SOME USEFUL CREOLE WORDS & PHRASES

English Creole English Creole
airplane avyon Jesus Jezi / Jezu
bathroom watè Jesus Christ Jezikri
bed kabann lumber planch
Bible Labib man gason
breakfast ti dejene Methodist Méthodiste
brother frè milk tire
building kay mosquito maryengwen
car machin money kòb / lajan
carpenter chapant nail klou
church legliz / tanp paint penti
child / children timoun / pitit please tanpri / souple
concrete beton police lapolis
customs lodwann prayer priye
farmer kiltivatè roof do kay
floor atè school lekòl
food / eat mange song chante
God Bondye sister
good afternoon bonswa store magazen
good bye babay team ekip
good morning bonjou thank you mèsi
good night bon nui(t) United States Zetazini
hammer mato wall mi
helper ede wheelbarrow bourèt
high school secondè walk mache
hotel otèl woman fi
house lakay





English Phrase Creole Phrase
What is your name? Ki jan ou rele?
My name is _________. M' rele _________.
Hello, how are you today? Bonjou, Ki jan ou ye jodia?
Good Morning. Bonjou pratik.
I' fine. M' byen
Hello, ma'am. How are you? Bonjou, ti dam. Ki jan ou ye?
Is that your child? Se pitit-ou?
What's his name? Ki jan li rele?
His name is _______. Li rele _______.
What are you doing? Ki sa ou ap fè?
What time is it? Ki lè li ye?
OK, see you later. Oke, n'a wè pita
Did you have a good day? Ou pase bon jounen?
What happened? Sa k' pase konsa?
What did you do? Ki sa nou fè?
How do you feel? Ki jan ou santi ou?
How much will that cost me? Konben sa ap koute m?
What do you want? Ki sa ou ap pran?
What brings you here? Sa k' mennen ou isit?
Let me see! Ban m wè!
Thanks a lot! Mèsi anpil!
What do you mean? Kouman?
I'll give you ten gourdes .... M'a ba ou di goud....
Where's everybody? Kote moun yo?

Words from A Learner's Dictionary of Haitian Creole by Albert Valdman, Indiana University Creole Institute, 1996 and Creole Made Easy by H. Ormonde McConnell in 1945 and revised and edited by Wally Turnball 2000.

Phrases extracted from ann pale kreyòl An Introductory Course in Haitian Creole - Albert Valdman, Indiana University Creole Institute, 1988.

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