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Sunday, October 28, 2012

"Hurry up, get a move on" (in Creole)

Hurry up!
Fè vit!
Prese!
Pa fè reta!
or 
Fè vit non!
Prese non!

Get a move on!
Leve pye!
Depeche w!
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

I need to clear up some issues with past tense: "I studied Creole 2 years ago." (suggesting I have not since then) "I have not studied Creole for 2 years." "I have been studying for 2 years."

I studied Creole 2 years ago. 
Mwen te etidye Kreyòl dezan pase.

I have not studied Creole for two years.
Mwen pa etidye Creole depi dezan.

I have been studying Creole for two years.
M'ap etidye Creole depi dezan.
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words


happy wedding anniversary my love forever. 8 years

wedding anniversary
anivèsè maryaj

Happy anniversary my love forever - 8 years
Bòn anivèsè maryaj lanmou mwen pou tout tan - uitan

Did you mean
Happy anniversary my everlasting love - for 8 wonderful years
Bòn anivèsè maryaj lanmou enfini mwen -  pou uit bèl ane.

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

I am "8" years old

I am "8" years old.
Mwen gen "uitan".

I am thirty years old.
Mwen gen trantan.

I was twenty-seven when I got married.
Mwen te gen vennsetan lè'm te marye.

I will be forty in two weeks.
M pral gen karantan nan de semèn.
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Se sa minm. mpa tande w nan peyi a minm frem. nap we si bondie vle.

Se sa menm!
That's right!
You got it!

M pa tande w nan peyi a menm frè m.  N'ap wè si Bondye vle.
I haven't heard from you at all on my end.  I'll see you God willing.
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Saturday, October 27, 2012

How do you use the expression "pa mande Bondye"

Pa mande BondyeGod forbid!, Heaven forbid!

1. Pa mande Bondye yon bagay ta rive'w pandan ou sou siveyans mwen.  Papa'w pa ta janm padonnen m.
    God forbid that something should happen to you on my watch.  Your father would never forgive me.

2. Li panse li se chèf mwen. Pa mande Bondye m ta sòti san pèmisyon l,  li ta fin anraje!
    He thinks he owns me.  Heaven forbid if I go out without his permission, he would hit the roof!
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Si'm te konnen toujou dèyè ...(in English please)

Yes unfortunately.
Four little syllables I really hate to say.
Si'm te konnen (If I had known) ...
But when I always do my best, there's absolutely no need to say it.  I'll only understand that some things are just not meant to be.

Si'm te konnen toujou dèyè (H. Creole expression)
If I had known is always behind. (literally)
Regret always comes after the fact.
Regret always comes too late.
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

What is the "bon jou" meaning in this sentence: "...si gen Bondye ak ki jou ki bon jou Bondye a."

bon jou (good day), here, seems to mean the Day Of The Lord or a day for worship
I am not sure which one the writer meant.

... ki jou ki bon jou Bondye a ...
... which day is the good day of the Lord (literally)
... which day is the day of the Lord 

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

from Bèbè Golgota pg 54, "Malgre y ap pale ansanm, youn pa t sou bò lòt." What does "sou bò lòt" mean? Thank you!

sou bò (expression) → to be interested in, to hold one's attention

Mwen pa sou bò ou.
I am not interested in you.

Li pa menm sou bò ou.
He is not even interested in you.

Malgre y ap pale ansanm, youn pa't sou bò lòt.
Even though they were talking together , one was not interested in the other. (literally)
Though they were speaking to each other, one had no interest in the other.

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


how do you say "i want to be a doctor"

I want to be a doctor.
Mwen vle vin yon doktè.

Please, see link: I want to be a
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

When the verbs lese-frape are put together what does it mean?

lese frape → pushing and shoving; usually happens in an excitable group of people at a gathering.  People use their body to push, shove, slam and bang on each other which inevitably can lead to a group fight. It can be used as verb or noun.

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

What does 'nan kad' and 'an palan de' mean and how would you use them in a sentence?

Keep in mind that kad,  from French cadre,  means frame, enclosure, border

nan kad → in the category of, in association with, in the inner circle, about, in the subject of
mete nan kad → to classify, to categorize

1. Ou mete'm nan kad moun ki pa serye.
     You put me in the circle of people who are not serious.
     You associate me with people that are unreliable.

2. Mwen poko gen yon repons sou kesyon nan kad zafè finans lan.
     I don't yet have an answer for the questions regarding finances.

3.  Ou pa nan kad moun sa yo.  Ou pi bon pase sa.
     You are not in the category of these people. ...
     Yon don't belong with these people.  You're better than that.
_________________

an palan de (anpalan de) → speaking of, speaking of which, concerning, by the way

4. Anpalan de Jackie, eske w te wè li?
    Speaking of Jackie, have you seen her?

5. Anpalan de lajan, eske w ka di m kilè m'ap touche?
    Speaking of money, can you tell me when I'll get paid?

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

How would you say 'way over there'? He is standing way over there.

way over there → jis laba a, jouk laba a

He is standing way over there.
Li kanpe jouk laba a.

Why did you go sit way over there?
Poukisa w'al chita jis laba a?
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

What does this mean? "sa l ye la menm" (Creole)

Sa l ye la menm?
Kisa li ye la menm? (uncontracted)
What is this there even? (literally)
What is this?
What the heck is this?
What the heck do you think this is?
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Friday, October 26, 2012