This is a reprint: What are some phrases or songs or rhymes that teachers use to get the attention of children in a group? I know in English we use phrases like "1-2-3 all eyes on me!" and the children respond "1-2 eyes on you!". Are there any that you know of? Thank you!

Rachel has left a new comment on your post " What are some phrases or songs or rhymes that teac...": 

When I was in Haiti last week, our translator used a cute little saying to get the kids' attention - similar to "1,2,3 eyes on me" in that it uses counting. He'd get the kids to all say together "youn-lance, de-lance, twa-lance, kat-lance, senk-lance, SILANCE!" :) I thought it was pretty clever! 

Mandaly says:
I absolutely love this. Clever indeed :)
Thanks Rachel


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

Bonjou Mandaly! I love today's Haitian Creole Daily Word.Does the term jou pou jou mean the same as de jou anjou? mèsi!

Hi :)
Non. De jou an jou means day by day, day after day.
ex:
Ti pitit fi Mercidieu a t ap grandi. Li t ap vin pi bèl de jou an jou.
Mercidieu's little girl was growing. She was getting more beautiful day after day.

jou pou jou  is the date on which an event took place in some previous year.
ex:
Jou pou jou ki pou fè maryaj Ti Mari ak Fanfan an setan, yo te divòse.
Seven years to the day of Fanfan and Ti Mari's wedding, they got a divorce.

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

Hi Mandaly. I love your blog... My mom is an ESOL teacher in an almost 100% Haitian school and she's making a list of the most common English words. She wants to have them in Kreyol as well. Could you translate the following into Kreyol? the, of, and, to, a, in, that, is, was, he

Hi,
We do not have an official 'most commonly used words' in Creole ... yet.
A lot of the words that you have here can be translated or used many different ways.
In order for your mom to make this Haitian Creole list of words, it would be best to think in Creole, not English.
 
1. The article THE can be translated as a, la, an, lan, or nan depending on the words that precedes it.
ex: 
the car - machin nan
the door - pòt la
the girl - fi a
the friend - zanmi an
the watch - mont lan
 
2. OF is omitted in Creole sentences.
ex:
The roof of the house - do kay la
a glass of water - yon vè dlo
the day of the wedding - jou maryaj la
etc...
 
3. AND can be translated as e, ak, avèk or avè
 
4. TO sometimes is translated as nan, and sometimes is omitted
 
5 A is translated as yon
 
6. IN is translated as nan,  or lan 
 
7. THAT, as a relative pronoun or conjunction  is translated as ke, it is omitted sometimes.    THAT (or THIS), as demonstrative, is translated as sa a.
 
8. IS - verb to be (SE) is omitted in some instances such as noun + attribute combination
She is happy. - Li kontan.
as opposed to a noun + noun combination
She is an artist. - Li se yon atis.
 
9. WAS - there's no translation for WAS, but past tense indicator (for all verbs) is te.
He was shocked. - Li te etone.
past tense indicator te is used for other verbs too.
He came home last night. - Li te rantre lakay li yèreswa.
We had three cars. - Nou te gen twa machin.


 
10. HE, SHE, IT can be translated as li.

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

what exactly is 'simagri' in Creole? I know about 'grimacing'. Someone told me it means gesture and I asked if it was any type of gesture like waving hello. She said no. What kind of gesture do you use this word for then? Thanks.

You can use it to describe gestures that are annoying, activities or patterns that are irritating, and even disorderly or hysterical conduct.

Let's say: a comedian/performer who's on stage trying to make funny gestures, but is not funny at all.
You can say: Misye moute sou podyòm nan, li fè yon bann simagri. Pa gen moun ki ri.

Let's also say: a grown person throwing a huge tantrum because he didn't get his way.
You can say: Misye lage kò l atè, li fè yon bann simagri.


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

how do you say 'next door' as in 'next door neighbor'? Thanks Mandaly . Awesome blog!

nextdoor neighbor - vwazen, vwazen a kote a, vwazen ki tou pre a, vwazen ki anfas la
use vwazin for female neighbor

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

What is a LAGON? Ex: frape baton an sou lagonan ak tout rezèvwa dlo yo Thanks

lagon - lake, river, lagoon

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Salut, m panse siw te konekte blog a ak lot sosyal network tankou facebook e twitter ou tap jwenn plis trafik. mesi, Haitien

Mèsi anpil! Petèt mwen va fè sa.
M'apresye kòmantè ou.

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

What is a GANMÈL in this sentence please: yo te vin nan pi a pou yo pran dlo e pou yo plen ganmèl yo ak dlo

Ganmèl is a container for holding water. It maybe used for showers as a wash basin or for water storage.
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

What is the meaning of the word CHOUKÈT in the following sentence please: Li di yo: “Lè n ap ede medam ebre yo akouche , lè nou wè yo sou choukèt, si nou wè timoun nan se yon tigason, touye l, men si se yon tifi, kite l viv.”

Choukèt is a birthing stool or chair which women use to support their hips during childbirth.

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

How do you write happy in Creole

happy - kontan

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

Hello, Please help me with this. How is the word twouve used when it begins a sentence. For example: Twouve, te vin gen yon gwo grangou nan peyi a, apre premye gwo grangou ki te genyen nan epòk Abraram nan

We say twouve, vin twouve ke or twouve ke - it so happens that, it happens that or incidentally

Madanm nan te voye toude timoun yo lekòl la san dejene. Twouve ke m te gen yon ti monnen nan pòch mwen, mwen te tou achte de (2) wayal ba yo.
The women sent both kids to school without breakfast. Incidentally I had some change in my pocket, so I bought them 2 wayal.

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

What is a common or colloquial name for farmers? Is there a common name or phrase used to describe farmers or those involved in agriculture? A sort of collective name?

Most Haitians would say abitan. In more cultivated environment educated people would say  kiltivatè or agrikiltè

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

Is there any good better version of gospel song Jéricho miray la kraze because I can't find any?

You must be asking about a better 'audio' version.
I haven't come across a professionally recorded version yet.


Jeriko miray la kraze (3 fwa)
nanpwen miray Jezi p ap kraze

Ad lib
Miray peche
Nanpwen miray Jezi p ap
Miray pwoblèm
Nanpwen miray Jezi p ap kraze

Gen yon men ki frape nan pòt la (2 fwa)
O O Senyè
Gen yon men ki frape nan pòt la

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Hi Mandaly, are the terms moute kabann and pran kabann interchangeable? also, what is pran sak?

moute kabann (ale kouche) - to go to bed
pran kabann - to be confined to bed because of illness, depression or some type of suffering
pran sak - to pray on sackcloth

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

Hi I learned about FE MANTI (lying) and BAY MANTI(to tell a lie), but what is NAN MANTI?

It also means to be lying, to be full of lies

To tell a lie
Fè manti
bay manti
nan manti ak
also:
benyen ak manti (use when there's an object)
sometimes:
benyen anba manti (use when there's an object)

examples
1.
He lies.
Li manti
Li nan manti
Li fè manti

2.
He lied to everyone.
Li bay tout moun manti.
Li benyen tout moun anba manti.
Li benyen tout moun ak manti.

3.
You lied to me.
Ou ban m manti.

4.
I can't lie.
M pa ka fè manti
M pa ka bay manti

5.
I cannot lie to you.
M pa ka ba w manti.

6.
So and so is lying to me.
Entèl nan manti avèk mwen.

7.
You're lying to yourself.
Ou nan manti ak tèt ou.

8.
Mwen pa fouti di m renmen w. Mwen pa ka nan manti ak tèt mwen.
I cannot say that I love you. I can't lie to myself.

9.
To lie about someone
Fè manti sou yon moun.
Bay manti sou yon moun

10.
You lied about me.
Ou te fè manti sou mwen.



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