Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Grammar: Asking "Wh" questions with the verb To Be

Asking who, what, where, when and how questions with the verb To Be:

What - Ki sa + Subject + ye

Who - Ki moun + Subject + ye

Who - Kilès + Subject + ye

Where - Ki kote + Subject + ye

When - Ki lè + Subject + ye

How - Kòman + Subject + ye

How much - Kombyen + subject + ye

*How many - Kombyen + subject + ki + inquiring sentence

*How come - Kòman fè + inquiring sentence

*Why - Pouki sa + inquiring sentence

*Why - Pouki + inquiring sentence


Example:

1. Who are you? Ki lès ou ye? Or Ki moun ou ye?

2. What is this? Ki sa sa-a ye?

3. When is the party? Ki lè fèt la ye?

4. How is the food? Kòman manje a ye?

5. Where is the river? Kote rivyè - a ye? or Ki kote rivyè-a ye?

6. Why is she angry? Pouki sa li fache?

7. How come you are happy? Kòman fè ou kontan?

8. How come she is still here? Kòman fè li la toujou?

9. How much are these apples? Kombyen pòm sa yo ye?

10. How many people are there? Kombyen moun ki la?
_________________________________________

Let’s review. Translate the following sentences.

1. Who is this lady?

2. What is this thing?

3. When is the flight?

4. Where is the ball?

5. How are you?

Find answer key at the bottom of this page.



 1.kilès madanm sa ye?    2.Kisa bagay sa ye?    3.Kilè vòl la ye?    4.Ki kote boul la ye?    5.Kòman ou ye? or Kijan ou ye?

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Grammar: Asking "wh" Questions with other verbs

Asking who, what, where, when and how questions with other verbs.

What - Ki sa + Inquiring sentence

Who - Ki moun ki + Inquiring sentence

Who - Kilès ki + Inquiring sentence

Where - Ki kote + Inquiring sentence

Where - Kote + Inquiring sentence

When - Ki lè + Inquiring sentence

How - Kòman / Ki jan + Inquiring sentence

Why - Poukisa + inquiring sentence

Why - Pouki + inquiring sentence

How - Ki jan + inquiring sentence

How come - Kòman fè + inquiring sentence

How much - Kombyen + noun + inquiring sentence

How many - Kombyen + noun + inquiring sentence



Example:

1. What will we eat tonight? - Ki sa nou pral manje aswè-a?

2. What do you want? - Ki sa ou vle?

3. What can we do? - Ki sa nou kab fè?

4. Who wrote the letter? - Kilès ki ekri lèt la?

5. Why do you sing? - Poukisa ou chante?

6. How do open a coconut? -  Kijan ou ouvè yon kokoye?

7. where do live? -  kote ou abite?

8. Who gave you that book? - Kilès ki ba ou liv sa?

__________________________________________________

1. Let’s go to the theater. What do you say?

2. Who ate my oranges?

3. What did you do in class today?

4. How did you make that dress?

5. Where did you see her?

Find answer key at the bottom of this page.



1.An nou ale nan teyat la, kisa ou di?    2. Kilès ki te manje zoranj mwen yo?    3.Kisa ou te fè nan klas jodi-a?    4.Kòman ou te fè rad sa-a? or Kijan ou te fè rad sa-a?    5.Ki kote ou te wè li?


Monday, March 8, 2010

Grammar: Asking Yes and No Questions

To ask a Yes or No question, we write "Eske" in front of the sentence.

I am happy. Mwen kontan.
Am I happy? Eske mwen kontan?

She is a student. Li se yon elèv.
Is she a student? Eske li se yon elèv?

You eat quickly - ou manje vit
Do you eat quickly? - Eske ou manje vit?

________________________________________________
Let’s review. Translate the following sentences.

1. The babies were crying.

2. Were the babies crying?

3. He gave me a ring.

4. Did he give me a ring?

5. They speak Creole.

6. Do they speak Creole?

Find answer key at the bottom of this page.



1. Ti bebe yo tap kriye    2.eske ti bebe yo tap kriye?    3.li te ban m yon bag   4.eske li te ban m yon bag?    5.yo pale kreyol    6.eske yo pale Kreyol











Sunday, March 7, 2010

Grammar: Future Tense and other Verbs

Future Tense and Other Verbs

Future Tense = Subject + Pral + Verb

Or…Future Tense = Subject + Ap + Verb

Contraction: = Subject + P + Verb

(Study the different ways to say something in the future tense)

Examples:

(To go - ale)
1. She will go tomorrow.
(non contracted) - li pral ale demen
(contracted) - li prale demen
(Contracted) - li pral demen


(To see - wè)
2. I will see Joan tomorrow.
(non contracted) Mwen pral wè Joan demen
(contracted)  Mwen ap wè Joan demen
(contracted) M ap wè Joan demen = Map wè Joan demen

(To bring - pote)
3. He will bring the plate.
li pral pote plat la
li ap pote plat la
l ap pote plat la = lap pote plat la

(To be)
4. They will be there.
yo pral la
yo ap la
 yap la

(To sit - chita)
5. We will sit in front.
nou pral chita devan
nou ap chita devan
nap chita devan

____________________________________________
Let’s review. Translate the following sentences.

1. The book will fall.

2. She will tell the story.

3. They will fight.

4. We will have more money.

5. Carline will sit here.

Find answer key at the bottom of this page.



1.liv la pral tonbe    2.li pral rakonte istwa a    3.yo pral batay or yo pral goumen    4.nou pral gen plis lajan    5.Carline pral chita la











Saturday, March 6, 2010

Grammar: Future Tense - Verb To Be

The Verb To Be - Future Tense

The future tense of the verb to be is formed by adding pral after the subject.

I will be late. - M pral anreta.

We will be surprised. - Nou pral sezi.

This will be a great day. Sa pral yon gran jou.

She will be a great painter. Li pral yon gran pent.

Those will be ripe. Sa yo pral mi.

That car will be yours. Machin sa pral pa w.

These shoes will be hers. Soulye sa yo pral pa li.
_____________________________________

Let’s review. Translate the following sentences.

1. The oranges will be ripe.

2. That house will be mine.
______________________________________

Negative and Future Tense of the verb To Be = Subject + Pa + Pral

or

Contracted form = Subject + Pap

Example:

Regular formM pa pral la. (I will not be here.)
Contracted: M pap l.a (Iwill not be here.)

Regular form: M pa pral nan machin nan. (I will not be in the car.)
Contracted: M pap nan machin nan. (I will not be in the car)

Regular form:  Chantal pa pral chante. (Chantal will not sing)
Contracted: Chantal pap chante. (Chantal will not sing)

Regular form: Zoranj yo pa pral mi. (The oranges will not be ripe)
Contracted: Zoranj yo pap mi.  (The oranges will not be ripe.)

Regular form: Ti Bebe a pap la. (The little baby won't be there)
Contracted: Ti Bebe a pa pral la. (The little baby won't be there)

Regular form: Li pap nan bato a. (She will not be on the boat)
Contracted form: Li pa pral nan nan bato a. (She will not be on the boat.)

Regular form: Tika pap kontan. (Tika will not be happy)
Contracted: Tika pap pral kontan. (Tika will not be happy)
____________________________________________
Let’s practice what we have learned about the verb TO BE so far. Translate the following sentences.

1. I am hungry.

2. I am not hungry.

3. I was hungry.

4. I was not hungry.

5. I will be hungry.

6. I wil not be hungry

7. She is in the crowd

8. She is not in the crowd

9. She was in the crowd

10. She was not in the crowd

11. She will be in the crowd

12. She will not be in the crowd.

Find answer key at the bottom of this page.

1.m grangou    2.m pa grangou    3.m te grangou    4.m pa te grangou    5.m pral grangou    6.m pa pral grangou    7.Li nan foul la    8.li pa nan foul la    9.li te nan foul la    10.li pa te nan foul la    11.li pral nan foul la    12.li pa pral nan foul la


Friday, March 5, 2010

Grammar: Past Tense

Past tense of the verb  TO BE

The past tense of the verb To Be is formed by adding te after the subject.

She was a nurse.  - Li te yon enfimyè.

Jonas was my friend.  - Jonas te zanmi m.

This was a bird.
  - Sa te yon zwazo.

It was a book - se te yon liv

It was a sad day - se te yon jou tris

Those were Journalists.  - Sa yo te jounalis.

Jo was a great singer.  - Jo te yon gran chantè.
____________________________________

Part I - Here is a little practice. Translate the following sentences.

1. This food was good.

2. Cedò was a friend.

3. That was an airplane.

4. It was a big day.

5. I was happy.

Find your answer key at the bottom of this page.

_____________________________________

Past tense of OTHER VERBS


Past tense = Subject + Te + Verb

*Sometimes people will omit the “te” and just use the present tense when talking of the past.
Examples:
She fell. - Li te tonbe. (or sometimes, 'li tonbe')

We went - nou te ale

I did it - m te fè li

Monète ran fast - Monète te kouri vit

he knocked at the door - li te frape pòt la
___________________________________________

Part II - Let’s review: Please translate the following.

1. I understood

2. we loved it

3. she spoke well

4. we sat together

5. they ate it

6. She went to Haiti this morning.

7. We gave her a big kiss.

8. They cried.

9. She called us when she arrived.

10. She saw a lot of trees.

Find answer key at the bottom of this page

Part I -1.manje sa te bon    2.Cedò se te yon zanmi    3.sa se te yon avyon     4.se te yon gwo jou    5.m te kontan


Part II - 1.m te konprann    2.nou te renmen l    3.li te pale byen    4.nou te chita ansanm    5.li te manje l    6.Li te ale Ayiti maten an    7.Nou te ba li yon gwo bobo    8.Yo te kriye    9.Li te rele nou lè li te rive    10.Li te wè anpil pye bwa



Thursday, March 4, 2010

Grammar: Demonstrative Adjectives: This, That, These, Those

Demonstrative adjectives: This/That .... These/Those occur after the noun.

1. This girl - Ti fi sa

2. This car - Machin sa

3. This book - liv sa

4. That house - Kay sa

5. That table - Tab sa

6. These people - Moun sa yo

7. these clothes - rad sa yo

8. those chairs - chèz sa yo
_______________________________________

Let's practice. Translate the following sentences.

1. These lessons are easy.

2.  This man is my dad.

3.  This book is red.

4. She sings this same song everyday.

5. I take this car. You take that bike.

6. This church is spacious.

7. Those books are mine.

Find answer key at the bottom of this page.



1.leson sa yo fasil    2.mesye sa se papa mwen   3.liv sa wouj   4.li te chante menm chante sa yè    5.map pran machin sa. Ou ap pran bisiklèt sa    6.legliz sa gen anpil espas    7.liv sa yo se pa m


















Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Grammar: Demonstrative pronouns: This is, That is, These are, Those are

Affirmative sentences
This is - Sa se
That is - Sa se
These are - Sa yo se
Those are - Sa yo se

Negative sentences
This is not - Sa se pa
That is not - Sa se pa
These are not - Sa yo se pa
Those are not - Sa yo se pa

Examples:
1. This is my car - Sa se machin mwen.

2. That is a pretty ring. - Sa se yon bèl bag.

3. This is not a good sign. - Sa se pa yon bon siy.

4. These are mine. - Sa yo se pa m.

5. Those are yours. - Sa yo se pa w.

6.  This is a small house. - Sa se yon ti kay.

7.  These are my children. - Sa yo se pitit mwen.

______________________________________________

Let's practice. Please translate the following sentences.

1. This is your book.

2. That is not my house.

3. That is your car.

4. This is ridiculous!

5. That is not a boat.

Find answer key at the bottom of this page.


 1.sa se liv ou a    2.sa se pa kay mwen    3.sa se machin ou     4.Sa se blòf!    5.sa se pa yon bato