Haitian Creole Alphabet
About this content
What are the letters in the Haitian Creole alphabet?
Haitian Creole is a beautiful language with it is own alphabet and pronunciation rules. Learning and following these rules is essential. Not only will you easily understand others but you will be understood as well. “Kreyòl pale, Kreyòl konprann” does not apply to mispronunciation. Improved pronunciation means improving listening skills. Two for one!
Target Level
Beginners and intermediate learners
What can you achieve with this content?
- Learn the actual letters of the Haitian Creole alphabet. Hint: it is not “like French”
- Watch how to position your lips, tongue, etc. for proper pronunciation
- Improve your pronunciation
Important rules about the Haitian Creole alphabet
Learn the letters in the Haitian Creole alphabet first
When natives spell a word, they will likely use the French alphabet
If you’re saying or reading a word, remember:
- there are no silent letters in a word
- pronounce every Haitian letter in a word
- every letter has only one way it is pronounced
What are the letters in the Haitian Creole alphabet?
Focus on perfecting one sound for the week as you read aloud and speak to others. You can get more exclusive information by beginning our self study source.
Use our playlist below to watch and listen to all the letters of the Haitian alphabet.
A (Vowel)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: a
Spelling in French: a
Short and firm sound
Same as the French a as in la
Similar to the English a as in la-la-la
ava [a-va] greedy
mas [mas] March
anana [a-na-na] pineapple
almanak [al-ma-nak] calendar
À (Vowel)
Àn [àn] Ann, name of a person
Dànyèl [dà-nyèl] Daniel
Antwàn [an-twàn] Antoine
anpàn [an-pàn] mechanical malfunction
E (Vowel)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: e
Spelling in French: e
Short and firm sound
Same as the French é as in bébé
Similar to the English i as in did
ze [ze] egg
pye [pye] foot
ede [e-de] to help
pedale [pe-da-le] to pedal, to ride
È (Vowel)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: è
Spelling in French: e aksanfòs
Short and firm sound
Similar to the English e as in let
èd [èd] help
pyè [pyè] stone, rock
dèyè [dè-yè] behind, back
pèmèt [pè-mèt] to allow
I (Vowel)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: i
Spelling in French: i
Short and firm sound
Similar to the English ee as in meet
li [li] he, she, it, to read
imid [i-mid] humidity
fini [fi-ni] to finish
kilbite [kil-bi-te] to knock over
O (Vowel)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: o
Spelling in French: o
Short and firm sound
Similar to the English o as in oh oh
do [do] back, rear
biwo [bi-wo] office, desk
foto [fo-to] picture
osito [o-si-to] as soon as
Ò (Vowel)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: ò
Spelling in French: o aksangrav
Short and firm sound
Similar to the English a as in the awesome
lò [lò] gold
òlòj [ò-lòj] clock
dòmi [dò-mi] to sleep
manyòk [man-yòk] cassava
OU (Vowel)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: ou (one sound)
Spelling in French: o u
Short and firm sound
Similar to the English oo as in pool
poul [poul] chicken
ouvè [ou-vè] to open
foumi [fou-mi] ant
soukous [sou-kous] jolt, tremor
AN (Nasal Vowel)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: an (one sound)
Spelling in French: a èn
Do not pronounce the “n”
Not to be confused with “àn“
Air should pass through the nose
Similar to the English u as in funk
ban [ban] bench
ansanm [an-sanm] together
dezan [de-zan] two years
swasant [swa-sant] 60
EN (Nasal Vowel)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: en (one sound)
Spelling in French: e èn
Do not pronounce the “n”
Air should pass through the nose
Similar to the English e as in end
en [en] one
fen [fen] end
genyen [gen-yen] to have
vennsenk [venn-senk] 25
ON (Nasal Vowel)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: on (one sound)
Spelling in French: o èn
Do not pronounce the “n”
Air should pass through the nose
Similar to the English o as in honk
onz [onz] eleven
pon [pon] bridge
konte [kon-te] to count
bonbon [bon-bon] cookie
OUN (Nasal Vowel)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: oun (one sound)
Spelling in French: o u èn
Air should pass through the nose
If “oun is found in the beginning or middle of a word, it is pronounced as one letter. OUN. The “n” is not pronounced
If “oun” is found at the end of a word, it becomes two letters. OU-N.
There is no equivalent English sound
oungan [oun-gan] voodo priest
ounsi [oun-si] female apprentice to an oungan
ountò [oun-tò] spirit of voodoo drums
mazounbèl [ma-zoun-bèl] similar to yam
UI (Semivowel)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: ui (one sound)
Spelling in French: u i
Short and firm sound
There is no equivalent English sound
uit [uit] eight
suiv [suiv] to follow
Juif [Juif] Jewish
lannuit [lan-nuit] at night
W (Semivowel)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: wa
Spelling in French: doubvè
Similar to the English w as in wet
wè [wè] to see
wouj [wouj] red
nwa [nwa] black
kaw [kaw] raven
Y (Semivowel)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: ya
Spelling in French: igrèk
Similar to the English y as in yet
yè [yè] yesterday
pye [pye] foot
piyay [pi-yay] dirt cheap, ampil
ayayay [a-ya-yay] wow, oh man
B (Consonant)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: ba
Spelling in French: be
Similar to the English b as in bet
bat [bat] to beat, to strike
kabann [ka-bann] bed
CH (Consonant)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: cha (one sound)
Spelling in French: se ach
Similar to the English sh as in shape
chich [chich] stingy
achte [ach-te] to buy
D (Consonant)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: da
Spelling in French: de
Similar to the English d as in do
de [do] two
dodo [do-do] sleep
F (Consonant)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: fa
Spelling in French: èf
Similar to the English f as in fit
fou [fou] crazy
kafe [ka-fe] coffee
G (Consonant)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: ga
Spelling in French: je
Similar to the English g as in get
goumen [gou-men] to fight
figi [fi-gi] face
H (Consonant)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: ha
Spelling in French: ach
Similar to the English h as in hat
hap [hap] harp
hehey [he-hey] oops! wow!
J (Consonant)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: ja
Spelling in French: ji
Similar to the English s as in pleasure
ji [ji] juice
aji [a-ji] to act
K (Consonant)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: ka
Spelling in French: ka
Similar to the English c as in cat
kou [kou] neck
pakin [pa-kin] to park, garage
L (Consonant)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: la
Spelling in French: èl
Similar to the English l as in love
lou [lou] wolf
lanmou [lan-mou] love
M (Consonant)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: ma
Spelling in French: èm
Similar to the English m as in man
moun [moun] people
tomat [to-mat] tomato
N (Consonant)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: na
Spelling in French: èn
Similar to the English n as in nap
nèf [nèf] nine
kadna [kad-na] padlock
NG (Consonant)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: ang (one sound)
Spelling in French: èn je
Similar to the English ng as in sing
lang [lang] tongue, language
zing [zing] tiny bit, small piece
P (Consonant)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: pa
Spelling in French: pe
Similar to the English p as in pet
pè [pè] scared
epe [e-pe] sword
R (Consonant)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: ra
Spelling in French: èr
Starts from the throat
It is not “w” sound in English
There is no equivalent English sound
ri [ri] to laugh
fatra [fa-tra] garbage, garbage can
S (Consonant)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: sa
Spelling in French: ès
Similar to the English s as in sit
sèt [sèt] seven
panse [pan-se] to think, thought
T (Consonant)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: ta
Spelling in French: te
Similar to the English t as in to
tè [tè] earth, ground
retrete [re-tre-te] to back out, reitree
V (Consonant)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: va
Spelling in French: ve
Similar to the English v as in vanity
vire [vi-re] to turn
neve [ne-ve] nephew
Z (Consonant)
Spelling in Haitian Creole: za
Spelling in French: zèd
Similar to the English z as in zoo
zen [zen] gossip, fishhook
peze [pe-ze] to press, to weigh