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Wednesday, July 20, 2011

!Ho understood!

It's understood. - Nou konprann. or Se konprann.  or  Se konpri.

These guys don't take no! for answers!

These guys don't take no for an answer.
Moun sa yo pa konn tande non.
(literally this means, 'these people don't know how to hear no'.)

What else do we say after "Bonjou!"?

Download link for this audio:
http://limanecasimi.audioacrobat.com/download/5fb62f1e-0ea3-0842-134d-55c23b8b50ea.mp3

Click the play button, listen and follow along :)


Bonjou tout moun!
Hello everyone!

Kouman nou ye?
How are you doing?

Common phrases to memorize:
1.  Vwazinaj se fanmi.
     Neighbors are family.

2.  Lanmou se lavi.
     Love is life.

Greet your friends with more than a "Bonjou!", say:
3.  Bonjou monkonpè! (to a man)
     Bonjou makòmè! (to a woman)
     Hello friend

4. Mwen kontan wè ou jodi a.
    I'm glad to see you today

Ask about their family:
5.  Kouman fanmi a ye?
     How's the family?

Ask how they slept,
6. Kouman nwit la te ye?
    How was your night?
    How did you sleep?

7. Kijan kò a ye jodi a?
    Literally, How's the body today?
    How are you feeling today?

Wish them well,
8.  Pòte ou byen.
     Literally, bring yourself well.
     Take care.

9.  Pran swen tèt ou.
     Literally, take care of your head.
     Take care of yourself.

10. Mwen kontan fè ti pale avèk ou.
     I'm glad to have a little chat with you. 

Enben se tout.  Mèsi e orevwa!
Well that's all.  Thanks and goodbye!

Track:  Shada by Lole-Lolay

Whats the difference between "paske" and "deske"? Also "juske" and "jiskaske"?

Paske → because (on account that)
Example:
Mwen renmen w paske ou renmen m.
I love you because you love me.


Deske because, for, since, in view of, considering that, for (it's a lot like because)
Example:
Mèsi deske ou pa di tout moun erè mwen te fè.
Thank you for not telling everyone about the mistake I made.
Another synonym for 'deske' in haitian Creole is' piske' from the French word 'puisque'. You will also encounter that word in Haitian Creole.


Jiske and jiskaske, jouk, jouska → until
Example:
M mache jiskaske m bouke.
I walked until I was tired.


Ask me anything

Call her tomorrow

Call her tomorrow - Rele li demen.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

we pray to the Lord

We pray to the Lord.
Nap lapriyè bay Bondye.
or
Nou lapriyè bay Bondye

Do people in Haiyiti use alarm clocks?

No man, that's what roosters are for!
Those roosters start crowing by 5 or 6 AM.  You can't sleep through that.
Whether you're in the mountains or in town, you won't escape them.

Well I guess some people do use alarm clocks. 
But if you live in a noisy neighborhood, you probably won't need that.

Bonswa! How do I say "thank you for speaking with me."?

Bonswa!

Thank you for speaking to me. - Mèsi deske ou pale avè mwen.

Ask me anything

how to say big head

big head - gwo tèt

Ask me anything

Lord I come to You Let my heart be changed, renewed Flowing from the grace That I found in You. And Lord I've come to know The weaknesses I see in me Will be stripped away By the power of Your love.

Senyè, mwen vini kote ou. Chanje kè mwen,
renouvle li avè gras ke mwen jwenn nan ou a.
E Bondye mwen rekonèt ke pouvwa lanmou ou
ap anile feblès mwen.

Ask me anything

Sometimes, instead of rankontre (to meet up), Haitians use a word that starts with "k", I think it's "crosi". Can you tell me about that word?

Kwaze (v.) - literally means to cross paths with.
Use this word with the preposition a, ak, avè or avèk which all means with.

Example:
Yè swa, mwen kwaze ak Popo sou wout mwen.
Last night, I met Popo on my way.

Si ou kwaze avèk Anya nan wout, pa pale ak li.
If you cross path with Anya, don't talk to her.

what does ____ mean? (in creole)

Kisa _____ vle di?
Example:
What does "chita" mean?
Kisa "chita" vle di?

Should I say "tou pa'w" or "Kou pa'w" when I want to say "your turn"

The correct word is "tou".It comes from the french word tour which means turn (n.).
But In Haitian creole, both tou and kou are acceptable.

1. Se tou pa w. - It's your turn.

2. Se kou pa w. - It's your turn.


3. Kilè ki va tou pa'm?
   When will it be my turn?

4. Kounye a se tou pa'm.
   Now it's my turn.

5. Se tou pa pèp la.
    It's the people's turn.

6. Se tou pa pitit mwen.
    It's my child's turn.

7.  Ou gentan fè yon tou deja.  Kounye a se tou pa'm.
     You've already had a turn.  Now it's my turn.

Please, what does "cookiek" mean? Used in a sentence - "working hard, cookiek?"

The word "cookiek" is neither an English nor a Haitian Creole word.

You may have heard in Creole:
Map travay di kou 'on krèk.
I am working as hard as a "busy Queen bee".
'busy queen bee'
is tamed definition that I've chosen.

cookiek

You mean "cookie"?

cookie -
bonbon


cake - gato

candy - sirèt

lollipop - piwili


A lot of people usually confuse these words together.