Kisa nan chenn vle di? Someone asked me “oua te nan chenn”

Nan chenn – in chain, in restraints

Sound like “Ou te nan chenn? – Were you restrained? Were you in chains?

Since this is out of context, if this is not about chains or prison, it may be that someone is displaying weird behavior such has extreme voracity or hunger for something; then a Haitian would ask, “Ou te nen chenn?”

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This might seem silly to ask but I better be sure now. Is it common to compliment someone who’s lost weight in Haiti? How would you say “you’ve lost some weight”?

I guess if the person was dieting it would be a compliment to notice his/her loss of weight.  Haitians often use the word “seksi” – “W’ap fè seksi.” or “Ou pèdi pwa”.

You’ve lost some weight
Ou mèg
Ou megri / Ou fè yon ti megri.
Ou kase/ Ou fè yon ti kase.
Ou desann
 
You look good.
Ou anfòm
Ou byen kanpe
Ou seksi
 
Ou vin sèch.
You look emaciated.

 

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What is the difference between anplis and diplis? Which one can I use to say “additional” (If you receive additional payments…..)? Thanks

Use anplis – If you receive additional payments … - Si ou resevwa peman anplis ….

Anplis (adv) – furthermore, besides, in addition; more.
egzanp:
-Li t’ap fè wout la apye.  Solèy t’ap pike l.  Marengwen t’ap mode l.  Anplis de sa li te grangou.
-Kisa l di w anplis?
-Ou te ban m $5.00 anplis.
 
Diplis (n) – more, extra
egzanp:
-Se pa tout non, gen yon ti diplis.
-Se pa gran choz non. Se yon ti diplis nou mete sou apwentman w.

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When can you use 2 menms like ‘li menm menm”? is it the same as using it three times like “Li menm menm menm”?

Sometimes two menm’s may be the same as three menm’s  as in the following examples:

Two menm’s usually translates “as for …”

Ou menm menm…. / Ou menm menm menm – as for you
As in
1. Ou menm menm kilè w’ap koumanse chache yon travay?
    As for you, when will you start looking for a job?
 
2. Rosie menm menm pa konnen li pa sipoze soti ak mennaj bon zanmi li?
    As for Rosie, doesn’t she know she’s not supposed to date her best friend’s boyfriend?
 
3. Nou menm menm, nou panse se sou jwèt li ye.  Nou pa’t kwè l te serye.
   As for us, we thought he was playing.  We didn’t think he was serious.
 
And other times, it may indicate an objection:

Someone might say:
4. You stole my car! - Ou vòlè machin mwen!
And you would answer:
  Me?! Why would I want your old ugly car? -Mwen menm menm?!  Poukisa pou m ta vle  vye machin lèd ou a?
 

Other times it indicates certitude.

5. Eske se mesye sa a ki te frape w la?  Wi se li menm menm.
     Was this the man that hit you? Yes it is him indeed.

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"Mwen pa imajine kijanm renmenw non" what does that mean? Is it trying to say that I don't love you or maybe I can't imagine how much I love you?

Your second translation is right… “I can't imagine how much I love you” is correct


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Mandaly. M gen yon kestyon pou ou? Ki jan ""a" yo" pwononse nan fraz la: "Gason an gwo a abiye tonsiton." In case I screwed up with my Kreyol.......are the "a's" in "a abiye" run together (sound-wise), or are they 2 separate sounds? I am really having a "love affair" with Kreyol Ayisyen. It is like a great marriage; it keeps getting better every day! I apologize to all you HC's for stealing your language! Mesi.

I hope that the honeymoon in this marriage will last for a long time…. lol!
I guess this makes learning Creole more fun :)
Your hard work is paying off in a big way.
 

“a” the article before “abiye” AND The first letter “a” in the word “abiye” are pronounced like two distinct sounds.

Your example “Gwo gason an abiye tonsiton” instead of "Gason an gwo a abiye tonsiton."  does not require the use of the article “a”, but I’ll give you some other examples:

Ti fi a abiye bwòdè.
Where you pronounce it like:
Tee-fee-ya – a-bi-yay- bwò-dè
 
Here’s another example:
Mesye a achte kay la.
May-sye-ya-ach-tay-kai-la

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How do you say 'random' in creole

Random – aksidantèl, pa aza, ki pa sistematik
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“Pou valè moun k'ap chache sekrè lavi a” Can you translate?

Pou valè moun k’ap chache sekrè lavi a …. – So many people looking for the secret of/to life, …

 

“pou valè” or “valè” translates in English as “many” or “a great quantity”; may translate “so many/so much” at the beginning of a sentence in a dependent clause.

Valè machin ki sou wout la…. – So many cars on the road

Valè mizè l pase ak pitit la … - (she went through) so much difficulty with the child …

Valè malonèt yo fè m nan restoran sa a, m pa janm tounen al manje  la ankò. – (I have received) so many insults in this restaurant I’ll never go back to eat there.

Pou valè moun ki t’ap chache ti gason ki te pèdi a, yo dwe kontan anpil dèske yo jwenn ni. – There were so many people looking for the lost boy, they must be so happy to have found him.

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There is no frigate like a book to take you lands away...Pa gen frigat tankou yon liv pou mennen ou jiskensi ( this is just my unsuccessful try, now it's your turn..lol) antwo, kijan ou ye, bel zanmi pa m'...mwen espere tout bagay mache byen nan lavi w...;)

O o mezanmi! M’anfòm wi :)
E ou menm, kijan w ye? W’ap boule?

Frigate – yon vwalye, yon bato

“There is no frigate like a book to take you lands away...”
“Pa gen yon vwalye tankou yon liv ki ka anpòte w ale byen lwen ….”

Ki vle di:
Nanpwen yon vwalye ki kapab anpòte w ale pi byen pase yon liv.

Ki vle di ankò:
Yon liv kapab anpòte ale pi lwen pase yon vwalye :)

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If I wanted to say “I was born in 1978” – would it be “Mwen te fèt nan ane diznèf swasann dizuit”?

Yes, don’t forget to write in “san” after “diznèf”

“Mwen te fèt nan ane mil nèf san swasann dizuit”

Or

“Mwen te fèt nan ane diznèf san swasann dizuit”

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Mandaly do you know this haitian children's song in which you touch the parts of the face and it ends with tickling the neck? I think it goes: "ti je, gro je, nen kankan, bouch d'ajan..."?

It’s interesting.  Some people stop at the baby’s neck area (after “manton fleri”) and tickle the child:

Ti je gwo je
ti sousi gwo sousi
nen Kankan
bouch dariv
manton fleri … tikitikiti…..
 
 

And others will go all the way to the belly and tickle the child at the belly area:

Ti je gwo je
ti sousi gwo sousi
nen Kankan
bouch dariv
manton fleri
vant anfle
konkonm gaye … tikitikiti…..

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Which is the proper spelling? Is it creole or kreole when spelling it in Haitian Creole? I've even seen it spelled differently. I'm confused.

The proper spelling is “Kreyòl” or more specifically “Kreyòl Ayisyen”

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Mandaly. As in "Ou isit la depi yon mwa.", can the "ou" be plural as in "you all", or is it only singular? If it is only singular, then how would you say "you" (plural) in this sentence addressing more than one person? Mesi.

The “ou” is singular.
You will use “nou” to indicate plural “you” .

Egzanp:
Depi konbyen tan nou isit la?
How long have you (you all) been here?

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How would you say "infection?" "Your foot has an infection." or do you just say, pye malad? Mesi

I think “pye malad” may be e general term for diseased foot.

Your foot has an infection – Ou fè yon enfeksyon nan pye. (or) Ou genyen yon enfeksyon nan pye w.

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what does it mean to "priye" someone "en grace"?

priye angras - supplicate, plead, beg

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