pa anpil
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
M couche. M'ap couche. M te couche. M t'ap couche. I know that some refer to lying down to sleep and some ... don't. How do I stay out of trouble with "couche"?
Kouche in Haitian Creole generally means to lie down. If you start using kouche avèk, then we might be talking about some grown-up stuff.
In some instances, the context is a good guide.
In some instances, the context is a good guide.
Examples:
M te al kouche a sizè yèswa.
I went to lie down at six last night.
Nou te tèlman fatige, n'al kouche bonè.
We were so tired, we went to bed early.
Tanpri, kouche bwat la atè a.
Please, lay the box on the floor.
M deja kouche.
I'm already in bed.
Mwen te kouche ak yon tèt fè mal.
I went to bed with a headache.
Li toujou kouche nan menm chanm ak timoun yo.
She usually sleeps in the same room as the kids.
Nou te kouche ansanm.
We slept together.
Mwen fache anpil paske li te kouche ak madanm mwen.
I'm outraged that he slept with my wife..
Li pa't janm kouche ak yon gason.
She had never slept with a man.
Hi. What does mean: pale mwen mal tout tan ou kapab
Pale m mal tout tan w kapab,
Criticize me as long as you can.
Belittle me as long as you can.
or
Put me down as long as you can.
Pale mal → put down, slander, criticize
Pale mal → put down, slander, criticize
Nou tout egal ego. Egal ego means equal, right?
Wi wi.
Egal ego is an expression about equality.
Other expressions similar to egal ego are: menmman parèyman, menm bagay la, menm penpenp lan, de gout dlo.
Anonymous said....
I don't understand how to use those properly (i.e. in place of egal alone). Please give some examples. Also, what is penpenp?
November 30, 2011 12:00 PM
Mandaly said....
Yes, you could use some of these expressions in place of the word "equal". The ones you can use are:
equal → egal, egal ego, menm or menm bagay, menmman parèyman.
Example:
These two cups are equal (the same).
De tas sa yo egal ego.
You and your dad have the same mannerism.
Ou menm ak papa w se menmman parèyman.
You and your sister look so much alike.
Ou menm ak sè w la tankou de gout dlo.
penpenp is anything, a concept, circumstance, or object.
Chak jou se menm penpenp lan.
Every day it's the same thing.
Ask me anything
Anonymous said....
I don't understand how to use those properly (i.e. in place of egal alone). Please give some examples. Also, what is penpenp?
November 30, 2011 12:00 PM
Mandaly said....
Yes, you could use some of these expressions in place of the word "equal". The ones you can use are:
equal → egal, egal ego, menm or menm bagay, menmman parèyman.
Example:
These two cups are equal (the same).
De tas sa yo egal ego.
You and your dad have the same mannerism.
Ou menm ak papa w se menmman parèyman.
You and your sister look so much alike.
Ou menm ak sè w la tankou de gout dlo.
penpenp is anything, a concept, circumstance, or object.
Chak jou se menm penpenp lan.
Every day it's the same thing.
Ask me anything
I said "M pa t we pyès moun la" and was told that "pyès" is out-of-date, that only old people will understand it, and that "okenn" is way better. Is this true?
"pyès" is not outdated. How could it be?
What you will find is that people from a specific region of Haiti tend to use "pyès" more than others.
You are correct to say: M pa't wè pyès moun la.
Other synonyms for pyès moun are: okenn moun, pèsòn
So, you could also say:
M pa wè okenn moun la.
M pa wè pèsòn la.
Also Creole speakers will use pyès to mean none as in:
There will be none of that.
P'ap gen sa pyès.
I have no money on me.
M pa gen pyès lajan sou mwen.
She doesn't have any children in Haiti.
Li pa gen pyès timoun Ayiti.
I have no money on me.
M pa gen pyès lajan sou mwen.
She doesn't have any children in Haiti.
Li pa gen pyès timoun Ayiti.
I can't get these straight. What are hug and kiss, both as nouns and verbs?
to hug (v.) → anbrase, makònen avèk, or kwoke
to kiss (v.) → bo, bobo, or anbrase
A hug (n) → anbrasad, akolad
A kiss (n) → bo, bobo, beze, bizou
Each of us. (Each of us can help. He loves each of us.)
Each of us.
Nou chak
Chak grenn nan nou (each one of us)
You'll also hear: chaken de nou, but that's more French, less native.
Each of us can help.
Nou chak ka ede.
He loves each of us.
Li renmen nou chak.
I don't know what to say, I don't know how to express myself
I don't know what to say.
Mwen pa konn sa pou m di.
I don't know how to espress myself.
Mwen pa konnen kijan pou m eksprime tèt mwen.
to know → konn, konnen
Jesus knows
Jesus knows.
Jezi konnen.
God knows.
Bondye konnen.
God knows everything.
Bondye konnen tout bagay.
Who knows?
Kimoun ki konnen?
or
Kilès ki konnen?
Jezi konnen.
God knows.
Bondye konnen.
God knows everything.
Bondye konnen tout bagay.
Who knows?
Kimoun ki konnen?
or
Kilès ki konnen?
I see that you have translated "as soon as" as "menm kote", is there another translation for it?
Yes.
As soon as → menm kote, menm lè, osito, sito, imedyatman, dèke
As soon as the rain stops, we'll leave.
Menm kote lapli a rete, n'ap kite.
As soon as the Holiday season's over, I'll come home.
Imedyatman sezon fèt la pase, m'ap vin lakay.
Call me as soon as the books come in.
Rele m dèke liv yo vini.
The dogs started barking as soon as the door bell rang.
Chyen yo te koumanse jape sito pòt la te sonnen.
Tell me what is wrong. What did I do wrong? and What is wrong? (in Creole please)
What's wrong?
Sa ki genyen? (non-contracted)
Sa'k genyen? (contracted)
Use either one
What did I do wrong?
Kisa mwen fè ki mal?
What did I do to you?
Kisa mwen fè w?
Did I hurt you?
Eske mwen atriste w?
Did I do something wrong?
Eske mwen fè yon bagay ki mal?
or
Eske mwen fè yon move bagay?
Lekol lage means School's out. But i've the feeling it means something else in this sentence "Le manman yo pa la, se lekol lage."
lage → to let out, to make free
Lekòl lage. → School's out.
School's out. Drive slowly.
Lekòl lage. Kondui dousman.
Who will pick up Rachel when school's out today?
Kilès ki pral chache Rachèl lè lekòl lage jodi a?
Lekòl lage is also an expression which means anything goes
When their mom's not home, it's a wild party.
Lè manman yo pa la, se lekòl lage.
As soon as the teacher stepped out of the class, the commotion started.
Menm kote pwofesè a kite klas la, lekòl lage.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Mwen pral an Ayiti demen. What would you recommend I must see/eat while there?
Take a drive to the outskirts of the city.
Visit Basen Ble in Jacmel.
Swim in the ocean.
Visit a flea market on market day.
Eat spicy seafood (conch, fish and shrimps),
and drink lots of coconut juice.
Be safe.
Pase yon bon vwayaj.
what does fle sezon mean?
Flè sezon → (literally) seasonal flower
But the expression is about "seasonal friends".
Someone is said to be a "flè sezon" if, even though you are good friends, they'd talk to you seasonally. They might say a big hello to you today, stop talking to you for a whole month or so, and then out the blue reenter your life again.
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