how would you translate "trouve ke " in English? Thanks

twouve ke - it's so happens that

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I was searching for the most common translation for "so" as in--I couldn't sleep last night so I finished reading my book. I know you can use donk, but I think kifè is more common at least around here. Does kifè seem right in this context?

kifè (or kifè la a) does translate so, therefore, ...
It is as commonly used as donk.
And yes it works well in that sentence.

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to say 'to live a life' - do you say 'viv yon vi' ORR 'viv yon lavi'?

Toulede bon.
Ou kapab di toude si w vle.
Ou kapab di tou, 'mennen yon lavi'.

kèk egzanp
1. L'ap viv yon movèz vi.
2. Mwen vle w viv yon lavi ki san repwòch devan lèzòm ak devan Bondye.

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Kafe msye koule ak tout ma???

O O!  Msye nan tout sa ki ba bon.  Li nan ka.
He's in trouble.

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Mandaly, I was wondering if the African board game "Mancala / Mankala" is played extensively in the Haitian Creole culture? It is a staple of board games in my family. Mesi.

Yes it is.  The wari board game is very much loved in Haiti.  If they don't have a carved wooden game, kids may dig a holes in the ground to play it. Haitians call it jwèt kay.

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I am trying to find a proverb related to people who pretend to be something they're not. Or people who are hypocrites or an apostate (someone who renounces their religion or faith). You have any ideas? I remember one about "Fey Mapou vs Fey Manyok", but it escapes me. Thanks Mandaly

Fèy mapou sanble ak fèy manyòk.
The oak leaf looks like the manioc leaf (Only their product will tell the difference between them... according to the proverb)

Joumou pa donnen kalbas.
Squash tree does not yield 'Calebasse' (gourd)

Ti Jezi nan po krab
Someone who pretends to be what he/she is not.
How to use this expression:
Mesye a mete l dou tankou ti Jezi nan po krab pou li ka vin zanmi nou.
The man pretended to be humble and meek in order to gain our friendship.


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I'm am trying to figure out what this phrase means: "Kado (yon?) koze." (It sounded like "Kado on koze" but I assumed it was a yon in the middle.

It's Gade yon koze! or contracted Gad 'on koze! literally meaning look at a thing (look at this thing)
It's an interjection (indicating a range of emotion from mild surprise to disbelief or impatience), that can mean Oh dear look at this!, or Would you look at this! or What is this!

Sometimes we say Tande yon koze! or Tand'on koze! too which means almost the same as Gad' on koze and it literally say Listen to this thing!

Examples:
1. Gad on koze!  Apa ou la toujou?
    What is this!  How come you're still here?

2. Gad on koze!  Poukisa w'ap anniye m konsa?
    What is this!  Why are you bugging me?

3.  Tand 'on koze!  Ti pitit la fèk sot joure m. 
      Would you listen to this!  The kid just cursed at me.

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What is gyobe? to burp?

gyobe (dyobe?) - to work, to perform work

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Could you also give us the lyrics and translation to this children's song? It goes something like this: "Ti sourit?, pletil., kote ou ale?, lekòl, ...aprann?, A, B, C, D, E, F, G..." -

“Ti sourit!”

 “Plètil!”

“Sa w ap manje?”

“Grenn pwa!”

“Ban m ti kal!”

“Jamè!”

“Fè sèman!”

“Vyèj pete kouraj mwen, doupendoup!”

"Ti sourit!"

"Plètil!"
"Kote ou prale?"
"lekòl!"
"lakay kimoun?"
"Madan Aman."

"Sa w pral aprann?"
"A B  C  D  E  F G..."

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Can you write out and translate the lyrics to a children's song that we hear? It's something like this: "Maria nan soley, ti poul, ti poul. Ti poul la, kanpe, leve." Thanks so much!

 Mayi a nan solèy: Chi poul! Chi poul! (The corn is in the sun.  Shoo chicken!  Shoo chicken!)

Mayi a nan solèy: Chi poul! Chi poul!

Ay! De men anlè! (both hands up)

De men sou kote! (both hands on the side)

Tonbe, leve, chita! (Fall, get up, stand up)

Ay! tonbe, leve, chita!

Bay piyay!

Bay piyay!

Piyay! manman piyay!

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Goosebumps - chèdepoul

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Is there a rule that some verbs need pou in front of them while nothin other cases. Like tan pou ale but mwen vle fe yon bagay? James

usually "pou" after a verb will translate "to" or "in order to", "so that "....

1. Nou manje anpil pou n ka grandi.
    We eat a lot so that we can grow.

2.  Mwen pote li pou ou pou w ka wè ak de je w.
    I brought it to you so that you can see with your own eyes.

3. Mwen vle pou w ale kounye a.
    I need you to go now.

but "tan pou" → instead of

4. Tan pou w ale anba lapli a, poukisa ou pa ret tann.
     Instead of leaving under the rain, why don't you wait a while.

5. Joann sou anba tafya. Tan pou m ta monte machin avè l, m pito mache.
    Joann is drunk.  I rather walk than drive in a car with her.

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It seems that sèvi by itself means serve. Like "Nap sèvi Bondye." But sèvi ak means use. Like "Pa sèvi ak bik sa." Is that correct? Do you have to use ak to make sèvi mean use? Also how would you translate sèvi in this verse: "Mwen menm, mwen sèten m'a viv pou m' wè jan Bondye sèvi byen ak pèp li a."

Yes.
Sèvi - to serve, to worship, to serve as
egzanp:

1. N'ap sèvi Bondye.
    We worship God.
or
2. Ou pa ka sèvi de Bondye alafwa.
    You can't serve two masters at once.

sèvi or sèvi kòm or sèvi pou - to serve as, to use as

3.  Li pran m sèvi bòn li.
     He used me as his maid.

4.  Mwen pa t janm di sa.  Ou kapab sèvi m temwen.
     I never said that.  You can serve as my witness.

5. Li pran chemiz nèf mwen sèvi tòchon.
    Li pran chemiz nèf mwen sèvi kòm tòchon.
    He took my new shirt and used it as rag.

sèvi ak - to use, to make use of, to have to do with
egzanp:
6. Nou pa sèvi ak kiyè nan kay sa a.
   We do not use spoons in this house.

in your example:
sèvi byen ak → to treat well

7. "Mwen menm, mwen sèten m'a viv pou m wè jan Bondye sèvi byen ak pèp li a."
   "As for me, I'm sure I'll live to see how God treat his people well.:

other similar examples:

8. Li sèvi byen ak mwen.
   He treated me well.

9. Mwen va toujou gen madan Janot rekonesans.  Lè pitit mwen yo te rete lakay li, li te sèvi byen ak yo.
   I'll always be grateful to Mrs Janot.  When my kids stayed over at her house, she treated them well.


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I heard this phase today: Sa pa enterese nou menm. It seems like it would literally mean, "This doesn't interest us." But I think it meant, "We don't care." Is enterese used that way? Thanks!

Your literal translation is correct.
And yes it can be used in a way where it means "Sa pa enterese nou" - "We don't care about it (that)", "We're not concerned about it (that)"

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I heard this today (if I heard correctly!): "Chache yon atann ave li." It was in the context of reconciling with people after having a relationship problem. What does atann mean?

antann (antant or antannman) - understanding, agreement, compromise

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