Peace, Mandaly! I'm new to Haitian Creole and I, having grown up absolutely LOVING foreign languages (Spanish, a tiny bit of French) I finally came into pursing Haitian Creole (along with Haitian history, culture, etc.)…

“Peace, Mandaly! I'm new to Haitian Creole and I, having grown up absolutely LOVING foreign languages (Spanish, a tiny bit of French) I finally came into pursing Haitian Creole (along with Haitian history, culture, etc.) and I was BLESSED enough to find your blog and your other websites. I fell in LOVE with your HAITIAN ALPHABET video on YouTube and everything! Lol. My question is though, as a new student to Haitian Creole exactly WHERE do I start as "Lesson 1" on this wonderful website and as far as following YOUR posts websites, and lessons, etc? XOXO”

Peace to you too zanmi mwen :) Welcome to the community of Haitian Creole learners!
This blog can be a great resource as you learn the Haitian Creole language
Here a few posts to help you get started:
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5
Lesson 6
Lesson 7


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

Can you use Haitian creole min in a sentence or two please?

Men wi.

Min – facial expression, demeanor,  mannerism

We usually say “mare min” as in to frown, to pout, to look angry

And we also say, dis min mare nan fwon which means to look angry, to look stern

1. Lè w mare min ou ou fè moun pè.   - When you look angry you scare people .

2. Madanm nan te chita sou tab la, min ni byen mare, pa’t gen moun ki fouti pwoche l. – The woman sat at the table , all gloomy, no one dared  to approach her.

3. Sa’k fè w mare min ou konsa?  Se pou moun pa pwoche w? – Why do you look so angry?  Is it so that people to get close to you?

4. Demare min ou. – Stop the long face. Or  Smile. Or even  Turn your frown upside down

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

what is bat bouda in 'bat bouda nou fe m pa we figi nou la'.

Bat bouda - to leave, to go away, to scram
'bat bouda nou fe m pa we nou la' - Scram, don't let me see you face again

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

What is 'ap la'? Thanks

Is there a subject that comes before it?  Such as

M ap la. - I'll be there
Manman m ap la - My mom will be there.
John ap la - John will be there.
E jounalis yo ap la - And the journalists will be there
Donk tout moun ap la. - So everyone will be there.

You can also use "va la".  Nou va la - We'll be there.

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

what does "alaway toner" vle di an h.creole? Thank you.

Is this the right spelling?

It might actually be Ala … tonnè! Which might mean Damn it!

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

si bonet yon moun chavire eske moun nan fache oubyen eske li fou

Mwen panse lè bonèt yon moun chavire moun nan tèlman fache, li tèlman fin dechennen, tèt li pati, li vin aji tankou yon moun fou – li vin pèdi tout sans li.  Tankou Ameriken yo di, moun nan “mad”, “insane”, deranged”.

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

Koze mande chez?

Koze mande chèz (or koze mande chèy) – Grab a chair, it’s a long story.

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

Hi Mandaly! Can you please help me with this fraz. "Misye te kouche nan lopital la e pandan li kouche a ap pase soufrans, chanmyel vini nan chanm kel te ye a e yo kouvri tout ko misye net. Tou kareman misye vin mouri apre. Ala mechan!" Ok what would the world "chanmyel" or maybe it's "channmyel/ chan myel" vle di an H.creole? I think the word might have a French origin and I don't quite think the fraz is talking about "siwo myel" either. Ede m silvouple Mandaly!!

I think they might mean chanprèl or chanpwèl which is synonymous with lougawou, bòkò, move je (evil people, evil spirit, band of malicious people)

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

Pou valè moun k'ap chache sekrè lavi a enpi se ou k jwenn ni. please translate 'vale" in detail.

Valè, in Haitian Creole, translates worth, value, cost, price

It also translates many, so many, plenty, an abundance, a large number

We’ll concentrate on this second translation as this is what’s used in the audio post.

Here are some examples of using “valè” to translate ….many or a large number, …. As it is used in the audio post:

In these first groups of examples, we use it to say “large quantity”:

1.

Gen yon valè moun ki pa konn li nan peyi sa a. – There are a number of people that do not know how to read in this country.

2.

Mwen gen yon valè bib lakay mwen, m’a prete w youn. - I have many bibles at home, I’ll lend you one.

 

Sometimes we say “pou valè” – basically ….for the amount or because of the amount…..

3.

Pou valè bagay mwen gen pou‘m fè jodi a, m pa kwè m’ap kapab ede w. – Because of the many things I have to do today, I don’t think I’ll be able to help you.

4.

Pou valè mechanste m tande ou fè, m pa kwè m ka fè w konfyans - For the amount of wickedness I’ve heard that you’ve committed I don’t think I can trust you.

 

And sometimes we use “Valè”  before a noun where it means …so many, many, a great undefined number, …

5.

Valè moun ou genyen nan fanmi w, enpi ou pa't ka jwenn youn ki ka ede w - You have so many people in your family, and you couldn’t find one that can help you.

6.

Valè malonèt yo fè w, enpi ou retounen isit la toujou.  Ou pa gen nen nan figi w. - In spite of all the insults thrown at you, you still come back here.  You have no shame.

7.

Valè Ayisyen ki gen nan sal la, enpi pa menm gen youn ki ka pale yon bon Franse.  M twouve sa dwòl.. - All these Haitians in a room and not even one can speak perfect French.  I found that bizarre.

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

How do you write dates in creole. Example. Friday 14th march 2014. What are the personal pronouns?

written in this sequence: Day – date -  month - year

The baby was born on October 7^th, 2013 – Bebe a te fèt 7 oktòb 2013.

Everyone should meet up here on Friday March 14^th, 2014 – Tout moun dwe rasanble isit la vandredi 14 mas 2014.

here's a link to personal pronouns: personal pronouns

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

what is creole ajou?

ajou - updated

Yo mete tout moun ajou sou sa k ap pase.
They updated everyone on what's going on.

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

What’s the meaning of move san? Thanks

Fè move san? – to be upset


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

ordinary man, simple guy, " joe"?

An “average joe” may be translated as yon moun òdinè,  ensiyifyan, yon nonm senp, yon moun konsa konsa,  yon rapyay, as opposed to an extraordinary/important person ( yon grantèt, yon gwopalto, yon gwo chabrak, gwo boujwa)

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

Sa ki fè sa? (why?)

Sa ki fè sa? Or Sa k fè sa?, used to ask the question ‘why is that?’

1.

Sa k fè sa menm? – Why is that anyway?

2.

Sa k fè ou toujou ap manje dan’w? – Why are you always grinding your teeth?

3.

Sa’k fè w dekouraje konsa? – Why are you so discouraged?

4.

Si w pa renmen lekòl la, sa’k fè w pa kite l? –If you don’t like the school, why don’t you quit?

5.

Sa k fè w pa di m poukisa w anreta? – Why don’t you tell me why you’re late.

M te pran pán kawoutyou, se sa ‘k fè sa. – I had a flat tire, that’s why.

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

Rete kè pòpòz (Remain Calm) - Audio

Download link: http://limanecasimi.audioacrobat.com/download/adc55445-43d5-cac3-bd14-c9a63bee3b2f.mp3

Listen to audio here: http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/WKpjtc0W

******************

 

Mezanmi, Mariette toujou kè pòpòz.  Li pa janm gen kè sote.
Mariette is always calm.  She's never anxious.

Ou menm nenpòt ti bagay kontrarye w. Dis min toujou mare nan fwon w.  Lè w gen pwoblèm, men longè bouch ou.
As for you, anything little thing upsets you.  You always have a frown on your face.  When you have problems, your lips are that long (pouting).

Se lavi a k'ap malmennen m pitit.  Kanta pou Mariette, m pa konnen kouman fè li pa janm kite anyen twouble l.  M'ap mande m kijan l fè l.
Life isn't good to me child.  As for Mariette, I don't know how come she never lets anything trouble her.  I wonder how she does it.

Enben petèt li pa gen okenn tèt chaje nan lavi l.
Well maybe she doesn't have any problems in her life.

Okontrè, dam sa a plen pwoblèm.  Li pa viv lasante. Bòs li toujou ap ba l presyon nan travay li.  E mari l ap fè l pase nan je zegwi.
To the contrary, this woman has a lot of problems.  She's not in good health. Her boss is always giving her pressure at work.  And her husband does not treat her that well.

Petèt li se milyonè, li pa gen pwoblèm lajan.
Maybe she's a millionaire, she doesn't have money problem

Se pa sa.  Moun ki milyonè pa fè kalite dyòb l'ap fè a.  Enpitou bil li men wotè.
That's not it.  Millionaires don't do the type of job she's doing.  And her bills are that high.

Petèt se medikaman li pran pou l kalme l.
Maybe she takes medication to stay calm.

Non. Si l t'ap pran medikaman li ta soule tout tan.  Men li toujou ap souri.  Kèlkeswa sa k pase li li toujou rete trankil.  Li pa janm pèdi sanfwa l.   Kè l pa janm kase. Kè l toujou poze.  Sa k fè sa?
No.  If she was taking medication she'd be drowsy all the time. But she's always smiling.  Whatever happens to her, she is always temperate.  She never loses her cool.  She's never anxious. She's always poised.  Why is that?

Enben, sanble li jwenn sekrè lavi a.
Well it seems that she has found the secret to life.

Sekrè lavi a? Kounye a ou vle di m ou konn sekrè linivè antye?
The secret to life?  Now you mean to tell me that you know the secret of the entire universe?

M pa ka di w m konnen l men m gen yon lide.
I can't tell you that I know it but I have an idea.

Ki sa l ye?  Di m li tanpri pou m ka gen lajwa tou.
What is it? Tell it to me please so that I may also have joy.

Gen yon pwovèb Ayisyen ki di, "Rete trankil se remèd kò".  M panse sekrè lavi a nan pwovèb sa a.  Pa chaje tèt ou, rete kè pòpòz.  Se sekrè a.
There's a Haitian proverb that says, "Being serene is the body's remedy". I think the secret to life is in this proverb. Don't trouble yourself, remain calm.  That's the secret.

Enben konpliman Monchè.  Pou valè moun k'ap chache sekrè lavi a enpi se ou k jwenn ni.  Se pou w vann sekrè sa a bay tout moun konsa nou va rich e mwen finalman va gen kè kontan tankou Mariette.
Well congratulations my dear.  So many people are looking for the secret to life and it is you that finds it.  You must sell it to everyone so that we will be rich and I'll finally be as happy as Mariette.

Eske w sèten Mariette se pa bonnanj ou?
Are you sure Mariette isn't your spirit (alter ego)?

W'ap pase m nan betiz.  M p'ap okipe w.  M'ap rete kè pòpòz.
You're making fun of me.  I won't pay attention to you.  I will stay calm.

Track: Sa nou ye? by Fernand Marlu

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