Listen to and Follow The Podcast at SOUVNI ON THE MIKE with Podcast Transcripts available. Advanced Haitian Creole Learners, you have arrived :). Souvni On The Mike stands as a vibrant cultural beacon in the digital soundscape, offering a weekly immersion into the heart of Haitian language and life. This Haitian Creole podcast transforms the airwaves into a dynamic classroom and cultural salon, where education, entertainment, and community connection converge. Follow the podcast.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Mandaly, can I use "pa anpil" to say "not much "? How about "nothing at all"?

Wi, ou kapab.

not much - pa anpil
nothing at all - anyen ditou

Thank you, enjoy your meal! bon Appetit!

Bonn apeti - enjoy your meal

Enjoy your meal! Bon appetit!

yes, you got it!

Ask me anything

kout ke kout Is that how it is spelled in French? I've heard the phrase before spoken by a Frenchman in France, but I have no training in the french language and would like to spell it in classical French.I love this phrase. Please help (c=

French: Coûte que coûte
Creole: kout ke kout
English: (literally) cost for/that cost
English: Whatever the price, cost what it may, no matter what, anyhow

how to say poor baby on kreyol? I mean as a phrase which people use when they feel sorry for someone and they usually want to cheer that person up.please, tell me some phrases haitians use when they are sarcastic or they want to express their irony

Poor baby! or you poor thing! → Po dyab!
It comes from the French "pauvre diable" which literally means "poor devil".
You can actually use this expression with sympathy or sarcastically. I have done it :)

rire can be used as kreyol substitute for lol...eske ou dako ak sa? also RMR (Ri m'ap ri) can be used as well.... I am still trying to find the most kreyol expression for LMAO...lol..oh oh, pardon RMR

I like RMR. It describes LOL best.
I'm not familiar with any expressions for LMAO, but let me know what you find. I wouldn't mind using them at all:)

Ask me anything

ou fini konen tout Ayiti!what does word fini mean in this context? something like you almost know everything about Haiti or has some other meaning

fini, in that case, would mean totally, definitely, completely

Literally, it means "you're done getting acquainted with all of Haiti!"

So, this phrase really means "So, now you know all of Haiti!"

Isn't the term "neg blan" an oxymoron?

Literally, it is. Just like a cold hotdog :)

nèg blan → white man (in Haitian Creole terms)
nèg nwa → black man (in Haitian Creole terms)

Unlike French, nèg, in Haitian Creole, generally means man.

You know, the majority of the Haitian population is black (I would say about 95%). That may be why a nèg is considered a man in general, not a black man. So, feel free to use the term in Haitian Creole without worrying that you'll offend someone.

Some examples:

Ou se yon nèg serye.
You are a sincere person.

Nèg sa pa gen "non" nan bouch li.
This guy doesn't know how to say no.

Mwen marye ak yon bon nèg.
I married a good man.

So you are saying I can call a white man "yon neg" too?

Yes.  Nèg is Haitian Creole for man.

I want to word this phrase the right way. "i don't know what to do." And "i don't know what to say." Thankk you.

I don't know what to do.
Mwen pa konn sa pou mwen fè.

I don't know what to say.
Mwen pa konn sa pou mwen di.

So, there are two ways to say "what": kisa and sa, right?

Yes.

What → Kisa or sa.

I know what you're thinking.
Mwen konnen kisa wap panse. ormwen konnen sa wap panse.

How can I say, «this present day» or «on this day»? Thanks!

This present day → Jounen jodi a, jounen jodi
Jounen jodi, moun pa ekri lèt alamen ankò.
These days people do not handwrite letter anymore.

How would I say "I dream about being with you forever"

Translation:
Mwen reve se ansanm nou ye pou tout tan.

There are other ways to translate that sentence, but I feel the one above says it best:
I dream about being with you forever
Mwen reve nou ansanm pou tout tan.
Mwen reve mwen avè w pou tout tan.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Li fe twaze apremidi

Li fè twazè nan apremidi.
It's 3:00 in the afternoon.

zanmi dous mwen and papa dous mwen. (in English please)

Zanmi dous mwen → My sweet friend
Papa dous mwen → My sweet father