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Thursday, September 13, 2012

how do you say car windshield in creole

How do you say "it is cheaper" ?

cheap → bon mache
cheaper → pi bon mache
it is cheaper → li pi bon mache

It is cheaper in the other store.
Li pi bon mache nan lòt magazen an.
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

I'm not sure what this verb form is called... but I'm looking for the grammar of things like: ...are being broken.. ...are being taught... ...are being eaten... etc.

What you have it here is the PASSIVE VOICE in the  (present) PROGRESSIVE FORM.
You won't find this in Haitian Creole.  You will find the ACTIVE VOICE in Creole:

I am being eaten alive.
Y'ap manje mwen tou vivan.

I am being watched.
Y'ap siveye mwen.
or
Gen yon moun k'ap siveye mwen.

I am being replaced in my job.
Yo ap ranplase mwen nan travay mwen an.
Y'ap ranplase'm nan travay mwen an.

I'm being abused by my wife.
Madanm mwen ap abize'm.

See other posts  about active voice / passive voice
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

what does koutwazi mean?

Eske koutwazi oubyen bon lizay pa ta endike ke lè pasaje ap moute kamyonèt sou gran wout, yo ta dwe kite fanm yo monte anvan? Se pa ti bouskilad mwen te pran lotrejou lè mwen t'ap seye moute yon taptap.

Mwen pa fin twò save nan zafè savoir-vivre ak bon etikèt non, men mwen panse genyen yon tan pou chak bagay.  Yon ti koutwazi ta bon vre, men si gen yon gwoup 20 fanm ak 2  nèg ap tann yon kamyonèt, enpi nèg yo tonbe ap fè galan, kite fanm yo monte nan chak kamyonèt chaje ki pase, enben mesye yo p'ap janm gen chans monte non.  Yo p'ap janm gen mwayen rive nan destinasyon yo.
Mwen ta panse nan yon sitiyasyon konsa, se kite sa ki te la anvan monte an premye.
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

I searched your lessons on possessives but couldn't find this: what is the difference between "kay mwen" and "kay pa mwen"? Is there any difference in meaning or where they are used?

Grammatically,
mwen, in kay mwen, means my and is a possessive adjective.
Sa se kay mwen.
This is my house.

and,
pa mwen, in kay pa mwen, means mine and is a possessive pronoun.
Sa se kay pa mwen. (non contracted)
Sa se kay pa'm. (contracted)
This house is mine.
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words


what does KEM mean

Chak ti gout dlo plizyé milyon Ayisyen itilize pou yo bwé fók yal bouske tribòbabò dlo, ki kab kòz disantri.eske fraz sa kòrék

You're trying to say, "Every drop of water that many millions of Haitian use to drink, they must go fetch from different places water that may cause dysentery"?

Li kòrèk konsa:
"Chak ti gout dlo plizyè milyon Ayisyen itilize pou yo bwè, fòk y'al bouske tribòbabò dlo ki kab koze dizantri."
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words
 

"Men, sa map tann pou mwen kòmanse chèche vre rezon ki fè m'la, lakòz ki fè mwen rete kole sou teren lavi."

But, what am I waiting for to start looking for the real reason I'm here, the reason that keeps me stuck on the  terrain of life
or
But what am I waiting for to start looking for the real reason I'm here, the reason that keeps me clinging to life????

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

In a recent post, you wrote "Eske ou ka ban mwen'l a yon pi ba pri." The use of "a" to me in this seems a bit Frenchy? Can you state some other constructions that use "a" in this way?

Yes, your observations are right.
You're talking about the French preposition "à".

You'll also see this preposition "a" when Creole speakers indicate time:
Nou vini a midi.
We came at noon.

Yo te rive a lè. (also 'alè' from French 'à l'heure')
They arrived on time.

N'ap koumanse a sizè.
We'll start at six o'clock.

Creole speakers might use it when talking about distances.
Pye bwa a te a yon distans twa pye konsa.
The tree was at about a three-feet distance.

Also when talking about manner or mode
Machin nan t'ap kouri a tout vitès. (from French à toute vitesse)
The car was going at great speed.

Others instances that you'll find may be written as one word in Creole.
alamen (from French à la main) by hand
Yo te koud li alamen.
It was sewn by hand.

apye (from French à pied) on foot;
Mwen t'ale travay apye paske machin mwen anpàn.
I walked to work because my car is broken down.

afòs (from french à force de) → by dint of
Afòs mwen te mache pye'm fè'm mal.
I walked so much my feet hurt

akoz (from French à cause de)because of
Reyinyon an ap fèt anndan akoz lapli a.
The meeting will go on indoors because of the rain.

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

where is L'azile locate in Haiti

Did you try Google map?
http://www.olgp.net/ministry/haiti/lasile/lasile.htm
http://www.maplandia.com/haiti/grand-anse/l-asile/

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

do you know a free translation site that is accurate from English to haitian creole

Free and accurate most of the time, that's Google Translate
Freelang.net does word translation
The next best thing is human translation.
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

do you know where i can find the haitian creole version of 'How Great Is Our God' by Chris Tomlin. I went to haiti this summer and i love this version of the song but i can't seem to find it anywhere


I have not been able to find a more complete lyrics for this song.
What I have found so far translates the English portion below.
I figure that posting this with a request that anyone familiar with the full Creole lyrics may post it in the comment section.  We would greatly appreciate it :)

Si yon moun konnen chante sa a an Kreyòl (Bondye Nou an Gran), tanpri ekri li nan seksyon kòmantè a pou nou. Nou va apresye sa anpil. Mèsi.

Bondye nou an gran
Chante avèk mwen, Bondye gran
Tout moun kapab wè
Koman Bonye gran

Non li pi wo tout lòt non
Li trè diy, pou nou louwe’l
E ke mwen chante
Bondye nou au gran

How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God

Name above all names
Worthy of our praise
My heart will sing
How great is our God

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

In saying "I am very hurt by this" (hurt as in mentally bruised), I know that the Creole translation for hurt is 'blese'. Is there a better way to say this other than 'mwen blese pou sa'?

Yes, you can say:

Sa te atriste'm anpil. (This saddened me a lot)
or
Sa te fwase'm anpil. (I was very offended by this)

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

How would you phrase the following?: -That's too much -That's too expensive -Can you make it cheaper? -What would you like to call me?

That's too much.
Sa twòp.
Li twòp.

That's too expensive.
Sa twò chè.
Li twò chè.

Can you make it cheaper?
Eske ou ka desann pri a? (Can you lower the price?)
Eske ou ka ban mwen'l a yon pi ba pri? (Can you give it to me at a lower price?)

What would you like to call me?
Kijan ou ta renmen rele'm?

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words