Exercise 60 - Opposites

Bonjou tout moun!
How are you doing so far?
To all volunteers going to Haiti this summer, this is the perfect time to study the language.
The language is not all in writing. Find a Haitian Creole speaker to practice with.  If you can find a good Haitian Creole class that'll be helpful too.
______________________________________________
We are putting the following sentences into the negative form using opposites.  Use the opposite of the highlighted and underlined word and negate the sentence.  Follow the first few examples.  It should take you a good week to complete this exercise and memorize the vocabulary words included.  Then you will be able to complete Crossword Puzzle #4 

1. Kay la gwo. The house is big. (gwo/piti)
kay la pa piti. The house is not small.

2. Li fè jou. It's daytime. (jou/nwit)
Li pa fè nwit. It's not nighttime.

3. Ti gason an wo. The little boy is tall. (wo/kout)
Ti gason an pa kout. The little boy is not short.

4. Bwat la kare. The box is square. (kare/won)
___________________________________________________.

5. M kontan. I am happy. (kontan/tris)
___________________________________________________.

6. Chèz la leje. The chair is light (leje/lou)
___________________________________________________.

7. Li vivan. He's alive (vivan/mouri)
___________________________________________________.

8. Legliz la a dwat. The church is to the right. (dwat/goch)
___________________________________________________.

9. Li fè cho.  It's hot. (cho/frèt)
___________________________________________________.

10. Bwa a epè. The wood is thick. (epè/fen)
___________________________________________________.

11. Sa se yon ti fi. This is a little girl. (ti fi/ti gason)
___________________________________________________.

12. Vè a plen. The glass is full.(plen/vid)
___________________________________________________.

13. Elèv la nan tèt klas la. The student is at the head of the class. (tèt/ke)
___________________________________________________.

14. Bweson sa anmè. This drink is bitter. (anmè/dous)
___________________________________________________.

15. Machin sa sal. This car is dirty. (sal/pwòp)
___________________________________________________.

16. Bous la bèl. The purse is pretty. (bèl/lèd)
___________________________________________________.

17.  Mwen sot nan Nò.  I'm from the North.(Nò/Sid)
___________________________________________________.

18. Solèl la leve nan lès. The sun rises in the East. (lès/lwès)
___________________________________________________.

19. Ou mache vit. You walk fast. (vit/dousman)
___________________________________________________.

20. Li soti.  He went out (soti/antre)
___________________________________________________.

21. Limyè a anwo tab la.  The light is over the table. (anwo/anba)
___________________________________________________.

22. Toujou gen silans na yon libreri. It's always quiet in a library. (silans/bri)
___________________________________________________.

23.  Li fènwa nan yon kav.  It's dark in a cave. (fènwa/fèklè)
___________________________________________________.

Answers
4. Bwat la pa won.  The box is not round.
5. M pa tris . I am not sad
6. Chèz la pa lou.  The chair is not heavy
7. Li pa mouri. He's not dead.
8. Legliz la pa a goch. The church is not on the left.
9. Li pa fè frèt.  It's not cold
10. Bwa a pa fen. The wood is not thin/skinny.
11. Sa se pa yon ti gason.  this is not a boy.
12. Vè a pa vid. The glass is not empty
13. Elèv la pa nan ke klas la.  The student is not last in the class.
14. Bweson an pa dous.  The drink is not sweet
15. Machin sa pa pwòp.  This car's not clean.
16.  Bous la pa lèd.  The purse is not ugly.
17. M pa sot nan sid.  I'm not from the South.
18. Solèy la pa leve nan lwès.  The sun does not rise in the West.
19. Ou pa mache dousman. You don't walk slowly.
20. Li pa antre. He did not come in.
21. Limyè a pa anba tab la. The light's not under the table.
20. Pa toujou gen bri nan yon libreri.  It's not always noisy in a library
21. Li pa fè klè nan yon kav. There's no light in the cave.

"Baby Doc" Jean-Claude Duvalier Has Returned Home

My husband and I were surfing the net today in search for news in French when we saw this big bold red heading.  It read, ****Flash Flash Jean Claude Duvalier back in Haiti!  We were shocked.  We thought it was a publicity stunt.  I got on my cell phone texting all my brothers and sisters.  They, too, were shocked.  "Why now?!" "What now?!"  "What's on his mind?!" were the questions on our minds.

I assume that journalists are going to swarm over him like flies tomorrow as he tells them that he came because he missed his country.
I assume that in Haiti, some people might even take to the streets protesting his return and demanding that he be tried for various crimes and theft.
And I assume that his supporters will take the stand and just welcome him.
But only a troubled nation will assume that he's back to lead the country once more.

Every Haitian-born citizen that has left the country and stayed away for a long time always has this yearning to go back.  I don't care what religion, social class, or Department they belong to.  Once they hear the Haitian drum, it's like Haiti's sweet papaya breath calling you, "Come back my child, come back!"  ...you can't ignore it.
That yearning would have intensified after the 1/12/2010 earthquake.  You just want to go back and feel the island's breath once more as if you were checking to see if she's still alive.

After much thinking about it, all of a sudden you find yourself in Haiti, you're driving through the busy, noisy, smelly, filthy streets.  You don't recognize this seemingly detrimental place any more.  Your car is bumping up and down against neglected roads and infinite pot holes, but you are smiling because it just hits you: you're home again.

Whatever Jean-Claude's reason for returning home, no matter how many grilling questions the journalists will ask him, no matter what mixed homecoming greetings he'll get, his biggest challenge will be to get reacquainted with his ailing country once again.

Exercise 59 - Answers to Multiple Choice Questions in Exercise 58

(English translation of story in exercise 58)
Hello! My name is Josette.  I am twelve years old.  My nickname is Zèt.  I live in Orlando, Florida.  My house is big.  It has five rooms.  I go to school everyday.  I have many friends.  My mom is a nurse.  She works in a hospital.  My dad is a writer.  He works for a newspaper.
I have two brothers and one sister.  My sister is already in college.  Her name is Marie-Lourdes.  My two brothers are twins.  They are seven years old.  One is called Ti jean, the other is called Ti Jacques.

I love riding bicycles.

My Mom's mom is called Ursule.  Her nickname is Sousoul.  She lives in Haiti.  I write her a letter every two months.  One day I hope to go see her.

Answers to multiple choice questions
1. c
2. a
3. a
4. b
5. c
6. b
7. c
8. a
9. a
10. b
11. c
12. a
13. b
14. b
15. c
16. a
17. b
18. c
19. c
20. c

Exercise 58 - Bonjou! - Reading Comprehension

Vocabulary words
Study the following vocabulary words before reading the story.

Numbers:  En(1), de(2), twa(3), kat(4), senk(5), sis(6), sèt(7), wit(8), nèf(9), dis(10), onz(11), douz(12), trèz(13), katòz(14), kenz(15), sèz(16), disèt(17), dizwit(18), diznèf(19), ven(20)


an -year
anpil - many
bisiklèt - bicycle
chak – each, every
deja - already
douzan - twelve years old
ekriven - writer
enfimyè - nurse
frè - brother
jou - day
jounal - newspaper
kolèj - college
konte – count, hope (in this story it means hope)
kouri - run, ride
lopital - hospital
lòt - other
marasa - twin
mwa -month
sè - sister
ti non jwèt - nickname
yon - a
youn - one
zanmi - friend
_________________________
Story
Bonjou!  Mwen rele Josette.  M gen douzan. Ti non jwèt mwen se Zèt.  M rete Orlando, Florida.  Kay mwen gwo. Li gen senk chanm.  M ale lekòl chak jou.  M gen anpil zanmi.  Manman m se yon enfimyè.  Li travay nan yon lopital.  Papa m se yon ekriven.  Li travay pou yon jounal. 

M gen de frè ak yon sè.  Sè mwen an nan kolèj deja.  Li rele Marie-lourdes.  De frè m yo se marasa.  Yo gen setan.  Youn rele Ti Jean, lòt la rele Ti jacques.

Mwen renmen kouri bisiklèt.

Manman manman m rele Ursule.  Ti non jwèt li se Sousoul.  Li rete Ayiti.  Mwen ekri li yon lèt chak de mwa.  Yon jou mwen konte al wè li.

Multiple choice questions

1.  Zèt's sister is 18 years old. How would you translate "Marie-Lourdes is 18 years old." in Haitian Creole?
a. Marie-Lourdes se dizwitan.
b. Marie-Lourdes gen diz wit an.
c. Marie-Lourdes gen dizwitan.

2.  In the second paragraph & last sentence, what does the letter "la" means?
a. the
b. here
c. there

3.  How many rooms does Zèt's house have?
a. 5
b. 6
c. 7

4. In the first paragraph the sentence "M gen anpil zanmi" can be written in an uncontracted form as:
a. Mwen gen anpil zanmi
b. Mwen genyen anpil zanmi.
c. Mwen genyen anpil zanmitay.

5. How old are Zèt's brothers?
a. 5
b. 6
c. 7

6. What does Zèt like to do?
a. She loves to write to her grandmother.
b. She loves to ride her bike.
c. She loves to go to school.

7. In the second paragraph & second and fourth sentences, what are the words "an" and "yo"?
a.  They are prepositions
b.  They are singular definite articles
c.  They are articles which sometimes follows the possessive adjectives.


8.  In the second pragraph & fifth sentence, what does the word "yo" means?
a. they
b. the
c. there

9.  "De frè m yo se marasa." is translated in English as:
a. My two brothers are twins.
b. Two of my brothers are twins.
c. My two brothers and me are twins.

10.  What does the letter "m" following 'Manman manman' stands for?
a. manman
b. mwen
c. mwa

11.  "Manman manman m" is translated in English as
a. my mom, my mom
b. my other mom
c. my mom's mom

12.  A Haitian Creole synonym for "Manman manman m" is
a. grann mwen
b. grann m
c. grann

13.  In the last sentence of the story the word "al" is a contracted form of the Haitian Creole verb:
a. alèz (which means to go)
b. ale  (which means to go)
c. alò (which means to go)
 
14.  The Haitian Creole verb "gen" can also be written as:
a. g
b. genyen
c. gyn

15. "I am fifteen years old" is translated in Haitian Creole as:
a. M se kenzan
b. Mwen se kenz an
c. Mwen genyen kenzan

16.  The last sentence in the second paragraph is translated in English as:
a. One is called Ti Jean, the other is called Ti Jacques.
b. A call to Ti Jean also means Ti Jacques.
c.  One calls to Ti jean, the other calls to Ti jacques.

17.  What's the nickname for Zèt's grandmother?
a. Ursule
b. Sousoul

18.  How often does Zèt write to her grandmother?
a.  every day
b. every month
c. every two months

19.  What does the word "Ti" in front of Ti Jean and Ti Jacques mean?
a. sir
b. twin
c. little

20.  How many times the number "2" is used in the story?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
I'll post the answers in the next blog in a few days :)

Exercise 57 - Cry for Help

Vocabulary words:
Anmwe! - Help!   Help me!
Lougawou! - Werewolf!
Zenglendo! - Mob!   Gang!
Dife! - Fire!
Volè! - Thief!
Bare vòlè! - Catch that thief!

____________________________________________
Have you ever been in a situation where you needed to cry for help? 
If yes, was there any hesitation as to what word to cry out? 
You probably had no hesitation if you were in your own country. 
But what if you were in a different country, and you did not know their language too well, and you were in distress and needed to call for help, how would you get people's attention in that case?

I was about 11 or 12 years old in Arcahaie, Haiti.  I was leading a donkey to the market. Our house in Arcahaie was in the center of town, close to the market, the jail, St. Peter's Church, the plaza, and the all-girls and all-boys school.  It was a famous stop for farmers and school children, who came from afar from rural areas, to rest and camp the night before an event, may it be market day, school, or mass.  Market day was Wednesdays and Saturdays.  In any case, I remember jumping onto the donkey's back and ending in a twisted position with one foot on the donkey and the other foot on the ground.  The donkey then took off running. I remember screaming at the top of my lungs, "Anmwe! Anmwe!" At that time people were coming out from every corner to help me.

Fast forward about 15 years later to a bus stop in Hialeah, Florida, USA.  As I stood waiting for the bus, a couple approached me asking for direction.  In a flash they snatched my purse and took off running.  As  I watched them running away with my bus money, I tried to figure out what to yell.  I debated whether to shout, "Hey you!" or just "Hey!" or "Help me!".  But I just was not prepared for this.  If I were in Haiti I could have screamed, "Bare vòlè!" meaning "Catch that thief!".  I would have gotten my purse back.  But I just stood there... unable to do anything..., unable to say anything.

If you ever have to travel to a country where you don't know the language too well I believe you should practice yelling for help just in case you need to.  You should practice yelling for help out loud at least a couple of times until it the words come natural to you. 

In Haiti we do not yet have advanced Emergency Response Systems.  Getting emergency workers to come to you when you need it is not so easy.  Here is how to call for help or get people's attention in Haiti.

"Anmwe!" pronounced "amway" does not have a specific meaning.  It is a call of distress, an SOS, an attention getter.  Waving both your arms over your head while screaming "Anmwe!" seals the deal; you are in distress.  It's a universal gesture for distress in Haiti.

"Lougawou!" which is Creole for werewolf is another way to get people's attention.  Yes! Seriously!  I know it's weird.  If I was standing in the middle of Time Square, New York City crying "Werewolf!" people would think I was crazy.  But the cry of "Werewolf!" carries meaning  in Haiti, a country where people are regularly involved in voodoo practice, sacrificing animals, and securing amulets from a voodoo priest for good luck and for protection from evil, illness and harm.  I remember a case in Arcahaie where a lady had cried "lougawou!".  Me and my friends ran to her house.  I couldn't get in by the time we got there, there already was such a crowd of  people, many with machetes.  I never got to know her real story.  Whatever her problem was she did get people's attention.  Yes, you cry "lougawou!" and we'll come to your rescue with our machetes, especially in the outskirts of the country.  Don't get intimidated by the machetes, a lot of Haitian farmers carry them around.  It's sort of like, Have Machete Will Travel" kind of a thing.  It comes handy for picking coconuts, skinning pineapple cane, trimming trees in their garden, freeing a donkey from an entrapment, etc...

Crying "Zenglendo!" which is creole for mob! gang! or "a pack of malicious people" might get you some attention, too.

Finally, if all else fails cry "Dife!" which is Haitian Creole for "Fire!".  That should get people's attention .

Someone once asked me, "What if I was in danger of being raped?". 
If I had the misfortune of being in that situation and I knew people might be within earshot, I would cry, Dife!  which is Haitian Creole for fire or  Anmwe! Dife! Sove'm tanpri!" which means "Help!Fire! Please save me!"

Thanks
___________________________________
Multiple Choice questions

1.  The Haitian Creole phrase for "help me" is
a. ede m
b. kite m
c. rele m

2. You're walking the busy streets of Carrefour, Port-au-Prince.  If it's your first trip to Haiti, you're probably distracted by the sight, sound, and feel of the island.  Suddenly you see a woman coming out of a gate, both arms over her head screamming, "Anmwe! Anmwe!".  You recognize that she is:
a. partying
b. running to meet her long lost daughter
c. in some type of distress

3. Haitians use these three words to describe rape
a. kadejak, vyòl, dappiyanp
b. lanmou, boubout, menaj
c. volè, asasen, mètdam

4.  The Haitian Creole word for fire is
a. flanm
b. dife
c. lafimen

5. These two Hatian creole words: Tanpri & Silvouplè both have the same meaning.  They mean:
a. you're welcome
b. thank you
c. please

Thank you!  Find the answers to the multiple choice questions below.

1.a, 2.c, 3.a, 4.b, 5.c

Exercise 56 - Colors

Link for Quiz on COLORS:  http://hosted.onlinetesting.net/HaitianCreole/login.pl______________________________



mawon    gri     zoranj     nwa    mov 

wouj       woz      jòn       blan   ble    vèt

Choose the colors from the list above.
The color of the letters above stands for the color the word represents.
Which is your favorite color?  Choose one color from the list above and say it out loud.
Which color best compliments your favorite color? Choose one color from the list above and say it out loud.
Which color least compliments your favorite color? Choose one color from the list above and say it out loud.
Which color above describes the sky and clouds on a rainy day? Choose one color and say it out loud.
Which color above describes a banana? Choose one color and say it out loud.
Which color above describes the tires of a car? Choose one color and say it out loud.
Which color above describes the inside of a coconut? Choose one color and say it out loud.
Which color above describes blood? Choose one color and say it out loud.
Which color above describes your tongue? Choose one color and say it out loud.
Which color above describes an eggplant? Choose one color and say it out loud.
Which color above describes a zucchini? Choose one color and say it out loud.
_________________________________
Vocabulary words
Brown - mawon
Clear - klè
Colorless – san koulè
Gold – lò
Ivory - ivwa
Color - koulè
Multicolor - miltikolò
Purple - mov
Silver - ajan
violet - vyolèt
_____________________________

 Study the above vocabulary list. Go over it a few times and answer the following questions without looking at the list above.

1.  What is the Haitian Creole Translation for the following colors.
a. white______________
b. blue_______________
c. red________________
d. yellow_____________
e. scarlet_____________
f. color of a bone_____________
g.Shiny yellow color of a wedding ring _________________
h. The marriage or mixing of yellow and red________________
i. Shiny color of a silver coin_______________________
j. General color of wood________________________
Answers: a.blan, b.ble   c.wouj   d. jòn   e.wouj   f.ivwa   g.lò   h.zoranj   i.ajan   j.mawon
_______________________________________

Let's go over the vocabulary list one more time and do the next exercise without looking at the list.
What is the color of the following objects.  Circle the correct colors.

1.  Lime - (woz, gri, vèt)

2.  Carrots - (zoranj, blan, ble)

3.  Piano keys - (mov e jòn, ble e wouj, nwa e blan)

4. Your tongue - (woz, wouj, vyolèt)

5.  Lead from a pencil - (nwa, gri, ble)

6.  A quarter (silver coin) (blan, ajan, mawon)

7. Pansies (zoranj, lò, vyolèt)

8.  Water from the ocean (ble, klè, vèt)

9. Radish (wouj, mawon, vyolèt)

10. your fingernails bed should be (nwa, mov, woz)

Answers: 1.vèt   2.zoranj   3.nwa e blan   4.woz   5.gri   6.ajan   7.vyolèt   8.klè   9.wouj   10.woz
_______________________________

Link to Quiz on COLORS: http://hosted.onlinetesting.net/HaitianCreole/login.pl


Now check out Crossword Puzzle 8.  See how much you can do.  Hint:  when doing the crossword puzzles, search for words you don't know in the custom google search box or the Freelang dictionary.  Have fun!

Exercise 55 - January 1st, Independence Day in Haiti!

Today is January 1st, 2011.
Squash Soup Galore In My Kitchen!
I started up early.  My family will probably have squash soup all day.
My mom called from Miami yesterday. She wanted me to drive five and a half hours to share her squash soup.
Here, at home, my husband is complaining that I did not add enough hot pepper in his soup.
And my kids want to know if we're gonna have just squash soup all day.
It's independence day in Haiti.
Most Haitians everywhere are enjoying squash soup in their kitchens to commemorate their country's independence.
Did you know this has been a tradition in the history of Haiti since 1804?

Squash soup is a delicacy that the slaves of Haiti were not allowed to have until after the final slave revolt of 1803.
For Haitians, if you don't have squash soup, it wouldn't feel like January 1st.
Even my little brother told me that while he was stationed in Iraq a couple years ago he and his Haitian friends truly missed the squash soup on January 1st, "It was a bleak day without that soup," he said.

I remember being in Wikes-Barre, Pennsylvania one year, on a very snowy New Year's Eve with no squash in sight.  My husband would not negotiate his squash soup.  He and snow just don't mix. But he did brave the snow that night and went on the search for a squash.  Later he came back with a box of frozen cooked squash from a Publix market. He dropped the frozen brick on the kitchen counter,  and said, "Make me my soup, please." Then he went back under the covers to get warm.

The common ingredients in squash soup are: beef chunks or neck bones (turkey or chicken if you don't eat red meat), (noodles if you're a vegetarian), celery, potatoes, radishes, carrots, olive oil, a couple of cabbage leaves or chayote and of course squash (the squash is boiled, blended, poured in the soup and gives it a yellowish color). Don't forget the hot pepper (if you can tolerate it).  ...If you're a good cook you can mix that up to produce a delicious meal. It can be served with toast.  I'll take mine with a crunchy turkey sandwich on fresh country bread and a glass of champagne, in the name of the first black republic.

The story of Haiti is one of courage and bravery. Slaves, brought from different parts of Africa to an island, fought for their independence and won. They did not all speak the same language. They spoke different dialects.  The Creole language developped as they communicated with one another.

In Haitian Creole you'll hear a mixture of French, Spanish, English and various dialects.

When I attended school as a  child in Haiti, it was very rare to find a book written in Creole. We did have books of songs and poems in Creole.  For the majority of our schoolwork, the language of instruction was French.  When we did write in Creole, we sounded out the words using various spelling.  All that have changed now; and it's still changing. Haitian scholars continue to make great strides in standardizing the spelling of the language.

In 1987, Creole was made the official language of Haiti. French is now the second language of the country since more than 90% of written material is still in French.

There are now many books written in Haitian Creole. Mothers and fathers can now read to their children by the little gas lamp, in the language they understand.

There has never been a better time to learn this language!
Hats off! Ochan! Onè Respè! to all our Haitian writers.
Keep the language alive!
Happy Independence day! - Bònn fèt lendepandans!

Way to go Haiti!

Here is a link to find the recipe for squash soup (also called pumkin soup) : http://sweetcoconuts.blogspot.com/2011/07/pumpkin-soup-also-called-soup-joumou.html

______________________________________
Multiple choice questions

1.  The Haitian Creole word for the vegetable squash is
a. zepina
b. joumou
c. sitwon

2.  To express admiration for someone in Haitian Creole, I might say,
a. dakò!
b. anfòm!
c. ochan!

3. Haiti was declared a free republic in what year?
a. 1803
b. 1804
c. 1492

4. Before 1987, what was Haiti's official language?
a. French
b. Haitian Creole
c. Spanish

5. If you're typing on a computer, what keys would you press to produce the accented o such as this, "ò"
a. alt  138
b. alt 149
c. alt 131
Thanks for participating.  The answers to these questions are below.

Answers: 1 b, 2 c, 3 b, 4 a, 5 b.

Exercise 54 - What is your New Year resolution? Tell me in Creole!

Hi everyone! - Allo tout moun!

What is your New year Resolution for the year 2011?

Write your New year's resolution in Haitian Creole and then translate it in English.
Examples:
Ane sa, m pral li de liv. (This year i will read two books)
Nan 2011 m pral retounen lekol. (In 2011 I will go back to school)
Ane sa mwen ak madanm mwen pral vizite yon peyi etranje. (This year me and my wife will visit a foreign country)
Rezolisyon mwen ane sa se pou m souri pli souvan. (My resolution this year is to smile more often :)

I don't do well with New Year resolution. I usually get very lazy about it by mid-year. So I will post about something that I can keep up with.

Thanks! Hope to read about your New Year's resolution soon.

It's ok to post anonymously.

Exercise 53 - How do you say this in Haitian Creole?

What is the Haitian creole expression you're looking for? Thanks for asking!

Take a quiz on Common Haitian Creole expressions.  See how you do.  Here is the link:
http://hosted.onlinetesting.net/HaitianCreole/login.pl



First of all, how do you say "how do you say" in Haitian Creole?
How do you say... in Haitian Creole? - kòman ou di...an Kreyòl??
How do you say...in Haitian Creole? - Kijan ou di... an Kreyòl?

1. How do you say A LOT ON MY PLATE
a lot on my plate - anpil sou do m
I got a lot on my plate - m gen anpil sou do m
he's got a lot on his plate - li gen anpil sou do l

2. How do you say ADD FUEL TO FIRE
add fuel to fire - met abse sou klou

3. How do you say AGAINST ALL ODDS
against all odds - malgre tout

4. How do you say AHEAD OF THE GAME
ahead of the game - gentan byen lwen

5. How do you say ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE
all hell broke loose - tout satan lage chèn

6. How do you say AROUND THE CLOCK
around the clock - lajounen kou lannwit
24/7 - vennkat sou vennkat

7. How do you say AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
asap - osito ke posib

8. How do you say ASKING FOR TROUBLE
asking for trouble - chache zo grann ou

9. How do you say - BACK TO SQUARE ONE
back to square one - retounen a zero

10. How do you say BACKED INTO A CORNER
backed into a corner - kore nan yon kwen
he backed me into a corner - li kore m nan yon kwen
they backed him into a corner - yo kore li nan yon kwen

11. How do you say BALLS (courage, manliness, nerves)
balls - kran, gason sou ou, nen nan figi w
you got to have balls to ride the HULK at Universal Studios.
Fòk ou gen kran pou monte HULK la.
You got balls showing your face here after what you did!
Ou gen gason sou ou pou vini la aprè sa ou te fè a!

12. How do you say BE ON THE LOOKOUT
be on the lookout - mete sou pinnga, mete an gad
You should be on the lookout tonight - Mete w sou pinga w aswè a
Nadi needs to be on the lookout - Nadi bezwen mete l an gad

13. How do you say BEHIND SOMEONE'S BACK
behind someone's back - dèyè do
behind my back - dèyè do m
behind her back - dèyè do li

14. How do you say BEHIND THE TIMES (OLD-FASHIONED)
behind the times - pa a la mòd

15. How do you say BETTER LATE THAN NEVER/BETTER ONE THING THAN ANOTHER
better late than never - pito sa pase malgre sa

16. How do you say BITE YOUR TONGUE
bite your tongue - mande Bondye padon

17. How do you say IN BROAD DAY LIGHT
in broad day light - nan gwo la jounen

18. How do you say BY WORD OF MOUTH
by word of mouth - nan radyo dyòl

19. How do you say CALL IT QUITS
call it quits - kite sa, kraze sa
we called it quits - nou kite sa

20. How do you say CHEAP
cheap - di, chich, wòklò
she's cheap - li di


21. How do you say CONDOM
condom - kapòt, gan lanmou, pwoteksyon, protèj


22. How do you say CONGRATULATIONS
congratulations! - felisitasyon!
congratulations! - bravo!
congratulations! - Mè konpliman!

23. How do you say CHEATING
cheating - pa chat, bay zoklo

24. How do you say COST AN ARM AND A LEG (a hiked-up price, expensive)
an arm and a leg - tèt nèg (literally means a negro's head)
That thing cost me an arm and a leg! - bagay sa koute tèt nèg!

25. How do you say I DARE YOU, I CHALLENGE YOU
I dare you - m defann ou, men kwa manman m men kwa papa m vin pile l"
Men kwa manmam m, men kwa papa m, vin pile l" is more of a daring challenge. It literally means, "here's my mother's cross and here's my father's cross, come and step on it (if you can)"

26. How do you say DO YOUR BEST
do your best - fè tout sa w kapab

27. How do you say DOWN IN THE DAMPS
down in the damps - pa nan san
I am down in the damps - m pa nan san m
he's down in the damps - li pa nan san l

28. How do you say DOWN TO EARTH
down to earth - san fason

29. How do you say DOZING OFF
dozing off - kabicha

30. How do you say DRUNK
drunk - sou, plen tafya
she's drunk - li sou
you're drunk - ou plen tafya

31. How do you say A DRUNK
a drunk - tafyatè, wiskimann, kaka kleren
he's a drunk - li s'on tafyatè

32. How do you say ESCAPES ME
escapes me - chape m

33. How do you say EASY AS PIE
easy as pie - fasil tankon dlo
easy as pie - dlololo

34. How do you say EASY DOES IT
easy does it - pran san w

35. How do you say EVERY NOW AND THEN
every now and then - detanzantan

36. How do you say EXCUSE ME
excuse me - eskize m

37. How do you say FACE TO FACE
face to face - je nan je, bab pou bab

38. How do you say FIREWORKS
fireworks - fe datifis

38/5.  How do you say YOU'RE FIRED!
you're fired! - m revoke w
I got fired - yo revoke m
She got fired - yo revoke li
IBM fired me - IBM revoke m

39. How do you say FOR THE TIME BEING
for the time being - pou le moman

40. How do you say FREELOADER
freeloader - woulibè, opotinis

41. How do you say FROM NOW ON
from now on - koumanse kounye a

42. How do you say GET TO THE POINT
get to the point - di sa wap di a

42.5.  How do you say GET WELL
get well - pòte w byen
43. How do you say GUT FEELING
gut feeling - presantiman

44. How do you say HAVE FUN?
Fun - plezi, anmizman, banbòch
Let's have fun! - An nou anmize nou
Have fun! - Anmize ou byen!, or Pran plezi ou! anmize kò w!
Banbòch is used to translate fun in Haitian Creole if you mean clubbing, drinking, dancing the night out, etc... could also mean sexual fun.
They had fun all night - Yo banboche tout nan nwit.

45. How do you say HAPPY HOLIDAYS
happy holidays - Pase yon bon sezon fèt. (Literally: Have a good holiday season)
New Year's Eve - (31 Desanm) tranteyen desanm, vèy jou de lan
We're going to church on New Year's Eve - Nou pral legliz la vèy jou de lan.
We're going to watch the fireworks on New Year's Eve - Nou pral gade fe datifis tranteyen desanm.
-Happy New Year! - Bònn Ane!
-Thank you, same to you - Mèsi, a ou menm tou.
(if you're going to wish Happy New Year to a Haitian, you might as well add these words to your "wish": prosperity, longevity. It's customary to wish a Haitian prosperity and longevity every New Year)
You'd say: Bònn Ane! pwosperite ak lonjevite pou ou ak tout fanmi ou.
New Year's  day is also Haiti's Independence Day.
If you want to wish them Happy Independence Day!, you'd say: Bònn fèt lendepandans!

January 1st is not just the first day of the New Year for Haitians. It is also their Independence day. Haitians, then slaves brought from different parts of Africa to replace the indians, revolted against the French. Jean-Jacques Dessalines, who led the revolt, became the first president of the very first black republic. It was january 1st, 1804.
The customary food for Haitians on January 1st is squash soup.
Squash soup was one of the french delicacies that the slaves were not allowed to have before 1804.

Easter - Pak
Happy Easter! - Bònn fèt pak!

Happy Valentine's Day! - Bònn fèt Sent valanten! or Bònn fèt Valanten!

How do you say HAPPY BIRTHDAY
birthday - fèt, anivèsè
Happy birthday! - Bònn fèt!

46. How do you say HANG IN THERE
hang in there - kenbe la

47. How do you say MY HANDS ARE TIED
my hands are tied - de pye m nan yon grenn soulye

48. How do you say HARD AS ROCK
hard as rock - rèd tankou ke makak (literally means, "as stiff as a monkey's tail"

49. How do you say HATS OFF
hats off - chapo ba, ochan, bravo, konpliman,felisitasyon
You did great, hats off to you! - ou byen fè, chapo ba!

50.How do you say HAVE A HEART TO HEART
have a heart to heart - gen yon tèt a tèt

51. How do you say HIT THE ROOF
hit the roof - deklannche

52.  How do you say HONEYMOON
honeymoon - lin de myèl
We're going to Bora Bora for our honeymoon - Nou prale Bora Bora pou lin de myèl nou


53. How do you say I MISS YOU
I miss you - m sonje w

54. How do you say IN ANY CASE
in any case - antouka

55. How do you say GO THROUGH THE HOOPS
go through the hoops - pase nan je zegwi

56. How do you say IF IT WEREN"T FOR
if it weren't for - si se pat pou

57. How do you say IF I WERE YOU
if I were you - si m te ou
if i were you i would forget about it - si m te ou m ta bliye sa

58.How do you say IMPOTENT / ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION
impotent - fè bèk atè, pa gen apeti, enpotans
Do you have ED? - Eske ou fè bèk atè fasil?
Doctors, most Haitians would be uneasy talking to you about their sexual woes or experience. They will not look at you in the eye when talking on that subject. So, get the clue if he keeps saying, "I have no appetite..." when you think you got all the "gastro" stuff covered.

59. How do you say JUNK FOOD
junk food - fridòdòy, tyanpan

60. How do yo say JUST IN CASE
just in case - si an ka, si toutfwa

61. How do you say JUST IN THE NICK OF TIME
just in the nick of time - jis a tan

62. How do you say KEEP AN EYE ON
keep an eye on - voye je sou

63. How do you say KLUTZ, KNUCKLEHEAD, NOT SO BRIGHT
klutz - bègwè, bouki, kannannan, krebete, egare

64. How do you say LIKE FATHER LIKE SON
like father like son - tèl pè tèl fis

65. How do you say LITTLE BY LITTLE
little by little - tikal pa tikal, tikras pa tikras, piti a piti
Little by little we'll get there - Tikal pa tikal na rive

66. How do you say MAKE LOVE
make love - fè lanmou, fè bagay

67. How do you say MAKE UP YOUR MIND
make up your mind - pran desizyon w

 68. How do you say MERRY CHRISTMAS
christmas -nowèl or nwèl
Christmas eve - vennkat desanm, la vèy nwèl
Merry Christmas! - Jwaye Nowèl!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! - Jwaye Nowèl e bònn ane!

69. How do you say NAG
nag - plenyen, rablabla, babye, bougonnen, wounouwounou
she nags and nags all day - lap wounouwounou tout la jounen

70. How do you say NEGLIGENT, DISORGANIZED
negligent - vaykevay
He dresses negligently - li abiye vaykevay

71. How do you say NEVER MIND
never mind - ou pa bezwen okipe w, kite sa, bliye sa

72. How do you say ONCE UPON A TIME
once upon a time - vwala se te yon fwa
You may also start telling a tale by saying:
"*tim tim? Bwa sèch! ...vwala se te yon fwa" or
"*Krik? krak! ...vwala se te yon fwa"
*Note: the teller will say, "Tim tim? or Krik?" meaning (Are you ready?)
The listeners will answer, "Bwa sèch! or krak!" meaning (yes, we're ready!)
After they answer, "yes, we're ready!", then the teller will continue on and say, "vwala se te you fwa...the princess and the frog... etc...)


73. How do you say PAIN IN THE BUTT (non vulgar terms)
Pain in the butt - pongongon
She's a pain in the butt, she's a pest - Li se on pongongon

74. How do you say PENIS (non vulgar terms)
penis - gigit, grenn, pijon, pipich, ti koulout, yoyo

75. How do you say PUT ON THE SPOT (also OUT OF COMFORT ZONE)
put on the spot - jennen
you put me on the spot - ou jennen-m
I hate it when you put me on the spot like that - m rayi sa lè w jennen m konsa.

76. How do you say ROGUE
rogue - kowonpi, sankoutya, sanmanman

77. How do you say RAPE
rape (noun) - kadejak, vyòl, dappiyanp
to rape (verb) - vyole, fè kadejak, fè dappiyanp
were you raped? - Eske yo fè kadejak sou ou?
She raped me - li vyole m
Did he rape you? - Eske li fè kadejak sou ou?

78. How do you say SANTA CLAUS
santa claus- Tonton Nwèl
(Tonton Nwèl literally means "Uncle Noel")

79. How do you say SCREW LOOSE
screw loose - dejwe
She's got a screw loose - li dejwe


80. How do you say SEE YOU LATER
see you later - na wè pita, na wè

81. How do you say SPOILED ROTTEN, GO BAD
spoiled rotten - gate
The marriage went bad, they called it quits. - Maryaj la gate,yo kite sa.

82. How do you say SEXY.
Sexy (woman) - anfòm, byen kanpe, anpenpan
Sexy (man) - bo gason, bòzò, anfòm, byen kanpe
hooking up - fè zafè
They hooked up - Yo fè zafè

83. How do you say SEXY MOVES
sexy move - bwasay, bay yayad, gouyad, bay payèt
she was dancing sexily - li tap bay yayad

84. How do you say SLEEK (smooth, insincere, suspiciously suave)
sleek - mètdam, rizyèz

85. How do you say SPLIT
split - vole gagè, krazerak, fann kann, pran bwa
Salma Hayek saw the snake, she split! - Salma Hayèk wè koulèv la, li krazerak!
The prison doors fell, the prisonners split! - Pòt prizon yo tonbe, prizonye yo vole gagè!

86. How do you say STEER CLEAR OF
steer clear of - rete lwen, pa pwoche

87. How do you say SWEETHEART/ GIRLFRIEND / SWEETIE
sweetheart - boubout, menaj, doudou, kòkòt, cheri, chouboulout


88. How do you say RUCKUS
ruckus - woywoy, dezòd, kalanmplanm, deblozay
what's all that ruckus?! - Ki woywoy sa?!
88.25 How do you say TAKE CARE / TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
take care - pran swen w
take care of yourself - pran swen tèt ou

88.5.  How do you say THANK YOU AND YOU'RE WELCOME
thank you! - mèsi!
you're welcome! - padekwa!
(Note that to use the welcome  as in "Welcome to my home!"  you would use the translation, "Byenveni lakay mwen!"  In this case the translation for welcome is byenveni.

89. How do you say TROUBLE
trouble - pwoblèm, zen, ka, traka, tchouboum
I'm in trouble - M nan traka
you're in trouble - ou nan ka

He got me in trouble - Li lage m nan zen
I got in trouble - m tonbe nan tchouboum

90. How do you say TURN ON(light up)
turn on - limen
turn on the light - limen limyè a


91. What about TURN ON(to excite), how do you say it?
turn on - mete sou sa
he turned me on - li mete m sou sa
you turn me on - ou mete m sou sa

92. How do you say UNDER THE TABLE
under the table - anba tab

93. How do you say VAGINA (non vulgar terms)
vagina - bòtbòt, foufoun, chòbòlòt,chouchoun, kòkòt, vajen

93.5. How do you say HAPPY VALENTINES' DAY 
Valentines' Day - Fèt Sent valanten
Happy Valentines' Day! - bònn fè sent valanten! or Bònn fèt Valanten!
I love you - M renmen w
I miss you - M sonje w
I'm in love with you - M damou pou ou
My little sweetheart - ti boubout mwen, ti kòkòt mwen

94. How do you say WASTE YOUR BREATH
waste your breath - pèdi tan

95. How do you say WATCH OUT / BE CAREFUL
Be careful! - Atansyon!
Watch out! - Atansyon!

96. How do you say YOU ASK FOR IT
you asked for it - se sa w tap chache
he asked for it - se sa li tap chache


97. How do you say YOU POOR THING! (indicating sympathy)
you poor thing! - podyab!

98. How do you say YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW
you reap what you sow - sa w simen se sa w wè

99. How do you say ZERO IN ON
zero in on - preske rive

100. How do you say ZIP IT (non vulgar terms)
zip it - pe bouch ou, pe la

Exercise 52 - Answer to questions in exercise 51

These are the answers to the multiple choice questions in exercise 51.

CIRCLE THE BEST POSSIBLE ANSWER.

1. b. chichote

2. a. li

3. b. negative

4. c. te, past tense

5. b. mwen te li liv la yè. and c. mwen li liv la yè.

Exercise 51 - We're listening to a song (Krisifiksyon)

Bonjou!

Thanks for visiting my blog. I hope you are having lots of fun learning this language.
The point to the audio exercises is to help you develop an ear to the language and also gain fluency if you choose to sing along.
While learning this language, anything and everything you listen to(in creole) would be beneficial if you can at least learn 3 new vocabulary words.
Sung by Pierre Gardy Fontaine, you'll find the words of this song very clear and easy on the ears. Click on the link below or search through the Audio/Video Resources column to the left side of the screen click on krisifiksyon - Listen to it and/or sing along.
_______________________
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehP6uwO5hjg&fmt=22
1. Yo krisifye Jezi - They crucified Jesus
2. li pa mamòte - he didn't mumble
3. pou menm di yon mo - to even say one word
4. Pa yon mo - not one word
5. Yo kloure l sou yon kwa - they nailed him on the cross
6. Yo pèse l nan kòt li - they pierced him in his side
7. Yon rigòl san te koule - a stream of blood poured
8. Tèt li koube - his head bent down
9. li mouri - he died
10. Li pa t di yon mo - he didn't say one word____________________

CIRCLE THE BEST POSSIBLE ANSWER.

1. To mumble means to speak quietly and unclearly. To whisper also means to speak quietly. What is the Haitian Creole word for whisper?
a. mamòte
b. chichote
c. krebete

2. What do the "l" in lines 5 and 6 stand for?
a. li
b. lou
c. lan

3. In line 10, what does the word "pa" indicate?
a. past tense
b. negative
c. past tense and the negative

4. In line 10, what does the "t" stand for? what does it indicate?
a. to, negative
b. te, negative
c. te, past tense

5. Which two sentences may translate, "I read the book yesterday."? Choose two answers.
a. mwen te li liv nan yè.
b. mwen te li liv la yè.
c. mwen li liv la yè.

Exercise 50 - Answers to Exercise 49

I hope you had fun doing this exercise. Here are the answers.

1. Mwen tande a zorey mwen. - I hear with my ears.

2. M pale avèk bouch mwen. - I talk with my mouth.

3. Karoline vire tèt li avèk kou li. - Karoline turns her head with her neck.

4. Lè m te rive lakay mwen, Nancy anbrase mwen avèk de bra li. -When I arrived home Nancy hugged me with her arms.

5. Fritz chita sou dèyè li. - Fritz sat on his buttocks.

6. Nou priye ak nanm nou. - We pray with our soul

7. Ou jwe pyano avèk dwèt ou. - You play piano with your fingers.

8. Nou renmen avèk kè nou. - We love with our hearts.

9. Yo tap danse ak ko yo. - They were dancing with their body.

10. Chyen an mode m avèk dan li - The dog bit me with its teeth.

11. Ti moun yo kalkile avèk tèt yo. - The kids thought with their head.

12. M te mache tout nan nwit sou de pye m. - I walked all night on my two feet.

13. Nou santi avèk nen nou. - We smell with our noses.

14. Mwen te wè Jean-Marie ak de je m. - I saw Jean-Marie with my two eyes.

15. Li te manyen m a men li. - He touched me with his hands.

16. Ti moun yo tap koute istwa a avèk zorey yo. -The kids were listening to the story with their ears.

17. Li bobo bebe a ak bouch li. - She kissed the baby with her lips.

18. Li gade mwen avèk zye li. - She looked at me with her eyes.

19. Li choute boul la avèk pye li. -She kicked the ball with her foot.

20. Lè l tande nouvèl aksidan an, li tonbe lapriyè ak tout nanm li. - When he heard the news about the accident he strated praying with all his soul.

Exercise 49 - Bodily functions

Salut tout moun!
Greetings everyone!

Today we are learning the name of some of our body parts.

But first, here is a list of verbs/functions.
anbrase - to hug
 manyen - to touch
gade - to look
koute, tande - to listen, to hear
pale - to speak, to talk
wè - to see
renmen - to love
choute - to kick
santi - to smell
mache - to walk
kenbe - to hold, to grab
jwe - to play
bobo, bo - to kiss
kalkile, panse - to think
danse - to dance
chita - to sit
mode - to bite
vire tèt - to turn the head
priye, lapriyè - to pray
ak, avèk, a - with
sou - on
tout - all
Here is a list of names of our body parts:
zye, je - eyes
kou - neck
pye - foot
nanm - soul
dan - tooth
bouch - mouth
nen - nose
zorey - ears
kè - heart
bra - arms
dèyè, bouda -buttocks
ko - body
tèt - head
dwèt - fingers
men - hand
___________________________
Select the name of a body part from the list and FILL IN THE BLANKS.
1. Mwen tande a ______________________ mwen.

2. M pale avèk ________________________ mwen.

3. Karoline vire tèt li avèk _____________________ li.

4. Lè m te rive lakay mwen, Nancy anbrase mwen avèk de ________ li.

5. Fritz chita sou _________________ li.

6. Nou priye ak ________________ nou.

7. Ou jwe pyano avèk _____________ ou.

8. Nou renmen avèk _________ nou.

9. Yo tap danse ak _________ yo.

10. Chyen an mode m avèk ___________ li

11. Ti moun yo kalkile avèk __________ yo.

12. M te mache tout nan nwit sou de ________ m.

13. Nou santi avèk __________ nou.

14. Mwen te wè Jean-Marie ak de __________ m.

15. Li te manyen m a __________ li.

16. Ti moun yo tap koute istwa a avèk ____________ yo.

17. Li bobo bebe a ak _________ li.

18. Li gade mwen avèk ___________ li.

19. Li choute boul la avèk ___________ li.

20. Lè l tande nouvèl aksidan an, li tonbe lapriyè ak tout ______ li.

As always, the correct answers will be posted in the following blog in no more than four days.

Exercise 48 - Answers to exercise 47

Salut tout moun! (Greetings everyone!)

With Thanksgiving behind us, Christmas is quickly approaching.
Hope you're thinking about adding a little Haitian Creole in your
Chritsmas greetings.

In the meatime, how did you do with the quiz from the previous exercise?
All the correct answers are posted here. Go head and check them agaisnt yours.

Kontinye pratike Kreyol! (Keep practicing Creole!)


1. c

2. a

3. b

4. b

5. c

6. c

7. a

8. a

9. c

10. a

11. b

12. b

13. b

14. a

15. c

16. b

17. c

18. a

19 a & c

20. b

Exercise 47 - A Multiple Choice Quiz

Allo! Salut! e Bonjou tout moun!
Hello! Greetings! and good morning everyone!I thought today was a good day to test your knowledge of the Haitian Creole language. So we'll do a little harmless quiz.

You may also take this quiz online where you will find out your test results immediately.  Just click on the following link:
http://hosted.onlinetesting.net/HaitianCreole/login.pl

CHOOSE THE BEST POSSIBLE ANSWER.

1. A word in Haitian Creole that means "sweet" is
a. bon
b. sik
c. dous

2. "Papa m malad." What does "m" stand for?
a. mwen
b. mechan
c. malouk

3. What does "m" in #2 mean?
a. I
b. my
c. me

4. "Ti moun yo grangou." What does "yo" mean?
a. They
b. The
c. Them

5. You want to know your Haitian neighbor's name. So you ask her,
a. Ki jan w ye?
b. Ki jan w pale?
c. Ki jan w rele?

6. What do the "w's" in #5 stand for?
a. wo
b. wè
c. ou

7. You are in Haiti and you want to buy some groceries. You would most likely go:
a. nan yon mache
b. nan yon jaden
c. nan yon legliz

8. You're walking the busy streets of Haiti looking for a bathroom. You see a busy machann, and you ask her
a. Ki kote twalèt la ye?
b. Ki moun ou ye?
c. Ki sa wap fè la?

9. A "machann" is a
a. police officer
b. Red Cross worker
c. street vendor

10. "Pa fè m sa." What does "Pa" indicate?
a. Negative
b. Past tense
c. Future tense

11. What does "m" mean in #10?
a. I
b. me
c. My

12. What does the sentence in #10 mean?
a. I will do this.
b. Don't do this to me.
c. I did this

13. "M pè." means
a. I do
b. I'm scared
c. I can

14. "Dlo a bon pou bwè". What does the "a" after the word "dlo" stand for
a. It's a singular definite article
b. It's a plural definite article.
c. It's a preposition

15. What does the Haitian Creole sentence in #14 mean?
a. The water is at the spring
b. The waters run to the spring
c. The water is good to drink

16. I want to ask a yes/no question. Which Haitian Creole word will I use in front of my question?
a. Ki
b. Eske

17. So I decided to ask my Haitian friend, "Do you eat oranges?" and I say,
a. Ki zoranj ou manje?
b. Eske ou manje zoranj yo?
c. Eske ou manje zoranj?

18. "Paper or plastic?" What are two ways to say "or" in Haitian Creole?
a. ou and oubyen
b. o and ou
c. o and oubyen

19. So, what are the two translations for "Paper or plastic?". Choose two answers.
a. Papye ou plastik?
b. Papye o plastik?
c. Papye oubyen plastik?

20. Translate: The big red car.
a. Gwo wouj machin nan.
b. Gwo machin wouj la.
c. Gwo machin wouj nan.
You will find the answers to these questions in the next blog :)

Exercise 46 - Answer to questions in exercise 45

Bonswa tout moun! (Good evening all!)

I hope you had spent some time in exercise 45.
I also hope you had spent some time listening to the song.
You will be seeing a lot of the words and sentences from that song in the next few exercises (written or videotaped).

Are you finding the Haitian Creole language exciting to learn?!
...don't answer that :)
_________________________________
These are the answers to the questions from exercise 45
1. In line 1 what does "m" stand for?
b. mwen

2. What is the definite article in line 2?
c. la
3. What words do you use to ask a question with "when"?
a. ki lè

4. If the contraction form was not used in line 6, how would that sentence be written?
a. mwen di li pou li ban mwen yon souri

5. If the contraction for was not used in line 11, how would that sentence be written?
b. mwen poze men mwen sou kè mwen

6. Sila is the Haitian Creole word for:
c. the one, or that

7. Pote kole is the Haitian Creole word for:
a. put our heads together

8. In line 21 what do "k" stand for?
c. stands for "ki" which means "that, who, or which"

9. In line 27, "w" stands for:
b. "ou" which means "you"

10. "ap" indicates
c. Most likely the future

Exercise 45 - We are singing "Se La Vi"

This piece sung by the group Alabanza is celebrating life. It's a good sing along song. In time you'll learn it.

PLEASE, HAVE FUN LEARNING THIS SONG!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0Hmcv41Tr4
Click on the above link or choose Se La Vi from the Audio/Video Resources column on the left of the screen and listen to it. Then you can come back to do the following exercises below. Thanks.
_______________________________________________

Song, translation and exercises.

1. Chak maten lè m leve

2. Mwen wè solèy la klere
3. Mwen met(mete) jenou mwen atè
4. Epi m kòmanse priye

5. Mwen di l mèsi pou lavi
6. Mwen di l pou l ban m you souri
7. Pou m bay tou moun mwen kontre,
8. lanmou li ban m pataje
9. Souvan mwen remake
10. mwen ta vle bliye l
11. M poze men m sou kè m
12. m’ap santi bip bip bip

13. Se la vi
14. Pa gen pèsònn ki gen dwa retire l
15. San pèmisyon sila ki te kreye l, O O O se lavi

16. Se la vi
17. An’n selebre sila ki te kreye l
18. An nou pote kole pou pwoteje l, O O O se lavi
19. Gen sa ki pa respekte l
20. Y’ap mache kraze brize
21. Sa k' finn koupe tout pye bwa
22. yo pa wè y’ap rache lespwa

23. Gen lòt ki pa apresye l
24. Plezi fè yo gaspiye l
25. Ti kout ti krak y’ap rale
26. Pou fè kòm si y’ap vole
27. Poutan si w remake ou ta vle bliye l
28. poze men w sou kè w, w’ap santi bip bip bip

1. In line 1 what does "m" stand for?
a. mwa
b. mwen
c. move

2. Which is the definite article in line 2?
a. mwen
b. wè
c. la

3. What words do you use to ask a question with "when"?
a. ki lè
b. ki chak?
c. ki maten?

4. If the contraction form was not used in line 6, how would that sentence be written?
a. mwen di li pou li ban mwen yon souri
b. m di li pou l ban m yon souri
c. mwen di l pou li ban mwen yon souri

5. If the contraction form was not used in line 11, how would that sentence be written?
a. mwen poze men m sou kè mwen
b. mwen poze men mwen sou kè mwen
c. m poze men mwen sou kè mwen

6. "Sila" is the Haitian Creole word for:
a. Silas, or that
b. God, or that
c. the one, or that

7. "Pote kole" is the Haitian Creole word for:
a. get our heads together
b. light pole
c. bring a pole

8. In line 21 what does "k" stand for?
a. stands for "ki" which means "who, what, or where"
b.stands for "ki" which means "when, what or where"
c. stands for "ki" which means  "that, who, or which"

9. In line 27, "w" stands for:
a. "ou" which means "were"
b. "ou" which means "you"
c. "ou" which means "we"

10. "W'ap santi bip bip bip", what tense is "ap" indicating here?
a. most likely the past
b. most likely the present
c. most likely the future

Scroll down for the answers.







Answers

1. In line 1 what does "m" stand for?
b. mwen
2. What is the definite article in line 2?
c. la

3. What words do you use to ask a question with "when"?
a. ki lè

4. If the contraction form was not used in line 6, how would that sentence be written?
a. mwen di li pou li ban mwen yon souri

5. If the contraction for was not used in line 11, how would that sentence be written?
b. mwen poze men mwen sou kè mwen

6. Sila is the Haitian Creole word for:
c. the one, or that
7. Pote kole is the Haitian Creole word for:
a. put our heads together
8. In line 21 what do "k" stand for?
c. stands for "ki" which means "that, who, or which"

9. In line 27, "w" stands for:
b. "ou" which means "you"

10. "ap" indicates
c.  Most likely the future

Exercise 44 - Adjectives (answers to exercise 43)

In the previous exercise we were trying to figure out the adjectives. I gave you a few sentences to translate in Haitian Creole. Here are the answers

Answer 1 The ugly smelly shoe - Soulye lèd santi a.
(Both "lèd" and "santi" are adjectives that follow the noun. And "a" is the singular definite article. Remember that the definite article is determined based on the word it follows.)

Answer 2: The ancient yellow house - Ansyen kay jòn nan.
("ansyen" is one of these adjectives that come before the noun. "jòn" follows the noun. All the colors (as an adjective) will always follow the noun. And "nan" is the singular definite article).

Answer: 3:  The little pretty girl- bèl ti fi a.
(Both "bèl" and "ti" are adjectives that come before the noun. "a" is the definite article.)

Answer 4: The rusty old car - Vye machin wouye a.
("Vye" is an adjective that comes before the noun.  "wouye" will come after the noun. "a" is a definite article.)

Answer 5: The huge ugly box - Gwo bwat lèd la.
("Gwo" always come before the noun.  "Lèd" will come after the noun. ."la" is a definite article.)

Exercise 43 - Adjectives

Some adjectives occur before the noun: this is a list of the most frequently used adjectives that occur before the noun:

all                            tout                                                      

any                         nenpòt                

bad                        move                    

big                          gwo                      

good                      bon                       

great                     gran                                                     

humongous        katafal                

last                         dènye                   

many                    anpil

old                          vye

other                     lòt

pretty                    bèl         

same                     menm

several                  plizyè

small                     ti

huge                      gwo

young                   jèn

some                     kèk

The other adjectives usually follow the noun.  Here's a list of five adjectives which follow the noun.
dirty - sal
yellow - jòn
rusty - wouye
ugly - lèd
smelly - santi


See more on adjectives
___________________________________________
Let's translate these sentences: Study the placement of the adjectives.

The small car - ti machin nan. (the adjective comes before the noun)

The rusty car - machin wouye a. (the adjective follows the noun)

The ugly car - machin lèd la. (the adjective follows the noun)

The big blue car - gwo machin ble a. (one adj comes before the noun and the other follows the noun)

The dirty yellow car - machin jòn sal la. (both adjectives follow the noun)
_______________________

Watch the following unlisted videos about adjectives before you continue with the following exercise.
Adjectives

More adjectives

PLEASE TRANSLATE.
1. The ugly smelly shoe._____________________________

2. The ancient yellow house.__________________________

3. The pretty little girl._______________________________

4. The rusty old car.________________________________

5. The huge ugly box._______________________________



Thanks.

Exercise 42 - Answers to exercise 41

Bonjou tout moun!
How are you doing so far with learning this new language?
Is it difficult, confusing, or just plain impossible?
Is it fun?
Do you get to practice speaking it?
Are you learning it in school, from friends, from a private tutor, or just on your own?

Whichever way you're doing it, I'm encouraging you to keep at it.
I remember when I first traveled to the USA. I was shoved into high school (the 11th grade) not understanding a single spoken word of English. I was going to High School in the morning and English School at night. It was not fun but by the end of that school year I was speaking English... not so perfectly but people could understand me and I could understand them.

So, kontinye konsa! keep at it!
__________________________
Here are the answers to exercise 41.
MATCH THE ABOVE ANSWERS WITH THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

1. Kote pwason yo rete? (where do fish live?)F. Nan lanmè a (In the ocean)

2. Ki kote valiz ou a ye? (Where is your bag?)D. Li nan machi-n nan (It's in the car)

3. Konbyen pitit ou genyen? (How many kids do you have?)G. M gen kat (I have four)

4. Ki koulè machin ou an? (What's the color of your car?)K. Li wouj (It's red)

5. Ki jan ti gason ou a rele? (What is your boy's name?)E. Phillip

6. Ki jou wap pati? (What day are you leaving?)A. Vandredi maten (Friday morning)

7. Ki mizik ou renmen? (What music do you like?)I. M renmen Reggae. (I love Reggae)

8. Ki jan de manje ou renmen? (What kind of food do you like?)J. M renmen vejetab (I love vegetables)

9. Ki jan de travay ou fè? (What kind of work do you do?)C. Mwen se yon ekriven (I am a writer)

10. Konbyen kay sa koute? (How much does this house cost?) B. $80,000.00

Exercise 41 - Some Questions and Answers

Bonswa!

Ki jan jounen ou te pase?

Have you listened to a Haitian song today? If not, put it on your To Do List. You got to train your ears to hear the language:)
_______________________________________________

Let's do some work. Here is your list of answers for today's exercise:


ANSWERS
A. Vandredi maten (Friday morning)
B. $80,000.00
C. Mwen se yon ekriven (I am a writer)
D. Li nan machin nan (It's in the car)
E. Phillip
F. Nan lanmè a (In the ocean)
G. M gen kat (I have four)
H. Nou te marye dezan pase. (We got married two years ago)
I. M renmen Reggae (I love Reggae)
J. M renmen vejetab (I love vegetables)
K. Li wouj (It's red)

MATCH THE ABOVE ANSWERS WITH THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

1. Kote pwason yo rete?

2. Ki kote valiz ou a ye?

3. Konbyen pitit ou genyen?

4. Ki koulè machin ou an?

5. Ki jan ti gason ou an rele?

6. Ki jou w ap pati?

7. Ki mizik ou renmen?

8. Ki kalite manje ou renmen?

9. Ki kalite travay ou fè?

10. Konbyen kay sa a koute?

Exercise 40 - Answers to questions in exercise 39

Answers to questions in exercises 39.

1. In lines 4 and 5, what Haitian Creole word does k' stand for. And what does is mean?
Answer: ki, it means that, who, or which

2. Based on Lines #2, 3, 4, and 5, how would you say, "There are girls who speak soft."
Answer: Gen ti fi ki pale dous.

3. According to line 4, the Creole word for velvet is:
Answer: Vlou

4. According to lines 7 and 8, how would you say, "My pocket is empty."
Answer: Pòch mwen vid.

5. Based on line 10.5, "I have nothing." is translated in Haitian Creole as:
Answer: M pa gen anyen.

6. What does the w in line 11 stand for? What does it mean?
Answer: ou. it means you.

7. Based on line 20 and 21, how would you say, "Let's eat."
Answer: An nou manje

8. Based on line 24, the Haitian Creole word for, "Side by side" is:
Answer: kòt a kòt

9. According to lines 25 and 26 how would you translate, "it's not a boy, it's a girl."?
Anwer: Se pa yon gason, se yon ti fi.

10. What is the Haitian Creole word for friend?
Answer: Zanmi

11.What does the "n" in line 29 stands for? What does it mean?
Answer: n stands for nou, it means we.

12.What does the "na" in lines 30 and 31 stand for? what does it mean?
Answer: na stands for nou ap, it means we will or we would.

Exercise 39 - We're Singing a song (Deklarasyon)

Bonjou tout moun! Good morning everyone!
Mwen kontan jodi a. I am happy today!

I am excited to work on our first audio exercise. yay!
I have been asking you to listen to the Haitian radios and the Creole news.
But today I am glad to bring you a Haitian Creole song you can listen to. Follow the link from the Audio/Video Resources on the left column of the screen, choose Declaration of Love. Or, you may click on this blog's title. That's the one we're doing today. Please listen to it, as many times as you have to so you can sing along too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TzxIVqWMaY
Singing along might help you tremendously as you are then speaking/singing the words. It'll also give you a chance to hear people speak/sing these words.

After you are done singing, please come back to these exercises as we will be translating and looking at the sentence construction.

See you later.___________________________________

Song and its translation and exercises.1. Nan tout deklarasyon damou - In all declaration of love2. gen konpliman - there are compliments3. genyen pwomès - there are promises4. gen gason k' pale dous kon vlou - there are men who speak as soft as velvet5. genyen k'ofri ou la richès - there are some who offer you riches6. mwen menm lang mwen pa two leje - as for me my tongue is not light7. bousèt mwen vid - my purse is empty8. pòch mwen gen twou - my pocket has a hole9. men kwè m si ou vle - but believe me if you want10.sa pa vle di - that doesn't mean10.5 m pa gen anyen pou m ofri - I have nothing to offer11.Si w vle tande - if you want to listen
(women's voice):
12. Men ki kote na prale? - but where are we going?13. ki mòd chemen sa ye? - what kind of a road is this?14. se pa bann nat ou fè - it's not that you make straw mattresses15. ou vle pou m ale fè - and you want me so I can make them16. men si se pa sa w bezwen - but if that's not what you need17. Eske ou wè nan mwen - do you see in me18. yon kanmarad ak yon zanmi? - a comrade and a friend?
(Men's voice)
19. Ban mwen la men- Give me your hand20. an nou mache - let's walk21. an nou pran chemen libète - let's take the road of freedom22. yon rout ki bèl - a road that is beautiful23. ki laj ase - that is large enough24. pou se kòt a kòt nou mache- so we can walk side by side25. Se pa yon bònn map anplwaye - it's not a servant I am employing26. se pa on esklav mape chache - it's not a slave I am looking for27. m vle yon konpay - I want a companion28. yon kanmarad ak yon zanmi - a comrade and a friend


29. Lè n gen pwoblèm - when we have problems30. na va pale - we'd talk31. na diskite - we'd discuss32. kon de zanmi - like two friends33. pape gen yon moun pou kòmande - there won't be one person to command34. Avèk yon lòt pou obeyi - and one to obey35. konsa pitit nou va grandi - this way our kids would grow36. ya remake depi yo piti - they'd remark37. mwen ba ou men lè ou bite -I give you a hand when you fail38. men se sou ou tou mwen konte - but i count on you39. lè pye m chape - when I fail
_____________________________________________________
GRAMMAR EXERCISES

1. In lines 4 and 5, what Haitian Creole word does k' stand for. And what does is mean?

2. Based on Lines #2, 3, 4, and 5, how would you say, "There are girls who speak soft."

3. According to line 4, the Creole word for velvet is ___________________

4. According to lines 7 and 8, how would you say, "My pocket is empty."

5. Based on line 10.5, "I have nothing." is translated in Haitian Creole as:_____________________________

6. What does the w in line 11 stand for? What does it mean?

7. Based on line 20 and 21, how would you say, "Let's eat."

8. Based on line 24, the Haitian Creole word for, "Side by side" is____________________.

9. According to lines 25 and 26 how would you translate, "it's not a boy, it's a girl."?

10. What is the Haitian Creole word for friend?

11.What does the "n" in line 29 stands for? What does it mean?

12.What does the "na" in lines 30 and 31 stand for? what does it mean?

Exercise 38 - Answers to Exercise 37

These are the answers to multiple choice question from Doing The Laundry exercise.
1.b 2.a 3.b 4.c 5.c 6.a 7.b 8.a 9.c 10.a
_______________
Also, about 5 people have told me that this exercise was quite hard. So I have translated the other answers. Hopefully you'd add them to your Haitian Creole vocabulary bank. Thanks!

1. How many pieces of clothing did I wash by hand today?
a. senk - five
b. sèt - seven
c. sis - sis

2. Where did I go wash my clothes in Haiti?
a. nan rivyè a - at the river
b. nan lanmè a - in the ocean
c. nan sous la - at the spring

3. On what day was the laundry done in Haiti?
a. Vandredi - Friday
b. Samdi - Saturday
c. Jedi - Thursday

4. How were the clothes dried?
a. Sou yon pye bwa - on a tree
b. Sou tèt yon machin- on top of a car
c. Sou yon pil ròch - on a pile of rocks

5. The Haitian Creole translation for 24/7 is
a. vennkat sou sèt - 24 on 7
b. sèt sou sèt - 7 on 7
c. vennkat sou vennkat - 24 on 24

6. Where did some students study at night during exam times?
a. Anba yon poto limyè - under a light pole
b. Nan yon magazen - in a shop
c. Nan yon bato - in a boat

7. Why were some students studying under a light pole?
a. yo pa te gen kay - they didn't have houses
b. yo pa te gen limyè -they didn't have light
c. yo pa te gen liv - they didn't have books

8. What was Michel studying?
a. Lwa - law
b. Edikasyon - education
c. medsin - medicine

9. What is Michel's profession now?
a. doktè - doctor
b. pwofesè - teacher
c. jij - judge

10. In which part of Haiti does Michel live now?
a. Sid - south
b. Nò - north
c. Lwès - west

Exercise 37 - Doing the Laundry

Hello everyone,

Have you listened to a Haitian Creole song today?
Have you listened to a Haitian radio program today?
Have you sung hummed a Haitian Creole song today?

well, keep listening...

My washing machine is broken today. I had to wash some of my kid's school clothes by hand today. It was only about seven pieces of clothing thank God! And it's a good thing that my dryer is working.
I remember when I was in Haiti I used to go to the river every Saturday with a humongous pile of clothes (mine and my siblings'). I'd wash these clothes by hand, spread them over a pile of rocks, and wait an excruciating two hours for them to dry in the sun. Then I'd fold'em, pack'em and bring them back home. I hated to wash my brothers' pairs of Jeans.
When my mom first traveled to the USA in 1975 she complained that the washing machine wasn't doing as good a job as she could do by hands. She still washed most of her clothes by hand.
It is good to live in the USA. When I first traveled here I was thankful for electricity. I couldn't believe we had electricity 24/7. In Haiti we had electricity a couple hours during the day and maybe for about an hour at night. Some people did not have electricity at all. So at night, during exam times, when the lights came on you could see groups of students gathered under each street light poles studying in the dim lights. My cousin, Michel, was in law school. I remember his nightly trip to the light pole. He is now a judge in Aux Cayes, South of Haiti.

CHOOSE THE BEST POSSIBLE ANSWER.

1. How many pieces of clothing did I wash by hand today?
a. senk
b. sèt
c. sis

2. Where did I go wash my clothes in Haiti?
a. nan rivyè a
b. nan lanmè a
c. nan sous la

3. On what day was the laundry done in Haiti?
a. Vandredi
b. Samdi
c. Jedi

4. How were the clothes dried?
a. Sou yon pye bwa
b. Sou tèt yon machin
c. Sou yon pil ròch

5. The Haitian Creole translation for 24/7 is
a. vennkat sou sèt
b. sèt sou sèt
c. vennkat sou vennkat

6. Where did some students study at night during exam times?
a. Anba yon poto limyè
b. Nan yon magazen
c. Nan yon bato

7. Why were some students studying under a light pole?
a. yo pa te gen kay
b. yo pa te gen limyè
c. yo pa te gen liv

8. What was Michel studying?
a. Lwa
b. Edikasyon
c. medsin

9. What is Michel's profession now?
a. doktè
b. pwofesè
c. jij

10. In which part of Haiti does Michel live now?
a. Sid
b. Nò
c. Lwès

Exercise 36 - Answer to Exercise 35

Here are the answers to the translation exercise in 35.

1. Katie and Joe went home on Friday.
1. Katie ak Joe te ale lakay yo vandredi.

 2. Go home!
2. Ale lakay ou!

 3. I will go home tonight.
3. M pral lakay mwen aswè-a.

 4. In the movie, E.T. went home on a bike.
4. Nan fim nan E.T te ale lakay li sou yon bisiklèt.

 5. Tata was hungry. She went home to eat.
5. Tata te grangou. Li te ale lakay li pou manje.

 6. Don't look for Guito. He already went home this morning.
6. Pa chache Guito. Li gentan ale lakay li maten an.

7. The people went home hungry yesterday.
7. Moun yo ale lakay yo tou grangou yè.

 8. It's late. You should go home.
8. Li ta. Ou dwe ale lakay ou.

9. It's raining. Stay home tonight.
9. Li ap fè lapli. Rete lakay ou aswè-a.

10. It's snowing. She stayed home.
10. Li ap fè nèj. Li te rete lakay li.

11. They stayed home.
11. Yo te rete lakay yo.

12. I was smart. I stayed home when it started raining yesterday.
12. M-te intelijan. M te rete lakay mwen lè li te kòmanse fè lapli yè.

 13. We all stayed home on Monday.
13. Nou tout te rete lakay nou lendi.

14. Henry did go to the tennis game. He stayed home with his girlfriend.
14. Henry pa te ale nan jwèt tenis la. Li te rete lakay li ak menaj li a.

15. The birds flew home tonight.
15. Zwazo yo vole ale lakay yo aswè-a.