what is the difference between "mwen sonje ou" and "'mwen manke ou"?

They both supposed to mean I miss you.
But the difference is if someone says Mwen sonje w, you know that they are 100% Haitian natif natal speaking our beloved Creole. If they say Mwen manke w, then they are definitely some fake Haitian who mistakesFrench for Creole. Be careful, those are the types of people that will give you Nana for Sizàn.

Bay Nana pou Sizàn (literally to give Nana for Suzanne) means to give someone an imitation product instead of the real thing, it also means to be a sham or to try to trick someone.

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

I am listening to Yves Dejean's lecture. I cannot translate the proverb he quotes, "Baton ou gen nan men w se avè l ou bay kou". Èske w ede mwen? Mèsi!

Hi. Sorry for the late response :)

Sometimes Haitian say: Baton ou gen nan men w lan, se avè l ou pare kou - You use the club that you have in your hands to block a blow.
or sometimes they say: Baton ou gen nan men w lan, se avè l ou bay kou - You use the club that you have in your hands to give a blow.
Both meaning that you use your the resources, skills, or talent you already have to work to your advantage, to get you ahead, or to get you out of a jam.  Wouldn't it be harder to use resources that you don't have to get what you want? :)

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

How do you say refrigerator magnet in creole?

Refrigerator magnet - leman pou frijidè

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

What does this sentence mean: bizou a nou tou lede ok!

I think they meant to write nou toulede (from French touts les deux) or nou toude which means both of you.
bizou a nou toulede - kisses to both of you

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

What is the creole word meaning drifter (to wonder)

A wanderer?
We may call them vagabon, moun k ap drivaye, grenn pwomennen, , fritè, or penpennè, ets.

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

Why would a Haitian waitress cross a knife and fork on a plate

I wouldn't look too much into it. It's probably just by force of habit and lack of training by her employer or the restaurant.


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

Hi Mandaly! What does this expression mean, "Jodia dan pouri gen fòs sou bannann mi"? Thanks!

Well, basically it's always been that way ----Dan pouri toujou gen fòs sou banana mi. (a rotten tooth always prevails over ripe bananas)
 The proverb in question suggests things as they usually are.
Other proverbs that may be in the same category:
Ravèt pa gen rezon devan poul. (Roaches don't have a chance when it's time to face chickens)
Jodi pou ou, demen pou yon lòt. (Today is your turn, tomorrow is someone else's.)
Yon jou pou chasè, yon jou pou jibye. (a day for the hunter, a day for the prey)

Your question is a little confusing because the word jodia erroneously implies that the tables have turned.






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

s "chagren" ever used as a verb when I want to say "I miss you"? Eg.: Mwen chagren w I also know I can say: Ou manke m, Mwen sonje w.

Hi,
It is best to use chagren as an intransitive verb if using it as a verb.
Kè m chagren.
Mwen chagren.
Maybe you could say ou ban m chagren lè w pa la or kè m chagren lè w pa la.

Chagren n. - anguish, sorrow, grief, heartache, regret....
Chagren v. - to be filled with grief


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

Pitit fi mwen, se pou w aprann tande lè yo pale ou.

Thank you Willeen for sending in this beautiful poem:

Pitit fi mwen, se pou w aprann tande lè yo pale ou. 

Avanse pi pre, pou m bay de twa ti koze 
  
Met zorèy ou byen fen pou w tande lè yo pale ou.  
                  
Depi m te tou piti maman m te pase m mesaj sa a tou.      
   
Pawòl sa yo te toujou nan tèt mwen, yo te ede m pase tout gè katòz
                                     
Y ava itil ou pou w pase nan pikan, pou w manje tout kalite zèb...   

E lè w di vwazinaj yo lonè, y ava toujou reponn repè pou ou. 

Pitit fi mwen, se pou w aprann tande lè yo pale ou. 
    
      
Ou gen yon trezò nan men w pitit mwen, w ale lekòl toulejou. 

Se vre chimen an pa fasil e li chaje gèp panèl. 

Men fò w ou toujou sonje... 

Apre bondye, se li k manman w, se li k zanmi w, se li k manje w,  e se li k tout ou. 

Se pou w renmen li, anbrase li, ancheri li, ba li tout nanm ou. 

Paske tout kote w ap pase, se li k ap akonpaye w. 

Angle, franse, panyòl, doktè, agronòm, pwofesè ,..

Yo tout se li. Pitit fi mwen toujou koute lè yo pale ou.   

                       
Jodia dan pouri gen fòs sou bannann mi, 

Pa solèy leve sou ou pitit di m, lanati va ban m rezon sou ou . 

W ava bezwen pran yon tèt zegui nan on chan mayi. ou p ap trouve li.    

Lamizè gen gou anmè, soufrans san konfyans se kraze nana. 

Men paske ou te tande m, lanati va louvri bra l pou ou, 

Zetwal va bat bravo pou ou, 

Linivè va kontan paske ou te ede l. 

Pitit fi mwen...lavi mwen...koute lè yo pale ou.

By Willeen (2016)

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

Mandaly, could you explain the rule, when to pronounce a hard "nn" as opposed to a nasal "en", such as in jén?

Sure.
If there is a double n or an accented letter before the n, then you will the "nn" prononciation, as in
kabann
lamàn
ijyèn
lapenn
reponn
sann
bann
pann
pàn
Otherwise it should bea nasal (non-resonating sound).
manman
tonton
lapen
san
ban
pan

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

HI Mandy, I realize now that 1 carreau de terre is not 1 acre.what's the equivalency? thanks

1 kawo tè is approximately 1/3 of an acre.

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

Question: What does "lanjèz"mean and "fè zè"? Are they the same?

fèzè- people who likes to brag.
landyèz - scandalous and slanderous person

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

Question: Can the Creole word "men" have another meaning aside from "hand" or "but"? Could "men" translate to a contraction? I am trying to translate this sentence: "Oke kijan ye Men"

No. it is not a contraction of any word.

people usually say Kijan ou ye menm? it's an expression which means How are you?

As for the word men, you can use it in  other expressions and terms other than 'hand' or 'but'.
For example, men can translate here in this sentence Men ni/li. → Here it is.
Another example would be Men liv mwen te prete nan men w lan. which means Here's the book I borrowed from you. The first 'men' means 'here' and the second means 'hands'.

Don't forget that as a conjunction, men can also translate however, yet, still, etc...

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Question: Map brase vodou nan bouda What does that mean?

Lol!
It basically means "I'm going to do some voodoo after you" - and this was not said in a nice way.
Thanks
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Duke HAITI LAB | MIT-Ayiti | Kreyòl Alphabet Song

Here's a summary of the Haitian Creole Alphabet project.
Should be very helpful for those of you who had some questions.
Thanks

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