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Thursday, June 6, 2013

Kouman ou di 'to stain' epi 'stained'?

to stain → tache
stained → tache

1.  Can this product remove the stains from my clothes.
      Eske pwodui sa a kapab retire tach ki nan rad mwen yo.

2.  He remove the stains of my sins.
     Li retire tach peche m yo.

3. The pages of the book were stained with blood
    Paj liv la yo te tache ak san.

4. You should handle chayotes with gloves otherwise it will stain your hands.
     Itilize gan lè w'ap sèvi ak militon, si se pa sa y'ap tache men w.

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

translate for me please: i thought it was a good time to talk. so i told him that i really wasn't getting better here. i said i wished he would take me away.

I thought it was a good time to talk. so i  told him that i really wasn't getting better here. i said i wished he would take  me away.
Mwen panse se te yon bon tan pou pale, donk mwen te di'l ke mwen pa t'ap vin miyò isit la.  Mwen di'l mwen swete l te deplase'm la a.

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

Bonjou Mandaly! :) Kisa vle di mo sa yo: tòtòy, gagit, kounan, poudayè, bèk, pot fal, madigra Mèsi

Bonjou zanmi, mwen pa tande w kèk tan :)
W'ap fè preparasyon?

tòtòy can be a general "non politically correct" term for someone who walks with a limp,  whose legs are "crooked", who's bow-legged

gagit or more specifically klou gagit are small nails used especially to keep the sole of shoes together.

kounan - bow-legged.  Pye kounan bow-shapped legs; Pye l kounan He's bow-legged.

poudayè (or dayè) → however, after all

bèk beak; People also say "dyòl"; they are equivalent to "trap" as in Shut your trap!Fèmen bèk ou! or Fèmen dyòl ou!

Pot fal (pote fal) → the word fal means chest or stomach.  Sometimes people say Fal mwen plenmy belly is full.  or L'ap mache ak fal li deyò → She walking bare chested.
Pote fal is an expression which means that someone walks into a potentially dangerous environment without thinking thoroughly. Often there are consequences because of that.
example:
1.
Si w'al pote fal ou nan lapli  ak zeklè a deyò a, sa w pran se pa'w.
If you negligently walk into the rain and lightning outside, whatever happens to you, you deserve it.

2. 
L'al pote fal li nan batay la deyò a e li tou pran yon zòk.
He brought himself into the fight outside and he received an injury.
  
Madigra (from French Mardi-gras) clown, someone dressed in costume, someone badly dressed

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Wednesday, June 5, 2013

I have translated the song "God You Reign" into Creole and was told that the word for "reign" was renye. Is this incorrect or can I use "renye" for the English word reign?

yes, renye v. is correct.  Sometimes it's also written as reye, if you were to google it.
The noun is reny (ren-y), as in His reign will last forever → Reny li va dire pou tout tan.

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I am having an art piece made by a Haitian friend. I would like it to say (in Creole) "Love one another" or "Love each other" if it would make more sense through translation. THANKS!

Best way to say this is:

Se pou nou youn renmen lòt.
You must love one another.

Se pou youn renmen lòt.
Love one another.

or you can say:

Renmen pwochen w.
Love your neighbor.

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Kisa vle di vant deboutonen?

vant deboutonnen (avèk 2 "n") oubyen vant plen se menm bagay la.  Ou kapab itilize tèm sa pou dekri yon moun ki manje anpil enpi ki rasazye.  Si n ta vle pran yon egzanp, nou ta ka di: Mwen t'ale nan yon fèt.   Te gen anpil manje. Tout moun te manje vant deboutonnen.

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what does "channmas" mean?

Do you mean where is it?  The one in Haiti?  It's on Port-au-Prince, and if you have not been to Haiti in a long time, you will not recognize it... even if you're standing in it.
Chanmas lontan an pa Chanmas jodi a.
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Poukisa Boukman Esp bay bondye glwa pa nan chan desperans nan yo?

Eske w'ap pale chante gwoup sa a chante a?  Mwen pa fin kwè chante sa a te fèt pou Bondye ki nan Chants D'Esperance yo.  M pa panse se yon chan pou legliz Jezi Kris la.

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Tuesday, June 4, 2013

suppose that two people are fighting and one of them gets knocked down and the opponent yells "Fe pa li" what would that mean? would it mean "get back at him/her " or "your going to get it"

Fè pa ligive him/her a break, forgive him/her, go easy on him/her, show some mercy, etc...

using appropriate pronouns:
Fè pa m forgive me, ...
Fè pa n forgive us, ...
Fè pa yo show mercy towards them, ...

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Monday, June 3, 2013

You sometimes mention books written in Haitian Creole. What are some titles you would recommend as good reading as well as good intermediate Creole language practice? And where could I find them?

Educavision.com has a good list of books for intermediate learners.  It would have been better if one could browse the first few pages of these books online before buying them. They have a very short list of Creole books.
Libreri Mapou in Miami, Fl has a great variety of books.  The librerimapou.com website does not list everything in the store.  You can spend hours browsing through the materials that Mr. Mapou has (front and back room of the store). If you're ever in Florida and plan to visit, call ahead  and make sure that they know what time you'll be in - The posted operating store hours are not strictly observed.

In Haiti, you'll find some great books at Presses Nationales.  You can visit their website http://www.pressesnationales.ht/, click on EDITIONS PNDH from the tab, then click on LES COLLECTIONS or OUVRAGES DISPONBLES for a list of their books.

a list of books I think would be great for intermediate Creole learners:
Lafanmi Bonplezi by Maude Heurtelou (novel)
Agasya by Emile Celestin-Megie  (novel) (I find the font in this book distracting)
Bèbè Golgota by Pierre M. Chéry (novel)
Tonton Liben by Carrie Paultre (which you can buy from the university of Kansas)
Fòklò Peyi Dayiti book 1 and/or 2 by Bryant Freeman (folktales and jokes) (University of Kansas bookstore)
Istwa ak Kont Kreyòl by Maude Fontus or Mod Fontis in Creole (folktales)
and also Guy Regis' Creole translation of  L'étranger by Albert Camus, Etranje!

There are more... and I'm hoping that other people might add to this list thanks :)

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

"Se ap pale m ap pale?" I was told that this construction is wrong. Can you explain in details (please :) the construction of this sentence; and other emphatic terms too, if you would. thanks.

You can get this down by first WRITING DOWN YOUR MAIN SENTENCE while keeping in mind what the main verb is.  Then you can add SE + that MAIN VERB in front of the sentence:

1. For example:
    The sentence:             M'ap pale. (I'm talking)
     Main verb is:              Pale (to speak)
     Add Se + main verb in front of that sentence : Se pale m'ap pale.

Se pale m'ap pale.
I'm talking or I'm just talking.


2. another example:
    Main sentence:           Ou pa konnen sa m'ap pase. (You don't know what I'm going through)
    Main verb:                  Konnen (to know)
    Add Se + main verb in front of that sentence :  Se konnen ou pa konnen sa m'ap pase.

Se konnen w pa konnen sa m'ap pase.
You just don't know what I'm going through.


3. One more example:
    Main sentence:           Li pral benyen. (He's going to take a shower)
    Main verb:                 benyen
    Add se + main verb in front of that sentence:   Se benyen li pral benyen.

Se benyen li pral benyen.
He's going to shower.


USAGE

Used in question form:
4.  Poukisa ou vin anreta konsa?  Eske se pèdi ou te pèdi?
     Keep in mind the main sentence is underlined.
     Why did you come so late? Did you get lost?

5.  Poukisa ou vòlè pen an?  Eske se grangou w te grangou konsa?
     Why did you steal the bread?  Were you that hungry?

Used to indicate that one is JUST / JUST ABOUT / SIMPLY /  doing something:
6. Tanpri, pa fache. Se jwe m ta'p jwe ak ou.
    Please, don't be angry, I was only playing with you.

7. Tann mwen non!  Se abiye m'ap abiye.  M preske pare.
     Wait for me!  I am just getting dressed.  I'm almost ready..

8. M kontan vizit ou, men se soti m ta pral soti; donk mwen p'ap ka rete pale avè'w.
   I'm happy about your visit, but I was just going out; so I can't stay and talk to you

9. Nou se etranje sou tè sa a.  Se pase n'ap pase.
    We are strangers on this earth.  We're just passing by.

10. Pa okipe li.  Ou pa wè se eseye l'ap eseye fè w fache.
      Main sentence here is underlined: l'ap eseye fè' w fache - he's trying to make you mad. - lit.
      Don't pay attention to him.  Don't you see that he's trying to piss you off.

11. Se renmen l renmen w ki fè l aji konsa.
      He likes you which makes him act like that.
      He likes you.  That's why he acts this way


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

what does "fe lache" mean?

fè lach? → being cowardly, to chicken out, wimp

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

translate for me please:did i already say that the wallpaper is torn off in spots.

my English is rusty :)
Is "torn off in spots" the same as "torn to pieces"?

Did I already say that the wallpaper is torn off in spots?
Eske m te deja di ke tapisri a chire an miyèt moso?

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

Madanm, Ou ka ekri 5,999 tou de fason sa yo? senkmil nefsan katreven diznef. E senkant nef san katreven diznef. (ak aksan grav nan kou) M konnen yon sel nan premye se pwobableman pi komen, men se youn nan dezyem akseptab? Would you use your Kreyol expertise to write 5,999 combining words that you would combine that I did not? Mesi anpil.

Bonswa zanmi :)
Fason ki estanda e ki pi popilè a se premye egzanp ou bay la... "senkmil nèfsan katreven diznèf"
Se konsa laplipa Aysiyen eksprime yo avèk kalite chif sa yo
Nanpwen pi miyò pase sa.

Wi zanmi'm, kòm ou di, nou plis itilize fòm "senkmil nèfsan katreven diznèf"  pase fòm "senkant nèf san katreven diznèf" la.

Dakò.

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Sunday, June 2, 2013

I understand SOTE in "kè sote", it means that your heart is jumping with excitement?

The heart is most likely jumping with fear or surprise

kè sote →anxiety, fear

1.  Kè'm ap sote.
     I'm anxious.
     
2.  Mwen pa ka ap viv ak sote tout tan.  Se pa yon bon fason pou viv.
     I cannot live in fear all the time.  It's not a good way to live.

3.  Ou ban m kè sote.
     You gave me a fright.
     You startled me.
     You scared me.
     You made me anxious.

Sote → to be startled, to be surprised
ex:
4. Timoun yo te kache nan yon kwen pou yo te fè m sote.
    The kids hid in a corner to startle me.

5.  Pandan vòlè te nan kay la, mèt kay la vin sote sou li.
     While the burglar was in the house, the house owner suddenly surprised him.

Sote → to jump
ex:
5. Eske w konn sote kòd?
    Do you know how to jump rope?

Sote → to skip
ex:
6.  Pran medikaman an chak jou, san w pa sote yon jou.
     Take the medication everyday without skipping one day.


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