Introduction to Kwéyòl sentences

A sentence (yon fwaz) is a group of words including at minimum a subject and a verb, and may also include any or all of the parts of speech.

Sentence Parts

Sentences can be separated into a subject (yon sijè), which may be stated or implied, and a predicate (yon pwédika). The subject is the person or thing performing the action, and the predicate is the rest of the sentence, which usually begins with the verb:

Mwen sé yon dòktè.
Je suis médecin.
I am a doctor. 

Subject: Mwen - I
Predicate: sé yon dòktè - am a doctor

Jean èk mwen enmen Lababad.
Jean et moi aimons la Barbade.
Jean and I love Barbados. 

Subject: Jean èk mwen - Jean and I
Predicate: enmen Lababad - love Barbados

Jenn tifi-a joli.
La jeune fille est mignonne.
The young girl is pretty.

Subject: Jenn tifi-a - the young girl
Predicate: joli - is pretty

Sentence Types

 There are four types of sentences: statements, exclamatives, interrogatives, and commands.

 1) Statement - Assertive Phrase

These statements are the most common type of sentence, they state something:

Mwen las.

Je suis fatigué(e).

I am tired.

Mwen kwè mwen enmen'w.

Je pense que j'taime.

I think I love you.

Mwen ké édé'w.

Je vous aiderai.

I will help you.

Mwen ni lèspwa, ou ké la.
J'espère que tu seras là.

I hope you'll be there.

There are two subcategories of statements: affirmative statements as above, and negative statements.

Mwen pa ka alé.

Je n'y vais pas.

I am not going.

Mwen pa las.
Je ne suis pas fatigué.

I am not tired.

  

Mwen pa vlé édé'w.

Je ne veux pas vous aider.

I do not want to help you. 

I pa ké la.
Il ne sera pas là.
He will not be there.

2) Exclamative Phrases

 Exclamatives express a strong reaction such as surprise or indignation. They look just like statements except for the exclamation point, and for this reason are sometimes considered a subcategory of statements, rather than a different type of sentence:

Mwen vlé alé!
Je veux y aller!
I want to go!


 Fout y bèl!
 Il est très beau!
He's really handsome! 


Sa sé an bon lidé!
C'est une bonne idée!
That's a great idea! 

 3) Interrogative

Interrogatives, more commonly known as questions, ask for or about something:


Ès ou ni liv-mwen?
As-tu mon livre ?
Do you have my book?


Ès yo pawé?
Sont-ils prêts?
Are they ready? 


 Ki koté i yé?
Où est-il?
Where is he?

 Ki koté Louv-la yé?
 Où se trouve le Louvre?
Where is the Louvre located? 


 4) Command

Commands are the only kind of sentence without an explicit subject; instead, the subject is implied by the tense markers used with the verb, which is in the imperative:


Fèmé lapòt-la!
Fermez la porte.
Close the door!


Pa palé!
Ne parle pas! 
Don't speak!


Annou manjé atjòlman!
Mangeons maintenant!
Let's eat now!

Dansé!
Danser!
Dance!