Haitian Creole

Friday, August 19, 2011

Is it th same name for earthworms and maggots? My creole dictionary does not say. Thanks.

earthworms →vètè
worms → vè

maggots → vè

caterpillar → cheni

Do you know the Haitian hymn that says something like "Lapriye gen yon fos ki pisan..." if so, what are all the lyrics of this hymn?

So sorry, my search so far has come up with nothing.
Check back with this post within the next two days as I'll continue to comb through my collection of hymns (and other people's too!).

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Thursday, August 18, 2011

I'm so sorry. Please don't be disappointed in me. I want to make you proud. (in English please)

Translation:
Mwen mande w padon. Tanpri, pa pedi konfyans nan mwen. Mwen ta renmen ou kontan ak mwen.

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Eske ou konnen kisa yon manje chen janbe ye?

Mezanmi!!!!
manje chen janbe → manje kwit machann ap vann nan lari.

Are you from Port-de-Paix by any chance? So far, I only heard that expression from people who come from Port-de-paix ☺

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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

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Thank you, enjoy your meal! bon Appetit!

Bonn apeti - enjoy your meal

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Enjoy your meal! Bon appetit!

yes, you got it!

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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

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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 :)

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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:)

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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!"

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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.

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