I found the word "alòske" (English "whereas" or "while") in this passage from Bib la. "Konsènan bagay yo sakrifye bay zidòl, ebyen, nou konnen, nou tout, nou gen konesans. Men, konesans fè moun gonfle ak ògèy, alòske, lamou edifye moun." (1 Korent 8:1 Bib la) Is "alòske" ever used in spoken communication in Haiti? And is "konsènan" used in spoken Kreyòl? Thanks!

Yes and Yes.  They are used all the time in everyday conversation.

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

Yon lòt fwa, monchè. Jòdi a, lè nou lage, m ap prese. This is a dialog between two students on their way to class. Does lé nou lage mea, when they let us out? mesi anpil!

Yes it does.

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

At the beginning of a sentence in kreole " se sa k fe'" does that translater as " so" or "there fore " in kreyol?

Se sa k fè - this is why

1.
M te gen tètfèmal se sa k fè m t'al kouche.
I had a headache that's why I went to lie down.

2.
Jezi ap viv nan kè m se sa'k fè kè m kontan konsa.
Jesus lives in my heart that's why I'm so happy.

3. 
Moun sa yo se kriminèl se sa'k fè m di w  pa asosye ak yo
These people are criminals, this is why I tell you not to hang out with them.

It's also another way to as why?

4.
Sa k fè sa?
Why is that?


5a.
Sa'k fè w tris konsa?
Why are so sad?

5b.
Mwen sonje manman m se sa k fè m tris.
I miss my mother that's why I'm sad.


6a
Sa'k fè w twouble konsa?
Why are you so upset?

6b
Men te fè w konfyans men ou ban m manti se sa'k fè m twouble. 
I trusted you but you lied to me that's why I'm upset.



7a
Sa'k fè w malelve konsa?
Why are you so rude?

7b
Mwen pa konnen kouman pou m boule ak moun se sa k fè pafwa m fè malelve.
I don't know how to deal with people that's why sometimes I'm rude.


8a.
Sa'k fè w pa ka dòmi?
Why can't you sleep?

8b
Chen w lan jape tout lannuit se sa k fè m pa ka dòmi.
Your dog barks all night that's why I can't sleep.


9a
Sa'k fè ou p'ap lekòl demen?
Why won't you be in school tomorrow?

9b
Mwen dwe ale kay doktè se sa' k fè m p'ap la.
I must go to the doctor that's why I wont be there .

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

Alo Mandaly! Sa fé lontan depi kew pa upload anyen sou blog la! But anyways, I just have one tiny question. What does "estebedjé" mean in kreyol? P.S. you could just email me the explanation. Mesi davans! Hope you're not neglecting the blog! Miss you!

estebedje, bègwè, djèdjè, or egare - idiot, bonehead

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

How do you say in Haitian Creole, "Stand TALL! Stand STRONG! Be PROUD! Be PROUD!"? And I mean this in a sense of being proud and unashamed of yourself, your race, your beautiful African roots and origins, even in the face of evil opposition. Xoxox

Stand tall!
Kenbe tèt ou wo!
kenbe tèt ou byen wo!

Stand strong!
Kanpe fèm!
Kenbe fèm!
Pa brennen!

Be proud!
Se pou w gen fyète!


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

What is ‘pa pran sa pour anyen’. I translated it as ‘to take something for nothing’. I think I’m missing something – your thoughts? Also what is aryen?

”anyen” and “aryen” se menm bagay :)

...pa pran pou anyen

to have hard feelings

to be no wimp

to not be faint at heart

to be immune to …

Usually in regards to a situation

They walked through the streets filled with dead rotting bodies but they were immune to the sight. They were used to it.

Yo t’ap mache nan lari a ki te plen kadav k’ap pouri men yo pa’t pran sa pou anyen. Yo te abitye ak sa.

or

Yo t’ap mache nan lari a ki te plen kadav k’ap pouri men sa pa’t fè yo anyen.  Yo te abitye ak sa.

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

kijan mwen ka di ranse an angle: pa egzamp: pa ranse ave'm, ou ranse twop ave'm.

Lè w di ranse, sètènman ou vle si "pase nan betiz"?

ranse - ridicule, mock, taunt

ou kapap di:

Don't play with me.
Don't ridicule me.
etc...


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

Sometimes when I use "nan" as a preposition for "in", I have been informed that I should use "an" in some situations, but am not understanding when "an" is correct; I probably over use "nan." When should I be using "an" for in? I am having a similar problem with "ki", recently being told by those helping me improve my Creole that in some cases I should use "ke" instead of "ki" for "that", but am not understanding when to use "ke" and probably over use "ki." If you could help me I would greatly appreciate it. Mesi anpil!

Some instances where “an” may be used as preposition:

Here it means in or from

1.

Mwen fèk sot an Ayiti maten an.

I just came from Haiti this morning.

2.

Mwen te fèt an Giyàn.

I was born in Guyana.

3.

Mwen te ale an Ayiti semèn pase

I went to Haiti last week.

The above sentences can also be used without “an”.

___________________________________

Or sometimes “an” is used to show the order of things.

4 

Li te vini an dènye.

He came in last.

5.

Fè nou pase an premye.

Let us go first.

6.

Fè ti moun yo kanpe an de ran.

Have the kids form two lines.

___________________________

Or

“an” may indicate what something is made of

7. Li fèt an ò (or annò). – It’s made of gold

8. Li fèt an fè (or anfè)  – It’s made of iron

9. Li fèt an asye - It's made of steel

10. Li fèt an bwa (or anbwa) – It’s made of wood

11. Li fèt an plastic – It’s made of plastic

______________________

“an” may indicate in what manner something is done.

12.

L’ap pale avè’m an chèf.

He’s talking to me as if he was my boss.

13. 

Sitiyasyon chanje an kòbòy (Cowboy)

The situation change for the worse (dangerous).

 _______________________

As far as “ki” and “ke” is concerned, you won’t see “ke” that often.  When you do it’s usually used as a conjunction:

14. Mwen te di’l ke m pa't grangou.

     I told her that I was not hungry.

15. Mesye ke ou te wè a se te papa m.

      The man that you saw was my father.

16. Nou te espere ke legliz te gentan fin konstwi.

     We had hoped that the construction of the church was completed.

And ... the above sentences will work fine without “ke”

_____________________________

And “ki” would be use as pronoun:

17. Moun ki dwe pa janm dòmi anpè.

      People who have debts never sleep peacefully

18. Fanm ki konn travay jaden p'ap janm dòmi grangou.

      Women who know how to farm will never go to bed hungry

19. Gason ki twò brav se nan simityè yo abite.

      Men who are too gutsy live in the cemetery.

20. Timoun ki derespektan pa viv lontan.

      Kids that are discourteous don't live long.

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

How do you say this in English? Sa pa ta mal non, ou ta fe désert ave l

Fraz sa a ta bèl wi si se pa't koze desè yo t'ap pale vre :)

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

Kisa "zo pa kwit" vle di? Mwen we moun ap ekri l souvan nan mi yo, konsa m konnen li gen yon sans negatif men m pa konprann kibo fraz sa soti. Mesi anpil!

Ou gen rezon wi - se nan sans negatif yo toujou di li.

Kon zo a fin di pa gen anyen ou ka fè pou fè l vin mou.
Asepte l konsa, li fin rèk, ou pa ka chanje sa l ye a
Li p'ap janm kuit
P'ap gen transfòmasyon
Pa gen espwa chanjman

Ou konprann?

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

Can anybody help me translating the following Haitian phrases int English:

You might have this in vodou chant.

Papa Legba would be the god of the crossroads.

Papa Legba, l'ouvri barrie-a pou moin, ago ye, Papa Legba, ouvri barrie-a pou 
moin, pou moin passé

Papa Legba / l'ouvri baryè a pou moin / agoye!

Papa Legba / open the gate for me     / agoye!

Papa Legba / l'ouvri baryè a pou moin / 

papa Legba / open the gate for me     /

pou mwen pase /

so that I may proceed/

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

Greeting! I love your website! Thank you for all your posts. I will be going back to Haiti in a few months. One of our objectives will be to paint a school building. Could you help me by giving me some phrases related to painting? (Things like using a ladder, asking for a brush, a more technical details like smoother strokes.) Thank you for your help!

Dakò zanmi.

1. ladder – nechèl, echèl,

2. wall – mi, miray, panno

3. Place the ladder against the wall

    Apiye nechèl la sou mi a.

4. Where’s the ladder?

    Kote nechèl la?

5. Be careful so you don’t fall off the ladder.

   Atansyon pou w pa sot tonbe sou nechèl la.

6. paint (n.) – penti

7. to paint – pentire

8. a can of paint – Yon manmit penti

9. paint bucket – bokit penti

10. bucket of paint - yon bokit penti

11. Paint the wall with upward and downward strokes

      Pentire mi an dewo anba

12. crack – fant

13. to crack – fann

14. Repair the cracks and holes in the wall

      Repare fant ak twou ki nan miray la.

15. paint brush – penso

16. paint roller – woulo

17. brush stroke – kout penso

18. How many brushes do we have?

      Konben penso nou genyen?

19. Use smoother brush strokes to achieve a smooth finish.

      Egalize kout penso yo pou penti a ka parèt lis lè li sèch.

20. water-based paint – penti alo

21. oil-based paint – penti aluil

22. to cover with plaster – masonnen

23. to cover the ceiling with plaster – masonnen plafon an

24. to peel – dekale

25. peeling pent – penti dekale

26. Scrub the peeling paint. – Foubi penti ki dekale yo.

27. one coat (of paint) – yon kouch

28. a coat of paint – youn kouch penti

29. to apply two coats (of paint) – bay de kouch penti

30. Apply one coat of paint and let it dry overnight.

     Bay mi an yon kouch penti enpi kite l fin seche aswè a

31. We’ll apply the second coat the next day.

      N’a bay dezyèm kouch penti an nan demen.

32. painter (professional house painter) – bòs pent

33. Wash the brushes with soapy water.

       Rense penso yo ak dlo savon.

34. Wash the paint roller with lots of water and let it dry.

       Rense woulo penti ak bonkou  dlo enpi kite l seche.

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

kouman yo di misye mare kou krab an angle?

Misye mare kon w krab.
(Ou kapab di sa diferan fason depandan de sitiyasyon an)
He is uneasy.
He is clumsy.
He feels awkward.
He's embarrassed.

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

Hello! I've been studying the Haitian Creole language and I really like this language and it's fantastic that I can talk to Haitian friends in their mother tongue. I want to know the difference between PRAL and VA (or, A).

That is awesome :)

Va, a, or ava – future tense – aux: will or shall

Nou va kite demen.

N’a kite demen

N’ava kite demen.

We will leave tomorrow.

We shall leave tomorrow.

Pral, prale – to be + going to

M pral pale avè l pou m ka fè l konnen sa m peze.

Or 

M prale pale avè l pou m ka fè l konnen sa m peze.

I’m going to talk to her to let her know what I’m made of.

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

kouman yo di an angle :"li telman fache li tchwipe devan tout moun yo."

“He/She was so mad he sucked his/her teeth in front of everyone to show his/her contempt.”

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