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: 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.

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.

Common phrases in Martiniquais Creole

Preposition 'On'

On ---> Asou

He was sitting on the chair.
Li té ka asiz asou chèz-la.

Don't allow the little girl to stand on the couch. 
Pa kité tifi-a doubout asou kouchton-an.

Lè mwen fouté'y épi baton-an, i tonbé asou do'y.
When I hit him with the staff, he fell on his back.

Ès ou té wè zagwiyen-an ka maché asou finèt-la?
Did you see the spider walking on the window?

Yo lésé tjèk lajan asou tab-la ban nou.
They left some money on the table for us.

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!

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)

Question: How do you say speak slowly?

Speak slowly
Palé dousman
(pah-lay doos-mah)

Speak more slowly please.
Palé pli dousman souplé.
(pah-lay plee doos-mah soop-lay)

last night

last night ---> yè òswè
tonight ---> òswè-a
tomorrow night ---> démen-òswè

I'll watch it tonight.
Mwen ké gadé'y òswè-a.

They all must attend the conference tonight.
Yo tout ni pou asisté konsit-la òswè-a.

The feast of Saint Isadore is tomorrow night.
Lafèt Sen Izadò sé démen-òswè.

overnight
pasé lannwit, pou lannwit-la, tout lannwit.

night, tonight, last night, tomorrow night

night ---> lannwit, swè, swawé
at night ---> nan òswè, lé swè, lannwit, nan nwit
tonight ---> òswè-a
last night ---> yè-òswè
tomorrow night ---> démen-òswè
for one night ---> pou yon lannwit, pou yon swawé
every night ---> toulé swè, chak lannwit
all night long ---> tout lannwit, pandan tout lannwit la

How was your night?
Kouman lannwit-ou té yé?
Kouman'w té pasé lannwit-la?

I had a sleepless night.
Mwen pasé yon lannwit blanch.

Have a good night.
Pasé yon bon lannwit.

Good night.
Bon lannwit.

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]

Question: How do you say never mind in Patois?

Never mind
Nenpòt, sa pa anyen
[neh-puht sah pah ah-yeh]
---
Kité sa
[kee-tay sah]
---
Bliyé sa
[blee-yay sah]

Pa otjipé ou
[pah ot-zhee-pay oo]

Question: How do you say "You're welcome, it's my pleasure" in Patois?

You're welcome
Sé pa anyen
[say pah ah-yeh]

It's my pleasure
Sé tout plézi mwen
[say toot play-zee mweh]

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

Di'y an Kwéyòl - Say it in Kwéyòl

Say it in Kwéyòl

Di'y an Kwéyòl

 

Wi.

[wee]

Yes.

Non.

[nohn]

No.

Pitèt.

[pee-teht]

Perhaps.

Souplé / Tanpwi.

[soo-play tahn-pwee]

Please.

Éskizé mwen.

[ays-kee-zay mweh]

Excuse me.

Padonen mwen.

[pah-doh-nehn mweh]

Forgive me / Pardon me.

Sé pa ayen.

[say pah ah-yehn]

You're welcome.

Ès ou ka palé Annglé?

[ehs oo kah pah-lay ann-glay]

Do you speak English?

Ès ou ka palé Kwéyòl / Patois?

[ehs oo kah pah-lay kway-yuhl / paht-wah]

Do you speak Kwéyòl / Patwa?

Mwen anni ka palé Annglé.

[mweh ann-ee kah pah-lay ann-glay]

I only speak English.

Mwen sòti Twinidad.

[mweh suh-twee twee-nee-dad]

I am from Trinidad.

Mwen sòti an Kawayib-la

[mweh suh-tee ahn kah-wah-yeeb lah]

I'm from the Caribbean.

Mwen sòti  Kannada

[mweh suh-tee kahn-nah-dah]

I am from Canada.

Li sòti Anméwik.

[lee suh-tee anh-may-week]

He /she is from America.

Adwès-mwen sé...

[ah-dwehs mweh say]

My address is...

Souplé palé dousman.

[soop-lay pah-lay doos-mahn]

Please speak slowly.

Mwen pa ka konpwann.

[mweh pah kah kohm-pwahnn]

I do not understand.

Wépété sa souplé.

[way-pay-tay sah soop-lay]

Repeat that please.

Ankò.

[ahn-kuh]

Again.

Pa ankò.

[pah ahn-kuh]

Not again.

Ékwi'y souplé.

[ay-kwe ee soop-lay]

Write it down please.

Ki sa ou vlé?

[kee sah oo vlay]

What do you want? 

Konbyen sa ka kouté?

[konb-yehn sah kah koo-tay]

How much does it cost?

Antwé.

[ant-way]

Come in.

Pouki'w pa antwé?

[poo-keew pah ant-way]

Why don't you come in?

 Vini'w.
[vee-neew]
come here.

 Atann yon ti moman
[ah-tann yohn tee moh-mahn]
Wait a moment. 

Poutji sa?
[poochee sah]
Why [stressed]

Pouki / Poutji?
[poo-kee / poochee]
Why?

Kilè / Kitan?
[kee-leh  / kee-tahn]
When?

Kouman / Ki mannyè?
[koo-mahn / kee mann-yeh]
How?

Ki moun?
[kee-moon]
Who?

Ki sa / Sa?
[kee-sah /sah]
What?

Ki koté? / Koté? / Éti?
[kee koh-tay / koh-tay /ai-tee]
Where?

Ki koté li yé?
[kee koh-tay lee yea]
Where is he / she?

Isi-a / Isit-la.
[ee-see ah  / ee-seet lah]
Here.

La.
[lah]
There.

Konbyen tan?
[kohn-byehn tahn]
How long? [how much time?]

Adan / Adidan
[ah-dahn / ah-dee-dahn]
In.

Vid.
[veed]
Empty.

Plenn
[plehnn]
Full.

Anwo
[ahn-woh]
Up.

Anba
[ahn-bah]
Down.

Douvan.
[doo-vahn]
In front of.

Dèyè.
[deh-yeh]
Behind.

Agoch.
[ah-gosh]
To the left.

Adwat.
[ah-dwaht]
To the right. 

Plizyè.
[pleez-yeh]
Several.

Pé.
[pay]
Few.

Pa djè
[pah djeh]
Not many.

Bon.
[bohn]
Good.

Plis.
[plees]
More.

Mwens.
[mwehs]
Less.

An Titak / tizinng.
[ahn tee-tack / tee-zing]
 A little.

Pli bon.
[plee bohn]
Better.

Myè 
[myeh]
Best.

Mal / Mové.
[mal / moh-vay]

Bad.

Pli mal.
[plee mal]
Worse.

Talè / byentò.
[tah-leh / byehn-tuh]
Soon.

Pli ta.
[plee tah]
Later.

Ositò /kon sa.
[oh-see-tuh / kohn sah]

As soon as.

Omwens.
[oh-mwehs]
At least.

I ta.
[ee tah]
It's late.

I twò ta.
[ee twuh tah]
It's too late.

I bonnè.
[ee bohn-neh]
It's early.

I twò bonnè.
[ee twuh bohn-neh]
It's too early.

Mwen kontan.
[mweh kohn-tahn]
I'm happy.

Mwen kontan kontan.
[mweh kohn-tan kohn-tahn]
I'm really happy.

Mwen twis.
[mweh twees]
I'm sad.

Mwen dézolé.
[mweh day-zoh-lay]
I'm sorry.

Padonné mwen souplé.
[pah-dohn-nay mweh soop-lay]
Please forgive me.

Pwochen fwa.
[pwoh-shen fwah]
Until next time.

Adan dòt sòlèy.
[ah-dahn doht suh-leh-ee]
Until next time.

How to say "at home"

AT HOME - lakay (lah-kai)

Saying 'at home' in Trinidad French Creole also depends on whose home it is. Use pronouns to indicate whose home it is.

examples:

At my home.
lakay mwen.
lah-kai mweh

At your (singular), home.
lakay ou.
lah-kai oo

At our home.
lakay nou.
lah-kai noo

At his/her home.
lakay li
lah-kai lee

At their home.
lakay yo.
lah-kai yo

At John's home.
lakay Jan.
lah-kai zhahn