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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Ki sa vle di alafendèfen?

alafendèfen (from French à la fin des fins)
in the end
in the long run
finally
eventually

Also in Creole, anfennkont, boutanfen, finalman, desideman, alalong, evantyèlman, pou fini

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

Is the word for 'elf' farfade? What does 'goumandiz' mean

farfade (farfadet?) in French, yes.

Do you mean "elf" as in mystical creatures in H.Creole?  If yes, then Haitians are more likely to say louten, louten ak bab, lespri, baka, lezanj (as long as we're talking about mystical creatures)

goumandizgreed, gluttony

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

what is fè mikalaw?

fè mikalaw → to abound, to be plentiful
Another word we use is agogo or fè kenken

Manje fè mikalaw nan fèt la.
Te gen manje agogo nan fèt la.
Manje fè kenken nan fèt la.
There were plenty of food at the party.

Jounalis fè mikalaw devan lopital.
There were many reporters in front of the hospital.

Boutèy byè vid fè kenken tout atè lakay fanm nan.
There were many empty beer bottles all over the floor at the woman's home.

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Can you explain "wayan" in Creole?

Do you mean the interjection "Wayan!" that some people say while pulling down one of their bottom eyelids with their index finger?

Wayan! (or Ou p'ap sis!)
It means You ain't gonna get nothing!

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Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Kisa vle di 'ayewodwòm'?

Will you translate this for me please? "Anketè yo di, blesu li a, sanble kòmkidire se li ki ta tire sou pwòp tèt li." Mèsi.

ankèt → investigation
anketè → investigator
blesi (not blesu) → injury, wound
kòmkidire (or kòmkwadire) → as if, seemingly
tire → to shoot (with a gun or rifle)
pwòp tèt → own self

"Anketè yo di, blesi li a, sanble kòmkidire se li ki ta tire sou pwòp tèt li."
"The investigators say, his injury, seems as if it's him who would shoot at his own self."
"The investigators say, his injuries seem as if they were self inflicted."
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I see that to say GET OUT (or as you put it 'get the hell out'), you can say SOTI LA or RALE KO LA. I came across another creol word that meant GET OUT (jedpi or gepi?). Do you have other terms for the same expression? mesi.

Get out! (Scram!)
Bat zèl ou!
Disparèt devan m nan!
Pati!
Fè m pa wè w!
Kraze rak!
Degèpi!
Dekanpe la!
Bay teren an!
Bay tè a!
Rache manyòk ou!
Fann kò w non!
etc...

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I see the term 'ayibobo' can be used for "halleluia or congrats" My friends say I shouldn't use it because it's voodoo related. But my dictionary made no mention of any restrictions for this term.

Yes, it's Halleluiah, Bravo, Congrats in voodoo circle.  It's not for Christian use.  Someone might kicked you out of church if you start screaming Ayibobo!.  They'd think that you are possessed by a loa :)

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What is SOUSOU in Haitian Creole? Someone told me it means money. I'm here to tell you when I used it, people did not know what I was talking about.

When Haitians say "sou", they might be talking about money, as in Mwen pa gen yon sou. I don't have a penny.

Sousou (or ti sousou) is a butt-kisser, someone who flatters another usually to get something in return.
As verb we say fè ti sousouto flatter, to kiss ass

Here's an example of the usage in a sentence:
1.Fanfan ap fè ti sousou dèyè madanm nan.  Petèt l'a voye yon zo atè a pou li.
   Fanfan is kissing the lady's butt. Maybe she'll throw a bone at him.

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What does pitit deyo mean? and also what does enmene moi mean?

pitit deyò → illegitimate child
enmene moi (FYI: That's not Creole) take me, lead me

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do you have a list of phrases in Kreyol that can be used on cards for children?

Monday, April 22, 2013

'li si piti pase sa' You can use 'si' as comparison? How do you translate it? Thanks

I haven't used it for comparison.
I am not sure we can use it that way.
We do use it when we say "so", "so much" .
as in:
Li si bèl.
Nou te si tèlman bouke.
Li si tèlman wo.
Yo te si tèlman fèb yo pa't ka mache.

Perhaps the author meant It is so much smaller than that.


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

Tanpri tradwi fraz sa-a pou mwen. 1. Li do wè sa k nan tèt li. (sa vle di 'do'?) 2. ...te gen yon ja ki te kache la. (Does 'ja' mean jar?) 3. yo tounen anwon tankou toupi (toupi?) Mèsi

do (dwe) → must, must have
1. Li do wè sa'k nan tèt li.
    He/she must have seen what's in his/her head.
    He/she must have read his/her thoughts?????

2. I think "ja" might have originated form "jar" (money jar)
    In Creole it means a stash, a stash of money, a treasure, a stash of treasure, a fortune
    Usually we say yon ja lajan
    ...te gen yon ja ki te kache la.
    ...There was a treasure hidden there.

3. toupi (or topi) → tops (the toy), spin top
    Yo tounen anwon tankou yon topi.
     They turned round and round like a spin top.
   
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How would you say 'call me right back".

Haitian Creole for:
Call me right back.
Rele m tousuit.

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"Nou pa bezwen touye yo nonk." Ki sa vle di 'nonk'?