Haitian Creole

Sunday, September 25, 2011

How do you say "buddy"? Which word is more intimate than "kanmarad"?

Buddy (as in: favorite friend, bosom buddy, pal, chum)
Moun pa

Moun pa, in Haitian Creole, is a very good friend for whom you have a soft spot.

Example:
Frank's my buddy. I'll never turn him away.
Frank se moun pa m*. Mwen pa janm refize l*.

I know Mamoun is your bosom buddy.
Mwen konnen Mamoun se moun pa w*.

Jack shared his sandwich with Jill because Jill's his pal.
Jack separe sandwitch li a avèk Jill paske Jill se moun pa l*.

"m, w, l " are respectively contracted forms of "mwen, ou, li"

how do you say my love in creole

lanmou mwen

Check link: http://sweetcoconutstootsiz.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-love_25.html

Ask me anything

I will remember who I am. (in creole)

I will remember who i am.

Ma sonje kilès mwen ye.

Ask me anything

Do you know who I am?

Do you know who I am?

Eske ou konnen kilès mwen ye?

Ask me anything

What is one of your favorite poems in Creole?

Well, I have a great time reading the works of Paul Laraque, Johnny Bélizaire and Félix Morisseau-Leroy.
I recently read and memorized “rekòlt” and “Se yon rèv” from Johnny Belizaire.

But my all-time favorite Creole “literary works” are from the following talented people:
Paul Laraque - He is the grandpa that sits by the fire to tell a tale in prose.
Manno Charlemagne - His lyrics can be controversial, but they are a dose of truth.
Maurice Sixto - He tells it as he sees it. But he sees what no one else sees.
Edwige Danticat – She is the girl next door in Haiti, whom you meet years later in a foreign country, and she takes you back to that time of “lontan lontan”.
Jacques Roumain – I will always be grateful for his work “Gouverneurs de La Rosée”. I very recently read Maude Hertelou’s Creole adaptation.

The Creole books I'm reading now are Agasya by Emile Celestin-Mégie, and M ap Viv Toujou by Evelyne Nacier

Here’s a link where you’ll find many Creole poems.
http://www.potomitan.info/poemes/index.php

Ask me anything

Saturday, September 24, 2011

What do you want to do next? (Creole)

What do you want to do next?
Kisa ou vle fè apre sa?

Sit still. or Sit quietly.

Sit still.
Chita trankil.
Chita an silans.
Rete trankil.

I love you. I give you my heart with all my might and my soul. I give you my love with every breath. I give you my heart with every fear, every tear, and every word of an argument whether we meant it or not.

Note* The word repetition did not work in Creole. It would have changed the meaning.
I love you. → Mwen renmen ou.

I give you my heart with all my might and with all my soul.

Ak fòs kouraj mwen e ak nanm mwen, m ba ou kè m.

I give you all my love with every breath.

Ak tout souf mwen, m ba ou lanmou mwen.

I give you my heart with ever fear, every tear, and every word.

M ba ou kè m ak tout lapè, tout kriye, tout pawòl ki ladan l.

Ask me anything

How do your like it?

How do you like it?

Kijan ou ta renmen li?

Eske li bon konsa?

Eske ou renmen li konsa?

Ask me anything

this feels good

This feels good.

Sa bon.

This feel very good.

Sa bon anpil.

Ask me anything

how do I ask How is your family?how is you wife?How is you mother?How is your work?

You could use either kouman, kòman, or kijan to ask these questions:

How is your family? → Kouman fanmi ou ye?

How's the family? → Kouman fanmi an ye?

How's your wife? → Kouman madanm ou ye?

How's your husband? → Kouman mari ou ye?

How are the kids? → Kijan timoun yo ye?

How are your kids? → Kouman timoun ou yo ye?

How's your mom doing? → Kijan manman ou ye?

How's work? → Kijan travay la ye?

How's your work? → Kijan travay ou a ye?

How's your business doing? →Kijan biznis la ap mache?

How are you doing with your studies? → Kijan etid la ap mache?

How are things working out? → Kijan bagay yo ap mache?

Ask me anything