Lespri nou byen dispoze, men se kò nou ki fèb. ( Can you translate the above to English ?) Kamsa hamnida

Lespri nou byen dispoze, men se kò nou ki fèb.
Ou spirit is determined (or motivated), but it's our body that is weak. (literally)
Ou spirit is willing, but our body is weak.

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

joli madanm :) "Fouti" is translated as "not able to" based on what you wrote. So I'm reading this sentence (Jan li jenn nan li pa fouti papa l) as (He's not able to be his father) or (He's not able to be a father)? and what is JAN here?

It sounds to me like "He could not be his/her father"

Here are some examples:

1.  Jan mesye sa a jenn nan, li pa fouti papa w.
      The way this man is young, he could not be your father (Lit.)
     This man is so young, he could not be your father.

2. Jan yo t'ap mache men nan men an, yo p'at fouti frè ak sè.
    For the way they were walking hand in hands, they could not be brother and sister.

3. Jan l t'ap desann byè yèreswa a, li pa t'ap  fouti al travay nan demen.
    For the way he was gobbling down beers last night, he could not have gone to work the next day.
    or does the English says: "He could not have been able to go to work..." (I'm not sure :)

4.  Jan w t'al dòmi ta, m konnen ou pa t'ap fouti leve bonè.
     For how you went to bed so late, I know you could not have woken up early.
      You went to bed so late, I know you could not have woken up early.

5. Jan yo te damou an, nou pa't fouti kwè yo te kite vrèman.
    For the way they were in love, we could not believe that they had really broken up.
    They were so much in love, we could not believe that they had really broken up.

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

"Se tout sa" (m genyen) (in English)

1. Se tout sa m genyen.
    That's all I have.

2. Se tout sa n genyen.
    That's all we have.

3.  Eske se tout sa w genyen?
     Is that all you have?

4.  Se tout sa m genyen pou m di.
     That's all I have to say.

5.  Se tout sa m'ap pran avè m.
     That's all I'll take with me.

6.  Se tout sa mwen vle.
     That's all I want.

7.  Se tout sa m te wè.
     That's all I saw.

8.  Se tout sa nou bezwen.
     That's all we need.

9.  Se tout?
     Eske se tout?
     Is that all?

10.  Wi, se tout?
       Yes, that's all.

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

"san wete san mete"

san wete san mete (pa plis pa mwens) → no more no less, exactly, no more than that

1. Tanpri remèt mwen san dola m nan san wete san mete.
     Please reimburse me my one hundred bucks. I want no more no less.

2.  Tout sa m mande, se pou w ban m sa w dwe m nan, san wete san mete.
      All I ask is that you give me what you owe me. I don't want more than that.

3.  Jounalis la bay nouvèl la nan bon ti manmit, san wete san mete.
     The journalist gave the news as it is, without adding to it or taking away from it.

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

M’ape rantre Ayiti jedi pwochen. Hi, Madaly, can you please explain this contraction ? "M'ape" kamsa hamnida ( mesi anpil)

"ape", like "ap" is the determiner for the progressive forms (and also future form)
We use either one (ap or ape)

We can say:
1.
M'ap chante.
or
M'ape chante
I'm singing.

2. 
Li mèt nenpòt pri, n'ap peye l.
or
Li mèt nenpòt pri, n'ape peye l.
It may be any price we'll pay for it.
Whatever the price we'll pay for it.

3.
Bebe a grangou.  Se poutèt sa l'ap kriye.
or
Bebe a grangou. Se poutèt sa l'ape kriye.
The baby is hungry.  That's why he's crying.


We may also use it in negative sentences.

4.
Mwen p'ap janm retounen nan peyi sa a ankò.
or
Mwen p'ape janm retounen nan peyi sa a ankò.
I'll never return to this country again.

5.
Nou p'ap fè dèyè, men n'ap fè douvan.
or
Nou p'ape fè dèyè, men n'ape fè douvan.
We will not go back, but we'll go forward.


You may use it in question form.
6.
Eske w'ap vini legliz avèk mwen?
or
Eske w'ape vini legliz avèk mwen?
Are you coming to church with me?

7.
Poukisa y'ap kriye?
or
Poukisa y'ape kriye?
Why are they crying?

See link: Present progressive marker

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

M'ape Rantre Ayiti (AUDIO)

Download link for this audio:
Click here to download…

To listen to this audio click on the PLAY button and follow along :)
 

-Alo?

-Bonjou Fanfan.  Kijan w ye?

-Bonjou …se kilès sa a?

   Hello.... who is this?

-Se Joujou...

   It's Joujou.

-O Joujou!  Sa’k pase?  Mwen gen kèk tan m pa tande w.  Sa’w regle?

  oh Joujou! How are you doing?  I haven't heard from you in a while.  What are you up to?

-M pa regle anyen ditou.  Ou konnen, m’ap travay di.

  I haven't been doing much at all.  You know, I'm working hard.

-Ou gen preske yon ane depi w pa vizite Ayiti.  Kilè w’ap fè yon ti kout pye isi?

  It's been almost a year since you visited Haiti.  When will you make a short trip here?

-Enben se poutèt sa mwen rele w.  M’ape rantre Ayiti jedi pwochen.  Eske w ta ka vin chache m nan ayewopò a tanpri?

  Well, That''s why I'm calling.  I'm coming to Haiti next Thursday.  Would you be able to come pick me up at the airport please?

-Mwen ta byen renmen fè sa, men machin mwen anpàn semèn sa.  Li p’ap gentan repare distans pou w vini.

 I would love to do that, but my car's broken down this week.  It will not be repaired by the time you come.

-O! mwen regrèt tande sa.  Men eske ou te kapab fwete yon tap-tap pou vin chache m?

 Oh I'm sorry to hear that.  But could you hire a tap-tap to come pick me up?

-Men wi! M’ap kapab.  Se nan ki vòl w’ap vini?   E ki lè vòl la ap ateri?

 Sure, I'll be able to.  Which flight are you coming in? And what time is the flight landing?

-M’ape vini nan Air France.  Avyon an va ateri bò zòn katrè nan apremidi konsa.  Mwen bezwen yon moun dekonfyans. Eske m ka konte sou ou?

  I'm coming in Air France.  The plane will to land at around 4 PM.  I need someone I can trust.  Can I count on you?

-Men wi! Ou mèt konte sou mwen zanmi’m.  Joujou, konbyen tan w’ap vin fè nan peyi a?

 Sure! You may count on me my friend.  Joujou, how long will you stay in the country?

-M p’ap sa fè anpil tan.  M’ap fè senk jou sèlman.  Mwen pa gen anpil jou konje nan travay mwen.

  I can't stay long.  It'll be just five days.  I don't have many days off from work.

-M konprann.  Senk jou pa anpil, men mwen va kontan vizit ou. Mwen te byen sonje w.

 I understand.  Five days is not much, but I'll enjoy your visit. I have missed you.

-Mwen menm tou.  Mwen sonje fanmi m ak zanmi m.

 Me too.  I miss my family and friends.

-Ki kote w’ap desann?  M’espere se pa nan yon otèl?

 Where will you be you staying?  I hope it's not in a hotel?

-Aktyèlman, se sa mwen t’ap panse fè.

 Actually, that's what I was thinking to do.

-Joujou, mwen ta twò kontan pou w fè ladesant lakay mwen.  An nou pa diskite sa. Se dakò? 

 Joujou, I would be more than happy to have you stay at my home.  Let's not dispute this.  Agree?

-Mèsi Fanfan. Se dakò.

  Thanks Fanfan. Agree.

-Bon, m’ava fè preparasyon pou m resevwa w. M pa ka tann pou m wè w.

  Good.  I'll make preparations to welcome you.  I can't wait to see you.

-Mwen menm tou.  Mèsi davans Fanfan.  N’a wè jedi sidyevle?

  Me too.  Thanks in advance Fanfan.  See you Thursday God willing

-Dakò Joujou.  N’a wè.

  Okay Joujou.  See you.

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

kijan ou di "camera shots"? .. m vle di m pa renmen long camera shots nan fim nan yon car k ap deplase paske fe m pe m.....M toujou panse k yon aksidan pral rive...sorry for the bad grammar please feel free to correct it :p

Dakò :)

camera shots → kout kamera

Are you saying you don't like the long camera shots of a moving car?

"Nan fim, mwen pa renmen kout kamera andistans sou yon machin ki ap deplase paske sa ban m sispens. .......M toujou panse gen yon aksidan k pral rive.."

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

'Depi m rat se premye fwa mwen pran nan pèlen" Is this a common thing to say? I plan to include it in my writings. It means 'oops i got caught', right?

By 'common', you mean "is it used in every day language?"  and "will Haitians understand what you mean when you say it?"
The answer is yes.

And yes, it basically means what you said "I finally got caught / in trouble."

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

How do you say "How do you say..." in haitian creole? Is it "konmen ou di", "kouma ou di", "kijan ou di"...??

Yes, it's the last two.
Kouman ou di?
kijan ou di?
or
kòman ou di?

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

What's a typical Haitian meal (breakfast, dinner, or supper). I'm only familiar with the rice and beans, griot, and plantain that my girlfriend makes. I'd like to try more.

Have you told your girlfriend that you want to try more?
A Haitian cookbook will probably help both of you.  See if she'd like to get one.
In the meantime, here are some typical meals, maybe you both can find the recipes online and try some:

Typical breakfast:
soup panad (breadsoup with bread, V8, watercress, herring sometimes)
ze ak pen (eggs sandwich with eggs and bread)
mayi mouli ak aransò (corn meal with herring)
vèmisèl (spaghetti)
soup joumou (squash soup)
avwàn (oatmeal)
chokola Ayisyen avèk pen (bread and cocoa)
kafe ak pen (coffee)
fruits (grapefruit, bananas, apricot)
and many more

Typical supper
labouyi (hot cereals, all kinds: plantain, rice, corn meal, corn flour, flour, oats)
and many more

Typical dinner
diri (rice, white or cooked with beans)
mayi (cornmeal, plain or cooked with beans)
sòs pwa (bean soup, usually to eat with rice)
vyann (meat, all kinds: chicken, beef, goats, fish, conch, crabs, ...)
bouyon (stew)
viv (vegetables, usually eaten with meat and sauces)
legim (legumes)
tyaka (corn and bean stew)
ragou (beef or goat stew)
taso (fried goat meat)
griyo (fried pork)
bannann peze (fried plantains)
fwa di (liver, usually with watercress and roots vegetables or plantains)
and many more



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

"Haitiens pa maren", esplike m?

Ayisyen pa maren (Haitians are no sailors)
I don't know who coined this old term.

But I think it has to do with the fact that so many Haitians had perished during the clandestine trips to Miami during the period of the Duvaliers:
If Haitians knew their way around water, most of them would have already crossed the ocean to run away from their misfortune.
When they do get on the water, they use shabby boats, no life preservers, and never thought of learning how to swim in case things don't go well during what's usually a long voyage.
Instead, they faithfully trust the success of their trip to two gods, Bondye (for the Christians), and Ague (for the .... rests).
But you got to admit that though they're no sailors they are very brave.

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

If I wish to say "I saw it coming" in Creole as in "I predicted that", can you say "Mwen te we l ap vini"? Great blog by the way :)

mèsi wi :)

I would say it using these expressions:
Mwen te wè sa. (I saw this coming)
or
Mwen te wè sa pou ou. (If you're talking to the person in question)
or
Mwen te wè sa pou li.(if you talking about a third party)

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

Can you translate 'lere' here ? Mak 12:27 Bondye se Bondye moun vivan li ye, li pa Bondye moun mouri. Nou wè nou nan lerè anpil, pa vre? (kamsa hamnida - this is a Korean expression for mesi anpil)

Dakò :)

Haitian Creole lerè is from French l'erreur and it means error, mistake, wrongdoing, failure, misguidance

example:
someone might say:
M te tonbe nan lerè.
and it means
I was living a life of wrongdoing.
I was living a life of mistakes (misguidance).
I was living a blameful life.

Mak 12:27
"Bondye se Bondye moun vivan li ye, li pa Bondye moun mouri. Nou wè nou nan lerè anpil, pa vre?"
"God is the God of the living.  He's not the God of the dead.  D'ont you see how misguided you are?"
or

"God is the God of the living.  He's not the God of the dead.  D'ont you see how wrong you are?"

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

How woulod you say "we like Jesus, need to do Jehovahs will first" or "we need to be like him by putting His fathers will above our own" ? I use Google Translate but it does not seem to be using words that are simply understood.

Here's a couple of ways to translate both sentences accurately:

"We like Jesus, need to do Jehovahs will first"
"Nou menm, tankou Jezi, dwe mete volonte Jewova anvan volonte pa nou."
"Nou, menm jan ak Jezi, dwe fè volonte Jewova an premye"

"We need to be like him by putting His fathers will above our own" 
"Nou dwe fè tankou Li e mete volonte Papa li anvan volonte pa nou."
"Nou dwe fè tankou Jezi, e fè volonte Papa a an premye."

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

Kijan yo di: "I heard you took a big exam! How did you do? When do you get the results?" Mesi

"I heard you took a big exam! How did you do? When do you get the results?"
"Mwen tande ou sot pran yon gwo egzamen!  Kouman ou te konpoze?  Kilè y'ap ba ou rezilta yo?"

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