Intensifiers on ?s "What on earth do you mean?" or "How in creation do you expect me to do that?" or "Who in the world do you think you are?" or "Why on earth would she ask you to join them?" or "Where on earth could Casey have learned such behavior?"

Some intensifiers in H. Creole are: anpil anpil, menm, ojis, wi, non, trè trè, some double wording

1. What on earth do you mean?
     Kisa w vle di menm?

2. What in the world do you think you are?
     Kisa w panse ou ye menm?

3. Come quick.  This is extremely important.
    Vini vit.  Sa trè trè enpòtan.

4. I really did my homework.
    M te fè devwa mwen wi.

5.  I swear to you I did not see anything.
     Mwen sèmante, mwen pa't wè anyen non.

6. So, what exactly do you want from me?
    Kidonk, sa'w vle nan men m ojis?

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

What's the point? "What's the point in getting my doctorate degree when I will be considered overqualified for the position that I want at my job."

Yeah, What's the point?!
I'll tell you what's the point.... Akwabon!, Ki nesesite!

Akwabon lavi!
Akwabon m'al lekòl, si m p'ap jwenn dyòb demen?!
Akwabon m'ap travay si m p'ap touche?!
Akwabon w kontinye al lekòl si w p'ap etidye?!
Akwabon!  Ki nesesite!

"What's the point in getting my doctorate degree when I will be considered overqualified for the position that I want at my job."
"Akwabon m pran doktora mwen si kalifikasyon m pou pozisyon mwen vle nan travay la ap sipase."

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

You are so very helpful with your answers! One quick question; what is the word in Kreyol for "vibration"? As in a rocket's vibration in a silo. I am thinking "vibratsyon". Am I right? Thank you so much.

Anfòm :)

vibration (as in vibration in a silo) → vibrasyon, tranbleman, soukad, soukous

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

Bon Jou! Could you please tell me when it is appropriate to use "ye" and when it is appropriate to use "se"? I understand ye when I read and hear it but don't understand how to start using it myself. Mesi anpil!

One of the places you can start using it is when asking certain types of questions with kilès (who), kisa (what), kote (where), kilè (when), kouman (how), and using the verb to be.

some examples:

1. Kilès ou ye? (who are you)
2. Kilè li ye? (Who is he?)
3. Kilè fèt la ye? (when is the party?)
4. Kilè batèm nan ye menm? (When is the baptism?)
5. Kote fèt la ye? (Where is the party?)
6. Kote ou ye? (Where are you)
7. Kouman manman w  ye? (How's your mom?)
8. Kouman timoun ou yo ye? (How are your kids?)
9. Kisa sa frenk ye? (What the hell is this?)
10. Kisa ou vle mwen ye? (What do you want me to be?)

As far as "SE" is concerned, here's a good way to start using it as the following comment suggested:
noun-adjective combination
Mwen kontan. (I am happy)
Mwen bouke. (I m tired)
Mwen grangou. (I am hungry)

and for a noun-noun combination
Mwen se yon elèv. (I am a student)
Mwen se yon kretyen vivan. (I am a human being)
Li se yon ti zwazo. (It is a bird.)

Shane WendelSeptember 1, 2012 at 3:50 PM

I think they're talking about the implied "to be" such as in "Mwen kontan" instead of "Mwen se kontan".

I believe the general answer is that that when it's a noun-adjective combo it's usually an implicit "to be" and when it's a noun-noun combo it's usually explicit such as "Mwen se yon dokte" - I am a doctor.

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

'To blame' as a verb. "He blames the popular kids and the jocks for making him have a terrible high school experience." Also, put the blame on, pin the blame on , lay the blame on? verbal expressions for those? maybe?

to blame (lay blame on, accuse, hold responsible, etc...) → akize, repwoche, bay tò, bay (subject) tò, blame, blanmen

egz:
1. Moun ki fè zak la, se pa li yo bay tò.
    The person who commits the act is not the one who was held responsible.

2. Poukisa w'ap blanmen m pou yon bagay ki pa menm fòt mwen?
    Why are you blaming me for something that's not even my fault?

3. Se konsa li ye.  Li toujou ban m tò pou tout sa ki rive.
    That's how he is.  He always blames me for everything that happens.

4.  Ou dwe konprann ke mwen pa ba w tò pousa ki pase w la.  Se pa fòt ou.
      You must understand that I don't blame you for what happened to you.  It's not your fault.

5.  Si yo fè kadejak sou fanm nan, se pa li pou n bay tò.
     or
     Si yo fè kadejak sou fanm nan, se pa pou nou ba li tò.
     If the women has been raped, one must not blame her.

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

In "M ka di ou ke sa a vande gran.", what translates the second "a" in "sa a". By the way, is this sentence correct? Mesi anpil.

The "a" is a definite article. It automatically comes with "sa a" meaning this, that, this one, that one see link.

And, do you mean to sell, or to cost when you say "vande"?

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

vin potem soukou is about the same as ede, right?

Wi.  Se sa wi.

Vin pote m sekou!
Come to my rescue!
Help me!

Anmweyy! Anmweyy! sekou! vin pote m sekou! 
Help!  Help me!  (basically)

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

Willing? "I am willing to leave at once if that is what you want." or "The manager is willing to speak to you."

To be willing → prepare, dispoze, vle,  pran desizyon

1. Eske ou dispoze vwayaje si yo ofri w pozisyon an?
    Are you willing to travel if you were offered the position?

2. "I am willing to leave at once if that is what you want."
    "Mwen prepare pou m kite tousuit si se sa w vle.

3. "The manager is willing to speak to you."
    "Manadjè a dispoze pou pale avè w.

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

On the one hand...on the other hand...construction? "On the one hand, he's delighted to have been offered this job in Tampa, but on the other hand, he's sad to have to go so far away."

On the other hand → dayè, poudayè, pakont

Janjan pa yon nèg entelijan, men sè l la pakont se yon jeni.
Janjan is not smart, but his sister on the other hand is a genius

on the one hand .... on the other hand → yon kote / yon bò .... yon lòt kote / yon lòt bò

Yon kote mwen kontan ou prale nan kolèj la, men lòt kote a m'ap tris lè m wè ou ale.
On the one hand I happy you're going away to college, but on the other hand I'll be sad to see you go.

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

Is "oganizasyon" pronounced "o-ga-ni-za-syon", or "o-gan-i-za-syon"? In other words, is there a nasal vowel in the "gan"; if so, should not there be two "n's" in the word to represent the nasal vowel? Maybe I am being too phonetic with this. Mesi anpil

Pa gen pwoblèm :)
It is pronounced the first way, as you have it:  "o-ga-ni-za-syon"

Kenbe la pi rèd.

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

Kisa w'ap tann? → What are you waiting for?

1.
Kisa w'ap tann?
Kisa w'ape tann?
Sa w'ap tann?
What are you waiting for?

2.
Kimoun w'ape tann?
Kimoun w'ap tann?
Kilès w'ap tann?
Who are you waiting for?

3.
Ki kote ou va tann mwen?
Where will you wait for me?

4.
Tann mwen!
Rete tann mwen!
Ret tann mwen!
Wait for me

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

How does one translate these sentences? "Jim has as little food as Sam." or They've got as little water as we have." or "We'll return your file in as little as 12 hours." This comparative construction is opposite of 'as much as'

I don't think we should talk 'opposites' here. As little as (no more than, not over, within), or as much as (however much) are used in different ways.  And they are also different from when comparing quantities.
1.
I'll be back in as little as 2 hours.
M'ap tounen nan dezèdtan.

2.
You can buy a radio for as little as five bucks.
Ou kapab achte yon radyo pou pa plis pase senk dola.

3.
This song is so easy, kids as little as five can play it on a guitar.
Chante sa a tèlman fasil, timoun ki gen pa plis pase senkan kapab jwe li sou yon gita.


And using as much as, in that sense:

4.
You can eat as much as you want.
Ou kapab manje mezi w vle.

5. 
As much as we don't want to admit it, there seems to be no hope for the country.
Malgre  nou pa vle admèt sa, sanble pa gen espwa pou peyi a.
   
6.
As much as I want to help you, my hands are tied.
Malgre jan m ta vle ede w, men m mare.

And using these for comparing quantities, I would say:

as much as, as little as → menm mezi, menm valè, menm fòs, menm kantite, menm, menm ak, 
7.
Jim has as little food as Sam.
Jim gen menm valè manje ak Sam

8.
They have as little water as we have.
Yo gen menm mezi dlo avè nou.

9. 
I have as little food as you do, so I can't share mine with you.
M gen menm fòs manje avè w, kidonk m pa ka pataje pa'm nan avè w.

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

Hi,Mandalay!(Love your site!) What is the difference, if any, between "rale" and "rache"? If I "rale cheve mwen" am I pulling it out?

Mèsi :)

rale → to pull, to yank
rache → to rip off, to pull up, to tear out

Rale cheve doesn't necessarily mean to pull it out. Maybe some people like to play with their hair and pull them (rale yo) without yanking them out (rache yo).  Or maybe it's someone else doing the pulling... O O mezanmi!  I'm not even going to ask :)

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

What are some verbs for 'to cram'? "He stayed up all night cramming(swotting, mugging) for the final exam and then slept right through it." Also what are some verbal expressions for 'to pull an all-nighter'? "I pulled an all-nighter to study for my math."

to cram → bachote, bat bèt

1. "He stayed up all night cramming for the final exam."
     "Li pase tout nuit la ap bachote pou egzamen final la."


to pull an allnighter → bat nayt, pase yon nuit blanch

2. "I pulled an all-nighter to study for the math exam."
     "M pase yon nuit blanch ap etidye pou egzamen matematik la."

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

"Koute yon lot fwa anko." or should it be "Koute yon lot fwa." Or , are both correct? Mesi.

Both are correct H. Creole grammar.

Koute m yon lòt fwa.
Listen to me one more time 

Koute m yon lòt fwa ankò.

Listen to me one more time again.

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