Proverb Of The Day

Word Of The Day

Saying goodbye

There are several ways you can say "goodbye" in Kwéyòl / Patois 

Ayo: Bye!
ah-yo 
Ou pati é ou pa menm di mwen ayo!
You left and you did not even tell me bye!

Babay: Bye bye
bab-eye
Alé di tout moun babay.
Go and tell everyone bye bye.

An dòt sòlèy: Another sun (another day / another time)
uh dot suh-leh-ee
Nou ké jwenn nou an dòt sòlèy.
We'll meet again another time.

Dédé: Goodbye
day-day
Vini di papa-ou dédé!
Come and say goodbye to your father!

Fò mwen alé: I must go
faw mweh ah-lay
Fò mwen alé, ès mwen ké wè ou oswè-a?
I must go, will I see you tonight?

Oplèz: goodbye, farewell 
oh-plehz
Apwé li di tout moun oplèz, li pati asou chimen-li.
After he told everyone goodbye, he went on his way.

Pli ta: later
plee-tah
Mwen ké wè ou pli ta doudou.
I will see you later darling.

Mwen ka alé: I am going (departing/leaving)
Ében mwen ka alé konpè!
Well, I'm leaving buddy!

Mwen ka pati: I'm leaving (departing)
mweh kah pah-tee
Ki lè i yé? Yon ka apwé mennwi!?  Woy, mwen ka pati!
What time is it? A quarter after midnight!? Wow, I'm leaving!

Tjenbé wèd: Stay firm / keep good
chem-bey wehd
Tjenbé wèd machè!
Stay firm my dear (address a woman with machè)

Ovwa: Goodbye, farewell
oh-vwah
Ovwa mézanmi!
Goodbye friends!

Mo Pou Jòdi-a

Ansanm

Pronunciation: uh-suhm

Meaning: Together

Démen nou ké alé ansanm.

Tomorrow we will go together.

Question:Is there an expression in Creole equivalent to "counting your chickens before they hatched"?

Yes there is a Creole equivalent, in Trinidad we say

Fò pa konté zé an bonda poul.

(faw pah con-tay zay uh bon-dah pool)

Question: How do you say "what is your name?"

What is your name?

Sa ki non'w?
(sah kee noh oo)

Ki non'w?
(kee noh oo)

Kouman'w ka kwiyé'w?
(coo-mah oo cah kwee-yay oo)

Kouman yo ka kwiyé'w?
(coo-mah yo cah kwee-yay oo)

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)

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)

Common phrases in Martiniquais Creole

Question: How do you say Hello and welcome?

Hello and welcome!
Bonjou é byenvini!
(boh-zhoo ay byeh-vee-nee)

Hello and welcome to Trinidad & Tobago.
Bonjou é byenvini nan péyi Twinidad épi Tobago.
(boh-zhoo ay byeh-vee-nee nah pay-ee twee-nee-dad ai-pee tobago)

or

Bonjou é byenvini an Twinidad é Tobago.
(boh-zhoo ay byeh-vee-nee ah twee-nee-dad ai tobago)

Question: How do you say "you're out of your mind" or you're not in ''your right mind?''

You're out of your mind
---
Ou pèd bon sans ou.
[oo pehd boh sans oo]
---
Ou fou. [fou used for men]
[oo foo]
---
Ou fòl. [fòl used for women]
[oo fuhl]
---
Tèt ou pati.
[teht oo pah-tee]
---
Tèt ou gaté.
[teht oo gah-tay]
---
Tèt ou pa bon.
[teht oo pah boh]
---
Sèvèl ou chaviwé.
[seh-vehl oo sha-vee-way]

Superlatives (part 2)

Part 2

In grammar, the superlative is the form of an adverb or adjective that expresses a degree of the adverb or adjective being used that is greater than any other possible degree of the given descriptor.

The absolute superlative is expressed by byen, twòp or tout before the adjective.

Ex 1. Wi monchè, bal maské-a té byen bèl!
     Yes my dear, the masked ball was very beautiful!

Ex 2. Pa di'y zafè'w, nonm-sala ka palé twòp.
         Don't tell him your business, he talks too much.

 Ex 3. Bato-yo tou piti, mwen pa ké achté'y.
          Their boat is too small, I will not buy it.

Sometimes a doubling of the adjective adds force to the superlative.

Ex 1. Yè oswè mwen bité anlè yon bèl bèl fanm.

          Last night I came upon an exceedingly beautiful woman.

Ex 2. Viktò vlé bati yon gwo gwo kay.

         Victor wants to build a huge house.

Ex. 3 Pinèz sé bèt ki piti piti.

        Bedbugs are very small insects.

Superlatives (Part 1)

Part 1

In grammar, the superlative is the form of an adverb or adjective that expresses a degree of the adverb or adjective being used that is greater than any other possible degree of the given descriptor.

The determiner for Trinidad French Creole superlative is 'pli'.

The ten Trinidad French Creole superlatives that you must memorize are:

1. pli gwo - biggest

2. pli bon - best

3. pli bèl - most beautiful

4. pli piti - smallest

5. pli fò - strongest

6. pi fasil - easiest

7. pli dous - sweetest

8. pli bon - best

9. pli mové - worst


10. pli cho - hottest (has nothing to do with the word 'sexy hot')

The superlative is formed in the same way as the comparative, and must be deduced from the context of the sentence.

e.g. Pli bèl wòb mwen pa janmen wè. 

      The prettiest dress I've ever seen.

Often the superlative is expressed by a relative phrase containing the comparative with the phrase "pasé tout" added.

e.g. Doudou, ou  jòlòt pasé tout lézòt-la.

      Honey, you're cuter than all the others.

 For superlatives, the order usually goes like this:  pli + modifier + article

When the superlative adjectives modify a noun in Trinidad French Creole, if that adjective is of the group which usually come after the noun, then the best way to translate that sentence is to add the relative pronoun 'ki' before 'pli'.


Examples with adjectives that usually come BEFORE the noun in Trinidad French Creole.

The most beautiful - pli bèl la.
The most beautiful gem - pli bèl bijou a.
The most beautiful gem - bijou ki pli bèl la.

The eldest - pli gwan an.
The eldest boy - pli gwan gason an.
The eldest boy - gason ki pli gwan an.

The tiniest - pli piti a.
The tiniest atom - pli piti atonm lan.
The tiniest atom - atonm ki pli piti a.


Examples with adjectives that usually come AFTER the noun in Trinidad French Creole.

The white teeth - dan blan an.
The whitest teeth - dan ki pli blan an.

The sweetest - pli dous la.
The sweetest kiss - bo ki pli dous la

The shortest - pli kout la
The shortest class - klas ki pli kout-la.

The most wicked - pli méchan an.
The most wicked devil - djab ki pli méchan an.

Konpè makak épi wèv-li

Konpè makak épi wèv-li

Story written by Claude THÉVENAZ

English Translation provided by Marvel Alves Henry

Konpè Makak té ka westé an bitasyon épi madam li épi sis yich li. Bagay té timyet wèd koté yo, piski yo pa té ka twavay. Anik Makak té ka fè ti jaden i. Madam li té ka westé an kay-la pou òtjipé sé mamay la. Yon swè, lè Makak té ka dòmi, i wèvé yon bel ti wèv. I wèvé i sété yon rwa ki té ni an pil lajan, épi li ék fami i té ka westé adan yon bèl gwo kay.

Makak té kontan!

Padan Makak té an somèy la, i kwè sa té vwé, pis i pa té sav sété yon wev. Mé lè Makak lévé lidémin èk i wè sa pavwè, sété anik yon wèv, i té faché tou bònman.
I alé oti Bondyé lamem. Lè i wivé i di:

Konpè Makak: Bonjou, Bondyé.
Bondyé: Bonjou, Makak, kouman ou yé?
Konpè Makak: Mwen byen, mé mwen ti myet faché.
Bondyé: Sa ki wivé ou?
Konpè Makak: Bondyé, kité mwen di ou sa : ki mannyè fè wèv pa ka vwé? Mwin té kay kontan si lè mwen wèvé yon bagay, i té kay fèt vwé.
Bondyé: O, sé sa ki fè ou faché a? Eben, alé dòmi èk mwen kay fè sa ou kay wèvé a fèt vwé.
Alò, Makak alé lakay li. I té kontan!

Jou sala, avan i té siz-è òswè, Makak té ja mété pidjama épi i alé dòmi pou i té sa wèvé, piski i té kwè i té kay wèvé yon lòt bèl ti wèv. Mé awa! Kou sala, Makak wèvé i té kay mò démen matin a wit-è!

Li démen matin, lè Makak lévé i té siz-è. Makak té twè twis. I anik pwè pati kouwi oti Bondyé, i pa té memm ni tan tiwé pidjama i. I kouwi, i kouwi, pas la té byen lwen ék i pa té vlé wit-è pwan i an chimeb. Lè i wivé, i té ka fè dé minit pou wit-è èk Makak té ka ésouflé.

I hélé :
Misyé Bondyé, Misyé Bondyé! Ou sé yon gwan Pè. Tou sa ou fè bon. Pa fè wev vwé, souplé, souplé! Mwen ka mandé ou, pa jamen fè wev vwé.

Bondyé koumansé wi épi i di Makak :

Ki sa ou wèvé yè òswè a?
Makak wakonté i.

Bondyé di :
Twè byen, mwen kay kouté ou ; mwen kay kité wèv menm kon ja yè a. Alò, ou pa kay mò ankò.


Makak té kontan épi i di :
Mèsi an pil, Bondyé.
Epi i alé lakay li.


Dépi apwé jou sala, Makak apwan yon lison. Lison-an sé sa: Bondyé konnet tout bagay épi tou sa i fè byen bon.

-----------------------------------------------------------

English Translation 

Br'er Monkey and his dream

Monkey used to live in the countryside with his wife and six children. Things were a bit hard for them because they were not working. Only monkey used to tend his garden. His wife stayed at home to raise the children. One night, when monkey was sleeping, he had a nice dream. He dreamed that he was a king who had lots of money and he and his family were living in a big house.

Monkey was happy!

While monkey was asleep, he believed what he dreamt, because he did not know it was a dream. But when awoke the following day, and he saw that it was not true, that it was only a dream, he was really angry.

He went to God right away. When he got there he said:

Konpè Makak: Hello, God.

God: Hello, monkey, how are you?

Konpè Makak: I'm ok, but I'm a little upset.

God: What happened to you?

Konpè Makak: God, let me tell you, what makes dreams not true? I would be happy if when I dream something, it came true.

God: Oh, that is what made you upset? Well, go to sleep and I will make your dreams come true.

So, monkey went to his house. He was happy! That day, before it was 6 o'clock in the evening, monkey had already put on his pyjamas and he went to sleep so that he could dream, because he thought he would dream another nice dream. But no! From that moment, monkey dreamed that he would die tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m.!

The following morning, when monkey awoke it was 6 o'clock. Monkey was very sad, he made haste running to God; he did not even have time to take off his pyjamas. He ran and ran because it was very far and he did not want 8 o'clock to meet him still on the road. When he arrived, it was 2 minutes to 8 o'clock and monkey was gasping for air.

He called out:

---- Sir God, Sir God! You are a great father. All that you do is good. Don't make dreams true, please, please! I am asking you, don't ever make dreams true.

God started to laugh and he told monkey:

 What did you dream last night?

Monkey told him and God said:

 Very well, I'll listen to you, I'll change dreams back to the way they were, so you won't die any more.

Monkey was happy and he said:

-- Thanks a lot, God!

And then he returned to his house, since that day, monkey learned a lesson. The lesson is this

"God knows everything and everything that He does is very good and for our benefit."

Source of story

Konpè Makak épi wèv-li

Gospel according to John 1 chapter, verses 1-9

Liv Bon Nouvèl Jan té ékwi a

The Gospel According to John

First chapter, verses 1-9

Pwèmyé chapit, vèwsé 1-9 

1 Avan Bondyé té fè ayen, pawòl-la té ja la. Pawòl-la té èvè Bondyé, épi pawòl-la sé té Bondyé 

2 Pawòl-la té la èvè Bondyé dépi nan koumansman-an. 

3 Bondyé fè tout bagay èvè pawòl-la, adan tout sa ki té fèt, pa ni ayen ki fèt san pawòl-la. 

4 Lavi-a sé nan li té yé, sé lavi-sala ki bay tout moun limyè. 

5 Limyè té kléwé adan fenwè-a mé fenwè-a pa té wékonnèt li.

6 Bondyé té voyé an nonm yo ka kwiyé Jan, 

7 li sé té yon témwen pou palé asou limyè-a, li té vini pou palé ba tout moun, pou yo tann mésaj-li épi kwè an mésaj-la i té ka palé a. 

8 Sé pa li menm ki té limyè-a, li té vini pou sèvi kon an témwen pou palé asou limyè-a.

9 Limyè sala, sé li ki limyè toubon an. Sé li menm ki vini asou latè-a ka kléwé ba tout moun.

First chapter, verses 1-9

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

2 The same was in the beginning with God. 

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true light, which lighteth every man which cometh into the world.

Speaking about the day

Speaking about the day

Day
Jou
zhoo

Today 

Jòdi-a

zhau-dee ah

All day.  

Tout lajouné.

toot lah-zhoo-nay

Every day.
Chak jou / Toulé jou.
shak zhou / too-lay zhou

Broad daylight.  

Gwan lajouné. 

gwah lah-zhoo-nay

During the day.

Pandan jouné-a. 

pahn-dahn zhoo-nay-a

How is you day going? 

Kouman jouné ou yé? 

coo-mah zhoo-nay oo yay

How was your day? 

Kouman jouné ou té yé? 

coo-mah zhoo-nay oo tay yay

I had a bad day.

Mwen pasé yon mové jou / jouné.

mweh pah-say yoh moh-vay zhoo / zhoo-nay

I had a good day.
Mwen pasé yon bon jou.
mwen pasé yoh bon zhoo

What day is today?
Ki jou jòdi-a yé?
kee zhoo zhau-dee ah yay

Today is Thursday.
Jòdi-a sé Jédi.
zhau ah say  zhay-dee

This present day.
Jouné jòdi-a / jòdijou.
zhoo-nay zhau-dee ah / zhau-dee-zhoo

How to speak in the Past Tense [It's very Easy]

Past Perfect tense

The PAST PERFECT TENSE indicates that an action was completed (finished or "perfected") at some point in the past before something else happened. This tense is formed with the past tense form of "to have" (HAD) plus the past participle of the verb (which can be either regular or irregular in form):

I had walked two miles by lunchtime.
I had run three other marathons before entering the Boston Marathon


If you ever took Spanish or French in school, you're more than likely hate the word conjugation. Right?

GOOD NEWS, the beautiful language of Patois (also known as Trinidadian French Creole) does not conjugate its verbs, or in other words the verbs don't change depending on time or condition. Even English conjugates its verbs.

Example: I talk / Yesterday I talked

So how does one speak using the past perfect tense in Trinidadian French Creole / Patois?

It’s as EASY as “Té” (sounds like tay)

Yes, just those 2 letters!

By SIMPLY adding this word “té” before any verb, it makes the sentence past tense.

Even though in English we typically speak in the past tense by adding “ed” at the end of a word, the creole word “té” is easier to remember by relating it to the English word “had”.

Examples:

1. Mwen té palé = I had talked / I talked
2. Mwen té wè = I had seen / I saw
3. Mwen té manjé = I had eaten / I ate
4. Mwen té kouté = I had listened / I listened 
5. Ou té kwéyé = You [singular] had created / you created


So my friends, now you know how to speak in the Past Perfect Tense.

If you enjoy the Free Creole Lessons on my blog, please SUBSCRIBE to this blog so you get updates with more free and FUN Creole Lessons. 

Saying Let's (let us) in Trinidadian Kwéyòl

In Trinidad French Creole, saying Let's or Let us do something is very straightforward, The word Annou (ahn-noo) is placed before the verb. Most people say Annou but you will also find that some people contract the word and just say Ann.

===

1. Annou /Ann palé ba yo.
   Let's speak to them.

2. Annou /Ann chanté ansanm épi'y.
   Let's sing together with him.

3. Annou / Ann sispann goumen.
    Let's stop fighting.

4. Annou / Ann vansé.
   Let's go forward.

5. Annou / Ann pa gadé dèyè.
    Let's not look back.

6. Annou / Ann désann an vil.
    Let's go into town.

7. Annou / Ann fè yon sòti òswè-a.
    Let's go on a date tonight.

8. Annou / Ann glowifyé Senyè-a!
    Let's praise the Lord!

9. Annou / Ann pa pèdi lafwa.
    Let's not loose faith.

10. Annou / Ann pa bay yo an lokazyon pou akizé nou.
      Let's not give them an opportunity to accuse us.

11. Annou / Ann fè lanmou.
      Let's make love.

Saying there is / there are

There is / there are

i ni
(ee nee)
==
or you can also say:
 la ni
(la nee) <-- I usually say "i ni"
===

There was: 

i té ni
(ee tay nee)
==
or you can also say:
 la té ni (la tay nee)
===
There will be:
la ké ni
(la kai nee)
or you can also say:
 i ké ni (la kay nee)

In Order To
Pou (poo)

In order to = pou (poo)

Example using There is / there are : LA NI OR I NI

I ni anpil moun ki pa enmen manjé vyann
There are many people who don't like to eat meat. 

Example using There was: LA TÉ NI OR I TÉ NI

La té ni an gwo bitasyon anlè mòn-lan 
There was a big estate on the hill.

Example using there will be: LA KÉ NI OR I KÉ NI

Boug, la ké ni bon bèl fanm adan fèt-sala! 
There will be lots of beautiful women in that party, man!

Example using "in order to": Pou

An tan lontan, moun té ka pwan bato pou wivé Toko.
 Long ago people used to take boats in order to reach Toco (Trinidad).

I have to (must) buy a NEW BED, IN ORDER TO sleep well:
Mwen ni pou achté yon KABANN NÈF, POU mwen sa dòmi byen.

I am covering the food, in order to prevent the dog from eating it.
Mwen ka kouvè manjé-a, pou anpéché chyen-an manjé'y.