Quick Review of Basic Haitian Creole Grammar Rules
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Haitian Creole orthography follows its pronunciation. It is composed mostly of these sounds: a, ay, an, b, ch, d, e, è, en, f, g, h, I, j, k, l, m, n, ng/y, o, ò, on, ou, oun, p, r, s, t, ui, v, w, y, z
There are no mute letters in Kreyòl
Haitian Creole: Vowels
Non Nasal Vowels: a, e, è, i, o, ou, à, ay
Nasal Vowels: an, en, on, ann, in
a is pronounced like “a” in cat, mat, Pat etc.
à followed by a consonant is pronounced separately. An Pàn (broken down)
an is pronounced like the first sound found in English words Van-n (van), pan-n (pan) etc.
e is pronounced like the sound of “ay” as in say, lay, stay
è is pronounced like the sound of “et” as in wet, vet, get, let
en is pronounced like the sound produced by “en” as in garden, den
i is pronounced like the sound of “ee” as in see, peep, meet
o is prounounced like the sound of “ow” as in low, grow, row
ò pronounced like the sound of “o” as in bore, sore, more etc
on pronounced like the sound of “oun” as in young, Don Corleon
ou pronounced like the sound of “ou” as in you, route etc.
ay as in i found in I, kite, die. Lakay, kay – home; bagay –thing; bay – to give
in as in machine (machin-car)
Egzèsis: Exercise: Repete mo sa yo – Repeat these words
a: kanaval (carnival), Rara, papa, sa, la-a, sa-a, manba, manbo, gonbo, gan, dan, la, lala, gaga, blabla, bwa(Wood), kap (kite), grajè (insolent), kapab, patat, Sajous, malad, gaya; rale kò ou / rale kò w la – get out of here!; sapat, plat; pa chat (cheating)
e: bebe, tibebe, Pete, sese, rele, pese, bwate, tete, prete, kraze, boule, pase, rete, ale, sere, mache, ponpe, vole, sekle (weed out)
è: bèbè (mute), lèt, milèt (mule), dèt, tèt, malèt, bèkèkè, mèt (owner, teacher, profesor, proprietor), bèt (beast, animal), tèt nèg (very expensive; literary, a negro’s head), rèk, onè, respè, (Onè is a form of greeting in Haiti to whcih you can reply with respè); pènètrè (insolent), byè, myèl, pwomès, sèt,
en: renmen, limen, toulimen, genyen, fèmen, senyen, tenten, reken, benyen, penyen, pen, Mennen, nen, vwazen, sen, demen, enganm
i: di, piti piti, tikras, piki, pitit, pilon, piman, pistach, pitimi, zanmi, diri, ri, si, santi, manti, senti, sentiwon, pise, mize (waste time in carrying out an errand) ; li (he, she, it, t oread); chich (cheap, non-generous, li chich anpil – he is very cheap); tibebe
o : poto, swazo, yoyo, po do, do, anwo, moto, toro, moso, mòso, mato, chapo, repo, mo, dodo, yo, voye, sote; bay soklo (to cheat as in a relationship, marriage), cho
on: bonbon, pon, janbon, non, won, djon djon, pijon, kanton, pilon, kamyon, zonyon, san wont, konte,
ò : mòso, bòkò, kò, aransò, mòn, lòt, bòs, dakò, lò, vòlè, vòlò, antò, antòch, wòl, gwo djòl (djòl is mouth in a pejorative way, big mouth, hippotamous mouth-like), masòkò, kapòt (condom), pòt (door); radyo dyòl (Word of mouth); bòl soup (a bowl of soup)
ou : jou, toujou, joumou(squash, pumpkin), soup joumou (squash soup), fou(crazy), pou (for), tout moun (everybody), kajou, sou (on, drunk), foufou, foufoun, toutou, woule, souke, mapou, debouye
an : dan, matant, pe dan ou/ pe dan w ! (shut up), gan, janm, van, anndan, pandan, pantan, eskanmòtè (insolent), dan senyen – bleeding tooth/teeth ; manje (food, to eat); anpenpan
à : an pàn (broken down) ; Bekàn (bicycle), caravan, savàn
