Haitian Creole

Sunday, July 15, 2012

And one more question, I would say "She looks mad" as "Li gade fache."?

You would say Sanble li fache (it seems that she's mad)
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I know you've discussed how to say 'ABOUT'. Let me ask you how best to say "Talk about what you know." Thanks!

Talk about what you know.
Pale sa'w konnen.
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How do you say I took you with all your flaws I wish you could have done the same

I took you with all your flaws. I wish you could have done the same.
Mwen te asepte'w ak tout mès ou yo. Mwen swete ou te kapab fè menm nan.
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Friday, July 13, 2012

When is it proper to use "sa" vs. "sa a". Is "sa a" only used when it appears at the end of the sentence?

Sa a = demonstrative indicator (sa) + the definite article (a)
We say sa a when it's used as a demonstrative adjective or a pronoun to identify a specific person or thing. It may very well be translated as this one or that one.

Sa a is used for singular demonstrative adjectives
this car - machin sa a
this book - liv sa a
that person - moun sa a

In the plural form, the singular definite article "a" will turn into the plural definite article "yo"
these cars - machin sa yo
these books - liv sa yo
those people - moun sa yo

Sa a is also used for singular demonstrative subject pronouns.
Sa a pi bon - This one is better
Sa a pa mi - That one is not ripe
Sa a te tonbe nan dlo. Li mouye. - This one fell in the water. It's wet.

In the plural form, the singular definite article "a" will turn into the plural definite article "yo"

Sa yo pi bon - These are better
Sa yo pa mi - Those are not ripe.
Sa yo te tonbe nan dlo. Yo mouye. - These fell in the water. They are wet.

Sa a is also used for singular demonstrative object pronouns
Mwen vle sa a. - I want that one.
Kite sa a pou mwen. - Leave this one for me.
Mwen pa renmen sa a. - I don't like that one.

In the plural form, the singular definite article "a" will turn into the plural definite article "yo"

Mwen vle sa yo. I want those ones.
Kite sa yo pou mwen. - Leave these for me.
Mwen pa renmen sa yo. - I don't like those.

Sometimes, we do write negligibly and you don't see the article "a" in our sentences.
example:
We write:
Kisa sa vle di?
instead of
Kisa sa a vle di?
What does this one mean? / What does that mean?

We also write:
Kisa sa ye? instead of Kisa sa a ye?
Sere sa pou mwen instead of Sere sa a pou mwen.
etc...
and that is ok.

Here are the ircumstances, below, when we should use Sa instead of Sa a:
When sa is contracted down from kisa, and it translates what, which, whatever, whichever,
We DO NOT / CANNOT write Sa a.

examples:
Sa ou genyen?
Kisa ou genyen?
What's wrong?

Sa ou bezwen?
Kisa ou bezwen?
What do you need?

Sa'w panse?
Kisa'w panse?
What do you think?

Sa sa a vle di?
Kisa sa a vle di
What does that mean?

Sa ou vle, mwen vle tou.
Whatever you want, I want too.

Sa ou fè a pa bon.
The thing that you did is not good.
What you did is not good.

Also, when sa translates It is, it's, this is, that is, that (unspecific)

How's it going?
Kouman sa ap mache?

Sa fè'm mal.
It pains me.
It hurts me.

Si sa pa mache, nou nan ka.
If that doesn't work, we're in deep trouble.

Pa fè sa.
Don't do that.

It's weird. /This is strange.
Sa dwòl.

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How do you say "I'm so happy to hear from you!"

I'm so happy to hear from you!
Mwen si tèlman kontan tande'w!
or
Mwen si tèlman kontan pran nouvèl ou! (I'm so happy to have news of you!)
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What does "bilan" mean as in "Bilan Vwayaj Prezidan Michel Joseph Martelly apre vizit li nan "

Bilan would be end-result, conclusion, introspection, review, assessment, evaluation, statement
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Sorry for the repeat -- I have a Q about the 't' sound in words like 'timoun' and 'piti'. It sounds a little "cute" to me in recordings, perhaps the proper word is "palatalized"? It reminds me of the way "tse tse fly" is pronounced. Is this normal?

Hi :)

Yes it is normal when "t" is placed in front "i", "in", "im" and "y", as in:
soutyen (brassiers)
kretyen (Christian)
soti (to go out)
senti (waist)
tetin (baby's feeding bottle's nipple)
viktim (victim)
etc...

But you'll find that it doesn't happen when "t" is placed before the other vowels a, à, an, e, è, en, o, ò, on, ou as in:
reta (tardiness)
soutàn (cassok)
pantan (startled)
rete (to stay)
vètè (earthworm)
maten (morning)
manto (coat)
tò (at fault)
manton (chin)
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...Like my haitian mommy would say, "stay inside" (Creole)

Like my Haitian mom would say, "Stay inside".
Kon di manman Ayisyen'm nan, "Rete anndan".

Like my mom used to say.....
Kon manman'm konn di ...
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can you do me a favor? (Creole)

Can you do me me a favor?
Eske ou ka fè'm yon favè?
Eske ou ka rann mwen yon sèvis?

Do me a favor please.
Fè'm yon favè tanpri.
Rann mwen yon sèvis tanpri.

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i hear people say kom menm all the time. does it mean something like despite, or even though... is it similar to saying menm si

kanmenm → at any rate, in any case, by any means, nevertheless, anyway

Even if it rains we'll meet anyway
Menm si li fè lapli n'ap rasanble kanmenm.

He's a pain in the neck, but we love him anyway.
Li se yon pongongon, men nou renmen li kanmenm.
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Thursday, July 12, 2012

I'm late (Creole)

I'm late (I'm running late)
Mwen anreta.
or
M'anreta.
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Are okenn, nenpòt, and pyès as "any" interchangeable or are there specific use cases for each?

No. They are not interchangeable. (at least not with nenpòt)
Nenpòt basically translates any
Okenn and Pyès basically translate not any

Nènpòt (any, whichever)
Okenn (not any, no, none, no one) and Pyès (not any, none, not at all) are mostly used with negative sentences in H. Creole.

Nenpòt → any; and that includes: nenpòt kisa (anything, whatever), nenpòt kilès (anyone, whoever), nenpòt kote (anywhere), nenpòt jan (anyway, anyhow), nenpòt fason (anyway, any manner, whichever way), etc..

1. Nenpòt kote ou deside ale, mwen va ale tou.
Whereever you decide to go, I'll go too.

2. Nenpòt jan ou vle li, w'ap jwenn li..
Anyway you want it, you'll get it.
Whichever way you want it, you'll get it.

3. Nenpòt moun kapab li liv sa.
Anyone can read this book.

4. Nenpòt moun pa kapab vin prezidan Etazini.
Not everyone can become president of the USA.

Okenn and Pyès → No, No one, Not any, None, none at all

5. Pa gen pyès moun ki ka di'l sa pou'l fè.
No one can tell him what to do.

6. Pyès moun pa't kwè'l.
No one believed her.

7. Mwen p'ap deplase pyès.
I will not move at all.
I will not move a muscle.

8. Nou pa gen okenn lajan.
We have no money.

9. Okenn moun pa vini.
No one came.

10. Yo pa't ban nou okenn avètisman.
They gave us no warning at all.

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