M la literally, “I’m there” (or: “I survived another day”), i.e., “I’m OK.” Many of the usual replies to the greetings “Ki jan ou ye?” or “Kouman ou ye?” are inherently pessimistic: “M pa pi mal” (“I’m no worse”), “M ap kenbe toujou” (“I’m still holding on,” “I’m hanging in there”). Remember the role of the 18th-century slave community in the formation of what has become the Haitian language.

M ap boule piti piti literally, “I’m burning little by little,” i.e., “I can’t complain,” “I’m getting along.”

Kab “can.” This auxiliary verb has four forms: kapab,
ka, kap, kab, used interchangeably.

Se pou m pale “I must speak.” pou is used here to indicate necessity or obligation; pou is also used as a preposition meaning “for”, or to indicate possession: Liv sa a pou mwen “That book is mine.”

Kalite the most common meaning is “type of”; it can also mean “quality.”

Don’t forget: li can be a verb meaning “to read,” as well as a pronoun meaning “he, she, it; his, her, its; him, her, it.”

Mary seems somewhat less than fully convinced here of John’s sincerity! The first la is the definite article “the”; the second la means “there.”

The verb meaning “to give” has three forms: bay, ba, and ban, depending upon the following word.

Woulib literally, “free wheel,” i.e., “a ride,” “a lift.”