Can you explain this phrase that was thrown around a lot on a recent trip to Haiti: "Wap swe la!" I guess it was from a movie or show or something, and I understood it as "You're sweating!" but I don't understand why the "la" is there at the end.

In this sentence it means now, right now, or there (as in the action is happening in this moment)


We tend to put la or la a at the end of similar sentences:
1.
Ou bouke la a?
You must be tired right now?

2.
M grangou la a.
I'm hungry.

3.
Ou dwe prese la .
You must be in a hurry.


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

When Haitians say machwa gonfle, do they refer to someone being mad?

It may refer to someone who's pouting.
L'ap gonfle machwè l.
He's pouting.

or if you've seen the term in the expression: Pale anpil fè machwa gonfle (Too much babbling will puff up your cheeks), it means Stop wasting time and act.  Pretty much the same as the expressions: Chita pa bay (sitting around don't give), or Twòp lapriyè fè jounou kwochi (Too many prayers make the knee crooked)

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

Since Creole does not have male or female words, can i use scandalèz for males too.

No :)
eskandalèz refers to females.

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

Mandaly, how do you say gang in HC, thanks for all your help, you're doing a great thing

Mèsi.

gang → zenglendo, gang, chimè

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

How do I find Lesson 1 or 2? On some of the pages that I bring up you say the answers are found on the next lesson, etc.

link to lesson 1
link to lesson 2

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

Mandaly, Is "Tann yon minit fi yo." the way to say "Wait a minute girls." (Hold on girls.). Maybe you could give another example of this? Mesi anpil.

When you say fi yo (the girls), it's being specific.
Tann yon minit fi yo.
Wait a minute the girls.

We could say instead:
Tann yon minit medam.
Wait a minit ladies.
or
Tann yon minit timoun. (if you're dealing with kids)

It's okay to omit the Creole definite article "yo" when using "zero article" in English.  Creole speakers will know that your noun is plural nevertheless.


Other examples:
1.
Bonjou mesye.
Hello guys.
(It's not necessary to say Bonjou mesye yo)

2.
Fanm pa renmen gason timid.
Women don't like shy men.

3.
Chen pa chache zo devan pòt kay tayè.  
Dogs don't look for bones in front of the tailor's door.  

4.
Se devan kay bouche chen chache zo.
Dogs look for bones in front of the butcher's door.

5.
Li pi pito chat.  Li pa renmen chen menm.
She prefers cats.  She doesn't like dogs at all.


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

What is the rule for sounding out the N at the end of words. For example: VIN, MOUN, PEN, PAN...etc

We do not sound out the N sounds with the nasal vowels AN, EN, ON
such as
men (hand)
marengwen (mosquito)
maten (morning)
bonbon (cookie, cake)
pon (bridge)
tan (time)

But we do sound it out if there's an accent on the letter "A, E, or O" or a double "n" at the end.
such as:
pàn (trouble, car trouble)
avwàn (oatmeal)
mòn (hill)
siklòn (hurricane)
lasirèn (mermaid)
larèn (queen)

tann (to wait)
detenn (to fade)
wonn (circle)

We always sound out the "n" in "in"
such as in:
machin (car)
min (demeanor, mannerism)
sadin (sardines)

 We always sound it out in any words with the vowel "OUN" also
such
moun (people)
youn (one)
houngan (voodoo priest)

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

Mandaly, I am sorry, but I forgot to ask the most important question in my last posting. In French and Spanish when you are addressing both boys and girls you use the masculine form such as "los muchachos" and "les garcons". How is it in Kreyol with this narrative? There really is no masculine and feminine in Kreyol per se. Mesi anpil.

In Creole we say mesyedam, or mesyezedam when addressing both males and females.

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

How would u say fe kreten in english

fè kreten - to be a slow learner, to act like an idiot

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

HELLO! I am in a play called "Ragtime." There are two Haitian speaking parts that I am trying to find the translation for- we are immigrants coming to America:: 1. Gran mesi, Washington! 2. Ki ba nou Lamerik! Thank you for your time!

gran mesi (or granmèsi, gremèsi) → thanks to
Gran mèsi Washington! → Thanks to Washington!

Lamerik → America
Ki ban nou Lamerik! → who gave us America!

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

what is the word 'plede' when used before a verb. I use the verb 'to plead' but it doe not fit.

plede (pede) - to keep on

1. Poukisa w;ap plede kriye konsa?
    Why do you keep crying so much?

2.  Mwen kalote l paske l t'ap plede anniye m.
     I slapped him because he kept bugging me.

3.  Si lapli ap plede tonbe konsa, nou pral gen inondasyon.
      If it keeps raining like that, we'll have flood.

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

Hi Mandaly! I heard some words and phrases that I was unsure of yesterday at church. I wish I had gotten more phrases and context for you, but would you help me understand these, if you can make sense of them? Yon raj Vye flo lakay li Pa plenyen so ave li Sisite eprev yo Li sisite yon anvi lakay kretyen yo Rega (like regard maybe?) Nou vin rabi Thanks so much!

yon raj - a rage, frenzy, madness

vye flo lakay li - old torment within him (depending on context)
flo - torrent, tide, suffering, anguish
yon flo touman - a cascade of torment (pa egzanp)
Tout flo li te pase sou mwen - All his wrath was on me

pa plenyen sò (w?) avè li - Do not lament (your?) circumstance with him/her
sò - circumstance, fate, luck, karma

sisite eprèv yo - to resurrect the trials and tribulations
eprèv (or zeprèv) - trials and tribulations, grief, affliction
sisite (resisite) - resurrect, to bring to life

rega - a look

nou vin rabi - we've become incorrigible (depending on context)
rabi - said of of clothes that cannot be cleaned thoroughly.  
For example, some white clothes lose their 'whiteness' and no matter how much you bleach them they remain yellowish.  These clothes are said to be 'rabi' in Creole.
Also a meat that remains tough no matter how much you cook or boil it.  It cannot get tender.  The meat is said to be 'rabi' in Creole
And also a fruit that never reaches ripeness or maturity is said to be 'rabi' in Creole.

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

Eske babako vle di barbecue?

Wi yo itilize l mo sa a lè y'ap pale osijè yon gwo festen anplennè kote k gen anpil manje.
Donk ou kapab itilize babako tou pou di anpil, yon bann, yon latriye, etc....

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

kijan ou itilize pawol GRANN iGRANN

Ou kapab di; "....depi sou grann igrann..."

pa egzanp
Sa se kalite rad moun te konn mete depi sou grann igrann.
oubyen
Depi sou grann igrann m poko janm wè yon bagay parèy.

Ekpresyon sa a se menm bagay avèk depi dikdantan, ak depi ti konkonm t ap goumen ak berejèn

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

I know that BON MACHe means cheap, but someone told me I could also use the word "tchip" in Creole?

yes, they use that too.

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