Just wondering if you know of any Haitian Proverbs related to gratefulness? Thank you!

Hi, a couple of proverbs about gratefulness:
Poul bwè dlo, men li pa bliye Bondye - Chickens drink water, but they don't forget God
Sonje lapli ki fè mayi leve - Remember the rain that makes corns grow.

And a couple of proverbs about ingratitude:
Ou pa ka chita sou kui bèf enpi w ap pale bèf mal - You can't sit on the cow's leather and then badmouth the cow.
Fè byen, granmesi nanpwen - There's never any thanks for good deeds
Granmesi bourik se kout baton - Gratefulness is shown to the donkey by whipping the donkey.


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Hi Mandaly, what's the reference here? bet mouri kite mize pou pwal (or po)? thanks

I think is bèf (with an accented "e" and an "f" at the end) mouri kite mizè (with an accented "e") pou po (instead of pwal) li.

bèf mouri kite mizè pou po li - some people may have different meaning for this, but my grandmother used it to refer to what happens to this animal's hide after death. The hide is used in drum, whip, stool, floor mat fabrication and many other things.  She especially says it to refer to many beatings sustained by the drum's or conga's head.

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Yon zanmi m te ban m "Dous makos." Ou konnen manje sa a?

Yes, it's a type of milk caramel candy.

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How do you say these terms in the context of playing a game: "it's your turn," "go clockwise" or "counter-clockwise"? Mèsi!

It's your turn - Se tou pa w. Sometimes we also say Se kou pa w.
your turn - tou pa w. or kou pa w.
Go clockwise - Ale an rotasyon adwat, tankou zegui yon revèy.
Go counterclockwise - Ale an rotasyon agoch, nan san envès zegui yon revèy.

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Could you help me translate this instruction: “Read this story out loud, please. When you’re done you can keep it.” (I’m stuck on how to specify “out loud” as opposed to silently and on “keep it.”)

Haitians say a hot vwa or byen fò for out loud or aloud
to keep (in this instance) may be translated as kenbe or pran.

"Read this story out loud, please. When you’re done you can keep it.”  - Tanpri, li istwa sa a a hot vwa. Lè nou fini, nou mèt kenbe li.

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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.

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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? :)

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How do you say refrigerator magnet in creole?

Refrigerator magnet - leman pou frijidè

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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

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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.

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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.


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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.






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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


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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)

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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