pye fey amwaz . Ki jan pou mwen di sa an angle tanpri, mesi

Amwaz (plant lan, zèb la tou) se wormwood an Angle.

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

The best translation for the following verse: I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 Will be leading a class of children for Vacation Bible School, and usually try to put the Kreyol words to music! Thanks for your help.

Dakò :)

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Mwen di nou bagay sa yo dekwa pou nou gen lapè nan mwen.

Nan monn sa nou va genyen pwoblèm. Men pran kouraj! Monn nan deja pèdi devan m.”

John 16:33

Jan 16:33

Jan sèz(16) vèsè tranntwa(33)

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I'm currently tracing my ancestry back (it's SO exciting!) and I've discovered that Martinique and Guadeloupe are two of the MANY places it traces back to. ^_^ I just found out about "Kreyol Gwadloupeyen" and "Kreyol Matnik." As far as learning the languages goes, will learning "Kreyol Ayisyen" help with these other two Creoles OR should I pursue those languages separately like you told me about French? OR are the three languages so similar I don't have to learn these two other Creoles at all?

You might be able to get the gist of the conversation or hear a word or two (or a sentence or two) when listening to some "mostly French-based" Creole languages if you were to speak Haitian Creole fluently, but you do have to specifically learn that Creole language separately in order to benefit from it.

Kenbe la tande!

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

Kisa sa a vle di? "Lamenm". Tankou sa a: "Lamenm, li bliye tout bagay."

It means “immediately, right away, on the spot”

Lamenm

Lapoula

Latou

Menm kote a

Soulechan

Imedyatman

Tousuit

Are all used about the same way.

Lamenm, li bliye tout bagay.

She/he forgot everything immediately

Lè’l pran kiyè enpi l reyalize li te cho anpil, lamenm li jete l atè.

When she grabbed the spoon and she realized it was very hot she dropped it immediately

Fanm nante  touche rad Jezi, e li te geri lamenm.

The woman touched Jesus' robe and she was healed on the spot.

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God bless you. I'm puertorican, I took basic creole lesson my question is is it ok "10 liv yo" or I can omit the "yo'" because of the number and say 10 liv. mesi anpil.

It depends.

If you’re talking about ten particular (ten specific books), then yes add “yo”

Pa egzanp:

Eske w te achte dis liv yo m te mande w achte a.

Did you buy the ten books I asked you to buy.

So we’re talking about ten particular books that I had asked ou to buy.

Li te boule tout dis liv yo.

He burned all ten books.

Or if we’re being non-specific we omit “yo”.

Pa egzanp:

M bezwen dis liv.

Mwen t’achte dis liv nan libreri a.

Magazen sa a pote dis liv sèlman.

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

What does "kekette" mean? My friend has the name "kekette" in her call log.

It’s a female name (Kekette or Kèkèt), usually a nickname given to females named Kettie, Ketya,       Kettia, Ketly, etc….

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Years ago I spent a summer in Verrettes. We enjoyed eating bunches of a round little green fruit that I can't remember the name of. In asking around, people have told me it was called Kenep but that did not ring a bell for me and I wondered if you would know if it has different names in different parts of the country... Thanks much.

Yes, we call it kenèp indeed, it has a hard skin that you break gently with your teeth and a large seed inside that is covered with light yellow sweet natural jelly.

kenèp can be soaked in alcoholic drinks such as kleren for a sweet tartish taste.

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What does "Anwo pa desann, anba pa monte" mean? Thank you.

Anwo pa moute, anba pa desann

Nothing’s moving (as if at a standstill).

We also say:

Anwo pa moute, anba pa desann, Ti Mari rete rèd

Anwo pa moute, anba pa desann, Ti Mari rete tennfas

Or

Anwo pa moute, anba pa desann, nan mitan rete rèd

(same meaning)

A somewhat literal meaning would be “nothing moving up there, nothing moving down here and it’s also stiff in the middle :)

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When can I use "nan" or "a" after a sentence? Like, depi famn nan kite m nan, m pa t ka dòmi byen, or like, pwoteje ou kont jwisè yo ki deyò a? Or, se sa m vlè a? When can I use them and what are the rules?

You will have to know the rules for the definite articles. Here’s a couple of links: 

The definite articles a, an, la, lan, nan

There are some good exercises there especially toward the bottom.  Let me know if that helped after you've gone through it. Thanks

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Taking public transportation in Haiti is horrible.the body odor is unbearable especially if you’re in for a long haul.

Yeah I see what you mean, the smell of farmers going home after they sweated in the market selling their merchandise, the smell of teachers and students going home after they’ve been in a non-air-conditioned classroom the whole day, the smell of produce,  live chickens and mud on people shoes, and if it’s in the afternoon, the smell of burning garbage in the streets and don’t forget the smell of spicy foods cooking in the street corners , God I miss that :)

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Eske m pwononse sa kòrèk? Eske m di sa bon? Are these proper translations of “Did I pronounce that correctly?” and “Did I say that right?” Are there better ways of asking this?

The first one is correct.  In the second sentence I’d say “byen” instead of “bon”.

Eske m di sa byen? – Did I say this correctly?

Eske m byen di l? – Did I say it correctly?

Eske m byen pale? – Am I right?

Men wi, ou di l byen. – Certainly you said it well.

Men wi ou kòrèk. – Yes you are correct.

Wi ou byen pale. – Yes you’re right

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As you know, I have to start my Creole lessons over. But do you think I should learn French simultaneously or at least pursue French at some point since Haitians also speak it? Would learning French help me with the Creole at all or vice versa?

No, that would not be a good reason to learn French.  French and Haitian Creole are two very different languages – the grammar and spellings are totally different.  Learning French will not help you to learn Haitian Creole any better.  You’ve been doing well so far. So keep at it :)

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I'm not sure what this word is, it sounded like "gremyel" or something like that, it seemed like a word for a person who is a failure or loser, or someone who can't do anything right.

Sounds like “grimèl” to me.

Do they say “grimèl chode!”?

Is the word directed at females?

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I love the song "Ayiti Cheri", but there are so many expressions that are unfamiliar to me. For example what is the meaning of AYITI TOMA please? Or what's a MARABOU or a GRIFONN KREYOL? or a KAYIMIT?

Ayiti Toma is the African name of Haiti, meaning “this land is mine”.

Also you will sometimes hear Ayiti Kiskeya, which “Kiskeya” is Haiti’s Indian name

Grifòn refers to a dark-skinned Haitian woman born possibly of a light and dark-skinned individual.

Marabou is a dark-skinned woman with flawless skin, luxuriant hair and beautiful teeth that is rooted in violaceous  gums

Kayimit is a fruit with skin dark violet in color.  Looks like plum.

Haitians sometimes say “po kayimit” which means “refined and vibrant dark skin”

All are considered beautiful.

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How do you say promote? and How do you say "expect" in creole and what does temwen mean?

1.Promote – pwomote, bay jarèt, jarete, bay piston, or pistonnen

          egzanp: Lè misye te nan lekòl medsin tout moun nan katye a te ba l bon jarèt paske yo te konnen li ta pral itil yo yon jou.

2. Temwen – witness

       a. Mwen se yon temwen – I am a witness.

       b. Ou dwe sèvi m temwen.

          You must serve as a witness to me.

          Be my witness

      c. Se pou Bondye sèvi n temwen … – May God be a witness …

      d. Yo te mande m sèvi kòm temwen … - They asked me to be a witness to …..

3. Expect – atann (pronominal verb)

    e. Mwen te atann mwen a sa. – I was expecting this.

    f. Mwen pa’t atann mwen a sa. – I was not expecting this.

    g. Nou pa’t atann nou a sa  ditou. – We were not expecting that at all.

   h. Nou tout te chita ansanm enpi li parèt sou nou sanzatann (san-z-atann).

       We were all sitting together and she showed up unexpectedly.

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