Notes from Creole Language Classes

Our Lady of Grace-Notre Dame de Grace

This page is a summary of the notes from the entire course. It has been configured to enable easy printing.

Latest corrections and updates September 22, 2001

ENGLISH

CREOLE

SOUNDS LIKE

I, me, my

mwen

(m-when)

you, your (singular)

ou

(oo)

you, your (plural)

nou

(new)

we, us, our

nou

(new)

he, she it, him, her, his, its

li

(lee)

they, them, their (plural for "the")

yo

(yoh)

person, one

moun

(moon)

ENGLISH

CREOLE

SOUNDS LIKE

can, (to be able)

kapab

(ka parb)

to give

bay, ba, ban

(by-ee, bar, barn)

yes

wi

(wee)

then

alò

(are lo)

have, has

genyen, gen

(gayn yaen)

why, why is

pouki

(poo key)

little

piti, ti

(pee tee, tee)

there

la

(lar)

not

pa

(par)

work, labor

travay

(tra var e)

good

bon

(bone)

in, through

nan

(narn)

if

si

(see)

and

e

(ay)

but

men

(main)

a

yon

(yawn)

someone, person

yon moun

(yawn moon)

please

souple

(soup lay)

again

enkò

(arn koh)

with

avek, ak

(a veck), (ark)

to tell, to see

di

(dee)

better

pi byen

(pee bee yen)

to speak

pale

(par lay)

tell me

di-m

(dee m)

to need

bezwen

(bez wain)

is

se

(say)

want, wish, desire

vle

(vlay)

like, love, enjoy

renmen

(ren men)

water

dlo

(dlow)

juice

ji

(gee)

now

koulye-a

(cool yee ah)

for, to

pou

(pooh)

age

laj

(lahge)

story

istwa

(ees twa)

story

(kont, blag)

(kont, blarg)

understand

konprann

(cone pran)

question

kesyon

(kay ees yon)

marry (married)

marye

(mar ee ay)

beautiful

bèl

(bell)

open

louvri

(loo vray)

close

fèmen

(fair main)

almost

prèske

(preh skay)

some

kèk

(keck)

understand

konprann

(cone pran)

question

kesyon

(kay see own)

beautiful

bèl

(bell)

love

renmen

(rain main)

only

sèlman

(sail man)

onto

sou

(soo)

 

ENGLISH

CREOLE

SOUNDS LIKE

where

kote, ki kote

(key koh tay)

when

ki lè

(key le)

what

ki sa

(key sah)

this, that

sa

(sah)

how

ki jan or kouman

(key sjarn) (koo marn)

who

ki, ki moun

(key)(key moon)

these, those

sa yo

(sar yoh)

much, a lot, many

anpil

(an peel)

pleased, happy

kontan

(cone tarn)

soap

savon

(sarve own)

the house

kay la

(khy la)

to take

pran

(pran)

to wait for

tann

(tarn)

gently, slowly

dousman

(doos marn)

here

isit

(ees eet)

to do, to make

fè

(feh)

very

trè, pi

(trer), (pee)

how much / many?

konbyen?

(cone bee n)

go

prale, ale

(pra lay), (a lay)

help

ede

(ay day)

here

isit

(ee zeet)

another

lòt

(lot)

should, ought

te dwe

(tay dway)

some (plural)

kèk

(keck)

to come

vini

(vee nee)

call

rele

(ray lay)

key

kle

(clay)

twin

marasa

(mar ras sah)

month

mwa

(m wa)

because

paske

(pars kay)

vanity

vanite

(vahn ee tay)

wisdom

lasajès

(lar sar jays)

knowledge

konesans

(cone nay sarns)

skill

talan

(tar lan)

anxiety

enkyetid

(en kay teed)

heart

kè

(keh)

sun

solèy

(so leh ee)

sorrow

chagren

(char gray n)

grief

chagren

(char gray n)

grief

lapenn

( lar pain)

leave

kite

(kee tay)

bring

pote

(po tay)

age

laj

(large)

story

istwa

(is twa)

twin

marasa

(mar ra sa)

month

mwa

(m wa)

write

ekri

(ay kree)

read

li

(lee)

 

Alphabet

A - ah

F - eft

K - ka

P - pay

U - oo

Z - zèd

B - bay

G - jay

L - ll

Q - qu

V - vay

Ch - sha

H - arsh

M - m

R - air

W - dooblay vay

D - day

I - ee

N - n

S - ss

X - eeks

E - ay

J - gee

O - oh

T - tay

Y - eegreck

Vowels

a - ah

e - ay

i - ee

o - o

u - oo

Note: S between two vowels is pronounced as Z

Counting

Ann konte - Lets count

60 - swasant

2000 - de mil

1 - en

7 - sèt

13 - trèz

19 - diznèf

70 - swasanndis

3000 - twa mil

2 - de

8 - wit

14 - katòz

20 - ven

80 - katreven

first - premyè

3 - twa

9 - nèf

15 - kenz

21 - venteyen

90 - katrevendis

second - dezyèm

4 - kat

10 - dis

16 - sèz

30 - trant

100 - san

third - twazyèm

5 - senk

11 - onz

17 - disèt

40 - karant

200 - de san

fourth - katriyèm

6 - sis

12 - douz

18 - dizwit

50 - senkant

1000 - mil

Pronunciation

Ba - (bah)

Da - (dah)

Fa - (fah)

Ga - (gah)

Ma - (mah)

Ta - (tah)

Be - (bay)

De - (day)

Fe - (fay)

Ge - (gay)

Me - (may)

Te - (tay)

Bi - (bee)

Di - (dee)

Fi - (fee)

Gi - (gee)

Mi - (mee)

Ti - (tea)

Bo - (boe)

Do - (doe)

Fo - (foe)

Go - (goe)

Mo - (moe)

To - (toe)

 

Conversation

Bonjou - good morning

Bonswa - good afternoon

Bon wit - good night

Kouman ou ye?

How are you?

M byen, mèsi

I'm fine, thank you

Li jennen

She is embarrased

Li pè

She is scared

Li gen laperèz

She is scared

Li move

He is angry

Li timid

She is shy

Li kontan

She is happy

Li malad

He is sick

Yo bouke

They are tired

Li sipriz

She is surprised

What is your name?

--Kouman ou rele?

-- Ki non ou?

-- Ki jan ou rele?

Li means he or she - Li follows the noun for possesion.

Mwen pa pi mal

I am not bad

Mwen pa byen di tou

I am not good at all

Ou ka di sa ankò

You can say that again

Kisa sa ou genyen

Whats the matter?

Piti piti

so so

Li pè sa

he/she is afraid of that

Fanmi mwen trè byen

My family is good

ou marye?

Are you married?

Kon byen timoun ou genyen?

How many children do you have?

Li se

he/she is

Kote ou prale?

Where are you going?

Mwen prale lan marche

I am going to the market

Koman yo rele?

What is their name?

Ki lès ou ye?

Who are you?

Eske yo se gason ou fi?

Are they boys or girls?

mwen prale avek ou

I go with you

di-m ou bagay

Tell me something

Mwen poku konnen

I don't know yet

Yo di mwen

They told me

Mwen pa konen

I don't know

pale dousman

speak slowly

Eske ou vle ale avek mwen?

Do you want to go with me?

Kote ou prale la

Where are you going?

Mwen prale la kay mwen

I am going to my house.

Ki lè wap pati?

When are you leaving?

 

Ki jan fanmi ou ye? - How is your family?

granparan yo - grandparents

papa - father

matant - aunt

frè - brother

grann - grandmother

manman - mother

kouzen - cousin

sè -sister

Madanm - wife

Mari - husband

Male - mal, gason

mwen menm - myself

Pitit fi - daughter

Pitit gason - son

Female - femèl, fi

Mesye - Mister

timoun - children

Bebe - baby

Madmwazel - woman (single)

granpapa - grandfather

tonton - uncle

Madam - married woman

Non - name

Adres - address

Eta - state

Premye non - first name

Nimero Kay - st number

Zipkod - zipcode

Siyati - last name

Vil/Lavil - city

Areokod - area code

Nimero Telefòn - phone

Jou non semèn la - days of the week

Jodia se Lendi - Today is Monday (Jodia = today, se = is)

Dimanch - Sunday - (dee marnch)

Jedi - Thursday - (jay dee)

Lendi - Monday - (Lane dee)

Vandredi - Friday - (varn dray dee)

Madi - Tuesday - (ma dee)

Samdi - Saturday - (sam dee)

Mekredi - Wednesday - (may cray dee)

Koulè - colors

Wouj - red (wooge)

Ble - blue (blay)

Maron - maroon

Fonse - dark (fon say)

Nwa - black

Zoranj - orange

Vèt - green

Nwafonse - dark black

Blan - white

Gri - gray (gree)

Jòn - yellow

Grifonse - dark gray

Ki koulè ___? - What color is ____?

Rad - clothes

Mayo - tee shirt

Kòsaj - blouse

Soule - shoes

Foula - scarf

Chemiz - shirt

Manto - coat

Sentiwon - belt

Linèt - glasses

Pantalon - pants

Chanday - sweater/jacket

Tenis - sneakers

Kout - short

Wòb - dress

Gan - glove

Kravat - tie

Long - long

Chapo - hat

Chosèt - socks

Bòt - boots

Abako - jeans

Kaskèt - cap

ENGLISH

CREOLE

SOUNDS LIKE

ENGLISH

CREOLE

SOUNDS LIKE

meat

vyann

(vee arn)

chicken

poul

(pool)

beef

bèt

(bet)

fish

pwason

(pwa sone)

goat

kabrit

(car breet)

rice

diri

(dear ree)

pork

kochon

(co shawn)

beans

pwa

(pwa)

cookies

bon bon

(bon bon)

shrimp

chèvret

(chev reet)

turkey

kodenn

(ko dain)

crab

krab

(crab)

duck

kanna

(carn na)

lobster

woma

(woh ma)

ground beef

vyann moulen

(vee yarn moo lain)

toast

pen ariye

(pain a ree yay)

ham

janbon

(jarn bone)

sheep

mouton

(moo tonn)

sausage

sosis

(so sees)

cow

bèf

(behf)

cake

gato

(gar toe)

bird

zwazo

(zwar zo)

oysters

zwit

(zweet)

wine

viven

(vee vain)

what time is it? - ki lè liye?

 

what time do you have? - ki lè ou genyen?

1 o'clock

inè

6 o'clock

sisè

2 o'clock

dezè

7 o'clock

setè

3 o'clock

twazè

8 o'clock

witè

4 o'clock

katrè

9 o'clock

nevè

5 o'clock

senkè

10 o'clock

disè

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