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.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Some Creole Contractions

m contraction for mwen (i, me, my)
w contraction for ou (you, your)
l contraction for li (he/her, him, his)
n contraction for nou (we, our, us)
y contraction for yo (they, their, them) (Contraction only used with subject pronoun "they")


Rule 1:  When placing contractions after a word, place them only after words that end with a vowel.
Example:
Koute m. → Listen to me
Mwen konprann ou. (Instead of: Mwen konprann w) I understand you.
Sa se manman m. (the word "manman" ends with nasal vowel "an") → This is my mother.
Sa se liv nou. (instead of: Sa se liv n) This is our book.
Chyen an te mòde l. → The dog bit him.


Rule 2:  Do not place contractions after the prepositions: sou (on), nan (in,at), and pou (for).
Example:
The coffee spilled on me.
Kafe a tonbe sou mwen.
(instead of: kafe a tonbe sou m.)

This gift is for her.
Kado sa se pou li.
(instead of: Kado sa se pou l.)

Believe in me.
Kwè nan mwen.
(instead of: Kwè nan m.)


Have ever seen these contractions in a sentence?
k contraction for ki (who, that)
p contraction for pa (negative marker)
t contraction for te (past tense marker)

Example:
1. Sa'k pase?
(instead of: Sa ki pase?)
What's happenning?

2. Mwen p'ap chante.
(instead of: Mwen pa ap chante.)
I will not sing.

3. Mwen t'ale wè yo.
(instead of: Mwen te ale wè yo.)
I went to see them.


Some contractions for a few Creole words:
al contraction for ale (to go)
vin contraction for vini (to come)
fin contraction for fini (to complete)
konn contraction for konnen (to know)
ka, kab contraction for kapab (to be able)

Examples of some sentences in which contractions are used.  See if you can translate them.  Scroll down for answers.
1. Mwen t'al wè w.  Ou pa't la.
2. Ede m pote malèt la. Mwen p'ap ka pote l pou kont mwen.
3. Poukisa w'ap meprize m konsa?
4. Papa n rete Ayiti.
5. Y'ap pale avè n lè yo pare.











1. I went to see you.  You weren't there.
2. Help me to carry the suitcase.  I won't be able to carry it on my own.
3. Why are you ignoring me?
4. Our dad lives in Haiti.
5. They will talk to us when they're ready.

How would a daughter show her love to her father on his birthday? Any special traditions in Haiti? Any special words she could say to make him feel extra special?

Birthdays are always special in Haiti. Haitians are mostly grateful for another year in their life. They usually wish for health and prosperity.
Most Haitians celebrate their birthdays, just like here in the US, by having a party with lots of traditional foods and drinks. They accept gifts too.

They usually sing two types of birthday songs:

(French)
Bonne anniversaire
Nos voeux les plus sincères
Que ces quelques fleurs vous apportent le bonheur
Que l'année entière vous soit douce et legère
Et que l'an fini, nou soyons tous réunis
Pour chanter en choeur, "Bonne anniversaire!"


Or

(French)
Bonne fète à toi
Bonne fète à toi
Bonne fète, bonne fète
Bonne fète à toi


This second song is sung to the English Happy Birthday tune. And you may sing it in Creole by adding the person's name at the end as follows:

Bònn fèt (name of person)
Bonne fète (name of person)
Bònn fèt, bònn fèt
Bònn fèt (name of person)

Finally, you may wish him:
Bònn fèt!
Happy birthday!

Mwen swete ou long vi, sante, e kè kontan.
I wish you a long life, health, and hapiness.

That's special enough.

you are so far away from me

You are far from me. → Ou lwen mwen.

You are so far away from me. → Ou trè lwen mwen.

You are too far away from me. → Ou twò lwen mwen.

Say chocolate

Chocolate → chokola

Ask me anything

Sunday, September 25, 2011

GODS CHILD

God's child → pitit Bondye

I am god's child. → Mwen se pitit Bondye.

You are God's child. → Ou se pitit Bondye.

We are God's children. → Nou se pitit Bondye.

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

I will remember who I am. (in creole)

I will remember who i am.
Ma sonje kilès mwen ye.

Do you know who I am?

Do you know who I am?
Eske ou konnen kilès mwen ye?

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

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.

How do your like it?

How do you like it?
Kijan ou ta renmen li?
Eske li bon konsa?
Eske ou renmen li konsa?

this feels good

This feels good.
Sa bon.

This feel very good.
Sa bon anpil.