Haitian Creole - The World's Most Widely Spoken Creole Language

Поделиться
HTML-код
  • Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024

Комментарии • 3,6 тыс.

  • @Langfocus
    @Langfocus  Год назад +24

    Try learning Haitian Creole with Pimsleur: imp.i271380.net/langfocus. Pimsleur's course is one of the only ones for Haitian Creole. They now have affordable monthly subscriptions for either one language, or all 51 languages (for just $1 more). I've used Pimsleur for numerous languages and love recommending it.
    If you join through the above link, Langfocus gets a small referral fee that helps support this channel (at no extra cost to you).

    • @amadisbalthazar1698
      @amadisbalthazar1698 Месяц назад

      Couldn’t the second person plural come from « unu » from Igbo like in Jamaican patois

  • @rainbows135
    @rainbows135 5 лет назад +967

    Where are those haitian🇭🇹👌🏽
    Kot ayitien yoooooo?

  • @sjappiyah4071
    @sjappiyah4071 7 лет назад +732

    I'm glad that Haitian Creole is now getting the respect it deserves, it had a sad origin but now it's a thriving language.

    • @diegoantoniorosariopalomin4977
      @diegoantoniorosariopalomin4977 7 лет назад +8

      Samuel Appiah but , isnt haiti a dying country ?

    • @cicero1178
      @cicero1178 7 лет назад +1

      Samuel Appiah Yes genocide is very sad

    • @diegoantoniorosariopalomin4977
      @diegoantoniorosariopalomin4977 7 лет назад

      kwazue good luck fighting an earthquake

    • @zimriel
      @zimriel 7 лет назад +18

      good luck fighting the *Clintons*

    • @stvhb1509
      @stvhb1509 7 лет назад +5

      Samuel Appiah A sad origin? looll who told you that? Did you know Haitian creole was mainly invented hust to confuse the French colonist so they can revolted and having meeting without worrying about the colonist?

  • @stephanc2359
    @stephanc2359 6 лет назад +854

    Wow! For someone who is not Haitian describe the language and the Haitian mentality that way, it is amazing. Good Job Bro!

  • @eliotbenitez8362
    @eliotbenitez8362 7 лет назад +1475

    There's a growing Haitian population here in Tijuana, México, where I live. They're nice people.

    • @ixnivek2236
      @ixnivek2236 7 лет назад +39

      One of my uncles came in with that group recently to Tijuana....

    • @Thejournal-t7e
      @Thejournal-t7e 7 лет назад +38

      Eliot Benitez Yes they are my people pick up Spanish very well.

    • @appsource3466
      @appsource3466 7 лет назад +60

      Eliot Benitez most mexicans are nice people.

    • @macelinea85
      @macelinea85 7 лет назад +84

      Eliot Benitez I'm Haitian and I have mad Mexican friends, they're nice people too. And also I speak Spanish fluently.

    • @kinggrey8690
      @kinggrey8690 7 лет назад +103

      Eliot Benitez I really think you Mexicans for welcoming my Haitians people but to be honest I would wan't Haiti to be great again so my people don't have to flee the Island. But I still give a big thanks to Mexico!

  • @Ninaj09
    @Ninaj09 7 лет назад +1480

    I am Haitian, and I think that you did a marvelous job. You really did your research. And to answer your question, it's a little bit tricky, as from birth, I have been surronded by both Creole ans French. I will say that Creole is the easiest, as it is my native language. So, yes, speaking Creole did help me with my French when I was growing up and learning in school.
    Again, great job on your video.

    • @NovelistDienne
      @NovelistDienne 7 лет назад +34

      I'm Haitian too but I was born in the US. I never learned to *speak* either of the language and i'm currently taking french classes. But growing up when ever someone talks to me in Haitian Creole I'm able to get bits and pieces to understand what their saying and reply in English and 86.5% of the time it's a good conversation. But as soon as someone speaks French to me I'm completely lost, same goes for reading in French. When trying to learn a language I would much rather learn Haitian Creole since to me it's much easier to read and understand. I think the reason why my lack of ability to *speak* it stems from lack of confidence due to my damn American accent which makes everything *sound wrong*.

    • @josemiguelvillarroelgonzal8847
      @josemiguelvillarroelgonzal8847 7 лет назад +10

      Ninaj09 Hi I want to ask you something about your culture, I'm Chilean and now in my country there are a lot of Haitians, I'm a medical student and in my hospital there are Haitians as well, I'd really like to speak with them but I don't know if I just have to learn French is necessary or Do I need to lear Creole? Are you all taught French in the School ? do you all go to the school? Thank you very Much!

    • @Ninaj09
      @Ninaj09 7 лет назад +34

      Creole is the language to learn. French is only spoken by a few of us and Creole by the whole lot of us.
      Good luck!

    • @MariaMartinez-researcher
      @MariaMartinez-researcher 7 лет назад +18

      jose miguel villarroel gonzalez. Hola. Yo aprendí francés en el liceo (cuando en los liceos de Chile el francés o el alemán se enseñaban junto con el inglés) y sí, el conocimiento de ese vocabulario y pronunciación ayuda, pero el creole es muy diferente. Yo puedo entender una película en francés, y leerlo sin problemas, pero hace poco escuché por largo rato a unos jóvenes haitianos y un vendedor ídem negociando en la Vega, y entendí *una* palabra: "cuánto". O sea, mejor estudie directamente el creole si quiere hablar con haitianos, y el francés para hablar con franceses. Interesantes idiomas ambos. Aquí estoy yo también aprendiendo creole. Suerte. :-)

    • @petergeramin7195
      @petergeramin7195 7 лет назад +8

      Soy Haitiano viviendo en U.S.A pero quiero aprender Espanol y cvreole. Puedes ayudarme con espanol?

  • @cdemr
    @cdemr 2 года назад +105

    As a native French speaker, it's hilarious how Haitian Creole actually makes more sense in its grammar than French. 😂
    Also I noticed on the wiktionary that the word "bagay" means "thing" in both Haitian creole and Tagalog despite having radically different origins, that's crazy.

    • @arc7495
      @arc7495 Год назад +18

      Bagay in Haitian creole came from French word "bagages" which means baggage.
      Bagay in Tagalog came from proto Malayo-Polynesian "bagay" which means fit together and in Tamil "vakai" which means "thing".
      I believe that it's a false cognate.

    • @1601xavi
      @1601xavi Год назад +2

      ​@@arc7495divergent evolution

    • @cochabambas
      @cochabambas Год назад +5

      I love that word because in colloquial Brazilian Portuguese "bagulho" can mean "thing" as well (although with a rather negative meaning, like "thing of little/no value")

    • @guyver-9717
      @guyver-9717 7 месяцев назад +1

      ​@@arc7495Nah you're talking shit because in old french baggages didnt exist. Im Guadeloupean and we have a lot of common words with african countries in our creole and they have the same meaning

    • @Flugs0
      @Flugs0 7 месяцев назад +3

      @@1601xaviconvergent

  • @yeshuaschosen8399
    @yeshuaschosen8399 7 лет назад +254

    Funny I came across this. ALL my coworkers speak creole; I'm in South Florida. I'm very very close to full fluency!!! I absolutely love the simplicity of Creole. I took French and found it wayyyy too difficult. The foundation of Creole absolutely helps me understand French!!! Mwe renmen parle na Creole. Lap facile! Mwe travaye bay apronn pou mwe souvan! Yo gen anpil pasyans ak mwe. Mwe pa bezwen achte li!!!

    • @ixnivek2236
      @ixnivek2236 7 лет назад +8

      Li se tre fasil pou mwen pale Kreyol, paske m' pale Panyol ak gen kek mo mwen kapab idantifye. M etidye li. Mwen jis bezwen pou moun pale ak....

    • @cherleyerikajoseph9607
      @cherleyerikajoseph9607 5 лет назад +3

      YESHUA'S CHOSEN ugh good job 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

    • @michaelterry5451
      @michaelterry5451 5 лет назад +3

      YESHUA'S CHOSEN mo pa kònné Hatian Creole. Mé mo kònn in ti brin Louisiana creole ou langaj- kouri-vini épi mo kompren boukou Haitian Creole çila wé. Sé tou kèk unn linm parlé avèk mò en kréyòl isyian ?

    • @michaelterry5451
      @michaelterry5451 5 лет назад +1

      ixnivek mo parl kréyòl lwizyanné ou langaj-kouri-vini itou. To kapab kompren mò ? Mo kompren twa byin byin wé!

    • @thegirlwith5kids210
      @thegirlwith5kids210 5 лет назад +2

      Respect to you my dear brother✊

  • @IslandVibeCooking
    @IslandVibeCooking 6 лет назад +778

    Yes haitian creole help me understand french.when I go somewhere and they asked me do you speak French I said I understand french but I don't speak french

    • @rouskeycarpel8652
      @rouskeycarpel8652 6 лет назад +24

      Island Vibe Cooking You must be close to being bilingual then since haitian creole and french are two different languages(I'm haitian)

    • @PhillipDeGraves
      @PhillipDeGraves 6 лет назад +46

      Rouskey Carpel if you paid attention the base language of Haitian creole is 90% french

    • @rouskeycarpel8652
      @rouskeycarpel8652 6 лет назад +71

      Phillup DeGraves I did pay attention.Around 90% of the vocabulary is of french origin but that doesn't mean around 90% of haitian creole vocabulary is french words because many of these french words changed meaning,pronunciation or spelling when they became haitian.For example the haitian creole word for rude is "frekan" which derives from the french "frequent"(they're pronounced the same) which means frequent.Thus when frequent entered the haitian creole language it earned a new meaning and thus became a new word.If I told someone who speaks french but not haitian creole "la fille est frequent" they won't understand you trying as trying to say the girl is rude because the french word for rude is grossier.Also haitian creole has a west african grammar which is what makes it a different language from french.Spanish and portuguese are closer together than french and haitian creole which further illustrate my point that just because someone speaks haitian creole doesn't mean they'll understand french and vice versa.Also I'm haitian and I've been fluent in haitian creole my whole life and although I was fluent in french as well when I was in haiti through being thought in french at school when I came to the states my parents stopped speaking french to me.As a I grew up whenever I heard people speaking french I could pick up on a few words but I didn't understand what they were saying due to being unfamiliar with most of the vocabulary and the grammatical differences between french and haitian creole.

    • @judemelchised236
      @judemelchised236 6 лет назад +10

      Phillup DeGraves
      Creole has the same alphabet, the same pronunciation, almost the same vocabularies, just a little bit difference between the two languages.We can say it's just a little deformation of French language

    • @rouskeycarpel8652
      @rouskeycarpel8652 6 лет назад +28

      jude melchised I wouldn't say it has the same pronunciation or the same alphabet.Also the main difference between haitian creole and french is the grammar(romance for french,west african for haitian creole).There's a bigger difference between french and haitian creole then between french and Spanish.When you say haitian creole is a deformation of french you give credence to those who say "haitian creole is broken french" in order to delegitimize haitian creole as a language.Let me ask you a question are you fluent in haitian creole and or french.Also when french first developed a whole bunch of ignoramuses were calling it a deformation of latin not recognizing the differences between french and latin.

  • @tjoceny1
    @tjoceny1 4 года назад +456

    You should teach "Introduction to Haitian Creole" to Haitians in Haiti and abroad. I have worked as a linguist for years (still in Haiti and abroad), and this is one of the most informative pieces about Haitian Creole that I have seen anywhere. Wonderfully done!

    • @chlorousel8767
      @chlorousel8767 4 года назад +10

      This is absolutely right! This guy is amazing.

    • @patriciadumas-simon3348
      @patriciadumas-simon3348 3 года назад +3

      I would like to learn the language

    • @kimberlystone9827
      @kimberlystone9827 2 года назад +2

      @@patriciadumas-simon3348 If you speak French it wont be too difficult to learn it!

    • @olwenb72
      @olwenb72 2 года назад +3

      @@patriciadumas-simon3348 Try the Duolingo course!

    • @larrytruelove8659
      @larrytruelove8659 Год назад +2

      Some Haitians don’t know how far the language is from standard French.

  • @RicardoMCKN
    @RicardoMCKN 7 лет назад +446

    I'm a Jamaican who happens to speak French, so Haitian Creole is very easy for me to understand/learn since the vocabulary is mostly of French origin, and the grammar/syntax is VERY similar to that of Jamaican Creole (Patois/Patwa). Even though Jamaican Creole is an English-based creole and Haitian Creole is French-based, they both underwent the same/a VERY similar creolization process.

    • @appsource3466
      @appsource3466 7 лет назад +17

      RicardoMCKN because of africa

    • @pizza1817
      @pizza1817 7 лет назад

      noi

    • @Thejournal-t7e
      @Thejournal-t7e 7 лет назад +21

      RicardoMCKN That's right, I don't know why some francophones pretend to not understand. I bet if someone said something about there mom they would understand.

    • @appsource3466
      @appsource3466 7 лет назад +23

      *****​ that's not what he said... He's saying that the creolization of west africa left both creoles with similarities with each other that they don't share with the lexifier languages. Besides if I walk into a french cafe and tell someone konlangèt manman'w they probably wouldn't understand.

    • @Thejournal-t7e
      @Thejournal-t7e 7 лет назад +3

      I understand what he means. However, what you just wrote would be considered the 10% of the language that isn't French. To top it off though I am aware what you just said is a diss against your mother. I don't know exactly what it means nor do I care to. You could have used a respectful example instead of being deliberately vulgar.

  • @juliuschas
    @juliuschas 7 лет назад +252

    In the US federal courts, 95 percent of the language interpretation needed is for Spanish. The next two languages are Haitian Creole and Navajo. Just a fun fact!

    • @martintuma9974
      @martintuma9974 4 года назад +14

      Navajo is the most spoken native language of north America.

    • @dr.shuppet5452
      @dr.shuppet5452 3 года назад +9

      @Hernando Malinche Maya is an entire language family rather than a single language.

    • @idontgetthejoke9465
      @idontgetthejoke9465 3 года назад +5

      @@martintuma9974 na its nahuatl

    • @brettlarch8050
      @brettlarch8050 3 года назад +1

      I thought it was mandarin after Spanish, then French creole, then Navajo?

    • @romanr.301
      @romanr.301 3 года назад +3

      Wait, really? What about Tagalog, Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Polish?

  • @mccartney7945
    @mccartney7945 4 года назад +198

    Wow. I'm Saint Lucian 🇱🇨 I know that our creoles are different but for some reason everything you said in Haitian creole is exactly how we say it in Lucian creole. Crazy - Sa pas blag #onelove

    • @micayahritchie7158
      @micayahritchie7158 3 года назад +27

      Caribbean creoles are closely related. I'm Jamaican and I genuinely can barely tell Belizeans and Antiguans aren't Jamaican. There are honestly more things that are the same than that are different

    • @Quisqueya77
      @Quisqueya77 3 года назад +24

      Sakapfet?! 👊🏾🇭🇹🇱🇨

    • @femmenoir4
      @femmenoir4 3 года назад +3

      Sa pa blag piest

    • @abdiasduce1491
      @abdiasduce1491 3 года назад +3

      im haitian and im always happy listening "antillais " speak créole and i can understand them well , creol just just make us gather in the Caribbean and make us feel that we are one

    • @shemdesouza143
      @shemdesouza143 3 года назад +6

      Almost all Caribbean Islands french Creole are similar. We speak Creole in trini but it's dying. It is More spoken by older folks.

  • @AnouMr
    @AnouMr 7 лет назад +214

    I speak Haitian creol, and I got to say that : wow, this video is very accruate. It's funny to see how he is disecting this languages that I usually speak without even being conscious of the hidden complexity. Anyway, nice job Paul. It made me proud to see one of my native tongues being given such attention from your channel.

    • @kadopilo4745
      @kadopilo4745 6 лет назад +2

      Alexandre Morinvil I wouldn't say it's "very accurate" but... he made a good job

    • @jetoombiang7706
      @jetoombiang7706 5 лет назад +3

      Haitian creole is interesting because its an evidence that languge thrive and survives

    • @eddp.2562
      @eddp.2562 5 лет назад +1

      Alexandre Morinvil He did our Haitian language a great disservice by calling it creole instead of “ Haitian”. The word creole is of Latin origin via a Portuguese term that means a person (“especially a servant raised in one’s house “). By calling our beloved national language creole was very disrespectful for over 12 million Haitian speakers . I’m Haitian and (not a creole ) and my mother tongue is “Haitian”.

    • @haitiancreolewithluciano
      @haitiancreolewithluciano 4 года назад

      It's a wonderful language. I second that!

    • @anthonyp9591
      @anthonyp9591 4 года назад +4

      @@eddp.2562 ...Haitians even call it Creole..

  • @andbarzel
    @andbarzel 7 лет назад +212

    This video brought back memories. I was living in Guatemala when I was asked by my organization to move to the Bahamas as a liaison to the Haitian community there. I was already fluent in French, but I could never make much sense of Creole other than recognizing an occasional word or two. Unable to come up with a grammar of the language on short notice, the best I could get my hands on was a Haitian Creole Bible. Within a few weeks, I was able to deduce the phonetics and a good bit of the grammar. When my plane touched down in the Bahamas, I found I was able to speak Creole… haltingly at first… but then as the weeks went by with increasing fluency. By the end of my six months among the Haitian community in the Bahamas, I was doing public speaking and teaching classes in Haitian Creole. It is one of the easiest languages to learn and the door to an amazing and vibrant people.

    • @MrOmegamoi
      @MrOmegamoi 7 лет назад +11

      Andrew Zelinski wow I'm glad you learn haitian creole so fast

    • @tayoulove7128
      @tayoulove7128 4 года назад

      Sa w di yo touche m. Mèsi pou pataj esperyans ou ak lang nou an

    • @philomelodia
      @philomelodia 4 года назад +1

      Let me guess. Jehovah’s Witness.

    • @haitiancreolewithluciano
      @haitiancreolewithluciano 4 года назад +1

      *Thanks for sharing! Haiti is awesome and the language is the best*

  • @neonenayoy3997
    @neonenayoy3997 4 года назад +569

    Haitian creole is a language like any other creole, it should be preserved, it does not make Haiti poorer, imperialism hate creole languages because it gives less power to European languages

    • @ccthelema8818
      @ccthelema8818 3 года назад +15

      Me thought the French languages makes Haiti poorer if it did is it because the mass spoke more creole even the force their kids to speak French & other languages so they can be still French slaves and other countries too sad to talk about!

    • @samlatin8933
      @samlatin8933 3 года назад +4

      @@ccthelema8818 as a Haitian/Cuban american paranm toujou fosem pou pale either kreyol oubyen franse!
      smh these days

    • @MisyeDiVre
      @MisyeDiVre 3 года назад +14

      It doesn't threaten the influence of Western-European languages. However, I agree with you that it is a bona fide language that is rich and multifaceted.

    • @Peff1803
      @Peff1803 3 года назад +7

      You don't know what you're talking about.
      We Haitians are so naive.
      Creole is not a language that's why it's called creole.
      French doesn't belong to France, just like a light bulb doesn't belong to T. Edison.
      And about the idea that they don't want Haitian to speak creole, you should make some research about that, and you'll find it the exact opposite. You saying what you saying it's results of over a century of brain washing and it worked.
      Creole doesn't make Haiti poorer, but it's often the tool used to divide the country and to keep it there.

    • @MisyeDiVre
      @MisyeDiVre 3 года назад +13

      @@Peff1803 You are mistaken, Haitian Creole is a bona fide language. You are correct in that originally, it was indeed a patois or an ad hoc intermediary to facilitate communication between people who had no common language, but you fail to recognize that it has since evolved over the span of several generations of native speakers to become a grammatically, syntactically and phonetically complex, language with consistent rules that govern its vocabulary.
      You are also correct in that the language is not being systematically suppressed by imperial forces. I agree that this notion is naive.
      It is equally naive, however, to state verbatim that creoles are not languages.

  • @marvelhenry
    @marvelhenry 7 лет назад +651

    Haitian Creole is very similar to Lesser Antillean French Creole, a language spoken in the smaller islands of the Caribbean; primarily Martinique, Guadeloupe Saint Lucia and Dominica ( to a lesser extent, it's also spoken in Trinidad and Grenada). I'm a Kwéyòl speaker from Trinidad and I understood everything in this video, a few of the tense markers and pronouns that we use are different though but overall I really enjoyed this video and I appreciate the historical accuracy in explaining the history behind the development of Haitian Creole.

    • @kreyolmari-galant4358
      @kreyolmari-galant4358 7 лет назад +10

      Nou ka jwenn isit. Kouman ou ye, kamarad?

    • @marvelhenry
      @marvelhenry 7 лет назад +35

      Speaking Kréyòl helps me to understand French vocabulary to an extent, but it does not help with grammar. The Kréyòl language retains many words that are no longer used in Modern French. To offer an example, the Kréyòl word for shoe is soulyé coming from the French word [soulier] the most common word used for shoe in France today is chaussure.

    • @marvelhenry
      @marvelhenry 7 лет назад +10

      Mwen byen é ou menm?

    • @marvelhenry
      @marvelhenry 7 лет назад +12

      Stanley Dougé wé sé sa menm!!✊🏽

    • @vincentliet7995
      @vincentliet7995 7 лет назад +2

      Bo ta papia papiamento? Mi no ta papia.

  • @r.mjacques9127
    @r.mjacques9127 7 лет назад +209

    I have never seen anybody describe my mother tongue so well before, mèsi. You just got a new subscriber!

  • @chubbyshady2265
    @chubbyshady2265 6 лет назад +153

    Man! I don't know how much work you put in to make this video, but I must admit that it was amazing to watch. You did not miss out on a single point and everything you've said here is 100% correct. This is from a born and raised Haitian who speaks French and Creole perfectly. You broke down literally the entire language in 14 minutes. Thank you for this masterpiece. Sa se yon chedèv - Ceci est un chef-d'oeuvre - This is a masterpiece.

    • @INISiYATIV
      @INISiYATIV 6 месяцев назад

      Li byen fè'l ! Chapo ba.

  • @FrancisVachon
    @FrancisVachon 7 лет назад +142

    As a French-Canadian, reading out loud creole will allow me to understand most of it. It is very phonetic.

    • @dyfrakt
      @dyfrakt 7 лет назад +13

      Same here! I'm Acadian.

    • @MrOmegamoi
      @MrOmegamoi 7 лет назад +4

      Francis Vachon and haitian creole is simple

    • @davidcollegerosemont
      @davidcollegerosemont 7 лет назад +4

      Francis Vachon Yes. You are right.

    • @dragerv4118
      @dragerv4118 6 лет назад +5

      The Acadians / cajuns in you are in Louisiana.

    • @simonditomasso9868
      @simonditomasso9868 5 лет назад

      Moi je pensais que tous les haïtiens de Montréal parlaient français comme deuxième langue parce que c’était une langue officielle parlée couramment

  • @alissaburge6375
    @alissaburge6375 4 года назад +65

    There are so many Haitians living in Miami, Florida and they speak Creole in lot of the city of Miami. The people migrated from Haiti into Florida.🇭🇹

    • @AgathaLOutahere
      @AgathaLOutahere 2 года назад

      Migrated? Like birds?

    • @alluringbliss4165
      @alluringbliss4165 2 года назад +5

      @@AgathaLOutahere We have many talents..

    • @StephenMatlock
      @StephenMatlock 2 года назад

      This is an excellent documentary about this. Recommend the channel in general as a great way to pick up Haitian culture and how people are using kreyòl to communicate their stories and interests.
      ruclips.net/video/Tr2zV9PtdcA/видео.html

  • @WinnerOlmann
    @WinnerOlmann 5 лет назад +237

    As a linguist, I thoroughly enjoyed this video. I did a presentation in undergrad on the grammatical similarities between Haitian Creole & AAVE!
    The grammar of the two languages (French & Creole) is so different that at times one may not understand anything that is being said. Combined with the speed/slang/conjunctions each language utilizes, it can prove to be quite difficult for either party to comprehend. But if a Creole-only speaker and a French-only speaker need to communicate, with some effort, gesturing & patience, they can get the job done.

    • @scygnius
      @scygnius 4 года назад +16

      Winner Olmann I would love to see that presentation, if you still have it lying around. That sounds awesome.

    • @folyglot7806
      @folyglot7806 4 года назад +9

      Bro I'm planning on making a video on that very topic (Haitian Creole/AAVE). If you have any research you have, let me know. Thanks!

    • @missp00153
      @missp00153 4 года назад +6

      As a descendant of both cultures I would love to see your presentation too!!!

    • @micayahritchie7158
      @micayahritchie7158 3 года назад +1

      I think it's also very similar structurally to the Caribbean creoles

    • @MsRoxygirl333
      @MsRoxygirl333 3 года назад +3

      @@scygnius I second this motion!

  • @davidluciemable3778
    @davidluciemable3778 7 лет назад +90

    The absolute best video I've ever seen on Haitian Creole. Being an American of Haitian descent and being fluent in Creole, it helped a whole lot when I was learning French in school. This video is well researched and even helped me gain a better understanding of Haitian Creole's history. Thank you!

    • @Langfocus
      @Langfocus  7 лет назад +18

      Thanks! It was my pleasure.

  • @iamkeyarea
    @iamkeyarea 7 лет назад +161

    Thank you for this! My guy is from Haiti 🇭🇹 so I'm trying to learn Haitian Creole

  • @deonanangavesh6696
    @deonanangavesh6696 6 лет назад +45

    I am from Mauritius and we also speak a Creole very very much similar to Haitian Creole! Amazing thing to see how we connect on such things!

  • @genius11433
    @genius11433 7 лет назад +270

    Well done. As a Haitian-American who knows Creole, I can say that you've really done your research. I'm impressed.
    However, there is one slight error in the video. 13:06: The Creole word for "to give" actually has *three* forms, not two. The infinitive is _bay_ (pronounced "bye"). And you'll never guess the pattern behind this word. Unlike other verbs, which conjugate according to the subject pronoun, _bay_ changes according to the word _after_ it: ban mwen, ba ou, ba(y) li, ban nou, bay yo. If _bay_ ends a sentence, it's always _bay_ . If the word after _bay_ is anything other than a pronoun, use _bay_ (though I've run across one source that says that you can use _bay_ and _ba_ interchangeably in this case).
    Myself, I learned Creole in the home and at church, and I learned French starting in junior high (I was born here in the States). I found that one language helps in knowing the other--and, as always, knowing a foreign language always helps in understanding English better. Creole grammar and syntax is not too far from English, with only a few peculiarities here and there.

    • @belsymphoni73
      @belsymphoni73 6 лет назад +1

      ban mwen, bay li, ba li sa, ba yo l, bay yo

    • @kadopilo4745
      @kadopilo4745 6 лет назад +4

      Son Goku X c'mon now! Wap exagere!

    • @QAbby-ik8zj
      @QAbby-ik8zj 6 лет назад

      Woaw you wrote all that

    • @eddp.2562
      @eddp.2562 6 лет назад +7

      genius11433 The Haitians have to remove the derogatory French colonial word from their language. We have to call our language Haitian.

    • @eddp.2562
      @eddp.2562 6 лет назад +5

      genius11433 The Haitians have to remove the derogatory French colonial word from their language. We have to call our language Haitian.

  • @dhatchbernier
    @dhatchbernier 6 лет назад +172

    As a francophone, I have difficulty understanding Haitian, but can usually maintain a conversation, although it's messy but usually worth it because Haitian people are so fun to get along with!

    • @tiziay
      @tiziay 3 года назад +24

      No disrespect WE don't speak Haitian WE speak Creole or Kreyol. Americans don't speak American, they speak English. More specifically American English which is different from British English. I am Haitian living in the US.

    • @johnfleming7879
      @johnfleming7879 3 года назад +2

      they are patient with us dummies, too

    • @tljnl9175
      @tljnl9175 3 года назад +6

      @@tiziay for your information. There are some Haitians that call the Haitian language (creole) Haitian. Some people think the term "creole" is demeaning... implying that is is a hodgepodge or a language that is less than. There is nothing wrong with Haitians and others calling Haitian Creole "Haitian" if they so choose to. It's OUR language

    • @tiziay
      @tiziay 3 года назад +3

      @@tljnl9175 You are misreading my comment. Hodgepodge was neither stated or implied. If "you" want to call it speaking Haitian, fine.. I dont troll, I don't debate.

    • @nash6535
      @nash6535 3 года назад

      David, maybe it's because people use a lot of contractions or it depends on the dialect

  • @dub4064
    @dub4064 5 лет назад +91

    As a french native speaker, I can easily understand Haitian Creole (ok i'm cheating because i fully understand creole from Guadeloupe)

    • @micayahritchie7158
      @micayahritchie7158 4 года назад +2

      Lol, I mean you're not wrong

    • @officialmemestv7515
      @officialmemestv7515 3 года назад +7

      I can easily understand haitian Kwéyòl
      Haha I cheated I speak lucian Kwéyòl

    • @officialmemestv7515
      @officialmemestv7515 3 года назад +4

      St lucian Kwéyòl is very similar to Guadeloupe Kwéyòl

    • @jeremy6398
      @jeremy6398 3 года назад

      Are Haitian Creole and Guadeloupe Creole very very close? Or are they still quite different? Asking as a métro French!

    • @guyver-9717
      @guyver-9717 3 года назад

      Haitian creole is so easy compared to guadeloupean creole lol.

  • @sapphael.
    @sapphael. 5 лет назад +42

    It's always so cool to see native speakers in the comments saying how accurate these videos are

    • @haitiancreolewithluciano
      @haitiancreolewithluciano 4 года назад +5

      Yeah! I'm a native Speaker- I teach it as well both to expats in Haiti and here on youtube. And I think he did great!

    • @scootabean
      @scootabean 3 года назад

      I agree!!

  • @guybouaka
    @guybouaka 5 лет назад +29

    When I went to Haiti, I communicate easily, I speak french and they answer in Haitian and there were perfect understanding. Good job

    • @R._L.
      @R._L. 4 года назад +4

      Being a bridge form of communication between different cultures and groups, namely from Europe, Africa and more, Creole appears to have been designed to be quite accessible.
      As such, Creole tend to be easier to learn than French.
      However, for some fascinating reasons, at least from personal observations, it seems to be remarkably easier for a Creole speaker to understand French, than for a French speaker to understand Creole.

    • @laurajoseph9418
      @laurajoseph9418 4 года назад

      R L I agree with u

    • @laurajoseph9418
      @laurajoseph9418 4 года назад

      R L I agree with u

    • @haitiancreolewithluciano
      @haitiancreolewithluciano 4 года назад

      Yeah! They are definitely mutually intelligible- Though, to a certain extent

    • @jhonnylegrand8904
      @jhonnylegrand8904 4 года назад +2

      @@R._L. that's the reason we kicked their asses out, we could understand them, they couldn't.

  • @GuerdaPierre
    @GuerdaPierre 3 года назад +21

    Wow! As a Haitian woman I am so impressed with your video. You did a marvelous job. You even thought me some of the history. You deserve a medal for your effort. Thank you!

  • @interfear1
    @interfear1 7 лет назад +53

    As a Dominican, I am ashamed to say I don't know much of the language of my western neighbors, but at least I know how to ask them what are they eating now.

    • @MrOmegamoi
      @MrOmegamoi 7 лет назад +5

      interfear1 well most haitians who go to higher school know Spanish and those who live in DR or at the border.. I learned my Spanish in high school plus french has same roots with Spanish

    • @robertcuevas3602
      @robertcuevas3602 6 лет назад +2

      Reggie senshaitian we Dominican we Haitian decent know how to speak creole not alot but we speak

    • @opheliacu
      @opheliacu 6 лет назад +5

      Actually, you are not a Dominican. You are a Dominicano or Dominicana. Dominicans live on the island of Dominica and speak English ', Kweyol and a little French!

    • @ichide7
      @ichide7 5 лет назад +4

      Dominicans usually dont like to be related to haitians, you know cus of history, that's why we don't even make any effort to learn anything about them. it's a shame because the are invading the country and we don't even know a word in their language.
      Mc.Carthy Marie the denomym for people in the DR is Dominican, the denomym for people in Dominica is Dominique.

    • @cheeriotheocelot5273
      @cheeriotheocelot5273 5 лет назад

      @Speak Truth creole are langaunges.

  • @mohammedjalloh7658
    @mohammedjalloh7658 7 лет назад +309

    I never knew haitian creole was so interesting!

    • @bboymac84
      @bboymac84 6 лет назад +1

      Eisen Heinrich yea and im haitian!

    • @osvaldozamorano4864
      @osvaldozamorano4864 6 лет назад +2

      It's a waste of time to learn it. You can´t compare creole with French.

    • @midnightposting
      @midnightposting 6 лет назад +48

      Different people have different reasons to learn a language. Learning French can be a waste of time if you never go to France or if you aren't interested in french literature. In the other hand, Haitian Creole can be interesting to learn if you have Haitian friends or Haitian coworkers (and this is becoming very common in Chile) or just if you are interested in their culture.

    • @obeaneyfalaise2369
      @obeaneyfalaise2369 6 лет назад +29

      No its not a waste of time.

    • @landiesaintil6178
      @landiesaintil6178 6 лет назад +25

      Chileno de corazón then don’t learn it.

  • @ongeri
    @ongeri 3 года назад +27

    As someone who failed to learn French, I think this is an improvement on the language.

    • @Alex-mz3tg
      @Alex-mz3tg 3 года назад +7

      Yeah, maybe. Haitian is easier to read and pronounce then French and other Romance languages. I think Haitian is one of the most easiest Romance languages and French and Romanian is the most hardest Romance languages

    • @carleontafari
      @carleontafari Год назад

      Haha what compliment lol

    • @darius684
      @darius684 Год назад

      Same i can only partially understand it due to Italian

    • @reanimationeas342
      @reanimationeas342 Год назад +1

      @@Alex-mz3tg I tried to learn Romanian but failed badly

    • @Alex-mz3tg
      @Alex-mz3tg Год назад +2

      @@reanimationeas342 Yeah, French and Romanian are probably the hardest Romance languages to learn.

  • @Daigotsumax
    @Daigotsumax 7 лет назад +57

    As a French speaker I found this video fascinating, and it's changed how I perceived Haitian Creole. Thanks a lot for making this.

    • @Langfocus
      @Langfocus  7 лет назад +5

      +Maxime Lemaire It's my pleasure!

    • @PainterVierax
      @PainterVierax 7 лет назад

      Same here. Thanks Paul, your channel is amazing.
      And even if I'm a curious Native French speaker that understands most of the northern French dialects, even wallon or cajun. and knows a bit of Réunion island creole that surprisingly share some words, the Haïtian créole is not so simple to understand. I don't know the other carribean french créoles but they must be more close to it.

    • @puntakinte2049
      @puntakinte2049 7 лет назад +2

      Maxime Lemaire how did you percieve it?

    • @FeedMeJuice
      @FeedMeJuice 6 лет назад +2

      Maxime Lemaire yeah how'd you perceive it before this video? I'm curious

    • @cheeriotheocelot5273
      @cheeriotheocelot5273 5 лет назад +4

      @Speak Truth creoles are languages no matter how much you want to deny it. your like one of those flat earthers or people who deny global warming

  • @SpicyNoodleConnoisseur
    @SpicyNoodleConnoisseur 7 лет назад +60

    I am a native french speaker. I have a good friend that I we t to highschool who emigrated from Haiti, and for years his family's house was a social gathering place for students in our class. Mostly everyone would speak French, but my friends and his brothers would often chatter in Haitian Creole. I was always fascinated by the language, and I could often pick up on the topic of conversation or even of any given sentence due to the obvious vocabulary cognates. However I could never figure out any details. I think the grammar is sufficiently different that french speakers have a difficult time differentiating direct object, indirect object, and possession, to name a few -- in addition to the phonological barriers.
    One tidbit, to add though: though "je vais faire de la nourriture" is the literal translation of "I am going to make food", a french speaker would likely say "je vais cuisiner"; even more likely, they would use the colloquial form "Je vais faire à manger", translating roughly as "I will make [something] to eat". I speculate this is why "manje" means both to eat and food in Haitian Creole.
    Anyway, great video! I think I'll be able to understand much more of what's going on next time I hear my friend and his brothers speaking Creole!

  • @ashleywilliams7494
    @ashleywilliams7494 5 лет назад +41

    I just found out a few years ago that I'm Haitian on my grandpa's ( dad's dad) side. And I've been dying to learn more this is interesting

    • @bigboys8000
      @bigboys8000 4 года назад +2

      So your like 20percent haitian

    • @chlorousel8767
      @chlorousel8767 4 года назад +3

      Sounds interesting #Ashley Williams. I can surely help you speak Creole. I am a native!

  • @inglescomprofessorreis
    @inglescomprofessorreis 7 лет назад +78

    I know so many Haitians here in Brazil. I know French, but a couldn't understand Kreole at the first time. But now I can say that spoken Kreole is easier than written one. Today I can understand a lot of Kreole. This language is so close to French but it can trick us a lot. Great Job guy!

  • @vasileiosathens
    @vasileiosathens 7 лет назад +238

    Haiti, the first country to recognise Greece as an indepedent state back in 1822.

    • @toucaninterieur8011
      @toucaninterieur8011 7 лет назад +5

      vasileiosathens That's a fun fact.

    • @sion8
      @sion8 7 лет назад +56

      Haiti is the second oldest independent country of the Americas after the U.S.

    • @Slashplite
      @Slashplite 7 лет назад +4

      Turkey was the only country that didn't recognized partition of Poland by Russia, Germany and Austria. Also a fun fact.

    • @huguesgirard1065
      @huguesgirard1065 7 лет назад

      1822 or 1862??

    • @bbla4906
      @bbla4906 7 лет назад

      Slashplite *Prussia, not Germany

  • @user-ll4sn5vb6m
    @user-ll4sn5vb6m 5 лет назад +135

    Mwen pa ayisyen men mwen renmen lang sa a, mwen aprann li ak franse ansanm! ✌️

    • @ketouqueen2841
      @ketouqueen2841 4 года назад +4

      Se byen 👊👍

    • @frandimusic
      @frandimusic 4 года назад +6

      genial ! sa fe plezi ! men ou konn vini an Haiti, petet?

    • @chlorousel8767
      @chlorousel8767 4 года назад +2

      Bon travay! E ki lang ou pale anko apre Kreyol an Franse?

    • @johncenat627
      @johncenat627 4 года назад +2

      Ki nasyonalite'w menm? Paskem wè'w ekri kreyòl byen anpil !

    • @mikimomplaisir5617
      @mikimomplaisir5617 3 года назад

      Ou s on ti jeni.

  • @j-f6582
    @j-f6582 6 лет назад +55

    I am French Canadian and it definitely helped me learn Haitian Creole. It took us about 2-3 months to be very fluent. As for French in France usually take little more time and don't become as fluent as us before a long period of time. Probably the 'old French' influence on both French Canadians and Haitians. Eg.: 'Kèk bagay' in Canada become 'kèk chose' while in France would be 'quelque chose'.
    Also one note: the verb to give in creole have 3 conjugations not 2: Ba, ban and bay. Eg.: mwen te bay li.
    W te fè yon èkselan travay mon chè.

    • @mackendysouverain9578
      @mackendysouverain9578 4 года назад +1

      Also "bagay" mean "bagage"in french.

    • @grassytramtracks
      @grassytramtracks Год назад

      I find that if I read it, I have to sound it out in my head or out loud and only then will I get the gist, even though I still run into a word I don't know fairly often

  • @LuisSierra42
    @LuisSierra42 7 лет назад +33

    I live in the Dominican Republic and there are lots of Haitian migrants everywhere. I know a little french and i tried once to understand the relationship between creole and french by listening to how they speak. I couldn't understand shit, but this video cleared all my doubts and satisfied my curiosity.

    • @MrOmegamoi
      @MrOmegamoi 7 лет назад +4

      Luis Sierra in Haitian you will find most of us speak 3 languages because in school it's Mandotory to take either Spanish or English in high school

    • @markwatson8725
      @markwatson8725 6 лет назад

      Reggie senshaitian 😂😂 stop lying.

    • @frugalmom4
      @frugalmom4 6 лет назад +6

      He is not lying. My father speak all three and Spanish was easy for me to learn to speak and read.

    • @lydieleone316
      @lydieleone316 6 лет назад +2

      Luis Sierra ohhh I am haitian it's easy to know

    • @Peace2daworld
      @Peace2daworld 5 лет назад +2

      @@markwatson8725 he's not lying
      In high school it's mandatory to take both Spanish and English classes

  • @IndoAryan5989
    @IndoAryan5989 5 лет назад +18

    Haitian creole is very much like Mauritian creole! It's fascinating. In Mauritian creole we say " Nou pou aller dan magasin la" = "We will go to the store"( near future). And we would say the phrase "The thing that I need is the key. Please give it to me" = " Zafer ki mo bezwen la, se la kle la. Siouplait donn moi li"

  • @minim6981
    @minim6981 7 лет назад +84

    "bagay" also means "thing" in Tagalog (Filipino) What a coincidence

    • @Langfocus
      @Langfocus  7 лет назад +29

      +Miri M Yes, I noticed that!

    • @genius11433
      @genius11433 7 лет назад +7

      IIRC, "bagay" comes from French "baggage" (though I may be way off base). Did Tagalog have any influence from French?

    • @Thejournal-t7e
      @Thejournal-t7e 7 лет назад

      Miri M Correct me if I am mistaken. The black Pilipinos is that the language they speak? The one you mentioned.

    • @MrOmegamoi
      @MrOmegamoi 7 лет назад +5

      Miri M remember haitian creole is full with other languages word the slave came from all over.. like yo means everybody or they it's Spanish for I mean me

    • @SchniderWise
      @SchniderWise 6 лет назад +1

      Miri M Ohh really?

  • @Guyomar
    @Guyomar 7 лет назад +45

    Absolutely delighted to see a video about Haitian Creole that analyzed its relationship to French. It is quite similar to Mauritian Creole - the subject pronouns are: mo, to, li, nou, ou and zot. Really quite similar to the Haitian forms.

    • @monbebe3811
      @monbebe3811 6 лет назад +1

      Koukou lami morisienne!
      Mo koné en pé tar mé mo tro kontan mone truv 1 comentair lor nou kréol.

    • @boyslim8232
      @boyslim8232 6 лет назад

      We use Zot in Haitian Creole, but it means "les autres". I woul like to know you creole too.

  • @soukoukou4730
    @soukoukou4730 3 года назад +5

    In Martinique, Guadeloupe, Guyane, Dominica, St Lucia. Our creole is very close to Haitian creole. And we can understand each other pretty well. More over Haitian music is very appreciated in the french speaking caribbean (who also happen to speak creole). And of course in those same creole speaking island you can encounter many Haitians. They are well known for being hard workers throughout the caribbean.
    Kréyol sé pli bel lang lan ! An pil lanmoun ba nou tout pèp kréyol ! Orijinal nèg soti Matnik !

  • @benj.bloomgren3680
    @benj.bloomgren3680 7 лет назад +12

    I love Haitian Creole. I get to learn a lot about African languages while still pretty much speaking French. When I was on vacation in Orlando, Florida, I floored a couple of ladies at the hotel by speaking Creole to them. I am a big white guy. They did not expect that. I love the simplicity within the complexity of Haitian Creole.

  • @user-co9du9xd4k
    @user-co9du9xd4k 6 лет назад +42

    I'm a native speaker in Creole from Guadeloupe and Martinique, I can understand Creole from Haiti, French Guyana and La Réunion. Nobody belittled Creole in my family when I was a child and I never quite understood why people felt humiliated and so on ... As a child I used Creole with my family, my extended family also, but I spoke modern French with my friends and people I didn't know. As I grew up and I began to think about the language and even made some research, I came to realize that Creole is very close to the 17th-century French dialect that was spoken by the past slave owners. I traced all the words back to 17th century French words with some exceptions that are still a mystery to me. There are probably some African connection in the basic forms of the tense particle that are used. For me, Creole is a very functional language that appeared for functional reasons in a time when many people had to find a way to understand one another through simple means.
    Martinican Creole
    Vous (pl.) _zót_ comes from French "vous autres"
    Past tense particle "te" comes from French "été ; étais"
    Verb "ay" comes from French "aller"
    _Man té ay chèché pen-a_ can be easily reconstructed as modern French "Moi, j'é *tais* aller chercher le pain là !"
    Reading some early written Creole by some priests on the Island, one can trace back all the 17th century French words and origins of today's expressions.
    BTW, thank you for your videos ; they are very interesting !

    • @eddp.2562
      @eddp.2562 6 лет назад +3

      _ In order to prevent the Haitian language from developing . The French attached the word creole on its identity to discredit the Haitian language. The word creole is of Latin origin via a Portuguese term that mean “ a person (especially a servant) raised in one’s house”. Haiti was place in a obligatory position to abandon their language and be dependent on the French language .

    • @nicolasbachand1972
      @nicolasbachand1972 5 лет назад +3

      _ To trace back origins, you would be very interested to look into the variants of Québec French as we speak them here. For example, some of the Haitian tense markers that may seem obscure to standard ("Metropolitan") French are directly linked to usages that are still alive in Québec, particularly among older people or "lower classes". The present continuous "ap" is the word "après" in the old construction "être après [faire quelque chose]" (= to be doing sth), such as in the colloquial form "chu (=je suis) après fend' du bois" (= I'm splitting wood), the near future "pral" is a contraction of the words "pour aller" in the construction "être pour aller" (= to be about to go), such as in "j'étais pour aller avec lui) (= I was about to go with him). I could go on, there are so many similarities!

    • @moimeme6749
      @moimeme6749 4 года назад +1

      You understand french creole of la reunion because creole of the island la reunion have french words more similar as french creole of the island mauritus or seychelles islands, it is the creole of islands from indian ocean.. it's not same french creole of caribbean zone (haiti, st martin, st barthelemy, guadeloupe, dominica, martinique, st lucia, st vincent, trinidad and tobago, and french guyana in south america.... and in all caribbean islands all theses creole have their particularity expression by island or country.

    • @fanm_lesantilles4541
      @fanm_lesantilles4541 4 года назад +1

      moi meme you’re right because I’m haitian and I can only understand caribbean French creole. When I hear french creole of the Indian Ocean islands I only understand about 20% of it. I wouldn’t be able to hold a conversation. But with other Caribbean islands I can hold a full conversation with no problem.

  • @fr-mk7gh
    @fr-mk7gh 4 года назад +19

    French here, dad is from Guadeloupe. I have never been able to understand creole. It is a shame but nobody spoke it to me when I was a kid. My dad won't speak it either because of his french accent but he loves creole music, especially hatian music.
    Creole seems so close to French and yet they are not mutually intelligible. It is probably easier for me to read Spanish than creole.

  • @Nicolethelinguaphile
    @Nicolethelinguaphile 6 лет назад +45

    Thank you so much for all the research you did! I am learning Haitian Creole and knowing a little French and a lot of Spanish has helped me. It really is a fun language. Very logical and easy to write as well. I am going to go back through this video and take notes because you offered some good grammar points!

  • @roggeralves94
    @roggeralves94 7 лет назад +89

    Nice video! I always wanted to know more about Haitian Creole :)

    • @lydieleone316
      @lydieleone316 6 лет назад +1

      roggeralves94 I am haitian

    • @lydieleone316
      @lydieleone316 6 лет назад

      roggeralves94 you visit Haiti before

    • @angiejean1870
      @angiejean1870 5 лет назад

      Just come to visit Haiti. If he knows these all things about my country, it bec he came.

  • @bluebird6448
    @bluebird6448 3 года назад +15

    Wow, Haitian creole is amazing. I'm glad it's an official language on the Island...Haitians are proud of their Haitian creole, hope other countries do the same, don't give up on their own language...

  • @stayflawwsome7819
    @stayflawwsome7819 6 лет назад +169

    This is so interesting! Haitian creole is quite similar to Mauritian Creole :)

    • @neglilet
      @neglilet 6 лет назад +7

      Helloour map vini pran ou fanm nan Mauritius. Ou bèl Helloor

    • @bigplanner
      @bigplanner 6 лет назад +1

      Ernst Constant smh

    • @abelphilosophy4835
      @abelphilosophy4835 5 лет назад +2

      Really? I need to check it out. Thanks:)

    • @user-my9pw1tq8h
      @user-my9pw1tq8h 5 лет назад +3

      @@neglilet Awa mo pa lé ki to fai sa ti boug

    • @jejelaurent9495
      @jejelaurent9495 5 лет назад +2

      Yes it true I love listen to your music guys

  • @Steven-lr8df
    @Steven-lr8df 4 года назад +106

    ps: We didn't gain it from france we fought for it

    • @mbb1489
      @mbb1489 4 года назад +17

      @Michael Martinović what is the point of saying that are you 12? it's like you're a bully in a schoolyard

    • @noirstorm9639
      @noirstorm9639 4 года назад +16

      The reason whyy we are poor now is because France said we owned them for the “damages “ we cause after the war. So we spent years paying them back till we had nothing left 🗣

    • @fs400ion
      @fs400ion 4 года назад +3

      @Michael Martinović You should show more respect to this people. Les Québécois vous soutiennent, chers Haïtiens.

    • @sweetener5200
      @sweetener5200 3 года назад +4

      i love haiti i want to be haitian amd learn your creole so bad but im togolese/beninian american so im glad to have haitians as our brothers and sisters ❤❤ we were colonized too 😭

    • @limon2796
      @limon2796 3 года назад

      @Michael Martinović its ironic how youre the biggest snowflake here getting offended and defensive at everything, youre just putting your insecurities on display

  • @EMW743
    @EMW743 3 года назад +10

    Wow, thanks a million for this comprehensive lesson; for over fifty years, I have been fascinated by Haitian history and culture and this downtrodden country has always had a soft spot in my heart and I hope to one day visit it !!

  • @MrSAP1988
    @MrSAP1988 7 лет назад +31

    I'm Haitian, and you are right on the bat. I'm dual bilingual English and French, speak English with my mom and French with my dad. Both of them speak creole to me, but I sometimes reply back in creole.

    • @halisson2s
      @halisson2s 7 лет назад +1

      Why english with your mother ?

    • @MrSAP1988
      @MrSAP1988 7 лет назад +3

      Augusto Ferreira She grew up in NYC.

    • @rouskeycarpel5097
      @rouskeycarpel5097 6 лет назад +1

      Doesn't that mean you're trilingual(speaking creole, french and english). As a fellow haitian you know that creole and french are two different languages.

    • @MrSAP1988
      @MrSAP1988 6 лет назад +2

      Indeed, I'm trilingual.

    •  6 лет назад +4

      You god damned lucky bastard. I wish I were native speaker of any but one language ;_;
      I used to have a friend who was a Native of two languages. This is where the pros end, because these two languages are Polish and Silesian.

  • @zedasilva3
    @zedasilva3 7 лет назад +49

    Kreyol sounds amazing! Seriously! How cool is French with West African-influenced grammar?

    • @Langfocus
      @Langfocus  7 лет назад +15

      Yeah, it is very cool! I had fun making this video.

    • @puntakinte2049
      @puntakinte2049 7 лет назад

      zedasilva3 hey, it's Carlton!

    • @yardleyj9391
      @yardleyj9391 5 лет назад

      zedasilva3 cool and a delight to your ears and intellect.

  • @greatheadflipilillilip8505
    @greatheadflipilillilip8505 2 года назад +5

    Here because Duolingo just added a Haitian Creole course and I started it in an attempt to make learning French easier

  • @stan.pchannel6556
    @stan.pchannel6556 7 лет назад +151

    I trust this guy more than I trust a Wikipedia article.

    • @djnekkon
      @djnekkon 4 года назад +1

      Wiki is written by influencers, you can't prove them wrong. They are not there...

    • @johncenat627
      @johncenat627 4 года назад

      You can say that again

    • @Alex-mz3tg
      @Alex-mz3tg Год назад +1

      We can trust Wikipedia when it comes to languages, but you can't trust them completely.

  • @reanimationeas342
    @reanimationeas342 Год назад +23

    As a native (American) English speaker, Haitian Creole seems fairly easy. I know a few French words, a little Spanish, a little Esperanto, a little German and a little bit of Dutch

  • @haitiancreolewithluciano
    @haitiancreolewithluciano 4 года назад +16

    Great summary of the Haitian Creole language. Our language (as all languages, I guess) is still evolving and people have been getting more and more interests into our language. Nowadays, with the prominence of ‘Rap Kreyòl’, we’ve discovered the richness of the poetic aspect of the language.
    Also, We actually have a Haitian Creole dialect in the Northern Part of Haiti- in cities like Cap Haitian. It is mutually intelligible with the one we speak in the Western part of Haiti- like in Port-au-Prince, the capital- but sounds different. I am creating a vast repertoire of the language on my channel- and I’ve been learning so much, even though it is my native tongue.

  • @PrinceAnt722
    @PrinceAnt722 2 года назад +4

    This is, by far, the most informative video I have seen on this channel. Both of my parents are from Haiti, so hearing Créole, French, and English was common in my life. I had some difficulty trying to process all three languages when I was young, so English was spoken in my house while my parents would talk to each other in Créole. It wasn't until I was an adult that I was diagnosed with ADHD and Cognitive Learning Disabilities (a comorbid blending of Dyspraxia, Dysgraphia, and Dyslexia), which was a major factor in my challenges of learning French and Créole. Now, I understand both much better than before. One note that the video didn't discuss; not all Haitians can read and write Créole. Even though both of my parents can speak it, my father can read and write it. I remember him showing me the difference between the two. I truely appreciate everyone involved in the making of the video. And now, I have something to help me with teaching my children the language of our ancestors. Merci!

  • @sketchbook1
    @sketchbook1 3 года назад +6

    Kreyol is a much easier language for Americans to learn than French, since it's phonetically spelled for the most part, the accent is flat, the syntax is like English, and there are no genders to memorize. Also, all verbs are in the infinitive form.

  • @DavidSaintloth
    @DavidSaintloth 7 лет назад +11

    Ayitien American here... excellent video showing stuff I didn't know about the language! Great stuff.

    • @DavidSaintloth
      @DavidSaintloth 7 лет назад +4

      As I was born in the US, my first language is English , Creole was of course spoken and is still spoken as first language by my parents. (They speak creole to me, I respond in English back but we both understand one another).
      French I took in HS and when I took it the similarity between the two languages which I was always aware of from being a child since my mother had a French bible and was spoken by the pastor of the church we attended when they read from the bible.
      Knowing Creole makes it pretty much easy for me to read written French with about 50% of the speed that I can read and understand English. Written Kreyol I actually have a harder time reading than French.

    • @haitiancreolewithluciano
      @haitiancreolewithluciano 4 года назад

      Wait! You're Haitian and didn't know about the language? Tet chaje! You should definitely learn it! It's awesome!

    • @haitiancreolewithluciano
      @haitiancreolewithluciano 4 года назад

      @@DavidSaintloth You should definitely try to improve your Haitian Creole skills. It's an awesome language!

  • @claudiajeanpierre3098
    @claudiajeanpierre3098 4 года назад +23

    Wow you are so educated about Haitian Creole. Everything is true 🥰🇭🇹

  • @joeldesoto2867
    @joeldesoto2867 4 года назад +8

    I was born in Miami Florida. I had many Haitian friends in high school. I took French as a foreign language. My French was limited however the simplistic creole Haitian French was easy for me to understand. Many years later I was speaking to a native French speaker from Paris. We were discussing the creole French differences, This women was to arrogant. She told me she could not communicate with these people. Give me a break. I'm so glad she believes she's so educated. Above it all. People never cease to amaze me. Se vous pla... Thank you for the insight I found it very interesting.. J.D.

    • @rouskeycarpel1436
      @rouskeycarpel1436 3 года назад

      The name of the language is Haitian Creole;different language from French though they’re related.

  • @peterbaker8533
    @peterbaker8533 3 года назад +3

    Very imformative. As a Haitian devendant i remember the first time my mother took me to Haiti i was 4 years old. I could understand my cousins when they spoak to me in creole but i couldn't reply.

  • @bobmedna46
    @bobmedna46 6 лет назад +49

    I am proud to be Haitian bb!

  • @prissylily25
    @prissylily25 6 лет назад +60

    My beautiful country 🇭🇹

  • @JamesLott
    @JamesLott 7 лет назад +176

    I wish that French was written more phonetically like Haitian Creole. :P

    • @stvhb1509
      @stvhb1509 7 лет назад +5

      James Lott then French would become Haitian.

    • @kadopilo4745
      @kadopilo4745 6 лет назад +7

      Lollll! I feel ya! Lolll

    • @everforward8651
      @everforward8651 6 лет назад +1

      James, if modern French doesn't reflect its current pronunciation in its spelling, at least that non-reflective spelling is fairly consistent.

    • @BroadwayRonMexico
      @BroadwayRonMexico 5 лет назад +3

      French used to be pronounced like it's spelled (in fact, r's even used to be trilled), and Cajun still is more or less phonetic. At some point, the Parisian upper class began speaking differently and it became the norm

    • @dominiquebeaulieu
      @dominiquebeaulieu 4 года назад +1

      With time. There was a reform in the 1990's.

  • @Thejournal-t7e
    @Thejournal-t7e 7 лет назад +39

    This was a great concise explanation of our language.

  • @phoxxlee7360
    @phoxxlee7360 4 года назад +20

    I am belizean 🇧🇿 and we speak Creole as well... We're the only country that belongs to both the Caribbean, and central America.. And Latin America as well

  • @BrianaDoesStuff
    @BrianaDoesStuff 7 лет назад +13

    So I speak Haitian Creole (My second language I guess. My first memory of actually speaking it is when my parents said we were gonna see our grandparents in Haiti at 5. But maybe I knew it before then) but took French in college and SOARED! Even during oral exams, if i didn't know a word in French, I'd say it in Kreyol and that got me to pass. So that answered your last question. But I'm so happy for this video cus I knew a little about the history, but never officially knew the grammar aspects behind it. So thanks!

    • @rouskeycarpel1436
      @rouskeycarpel1436 4 года назад +1

      Briana Cameau Just saw this comment.This reminds me of when I was taking French class in 8th grade and there was an oral portion for the final.On one question I kept on saying “kabann” instead of the French word for bed “lit” and the teacher kept on looking at me funny so I had to correct myself.Passed the exam and the class though

  • @alexanderbrown2301
    @alexanderbrown2301 7 лет назад +42

    Once again a brilliant video, Thank you for making these!!!!

  • @JuL-Motiv
    @JuL-Motiv 5 лет назад +11

    Thank you for this beautiful video, proud to be a Haitian, I love my Creole language

  • @samyelogisten306
    @samyelogisten306 7 лет назад +229

    Kot moun ayisyen yo?

  • @issavybe
    @issavybe Год назад +7

    I don’t know if you’ve done a video on this already, but Québécois French and Haitian Creole have so many similarities! Would love to see a video on that!

  • @johnfleming7879
    @johnfleming7879 3 года назад +1

    I have found Haitian immigrants speak English quickly- probably because they began "code-switching"at an early age. I can sometimes pick up on Kreol conversation because I took French long ago.Once, I needed to find a close-by Catholic Parish- to attend Mass. I walked through a Haitian neighborhood to get to the Parish. All along the way, people would open their front doors to greet me.I think they wanted me to feel extra safe.My current Pastor is Haitian, as was last years valedictorian from our high school, who would read the epistle often at Mass.

  • @JamiesChaos
    @JamiesChaos 5 лет назад +9

    I have a student who only speaks Haitian Creole. Thank you for sharing information on the language so I can better assist her ❤️

    • @annacaona
      @annacaona Год назад

      I can tell you are an awesome teacher!

  • @Psycho-education
    @Psycho-education 4 года назад +5

    Woww ! you did a very great work, mèsi anpil , I'm Haitian in i live in Haiti and i saw your video while i was scrolling, congratulations for this work brother.
    You gave a lot of informations in less than 15 minutes.
    Thanks to you and, thanks to the RUclips algorithm.
    I subscribe

  • @arielacosta6382
    @arielacosta6382 Год назад +5

    I studied French at highschool and it helps to understand creole. I like Haiti and specially their music. I think Haitians don't have anything to be ashame of. In fact Haitian creole it's easier than French. I wish I could learn it faster so I could sing my favorite haitian songs.

  • @jeremybrockington6494
    @jeremybrockington6494 7 лет назад +13

    That was cool I know a lot about Haitian culture because I have plenty of Haitian friends but this was very informative!!!! 👍🏾

  • @enoisejudlley4330
    @enoisejudlley4330 Год назад +4

    So mwen pa konprann anglais men good job my brother ✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿 I'm a Haitian 🇭🇹

  • @_elliannanews_1747
    @_elliannanews_1747 3 года назад +3

    My parents are from Haiti 🇭🇹 and I was born in America 🇺🇸 so my grandma taught me my language

  • @saisaipech
    @saisaipech 5 лет назад +33

    Just saw the word "bagay" which means "thing" in Haitian Creole. Thing in Tagalog is "bagay". They may seem similar but they differ in stress placement. For sure they are "false cognates".

    • @SabinaCesar2024
      @SabinaCesar2024 4 года назад

      Shows we had Filipinos there if it's in the language 😉

    • @seid3366
      @seid3366 3 года назад +2

      Im not shure this is a False Friend, Becuz the French haven’t come to Fîlîpīns.

  • @yvamarie52
    @yvamarie52 5 лет назад +6

    Wow!
    You did a wonderful job.
    I’m haitian, I never heard the Haitian Creole depicted so well.

  • @shanumissou5743
    @shanumissou5743 2 года назад +1

    I am both English/kreyòl instructor actually living in Haiti. I must congratulate your presentation on the origin of the Haitian Creole language. One pride thing we should also add is how the Africans were forced to only speak the Masters' languages to a point where they ended up developing this new language (The Haitian Creole), which the maters themselves could not in turn even speak hear or understand it. Incredible piece of work which we further pass on from generation to generation until this very day. Your work is outstanding and we highly appreciate you educating the world..! Thank you..!

  • @idraote
    @idraote 7 лет назад +9

    A very clear video, Paul, good job!
    Knowing French farily well, I have no problem parsing written Haitian sentences as grammar is different but very logical.
    Things change when Haitian is spoken: I still recognise some words but it takes me too much time. I think a couple of months exposure would be needed to get used to it (and more to start using the creole actively).
    As a linguist, I find Haitian a very useful "living laboratory" for language change.

    • @greensofa1
      @greensofa1 5 лет назад +1

      but the Haitian Language is no creole. A creole is an inferior oral communication pidgin that borrows incomplete forms of oral expressions from other languages or sometimes dialects for immediate and quick verbal exchange. Creoles drive no specific cultural elements, no clear grammatical thought process, no grammar regulating standard structure, no clear and defined spelling, no dictionary, no literature, no written production. So those of us who observe, study, speak and fall in love with the haitian LANGUAGE call it the HAITIAN, not creole. I AM HAITIAN, I SPEAK HAITIAN.

    • @haitiancreolewithluciano
      @haitiancreolewithluciano 4 года назад

      @@greensofa1 I don't think that your definition of creole is accurate. Most creoles don't lack these linguistic features as you suggest.

    • @haitiancreolewithluciano
      @haitiancreolewithluciano 4 года назад

      It's definitely an easy language to study

    • @greensofa1
      @greensofa1 4 года назад

      Haitian Creole With Luciano Then why do you call them “creoles”? If I understand well then it is you who is lacking, since you don’t even seem to realize you’re teaching a creole not a language. You even call it “creole”. So sad...

  • @lennycoco
    @lennycoco 4 года назад +13

    Sak ap fut fet In 2019 🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹 we in the building! Wap kon Jorge

  • @michellerene3622
    @michellerene3622 3 года назад +1

    My Haitian husband keeps telling me how easy Haitian Creole is. While I've learned a few words and phrases over the years......your video puts a whole lot into perspective. If I ever concentrate on learning more, I'll be coming back to this video, for sure.

  • @synthia6428
    @synthia6428 4 года назад +16

    My parents are Haitian but didn't teach us the language. I took french in high school in the hopes of understanding my parents when they talked with my aunts and uncles. It did help! More in understanding, not speaking. I still don't understand things and am. Now taking initiative to learn! It can be challenging at time saying certain words "like" in creole is hard for me to say then in french. But I will get there.

    • @inebriatedfowl3197
      @inebriatedfowl3197 4 года назад +2

      Don't give up!

    • @kenyanicholas6809
      @kenyanicholas6809 3 года назад

      Aye my parents are from Dominica 🇩🇲 and I started learning French on Duolingo for similar reasons

  • @Zavantica
    @Zavantica 6 лет назад +15

    This guy really likes languages, thanks

  • @YorranKlees
    @YorranKlees 6 лет назад +57

    As a french creole living in Reunion island, Indian ocean, I find haitian creole really close to mine. To some extent it all sounds so familiar. Haitian creole, though, is a lot more advanced in the sense that here we're still struggling to find the roots for spelling our own. Yet I can't imagine something different from what I saw in this video happening in the next centuries. Haiti and Reunion island are so far apart, with different initial populations (or am I mistaken ? I'm not a pro on the subject), it's exciting to think that something so similar can happen in more than one place at once. Would there be one simplified, logical system to smoothe french to something more comprehensible to others ?

    • @jeansaintcyr2117
      @jeansaintcyr2117 2 года назад +4

      That's true my brother when I met people who from domica st Lucía Martinica Guadeloupe we like brother because we understand each other

    • @guyver-9717
      @guyver-9717 7 месяцев назад

      Yes Reunion Creole sounds more like a broken french than a Creole language to be honest, im from Guadeloupe by the way and my mother tongue language is Guadeloupean Creole

    • @YorranKlees
      @YorranKlees 7 месяцев назад

      ​@@guyver-9717 Creole is another language that's broken, that's how creole is made in the first place.

  • @richardkelltoolmaker
    @richardkelltoolmaker 7 лет назад +8

    Excellent tutorial, direct and to the point, so refreshing to hear no-nonsense instruction without all the waffley self obsessed junk which wastes my time from so many other channels/ contributors. 10/10

    • @Langfocus
      @Langfocus  7 лет назад

      Thanks, Richard! I'm glad you liked it!

  • @marccharles4051
    @marccharles4051 3 года назад +3

    My Haitian people are very smart. They all are quick learner.A SMART french speaking person can understand creole,but any creole speaking person can understand French.

  • @Alex-mz3tg
    @Alex-mz3tg 3 года назад +15

    Haitian is an own language, but originally it's a French-based creol. Haitian is a Romance language spoken in Haiti and it's surrounded by Spanish geographically. Haitian is very similar to French and it is derived from French. It's circa 90 or 95% French in Haitian.

    • @gracehenry4603
      @gracehenry4603 3 года назад +2

      We don’t call our language “Haitian” but everything else is correct.

    • @csavvthebarber3889
      @csavvthebarber3889 Год назад +2

      after watching this whole video you still don’t realize "Haitian" isn’t the name of the language😂 Kreyol(creole)

    • @Daron7181
      @Daron7181 Год назад

      A Franco-Fon speaking Afro Caribbean people and nation.

  • @DheeRamchandStudios
    @DheeRamchandStudios 6 лет назад +9

    It's quite interesting. I came to this video because I had a conversation with a Haitian, and it turns out Mauritian Creole (from the island of Mauritius) and Haitian Creole are linguistically very similar! It actually surprised me since the islands are around 15,000 km apart. The history of both countries are somewhat similar although we have more English and Indian influence rather than Spanish.

  • @CC-sm3bg
    @CC-sm3bg 7 лет назад +13

    7:05 It's common in French to say "faire à manger" instead of "cuisiner", so Haitian Creole is in fact quite close to French here.

  • @dwaynethorstein4095
    @dwaynethorstein4095 4 года назад +38

    In Louisiana French we often say, j' connais (j'sais) faire le manger. Connaitre and savoir are often used interchangeably. Nourriture is a standard French word while Louisiana French is based more on older French dialects and colloquial.

    • @agatheherrou7333
      @agatheherrou7333 4 года назад +2

      In French from France we can also say "le manger" but it's considered a very spoken and informal form (and not a correct form at all by language purists), yet it exists. Honestly to me it sounds over-formal to say "faire de la nourriture" vs "faire à manger".

    • @DrAElemayo
      @DrAElemayo 4 года назад

      @@agatheherrou7333 Do people use "cuisiner" in spoken/informal language or is it mostly "le manger"?

    • @Kai-xr6vs
      @Kai-xr6vs 4 года назад

      definitely "cuisiner" is used, "faire à manger" is a lot like "make something to eat", but a little more informal than that, and "cuisiner" means "to cook", the main word in both formal and informal language to mean "to cook". At least for me.

    • @Satan-lb8pu
      @Satan-lb8pu 7 месяцев назад

      Highly disagree. Faire à manger in french is more common than saying cuisiner

  • @dyfrakt
    @dyfrakt 7 лет назад +5

    I am from Canada, and I speak Acadian-French, which is a regional dialect of the French language. I am just blown away by some of the similarities between our dialect and Haitian Creole. Where I am from, we don't say "Je sais cuisiner" (although we know what it means, it just sounds too 'formal' to us). We would say "Ché comment faire à manger" (where 'Ché' means 'Je sais'). Also, the french word 'moi' (which means 'me'), we pronounce it more like 'mouais'. So I understood 'Mwen konn fè manje', right away! Another example: 'e sa se chyen mwen' vs 'et ça c'est l'chien à mouais'! LOL!!! Great video!

    • @MrOmegamoi
      @MrOmegamoi 7 лет назад +2

      Mathieu-Andre Chiasson I went to Montreal and I heard quebecois call money pias I was amazed to hear that . same in Haiti we refer money as pias

    • @jackspalden5143
      @jackspalden5143 6 лет назад +1

      Mathieu-Andre Chiasson Eh heh exactement mon ami!

    • @jackspalden5143
      @jackspalden5143 6 лет назад

      Reggie senshaitian Yes piastres.

    • @reximperatur1146
      @reximperatur1146 5 лет назад

      Matieu-Andre Chiasson There's a reason for the similarity. In Haitian history it is taught that Saint-Domingue was used as land of relocation for Acadians and later colonists from Nouvelle France who did not want to be under British rule after 1763.