Creole translation

snoozer

Member
Jan 22, 2004
282
7
18
Does anyone know if there is an on-line translation site for English to Creole. I tried Google but found nothing except to download Babylon. I keep in touch with a few Haitian friends (male and female) while I am not in the DR and it would be nice to surprise them with a little Creole.

G
 

london777

Bronze
Dec 22, 2005
786
29
28
Why don't you start learning Kreyol? I should be concentrating on learning Spanish but I have also started on Kreyol. It is an extremely easy language to learn. The grammar is very simple and totally regular. Each letter is pronounced in only one way and all words are written as they sound and vice versa. Each verb has only one form (compare Spanish where each verb has 90 forms). The vocabulary is very small. There is no verb "to be" (Spanish has two!), no genders and no plurals (so no worries about agreement of adjectives).

There are a couple of minor snags, but I'll let you find those out!

You can buy a simple-to-follow primer plus a large workbook of practice exercises plus 2 CDs of prounciation for only $36.95 + postage here:
Learn Creole Light Messages Haiti Haitian Creole Books Photographs Study Creole Ayiti Kreyol Home Page

I am sure once one actually starts conversing with Haitians in the flesh things get a lot more complex but, even so, you could soon learn enough to impress your friends.
 

RenatoSosua

Bronze
Nov 8, 2006
596
76
0
groups.yahoo.com
Creole Made Easy

Creole Made Easy
Simple instruction of Haitian Creole for English speaking people
by Wally Turnbull

Ideal for students of the Creole language, newcomers, and visitors to Haiti.

This book, by one of the leading authorities on the Creole language, will have you understanding and speaking basic Creole in a few days. Using the first few lessons and the extensive dictionary/word list at the back of the book you will be able to make yourself understood in two or three hours. Only practice will make your Creole perfect but by the end of these sixteen 15-20 minute lessons you will have the ability and confidence for that practice.

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The basic elements of Creole grammar
*

Sixteen easy 15-20 minute lessons
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How to pronounce Creole words
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Simple exercises with translation keys
*

Dictionary of 4,600 Creole ?? English words

$14.95
Learn Creole Made Easy Language Study Light Messages Haiti and Creole Books and Photographs Learn Creole Ayiti Kreyol Books
 

Squat

Tropical geek in Las Terrenas
Jan 1, 2002
2,239
168
63
If your Haitian friends know how to read & write, chances are they will be able to read & write in french, or at least enough to comunicate. Try in french.
 

snoozer

Member
Jan 22, 2004
282
7
18
Thanks Renato and London for your suggestions. I probably will try to learn a little Creole although I have have not exactly mastered Spanish yet.
 
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sweetdbt

Bronze
Sep 17, 2004
1,574
70
0
If your Haitian friends are living in the DR, they need to keep working on their Spanish skills, as that is the language of the country they live in. My experience is that Haitians living in the DR tend to stay together in relatively isolated communities, and only speak Spanish when they need to. There are definate parallels to the undocumented Hispanic population in the US. I have also found that conversing with my Haitian ex-GF in Spanish was easier than with most Dominicans since it was her second language too, and she use simple words and phrases.