Haitian Creole Translation Services
Language History
Haitian Creole is a French-based language that formed in the 17th and 18th centuries between French colonists and African slaves in Haiti. It became recognized as Haiti’s official language (along with French) in 1961. At first, Haitian Creole was not a written language, but merely a language used for communication. It wasn’t until the 1980s when the first official and standardized Haitian orthography was created.
Where is Haitian Creole Spoken?
Haitian Creole is spoken by approximately 12 million people around the world.
Haitian Creole is spoken in Haiti by around 7 million people; however, it is also spoken in the Bahamas, Canada, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, France, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. (Ethnologue).
FACT
Haitian Creole is often mistakenly thought of as a French dialect or “broken French”.
Did you know
The main differences between Haitian Creole and French lie in their grammar. Alsintl.com reports that “the conjugation of verbs, pluralization of nouns and other linguistic nuances make Haitian Creole its own separate language that needs to be translated as such.”
Haitian Creole
Haitian Dialects
Northern dialect – spoken in Cap-Haitien
Central dialect – spoken in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince
Southern dialect – spoken in Cayes
Haitian Creole
| Haitian Creole | English |
|---|---|
| Bonjou | Hello |
| Kijan ou rele? | What is your name? |
| Eskize mwen | Excuse me |
| Kijan ou ye? | How are you? |
Population vs. Internet Penetration
Population
11,402,528
Internet users
3,650,555
Penetration
32.0%
FACT
Most of Haitian Creole vocabulary is derived from French, however it has also borrowed words from English, Spanish, Wolof, Fon, and Éwé. For example, diri derives from the French word du riz (rice), and sapat comes from the Spanish word zapato (shoe).
Haitian Creole Translation Tips
- To signify tense, a system of markers which come before the verb are used.
- There is no grammatical gender in the Haitian Creole language.
- Haitian Creole uses the subject-verb-object sentence structure.
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