Showing posts with label greetings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label greetings. Show all posts

Wednesday, 26 August 2015

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!

Wednesday, 24 June 2015

Good Morning Trinidad!


A couple ways Trinidadians greet each other when they meet. 

Bonjou! ---> Good morning / hello!
Bonjou tout moun ---> Hello everyone!
Bonjou, kouman'w yé? ---> Hello how are you?
Bonjou latè! ---> Greetings to all present!
Bèl bonjou! ---> Warm greetings! 
Byen bonjou! ---> Good day!
Gwanmoun timoun bonjou! ---> Hello everyone!
Salitasyon, kanmawad! -> Greetings, my friends!
Wèspé! ---> Respect!
Lafòs é lasanté ba'w! --> Health and strength to you!
Tiwé chapo! ---> Hats off to you!
Mwen salyé'w! ---> I greet you!
Salyé kanmawad-mwen! ---> Greetings my friend!
Sa ka fèt? ---> What's up?
Sa ka maché? ---> What's happenin'?
Sa ka pasé? ---> What's happenin'? 
Tout bon? ---> Is everything okay?

You'll also hear:

Bonjou konpè! ---> hello male comrade! 
Bonjou makoumè! ---> hello female comrade!
Bonjou vwazen! ---> hello male neighbour!
Bonjou vwazin! ---> hello female neighbour! 

(Question?) É kouman lajouné-a? --> How's your day so far? 

(Answer) Pa pli mal non fwè-mwen! --> No too bad my brother!

(Answer) Pa pli mal non sè-mwen! --> Not too bad my sister!

Tuesday, 23 June 2015

Many different ways to say and answer to: How are you?

What do you say when someone says "how are you?" in Patois?


1. How are you?
    Kouman ou yé? or Sa ou fè?
    I'm fine. 
    Mwen byen.
    I'm not too bad.
    Mwen pa pli mal.
    I'm well, everything is calm.
    Mwen byen, tout bagay dous.

2. How are things?
    Kouman zafè'w yé?
    Everything is fine.
    Tout bagay byen.
    So-so
    pyanm-pyanm.
   Things are not too well!
    Bagay pa twò byen, non!

3. What's new?
    Ki nèf or ban mwen nouvèl-ou or even ki nouvèl-ou?
    Nothing really, thanks!
    Ayen mèsi!
   As usual...
   Kon labitid...
   We're thriving!
    Nou an banbòch!

4. What are you up to?
     Sa'w ka fè la?

5. What's up?
     Sa ka fèt?

6. What's happening?
     Sa ka pasé?
    I'm great!
    Mwen byen bon! / Mwen kowèk!

7. What are you up to today?
    Sa'w ka fè jòdi-a?
   I'm here chillin'
   Mwen la ka lòchoté
   I've been up to nothing really!
  Mwen pa ka fè ayen pou bon, non!
  Well... you know...
   Ében.. ou sav... 


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)

Thursday, 19 December 2013

More useful phrases in Trinidadian French Creole

Ou byen?  
oo beeyenh
Are you okay?

Mwen byen mèsi é ou menm? 
mweh beeyenh ay oo mem
I'm fine thank you and yourself?

Kouman ou ka kwiyé'w?  
coo-mahn oo ca kwee-yay oo
What is your name? literally [How do you call you?]

Non-mwen sé Jamal.
no mweh say zha-mal
 My name is Jamal.

Mwen kontan kontwé'w. 
mweh cohn-tahn cohnt-tway oo
I'm happy to meet you.

Éskizé mwen, misyé/madanm. 
es-kee-zay mweh mees-yay/ ma-dam
Excuse me sir/madame.

Konbyen sa kouté? 
cohn-beeyehn sah coo-tay
How much does that cost?

Sa twò chè. 
sah twoh sheh
That's too expensive.

Sa twò lèd mwen pa vlé'y! 
sah twoh led mweh pah vlay ee
That's too ugly I don't want it!

Ki lè ou ké vini wè nou? 
kee leh oo kay vee-nee weh noo
When will you come to see us?

Tanpwi/souplé
.tahn-pwee/soo-play
 please.

Mèsi anchay pou konpliman'w. 
meh-see poo coh-plee-mahn oo
Thank you very much for your compliments.

Souplé wépété sa ankò. 
soo-play way-pay-tay sah ahn-kuh
 Please repeat that again.

Souplé palé pli dousman 
soo-play pa-lay plee doos-mahn
Please speak more slowly.

Mwen pa sa konpwann sa'w ka di-a. 
mweh pa sah con-pwahnn sa oo kah dee ah
I can't understand what you're saying.

Kouman ou ka di... an Patwa? 
coo-mahn oo kah dee sah ahn pat-wah
How do you say.... in Patwa?

Li ka palé plizyè lanng. 
lee kah pa-lay pleez-yeh lang
He/she speaks several languages.

Yo ka palé Panyòl nan lakay-yo.  
yo kah pa-lay pahn-yohl nahn la-kai yo
They speak Spanish at home.

Ès ou vlé sòti èvè mwen oswè-a? 
ehs oo vlay soh-tee eh-veh mweh ohs-way ah
Do you want to go out with me tonight? 

Ki koté ou vlé alé oswè-a? 
kee koh-tay oo vlay ah-lay ohs-way ah
Where do you want to go tonight?

Annou alé wè yon flim. 
ahn-noo ah-lay weh yohn fleem
 Let's go see a movie.

Annou wété lakay.  
anhn-noo way-tay la-kai
Let's stay home.

Saturday, 17 December 2011

27 Useful Introductory Trinidadian French Creole Phrases

Here's a list of 27 useful phrases in Trinidadian French Creole
  1. Bonjou! - Hello
  2. Bon apwémidi! - Good afternoon!
  3. Bonswè! - Good evening!
  4. Ovwa / Ayo! - Goodbye!
  5. Pli ta! - See you later!
  6. Kouman ou yé? - How are you?
  7. Mwen byen mèsi, é ou menm? - I am fine thank you, and yourself?
  8. Sa ki non-ou? - What is your name?
  9. Non-mwen sé... Pita - My name is... Peter
  10. Mwen kontan kontwé'w - I'm pleased to meet you
  11. Éskizé mwen, Misyé/Man - Excuse me, Sir/Ma'am
  12. És ou sa édé mwen? - Can you help me?
  13. Souplé / Tanpwi - Please
  14. Mèsi anpil/anchay - Thank you very much
  15. Ki koté lopital-la yé? Where is the hospital?
  16. Pasé an bèl jou! - Have a nice day!
  17. I am missing you - Mwen ka mantjé ou
  18. I don't understand - Mwen pa konpwann
  19. I understand - Mwen ka konpwann
  20. I don't know - Mwen pa konnèt / Mwen pa sav
  21. Please, repeat that again - Souplé wépété sa ankò
  22. Ou ka palé Patwa? - Do you speak Patois/French Creole?
  23. Ou ka palé Fwansé? - Do you speak French?
  24. Ou ka palé Anglé byen? - Do you speak English well?
  25. Mwen pa ka palé Patwa - I don't speak Patois/French Creole.
  26. Ki koté ou sòti? - Where are you from?
  27. Mwen sòti Trinidad - I'm from Trinidad
Se tout mézanmi! Mèsi é pasé an bèl jou!
That's all friends! Thank you and have a nice day!