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Thursday, March 7, 2013

Both, all three, all four, ... all twelve? Thanks

1. Both
    toude
    toulede
    toulède

2. all three
    touletwa

3. all four
    toulekat

4.  Are all five kids yours?
     Eske toulesenk timoun yo se pou ou?

5. I don't want all six, let me just have three.
    M pa vle toulesis, jis ban'm twa sèlman.

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

is there a song to help with remembering the days of the week?

I do know of one song.  I don't think it was made for remembering the days of the week.  And I don't remember which group sings it.  This won't be any help if you don't know the tune,  but I can't be any help there :)
Maybe someone will have something better.

The songs goes:
lendi m'al travay
madi m'al travay
mèkredi m'al travay
jedi m'al travay
vandredi m'al travay
samdi m'al nan mache
dimanch m'al banboche

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Allo zanmim I'm trying to understand "Pale non Seyè. Sèvitè ou la ap koute ou." What does the non mean? Speak now? 1 Samyèl 3:9 Mèsi zanj kreyòl

Bonswa :)

This "non" is more like an "emphatic word".   It doesn't translate as "no" or "now" in English.

"Pale non" will be translated as "Speak."

Here are some other examples:

1. Vini non!
    Come!

2.  Manje non!
     Eat!

3.  Pale avè m non!
     Talk to me!

Sometimes, we use the Creole "Wi" in that same manner.  Some examples.

4.  Mwen renmen l wi.
     I like it.

5. Mwen fini avèk travay la wi.
    I'm done with the job.

6. Mwen prale wi.
    I'm leaving.

See this link here for more examples: Emphatic WI or NON

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Is there a saying for NEVER SAY NEVER instead 'pa janm di jame'?

Try:

Jamè di jamè → never say never

or this expression:
Toutotan tèt ou pa koupe, ou pa ka di w p'ap mete chapo.
As long as you still have your head, you can't say that you won't wear a hat.

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

N ap kenbe dyanm. What is dyanm?

dyanm strong, brave, courageous

yon gason dyanm → a brave or strong man
yon fanm dyanm → a courageous woman.

N'ap kenbe.
N'ap kenbe la.
We're holding on.


N'ap kenbe dyanm.
N'ap kenbe fò.
We're holding strong.

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Is Jezi only spelled Jezi? Is it pronounced Jezi or Jezu? My Haitian born friend says it is pronounced Jezu. I'm pulling my hair out. Mèsi infini.

Padekwa .

It is pronouced Jezi in Creole :)
The person that told you Je-zu is probably still trying to preserve the little french in him :)
Pronouncing Je-zu is for when you're speaking French.

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If I wanted a title that said "Hands for Prayer" would it be "Mens pou Lapriyè". Mesi anpil.

It would be "Men Pou Lapriyè"
Plural words in Creole do not take "s".

Pase bon jounen :)

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The French word for Kisses when signing a letter is Bisous. Is it the same in Haitian creole? Mesi anpil.

kisses, in Creole, would be bizou, beze, bo, bobo, yon ti bo, or yon ti beze

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Wednesday, March 6, 2013

"Right time, Right place"?

1. right time → bon lè

2. right place (correct place) → bon kote

3. What's the best place for....?
    Ki pi bon kote pou ....?

4. What's the best place for a swim around here?
    Ki pi bon kote pou al naje nan zòn sa a?

5. What's the best place to get some griyo?
    Ki pi bon kote m ka jwenn yon ti griyo?

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

How to translate 'to make sense'? "that doesn't make sense!" "life sometimes does not make sense."

to make sense → konfòmen ak lojik, ki fè sans, lojik, rezonab, solid, ki rezonnen, rasyonèl

"That doesn't make sense"
"Sa pa fè sans."
"Sa pa lojik."

"life sometimes does not make sense."
"Pafwa lavi pa fè okenn sans."

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mannèv

manèv (mannèv, demach) - manuever, manipulation, gimmick, scheme

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How do you translate 'it so happens' in Creole?

it so happens - twouve, twouve ke, se trouve

it turns out that - rive ke

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9:31 paske li t'ap moutre disip li yo anpil bagay. Li di yo: -Mwen menm, Moun Bondye voye nan lachè a, mwen pral tonbe anba men lèzòm, yo pral touye mwen. Men, sou twa jou mwen gen pou m' leve soti vivan nan lanmò. Can you translate the words, 'lache' an

lachè means flesh

Moun Bondye voye nan lachè a
The one that God sent in the flesh.
or
The one that was made flesh.

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Is there a national curriculum that teachers must follow in the area of reading and writing? If so, where can I find it? I am interested in kindergarten - 5th grade.

For the kindergarten class at this time, there is no national curriculum (pwogram nasyonal) for reading and writing.  The curriculum starts at the premye ane (first year) which is after kindergarten.  Premye ane starts at six years of age (five, if the child started preschool at two).

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

How do you say "might," as in "I might be able to do that?" Is there a way to indicate that there is UNCERTAINTY here? Also it seems that native Creole speakers use "petet" differently than I would and don't necessarily understand how I use it. Any ideas?

Use ka (kapab or kab) to say might, might be able (see embedded link)
Petèt (maybe, perhaps), in Creole indicates doubt, probability, and possibility like in English.

I might be able to do that.
Mwen ka fè sa.
To add a sure uncertainty, add petèt:
Petèt mwen ka fè sa.

The auxiliary verb "ka" coupled with "petèt" should definitely get your point across:
1.
Petèt li ka fè frèt demen.
It might be cold tomorrow

2.
Li pa reponn telefòn nan.  Petèt li ka deyò.
She didn't answer the phone. She might be out.

Even without adding "petèt",  you can use "ka" on its own to indicate doubt:
3.
Mwen ka vin wè w nan mwa jen an.  M'a gade pou wè.
I might come to see you in June.  I'll see about it.

4.
Nou pa wè li depi de jou.  Li ka malad.
We have not seen him since two days.  He might be ill.

5.
Nou ka pa gen tan pou fè sa.
We may not have time to do that.

6.
Li pa't vini nan reyinyon an.  Li ka te bliye.
She didn't show up at the meeting.  She might have forgotten.

7.
Ou si se sa ou te tande?  Li ka byen te di yo lòt bagay.
You're sure that's what you heard?  She might have said something else.

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