Kale (adj, past tense) - peeled, exposed, unprotected
Bonjou! Learn to Speak Haitian Creole
Most requested translations added here for your convenience: I love you → Mwen renmen w. I miss you → Mwen sonje w. My love! → Lanmou mwen!
kale
Kale (adj, past tense) - peeled, exposed, unprotected
"Yon gwo manman malet - a big mother suitcase" Is that right? It doesn't make sense to me.
example:
In the word "Madanm" is the "n" silent? Or do yo pronounce the "n" with the "m"?
'an' is pronounced like "uh".
madanm - pronounced like mah-duh-m
SO how would you explain this to a Creole student when the sentences only use one verb? Ex: Corn was planted. Mayi plante. or I am going home. M ale lakay. or I will see you tomorrow? M ap we w demen? All 3 ex use PS and PP. No helping verb used.
Corn was planted - Yo te plante mayi (past tense of the verb 'to plant')
I am going home. - M prale lakay (PP of verb 'to go')
I will see you tomorrow. - M ap wè w demen. (Future form of verb 'to see')
Examples of instances where infinitive form is used:
They're going to plant corn. - Yo prale plante mayi.
I am going to go home. - M pral ale lakay.
I am going to see you tomorrow. - M prale wè w demen
Counting Numbers 1 to 20
Link to download Audio portion only: http://limanecasimi.audioacrobat.com/download/a723b319-525a-d1cb-6aa0-ffe5f4de37a5.mp3
Numbers used in audio and video:
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 (15)
katòz (14)
kenz (15)
sèz (16)
disèt (17)
dizwit (18)
diznèf (19)
ven (20)
trant (30)
karant (40)
senkant (50)
swasant (60)
swasanndis (70)
katreven (80)
katrevendis (90)
san (100)
de san (200)
twa san (300)
kat san (400)
senk san (500)
mil (1000)
de mil (2000)
twa mill (3000)
kat mil (4000)
senk mil (5000)
What Are You Going To Do Tonight?
Download link for audio:
http://limanecasimi.audioacrobat.com/download/409cf9c0-e03e-071d-dea9-b69803d0aaf1.mp3
Listen and follow along (Intermediate Level)
Bonswa tout moun!
Good evening everyone!
1. M pral rele manman m.
I'm going to call my mom.
2. M pral tann ou.
I'm going to wait for you
3. M pral manje yon pòm.
I'm going to eat an apple.
4. M pral mande l sòti.
I'm going to ask her/him out.
5. M pral chache yon travay.
I'm going to look for a job.
6. M pral kouche.
I'm going to lie down.
7. M pral bezwen plis.
I'm going to need more
8. M pral sonje ou.
I'm going to miss you.
9. M pral wè si ou kapab
I'm going to see if you can.
10. M pral repoze.
I'm going to get some rest.
Mèsi e orevwa.
Thank you and goodbye.
how to say, 'that's very nice.'
That's very nice - Se trè byen. se trè janti
But depending on what you're describing as "nice", the adjective might vary in Haitian Creole.
how u say in kreyol, "i promised myself thath i would never let my weaknes get the best of me"??
M te fè tèt mwen pwomès, ke m pap janm kite feblès anpare m.
Do you have any lessons on the Timeless verb forms of Creole with Present and Progressive?
Bonjou Mandaly! Mesi pou tout travay w'ap fe pou elev Kreyol yo.Which is correct?Kijan tout timoun yo ye? ORKijan tout timoun ye?Mesi anpil!
Kijan tout timoun yo ye? - How are all the kids? or How are all the kids doing?
how can I write bithday wishes in creole?
how do you say i am mad at you in creole
Oh no! someone's in the doghouse.
how to say "nice to hear" on kreyol?
Nice to hear from you. - M kontan pran nouvèl ou.
Nice to hear that. - M kontan tande sa.
Should I use the word 'jete' for 'drop' when I say "drop me off at the school' for example?
Drop off - lage, depoze
Drop me off here. - Lage m la. or Depoze m la.
Drop me off at the school. - lage m nan lekòl la.
Drop her off at the school. - Lage l nan lekòl la
what does creole 'ban m zoklo' mean
expression:
bay zoklo - to cheat on
Our Best Wishes to President Michel Martelly
A toast to CHANGE!
Bon ou pa, yon gwo souwè a Ayiti!
What do you think of Haiti's historic inauguration of Michel Martelly tomorrow?
I'm hoping for the best though. Haitians are hoping for the best.
Only time will tell if they got it right this time. It's only been, oh..., 200+ years.
What is 'tet kale'? Is a political party, or is it just describing Mr. Martelly?
Tèt Kale, in this instance, stands for thoroughness, conclusiveness and competence.
If I were to go to Haiti, where and which is a good hotel to stay that's reasonable?
Le Plaza Hotel
Coconut Villa
Ayiti Guesthouse
Right now, in Haiti, "reasonable" means "you don't know what you're getting". It's best to stay at a reputable hotel, you won't regret it.
planning my child’s program.
I'm planning my child's program - Map planifye program pitit mwen.
I'm planning a child's program - Map planifye yon program pou timoun yo.
simenkontra
Simenkontra is a medicinal leaf. In Haiti it's used for various ailments including diabetes, indigestion, and parasitic diseases such as worms.
It's taken orally in the form of tea.
granmoun toujou di le yon bagay pa pou ou, ou pa dwe foce li. mwen fatigue; ou met mache.
Yes that is true. If something is not yours, you shouldn't force it.
Let it go. If it's meant to be yours, it'll come back to you.
Harold Camping Miscalculated DOOMSDAY 5/21/2011
You have miscalculated DOOMSDAY again!
God knows that you did your best to calculate the exact time the world would end.
God knows that you’re only human.
God knows that you’ve tried in 1994 and failed.
That’s why He’s given you the chance to redeem yourself by CANCELLING 5/21/2011 DOOMSDAY.
The 5 reasons why God wants you to call off DOOMSDAY 2011 are:
1. God’s time is very precise. He deals in days and seasons, not westernized years. (example: 3 days, 7 days, 21 days, 49 days)
2. 1 day = 1000 years. (You think that God created the world in 6 days and rested 1 day. Think about it! It’s a vast world! In biblical terms, God created the world in 6000 years and rested 1000 years.)
3. You forgot to factor the extra days of the leap years in your calculations. (If you based your calculations on the 365-day calendar year, you must add in one extra day for every four years for 2011 years. That should give you an extra year or two).
4. You also forgot to factor in the extra hours from that long, long day mentioned in Joshua 10:13.
5. Don’t forget to add 1,000 years (or 1 day) between “START OF DOOMSDAY” and “END OF DOOMSDAY” as is described in Revelation 20:2-7.
Now, to all of Mr. Camping's followers:
1. Prophets never foretell the 'wrong date'.
2. A prophet’s word is written in stone. So, he can't say, "OOPS, I was wrong."
3. A prophet never gets a do-over on his predictions.
4. A prophet’s foresight comes directly from divine revelation, not his own calculations.
5. No one knows when that day will come, not even the Son of God.
Hopefully Mr. Camping will not pull a David Koresh Waco-style incident. The local authorities should keep a close eye on his church and peacefully and respectfully disband any gathering event on the night of 5/21. ...Just to be safe.
There's no telling what one might do if they hopelessly waited for Jesus and He never showed up. I, sure as hell, would be disappointed, depressed, then distressed.
See: Does the world end on 5/21/11?
Does the world end on 5/21/11?
Harold Camping is causing his followers undue distress (not to count the devastating effect of losing all their money advertising a fabricated fact). After May 22, Harold Camping and his organization should be sued by his followers for psychological damages and loss of wages and property. I sure hope someone is reading this that can do something about it.
See: Harold Camping Miscalculated Doomsday.
"He's without a doubt the most handsome man in the world" How do you say 'without', 'without me', 'without you'? Thanks mucho.
San dout, li se nèg ki pi bo nan monn nan.He's, without a doubt, the most handsome man in the world.
what's the phrase for 'judgement day'?
Example:
the judgement day is near. - jou jijman an pwòch.
wi ou konan mwen ka fe ou tonbe damou avem
Impossible. How you gonna make someone fall in love with you unless you got some "love potion" :)
I find it weird that Prince William and Kate waited a week, whent to work, and now decided to go on their honeymoon. Don't you find it strange?
What is inspiration?
What a question!
Inspiration, to me, is the oxygen in my blood. What is inspiration to you?
Are Prince William and Kate going to a Creole-speaking island for their honeymoon? What kind of Creole do they speak there?
Just like Haiti, the Creole of Seychelles is based on the French language. The Seychelles Creole is very similar to Haiti's.
How do you write the following sentence: Thank you for your love and support.
Mèsi pou amou e sipò ou.
"a great distance" as in, "It's a great distance from here." Thanks
How to say engagement Party in creole?
Have a Nice Day!
http://limanecasimi.audioacrobat.com/download/c1a0777c-9e9f-82d6-afa5-67b9a395b801.mp3
Listen and follow along :)
Bonjou oubyen Bonswa!
bon
bònn
1. bònn chans - good luck
2. bon apeti - enjoy your meal
Bon apeti tout moun!
Enjoy your meal everyone!
3. bon kouraj - Be strong, take courage
Bon kouraj frè mwen.- Take courage, my brother
Bon kouraj sè mwen. - Take courage, my sister
Bon kouraj zanmi mwen. - Be strong, my friend
4. bon apremidi - have a great afternoon
Pase yon bon apremidi
5. bònn sware - have a great evening
Pase yon bònn sware
6. bon vwayaj - have a nice trip
Pase yon bon vwayaj
7. bònn jounen - have a nice day
Pase yon bònn jounen
8. bònn nwi - good night
Pase yon bònn nwit.
9. Bònn semèn - Have a great week.
Pase yon bònn semèn.
10. Pase yon bon weekend. - Have a good weekend
11. Bonn fèt - Happy birthday
12. Bònn anivèsè - Happy aniversary
13. Bònn ane - Happy new year
If you're wondering what the difference is between 'bon' and 'bònn'. The difference comes from the gender accord in the French language. 'Bon' is used with masculine nouns, and 'bònn' is used with feminine nouns. There's no gender accord in Creole. It is best to memorize the few ones that you find in Haitian Creole.
Mèsi, pase yon bònn jounen e orevwa!
Track: Se lavi by Cedric Watson
We want people of Haiti to know that "the United States continue commitment to Haiti's reconstruction and economic development."
Nou vle pou pèp Ayisyen konnen ke:
Lè Zetazini ap pèsevere nan angajman yo te pran pou asiste nan rekonstriksyon ak devlopman ekonomik Ayiti.
What does the word "siwo" mean culturally, and how does it translate in Jocelyne Berdard's song "Siwo"?
Jocelyn Béroard's song "siwo" interprets it as such.
She may be looking for a man that is sweeter than honey,
But she won't find it
'cause, I believe, the "siwo" is within herself.
Is "Barack" a Haitian Creole word? What does it mean?
In the Haitian Creole vocabulary barak means: flood, multitude, deluge, crowd.
and,
the Haitian Creole the expression 'barak gason' means: exceptional and remarkable man (or woman).
Sa sa vle di "matjé"? "Ek an 1976 an lòtograf kréyol paret é i ka pèmet matjé tout kalté kréyol oti vokabilè-yo ka pran pi gwo chous-yo, pi gwo rasin-yo adan vokabilè fransé-a"
Do you know any children's songs in Creole? Or any christian hymns? If so could you please post some lyrics? I have tried and tried to find some on the internet, but I can't find any....
I have seen it at Amazon.com
It's in French and Creole. It does not have the music scores, but it does have a list of all the Creole hymns and choruses having English airs.
Click here for more Creole Christian songs
__________________________
I am posting one of the hymns here with lyrics.
Precious Lord
Chè Senyè, kenbe men m, ede mwen rete fèm
Mwen bouke fatige tèlman
Nan loraj, nan fènwa, klere wout la devan m
Kenbe men m, chè Senyè fè m rive
Lè chemen difisil, e m bezwen ou anpil
Senyè rete la tou pre mwen
Lè mwen prèt pou m ale, ede m pou m pa bite
Kenbe men m, chè Senyè fè m rive
Lè solèy la kouche, e nwit la ap pwoche
E tout lavi mwen va fini
Ede m pa regrete nan ou sèl mwen konfye m
Kenbe men m, chè Senye fè m rive
_____________________________________
Other Christian hymns and/or kids songs
I have the Joy Joy Joy Joy down in my heart…
Mwen genyen jwa jwa jwa jwa
Anndan kè mwen ( 3 fwa)
Mwen genyen jwa jwa jwa jwa
Anndan kè mwen
Anndan kè mwen toujou
___________________
Jesus Loves The Little Children
Jezi renmen tout timoun yo
Tout timoun yo nan lemonn
Wouj e jònn e nwa e blan
Li renmen yo tou le tan
Jezi renmen tout timoun yo nan lemonn.
_________________________
The B-I-B-L-E
La B-I-B-L-E
Se liv sa mwen renmen
Map kanpe sou pawòl Bondye
La B-I-B-L-E
_______________________
I Have Decided To Follow Jesus
Mwen te deside
Pou m swiv le senyè (2 lin 3 fwa)
Mwen pap tounen (2 fwa)
Lemonn dèyè do m
Lakwa devan je m (2 lin 3 fwa)
Mwen pap tounen (2 fwa)
Si m dwe ale sèl
Toujou map swiv li (2 lin, 3 fwa)
Mwen pap tounen (2 fwa)
_________________________
Jesus, My Reason For living
Jesus, my reason for living
Jesus, the King of Kings
He is my greatest possession
Jesus, my everything
Jezi se rezon kè mwen
Mwen vle swiv li jouk la fen
Jou sa ma wè li fas a fas
Jezi se tout pou mwen
_____________________
Change my heart oh God
Change my heart oh God
Make it ever true
Change my heart oh God
May I be like you
You are the potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me
This what I pray
O chanje kè mwen
Fè l sanble avè w
O chanje kè mwen
Fè m sanble ak ou
Ou se potye a
Mwen se tè a
Fè de mwen sa ou vle
Se konsa m priye
_____________________
Our God is an awesome God
Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom pow’r and love
Our God is an awesome God
Bondye s’on Bondye vivan
Li renye sou tout la tè
Li gen sajès ak lanmou
Bondye s’on Bondye vivan
___________________________
Jesus, name above all names
Jesus, name above all names
Beautiful savior, glorious Lord
Emmanuel, God with us
Blessed redeemer, Living word
Jezi, non ou mèveye
Ou se sovè mwen, map ba ou glwa
Emmanuel, Bondye avè nou
Bondye tou pisan, Pawòl vivan
____________________
Because He lives
Because He lives
I can face tomorrow
Because He lives
All fear is gone
Because I know (yes I know)
He holds the future
And life is worth
The living just
Because He lives
Mwen konnen L vivan
Map konte sou demen
Paske L vivan
Enkyetid mwen ale
Paske m konnen (wi m konnen)
Lap pran swen la vi mwen
Map konte jou pou l vin chache m
Paske L vivan
__________________
Deep and wide
Deep and Wide (2 times)
There’s a fountain flowing deep and wide
Deep and Wide (2 times)
There’s a fountain flowing deep and wide
Fon e laj (2 fwa)
Gen yon sous kap koule fon e laj
Fon e laj (2 fwa)
Gen yon sous kap koule fon e laj
______________________
O When the Saints go Marching In
O when the saints go marching in
O when the saints go marching in
Lord I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in
O lè sen yo antre nan syèl la
O lè sen yo antre nan syèl la
Senyè fè m gen plas nan foul la
Lè sen yo antre nan syèl la
________________
Father Abraham
Father Abraham had many sons
Many sons had father Abraham
I am one of them and so are you
So let’s just praise the Lord
-Right arm
-Right arm, left arm
-Right arm, left arm, right foot,
-Right arm, left arm, right foot, left foot
-Right arm, left arm, right foot, left foot, chin up
-Right arm, left arm, right foot, left foot, chin up, turn around
-Right arm, left arm, right foot, left foot, chin up, turn around, sit down!
Papa Abraham
Gen anpil pitit
Papa Abraham gen anpil piti
Mwen se youn ladann e ou menm tou
An nou louwe Bondye
-Men dwat
-Men dwat, men goch
-Men dwat, men goch, pye dwat
-Men dwat, men goch, pye dwat, pye goch,
-Men dwat, men goch, pye dwat, pye goch,
-Menton anlè
-Men dwat, men goch, pye dwat, pye goch, menton anlè, vire
-Men dwat, men goch, pye dwat, pye goch, menton anlè, vire, chita!
_____________________________
Read your bible, pray every day
Read your bible, pray every day
Pray every day (2 times)
Read your bible, pray everyday
And you’ll grow, grow, grow
And you’ll grow, grow, grow (2 times)
Read your bible, pray everyday
And you’ll grow, grow, grow
Li la bib ou, priye chak jou
Priye chak jou (2 fwa)
Li la bib ou priye chak jou
E ou va grandi
E ou va grandi (2 fwa)
Li la bib ou priye chak jou
E ou va grandi
______________
Father I adore you
Father I adore you
I lay my life before you
How I love you
Jesus I adore you
I lay my life before you
How I love you
Spirit I adore you
I lay my life before you
How I love you
Papa mwen adore w
Tout la vi mwen se pou ou
O O mwen renmen w
Jezi mwen adore w
Tout la vi mwen se pou ou
O O mwen renmen w
Espri mwen adore w
Tout la vi mwen se pou ou
O O mwen renmen w
__________________
I will enter his gates
Ma va antre nan tanp lan
Ak aksyon de gras nan kè m
Ma va antre nan tan plan ak louwanj
Ma va di sa se jou ke Bondye kreye
Ma va rejwi paske l te fè m kontan
Li te fè m kontan (2 times)
Ma va rejwi paske l te fè m kontan (2 lin, 2 fwa)
________________
I got peace like a River in my Soul
Mwen gen pè kon yon rivyè (2 fwa)
Mwen gen pè kon yon rivyè nan nanm mwen (2 lin, 2 fwa)
Mwen gen lanmou kon yon lanmè (2 fwa)
Mwen gen lanmou kon yon lanmè nan nanm mwen (2 lin, 2 fwa)
Mwen gen jwa kon yon fontèn (2 fwa))
Mwen gen jwa kon yon fontèn nan nanm mwen
(2 lin, 2 fwa)
_____________________
Every Promise in the Book is Mine
Chak pwomès nan la bib se pou mwen
Chak chapit, chak vèsè e chak lin
Tout byenfè se lanmou diven
Chak pwomès nan la bib se pou mwen
____________________
How Great Thou Art
Then sings my soul, my savior God, to thee
How great thou art! How great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my savior God, to thee
How great thou art! How great thou art!
Nanm mwen chante nan ou Bondye pisan
Ala ou gran! Ala ou gran!
Nanm mwen chante nan ou Bondye pisan
Ala ou gran! Ala ou gran!
__________________
As the deer panteth for the waters
As the deer panteth for the waters
So my soul longeth after thee
You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship thee
You alone are my strength my shield
To you alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart desire
And I long to worship thee
Menm jan plant nan jaden bezwen dlo
Se konsa mwen swaf prezans ou
Ou se jwa nan kè mwen
E mwen pap janm sispann chante glwa ou
Nan ou sèl nanm mwen jwenn refij
Nan ou sèl nanm mwen jwenn sekou
Ou se jwa nan kè mwen,
E mwen pap janm sispann chante glwa ou
_______________
Open Our Eyes, Lord
Open our eyes lord
We want to see Jesus
To reach out and touch him
And say that we love him
Open our ears Lord
And help us to listen
Open our eyes lord
We want to see Jesus
Ouvè Je nou, Senyè
Nou vle wè Jezi Kri
Pou nou ka touche Li
E di L nou renmen Li
Ouvè zorèy nou
Ede nou koute ou
Ouvè je nou Senyè
Nou vle wè Jezi Kri
_______________
O how I love Jesus
Genyen yon non mwen renmen tande
Mwen renmen chante byenfè li
Li se mizik nan zorèy mwen
Se pi bèl non sou latè
O wi mwen renmen Jezi (3 fwa)
Paske li renmen m anvan
_________________
There’s Pow’r in the blood of jesus
Wi gen fòs, fòs, wi gen fòs anpil
Nan san Kris, krisifye
Wi gen fòs, fòs, wi gen fòs anpil
Nan presye san kris lanyo Bondye
_______________________
Heaven Came Down and Glory Filled My Soul
Ala yon mèveye mèvèye jou
Jou m pa ka janmen bliye
Lè m te nan tenèb pèdi nan fènwa
Jezi sovè m mwen kontre
Ala yon zanmi ki gen charite
Li satisfè m ak gras li
Li pran tristès, e li banm alegrès
E li fè tout tenèb mwen pati
Syèl la desann, li plenn kè mwen ak la jwa
Lè sovè mwen te sove m pa la gras
Peche m tout padonen
Tenèb nan limyè tounen
Syèl desann li plen kè mwen ak lajwa
________________________
POPULAR (non-christian) CHILDREN SONGS
Yellow bird
Ti zwazo
Ti zwazo nan bwa ki tape koute (2 fwa)
Kon mwen sonje sa
Mwen genyen lapenn
Ka depi jou sa
De pye mwen nan chenn
Kon mwen sonje sa
Mwen genyen la penn
De pye mwen nan chenn
___________________
(while singing this song, children play a game of hide and go seek. Whoever is “It” tries to “catch” another child before the song is over)
Runaway chicken
Ti poulèt sove
Ti poulèt sove WIWA
Kenbe ti poulèt WIWA
Pran-l, pran-l, pran-l WIWA
Madan wa bezwen l WIWA
Pou lal fè bouyon WIWA
Depi yè o swa WIWA
Pran’l, pran-l, pran-l WIWA
A la li sove WIWA
Kenbe ti poulèt WIWA
Madan wa bezwe l WIWA
Pou lal fè bouyon WIWA
Pran-l, pran-l, pran-l WIWA
_____________________
Haitian lullaby
Sleep Little One
Dodo ti pitit manman
Dodo ti pitit manman (2 fwa)
Si li pa dodo krab la va manje l (2 fwa)
Dodo titit, krab nan kalalou
Manman li ale larivyè
Papa li ale peche krab
Si li pa dodo krab la va manje l (2 fwa)
Dodo titit, krab nan kalalou
____________________
(This is in French)
Are you sleeping, brother John?
Frère Jacques
Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques
Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines, sonnez les matines
Ding, deng dong!
Ding, deng dong!
____________________
(This is French)
(This song is sung while the children make a circle and take turns being in the center of the circle.)
Les oignons
Les oignons, les oignons
Kite bon mache
C’est le ci
C’est le ça
Mademoiselle … (name of the kid in center)
Tournez votre dos
____________________
(This is French)
Children make a line when singing this song. Each line has a leader. One leader is called the ‘sun’, the other, the ‘moon’. The “sun” and the “moon” face each other, join hands and form a bridge for the line to pass through. They start singing. At the end of the song the “sun” and the “moon” lower the bridge and ask the captured child, “who do you prefer, the sun or the moon?”. The child chooses to stand behind the sun or the moon. At the end of the game they count and see who has the most followers (the sun or the moon?). Some kids play this game while being blindfolded.
Trois fois, passez là
Trois fois, passez là
C’est la dernière qui restera
J’ai perdu ma vie
Levez, levez Marianne
Ouvert la porte grande
Pour la reine
Paser, passer, passer, passer……
Bònn Fèt dè Mè - Happy Mother's Day
Manman pòv - Poor moms
Manman makout - Strict moms
Manman sitirèz - Over-lenient moms
Manman kontrolè - "CEO" moms
Manman sou jenou - Praying moms
Tout se manman. - They're all moms.
Yo tout proteje pitit yo tankou yon bèt sovaj proteje pitit li.
They all protect their offsprings just like a wild animal protects its newborn.
Tout se predispozisyon. - It's all instinct.
What language are movies watched in in Haiti?
French.
Movies in other languages are dubbed in French too.
A small percentage of movies, sitcoms, and commercials are in Creole.
I'm all yours...
What does kout ke kout mean?
Kout ke Kout - no matter what, rain or shine, in whatever shape or form.
Mr. Obama said help me "finish the job", he began when he was elected in 2008, and that he is confident the american people will vote for him.
Li ka trape yon mouch ak pwòp men li.
Li konn tann pèlen.
Kounye a lap yaya kò li pou wè si la pase yon dezyèm fwa.
Si l ta pase yon dezyèm fwa,
Menm lanfè pap ka kenbe l.
Se lè sa wa wè sil te gen kòn.
i really need to go to sleep but i cant
What's wrong with you?
You walk up to a sad little girl. She's crying silently. You want to ask her what is wrong, but she only speaks Creole. You'd say in Haitian Creole:
1. Kisa w genyen? - what's wrong?
2. Sa w genyen? (contracted form of #1)
3. Ti pitit, kisa w genyen? - Little one, what's wrong?
4. Ti pitit, sa w genyen? (contracted form of #3)
Scenario B
You are the best man. The groom, who only speaks Creole, is getting cold feet. He tells you he doesn't think he can go through with the wedding. You'd say in Haitian Creole:
5. Kisa w genyen? - what's wrong?
6. Sa w genyen? (contracted form of #5)
7. Kisa ki genyen? - What's going on?
8. Sak genyen? (contracted form of #7)
9. Kisa ki pase? - What's going on?
10. Sak pase? (contracted form of #9)
Scenario C
Your best friend dad just got admitted to the hospital for emergency surgery. You want to ask what's wrong with his dad. You'd say,
11. Kisa li genyen? - What's wrong with him?
12. Sa l genyen? (contracted form of #11)
13. Kisa papa ou genyen? - What's wrong with your dad?
14. Sa papa w genyen? (contracted form of #13)
Scenario D
You just brought your broken car to the shop. You want to ask the Creole-speaking mechanic, what's wrong with the car. You'd say:
15. Kisa li genyen? - what wrong with it?
16. Sa l genyen? (contracted form of #15)
17. Kisa machin nan genyen? - What wrong with the car?
18. Sa machin nan genyen? (contracted form of #17)
19. Kisa machin mwen an genyen? - What's wrong with my car?
20. Sa machin mwen an genyen? (contracted form of #19)
21.Kisa machin ou a genyen? - What's wrong with your car?
22. Sa machin ou a genyen? (contracted form of #21)
Scenario E
Your Creole-speaking spouse is obviously mad at you and hasn't spoken to you in two days. If you're brave enough, you may ask:
23. Sa ou genyen, cheri?
how do you say "here"?
Examples:
I live here. - M rete isit la.
Are you here? - Eske ou la?
Who's here? - Kiyès ki la?
Do you like it here? - Eske ou renmen isit la?
Is it here already? - Eske li la deja?
what does 'ou wo.' avec 'chech' mean in english?
chèch - could mean 'dry' if you're talking about something that was wet.
Both means the same.
Examples:
1. chemiz la chèch. - the shirt is dry.
2. Manje a chèch. - The food is meagre. (not rich, no sauce)
3. Ti fi a chèch. - The little girl is skinny.
4. je chèch. - expression for a 'gutsy person'. It describes a person who has not a tear in their eyes.
In Haiti, what do you call a "stunner", a "dreamboat", a beautiful Haitian woman?
If she's mulatto, she's sometimes called a "bèl grimèl".
She would probably be an 7 to 10 on a 1-10 scale, 1 being plain and 10 being most desirable
Please translate these proverbs..fight fire with fire, early bird catches the worm
(Literal translation: Give back eye for eye, tooth for tooth)
Early bird catches the worm -
Pye kout pran devan.
(literal translation: People with short legs, walk ahead)
Can you explain 'looks like' and 'sounds like' in Creole? 'the food looks good' - 'manje a sanble bon?' but what about 'It sounds like it's raining?' thanks!
It looks like it's going to rain. - Li sanble li pral fè lapli.
how to write "very nice of you"
It's very nice of you. - Ou trè janti, Se trè janti.
You are very kind. - Ou trè janti.
You are very nice. - Ou trè janti.
It's very nice of you to clean the church - Ou fè byen pou netwaye legliz la.
Thank you, it's very nice of you. - Mèsi, ou trè janti.
How can I ask a child if he or she needs to go the restroom?
mandaly, can you translate "it's all talk and no action."?
Look at ...Look for
Bonjou Mezanmi!
Hello friends!
Look at - gade
look for - chèche, chache
Look at:
1. Map gade ou.
I am looking at you.
2. Lap gade ou.
He/ She is looking at you.
3. Gade sa ou fè.
Look at what you did.
4. An nou gade verite a.
Let's look at the facts.
5. Kisa wap gade?
What are you looking at?
Look for:
6. Kisa wap chèche?
What are you looking for?
7. M tap chache ou.
I've been looking for you.
8. Map chache yon travay.
I'm looking for a job.
9. Eske ou jwenn sa ou tap chache a?
Did you find what you were looking for?
10. Non, m pa jwenn sa m tap chache a.
Non, I didn't find what I was loooking for.
or short answer for #10.
10. Non, m pat jwenn li.
No I did not find it.
Mèsi, se tout pou jodi a, e orevwa!
Thanks, that's all for today, goodbye!
Track: Pa fè mwen la penn o.
"When" as conjunction
But what about “when” as a conjunction?
Sometimes “when” stands for as soon as, whenever, considering that, or at the time that, etc…
How do we translate it to Haitian Creole?
When - lè
Example:
1. Call me when you get there.
Rele m lè ou rive.
2. When mom’s happy, the whole house is happy.
Lè manman kontan, tout kay la kontan
3. When there’s love, there’s pain.
Lè gen lanmou, gen doulè
4. I was in the car when I heard the news.
M te nan machin nan lè m tande nouvèl la.
5. When you have money, you have respect.
Lè ou gen lajan, ou gen respè
6. When you got no money, you got no friends.
Lè ou pa gen lajan, ou pa gen zanmi.
I was wondering what Mayi ak lepim (or legim) is in english.
'Legumes' in Haiti is a mixture of vegetables (eggplant, chayote, carrots, spinach, watercress) cooked with meat.
gen lafos (gen la fos?) - Have strength? Be strong?
Gen lafòs - to have strentgh.
You can also say,
Gen fòs - to have strentgh.
'fòs' is derived from the french word 'force'. 'lafòs' comes from the french word and its article 'la force' which means 'the strentgh'.
Does the word "affair" in Haitian Creole command the same expression as in English?
Haitian Creole word for 'affair' is 'zafè'
As in English it stands for personal business, business matters, personal concern, an engagement or an organized function. It could mean romantic or sexual relationship, but it does not imply extramarital relation.
example:
Yo fè zafè. - They're involved (romantically)
Sa se zafè pèsonèl mwen. - That's my personal business.
Zafè m pa bon. - Things are not going well for me.
Maryaj la te yon gwo zafè. - The wedding was grandiose.
How do you express perfect tenses (have done, had done) in Creole? With 'te'? Adverbial expressions?
*It's important to note that it's not uncommon for Haitians to omit the 'te' in past or perfect tenses, and speak of the past as if it was the present.
I have spoken to her.
Mwen te pale avè l.
We've told her about it.
Nou te di l sa.
I had tried to help them, but they refused my help.
Mwen te eseye ede yo, men yo refize sipò mwen.
I have been here since 6 o'clock. - Mwen la depi sizè. (without "te")
I have been here since 6 o'clock. - Mwen te la depi sizè. (with "te")
He has done a terrible thing. - Li fè yon move bagay.
He has done a terrible thing. - Li te fè yon move bagay.
Thank you for all you've done. - Mèsi pou tout sa ou fè.
Thank you for all you've done. - Mèsi pou tout sa ou te fè.
I have been waiting for you for 2 hours. - M te ap tann ou pou dezè d'tan.
Has she been sleeping all that time. - Eske li te ap dòmi tout tan sa?
We know how you feel, we had been there. - Nou konnen kijan ou santi ou, nou te la tou.
Are you well? You looked sad last week.
What are some useful Creole superlatives - eg. "fantastic", "awesome", "great"?
Bèl bagay! - Wonderful, Awesome
Se gwo koze! - Wonderful!, Awesome!
Fòmidab! - Wonderful!
Enkwayab! - Incredible!
Anfòm kou bas! - Great!, Excellent!
Efreyan! - Scary!, Frightening!, Ugly!
Chokan! - Shocking!
Congratulations!
say welcome home
Welcome to my home - Byenveni lakay mwen.
Welcome to our home - Byenveni lakay nou.
If you didn't have to work for a living, either for someone else or for yourself, what would you do with your life?
I'd be a full time flower-painting fairy.
what does 'gen pou' mean? example: 'li gen pou vini?' seems like it means something like 'he wants to come, but has no plans to, or doesn't know when.' thanks!
M gen pou ale lavil. - I have plans to go downtown.
Do you know of a really cheap way to call Haiti? (Not translation.. Just a question.)
But I do have an international calling plan with my current cell phone service provider which I find that to be the cheapest.
And is there a way to say MARTIAL ARTS?
Martial arts - a masyal (Creole) so-called after the French: Art Martial (pronounced ah-mah-syal in both French and Creole)
Hi Mandaly,I love your site. 1. How do you say Martial Arts in Creole2. When someones says his or her age, the AN word is linked to the ending consonant sound of the figure. For ex: diZ an, tranT an. But how can I explain twa ZAN or kat TRAN?
In Haiti, Martial Arts is called Karate, Jido, or Kung fu.
Rarely someone would call it by its French name: Art Martial (pronounced Ah-mah-syal both in French and Creole).
________________________________
The Haitian Creole word twa (3) comes from the French word trois. So it is really the French sound that you are hearing. The same goes for all numbers in Creole. We sound them all after their French spelling.
I am posting the French translation of some numbers so you may see how the laison is formed.
French # Creole # number and year in Creole
1 (un) en enan - one year
"Pafwa men goch pa pale ak men dwat." Is that right? Does the expression translate to Creole?
It says: 'The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing'.
It is generally about lack of communication.
I know how to kontinye sou otowout la, but how do I TAKE a road? "Take Highway 3 to the exit for Carrefou"?
I know that Haitians say "pran" medikaman, but I have heard that it is common to say "bwè" medikaman, even for pills. Is this true...?
Most medications in Haiti were usually tea made from leaves. So people are accustomed to saying, "drink it".
Also, if you take your pills with any kind of liquid, they still consider it, "drinking".
Is there a way to distinguish b/t there are/there will be? I have/I will have?
there is/ are - genyen, gen
There's a woman in the car. - Genyen yon fanm nan machin nan.
There are many cars on the road. - Genyen anpil machin la dou wout la.
Future tense:
For the future tense, use either ap or pral.
there will be - pral genyen, pral gen or ap gen, ap genyen
examples
There will be many people here.
Pral gen anpil moun la.
There will be dancing.
Pral gen danse.
There will be a lot food at the party.
Ap genyen anpil manje nan fèt la.
The same form goes for Past Tense:
Use the paste tense determiner te
examples
There was a man here.
Te gen yon mesye la.
There were many people at the party.
Te gen anpil moun nan fèt la.
There was a book on the the table.
Te gen yon liv sou tab la.
Same goes when using would, should, could
would - ta
could - ka
should - ta dwe
example:
There would have been a fight if I wasn't there.
Ta gen yon batay si m pa te la.
There should be enough food for everyone.
Ta dwe gen ase manje pou tout moun
There may be another dog in the backyard.
Ka gen yon lò chyen nan lakou a.
And if you need to put these sentences into the negative form,
place 'pa' in front of the sentence. 'pa' is the determiner for the negative form.
examples:
Another way to say there's no, there are no..., there's nothing (in the present tense) is NANPWEN
Pa gen pèsonn / Pa gen moun
Nanpwen pèsonn / Nanpwen moun
There's no one
Pa gen lekòl jodi a.
or
Nanpwen lekòl jodi a
There's no school today.
Pa gen manje nan kay la.
or
Nanpwen manje nan kay la.
There's no food in the house
Pa gen anyen la.
or
Nanpwen anyen la.
There's nothing here.
Pa gen pèsonn mwen renmen plis pase w
Nanpwen pèsonn mwen renmen plis pase w.
There's no one I like better than you.
Pa pral gen batay. (un-contracted)