Does the Haitian Creole term "dèyè do" mean "secretly" as in English (behind one's back) in the sentence "Li mouri dèyè do Bondye"?

dèyè do (behind the back) can translate secretly (in a sneaky way),  in one's absence, in the back of
In this sentence it means in one's absence
This sentence is also an expression.

Li mouri dèyè do Bondye.
He died in God's absence (while God was away)
Other ways to say this is:
If God was around he would not have died.
God was probably out doing an errand when he died.

Taking a closer look at the uses for the term "dèyè do"

dèyè do (nan do) → in the back of

1. dèyè do kay la
    behind the house

2. Gen yon ti pye zoranj dèyè do kay la.
    Gen yon ti pye zoranj dèyè kay la.
    or
    Gen yon ti pye zoranj nan do kay la.
    There's a small orange tree behind the house.

Dèyè do → behind one's back

3.  Si w bezwen di m yon bagay, pa di l dèyè do m.
     If you need to tell me something don't say it behind my back.

4.  Se dèyè do'm sèlman li ka fè tout frekan sa yo.
     Only behind my back can he do all this insolence.

Dèyè do - in someone's absence

5. Li mouri dèyè do papa l.
    He died while his dad was away.


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

Hi. I'm looking for a song called Jezi Ou Sen. The chorus goes like this: Jezi Ou Sen Jezi Ou Sen Jezi OU Sen K'ap renye sou twon, lavi mwen Do you know the rest of the lyrics and also I am trying to find the meaning in english. Thank You

Mwen wè Bondye  I see God
sou twòn ki pi wo On the highest throne
K'ap reye  who is reigning
sou tout lavi mwen (bis, 4 lines) over my whole life

Jezi, ou sen Jesus, you are holy
Jezi, ou sen
Jezi, ou sen
K'ap reye sou tout lavi mwen

Bondye, ou sen God you are holy

Bondye, ou sen

Bondye, ou sen

K'ap reye sou tout lavi mwen

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

Sa se twoket la....?

☺Oh no!  Chay la dèyè!

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

Yon moun ki gen bonjan (do they mean 'Bonjou'?)

bon jan (bonjan) → good manners

Yon moun ki gen bonjan se yon moun ki gen bon mannyè, ki koutwa.

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

In what way? (question people usually pose when someone say somebody has changed or somebody is different or somebody is weird..lol)..just translate in what way, nothing else, bel M

Nothing else????
I do get carried away sometimes :)

In what way?
Nan ki fason?

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

Question: Hi. My son was given what looks like Haitian money as a gift. It says across the top and bottom of the bills front ' Pwevwa Pwosperite'. Also on the front is the phrase ' Espesyal Lajan Seremoni Vag Vas Nan Riches'. There is a serial number an the amount of the note is 5000. On the front is also a picture of a young attractive female right below another text that says 'C42'. The same phrases are one the back along with a signature of Arturo Jimenez listing him as 'Trezorye Leta - 2002'. Any thoughts as to if this is actual currency and if not what it is? Thanks.

It does not sound real to me.  Haitian money denomination comes in 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, and 500 gourdes.  The 10.00 gourdes has a image of Katherine Flon sewing the Haitian flag.  That's the only woman that I know of that's pictured on a Haitian bill.

I have asked around about that term "Seremoni Vag Vas Nan Richès", and it is not at all familiar with people I've asked (one of them a Haitian government worker).
When I first read about this I thought it sounded like a novelty items from a "good-fortune", "good-luck charm", or "luck" commemorative fair or ceremony.  But now I'm not too sure.
If you do find out what it is exactly, please let me know.  And If do find something, I'll update this post.

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

You work hard for the money Hard worker, shock worker

You work hard for the money.
Ou travay di pou lajan an.
Ou bourike pou lajan an.
Ou redi pou lajan an.
Ou feraye pou lajan an.


hard worker (shock worker?) - moun k'ap travay di, moun k'ap feraye, moun k'ap trimen, moun k'ap redi.
He is a hard worker.
Li se yon bon travayè.
Li se yon moun k'ap travay di.

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

Bonjou - I don't have a question, but would like to respond to Watson's query about learning Creole. I was just in Haiti - Thomassin 48 - taking Creole lessons at Enstiti Travay Sosyal ak Syans Sosyal: http://www.travaysosyal.com/ I recommend the school - it was a great environment to learn Creole!!

Dakò.  Thanks for the information about  Enstiti Travay Sosyal ak Syans Sosyal
I've forwarded it to Mr. Watson.
I'm sure other people will find it helpful too.

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

Can you help me find the correct Haitian Creole translation for "it's the thought that counts." thanks.

It's the thought that counts.
Se jès la ki konte.
Se entansyon an ki konte.

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

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