nap gade. (what does it mean?)

Expression: → N'ap gade.
literally means → We're looking.
meaning → We're hanging on, we're doing ok, not too good not too bad

You'll hear this expression when you ask someone:  How are you doing? in Creole.
The answer is usually: Nou la, n'ap gade.  or just  N'ap gade.

Is Haiti the poorest country in the Hemisphere?

You know, I question this statement every time I hear it.
How many decades or centuries has it been since Haiti was given this title?
If you take a camera and you point it to all the devastated places in Haiti, then all you see is devastation, misery, and poor people.
Sure, unemployment rate is high.  And, it doesn't help that money acquired by the wealthy in Haiti doesn't stay in the country.  It goes to a foreign bank.
The small amount of tax collected in the country is diminished considerably by the time it reaches its destination.
The larger monetary supply that enters the country when the diaspora financially support their family doesn't make it to Haiti's banks either.
Haiti, in my opininon, is not the poorest country in the hemisphere, but it is the most poorly managed country in the hemisphere.

Makawon

Gee, where did you hear that word?  You got to tell me :)

Makawon → ugly, uptight, ill tempered, tense, critical

Nèg sa makawon.

This man is not approachable.

Bagay yo makawon.

Things are critical.

Ask me anything

Dark (in Creole)

dark (as in: unlit) → nwa
darkness → fènwa
to darken → nwasi
example:
It's dark (adj.).
Li fè nwa.

It's too dark outside (adj.).
Li fè twò nwa deyò a.

I don't like to drive in the dark (n.).
Mwen pa renmen kondi nan fènwa.

They're living in darkness (n.).
Y'ap viv nan fènwa.

She darkened (v.) her hair.
Li nwasi cheve l.

Nwa (as in: darker shade) → fonse
example:
She was wearing a dark blue shirt.
Li te mete yon chemiz ble fonse.

I want to paint the walls with a dark color.
Mwen vle pentire mi yo ak yon koulè fonse.

me too (in Creole)

me too (as in: dido, same here, myself also) → mwen menm tou

Let me know when it's done.

Let me know when it's done.
Kite m konnen lè li fini.

What's up with "pick up" in Creole?

To pick up (as in: lift) → Pran, leve
example:
1. Pick up the box.
    Leve bwat la.


2.  She picked up the chair with no problem.
     Li leve chèz la san pwoblèm.


3.  He gently picked up the child.
     Li leve timoun nan tout dousman.


To pick up (as in: collect, gather) → pran, ranmase
example:
1. Pick up all the toys from the floor before you go to bed.
    Ranmase tout jwèt yo atè a anvan w'al dòmi.


2.  Pick them up.
     Ranmase yo.


3.  A strong wind pick up the houses and threw them in the air.
     Yon gwo van ranmase kay yo e li voye yo anlè a.


To pick up (as in:  clean up) → netwaye
example:
1.  Pick up your room a bit.
    Netwaye chanm ou non.

2.  He leaves his socks all over the house.  I have to pick up after him.
     Li kite chosèt li tout kote nan kay la.  Fòk mwen netwaye aprè li.




To pick up ( as in: to go get) → ale chache, ale pran
To pick up (as in: come get) → vini chache, vini pran
example:
1. Come pick me up.
    Vin chache mwen. or
    Vin pran mwen.


2. Can you come pick me up at the school?
     Eske ou ka vin chache mwen nan lekòl la?
     Eske ou ka vin pran mwen nan lekòl la?


3.  Someone from the church will come to pick us up at the airport.
     Yon moun nan legliz la ap vin chache nou nan aewopò a.
     Yon moun nan legliz la ap vin pran nou nan aewopò a.

4.  Are you on your way to pick me up?
     Eske ou nan wout pou vin chache m?

5.  I'm on my way to pick you up.
     Mwen nan wout pou m vin chache w.

6.  They've arrived.  Can you go pick them up?
     Yo rive.  Eske ou ka al chache yo?

7.  Go get me an umbrella.
     Ale chache yon parapli pou mwen.
     Ale pran yon parapli pou mwen.

Mwen kontan messaj ou.

Mwen kontan mesaj ou.
I was glad to get your message.

What is "handwriting" in Creole

handwriting → ekriti
handwrite → ekri alamen
write → ekri

Your handwriting is bad.
Ekriti ou lèd.

I like your handwriting.
Mwen renmen ekriti ou.

This is not your handwriting.
Sa se pa ekriti ou.

This is Joe's handwriting.
Sa se ekriti Joe.

You could handwrite or type the assignment.
Ou kapab tape devwa a oubyen ekri li alamen.

God's kingdom or government (in Creole)

God's kingdom → rwayòm Bondye
God's government → rèy Bondye

summarize

summarize → rezime, bay yon rezime

summary → rezime

Ask me anything

Different ways to say "or" in Creole→ Oubyen, oswa, osinon, ou

Or → oubyen, oswa( onswa, ouswa), osinon (osnon), ou, o

1. Paper or plastic?
    Papye ou plastik?

2. Coffee or tea?
    Kafe oubyen te?

3. Buying a house or renting a house?
    Achte kay oswa lwe kay?

4. Have children or don't have children?
    Fè timoun osinon pa fè timoun?



 

how do u say i will never leave u?

I will never leave you.

Mwen pap janm kite w.

Ask me anything

Have a great time (in creole)

Have a great time.
Pase yon bon moman.
Pase yon bon tan.

I had a great time.
Mwen te pase yon bon moman.
Mwen te pase yon bon tan.

We had a great time together.
Nou te pase yon bon moman ansanm.
Nou te pase yon bon tan ansanm.

Matchavèl (adjective).

Matchavèl → a seducer (and very good at it), someone who's good at being bad, something so bad it's good;  a user, heartbreaker or lady-killer, a lover who seduces you easily then lets you go after he/she's done with you

Exampe:

Li se yon gason matchavèl.

He's a heartbreaker

Matchavèl → also means: complicated, tense, wired

Example:

Things are complicated.

Bagay yo matchavèl.

My wife hasn't talked to me in two days.  Things are tense at the house.

Madanm mwen pa pale avè m pou depi de jou.  Bagay yo matchavèl nan kay la.

Ask me anything