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Kreyol Matnik
The Language of Martinique




Click Here to learn about the Creole of Haiti.
Click here to learn about the Creole of Louisiana.



Grammar



Click here for an online English-Kreyol Matnik Vocabulary.
Coming Soon.

Pronunciation
Go here to learn about pronunciation.

Common Expressions
Go here to learn some useful Kreyol Matnik sentences.
Coming soon.

Articles
Indefinite article is placed before the noun.........youn
Definite article is attached by hyphen to the end of the noun
1. after a consonant add -la
tab = table
youn tab = a table
tab la = the table
sè tab la = the tables

2. after nasals (m, n, gn, ng) add -nan
fanm = family
youn fanm = a family
fanm lan = the family
sè fanm lan = the families

3. after vowels add -a
bato = boat
youn bato = a boat
bato a = the boat
sè bato a = the boats

Nouns
Nouns have no gender

Plurals
for plural place sè before the noun and la, lan, a after it.
bèf = cow
sè bèf la = (the) cows

Possession
Kreyol doesn't use 's to show possession, nor does it use "of". To expression possession or "of the", you place the thing possessed in front of the possessor.
kay Jan. Jean's house.
finèt loto a. the car's window. / the window of the car

Pronouns
There is only one form of the pronoun. Any change is caused for liaison and not for case.

singular plural
1stm / mwennou
2ndw / ouzòt
3rdi / y
li after a consonant		 y / yo

When the pronoun precedes a verb, it is the subject.
When it follows a verb, it is the direct object.
When two pronouns follow a verb, the first is the indirect object and the second is the direct object.
When the pronoun follows a noun, it is the possessive adjective.
For the subject of a verb, you usually use the abbreviated form.
For the subject of an adjective or linking verb, use the full form.
For the object of the verb, put the full form to the after of the verb (except for mwen which is at times abbreviated )

Adjectives
Adjectives require no verb and are translated as "to be..."
malad = sick
Mwen malad. = I am sick.
Nou malad. = We are sick.

Comparison
tro = too (much)
plis = more, most
place pli before the adjective = -er, more

I vye = He is old.
I pli vye = He is older.
I pli vye.= He is oldest.

more..... than pi .... ki
less .... than mwens ... ki
as.....as tankou


I pli vye ki frè li. = He is older than his brother.
I mwens bèl ki sè li. = He is less pretty than his sister.


Adverbs
In making adverbs from adjectives, -man is like the English -ly.
ra = rare
raman = rarely
konplèt = whole
konplètman = wholly

Verbs

The base verb is used as infinitive, as imperative, as simple present and simple past with time being learned from context. Other tenses are made by adding verbal particles.
Go here to see the complete conjugation of a Kreyol verb.There should be no irregular verbs.

To Be
The linking verbs sè / yè connects two nouns in a "to be" statement. Sè is not needed if there is a noun and an adjective. Yè is used for emphasis. See below for details.

Types of Sentences.
A. To be sentences with a noun and verbal adjective.
Mwen las. = I am tired.
Yo nan marchè. = They are at the market.

In this sentence, you may still use the verb particles even though the verb is understood (or missing).

In interrogative sentences, add yè to the end.
Kikotè yo yè? = Where are they?

B. To be sentences with sè.
Use sè if
1. predicate is a noun (it is a ...)
John sè youn jadinye. = John is a gardener.

2. subject is sa (that)
Sa sè bon. = That is good.

3. predicate is non-inherent adjective/noun
4. emphatic statements with yè
Sè matnik mwen yè = I am haitian
move predicate to second position with subject in third and add yè

C. To be sentence without the subject noun.
Sè youn machin. = It's a car.

D. Transitive sentences.
These follow the "subject - verb - indirect object - direct object" format.
Ou a wè youn gro bato. = You will see a big boat.
Yo tè ban-mwen anpil lajan. = They gave me a lot of money.

I montre sè timoun lan liv la. = He showed the children the book.( or the book to the children).
I montre yo liv la.= He showed them the book.
I montre yo li. = He showed it to them.

E. Transitive/ Intransitive sentence.
Contains a noun phrase subject, a predicate containing an intransitive verb, and, sometimes, one or more adverbials.
I vini jodi-a. = He came today.
Anita ap desann Fòdefrans. = Anita is going down to Fort-de-France.

For To (..Do) Phrases
Use pou, for.
Mwen gen tan pou fè bagay-la.
I have time to do this thing. (pou = for to...)

Necessity
Use ni....pou or dwèt.
pou, should
Kikote li ale? = Where did he go?
Kikote pou li ale? =Where should he go?

fo, should/must
place fo at beginning of sentence
Dwèt ou ale. = You have to go.

Relative Sentences.
For (that) relative make two sentences
or add ke between the sentences

Li di-li ke li prale. = He told him that he's going.

For the meaning "that which"or "what", you the same format and sa in place of ke
Li di-li sa li we. = He said what he knows

If/Then Statements
In if/then statements the if part uses tè
the then part uses ta

Si mwen tè konnen sa, mwen pa ta fè-li. = If I had known that, I would not have done it.

Recently Completed Action
fini, finish
Mwen fini manje=I have just eaten


Ability Use pé (to be able)

Preference
Temporal subordination
Le ou ké vini, mwen ka travay. = When you come, I'll be working.
Pandan ou tè dòmi, mwen tè travay.= While you slept, I worked.
Negative
To make a statement negative place pa before the verb.

pa not
pa janm never
pa ____ anyen not ____ anything (nothing)
pa ____ pèsonn not ____ anybody (nobody)


Mwen wè youn moun. = I see a man.
M pa wè youn moun. = I don't see a man.
M pa janm wè sè moun lan. = I never see men.
M pa wè anyen.= I don't see anything.
M pa wè pèsonn. = I don't see anyone.

Questions?
To make a question without the use of question words, raise your intonation at the end of the sentence... Ou rele Paul. = Your name is Paul.
Ou rele Pal? = Is your name Paul?




Paj-la sè Istwa Kreyòl Matnik la.
The Kreyol Story Page.
Coming Soon.

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Kreyol Links

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