Mandaly, kilès ou pa ka viv san li: lapè nan tèt oubyen lapè nan vant?

O O!  Lè mwen te fèk wè kesyon sa, mwen panse li te fasil.  Men apre anpil kalkil, mwen wè li difisil.
 Mwen panse mwen bezwen toulede pou'm viv.
Si'm pa gen lapè nan vant mwen, se gwo tèt chaje. Grangou va touye'm.
Si'm pa gen lapè nan tèt mwen, se pi gwo tèt chaje. Chagren va touye'm.

To live without either one would be tough for me. But if I had to choose I think I'll chose to live with lapè nan tèt (peace of mind, and tranquility).

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

How would you say: "work hard" "I feel so much better now"

work hard →  travay di, fè kòve, and also bourike
example:
I'm working hard.
M'ap travay di.
M'ap fè kòve.
or
M'ap bourike.

I feel so much better now.
Mwen miyò kounye a.
Mwen fè mye kounye a.

I have recovered (from an illness)
Mwen gaya.
Mwen refè.


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

travay rete travay, pa dwe gen moun pa nan kesyon travay.

Is this a slogan?
Is this the whole sentence?
Is there the word "ki" after the word "moun"?

Travay, rete travay. Pa dwe gen moun ki pa nan kesyon travay....?
Work, keep working.  Everyone should work.

That's how I'm reading this..
Anybody see this differently?  Thanks.
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

elus ...?

Did you see this in a Creole sentence? or French?
As a noun this could mean the redeemed, the chosen ones
As a adjective this could mean chosen or elected
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Just checking here, in "Projè a tonbe nan dlo", TONBE NAN DLO in this sentence means that the project did not materialize?

Wi, se sa wi.
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It's kind of sad that I have to ask an English question on the Kreyol site, but what is the difference between an intransitive and transitive verb?

It's not sad.  It's a little funny :)
I can tell you what I know about transitive and intransitive verbs.  How about that?

transitive verbs are action verbs that must have a direct object.
example:
I read a book. (read is action verb; a book is direct object)
He drinks beer. (drinks is action verb; beer is direct object)

intransitive verbs are action verbs that are expressed without a direct object.
example:
He frowned.
She died.

It's helpful to know which H. Creole verbs are used as transitive or intransitive verbs.
Some verbs in H. Creole can be used as both
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

How would you say for your own good, as in "it's for your own good"?

I am understanding this as something like 'It's for your well-being.' Right?
We usually say: For your own good → pou byen w
and sometimes we'd also say: pou avantaj ou, or pou benefis ou

It's for your own good.
Se pou byen'w.
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Is there another way to say ELDERLY other than GRANMOUN?

Yes. You can say pèsonaj, vyeya, or yon moun aje.
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

I am looking for examples of idioms in Creole. Phrases that when translated literally would not be understood very well. For example in English one can say, "I have a bone to pick" which has nothing to do with picking bones, but about confronting someon

I can think of a few.  Here they are:

1.
gate san (used as a transitive verb)
literally: spoil blood
meaning: upset
Ou ap gate san'm.
You're upsetting me.

2.
Sou de chèz (used as adverb)
Literally:  on two chairs
meaning: thoroughly, in depth, in great details, quickly
M'ap ba ou li sou de chèz.
I'll give it to you in great details.

3.
Chape poul (used as verb)
Literally: to escape one's chicken
meaning: to escape, to run away, to flee
Li te chape poul li.
He ran away.

4.
al bwa chat ( used as inrtansitive verb)
Literally: go wood cat
Meaning: to die.
L'al bwa chat. or (l'al bwachat)
He died.

5.
Ale nan peyi san chapo (used as intransitive verb)
Literally: go in country without hat
meaning: to die.
Li ale nan peyi san chapo.
He died.

6.
achte figi (used as transitive verb)
Literally: to buy one's face
meaning: to flatter someone
Mwen p'ap achte figi'w.
I will not flatter you.

7.
met dlo nan diven (used as verb)
Literally: put water in wine
Meaning: calm down, simmer down, relax
Si'w pa met dlo nan diven'w, wa di bagay ou pa dwe di.
If you don't calm down, you'll say things you're not supposed to say.

8.
pran nan twa wa (used as intransitive verb)
literally: take in three kings
meaning: to be in trouble, to be stuck, to be in a jam
Mwen pran nan twa wa.
I'm in a jam.

9.
pran fil (used as intransitive verb)
literally: take thread 
meaning: to succeed, to become popular, to flourish
Biznis li a pran fil.
Her business is flourishing.

10.
rache zèb anba pye (used as transitive verb) 
literally: cut grass under someone's feet
meaning: prevent someone from succeeding
Fè atansyon ak Fito, se zèb l'ap koupe anba pye'w.
Be careful of Fito, he's trying to make you fail.

11.
tet nèg (used as adjective)
literally: head of man
meaning: expensive
Mont sa koute tèt nèg.
This watch is expensive.

12.
Bat laponyèt (used as intransitive verb)
literally: beat arm (wrist)
meaning: masturbate
Gason kanson pa bat laponyèt.
Real man don't masturbate. (this is just a sentence example)

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

Se pa fot mwen...?

Se pa fòt mwen.
It's not my fault.

1 comment:

1. 
   AnonymousSeptember 15, 2012 1:38 PM

   How would you say "whose fault is it?". Is it "ki fault se ye?"

   
   

   Whose fault is it?

   Fòt kilès li ye?

   or

   Fòt ki moun li ye?

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

koman ou kapab interest mwen nan kontinye pou aprann creole? Eske ou kapab ede mwen to continue aprann?

Li sanble w'ap mande'm pou nouri anbisyon ou pou aprann lang Kreyòl la....eske se sa?
Si se sa, Adye Bondye o!, chay sa ta twò lou pou'm pote.  Mwen pa gen tout pouvwa sa.
Kèlkeswa rezon ki te fè'w koumanse a, se li ki pou fè'w kontinye.
Anplis, ou p'ap janm kapab aprann pale yon lang etranje pou kont ou.  Si ou pa gen zanmi ki pou ede'w pratike lang nan, yon klas ki gen elèv menm jan avè'w ki pou ankouraje'w, ak yon pwofesè ki pou gide'w, ou va tonbe dekouraje lè materyèl w'ap aprann yo koumanse vin difisil. Mwen swete'w anpil ankourajman zanmi.  Kenbe la, pa lage.
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Dante said in his monumental work "Non ti curar di lor ma guarda e passa" which vle di in english "Let us not speak of them, but look, and pass." or "Don't care about them, just look and go on." how to say it in kreyol

"Let us not speak of them, but look and pass"
"An nou pa pale osijè yo, men gade e pase."

"Don't care about them, just look and go on."

"Pa okipe yo, sèlman gade e kontinye."

Marco Pellitteri has left a new comment on your post "Dante said in his monumental work "Non ti curar di...": 

The correct verse is “Non ragioniam di lor, ma guarda e passa”, that is, “let us not reflect about them, but watch and move on”. Inferno, Canto III.
I suppose you have now the chance to update and correct this post... :-)
Marco from Italy 

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

What is the Haitian term for a baby sitter?

babysitter, nanny → gadò timoun
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Is that so?

Se konsa?
Se sa l ye?
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Ke'm

Ti cheri a,
KE'M, san kontèks, ka vle di anpil bagay.
Si ou te ban mwen fraz kote li soti a, petèt mwen ta genyen yon lide sou sa li vle di egzateman.  Mèsi wi!
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words