Part 1 - Greetings

1. Bonjou – Hi / Hello / Good morning

2. Bonswa – Hi / Hello / Good Evening

3. Kòman ou ye? / Ki jan ou ye? – How are you?

4. Mwen byen – I am well

Note: Say m ap aprann Kreyòl when you feel overwhelmed if Haitians are speaking full-blown Haitian Creole to you as a beginner. This makes them happy that you are learning their language, and this reminds them to slow down for you.

5. Sa k pase? – What's up?

6. N ap boule – We're hanging in there (Lit. "We're burning")

7. Na wè pita – See you later

Communication Helpers

8. Mwen pa konprann – I don't understand

9. Pale pi dousman – Speak more slowly

Note: You can also simply say dousman (means 'slowly').

10. Repete, souple – Repeat, please

Note: You can also simply say repete (means 'repeat').

11. Kijan yo di [point to the object] an Kreyòl? – How do you say [this] in Creole?

12. Mwen pale yon ti kras Kreyòl – I speak a little Creole

13. Mwen pa konnen – I don't know

Part 2 - Saying Yes or No

14. Wi – Yes

15. Non – No

16. Dakò / Oke – Okay

17. Se vre – It's true

18. Se pa vre – It's not true

19. Genlè / Petèt / Sanble... – Maybe

Note: You can also use wi and non at the end of a phrase to add more emphasis to what you are saying (find out more in this lesson).

For example, you can use wi at the end of a sentence to show that you agree or recommend something, and you use non at the end of a sentence to show you really disagree with something or to show you are stressing something is urgent.

Part 3 - Thanks, Please, Excuse me

20. Mèsi – Thank you

21. Pa gen pwoblèm – No problem

22. Tanpri / Silvouplè / Souple – Please

23. Padon – Excuse me / Sorry

24. Eskize m – Excuse me

25. Se yon plezi – It's a pleasure

Note: Saying wi at the end of these phrases above adds more emphasis and makes you sound more down to earth.

Part 4 - Asking Questions

26. Ki sa? – What?

27. Ki moun? / Kiyès – Who?

28. Ki kote? – Where?

29. Kiyès? – Which one?

30. Kòman? / Ki jan? – How?

31. Poukisa? – Why?

32. Èske? – (Question marker, like "Is it...?")

Note: The Haitian Creole question word èske can mean any other question words that normally start as does, is, should, will, can, etc.

33. Konbyen? – How much? / How many?

Part 5 - Expressing Needs, Feelings and Desires

34. Mwen grangou – I am hungry

35. Mwen swaf – I am thirsty

36. Mwen fatige / Mwen bouke – I am tired

37. Mwen vle – I want

38. Mwen bezwen – I need

39. Ban mwen – Give me

40. Mwen cho – I am hot

41. Mwen frèt – I am cold

42. Mwen renmen – I like / I love

43. Mwen pa renmen – I don't like

Note: You can shorten or contract the word mwen as m for simplicity. For example, if you do this mwen grangou will then be m grangou.

Part 6 - Time and Days

44. Jodi a – Today

45. Demen – Tomorrow

46. Yè – Yesterday

47. Maten an – The morning

48. Apre midi a – The afternoon

49. Lendi – Monday

50. Madi – Tuesday

51. Mèkredi – Wednesday

52. Jedi – Thursday

53. Vandredi – Friday

54. Samdi – Saturday

55. Dimanch – Sunday

Note: If you speak Spanish, learning the days of the week may be easier for you. The reason is because the days of the week in Creole and in Spanish start with the same letters.

Part 7 - Basic Nouns and Pronouns

56. Gason – Man

57. Fi / Fanm – Woman / Lady

58. Ti gason – Boy (Lit. Little man)

59. Ti fi – Girl (Lit. Little woman)

60. Mwen – I, Me, My, Mine

61. Ou – You, Your, Yours

62. Li – He, She, It, His, Her, Its

63. Nou – We, Us, Our, Ours

64. Yo – They, Them, Their, Theirs

Note: Haitian Creole generally doesn't use grammatical gender for pronouns. For example, the Haitian Creole pronoun li can mean he or she. This may sound confusing at first, but you will know from the context who the person is referring to.

Part 8 - Common Expressions

65. O! – Oh! / Hey! (Expression of surprise or calling attention)

66. O! O! – Wow! / Oh my! (Stronger expression of surprise)

67. Woy! – Wow! / Oh my goodness!

68. Wouy! – Ouch! / Expression of pain or shock

69. Kèt! – Wait! / Hold on!

70. Anmwe! – Help! / Oh no!

71. Mezanmi! – My friend! / Oh my! (Expression of surprise or emphasis)

72. Gadon koze! – Stop talking! / Be quiet!

73. Tètchaje! – Crazy! / Out of one's mind

74. Se pa ti kras! – That's not a small thing! / That's serious!

75. W ap konn jòj! – You'll know what's good! (Warning)

76. Anba anba! – Very low / Down low

77. Anba chal! – On the low / in secret

78. Anba tab! – Under the table / Secretly

79. 24 sou 24! – 24/7 / All the time

80. Vin pale w! – Come talk to you! (Come here, I want to talk to you)

81. Veye je w! – Watch out! / Be careful!

82. Ret nan wòl ou! – Stay in your place! / Mind your business!

83. Sa pa regade w! – That doesn't concern you! / Mind your business!

84. Kite m anrepo m! – Leave me alone! / Let me rest!

85. Pran san w! – Calm down! / Take it easy!

86. Pran poul! – Cheat / Copy

87. Chape poul! – Escape danger! / Run away!

88. Ki Mirak! – What a miracle! / Amazing!

89. Depi tandat! – For a long time! / Since forever!

Part 9 - Common Proverbs

90. Kreyòl pale. Kreyòl konprann. – Creole spoken. Creole understood. (Speak plainly)

91. Sak vid pa kanpe. – An empty sack cannot stand. (You need energy to function)

92. Men anpil, chay pa lou! – Many hands make the load light.

93. Dèyè mòn gen mòn. – Behind mountains there are mountains. (There are always more problems to come)

94. Piti piti zwazo fè nich li. – Little by little the bird makes its nest.

95. Apre lapli se bèl tan. – After rain comes beautiful weather. (After hardship comes relief)

96. Bay piti pa chich. – Giving a little is not being stingy. (Every little bit helps)

97. Ou konn kouri. Ou pa konn kache. – You know how to run, but you don't know how to hide. (You're not as clever as you think)

98. Se anvi ki bay! – It's desire that gives! (It's the thought that counts!)

99. Lave men siye atè! – Wash hands and wipe on the ground. (Waste effort)

100. Chita pa bay. – Sitting doesn't give. (You have to work for what you get)

101. Rayi chen. Di dan l blan. – Hate the dog, but say its teeth are white. (Give credit where it's due)

102. Maladi kache pa gen remèd. – A hidden illness has no remedy. (Secret problems can't be solved)

103. Pito nou lèd nou la. – Better we be ugly but here. (We are trodden down. But, we are still hanging on.

104. Sa w pa konnen pi gran pase w. – What you don't know is bigger than you. (There's always more to learn)

105. Lè vant chat plen, ke rat anmè. – When the cat's belly is full, rat meat is bitter. (When satisfied, one becomes picky)

106. Zo granmoun pa pran. – Adult bones don't heal. (The elderly are more prone to injury and least likely to recover from injury )

107. Sa ou fè, se li ou wè. – What you do is what you see. (You reap what you sow)