Here's What You Need to Know
In spoken Creole, certain short words and reduced forms are pronounced closely with the words next to them.
This lesson provides examples of how to pronounce these connected sounds.
How to Pronounce the Trailing Vowel Forms
- The trailing vowel forms covered in this lesson are a and an.
- They are pronounced smoothly with the word that comes before them.
1. Li antre nan bato a chak mèkredi.
She gets into the boat every Wednesday.
- Bato a is pronounced smoothly, approximately like bato-a.
Note: The hyphen is used only as a pronunciation guide. In standard writing, the words remain separate.
How to Pronounce the Trailing Consonant Forms
- The shortened consonant forms covered in this lesson are k, l, m, n, t, and w.
- In connected speech, they are pronounced closely with the word that comes before or after them.
1. Demen l ap kwit anpil manje.
Tomorrow, he will cook a lot of food.
- L ap is pronounced smoothly, approximately like l-ap.
2. Demen mwen pral pote l lakay.
Tomorrow, I am going to carry it home.
- Pote l is pronounced smoothly, approximately like pote-l.
Note: The hyphens are used only as pronunciation guides. In standard writing, write l ap and pote l with spaces.
It's Okay If You Make Mistakes at First
Trailing sounds can be tricky at first, especially when you are reading Haitian Creole.
As you continue speaking, listening, and immersing yourself in the language, you may be surprised by how much easier they become over time.
Meanwhile, please watch our video on trailing sounds to get a clear idea of how they work.