Haitian Creole

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

"I don't use an ice-pick; I use a tray to make cubes of ice."

Ice-pick → pik, pik pou kase glas, pik a glas
ice tray → plato pou fè glas
ice cubes → glas, glason

I don't use an ice-pick.
Mwen pa itilize yon pik.

I use a tray to make cubes of ice
Mwen itilize yon plato pou fè glas yo.

Ask me anything

Ki sa ki yon leson bèl ak itil sou pito! Mesi!

pito (from French: Plutôt → rather or sooner)

Haitian Creolers use it as: to prefer (v.), rather, instead
see links:
http://sweetcoconuts.blogspot.com/2012/01/pito-means-rather.html
http://sweetcoconuts.blogspot.com/2011/05/instead.html
http://sweetcoconuts.blogspot.com/2012/03/kisa-ou-pi-pito.html

Ask me anything

how to say good night an sweet dreams baby

Good night an sweet dreams baby
Bòn nwi cheri, fè bon rèv

Ask me anything

You are my Haitian little brother.

You are my Haitian little brother
Ou se ti frè Ayisyen mwen.

Ask me anything

pa pi mal

pa pi mal

not too bad

How are you?

How are they doing?

I'm not too bad

Ask me anything

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

What's the difference between "wète" ak "retire"?

retire → to remove to take out, to take off, to clear out
Wete → to remove to take out, to take off, to clear out

"retire, wete, wet", they are all the same. "wete" is some kind of derivative of "retire"

Retire chapo w.
Wete chapo w.
Wet chapo w.
Take off your hat.

M'ap retire kò m nan sitiyasyon an.
M'ap wete kò m nan sitiyasyon an.
I'm removing myself from the situation.

Retire kò w la!
Wete kò w la!
Wet kò w la!

Get out of here!

Mwen retire chapo m byen ba devan w.
Mwen wete chapo m byen ba devan w.
Mwen wet chapo byen ba devan w.
I take off my hat really low before you.
I salute you!

Ask me anything

Kisa ou pi pito?

Download link for this audio clip:

To listen to this audio clip, click on the play button and follow along :)

Mezanmi! Bonswa a tout moun k'ap koute!
Mezanmi! Hello to all who's listening!

Which do you prefer?

pito, prefere → to prefer

Examples:
Mwen pito yon pòm.
Mwen prefere yon pòm
I prefer an apple

Mwen pito Kreyòl pase Franse.
Mwen prefere Kreyòl pase Franse.
I prefer Creole to French.

Pito Pito Pito!
(We're learning to use pito today!)

Kisa ou pito? Which do you prefer?

Kisa ou pi pito? Which do you prefer more?

1. Eske ou pito kafe oubyen te?
Do you prefer coffee or tea?

2. Eske ou ta pito dòmi ta oubyen leve bonè?
Would you rather sleep late or wake up early?

3. Ki kote ou ta pi pito ale?
Ki kote ou ta pito ale?
Where would you rather go?

4. Ki istwa ou ta pi pito li? Istwa reyèl oubyen kont?
Which stories would you rather read? Real stories or fables?

5. Avèk ki zam ou ta pi pito vwayaje? Yon fizi oubyen yon kouto?
With which weapon would you prefer to travel? A gun or a knife?

6. Nan ki peyi ou ta pi pito abite?
In which country would you rather live?

7. Mwen pi pito chen pase chat.
I prefer dogs to cats.

Mwen pito chen pase chat.
I prefer dogs to cat.

Mwen pi pito chen.
Mwen pito chen.
I prefer dogs.

8. Mwen pito viv andeyò pase lavil.
I rather live in the countryside than in the city.

9. Mwen ta pito ale pou kont mwen.
I would rather go alone.

It's better to... → Pito...

10. Pito w mande pase w vòlè.
It's better to beg than to steal.

11. Pito yo pè w pase yo renmen w.
It's better to be feared than to be loved.

12. Pito w pale pase w toufe.
It's better to speak up than to choke.

Enben se tout. Mèsi e orevwa.
Well that's all. Thanks and goodbye.

Track: Fasone'm Jan w Vle (Fashion me the way you want)
by James S. Alcindor

i miss my brother (so much)

so much, very much → anpil

I miss my brother.
Mwen sonje frè mwen.

I miss my brother so much.

Mwen sonje frè m anpil.

Ask me anything

have you ever heard of a haitian sauce called "grispool" it's an onion-y flavored sauce that i've often had served with chicken & rice. if so, do you have a recipe for it...

"Kwis poul" → chicken thighs

You're probably talking about "sòs poul".
They sautée some of the chicken meat in olive oil, onions, peppers, a little tomato paste. Some people add cooking red wine or a little rhum. Then they add some of the water that was used to boil the marinated chicken into the mixture. They let it simmer and add a tiny branch of thyme.

Ask me anything

Ochan Mandaly! Pou bèl travay ou fè :)

Mèsi wi! Onè Respè!

Ask me anything

How would you say 'It's time' as in: It's time to cut the cake.?

It's time.
Li lè.

It's time to call it quits.
Li lè pou kite sa.

It's time to cut the cake.
Li lè pou koupe gato a.

It's time to go.
Li lè pou n ale. (it's time for us to go)
Li lè pou w ale.(it's time for you to go)
Li lè pou y ale. (It's time for them to go)

It's time you tell the truth.
Li lè pou w di laverite

It's about time.
Li te lè l' te tan. (Li te lè, li te tan.)

It's about time she left.
Li te lè l te tan pou li te ale.

It's about time I get a raise.
Li lè li tan pou mwen jwenn yon ogmantasyon.

Ask me anything

"to twist" -- your ankle, an elastic band, your body

To twist → kòde (to braid), tòde (to wring)

To twist an ankle → sibi yon antòch, fè yon antòch, foule je pye a
To twist an elastic band → kòde yon elastik
To twist the body → tòde kò a

"tòde" or "kòde" is also used for someone whose body's reeling from pain.

Kò li ap kòde ak doulè.
Her body's reeling in pain. or is it ...reeling from pain?

Ask me anything

A question i could never ask in class: Would an 'unschooled Haitian understand the word 'clitoris' if I said in Creole 'klitoris'? And does 'nannan' translate clitoris in Creole?

The everyday term that any Haitian would know is "krèk" or "langèt".
"Krèk" is also Haitian Creole for the "comb" on a rooster's head, which some people may remove when they use the rooster for gagè (cockfight).

Haitian Creole "nannan" means core, nucleus, center, essence, principal part; I'm not sure if it fits.
Lastly, "klitoris" sounds French. I would save it for use in an anatomy class, definitely.

Ask me anything