Mwen vle di w sa k'ap fèt.
I want to tell you what's going on /what's been going on.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
How can i say "Sometimes" in Creole?
sometimes → pafwa, kèk fwa, dèfwa, gen de fwa or gendefwa, gen de lè or gendelè
Pafwa mwen panse avè w.
Sometimes I think about you.
Gen de fwa mwen pa konprann ou.
Sometimes I don't understand you.
Dèfwa mwen al promnen nan plaj la.
Sometimes I take a stroll on the beach.
Kèk fwa li salye m, men se pa tout tan..
Sometimes he says hello, but not always.
Pafwa mwen panse avè w.
Sometimes I think about you.
Gen de fwa mwen pa konprann ou.
Sometimes I don't understand you.
Dèfwa mwen al promnen nan plaj la.
Sometimes I take a stroll on the beach.
Kèk fwa li salye m, men se pa tout tan..
Sometimes he says hello, but not always.
Vire tounen?
Vire tounen (as a verb and also a noun?)
vire tounen (literaly 'turn return')
to come and go
to run an errand
to give the run around
to turn around
coming and goings
Gen yon bann vire tounen lakay vwazen an. M'ap mande m sa k'ap pase.
There's a lot of activity at the neighbor's house. I wonder what's going on.
Mwen pral fè yon vire tounen la.
I'm going to run an errand.
Chak kou m mande l lajan m, l'ap fè m vire tounen.
Every time I ask for my money, he gives me the run around.
Poukisa w'ap fè m vire tounen konsa?
Why are you giving me the run around?
vire tounen (literaly 'turn return')
to come and go
to run an errand
to give the run around
to turn around
coming and goings
Gen yon bann vire tounen lakay vwazen an. M'ap mande m sa k'ap pase.
There's a lot of activity at the neighbor's house. I wonder what's going on.
Mwen pral fè yon vire tounen la.
I'm going to run an errand.
Chak kou m mande l lajan m, l'ap fè m vire tounen.
Every time I ask for my money, he gives me the run around.
Poukisa w'ap fè m vire tounen konsa?
Why are you giving me the run around?
'Chak kou ou vini' - 'Each neck you come'? Doesn't make any sense. Thoughts?
You're right it does not make any sense, because Creole 'kou', here, means 'time'.
Kou, kon, kòm → as, as soon as, like, as well as, when, time
ex:
chak kou / chak kon / chak fwa → every time, each time
Chak kou li vini, li toujou pote pen Ayisyen.
Every time he comes, he always bring Haitian bread.
Mwen te vole kou yon zwazo.
I flew like a bird.
Granmoun kou timoun dwe prezante.
Adults as well as children should be present.
Kou papa l pati, li koumanse fèt la.
As soon as his dad left, he started the party
Kou → a strike, a blow
Bay kou → to hit, to deal a blow, to afflict
ex:
Li ban m yon kou.
She hit me.
Pa ba l kou.
Do not hit her.
Vòle sa yo ban m yon kou. Yo devide kont bankè mwen.
These crooks dealt me a blow. They emptied my bank account.
Kou → course, a session, curriculum
Kou Kreyòl la va dire twa mwa.
The Creole class will last three months.
Kou → neck
ex:
Mwen gen kou fè mal.
I have neck pain.
Kou, kon, kòm → as, as soon as, like, as well as, when, time
ex:
chak kou / chak kon / chak fwa → every time, each time
Chak kou li vini, li toujou pote pen Ayisyen.
Every time he comes, he always bring Haitian bread.
Mwen te vole kou yon zwazo.
I flew like a bird.
Granmoun kou timoun dwe prezante.
Adults as well as children should be present.
Kou papa l pati, li koumanse fèt la.
As soon as his dad left, he started the party
Kou → a strike, a blow
Bay kou → to hit, to deal a blow, to afflict
ex:
Li ban m yon kou.
She hit me.
Pa ba l kou.
Do not hit her.
Vòle sa yo ban m yon kou. Yo devide kont bankè mwen.
These crooks dealt me a blow. They emptied my bank account.
Kou → course, a session, curriculum
Kou Kreyòl la va dire twa mwa.
The Creole class will last three months.
Kou → neck
ex:
Mwen gen kou fè mal.
I have neck pain.
What does outreach mean in creole
Outreach can be translated in Creole as: Kanpay (a campaign), efò, zefò, jefò (collective effort)
"Sèk" -- For me, "circle" has an "r" sound that "dry" doesn't, but "sèrk" doesn't seem right. Thoughts?
None of the Creole words "sèk" have an "r" or "r" sound.
You will definitely hear the "r" from people who are used to saying "cercle" in French.
So whenever you hear that "r" in "sèk", please know that it's the French in them talking :)
sèk (Sèch, chèch) → dry
sèk → circle, clan, entourage, company
sèk → suddenly, right then and there
Gòj mwen sèk. Mwen bezwen yon ti dlo.
My throat is dry. I need some water.
Ann fè yon sèk pou n priye.
Let's form a circle in order to pray.
Mwen pa vle fè pati nan sèk ou.
I don't want to be part of your clan.
Machin te kanpe sèk.
The car stopped suddenly.
Li t'ap jwe nan lakou a. Men lè li te wè chen an li te kanpe sèk, epi li tanmen kouri.
She was playing in the yard. But when she saw the dog she stopped suddenly, then she started running.
Ask me anything
You will definitely hear the "r" from people who are used to saying "cercle" in French.
So whenever you hear that "r" in "sèk", please know that it's the French in them talking :)
sèk (Sèch, chèch) → dry
sèk → circle, clan, entourage, company
sèk → suddenly, right then and there
Gòj mwen sèk. Mwen bezwen yon ti dlo.
My throat is dry. I need some water.
Ann fè yon sèk pou n priye.
Let's form a circle in order to pray.
Mwen pa vle fè pati nan sèk ou.
I don't want to be part of your clan.
Machin te kanpe sèk.
The car stopped suddenly.
Li t'ap jwe nan lakou a. Men lè li te wè chen an li te kanpe sèk, epi li tanmen kouri.
She was playing in the yard. But when she saw the dog she stopped suddenly, then she started running.
Ask me anything
"Sharpen your pencil. It's dull."
Sharpen your pencil. It's dull
Fè pwent kreyon w lan. Li pa gen pwent.
Pencil sharpener → tay kreyon
Sharpen a pencil → fè pwent kreyon an
Sharpen a knife → file yon kouto
a dull pencil → yon kreyon san pwent.
a dull knife → yon kouto ki pa file.
Fè pwent kreyon w lan. Li pa gen pwent.
Pencil sharpener → tay kreyon
Sharpen a pencil → fè pwent kreyon an
Sharpen a knife → file yon kouto
a dull pencil → yon kreyon san pwent.
a dull knife → yon kouto ki pa file.
sharp → file, pwenti, pike
dull → san pwen, ki pa file, raz
What's "ata"? As in "Ata nou obeyi, li beni nou."
Ata → even
The sentence that you're asking about doesn't seem to go well with 'ata'.
'Ata nou obeyi, li beni nou'
Even we obey, he blesses us.
Was it perhaps written differently?
Other examples with 'ata':
'Ata nou obeyi, li beni nou'
Even we obey, he blesses us.
Was it perhaps written differently?
Other examples with 'ata':
Ata manman m te nan fèt la.
Even my mom was at the party.
Fim te si tèlman tris, ata Big Joe te kriye.
The movie was so sad, even Big Joe cried.
M t'ap mache si dousman, ata yon ti tòti te mache pi vit pase w.
I was walking so slow, even a little turtle walked faster than me.
Even my mom was at the party.
Fim te si tèlman tris, ata Big Joe te kriye.
The movie was so sad, even Big Joe cried.
M t'ap mache si dousman, ata yon ti tòti te mache pi vit pase w.
I was walking so slow, even a little turtle walked faster than me.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
What is the phrase used to make sure someone is paying attention to a story being told?
Are you paying attention?
Are you following?
W'ap swiv?
or
Eske w'ap swiv?
Eske w'ap swiv?
This question is directed at a single person.
Are you paying attention?
Are you paying attention?
Are you following?
N'ap swiv
or
Eske n'ap swiv?
This question is directed at a group of people.
Creole word for 'remember' - "Remember who you are"
Remember → sonje, chonje
Sonje is Creole for "to remember" and to "miss"
Remember who you are.
Sonje ki moun ou ye.
We will always remember you.
N'ap toujou sonje w.
You may not remember me, but I used to ...
Ou ka pa sonje m, men mwen te konn ....
Do you remember me?
Eske ou sonje m?
Eske ou sonje kilès mwen ye?
Remember to buy milk.
Sonje achte lèt.
Remember me Lord.
Sonje m Senyè
Remember when we use to play like kids?
Ou sonje lè nou te konn jwe tankou timoun?
Do you remember where you put it?
Eske ou chonje kote ou te mete l?
Sonje is Creole for "to remember" and to "miss"
Remember who you are.
Sonje ki moun ou ye.
We will always remember you.
N'ap toujou sonje w.
You may not remember me, but I used to ...
Ou ka pa sonje m, men mwen te konn ....
Do you remember me?
Eske ou sonje m?
Eske ou sonje kilès mwen ye?
Remember to buy milk.
Sonje achte lèt.
Remember me Lord.
Sonje m Senyè
Remember when we use to play like kids?
Ou sonje lè nou te konn jwe tankou timoun?
Do you remember where you put it?
Eske ou chonje kote ou te mete l?
"touche" in 'M pa touche jodi a'? (thank you)
Touche → to get paid, to obtain payment for work done, to have a payday, to collect money
I didn't get paid today.
M pa't touche jodi a.
He didn't pay me, so I did not get paid.
Li pa't peye m. konsa mwen pa't touche.
Today is payday.
Jodi a se jou nou touche.
When will we have a payday?
Kilè n'ap touche?
I get paid biweekly.
Mwen touche chak kenzèn.
I've worked hard, but I haven't received any money.
Mwen travay di, men m poko touche okenn lajan.
Every time Fefe gets paid, he heads straight to the bar.
Chak kou Fefe touche, l'ale tou dwat nan ba a.
I didn't get paid today.
M pa't touche jodi a.
He didn't pay me, so I did not get paid.
Li pa't peye m. konsa mwen pa't touche.
Today is payday.
Jodi a se jou nou touche.
When will we have a payday?
Kilè n'ap touche?
I get paid biweekly.
Mwen touche chak kenzèn.
I've worked hard, but I haven't received any money.
Mwen travay di, men m poko touche okenn lajan.
Every time Fefe gets paid, he heads straight to the bar.
Chak kou Fefe touche, l'ale tou dwat nan ba a.
What is "fè sirèt"?
Mezanmi o!
"fè sirèt" is a mishap that many Creole speakers experience when speaking French. They swap the French "u" for "i", and the "i" for "u".
It sounds awful. It is funny and embarrassing especially for an "intellectual" who's speaking French in a public/social setting.
If this happens while speaking Creole, it's no biggie.
But some Haitians will never forgive you for scorching their ears like that. Some will even make fun of you.
Students have been merciless to teachers trying to teach a class in French when they can't even handle their French.
"Fè sirèt" ~ to speak with a sour mouth
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