Hi! My name is Watson and I was born in haiti in Troufondban, a small village in Montrouis. Have you heard of it? At four years old, I got rescued by a missionary and put into an orphange for two years. Then I got adopted and came into America when I was six years old. I am 19 years old and studying at Anderson University in Indiana to learn how to become a missionary so I can go back and help the people of Haiti. God's put a burden in my heart for my people. Last year, I got a chance to go back and reconnect with my biological family. I hadn't seen them for 13 years! Check out this link to learn more: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWs18XOZayo Anyway, my question is what's the quickest way I can learn my native language (haitian creole)? I've been living in America for so long that I've lost it. I'm taking som french classes and have a few friends that can help me now and then, but I don't know how I can really learn creole on my own. What's your advice or what would you do if you were in my situation?

Hi  Watson.  I'm glad you got to go back to Haiti and reconnect with you biological family.  It looks like they were very excited to have you back.
I was born in Port-Au-Prince, but I spent most of my life in Arcahaie, not too far from Montrouis.  Actually we took many trips to the beaches of Montrouis to bathe in the water, and especially to eat some of their spicy grilled carrots and conch.
It's great that you're thinking to give something back to your country.  And, yes, learning Creole will definitely facilitate communication with the people and bonding with your biological family.
Learning Haitian Creole on your own could be challenging.  You will need a guide/instructor/tutor to help with pronunciations, nuances, and learning the "art" of the language.  A good introduction of the language in a class-like setting would probably give you the push that you need.   Have you thought of taking a HAITIAN CREOLE immersion course at Indiana University in the summer?
You can also try an online course with Haitihub.com.
or
If you're really thinking to do this on your own, start with the book Creole Made Easy (with the audios) by Wally Turnbull, and when you're done with that try the Ann Pale Kreyòl (with audios) by Albert Valdman.
And of course, if your friends speak H. Creole, they will provide valuable help when you need to practice speaking the language.

Learning French will help you communicate with French-speaking Haitians in Haiti, but I am not sure how much help it will be, if you're aiming to learn Haitian Creole.  Not everyone in Haiti SPEAK French.

Dakò :)
I wish you strength and spirit.  Hope to meet you in Haiti someday.

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

What is the main difference between tande and koute? And why will you choose one over the other?

tande (to hear) → to perceive a sound
koute (to listen) → to give attention, to give one's ears to a sound

In Creole, sometimes, "tande" means the same as "koute".
These sentences, you will hear often, are examples:

1.  Tande sa m'ap di w.
      Hear me out!
      Listen to what I'm telling you

2. Timoun madanm sa a pa konn tande.
     This lady's kids don't know how to listen.

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

what doe's mean in creole"she is worth straighten out?" thank you!

"She is worth straightening out"
Do you mean "She needs to be disciplined"?
That would be translated as "Li merite korije."

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

I have noticed in learning that several combined words take on a meaning of there own. I.e. tout moun can mean everyone etc can you give some more clear examples of this? As an example what does "Pa konprann pou nou fè sa ki mal " mean? If you do a word by word it says "not understand for we do this that bad?"

"Pa konprann pou nou fè sa ki mal "
This sentence looks incomplete.  If I were to translate just what you gave me, I would translate it the same way you've done it, but I would translate "sa" as "what".

Pa konprann           | pou nou fè  | sa ki mal
Not understand         | for we do    | that which is bad
We pretend not to understand in order to do what is wrong?

The first two words in my translation are not in the Creole sentence, of course, but something similar to it is missing from the original sentence.
__________________________

As far as the combined words are concerned, there's a lot of that in Creole.  One could be a dictionary with these types of words.  I'll give you a few examples:

1. Bon konprann n. (lit. good understanding) → wisdom.
   Ou se yon moun ki gen bon konprann.
   You are wise.
   You are someone who makes good judgment.

2. mal konprann noun or verb → misunderstanding, confusion
    Li pran pòz mal konprann li. (he fakes misunderstanding)
    He pretends not to understand.
    He pretends to be confused.
    
3. Pran san v. (lit. take blood) → relax, calm down, take is easy, be patient, take your time
    Li pa vle pran san l.
    He doesn't want to calm down.

4. Moun kay n (lit. person house) → a habitual visitor in a home, not a stranger, a friend of the house
   Jacob se moun kay. Pa okipe w pou li.
   Jacob is a friend of the home.  Don't worry about him.

5. Jou kase noun or verb (lit. day break) → dawn
    also
     kase kòd v. (lit. break rope) → to escape, to die
    Kou jou kase, malad la kase kòd
    At day break, the patient died.

6. lekòl lage noun or verb (school's out) → anything goes, 
    Depi madanm li pati lekòl lage.
    Once his wife leaves, anything goes

7. pran lyann v. (lit. take liana/vine) → to escape
    to understand this one, picture Tarzan on a liana swinging from vine to vine.
    Li pran lyann.
    He escaped.

8. peze souse verb or noun (lit. press suck) → to exploit, to take advantage of
    Moun sa yo se peze souse.
    These people are exploiters. 
    These people are selfish.

9. tèt fè mal n. (lit. head makes hurt) → headache.
    M gen yon tèt fè mal.  (you'll find this also as one word)
    I have a headache.

10. fanm sou kote n. (lit. woman on side) → mistress.
     Pastè a ap preche monogami, men li gen fanm sou kote.
     The pastor is preaching monogamy, but he has a mistress.


And FYI: A lot of one-word Haitian Creole "terms" are also derived from some French "compound" words. These terms usually retain their meaning.
a few examples are:
French (s'il vous plait) - Creole (silvouplè) → please
French (lune de miel) - Creole (lindemyèl) → honeymoon
French (dos à dos) - Creole (dozado) → back to back, not seeing eye to eye
French (comme ça doit être) → Creole (kòmsadwa)
French (bord de mer) -  Creole (bòdmè)
etc...
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Hi, what does "lefetke" mean?

lefètke (lefèke) → the fact that, because

1. Lefètke mwen wo pa vle di mwen konn kouri.
    The fact that I am tall does not mean that I know how to run.

2. Mwen kontan lefètke ou deside rete avèk nou.
    I am glad because you decided to stay with us.

3. Lefètke li rich, li panse li se Bondye.
    The fact that he's rich, he thinks he's God.

4. Lefètke fanm nan ri avè w pa vle di li damou pou ou.
    The fact that the woman smiled at you doesn't mean she's in love with you.
    
5. Lefèkte m pòv pa vle di m malere.
    Just because I'm poor doesn't mean I'm miserable.

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

Kisa vle di 'kout zago'?

kout zago (kout pye) → a kick
tire kout zago (or tire kout pye)  → to kick

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

How do you say the soccer positions- Forward, Midfield, Defense? and "Clear the ball"

Forward → avannsant, or sometimes avan an
Midfield → milye teren or sometimes mitan teren
Defense → defans
Clear the ball → Degaje boul la

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

Lik 7:26 Men, manyè di m' kisa nou tal wè? Yon pwofèt? Wi. Mwen menm, mwen di nou: li pi plis pase yon pwofèt. ( Can you please translate above into English ? more details for "manyè", "tal" plz. kamsa hamnida)

manyè - at least, more or less; Click on this link to see the different ways you can you MANYÈ

manyè (lit. manner, way) → in a way, in some manner
manyè di m  → in a way, tell me; at least tell me

tal, here, is a contraction for "te ale".  I would have written it as "t'al" or "t al"

Men   |  manyè    | di m      |   kisa  | nou              | t'al    | wè
But      | at least    |  tell me  |  what  | you (plural)    | went  | see
But, won't you at least tell me what you went to see?

Wi  | Mwen menm | mwen di nou | li    | pi plis |  pase | yon pwofèt
Yes  | myself            | I tell you         |  he  | more   | than   | a prophet
Yes. As for me, I tell you he's more than a prophet.


"Men, manyè di m' kisa nou tal wè? Yon pwofèt? Wi. Mwen menm, mwen di nou: li pi plis pase yon pwofèt."
"But, at least tell me what you went to see? A prophet? Yes. As for me, I tell you, "He's more than a prophet."

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

What is "tèt san kò"?

Depending on context, it may be someone who eats a lot, or someone who eats but still looks malnourished
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

( Can you please introduce one popular chlidren's song - meaning that "I can do" or "we can do" ? With audio , (kamsa hamnida)

These exact words in a popular children songs in Haiti are going to be hard to find.
Does it matter whether the song says KAPAB or PA KAPAB?
Most of these songs say BONDYE KAPAB or NOU PA KAPAB :)
Here's a couple with the word KAPAB in their chorus.
________________
There's this Creole chorus song #1 Kè Kreyòl in the Chan Déspérance
Wi, mwen kapab kwè,
wi, mwen vle kwè Jezi Kri te mouri pou mwen
Se sou lakwa san li vèse
Pou delivre'm nan peche

sung to the tune of :
I do believe, I will believe
That Jesus died for me
That on the cross He shed His blood
From sin to set me free.
_________________________


And then there's the chorus of one song that goes: (#4 Creole section of Melodies Joyeuses)
Se Bondye ki kapab delivre
Se li sèl ki toujou delivre
Tout fado peche, sou li depoze
paske Bondye nou
Kap bay la delivrans

That's the English hymn tune: "He is able to deliver thee"
"He is able to deliver thee
He is able to deliver thee
Though by sin opressed, go to Him for rest
Our God is able to deliver thee."
_________________________________


There's a children song that says the opposite though.  It goes NOU PA KAPAB instead  NOU KAPAB (#48 Creole section of Melodies Joyeuses)
It says:
Ou pa kapab ale nan syèl la
Si w'ap sèvi Satan isiba
Se pou w vin jwenn ak Jezi
Se pou w vin jwenn ak Jezi Kri

To the tune You can't go to heaven)
Haitian churches do sing it a little different  then the "Oh you can't get to heaven on roller skates..."

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

Lik 7:30 Men, farizyen yo ak dirèktè lalwa yo te refize sa Bondye te vle fè pou yo; se sak fè yo pa t' kite Jan Batis batize yo. ( Can you translate into English version ?) Kamsa hamnida

Se sa'k fè (contraction for Se sa ki fè) means That is why, This is why, it's for this reason
See this link about Se Sa'k Fè

Men  | Farizyen yo     | ak    | dirèktè     | lalwa yo | te refize |
but     | the pharisees  | and  | directors  | the laws  | refused 

sa      |  Bondye    |te vle      | fè      |pou yo; 
what   |  God          |  wanted  | do     | for them   

se sak fè     |  yo pa t'        | kite            |Jan Batis             | batize yo.
This is why   | they did not  | let  / permit | John the Baptist  | baptize them.

"Men, Farizyen yo ak dirèktè lalwa yo te refize sa Bondye te vle fè pou yo; se sak fè yo pa t' kite Jan Batis batize yo." 
"But the Pharisees and the directors of laws declined/refused what God wanted to do for them; it's for this reason they did not let John the Baptist baptize them."

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

Sometimes I see the verb tense 'ap' is placed between verbs. For example 'Konsa moun yo vin ap viv ak matyè e fatra sa yo'. Can you explain this further and give examples on how to use it?

Yes.  The first verb becomes a helping verb. The first verb may be in the present , past, future tense.
The second verb is usually in the continuous form.

1. Li te kontinye ap aniye m.
    She kept bugging me

2. Mwen te vin ap panse avè l. (I came to think about her)
    I started thinking about her.

3. Mwen te tonbe ap rele, "Anmwey! Osekou!"
    I started screaming, "Help! Help!"

4. Li te rete la ap kriye devan sèkèy la.
    She stayed there crying in front of the coffin.

5. Yo te kanpe ap gade tout sa ki t'ap pase.
     They stood watching everything that was going on.

6. Fanm nan pral koumanse ap joure  si nou pa ba li kafe li.
    The woman will start cursing if we don't give her her coffee. .

7. Chak jou yo te kontinye ap rale cheve l, ap joure'l, ap takinen'l, ap bat li, jouk li te defann tèt li.
    Everyday they kept on pulling her hair, cursing her out, teasing her, beat her until she fought back.

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

Can you explain further 'vin' and 'fin' as helping verbs? For example in these sentence: "Mo a vin sibi yon transfòmasyon." oubyen "Mo a fin sibi yon transfòmasyon." Mesi

fin ( contraction for fini) indicates the completion of an action → to be done

1. Mwen fin manje.
    I am done eating.
   
2. Tout pitit nou yo fin gran.  Li lè pou nou panse a nou.
     All our children are done growing. ...
     All the children have reached a mature age.....
     All our children are grown.  It's time we think about us.

3.  Ou fin joure byen joure, enpi ou panse m'ap rete avè w?  Ou dwe fou!
      You're done cursing me as well as one could, and you think I'm going to stay with you? You must be crazy!
      After cursing me out, you think I'm going to stay with you.  You must be crazy!

4. Nou fin gade fim nan deja.  Poukisa se kounye a w'ap pote popcorn?
    We have already finished watching the movie.  Why are you bringing popcorn now?


Sometimes fin can translate practically, virtually, nearly.

5.  M te tèlman malad, m te fin mouri.  mMen lanmou li te resisite m.
     I was so sick, I was virtually dead. But his love brought me back.

6.  Kay la te fin tonbe sou nou, men grasadye nou te soti sennesof.
      The house practically collapsed on us, but thank God we got out safely.

7. Kontinye ale. Ou fin rive deja.  Pa lage.
     Keep going.  You're practically there already.  Don't give up.
     
8.  Li te fin ouvè bouch li pou l pale, men avoka a te fè l yon siy pou l pa't di anyen.
     He had already opened his mouth to speak, but his lawyer motioned to not say anything.
      

9.  Mwen te fin desann machin nan pou m antre kay menaj mwen.  Men lè papa li te soti ak yon revòlvè, mwen te take pòt machin nan e m te peze gaz.

     I was practically out of the car to get into my girlfriend's house.  But when her fathercame out with a gun, I locked the car's doors and sped off.

vin (contraction for vini to come) → to come, to become, to end up

"vin" can be used in place of "vini"
10. Mwen vin lakay ou.
      Mwen vini lakay ou.
      I come to your house.

11. Vin jwenn mwen.
       Vini jwenn mwen.
       Come to me.

12.  Vin jwenn Jezi.
       Come to Jesus

13. Mezami!  Ou vin wo!
      Wow! You've become tall!

14. Si w te wè sa, figi l vin wouj tèlman te fache.
      You should have seen this.  His face became red he was so mad.

And sometimes vin will translate, to come to, to end up, to arrive at a conclusion/understanding because of another action.

15. Mwen vin konprann ke li pa't renmen m ankò.
      I came to understand that he didn't like me any more

16. Nou vin reyalize tout sa li t'ap di yo se te manti.
       We came to realize that everything he said was a lie.

17. Mo a vin sibi yon transfòmasyon.  Sibi → to suffer, to undergo, to go through
      The word wound up undergoing a transformation.

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

Eske w te ka tradwi fraz sa a pou mwen: "Koze desantralizasyon y’ap pale Ayiti depi ti konkonm ta goumen ak berejèn nan pa janm fèt." Mesi

First of all you should know that "depi ti konkonm ta goumen ak berejèn" is an expression which means a very long time ago, long long ago, it's the equivalent of many moons ago

and

Koze → talk, affair, thing, project, ....

Koze   | desantralizasyon   |  y’ap      | pale       | Ayiti 
talk      | decentralization       | they are  |  talking  |  Haiti
Talk of decentralization they were talking in Haiti

depi  | ti konkonm ta goumen ak berejèn  | nan                          | pa janm fèt.
since | a very long time a go                          | the (modifies "koze") | never happened
Since a long time ago never happened.

"Koze desantralizasyon y’ap  pale Ayiti depi ti konkonm ta goumen ak berejèn nan pa janm fèt."
 "The project of decentralization that they were talking about in Haiti since a long time a go never materialized."

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

Kisa vle di 'bidonvilizasyon'?

bidonvil → slums, ghetto
bidonvilizasyon → when cities are transformed into slums.  For example, you'll find that in Port-Au-Prince.  People are running away from poverty and misery in the outskirts of Haiti.  They come to the capital and start building piles of shabby little houses wherever they please.  These bidonvil may be built in streets originally reserved for vehicular traffic, close to public buildings, in other residents' driveways and backyards ... you name it.  And, there's no respect for building codes.

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