Listen to and Follow The Podcast at SOUVNI ON THE MIKE with Podcast Transcripts available. Advanced Haitian Creole Learners, you have arrived :). Souvni On The Mike stands as a vibrant cultural beacon in the digital soundscape, offering a weekly immersion into the heart of Haitian language and life. This Haitian Creole podcast transforms the airwaves into a dynamic classroom and cultural salon, where education, entertainment, and community connection converge. Follow the podcast.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Mandaly, Would 909 be nefsa(nn)ef ak de "n" e ak de aksan grav nan de "e"? Would you spell 1001, 1002, 2001, 2002, 3001, 3002 an Kreyol Ayisyen? Mesi madanm.

Men wi zanmi'm.  Jan ou di a, se sa.  Ou va ekri li ak de "n", enpi ou va mete aksan grav la sou toude "e" yo.
Gen kèk moun ki ka ekri li an de (2) mo tou.

konsa: nèfsannèf oubyen nèfsan nèf

1001 - mil en
1002 - mil de
2001 - demil en
2002 - demil de
3001 - twamil en
3002 - twamil de

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


Silvouple Mandaly can you help me tanpri souple, my boyfriend is fluent in English, Kreyol, Francais, and Spanish and I need your help to help me learn french but I'm not very good at it,I can spreak creole but when it comes to french sa vreman difisil pou mwen, eskew ka edem aprann franse?

You're not VERY good at French?  So you speak it a little?
There are tons and tons of materials and resources for learning the French language:  locally, in community colleges, on TV programs, in books borrowed at the library, online, youtube, etc.....
Start at your local library.  Get a book with audio tapes, and invite your boyfriend to help you practice from time to time.  If your boyfriend doesn't want to share his knowledge with you, then you can try a group class....that's always so much fun.... You learn a lot about language and culture this way.

If I taught you all the French I know, that'll only take you 1/10th of the way.

Kontinye aprann
M'espera chemen ou va pran an va mennen w lwen :)

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


How would you say/write "Different flowers from the same garden." properly in Creole and in French?

An Kreyòl - Diferan flè ki sot nan menm jaden
En Français - Fleurs différentes provenant du même jardin

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

What is the difference between "de fwa lavale (with an accent on the last "e")" and "twa fwa lavale", Google translates it as 'double' - so does it mean "two doubles" and "three doubles" respectively?

de fwa lavalè → twofold 
twa fwa lavalè → threefold

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

"Poze san ou."?

Poze san w → to slow down (as in taking it easy), to take your time.

1.  Poze san w non!  Twò prese pa fè jou louvri. (two (2) expressions)
     Take your time!  Being in a hurry doesn't bring the day any faster (lit.)

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

Mwen mete girlfriend mwen sad. She wants to leave me. Ou gen chante ki mande padon nan creole?

Ah sa vre!  Mwen p'ap bay mennaj ou tò.  Se pou l kite w menm!   Si menaj ou vle kite w, se pa yon chante ki pou mande padon pou ou, se ou k pou mande padon ak pwòp bouch ou.  Pawòl ki soti nan fon kè w ka repare bagay yo pi vit pase yon chante ke yon lòt moun te ekri.

Men, sizoka yon chante ta ka repare bagay yo vrèman, eseye Padone'm avèk atis P-Jay.

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

Can the word "pinga" be used as a noun? like a dare? "Li ban m yon pinga."?

Yon pinga → a warning; also it means alertness

1. Bay yon pinga.
    To give a warning.

2. Zengendlo pran lari.  Lapolis mete tout moun sou pinga yo.
   Gangs have taken to the streets.  The police has warned everyone. 

3. Rete sou pinga w.
    Maintain your vigilance.
    Stay alert/vigilant.
 
As far as "a dare" is concerned,
a dare → yon defi
to challenge someone → bay yon moun defi

4. M ba w defi parèt tèt ou devan kay mwen.
    I dare you to show yourself in front of my house.

5.  Mwen pa renmen moun ban m defi.
     I do not like to be challenged.

6. Satan ban m defi.  Li di m p'ap reyisi nan lavi a.  Men m va fè l wè se mantè li ye.
     ......OU mè tradui sa a....

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

I know chante is the verb "sing," but I've always been confused about how to say "song." I try "chan" because of "chan desperans," but it seems tone confusing to people. On your blog I noticed you used "chante" as a noun. Is that the best translation?

"a song" can be translated in Creole as:
yon chan (Haitians use this term very often)
yon chante
yon chanson
yon kantik
yon refren
yon ti kè (for a short melody)

I use "chan", "chante", and "kantik" most often.

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

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Eske ou konnen chante ki se: "Paske m renmen li, ..... renmen m. chak jou... " I don't know all the words. mesi

Paske m renmen li, se sa k fè l renmen l
Li vin pi dous chak jou nan lavi mwen
Mwen pa konnen lè l te jwenn mwen
Avèk lanmou l, li vlope mwen
Li renmen m, se sa sèlman m ka di.

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

Is that correct, "Kisa ou fe ye?" Shouldn't it be "Kisa ou ye?"

It could be correct if there's an aksan fòs (aksan grav) on the "e" in "ye".
Then it would be "Kisa ou fè yè?" or "Kisa ou te fè yè?"

Otherwise I will agree with you that "Kisa ou ye?" sounds much better.

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

Ou te pale sou E, AK, AVÈ, AVÒK, EPI, ak ENPI, men ou te bliye ajoute EPITOU ak ENPITOU ki vle di "and then"

Chapo ba pou ou.
Sa'm ta fè san ou?

Mwen konplimante w enpitou m'ap di w mèsi pou èd ou :)
Kontinye konsa.

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

Is it MWA JEN or MWAD JEN? Where does the second one come from if it's grammatically correct?

They say both in Creole.
Some people say Nan mwa jen m'a vin wè w.  In the month of June I will come to see you.
And some people say Nan mwad jen m'a vin wè w.  In the month of June I will come to see you.

mwad jen (from French mois de Juin)

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

i was talking to a couple people and one mentioned to me that there's a lot of rape in haiti. i didn't know what to say so i just wanted to ask what's your opinion. is there?

I would be more interested to know the point of the conversation.  Where was he/she going with this?  Did this piece of information come out of the blue?  How will you be affected by this "news"?  Did he/she tell you this JUST because you're Haitian? or Are you planning to travel there and he/she wants you to be safe?
Rapes and injustice happen in every corner of the world.  No country is immune. Not even beautiful Haiti.   So, where there's rape (an that is ... everywhere), one should exercise caution, good sense, and  vigilance.

And yes, in some countries there's instability.  The police do not maintain order.   There seems to be no respect for human life. Crimes, not just rape, are rampant.  And people live in fear.  That's unfortunate;  but the good always outnumber the bad.  The oppressors' reign does not last forever thanks to those who fight back to change their situations, the activists, the advocates for change, ... we've got a lot of these fighters in every corner of the the world.  So where there's injustice, it's just a matter of time before justice is served.

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

Monday, May 27, 2013

"Nou pat pou pat." my online translator says it's "Nou ti tap leje Pou ti tap leje" . What does that even mean?

I am not sure.
And I do not know what the original sentence is about.
It sounds like they're talking about "an even score".

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

Does "Pa fe sot ou ave m" mean "Don't be a dummy"?

1.
"Don't be a dummy (a fool?)"
Sispann fè sòt.
Sispann fè enbesil.

2.
Don't play dumb with me.
Don't insult my intelligence.
Don't mess with me.
Pa fè sòt ou avè'm.



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