A dual ? A bit of culture and / language? What type(s) of humor are funny to haitian people? Is there a type of humor that is offensive or unappreciated in the culture? I tried to say something funny today, it didnt work! Thus the curiosity. Kijan ou di laugh? Funny? Humor? Silly? Etc. kidding? Joke with? Or joke around?

Sorry to hear that.
They might not have understood the joke.  It might have gotten lost in translation.
If you ever read about Bouki and Ti Malis, if you've ever watched Languichatte, Lavi nan Bouk La, or listened to Tonton Bicha, you'll know that Haitians are into all types of comedy, especially silly and goofballs stuff.
You must know that just because some jokes are funny in English doesn't mean it will be funny in Creole and vice versa (but that only happens to just a handful of jokes)
Also, some jokes, you might have to tweak a little to give it that "Haitian flavor" :)

And as far being offensive, I think in any culture, if people feel that they are the target of the joke, they might not appreciate it.

I'd like to hear the joke that you told.

dual → doub
a bit of culture and language → Yon ti kras kilti, yon ti kras langaj?
laugh → ri, griyen dan
to enjoy one's self → pran plezi, anmize, distrè (they pronominal verbs)
funny, silly → komik, anmizan
humor → komedi
jokes → blag, lodyans
tell jokes → bay blag, bay lodyans
to be kidding, to joke with, to joke around → jwe, sou jwèt, sou blag

He's always joking around.
Li toujou sou blag.
Li toujou sou jwèt.

I am just kidding.
Se sou jwèt mwen ye.
Se sou blag mwen ye.
Se jwe m'ap jwe.

We're telling jokes.
N'ap bay blag.
N'ap bay lodyans.

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

Kouman ou di 'inside out' epi 'upside down'?

1. inside out → nanvè oubyen lanvè
    Example:
    Chemiz li a te gen kèk betiz  ekri sou li, donk direktè fè li mete chemiz la nanvè.
    His shirt had some profanities written on it, so the principal made him wear the shirt inside out.


2. upside down → tètanba, tèt anba
     Example:
    Monn nan tètanba.
    The world is upside down.


3. shoe on the wrong foot → soulye dwategoch (dwat-e-goch)
    Example:
    Pitit gason mwen gen dezan.  Li toujou ap mete soulye li dwategoch.
    My son is two years old.  He's alway wearing his shoes on the wrong foot.

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

I have read several verb phrases such as lese-frape, kicking and screaming; chita-tande, talks (political) and voye-rele, to summon. Can you list other common verb phrases such as these?

Yes I can list some.  And you'll also find that these verb-verb combinations are often used as nouns.  Number 8 is my favorite :)

1.
mòde soufle  (lit. to bite, to blow) → to double cross, to betray, being hypocritical 
This comes from the fact that a rat (as it is believed in Haiti) bite and blows if it's biting you, so that you don't feel the bite.  By the time the rat's done with you, you'll have a big hole in that area of your body.

a. Pa fè mesye sa a konfyans. Li se yon mòde soufle. (used as noun here)
    Do not trust this guy.  He's a hypocrite. 

b. Fanm sa a mòde soufle.  Pa kite li mele nan zafè w.  (used as verb here)
    This woman is a double-crosser.  Don't let her into your business.


2.
mòde lage (lit. to bite, to release/ to let go) → is said when you start something and never finish it

a. Si w'ap mòde lage travay la, ou pa janm fini l, donk yo p'ap janm peye w.
    If you keep starting and stopping the job, you'll never be done, therefore you'll never get paid.

b. Misye p'ap janm reyisi nan lavi a si l'ap pede mòde lage konsa.
    He will never succeed in life if he keeps quitting everything he starts.


3.
kase double (lit. to break, to double up again) → to start over after stopping for a little while

a. Mesye yo te sipann goumen, apre sa yo kase double ankò.
    The guys had stopped fighting, but after a while they started over again.

b. Lapli a te fè yon ti rete, men li kase double pi rèd.
    The rain had stopped a little, but it started again stronger.

4.
pote kole (lit. to carry, to glue/bond) → to get together in support of something

a. An nou pote kole pou nou siprime grangou nan monn nan.
    Let's get together to end famine in the world.

b. N'ap pote kole pou yon demen miyò.
    We're working together for a better tomorrow.


5.
vire tounen (lit. to turn to come back) → from time to time

a. M pa konnen kisa l'ap regle, men vire tounen li nan òdinatè a.
     I don't what he's up to, but from time to time he's on the computer.

b.  Bay menaj ou tan pou l sonje w non!  Mwen remake vire tounen nou nan telefòn, eske nou pa fatige pale?
     Give your girlfriend time to miss you!  I notice that from time to time you guys are on the phone, Aren't you tired of talking with each other?


6.
voye ale (lit. to send, to go) → to dismiss, to fire someone from work

a. Yo te voye elèv yo ale bonè jodi a akoz tanpèt la.
    Today they dismissed the students early because of the storm.

b. Tanpri voye moun yo ale, pa gen manje pou n ba yo ankò.
     Please send the people away, there's no more food to give to them.

7.
chache konnen → (lit. to seek, to know) → to seek to know, to investigate,  to meddle inquisitively, exploration, inquisition

a.  Se nan chache konnen lasyans fè anpil dekouvèt.
     Science has made a lot of discovery through exploration.
    
b.  An nou chache konnen poukisa sa te pase.
     Let's try to find out why this happened.

8.
grate santi → (lit. to scratch to smell) →to procrastinate, to waste time, to be lazy,  to loaf around. 
 I like this one, it reminds of monkeys that are sitting around scratching and smelling their armpits :)

a. Mesye sa a pa janm travay.  Tout lajounen se grate santi.
    This guys never works.  He loafs around all day.

b.  Se pa pou nou rete ap grate santi.  An nou aji.
     Let's not waste time.  Let's act.

9.
lese tonbe → (lit. to let, to fall) → to quit, to drop it

a. Sa k te pase zafè lekòl la?  Ou lese sa tonbe?
     What happened to that school business?  Did you let it go?

b. N'ap lese pwojè a tonbe paske nou pa't jwenn ase sipòtè.
    We're letting the project go because we didn't get enough sponsors.

10.
voye monte → (lit. to send, to go up) → to keep at something, to ramble incessantly especially about things that we may or may not know about; also to give support

a. Gwoup nou an te jwe mizik nan yon ba yèswa.  Nou voye mizik monte tout lannuit lan.
    Our band played music at a bar last night.  We played music all night.

b. Si Hillary Clinton ta vle vin prezidan, yo panse anpil fanm ap voye l monte.
    If Hillary Clinton wants to become president, they think that many women will support her.
    


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

Is there a good Creole equivalent for the English word "feedback" ? I have sometimes heard native Creole speakers just say something like "fidbak" but would this be widely understood by all Haitians?

Yeah, we do say "fidbak" sometimes :)
But a Haitian who has not traveled to an English speaking country or has not come in contact with the diaspora would probably not understand it.
The H. Creole word for feedback is replik, reyaksyon, repons, and sometimes we say kritik or kòmantè.

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

Can you explain ‘pran’ as a helping verb? For example, ‘li pran kouri’ oubyen ‘zwazo-a pran chante’ oubyen ‘ti gason an pran rele’? Does it mean 'took to' or 'to start'? Is 'tonbe' able to play his same role as helping verb? M’ ap vle di w yon granmèsi pou tout èd ou!

Se yon plezi :)

As  helping verbs, "pran" and "tonbe" would indicate that the action has started and continued to occur for some duration of time.

1. Li te pran kouri.
    He ran, and ran, and ran.

2. Lè nou wè sitiyasyon te grav, nou tonbe lapriyè.
    When we saw that the situation was bad, we started praying. (continuous action)

3.  Fanm nan pa't kontan.  Li pran joure moun yo.  Se lapolis yo te blije rele pou l te kanpe.
     The woman was not happy.  She started cursing people out.  They had to call the police to make her stop.

4.  Ti gason an pran rele jouk tan vwazen yo te vini.
     The little boy kept on screaming until the neighbors came.

5.  Lè m'ap eseye dòmi, se lè sa a zwazo a pran chante.  Sa anniyan!
     When I'm trying to sleep, that's when the bird starts singing.  It's annoying.

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

I know that "tap" means "would have". Where does this construction come from? Is it a combination of "ta + ap" or something else? Thank you!

It can be te ap or ta ap

te + ap = past continuous forms

1.
Li t'ap mache byen vit pou l pa ta rate bis la.
He was walking quickly so that he would not miss the bus.

2.
Nou t'ap tann ou.
We were waiting for you.

3. 
M t'ap panse pou m anile kont lan.
I was thinking to cancel the account.


Ta + ap =  conditional statements

4.
Ou t'ap fache avè'm si m pa't pote manje a pou ou.
You would have been mad at me If I didn't bring you the food.

5.
Si w pa't wo konsa, m t'ap fese w atè.
If you weren't that tall, I would have thrown you to the ground.


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

Yay! I can send questions again. :) Here are the words from the Kont Kreyòl entitled Ti Gason Pyebo. I can't find translations in Google Translate for these word/phrases/sentences. Will you help me please? Mesi!!! lidòl Griyo travay adwat agòch karapas Fè yanyan Zarenyen lanmè epi gwo chatwouj Gwo bekin ak fouch li ap fonse file kòm yon flonn Yon pi gwo lamayòt pou w Epa w’ ap mache dwat Li pran mezi ze li te kapab Lamadlèn te vale ti gason an Li t al kouche (t al = ta pral???)

O O!  I'm glad you're happy.

1. lidòl (also idòl or zidòl) → idol, beloved

2. Griyo → roasted or fried pork (a Haitian dish)

3. travay adwat agoch → to work very hard, to slave, to labor

4. karapas → shell (of turtles, tortoises, some crustaceans)

5. 

Fè yanyan (also fè yan) → to open wide with amazement, envy, lust, etc... 

example:  

Je'l fè yan lè li te wè pil lajan an. 

Her eyes open wide when she saw the pile of money.

6.  Zarenyen lanmè → spider crab

7. Gwo chatwouy (also chatwouy, chatrouj) - big squid

8.

 Yon gwo bekin ak fouch li ap fonse file kòm yon flonn

Gwo bekin - ray-finned fish

fouch → fork, pointy spine

Gwo bekin ak fouch li (probably a stingray)

fonse → to pounce, to leap at, to attack

file → to speed, to take off

flonn → arrow

Yon gwo bekin ak fouch li ap fonse file kòm yon flonn

A big fish with his spine is taking off like an arrow

9. 

Lamayòt → unknown surprise.  It could be scary or pleasant....  kind of like a jack-in-a-box.  At carnival time, someone may walk around with a big box which containing the lamayòt.  People pay money to see what's in the box.  If I pay .50 cents to see it, I would either want to be scared or surprised, but most of the time it's disappointing.  The last time I paid ten cents to see a lamayòt, I was disappointed, it was just a tiny teddy bear....just sitting there.  I could have bought so many candies with that money :)

Yon pi gwo lamayòt 

 A bigger surprise

10.  

Epa (also apa) → how come, I see that, so, used to indicate acknowledgment.  It may also be in question form.

Examples:

Apa ou pa ale? (How come you did not go?)

Epa ou pa't rele m yèswa? (How come you didn't call me last night?)

Apa ou te decide rete. (So you decided to stay)

Apa ou vini.  (So you came.)

Epa Sandra te Kanadyen.  M pa't konn sa.  (So Sandra was Canadiean.  I did not know that)

So, 

Epa w’ ap mache dwat.

You're walking straight.

How come you're walking straight.

I see that you're walking straight.

11. 

Li pran mezi ze li te kapab.

He took the measure of eggs that he could.

He took as much eggs as he could.

mezi (measure) can translate as much as, or some people will say all that...

example:

M fè mezi m te kapab.

I did as much as I could.

I did all that I could

Pran mezi ou bezwen.

Take as much as you need.

12.

Lamadlèn → a kind of a big snake.

Lamadlèn te vale ti gason an 

The snake swallowed the boy.

13. 

Li t al kouche (t al = ta pral???)

Li t'al kouche. = Li te ale kouche.

He went to lie down.

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

Mwen kanpe devan twòn ou lyrics

Mwen kanpe devan twòn ou

 

Mwen kanpe devan twòn ou (I stand before your throne)

Pou m adore w , pou m adore w (bis, de liy) (to worship you, to worship you)

Pa gen yon lòt Dye tankou w (There's no other God like you)

Pou m adore , pou m adore  (bis, 2 liy) (to worship, to worship)

Mwen vini devan twòn ou (I come before your throne)

Pou m adore w, pou m adore w (bis, 2 liy) (to worship you, to worship you)

Pa gen yon lòt Dye tankou w (There's no other God like you)

Pou m adore, pou m adore (bis, 2 liy) (to worship, to worship)

Jezi ou sen, Jezi ou sen, Jezi ou sen (Jesus you are holy, Jesus you are holy, Jesus you are holy)

K’ap reye sou tout lavi mwen (Who is reigning over all my life)

Mwen wè Bondye sou twòn ki pi wo (I see God on the highest throne)

K’ap reye sou tout lavi mwen (reigning over all my life)

Jezi ou sen, Jezi ou sen, Jezi ou sen (Jesus you are holy, Jesus you are holy, Jesus you are holy)

K’ap reye sou tout lavi mwen (Who is reigning over all my life)

Senyè Dye ou menm ki sen  (Lord God, you who are holy)

Pa gras ou nou vini  (By your grace we come)

Chante chan sa pou ou  (to sing this song for you)

Se nan ou nou pran plezi  (It's in you we take pleasure)

Ou pa janmen chanje  (You never change)

Nou leve non w byen wo (We lift your name high)

Nou renmen pawòl ou  (We love your word)

Bondye Sen Izrayèl la  (Holy God of Israel)

Ou se Bondye Jakòb la (You are the God of Jacob)

Bondye Sen Izrayèl la

Ou se Bondye Danyèl la (You are the God of Daniel)

Bondye Sen Izrayèl

Senyè Dye ou menm ki sen  (Lord God, you who are holy)

Pa gras ou nou vini  (By your grace we come)

Chante chan sa pou ou  (to sing this song for you)

Se nan ou nou pran plezi  (It's in you we take pleasure)

Ou pa janmen chanje  (You never change)

Nou leve non w byen wo (We lift your name high)

Nou renmen pawòl ou  (We love your word)

Bondye Sen Izrayèl la  (Holy God of Israel)

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

I understand that in Creole "yon ti vizit doktè" may have nothing to do with a doctor's visit. Can you use one such instance in a sentence. And is there a equivalent Creole expression for "The cat's out of the bag."

Yon vizit doktè - a quick/brief visit
Apa w gentan prale.  Se yon ti vizit doktè ou t'ap fè.
I see that you're already leaving.  That was a short visit.

I know the H. Creole expression:  Mete tout kaka chat deyò which is to let the secret out

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

I thin I've seen this somewhere on your blog, but I can't find it now. "Mwen we ou fe yon ti desann" would mean "I see you lose weight", right?

Yes, that's what it is.
I don't remember talking about desann.  I do remember talking about kase.  Both can mean to lose weight.

Mwen wè ou fè yon ti desann.
I noticed you've lost some weight.

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

Cocktail, muddler, stool, specialized counter (in usa they call it counter or simply bar) tell me how typicall haitian bar or rum shop looks like? Does it have some uniquness? I can imagine casual and care free atmosphere in such bar!!

Haitians say kòktèl for cocktails.
a stool will be translated as yon tabourè.
a muddler yon brasè kòktèl, yon ajitatè, yon espri bwouyon
counter kontwa, ba (people will mostly say ba a)

I think the atmosphere you're talking about would be that of a nayklib.... I haven't been to one (I wasn't allowed :)
And I am more familiar with a boutik kleren, more like in the countryside area, where the drink is sold straight from a small barrel.  The boutik almost always carry many other merchandises and household items.  People may buy the kleren a few ounces at a time if they wish. (I remember going to the store and asking for 10 Haitian cents worth).  The customer brings his own container sometimes. People use it for different purposes: drinks, recipes, medicines, for their kòk in cockfighting rinks, and esp. for making Kremas.  So the kleren may be sold plain or flavored with cherries, spanish lime, or red mombin.

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

Ki jan ou ta di "I take pity on you" oubyen " you pitied me"? M'ap vle konnen tou ki jan ou di "mind your own business' oubyen "minding my own business"? Mesi anpil anpil!

Dakò
This coming Sunday's audio post dialogue is titled "Mind your own business", so that should be helpful too :)

1.  I take pity on you. (I feel bad for you)
     Kè'm fè'm mal pou ou. (This one is most widely used)
     M gen pitye pou ou.
     M gen senpati pou ou.

But if you're asking for FAVOR / GRACE.  You'd say it differently:

2.  Have pity on me.
     Fè'm gras.
     Fè pa'm.
     Gen pitye pou mwen.

3.  I took pity on him.  So I forgave him.
     Kè'm te fè'm mal pou li, donk mwen te fè pa'l.
     Kè'm te fè'm mal pou li, donk mwen te padone'l.

Haitians very often say this in their prayers:
4. Senyè, fè pa'm non!
    Senyè, fè'm gras!
    Senyè, gen pitye pou mwen!
    Lord, have pity on me!

By the same token someone who's pitiless (heartless) is called san pitye, san kè
5. He's heartless.
    Li san pitye.
    Li san kè.

6. What heartless person!
     Ala moun san pitye!

---------------------------------------------

MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS

7.  Mind your own business.
     Okipe zafè pa'w.
     Okipe pwòp zafè pa'w.

8.  I am minding my own business.
     M'ap okipe zafè pa'm

9. Stop meddling.
    Stop being nosy.
    Pa mele.
    Sispann  fè fouyapòt.
    Sispann fè jouda.

10. Stop meddling in what does not concern you.
    Sispann mele nan sa ki pa konsènen'w.

11. If you meddle in my business, whatever happens to you is your own fault.
      Si w mele nan zafè m, sa'w pran se pa'w.*

*12. Whatever happens to you, you deserve it.
        Sa'w pran se pa'w. (expression)
       (Literally: what you take is yours)
   
 
 


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

How would you say this sentence "While we are going up to Kenscoff we can stop at Jan Barbancourt's shop for you to buy some bottles of rum.

You'll get me some five-star too zanmi :)

"While we are going up to Kenscoff we can stop at Jan Barbancourt's shop for you  to buy some bottles of rum.
"Pandan nou pral Kenskòf n'ap kapab pase nan magazen Jan Barbancourt a pou  n achte kèk boutèy wonm."

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

hello!!! Great Job in this site. Here is my request; Would you happen to know or to have the English version of chanps d'esperance #100 Konbyen mwen dwe lanmou san fen? I have been looking for that song in English for years and have not successful and hope you can help me!! Thank you in advance!!

Konbyen Mwen Dwe Lanmou San Fen.....
Lè Jezi mouri sou kalvè ....

How Much I Owe For Love Divine

How much I owe, for love divine
How much I owe, since Christ is mine
All that He is to me, I know and I cannot tell how much I owe.

On calvary where my Jesus died, my precious Lord was crucified
He paid a debt, for me I know and I cannot tell how much I owe

How much I owe, for love divine
How much I owe, since Christ is mine
All that He is to me, I know and I cannot tell how much I owe

How much I owe, for love divine
How much I owe, for Christ is mine
all that He is to me, I know and I cannot tell how much I owe

all that He is to me, I know and I cannot tell, I cannot tell how much I owe

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

In the following sentence, what does ' t ap gen pou' mean? Li t ap gen pou reye pou toutan. Thanks so much for your help !

Gen pou → plan to, intend on, purpose, aspire.   See link for GEN POU

Li gen pou reye pou tout tan.
He will reign forever.

Li t ap gen pou reye pou tout tan.
He would reign forever.

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