Bonjou! Learn to Speak Haitian Creole

Bonjou! ...Mèsi! ...E Orevwa! Search for English or Haitian Creole words translation. Also search the whole site for expressions, idioms and grammar rules. And ask questions about the language in the ASK QUESTIONS HERE section.

Most requested translations added here for your convenience: I love you → Mwen renmen w. I miss you → Mwen sonje w. My love!Lanmou mwen!

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Lesson 23 - Future Tense - Verb To Be

The Verb To Be - Future Tense

The future tense of the verb to be is formed by adding pral, ap, or ape 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 p'ap l.a (Iwill not be here.)

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

Regular form:  Chantal pa pral chante. (Chantal will not sing)
Contracted: Chantal p'ap chante. (Chantal will not sing)

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

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

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


Thanks! Shane :)

Regular form: Tika p'ap kontan. (Tika will not be happy)
Contracted: Tika p'ap 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


6 comments:

  1. On some of these the contracted form and the regular form are reversed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Reversed?

      Does seeing that way help you understand it better?

      Delete
  2. Here is an example:

    "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.)"

    It seems like the heading for those is reversed? "Li pap nan bato a." is the contracted form right?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes, Li p'ap nan bato a is the contraction for Li pa ap nan bato a.

    the affirmative version is using "AP" as future indicator:
    Li ap nan bato a. (He will be on the boat)

    then we add the negative indicator "pa":
    Li pa ap nan bato a. (He will not be on the boat)

    Then we contract it, because it sounds better that way :)
    Li p'ap nan bato a. (He will not be on the boat)

    Dakò zanmi?

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think we are not understanding each other. :)

    I think understand this concept, but I was just trying to point out what looks like a typo in two of the examples.

    Above you have this:

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

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

    The example just under that looks reversed as well. If I'm wrong, I sincerely apologize.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah! I see :)

      You are absolutely right my friend!
      It IS actually an error :)

      I should have reversed or switched "regular form" and "contracted form" in both these examples.

      Mr. Wendel, Mwen pa konnen kote tèt mwen ye :)

      Thanks for noticing that. I will correct it.

      Chapo ba pou ou zanmi!

      Delete