kisa wap gade?
     What are you looking at?

Look for:

6. Kisa wap chèche?
    What are you looking for?

7. M tap chache ou.
    I've been looking for you.

8. Map chache yon travay.
    I'm looking for a job.

9. Eske ou jwenn sa ou tap chache a?
    Did you find what you were looking for? 

10. Non, m pa jwenn sa m tap chache a.
      Non, I didn't find what I was loooking for.

or short answer for #10.

10. Non, m pat jwenn li.
      No I did not find it.

Mèsi, se tout pou jodi a, e orevwa!
Thanks, that's all for today, goodbye!

Track: Pa fè mwen la penn o.

"When" as conjunction

We’ve asked questions with “when” before.
But what about “when” as a conjunction?

Sometimes “when” stands for as soon as, whenever, considering that, or at the time that, etc…
How do we translate it to Haitian Creole?

When -

Example:

1.  Call me when you get there.
     Rele m ou rive.

2.  When mom’s happy, the whole house is happy.
     manman kontan, tout kay la kontan

3When there’s love, there’s pain.
     gen lanmou, gen doulè

4.  I was in the car when I heard the news.
     M te nan machin nan m tande nouvèl la.

5.  When you have money, you have respect.     
     ou gen lajan, ou gen respè

6.  When you got no money, you got no friends.
     ou pa gen lajan, ou pa gen zanmi.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

For Creole, click here.

Pou kreyòl, peze bouton sa.

Ask me anything

I was wondering what Mayi ak lepim (or legim) is in english.

Mayi ak legim - yellow corn meal with legumes.

'Legumes' in Haiti is a mixture of vegetables (eggplant, chayote, carrots, spinach, watercress) cooked with meat.

'Mayi' is sometimes considered food of the poor.

gen lafos (gen la fos?) - Have strength? Be strong?

Yes.
Gen lafòs - to have strentgh.

You can also say,

Gen fòs - to have strentgh.

'fòs'
is derived from the french word 'force'. 'lafòs' comes from the french word and its article 'la force' which means 'the strentgh'.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Does the word "affair" in Haitian Creole command the same expression as in English?

For the most part, yes.

Haitian Creole word for 'affair' is 'zafè'
As in English it stands for personal business, business matters, personal concern, an engagement or an organized function. It could mean romantic or sexual relationship, but it does not imply extramarital relation.
example:

Yo fè zafè. - They're involved (romantically)

Sa se zafè pèsonèl mwen. - That's my personal business.

Zafè m pa bon. - Things are not going well for me.

Maryaj la te yon gwo zafè. - The wedding was grandiose.

"It's good work to give education to children."

Se byen pou edike timoun yo.

Ask me anything

I love him too

m renmen li tou

Ask me anything