madichon k nan ko ou? (k nan ko ou?)

Madichon ki nan kò w
Madichon k nan kò w
or
devenn ki nan kò w.
You must be cursed or you must be under a curse

Pa bon ki nan kò l.
He's no good.
He's up to no good.

Mechan ki nan kò l.
He's wicked.

Vagabon ki nan kò l.
He's being a stud.

Poukisa w'ap kriye.  Pa okipe Mario.  Se anmèdan ki nan kò l.
Why are you crying. Pay no attention to Mario.  He's just being a tease.

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"bonnanj li pati, loloj li chavire" which one can be used for "crazy in love" as opposed to "crazy lunatic" or do you know some other expressions that I can use. thanks

I believe that you can use both unless there's something specific you want (or don't want) to imply..... such as you want to say "infatuation" instead of ..."crazy"
for example you could use:
Bonnanj li pati
Bonèt li chavire
Lòlòj li chavire
Tèt li pati
Tèt li fin cho
Li fin fou

as opposed to:
Li andyable
Li fin andenmon
Li fin anraje
etc....


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what is ke soubisket? could you use in a sentence please?

kè sou biskèt  (kè sote, kè kase) - apprehension, nervousness, fear, suspense
kè (pronoun)sou biskèt - to be anxious

1. Depi maten kè m sou biskèt.
    I've been anxious since this morning.

2. Kè manman m toujou sou biskèt depi l gen randevou kay doktè.  Li toujou pè pou doktè a pa ba l move nouvèl.
    My mom is always anxious when she has doctor's appointment.  She's always afraid that the doctor will give her bad news. 

3. Kè tout moun te sou biskèt lè asansè a te bloke. Men nanpwen moun ki te di yon mo.
    Everyone was tense when the elevator got stuck.  But no one said a word.

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

Iam working with an orphanage in Port-au-Prince and a couple of our kids get these things on their skin which the staff calls "Klou" or "bouton". I know 'klou' is blister but these don't look like blisters. They get infected and fill up with puss, then they pop (yo pete sou po a, tout moun di). I've tried to look this up to find out what they are but I can't find anything anywhere. Any ideas?

This requires a professional examination by a licensed medical doctor in order to diagnose it. I hope the kids are okay and I pray that they recover from this quickly.

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

"bèkatè"? what does that mean Mandaly? Mesi anpil.

Bèk atè (Fè bèk atè) -  to be defeated, to sag,  to fall flat

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Can you please post the lyrics to this song Chè Senyè. Thank you.

Chè Senyè, kenbe men m, ede mwen rete fèm
Mwen bouke fatige tèlman
Nan loraj, nan fènwa, klere wout la devan m
Kenbe men m, chè Senyè fè m rive

Lè chemen difisil, e m bezwen ou anpil
Senyè rete la tou pre mwen
Lè mwen prèt pou m ale, ede m pou m pa bite
Kenbe men m, chè Senyè fè m rive

Lè solèy la kouche, e nwit la  ap pwoche
E tout lavi mwen va fini
Ede m pa regrete nan ou sèl mwen konfye m
Kenbe men m, chè Senye fè m rive
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Enben Lotrejou motè a tonbe chofe nan men m(Can you translate ?) for 'nan men m'. kamsa hamnida

Nan men m (“nan men mwen” when it’s not contracted) – literally: In my hands

The best definition for this expression would be : in my care, while I was in charge, while under my care.

1. Enben lotrejou motè a tonbe chofe nan men m. – Well the other day the engine started heating in my hands

We often say:

2. Pitit la tonbe malad nan men m. – The child fell ill while in my care.

3. Machin nan pran pán nan men m. – The car broke down while in my hands.

4. Ti bebe a manke mouri nan men m. – The baby almost died in my care.

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

Hi Mandaly! What does it mean to "avili yo" and "avili'm"? Mesi bokou madam!!!

Avili - To discredit, to shame, to put down

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Hello again, Mandaly! Quick question: I know 'Mwen renmen' means "I love you, " but how do you respond or say "I love you, too?" Also...lol, how do you say "My Beloved Haitian King?" like a term of endearment? :3

Awesome Hee hee ; )

I love you too – Mwen renmen ou tou.
my beloved Haitian king – wa Ayisyen cheri mwen
my beloved king – wa cheri mwen
my king – wa mwen

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What shows can you suggest to someone who would like to practice his/her listening comprehension in Creole? Nothing with a lot of French and shows that are clean with no innuendos to uncomfortable topics.Thanks

Haitian comedians of the 21^st century are all about “uncomfortable” topics :-\
Have you tried the episodes of Lavi Nan Bouk la or Languichatte (in Youtube).  They may be old but most of them are pretty decent.  Are you able to watch Island TV from Miami?

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Mandaly, happened upon your website, Thank You! Question is: which dictionary would be more useful learning Creole, the one offered by Indiana U. or Kansas U.? Thanks again, peace, chuck

Bonswa Chuck.

Kansas University has more of a variety of materials including a medical dictionary that’s useful.  I have not seen the dictionary from Indiana University.  I was told it’s more recent.

For online use, see if you can download the Haitian Creole – English Dictionary with Basic English – Haitian Creole Appendix by Jean Targète and Raphael G. Urciolo.  It’s the most complete and, to me, most useful.

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

How do you say shooting star in Haitian Creole? How do you say to wish upon a star.

Shooting star – zetwal file, zetwal filant.
I see a shooting star – Mwen yon zetwal file

When you see a shooting star in Haiti, it means impending death – someone (not necessarily family – it might be a neighbor or someone else) is going to die.

After someone has passed, if you hear a Haitian say “I did see a shooting star”, they’re just saying that they saw it coming.

Sometimes people even say “yon gran tèt ki tonbe” meaning that someone important/significant has or is going to die.

To wish upon a star – fè yon souwè sou yon zetwal.

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Mandaly. As in "Ki kote ou prale?" I am running into "prale" at the end of sentences, instead of "pral." Is "prale" like "genyen" at the end of sentences? In other words, with "genyen", you are supposed to use the long form at sentence end. Is "prale" the same way? Mesi bokou.

Yes you got it. We do not use “pral” at the end of a sentence.
Yes, the same goes for GENYEN and GEN.
And, the same goes for the following words below. Their contracted form is not found at the end of a sentence

1.
fini and fin (used as auxiliary) – to be done
Eske ou fini? - Are you done?
Do not say:  Eske ou fin? (“fin” cannot be used at the end of this question.)
But you can say:  Eske ou fin manje? – Are you done eating?
 
2.
pote and pot – to carry, to bring
Kisa w te pote? - What did you bring?
Do not say:  kisa w te pot?
But you can say: Kisa w te pot pou mwen? - What did you bring me?
 
3.
mete and met – to put
Ki rad w’ap mete? – What dress will you wear?
Do not say:  Ki rad w’ap met?
But you can say:  Ki rad w’ap met sou ou? – What dress will you wear?
 
4.
konnen and konn – to know, to be used to
Eske ou te konnen? – Did you know?
Do not say:  Eske ou te konn?
But you can say: Eske ou te konn nonm sa a? – Did you know that man?
 
5.
ale and al – to go
Ann ale. – Let’s go.
Do not say:  Ann al.
But you can say: Ann al nan sinema. – Let’s go to the movies.
 
6.
rete and ret – to stay, be left
Konben pen ki rete? – How many breads are left?
Do not say:  konben pen ki ret?
But you can say Konben pen ki ret nan panye a? – How many breads are left in the basket?

7.
soti and sot – to go out, to come from, to be derived from
Nou te soti. – We went out.
Do not say:  Nou te sot.
But you can say:  Nou te sot nan mache. – We came from the market.

8. 
Also adj piti and ti – small, minor, little
Machin nan piti. – The car is small
Do not say:  Machin nan ti.
But you can say:  Se yon ti machin. – It’s a small car.

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One more question Mandly. I’m finishing up my comparisons and contrast. How would you translate these similes in Creole ‘as eager as a beaver, as bitter as gall, and as cold as ice’?

 “as eager as a beaver” - cho pase leve danse
“as bitter as gall” – anmè tankou fyèl
“cold as ice” - frèt tankou glas (Oubyen) frèt kon nen chen

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

What’s an antonym for ankatimini? Thanks

Openly - aklè

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