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.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

does debraye mean the same as dekolte?

debraye - careless, unkempt, disheveled
dekolte - bare, showing lost of skin (clothing), offensive, immodest

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

Monday, November 25, 2013

To my friend .... I can't find your original question :-\. I did paste the content in to my WORD program while I work on it. I am still missing one translation :-\.

Sorry bon zanmi m :)
I couldn't find the H. Creole translation for overproof rum.  I did ask around.  I'll keep working in it.

Dreamer – ideyalis, vizyonè

Juicy – plen sòs

grinding machine, grinder - moulen

mash(wine mash) – kraze, moulen

molasses  - melas

overproof rum -

amber rum – wonm anbre

spiced rum – wonm epise

naval rum - gwòg

flavored rum – wonm awomatize

fermentation - fèmantasyon

distillation - distilasyon

aging - vyeyi

blending - blende

yeast - leven

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

Is ren pou ren a shameful expression?

Shameful? Why would it be?
No matter which I look at it I can't see the why you would think that.

Anyways it means "equally".  ....Would it be less shameful if we said "kou pou kou" :)

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

I need the definition for these following phrases/ terms please: piga, oze, ranfeme, anvi, tet mwen pati, gwo foli, m'ape, jire, lobey, foke, antann, nou sonje tout rime


 Piga (or pinga) – don’t, refrain from, beware, (giving a warning)

Egzanp:

Pinga w pale ak moun sa yo.  Don’t talk to these people

Pinga ou ale la. – Don’t you go there.

Pinga m tande kriye sèlman. – I better not hear any crying

 

Ozeto dare, to take a risk

Egzanp:

Misye renmen fi a men li pa oze pale avè l.He likes the girl, but he’s not courageous enough to speak to her.

 

Ranfèmeto be withdrawn

Egzanp:

Ti fanm tèlman timid, li ranfèmen tankou yon flè

 

Anvi (n.)desire

Anvi (v.)to want, to desire

Egzanp:

M’anvi wè boubout mwen. - I miss my sweetie pie.

 

Tèt mwen patiI’ve lost my mind

gwo folimadness

 

m'ape (same as m’ap or mwen ap)

Egzanp:

M’ap chante  same as M’ape chante (I’m singing)

M’ap wè w nan fèt la pita.  Same as M’ape wè w nan fèt la pita .(I’ll see you at the party later)

 

jireto swear

Egzanp:

Nou jire pou n pa janm fè sa ankò.We swear never to do that again.

 

lobèy - commotion, unrest

Egzanp:

Ki lòbèy ki gen nan kay sa a?!What’s all the fuss in this house?

Ala fanm ka fè lòbèy!This woman can be rowdy!

 

foketo have lost it, to have gone crazy

 

antann (or tonbe dakò) – to agree, to mean to say

Egzanp:

Ann antann nou sou sa. – Let’s agree on this.

 

nou sonje tout rime (rimè?) – We remember all rumors

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

What expressions of courtesy that exist in creole? I have seen in the french language expressions such as these:....

"What expressions of courtesy that exist in creole? I have seen in
the french language expressions such as these:

(Veuillez)Avoir l'amabilité de + infinitive, avoir la bonté de + infinitive,
avoir la gentillesse de + infinitive, avoir l'obligeance de + infinitive, avoir
la politesse de + infinitive, etc. Seriez si bon de + infinitive, seriez si poli
de + infinitive, seriez si gentil de + infinitive, etc.

In Spanish language, Tener la amabilidad/bondad/cortesia/gentileza/fineza de +
infinitive, hacer el favor/fineza de + infinitive, etc.

In English, there are: would you be so good/kind/polite/helpful/courteous/gracious/friendly/amiable/etc
+ as + infinitive. Have the goodness/kindness/amiability/courtesy/politeness in
+ present participle. Would you be a dear..... could you be a dear......

I know that all these polite expressions in these languages are formal versions
of "please". I know in creole, we have various words for please, but I want to
know if there are phrasal or construction equivalents in creole. I'm fascinated
by these. As you already know, I love to know other ways of expressing the same
idea. Could you provide these courtesy constructions if they exist? Also, what
are other words  for "so" as an intensifier? I know that in this context, "so"
translates "tèlman" but what are other words that could replace it?

Ex

"Would you be so kind as to help carry the groceries in my car?"

"Have the courtesy in sitting down immediately."

"Would you be a dear in lending me some money to pay for my books?"

I hope I make sense. Sometimes my head is jumbled with a lot of ideas. Feel free
to add more and be as detailed as you can."


------------------

Ou fè anpil sans, men kesyon ou an sanble li genyen plizyè pati.  Gen moun ki ta di w Ayisyen pa nan tout koze siplikasyon sa yo, men se pa vre.  Chak peyi gen fason pa yo pou eksprime jantiyès. Ayiti pa fè eksepsyon. 

Aysiyen va di w:

Tanpri souple….

Rann mwen yon sèvis tanpri…

Rann mwen yon sèvis tanpri ti cheri a

Mwen soupriye w an gras, fè sa pou mwen …..

Fè m plezi e rann mwen yon sèvis….

Some people may even say:

Fè kè m kontan e rann mwen tèl sèvis…..



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

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Saturday, November 23, 2013

How would you translate, "The most she can take is six students." Thanks!

From Istwa Jezi nan Bib la page 122, what does this sentence about Goliath mean? "Moun Filisti yo te gen yon gwo potorik gason yo te rele Golyat ke moun pa t konnen." The Philistine people had a big, tough guy called Goliath that people didn't know. That last part doesn't make sense to me.


"The Philistine people had a big, tough guy called Goliath who people didn't know about."
"The Philistine people had a big, tough guy called Goliath who no one knew."

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

What's the difference between "pa ta kapab" and "pa t'ap kapab?"

Mwen pa ta kapab...
I would not be able....

Mwen pa t'ap kapab...
I could not....

The difference seems subtle.

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

I know that when you send something to someone you use "bay" for "to." Like, "M'ap voye wòb la ba ou." If you are sending someone (instead of something) do you use "kote" for "to"? Like, "M'ap voye pitit fi mwen an kote ou." Thanks!


Yes, that’s right.  It’s like saying “M’ap voye l kote w.” I’m sending her where you are” or “I’m sending her your way”.
When Haitians pray they say that a lot:  “Senyè, nou vini kote w….” “Lord, we’ve to come near you (into your presence)"

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

I know you can put pi before an adjective to make the -er in English, like pi bèl means prettier. Or pi can mean more, like pi enpòtan means more important. First question: Can you use pi with ANY adjective? I don't think I've ever heard it with many different adjectives like pi vye or pi nèf. Also I know you can use pi with verbs, like, "Sa ou pi renmen?" meaning "What do you like most?" Second question: Can you use it with ANY verb? Please give examples if possible. Thanks!


Pi, plis, pi plismore

Pi – the most

Usually we put “pi” before adjectives and adverbs

1.     Do you feel better or worse?

Eske w santi w pi byen ou pi mal?

 

2.     The right foot is more red than the left foot.  I think it’s infected.

Pye dwat la pi wouj pase pye goch la.  M panse li enfekte.

 

3.     Which is more economical, renting an apartment or buying a house?

Kilès ki pi ekonomik, lwe yon apatman onswa achte yon kay?

 

4.     The car drives more slowly now.

Machin nan mache pi dousman kounye a.

 

5.     Airplane tickets will be more expensive in the year 2015.

Tikè avyon ap koute pi chè nan ane 2015.

 

With some verbs you may use “pi”, but generally we’ll use “plis” or “pi plis” after the verb

6.     This baby sleeps more in the daytime.

Bebe sa a dòmi plis pandan lajounen.

 

7.     The seeds I gave you will yield more this year.

Grenn mwen ba ou yo ap bay plis rannman ane sa a.  (actually this puts “plis” before a noun)

 

8.     You sister smiles more when she’s happy.

Sè w la souri pi plis lè l kontan.

 

You cannot use “pi” before all the verbs, but you can usually use “plis” or “pi plis” after a verb. Here are more examples:

9.     Nou pi renmen manje ou fè maten an.

Or you can say.

Nou renmen manje ou fè maten an  plis (or pi plis).

We like the food you made this morning best.

 

10. Ou pi konn danse pase sè w la.

Or you cansay:

Ou konn danse plis pase sè w la.

You dance better than your sister.

 

And then we’ll put “plis” before a noun.

11.  We need more love in this world.

Nou bezwen plis lanmou nan monn sa a.

 

12. There are more people at the market this morning.

Genyen plis moun nan mache a maten an.

 

13. We need more money.  We always need more.

Nou bezwen plis lajan.  Nou toujou bezwen plis.

 

And then we have sentences with “plis … plis”

14. The more you know the more you grow.

Plis ou konnen se plis ou grandi.

 

15. There’s a sale at the store.  The more you buy the more you save.

Genyen yon lavant nan magazen an.  Plis ou achte se plis ou ekonomize.

 

16. The higher you go the harder you fall.

Plis ou monte wo plis ou pran gwo so.

 

 

 

Where to buy Soursop in Georgia?

If there are Haitians or Spanish in the area, chances are you will find it there.
In a Haitian store, it will be in the produce section.  In any regular American grocery store, you'll find it in the freezer section where all the frozen ethnic foods are.  It will be under the name Guanabana (spanish).  They also have the papaya.  And they are very good when you make them into a smoothie with your blender.
You may add milk, strawberies, yogurt, and it's delicious.... It'll take you back to tropical Haiti - The only difference is, you have electricity and you don't have to mash it with a spoon to blend it :)

They also have it this juice in a can, but the canned juice doesn't have the "smoothie" consistency that we're used to in Haiti.

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