Words and Phrases for Monolingual Educators

Words and Phrases for Monolingual Educators who Work with Haitian ELLs (English Language Learners)

This booklet is intended for English-speaking monolingual educators working with Haitian ELLs (English Language Learners).  It provides a list of useful words and phrases in Haitian Creole along with their translations in English.  The booklet also comes with a CD that gives the pronunciation of theses Haitian Creole words and phrases.  It covers the following topics:

  • Words and phrases for registering students in school
  • Words and phrases for gauging how students feel
  • Counting numbers
  • Ordinal numbers
  • Days of the week
  • Months of the year
  • Telling time
  • What do your students want to be?
  • Asking questions
  • What do your students eat?
  • What do your students wear
  • Colors
  • Parts of the body
  • What do we use in the classroom?
  • What do we do in the classroom?

We hope that this will help our English-speaking educators to better serve the Haitian ELLs in New York State.

Words and Phrases for Monolingual Educators who Work with Haitian ELLs (English Language Learners)

Words and phrases for greeting and registering students in school

Bonjou                                                Good morning

Bonswa                                               Good afternoon, good evening

M ale                                                   Good-bye

Orevwa                                               Good-bye

Alo                                                      Hello

N a wè pita                                         See you later

Konpliman                                          Kudos

Bòn fèt                                                 Happy Birthday

Bòn chans                                           Good luck

Mèsi                                                    Thank you

Non mèsi                                             No, thank you

Mèsi anpil                                           Thank you very much

Ki jan ou ye?                                       How are you?

M byen mèsi.                                      I am fine, thank you.

Sa k pase?                                           What’s happening?

Ki jan ou rele?                                    What’s your name?

Ki kote ou rete?                                  Where do you live?

Ki laj ou?                                             How old are you?

Ki nimewo telefòn ou?                     What’s your telephone number?

Mwen kontan wè ou                         Welcome / I am happy to see you

Ou konprann?                                     Do you understand?

Ou pa konprann?                                You don’t understand?

Ak ki moun ou rete?                          Who do you live with?

Ki non manman ou?                          What’s your mother’s name?

Ki non papa ou?                                 What’s your father’s name?

Manman ou                                         Your mother

Papa ou                                               Your father

Sè ou                                                   Your sister

Frè ou                                                  Your brother

Matant ou                                           Your aunt

Monnonk ou                                       Your uncle

Tonton ou                                           Your uncle

Granpapa                                            Grandfather

Grann                                                  Grandmother

Kouzen                                               Male cousin

Kouzin                                                   Female cousin

Neve                                                    Nephew

Nyès                                                   Niece                                      

Ki matyè ou pi renmen?                   What subject(s) do you like best?

Matematik                                          Mathematics

Syans sosyal                                       Social studies

Syans                                                  Science

Angle                                                   English

Kreyòl                                                 Haitian Creole

Franse                                                 French

Ki pi gwo klas ou te fè ann Ayiti?      What was the highest grade that you completed in Haiti?

Ki lè ou antre o Zetazini?                   When did you come to the United States?

Konbyen tan ou gen isit?                    How long have you been in this country?

Pale pi dousman                                  Speak slowly

Words and phrases for gauging how your students feel

Ki jan ou santi ou?                              How do you feel?

Ou santi ou byen?                               Do you feel well?

Ou pa santi ou byen?                          You don’t feel well?

Ki sa k ap fè ou mal?                          What’s hurting you?

Ou gen maltèt?                                    Do you have a headache?

Ou gen vantfèmal?                              Do you have a stomachache?

Ou gen règ ou?                                    Do you have your period?

Ou grangou?                                        Are you hungry?

Ou swaf?                                             Are you thirsty?

Ou cho?                                               Are you hot?

Ou frèt?                                               Are you cold?

Ou gen papye doktè?                          Do you have a doctor’s note?

Ou gen papye vaksen?                        Do you have your vaccination papers?

Ou malad?                                           Are you sick?

Èske ou fè alèji?                                  Are you allergic to anything?

Ak ki sa ou fè alèji?                             What are you allergic to?

Ou kontan?                                         Are you happy?

Ou tris?                                               Are you sad?

Ou move?                                            Are you angry?

Ou jennen?                                          Are you embarrassed?

Ou fatige?                                            Are you tired?

Ou bouke?                                           Are you tired?

Ou gen dòmi?                                      Are you sleepy?

Ou timid?                                            Are you shy?

Ki kote ou prale?                                Where are you going?

Èske ou fè devwa a?                            Did you do your homework?

Èske paran ou te siyen kanè ou?         Did your parents sign your report card?

Days of the week

Lendi                                                   Monday

Madi                                                   Tuesday

Mèkredi                                              Wednesday

Jedi                                                      Thursday

Vandredi                                              Friday

Samdi                                                  Saturday

Dimanch                                              Sunday

Jodi a                                                   Today

Yè                                                        Yesterday

Demen                                                 Tomorrow

Kounye a                                            Now

Maten                                                 Morning

Aprermidi                                           Afternoon

Aswè                                                   Evening

Lannwit                                               Night

Months of the year

Janvye                                                 January

Fevriye                                                February

Mas                                                     March

Avril                                                    April

Me                                                      May

Jen                                                       June

Jiyè                                                     July

Out                                                      August

Septanm                                              September

Oktòb                                                  October

Novanm                                              November

Desanm                                               December

Counting numbers

En                                                        One

De                                                       Two

Twa                                                     Three

Kat                                                      Four

Senk                                                    Five

Sis                                                       Six

Sèt                                                       Seven

Uit                                                       Eight

Nèf                                                      Nine

Dis                                                      Ten

Onz                                                     Eleven

Douz                                                   Twelve

Trèz                                                    Thirteen

Katòz                                                  Fourteen

Kenz                                                   Fifteen

Sèz                                                      Sixteen

Disèt                                                   Seventeen

Dizuit                                                  Eighteen

Diznèf                                                 Nineteen

Ven                                                      Twenty

Telling time

Ki lè li ye?                                           What time is it?

Li inè                                                   It’s one o’clock.

Li dezè                                                It’s two o’clock.

Li twazè                                              It’s three o’clock.

Li katrè                                                It’s four o’clock

Li senkè                                               It’s five o’clock

Li sizè                                                 It’s six o’clock

Li setè                                                 It’s seven o’clock

Li uitè                                                  It’s eight o’clock

Li nefè                                                 It’s nine o’clock

Li midi                                                 It’s noon.

Li minui                                               It’s midnight.

Li inè eka                                             It’s one fifteen.

Li inè edmi                                          It’s one thirty.

Li dezè mwen ka                                 It’s a quarter to two.

What do your students want to be?

Ki sa ou vle aprann lè ou gran?           What do you want to be when you grow up?

Bòs pent                                             Painter

Boulanje                                              Baker

Chofè taksi                                         Taxi driver

Dantis                                                 Dentist

Doktè                                                  Doctor

Elektrisyen                                         Elektrician

Enfimyè                                              Nurse

Enfòmatisyen                                    Computer specialist

Faktè                                                   Letter carrier

Fotograf                                              Photographer

Jounalis                                               Journalist

Kòdonye                                             Shoemaker

Kwafè                                                 Barber

Mekanisyen                                      Mechanic

Mizisyen                                            Musician

Pilòt                                                    Pilot

Plonbye                                              Plumber

Polisye                                                 Police officer

Ponpye                                               Firefighter

Pwofesè                                              Teacher

Sekretè                                                Secretary                                            

Colors

jón                                                       yellow

wouj                                                    red

ble                                                       blue

vèt                                                       green

nwa                                                     black

mawon                                                brown

woz                                                     pink

mov                                                     purple

blan                                                     white

jónabriko                                             orange

Ask a question

Ki kote                                               Where

Ki lè                                                    When

Ki sa                                                    What

Kiyès                                                  Who

Ki jan                                                  How

Kouman                                              How

Konbyen                                             How much

Pou ki sa                                             Why

What do your students eat?

Ki sa ou manje jodi a?                         What did you eat today?

Ki sa ou manje avan ou vin lekòl?       What do you eat before coming to school?

manje maten                                        breakfast

pen                                                      bread

pen griye                                             toast

bè                                                        butter

fwomaj                                                cheese

lèt                                                        milk

espageti                                               spaghetti

ponmkèt                                              muffin

ze                                                        eggs

labouyi                                                porridge

avwàn                                                  oatmeal

ji                                                          juice

chadèk                                                 grapefruit

zoranj                                                  orange

kafe                                                     coffee

te                                                         tea

manje midi                                           dinner (heavy meal taken around noontime)

soupe                                                  light meal taken in the evening

sandwich                                            sandwich

janbon                                                 ham

kola                                                     soda

diri kole                                               rice and beans

diri ak pwa                                          rice and beans

pwa an sòs                                          beans purée

bannann peze                                      fried plantains

bannann fri                                          fried plantains

bannann bouyi                                     boiled plantains

poul fri                                                   fried chicken

poul an sòs                                          chichen in sauce

griyo                                                    fried pork

taso bèf                                               fried beef

taso kabrit                                           fried goat

lanbi                                                    conch

kodenn                                                 turkey

legim                                                    vegetable

soup                                                    soup

soup joumou                                    pumpkin soup

kawòt                                                  carrot

leti                                                       lettuce

tomat                                                   tomato                                                

goute                                                   snack

epina                                                   spinach

berejèn                                                 eggplant

pistach                                                 peanuts

nwa                                                     cashew

mango                                                  mango

kowosòl                                              soursop

anana                                                   pineapple

pòm                                                     apple

pèch                                                    peach

sitwon                                                 lime                                                    

melon dlo                                            water melon

melon frans                                         cantaloupe

frèz                                                      strawberry

seriz                                                    cherry

rezen                                                   grape

rezen                                                   raisins

gato                                                     cake

vani                                                     vanilla

chokola                                                chocolate                                            

What do your students wear?

chemiz                                                 shirt

mayo                                                   T-shirt

pantalon                                              pants

abako                                                   jeans

chanday                                               sweater

kòsaj                                                    blouse

jip                                                        skirt

kilòt                                                     panties

pantalèt                                               panties

kalson                                                  boxers

chemizèt                                              undershirt

chapo                                                  hat

manto                                                  coat

soulye                                                 shoes

bòt                                                       boots

tennis                                                  sneakers

linèt                                                     glasses

kaskèt                                                  cap

wòb                                                     dress

sentiwon                                             belt

chosèt                                                  socks

gan                                                       gloves

kravat                                                  necktie

kòl                                                       necktie

Parts of the body

tèt                                                        head

kò                                                        body

pye                                                      leg

pye                                                      feet

bra                                                       arm

men                                                     hand

je                                                         eyes

nen                                                      nose

bouch                                                  mouth

zòrèy                                                   ears

manton                                               chin

dan                                                      teeth

lang                                                      tongue

lestomak                                              chest

vant                                                     stomach

do                                                        back

dèyè                                                    backside

kou                                                      neck

In the classroom

papye                                                  paper

kreyon                                                 pencil

plim                                                     pen

tablo                                                    blackboard

liv                                                        book

kaye                                                    notebook

biwo                                                    desk

chèz                                                     chair

pòt                                                      door

kreyon koulè                                    crayons, colored pencils

lakrè                                                    chalk

stand up                                              kanpe                                                 

sit down                                              chita                                                   

raise your hand                                leve men ou

ekri                                                      write

li                                                          read

koute                                                   listen

pale                                                     speak

reponn                                                 answer

di mwen                                              tell me

kesyon                                                 question

repons                                                 answer

devwa                                                  homework

leson                                                    lesson

etidye                                                  study

kanè                                                     report card

egzamen                                              test

nòt                                                       grade

lèt                                                        letter

disiplin                                                discipline

regleman                                              rules

semès                                                  semester

bibliyotèk                                            library