Friday, 31 July 2015

Question: What does "fè manti" mean?

The word manti (mahn-tee) means "to lie"

The phrase fè manti (feh mahn-tee) also means to lie

To tell a lie.

Fè manti (feh mahn-tee)

Bay manti (bye mahn-tee)

Nan manti èk (nah mahn-tee ehk)

Tiwé mansonj (tee-way mah-sonzh)

or 

Benyen épi/èvè manti (beh-yeh ai-pee mahn-tee) [use when there's an object]

or

Béwé épi manti (bay-way ai-pee mahn-tee) [use when there's an object]

Examples:

He lies.
Li kapab fè manti (lee kah-pab  feh mahn-tee)
Li ka manti (lee kah mahn-tee)
Li ka tiwé mansonj (lee kah tee-way mah-sonzh)
Li nan manti (lee nah mahn-tee) 

He lied to everyone.
Li bay tout moun manti (lee bye toot moon mahn-tee)
Li béwé tout moun épi manti (lee bay-way toot moon ai-pee mahn-tee)
Li benyen tout moun èvè manti (lee beh-yeh toot moon eh-veh mahn-tee)

You lied to me.
Ou ban mwen manti (oo bah mweh mahn-tee)

I can't lie.
Mwen pa sa fè manti (mweh pa sah feh mahn-tee)
Mwen pa sa bay manti (mweh pa sah bai mahn-tee)
Mwen pa sa manti (mweh pa sah mahn-tee)

You are lying to yourself.
Ou ka bay kò'w manti. (oo kah bai kau-oo mahn-tee)
Ou ka manti ba kò'w. (oo kah man-tee bah kau oo)


I can't say that I love you, I won't lie to myself.
Mwen pa fouti di mwen enmen'w, mwen pa ké manti bay kò-mwen.

To tell a lie on someone. 
Fè manti asou yon moun (fè mahn-tee ah-soo yoh moon)
Bay manti asou yon moun (bai mahn-tee ah-soo yoh moon)

You lied about me.
Ou té fè manti asou mwen (oo tay feh mahn-tee ah-soo mweh)
Ou té bay manti kont mwen (oo tay bai mahn-tee kont mweh)

Thursday, 9 July 2015

Question: How is everything?

How is everything?
Kouman tout bagay yé?
(koo-mah toot bay-eye yea)

Question: I'm fine, how about you?

I'm fine, how about you?
Mwen byen é ou menm
(mweh byeh ay oo mem)

Question: How do you say I'm doing well thank you?

I'm doing well thank you. 
Mwen byen mèsi.

Question: What does the word nannan mean?

The word nannan refers to the pulp or inside of a fruit or nut.

nannan sé zowanj-la té byen anmè - The pulp of these oranges was very bitter.

Friday, 3 July 2015

Question: How do you say where do you live?

Where do you live?

**(Ki) koté ou ka wèsté?
(kee koh-tay oo kah wes-tay)

**(Ki) koté ou ka wété?
(kee koh-tay oo kah way-tay)

Éti ou ka wèsté?
(ay-tee oo kah wes-tay)

Note: The words wèsté and wété are interchangeable with wèsté being preferred by most people.

** The word ki is often dropped when asking this question.