Haitian Creole

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Yes, as long as you use it in a negative sentence. It will not translate not...at all with a positive sentence.
ex:
1. Mwen pa renmen sa menm.
I don't like this at all.

2. Li pa pale avè'm menm.
He doesn't talk to me at all.

3. Kisa w'ap regle? Mwen pa wè'w menm?
What are you up to? I don't see you at all.

4. Li ka byen malad. Li pa manje menm.
She may well be sick. She doesn't eat at all.

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Of all the Creole expression made with word nèg, is it possible that one of them is very denigrating. I don't want to use the wrong one.

I think some English speakers might think that there's a connection with the denigrating N word and the word Nèg in Haitian Creole. Or... some people just want to be politically correct.
I haven't seen the Haitian Creole word nèg used in a damning way such as the N word.
The word nèg might translate man (black skin, light skin, or caucasian), black man, or negro. And, it is politically correct in Haiti.

Some of the expressions I can think of (which are used in everyday conversation) are the following:
If you can think of more expression using the H. creole word nèg, please add to the comment section. Thanks.

Grannèg → big shot, rich man

Nèg lespri → smart people with lots of knowledge
Nèg save → same as nèg lespri

Gwo nèg → big guy, brawny, big boned

Bon nèg → good (honest) man (just as move nèg means bad (not trustworthy) man

Neg sòt → stupid fellow

Nèg lakay (nèg natifnatal) → native
Nèg ginen → same as nèg natifnatal

Nèg pa’m → my pal, my buddy, my chum
Nèg mawon → runaway negro

Nèg mòn → country man
Nèg fèy → same as nèg mòn, also people who act clumsily in public
Nèg kannay → an older man who's "robbing the cradle", acting much younger than he looks, dating a much younger person
Nèg vini → a man new to his environment, who hasn't gotten accustomed to his surroundings yet, who's not yet popular in his circle.
etc...

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

I have a hard time knowing when to use "nan" vs. "an" (as prepositions with verbs of motion such as "ale, vini, soti, elatriye"). Any pointers?

Do you mean the prepositions AT, TO, FROM, ETC...?

If yes, then we'd use the Creole NAN.
ex:
1. Mwen t'ale nan yon fèt. (We went to a party.)

2. Nou prale nan legliz la. (We'll go to the church.)

3. Li te vini nan fen fim nan. (He came at the end of the movie.)

4. Nou soti nan yon gran fanmi. (We came from a reputable family.)

As far as AN (let's) is concerned, we'd use it imperatively as in AN NOU (non contracted), AN'N (contracted), or ANN (contracted)
ex:
5. Ann ale. (let's go.)
6. Ann soti deyò a. (let's go outside)
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Is there a creole phrase for "Keep doing what you're doing" (meaning you're already doing the good work, keep it up)

Keep doing what you're doing.
Kontinye fè sa w'ap fè a.

Keep it up, don't let up. (or is it don't let go?)
Kenbe la, pa lage
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How do you say Breakfast , lunch and dinner? I know how to say What do you want to eat? Kisa ou vle manje? or Kisa ou ta renmen manje? but how do you say. What do you want for breakfast/ lunch/ dinner. or We are having __for breakfast/lunch /dinner.

Breakfast → dejene
lunch → manje midi, dine
dinner → dine
supper → soupe
snack → goute, yon ti goute

What do you want for breakfast?
Kisa ou vle pou dejene?

At what time do you want to eat lunch?
A ki lè ou vle pran dine?

What do you want for supper tonight?
Kisa ou vle pou soupe aswè a?

We're having akasan for breakfast.
N'ap bwè Akasan pou dejene.

We're having bouyon for lunch.
N'ap bwè bouyon pou manje midi nou.

We're serving taso for dinner today.
N'ap sèvi taso pou dine jodi a.
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

pale sou lang... to speak in tongues?

non :)

Pale sou lang → to have a lisp.
Pale an lang → to speak in tongues
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

What is the creole word for grandkids? and can you use it in a sentence. Thanks!

grandkids → pitit pitit
grandson → pitit pitit gason
granddaughter → pitit pitit fi

Li te genyen anpil pitit pitit.
He had many grandchildren.

Youn nan pitit pitit li yo te vin vizite li nan lopital la
Youn nan pitit pitit li yo | te vin vizite li | nan lopital la.
One of his grandkids | came to visit him | at the hospital.
One of his grandkids came to visit him at the hospital.

Pitit pitit gason l lan se majistra yon gran vil.
Pitit gason li an se majistra yon gran vil.
His grandson is the mayor of a big city.
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How would you translate this phrase... "Syèl la te debouche..."

Depending on context they may be talking about an outpouring of rain, an abundance of blessing, or the rising of the sun.
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How do you say stop cursing

sispann joure
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Tuesday, October 2, 2012

what does "Wap fait lobey" mean?

lòbèy, tapaj, eskandal piblik.....?

W'ap fè lòbèy.
You're being rowdy.
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

This is my oldest son: Sa se pitit gason pi gran mwen?

This is my oldest son.
Sa se pi gran pitit gason mwen.
Sa se pi gran gason mwen.
Sa se pi gran gason mwen an.
Sa se pi gran gason'm nan.

These are all the different ways you can say this.
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

"ki mirak" meaning

Ki mirak! → (lit: what a miracle), what an unexpected surprise, how unpredictable
It's an expression that people say to express surprise when someone does something unexpected or out of character.
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What is the word for "ago" as in: "a long time ago", "three years ago"?

ago → pase, desa
some time ago → kèk tan pase
three years ago → twazan pase
many years ago → anpil ane pase
a long time ago → lontan, nan tan lontan

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