There are nine parts of speech in the Haitian Creole Language. The parts of speech tell us how the word functions in meaning as well its use in grammar. Understanding them is essential to deliver the right message
In Haitian Creole grammar, an “article” functions as a determiner used after a noun to indicate its number (singular or plural). Unlike English, which has only one definite article (“the”), Haitian Creole has six: “a,” “la,” “an,” “nan,” “lan,” and “yo.” These articles serve to provide more specific information about the noun they follow.
Examples:
a, la, an, nan, lan, yo
A pronoun is a word that takes place of a noun. A pronoun is used to substitute for a specific noun which is called the antecedent.
Examples:
mwen, ou, li, nou, nou, yo
A verb tells what action someone or something is doing. It also expresses state of being.
Examples:
Action: ale, kouri, naje, sote, chante
State of Being: ye, e, se, ès
An adjective describes a noun or a pronoun. It usually answers the question of how many, what kind, or which one.
Haitian Creole adjectives operate much like verbs. To set them apart from action verbs such as “to do,” “to eat,” and “to go,” we refer to them as “descriptive verbs”
Examples:
kontan, fò, mwens, kèk, mov, bèl
An adverb is a word that describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb. It usually answers the question of when, where, how, why, under what conditions, or to what degree.
Examples:
pafètman, yè, isit, konplètman, twò, anpil
A preposition relates a noun or a pronoun to another word in the sentence. It is usually placed before a noun or pronoun to form a phrase modifying another word in the sentence.
Examples:
a-kote, anba, andedan, jiska, ozalantou, pre
A conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses. It indicates the relationship between the elements joined.
Examples:
avek, men, oswa, pandan, paske
An interjection is a word that expresses an emotion or strong feelings. It is often followed by an exclamation point.
Examples:
Oh!
Waw!
Mezanmi woy!
Rete!
Anmwey !
Capitalization refers to the use of uppercase letters in writing. It’s the practice of starting sentences with a capital letter and using capital letters for proper nouns (names of specific people, places, or things), the first letter of a person’s name, and for the pronoun.
Examples:
Oh!
Bonjou
Liv
Respè
Jeremi
Punctuation refers to the marks and symbols used in writing to enhance clarity and meaning. Punctuation helps organize sentences, indicate pauses, convey tone, and clarify the intended message in written communication.
Examples:
Pwen
Pwen vigil
Gimè
Entèwogasyon
Èksklamasyon
Definition, Types, and Examples
se: be
klib: club
lekòl: school
bagay: thing
manm: menber
Mwen ye
ou ye
li ye
nou ye
nou ye
yo ye
A verb is a word that expresses an action or a state of being.
Together with nouns, verbs are the primary elements of a sentence or phrase.
Loulou listens to music.
loulou ap tande mizik
The verb ” tande ” in the sentence above expresses an action of the subject “Loulou.”
Loulou is a member of the school’s dance club.
Loulou se yon manma nan klib dans lekòl la.
The verb “is” “ se ”in the sentence above expresses the state of being of the subject “ALoulou.”
Using verbs, one can identify whether an action occurred in the past, is occurring in the present, or will occur in the future. Verbs express time through these tense forms.
Kay te sote kòd
Kay skipped rope
Kay sote kòd.
Kay skippes rope.
Kay pral sote kòd.
Kay will skip rope.
An action verb describes what someone or something does. Remember that action verbs are not always physical actions; they can also be mental actions.
Physical Action:
Jewòn li yon liv.
Jewòm read a book
The verb “read” li expresses a physical action done by the subject “Jewòm”
Mental Action:
Jewòm thought of something.
Jewòn panse de yon bagay.
The verb “thought” expresses a mental action done by the subject “Jewòm.”
liv : book
li : read
panse: think
bagay: thing
Mwen li
ou li
li li
nou li
nou li
yo li.
run : kouri
skip: sote
play: jwe
sing : chante
draw : desine
walk : mache
eat : manje
sleep : dòmi
watch : gade
wave : voye men
know : konnen
realize: reyalize
hope : espere
decide : deside
believe : kwè
imagine : imajine
guess : devine
feel : santi
understand: konprann
recognize : rekonèt
A linking verb expresses a state of being and relates the subject to other parts of a sentence. Be ( se, e, ès ye) verbs and sense verbs are considered linking verbs.
Be verbs are the most commonly used linking verbs.
Karin se yon tifi
Karin is a girl.
The be verb “se ” expresses a state of being of the subject “Aaron.”
Other be verbs are “se, ye, e, ès”
A sense verb describes one of the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, and touch.
Other verbs that can be considered as linking verbs are the following:
appear : parèt
become : devni
feel : santi
stay : rete
grow : grandi
look: gade
remain: rete
taste: goute
seem : samble
smell : prant sant
sound : fè son
turn : tounen, vini
Benira devni yon Samba:
Benira became a poet.
The sense verb “became” expresses a state of being of the subject “Aaron.”
