Mandaly, this is like second message with same content...I don't want to be impolite or anything like that, so please don't be offended...I just wanna your subtle help in writing some witty or normal birthday greeting card for one year old boy, but in kreyol fashion.... Mesi davans, bel Manda

Happy birthday - bòn fèt

Today you turn one, I wish you many more birthdays.
Jodi a ou gen ennan, mwen swete ou anpil lòt anivèsè ankò.

I hope you had a good year.
M'espere premye ane ou te anfòm.

First birthday is always the best, but you'll never remember it.
Premye anivèsè nesans yo toujou pi bon, men ou p'ap janm sonje l.


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

what does grigole and kalou mean?

Sounds like "rigole (to joke around)" and "kalalou (okra)"..... Is it?
I do not recognize the ones that you wrote ...without a context.

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

Is there a rule for when to use "w" and when to use "ou" for you? I notice that "w" is used sometimes even when the sound is still "ou," like: "M renmen w." Are they completely interchangeable?

w is the contracted form of ou (as a pronoun and possessive adj)
For many foreigners the difference between the two (when you listen to them) is very subtle.  But if you listen to the H. Creole language long enough you'll soon be able to distinguish between the two sounds.

Yes there are rules.
When used as an object pronoun or possessive adjective, it follows the vowels not the consonants.
example:
you can say:
Mwen renmen w. ("w" follows nasal vowel "en" in "renmen")
Nou sonje w. ("w" follows vwayèl-bouch "e" in "sonje")
Papa w pa pè. ("w" follows vwayèl-bouch "a" in "papa")

But you cannot say:
M'ap tann w. ("w" cannot follow the consonant "n" in "tann")
Li bat w. ("w" cannot follow the consonant "t" in "bat")
Nou fè lwanj w chaj jou. ("w" cannot follow the consonant "j" in "lwanj")
Eske sa se kay w? ("w" cannot follow the consonant "y" in kay)

We'll say instead:
M'ap tann ou.
Li bat ou.
Nou fè lwanj ou chak jou.
Eske sa se kay ou?

When in doubt, you can always use "ou".

FYI:  In Northern Haiti, however, this rule goes out the window.  The "w" will sounds like "a ou" or "aww"
The Northerner will say:
Nou fè lwanj w chak jou.
And it will sound like:
Nou fè lwanj aww chak jou.

Check out these posts:  OU and W

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

What is mizik angaje?

It's a voudou-type of music, it can be political with voudou terms and much complaints, denouncements and insinuations.

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

what is koutlang? can be used as verb?

kout lang - malicious gossip or backbiting
bay kout lang - to badmouth, to backstab

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

how would you say "from...to...". I want to say "from here to there" and also give a time frame (from 7 to 8). Can I say "de la a la"? I hear that sometimes.

Yes, people sometimes do say de isit la a laba a, or de setè a twazè, de Miami a New York.

From ... to... → depi .... jouk/jiska...

From here to there → depi isit jouk laba a
From 7 to 8 → depi setè jouk uitè
From sunrise to sunset → depi solè leve jouk solèy kouche

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

Can you tell me how you would translate "kina yo." I know it is hard to answer this without knowing the context. In context it sounds something like "the locals." But can you perhaps elaborate or be any more precise for me about its meanings and connotations? I am doing a translation of an oral history of an elderly Haitian from 1987. Thanks!

You will hear this type  of expression in Northern Haiti.

1. kina yo (kinan yo) - theirs, or it can be their family

   Sa se kinan m - This is mine; This is my race, my family

    Sa se kinan nou - This is ours


2. Northerners tend to "an" or "a" before their possessive adj.
    for example:
   We usually say:
Liv mwen.
OR
Sa se liv mwen.
   A person from the North might say:
Liv an mwen.
OR
Sa se liv an mwen.

3. Here's another example:
    We usually say:
Sa se papa li.
    But the Northerner might say:
Sa se papa a li.

4. And one more example:
   We usually say:
Ayiti se peyi nou.
   The Northerner might say:
Ayiti se peyi an nou.

So, when you see "kin an yo" or "kin an mwen", it's as if they were saying:  kin an yo → their kin (their own) or kin an mwen → my kin (my own)

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

Is there any place I can find some good info on Haitian culture? More than just the stuff about conservative, women do housework, etc...?

Kansas University, Haitian studies website is a good source.
If you have a chance,  do visit some Haitian bookstores in person or online (educavision.com)
And if your area offers it, check the cultural centers or public libraries for upcoming exhibits of 'Haitian Folklife' so rich in tradition and history.

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

what is an "aksivil" , thank you hun!

aksivil  (ak sivil) - (from acte civil) a non religious wedding (usually done in court to obtain a marriage certificate)
pase aksivil - to get a marriage certificate

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

Hello Mandaly! Thank you for ALL your responses to my many questions! I really really appreciate your help! Here's another... It seems that a final "t" is pronounced differently in Creole than it would be in English. For example, when you say "hot" in English, the "t" sound is made by a little air passing between your teeth. (At least that's my amateur's way of putting it.) But when I hear words like malet, let, ponyet, tet, etc, I think the "t" sound is actually stopped by the tongue touching the back of the top teeth. Does this sound correct to you? And if so, is it true of all Creole words ending in "t?"

Your observations are correct.
Here is a link about a similar question: Sorry for the repeat -- I have a Q about the 't' sound in words like 'timoun' and 'piti'. It sounds a little "cute" to me in recordings, perhaps the proper word is "palatalized"? It reminds me of the way "tse tse fly" is pronounced. Is this normal?

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

How can you say in haitian creole: the hurricane hit off the coast of Haiti? Thank you.

Siklòn nan pase bò zòn lakòt Ayiti.

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

Does komik in "Ou komik." translate as funny or silly? I'd rather not be silly.

Ou komik - you are funny (amusing)

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

Is tot the same as totot?

No.

tòt (adv.) - firm, solid, unyielding
1. Li kenbe pye manmna l tòt.
    She stayed close to her mother.

tòtòt - as a verb to suck; as a noun it can be a nipple or anything you suck on.
egzanp:
2. L'ap fè tòtòt ak mango a.
    He's sucking on the mango. (in Haiti we often suck on a ripe mango to draw the juice out before we eat it)

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

What is the difference between 'nèke' and 'dèke'? (I put the accents this time yay! :)

nèke - adv: only, just, merely, barely, once, as soon as
egzanp:

1. Moun yo tèlman pè mesye a, li nèke pale yo tout pran tranble.
    People are so afraid of the man, he barely speaks and they all start trembling.

2.  Nèg la nèke manyen bra fanm nan, e fanm nan di misye ba l yon kout pwen.
     The man barely touched the woman's arm and she said he punched her.

3.  Nou te gen chans yè, nou nèke rive nan estasyon bis la epi li vini.  Dabitid, bis la toujou anreta
      We were lucky yesterday, as soon as we arrived at the bus station it came.  Usually the bus is always late. 

dèke - as soon as, once
egzanp

4. Dèke ou peye kontravansyon an yo va retabli pèmi kondui ou.
    Once you pay the fine they will reinstate you driver's license.

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

what does the word "dekabes" mean I hear it a lot in Haiti, thanks!

Dekabès (in game of dominoes) - you got a winning hand.

See this post: DEKABEST

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