Kwyl

Dictionary
Compiled by
Paul Crosbie, David Frank,
Emanuel Leon, Peter Samuel
Edited by
David Frank

Ministry of Education
Government of Saint Lucia
Castries, Saint Lucia

illustrations by Mervin Evans, David Frank,

Mark Frank, and David Samman

First Edition
Copyright 2001 SIL International

Contents
Preface ............................................................................... iii
Introduction..........................................................................v
The Kwyl Writing System ................................................x
Kwyl English ................................................................ 1
English Kwyl ............................................................ 246
Appendix ........................................................................ 321

List of Abbreviations
ADJ

adjective

ADV

adverb

ART

article

CONJ

conjunction

Eng.

English

Fr.

French

INTERJ

interjection

noun

opp

opposite (antonym)

PREP

preposition

PRO

pronoun

syn

synonym

verb

var

variant

ii

Preface
This dictionary is published by the Ministry of Education of St. Lucia to
meet the need for an authoritative, affordable reference guide on Creole. The
research for this dictionary was done by the SIL team in the years 1984
2000. Several years after the project was begun, the researchers became
aware of the work of the late Jones Mondesir, who at the time was
cooperating with Dr. Lawrence Carrington of the University of the West
Indies to publish his own ground-breaking dictionary of St. Lucian Creole,
having begun collecting data several decades earlier.1 With his dictionary and
other writings either on Creole or in Creole, Mr. Mondesir earned a place as
a pioneer in the development and recognition of Creole as a legitimate,
respectable language.
After Mondesirs dictionary was published in 1992, the work on the
present Creole dictionary continued, and because the need still existed for a
Creole dictionary that was affordable and reliable as a spelling guide, it is
now finally being released in this first edition. The compilers have chosen for
this first edition to include data that they themselves gathered and have
consciously avoided borrowing data from Mondesir. Subsequent editions
will likely include input from a greater variety of sources in order to be of
maximum usefulness to the public.
Of the SIL team members who worked on this dictionary, Dr. Frank
oversaw the project. He wrote a Dictionary Database Editor computer
program that the team used for entering and editing the data and producing
the formatted dictionary. He was responsible for turning the data into a
publishable book. Mr. Crosbie worked harder than anyone else on the team
on collecting and processing lexical data. He worked mostly in conjunction
with Mr. Leon, who served as a knowledgeable mother-tongue Creole
language specialist. The team of Crosbie and Leon worked tirelessly over the
course of some fifteen years collecting information about the words and
phrases of Creole. Mr. Samuel, working primarily with Dr. Frank, also
served as a valuable mother-tongue source of information about the Creole
lexicon over the years, but his contribution was especially important in the
1

Jones E. Mondesir (1992) Dictionary of St. Lucian Creole, ed. by Lawrence D.

Carrington. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
iii

last year, as Frank, Crosbie and Samuel worked intensively as a team on

editing the lexical data in preparation for publication of this dictionary.
SIL International is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to
facilitate language-based development through research, translation, and
literacy. The following statement is taken from the Linguistic Creed: 1 As
the most uniquely human characteristic a person has, a person's language is
associated with his self-image. Interest in and appreciation of a person's
language is tantamount to interest in and appreciation of the person himself.
All languages are worthy of preservation in written form by means of
grammars, dictionaries, and written texts. This should be done as part of the
heritage of the human race.
The compilers of this dictionary owe a debt of gratitude to the following
persons or institutions: Dame Pearlette Louisy, Governor General of St.
Lucia, without whose enthusiasm, leadership and scholarship, Creole would
not get the respect it deserves today; Dr. Lawrence Carrington of the
University of the West Indies, whose solid, pioneering work on the analysis
and exposition of St. Lucian Creole2 paved the way for further descriptions
such as the present one; Dr. Didacus Jules, Permanent Secretary in the
Ministry of Education, who has been working on Creole literacy even before
this dictionary project was born and who has the vision, intelligence and
confidence to use his position of leadership to deal properly with
controversial topics such as the place of Creole in St. Lucian society; Mr.
Michael Walker, a prominent scholar and author, a mover and shaker who
has used his tremendous energy and his unique intellectual and interpersonal
gifts to bring Creole to the public consciousness in a new way and bring
together the various parties working on Creole; the Folk Research Centre,
which is the foremost promoter and guardian of all things Creole including
both language and culture in St. Lucia; and not least of all, the hundreds of
Creole speakers who joyfully shared a wealth of information about their
language with the researchers.
A final note: This first edition of the Kwyl dictionary is a work in
progress. The authors and publisher hope to replace it eventually with a
second revised and enlarged edition. Comments, corrections, and additions
are welcome and can be sent to SIL, Box 1030, Castries, Saint Lucia.

This statement of SILs purpose and the Linguistic Creed (authored by Benjamin
Elson) are taken from the SIL web site. For more information, see www.sil.org.
2
See especially Lawrence D. Carrington (1984) St. Lucian Creole: A Descriptive
Analysis of its Phonology and Morpho-Syntax. Hamburg: Helmut Buske.
iv

Introduction
This dictionary for St. Lucian Kwyl is in two parts. The first part is
arranged alphabetically according to Kwyl key words with English
definitions. Different senses of the word are given, along an example
sentence illustrative of the word used in that sense. Other information is
given as well, including the part of speech, any synonyms, antonyms, or
cross-references, and an etymology, if known.
The second part of the dictionary is arranged alphabetically according to
English key words. Parts of speech and the Kwyl meanings are given for
each English key word, again with different senses indicated where
applicable. As the main purpose of this dictionary is to serve as a reference
guide on Kwyl, the information given about English is not as extensive as
the information given about Kwyl. The purpose of the English-Kwyl
part of the dictionary is to give a quick Kwyl gloss of the English words
and point the reader to the the right spot in the Kwyl-English part of the
dictionary for more complete information.
The following gives more detailed information about the different parts of
a dictionary entry:

KEY WORD
The term key word here is used to indicate the Kwyl (or English)
word being explained. Each entry in this dictionary begins with a key word
in blue bold type. The order of presentation is according to normal English
alphabetic order, with accent marks ignored for the sake of alphabetisation.
Sometimes a phrase is defined in this dictionary rather than a single word.
In such a case, the phrase too is in blue bold type, but the phrase comes as a
continuation of an entry rather than as a separate entry. Defined phrases are
included in this dictionary as part of the entry of one of the key words in the
phrase.
Occasionally the key word is followed by a small, raised number, as in
the example provided (Figure 1) on the following page. The superscripted
number is used to distinguish homonyms, in the case of two or more words
that have the same spelling but are unrelated in meaning. For example, the
v

Creole word
part of speech
English definition

example
sentence
synonym

baw1

V to block. Py bwa-a tonb pi i baw tout

chimen-an. The tree fell and blocked the whole road.
(syn: bouch; opp: dbaw; see also: jennen, bawad)
ADJ 1) blocked. Mwen pa sa pas paski chimen-an
baw. I cannot pass because the road is blocked.
2) overcast. Ovan-an baw; i sanm lapli kay tonb. It
is overcast to the east; it seems like it is going to rain.
(see also: maw) [< Fr. barrer]

antonym
crossreference
etymology

Figure 1: Sample dictionary entry

Kwyl word baw can mean to block; blocked. But there is another
Kwyl word baw, which is a type of fish. To keep these homonyms
distinct, the dictionary lists them as baw1 and baw2 respectively.
In some cases the key word will be followed by an indication of a variant
form, as in jdi (var: hdi). This means that jdi is considered to be the most
standard form, but hdi is recognized in this dictionary as a variant form of
the same word. Looking up hdi in the dictionary, one would find a minor
entry that says this word is a variant of jdi. Please note that in such cases
where one form of a word is said to be a variant of another form of the same
word, the authors do not intend to be making a judgment concerning
correctness. That is, the way the entries are made in this dictionary is not
intended to impose standardisation and say that one form is right and another
form is wrong. As a basis for determining which Kwyl form is called a
variant of another form, the commonly-used form that is closest to the French
origin (or, in some cases, origin from another source) was chosen for a full
entry, and other forms less directly related to the form of the etymological
source were said to be the variants. It is possible, however, that as Kwyl
develops more into a written language, there will be instances where the
forms further removed from the original source language that will eventually
be recognized as standard.
vi

PART OF SPEECH
The set of parts of speech, or word classes, used in this dictionary is as
follows: N (noun), PRO (pronoun), ADJ (adjective), ART (article), V (verb),
ADV (adverb), PREP (preposition), CONJ (conjunction), and INTERJ
(interjection). These are only broad categories. In a more complete
grammatical description of Kwyl, these broad categories could and should
be further broken down into subcategories. For example, what is called here
noun would include both common nouns and proper names, but a
distinction is not made for the present purposes. Similarly, the category
verb would include transitive verbs, intransitive verbs, and linking verbs,
but such distinctions are not made in this dictionary. Other word classes
could be subdivided as well.

DEFINITION
What is termed a definition in this introduction would perhaps more
accurately be called a gloss in the other language, i.e., English glosses for
Kwyl key words and Kwyl glosses for the English key words.
There may be different senses of a word. What is judged to be the primary
sense is always put first in the dictionary entry. If there are other
distinguishable secondary or extended senses, then a numbering system is
used to identify them. For example in Figure 1, baw in its use as an
adjective primarily means blocked, but it can also mean overcast in
reference to the weather. The compilers determined that there seemed to be
some thread of shared meaning between these two senses, so they were
considered as different senses of the same word and put into a single entry,
rather than being a pair of homonyms each deserving its own separate entry.
The primary sense is the meaning that one would think of first, such as if the
word is cited out of context. Secondary or extended senses are other
meanings that the same word can have in other contexts.

EXAMPLE SENTENCE
Generally speaking, each entry has an example sentence to show how the
word is normally used in context. The compilers sought to use illustrative
sentences that reinforced the meaning of the word and gave clues to the way
the word is naturally used in context. Each Kwyl example sentence is
followed by an English translation of the same. Often when an entry involves
more than one sense, different example sentences are given to show how the
word is used in that particular sense. Example sentence are not provided in
the English-Kwyl part of the dictionary.

vii

USAGE, SYNONYMS, ANTONYMS, CROSS-REFERENCES

It is valuable in a dictionary such as this to have, in addition to the
definitions of words and example sentences, notes on usage and observations
on the way one word in the language relates to others. Such information was
collected in the lexical database, and when it applies to an entry it appears in
the printed dictionary in parentheses, following the definition and example
sentence. In terms of usage, the main observations that were noted
occasionally were that particular words were archaic (that is, they are old
words that few people know today), religious (that is, used primarily used in
a religious context such as church), or crude. Synonyms of the word in focus
other words with the same meaning are noted with the abbreviation syn.
Antonyms, or opposites in meaning, are marked with opp. In some cases, a
certain word will bring to mind certain other words that are not exactly
synonyms but are closely related in meaning, and in such a case a crossreference will be noted with the words see also:.

ETYMOLOGY
Every word has a history, and the term etymology refers to the historical
antecedents of a word. St. Lucian Kwyl is a French Creole, and most of the
vocabulary of Kwyl comes from French. There are various sources of
Kwyl words, as in any language, including African languages, English,
Indian languages, Portuguese, etc., but the overwhelming majority of Kwyl
words derive from French. That is not to say that Kwyl is not a unique
language that it is merely a corruption of French. Kwyl is a language and
deserves to be described as such rather than as a variation of something else.
To say that Kwyl is a dialect and not a language is to show ignorance of
the proper, technical meanings of those terms.
Creole languages are a unique category that arise out of particular sociohistorical contexts, whereby a new language is created that derives it
vocabulary usually (though by no means always) from a major European
lexifier language but the new language form is distinguishable from the
language from whence it arises. Thus there are French Creoles and English
Creoles in the Caribbean, and also Spanish Creoles, Dutch Creoles, Arabic
Creoles, African-language-based Creoles like Hausa, etc. It would be beyond
the present purpose to go into exactly how a Creole language develops and
what makes it unique, and these issues are in fact topics of debate among
linguists.
There is not always a one-to-one relationship between Kwyl words and
their sources in French. There are many cases where a Kwyl noun, for
example, derives from a French preposition and/or article plus noun, as in
viii

Kwyl lavi coming from French la vie, nanj from un ange, zdi from les
ordures and dlo from de leau.
There are certain regular sound changes that can be seen to have taken
place in the development of Kwyl out French. For one thing, Kwyl has
fewer vowel phonemes than has French, and certain small sets of French
vowels have merged to be represented as one Kwyl vowel phoneme. For
example, French has a distinction between a high, front unrounded vowel [i]
and a high, front rounded vowel [y], where Kwyl has only the unrounded
variety of high front vowel. So French words with this sound, usually spelled
in French with the letter u, normally correspond to Kwyl words with the [i]
sound, as in the French word tortue, which corresponds to the Kwyl word
tti. Also, the distinction between [w] and [r] in French was lost in Kwyl
so that, for example, the Kwyl word corresponding to French arrter is
awt. There are many other regular sound correspondences that can be
identified in the development of Kwyl out of French.
In the Kwyl-English part of this dictionary, etymologies have been
noted in square brackets at the end of the entries wherever possible. These
are simple etymologies, pointing to a single historical source, rather than
complex etymologies pointing to a trail of antecedent forms, which would be
more accurate in some cases but beyond the scope of this dictionary. A left
wedge means comes from, so that an etymology such as [< Fr. frre]
indicates that the word in question (fw in this case) comes from the French
word frre. Sometimes the etymologies that were posited amount to educated
guesses, and the compilers will be happy to incorporate any corrections and
additions that are brought to their attention into further editions.

ix

The Kwyl Writing System

St. Lucian Creole has 32 different sounds, or phonemes. These are
represented in the writing system by 24 letters, and also two different accents
used over the vowels. The letters Q and X are not used in St. Lucian Creole,
and R is used only in some words borrowed from English.1
In order for 24 letters to represent 32 sounds, some of the sounds are
represented by a combination of letters. (The same is true for English,
examples being CH, SH, and TH.) The 24 letters can represent 32 sounds by
combining with accent marks and with each other. This Kwyl writing
system is phonemic and easy to learn for anyone who can read and write
English well and who can speak Kwyl.
Below is a summary of the sounds of Kwyl and the symbols used to
represent them in writing:

CONSONANTS
symbol

p
t
k

phonetic quality
[p] voiceless bilabial stop
voiceless alveolar stop
[t]
[k] voiceless velar stop

b
d
g

[b]
[d]
[g]

voiced bilabial stop

voiced alveolar stop
voiced velar stop

f
s
ch

[f]
[s]
[S]

voiceless labiodental fricative

voiceless alveolar grooved fricative
voiceless alveopalatal grooved fricative

This section on the Kwyl writing system is adapted from the SIL publication
(1999), Manny Ou Sa Li k kwi Kwyl.
x

v
z
j

[v]
[z]
[Z]

tj
dj

[tS] voiceless alveopalatal affricate

[dZ] voiced alveopalatal affricate

[l]

voiced alveolar lateral

m
n
ng

[m]
[n]
[N]

voiced bilabial nasal

voiced alveolar nasal
voiced velar nasal

w
y

[w]
[j]

voiced bilabilial semivowel

voiced alveopalatal semivowel

[h]

voiceless nonsyllabic vocoid

[]

retroflexed nonsyllabic vocoid

[i]
[e]
[E]

high front unrounded vocoid

mid close front unrounded vocoid
mid open front unrounded vocoid

[a]

low central unrounded vocoid

ou
o

[u]
[o]
[]

high back rounded vocoid

mid back rounded vocoid
low back rounded vocoid

en
on
an

[e)]
[o)]
[a)]

mid front unrounded nasal vocoid

mid back rounded nasal vocoid
low central unrounded vocoid

voiced labiodental fricative

voiced alveolar grooved fricative
voiced alveopalatal grooved fricative

SEMI-VOWELS

VOWELS

xi

THE KWYL ALPHABET

One of the most important things to note about the Creole writing system
is that it is phonemically-based; that is, there is a one-to-one relationship
between the sounds and the letters (or combination of letters) used to
represent the sounds. The same cannot be said for English. The problem with
English spelling is that the writing system is very old, and over the centuries
the pronunciation of English has changed considerably while the spelling has
changed little. As a result, there are English words that are spelled differently
but pronounced the same, e.g. right, write, and rite. While the basics of
English spelling can be taught according to phonic principles, there are many
spellings of English words that simply have to be memorized.
The same is not true of Creole spelling. Because the system is fairly new
and carefully thought out, the relationship between the spoken form of the
language and the written form is very straightforward. One of the most basic
rules of writing Creole is that it is written just the way it is pronounced,
according to the given set of spelling rules. This is not meant to imply that
Creole is superior to English, nor that the Creole writing system is superior to
that of English, but rather that, for various reasons, the rules for reading and
writing Creole can be learnt much more easily and quickly than those for
writing English.
Note that some of the sounds in Kwyl are represented in writing by a
sequence of two letters. These are called digraphs. The following digraphs
are used in the Kwyl orthography, or writing system, each to represent a
single consonant sound: ch, dj, ng, and tj. A nasal vowel in Kwyl, as in
bon good, is represented by a vowel plus the letter n. The nasal vowels in
Kwyl are an, en, and on. The [u] sound is represented by the combination
ou, as in boutik shop. The letters C and U never occur by themselves in the
Kwyl orthography, but only in the combinations ch and ou.
The following table presents the Creole alphabet, this time in alphabetic
order, with examples:

xii

chat

an

dan

bak

ch

chz

dj

djl

bf

NOTE: This is a nasal vowel,

represented by a digraph,
namely vowel plus n.

Note that c is never used by

itself in the Creole writing
system. It is always used in the
combination ch.

xiii

en

pen

ft

gason

hach

tifi

jako

kat

liv

See note for an. Note that the n

in these cases is not pronounced
as a consonant, but rather is
used to represent that the vowel
has a certain nasal sound.

xiv

mouton

nich

ng

zonng

koko

ppt

on

bonbon

ou

souwi

Sometimes n and g go together

to make up a single sound, but
sometimes the combination ng
represents a sequence of two
sounds rather than a digraph.

See notes for an, en.

Note that the ou together

represents one sound. This
spelling convention is patterned
after the French. Note also that
the u is never used by itself.

pt

xv

radyo

st

tab

tj

tj

wat

yanm

The r is used only in words

borrowed from English.

xvi

NOTE: While the vowels a, e, and o combine with an n to form a digraph in

which the n is not to be pronounced as a consonant, the same is not true for
the vowels i, , , ou, and , which are never combined with n as a digraph.
So any time the reader sees one of these latter vowel symbols followed by an
n, he should interpret it as the combination of a vowel plus a consonant
rather than as a single nasal vowel sound. In cases where a true n sound is
preceded by a nasal vowel, two ns have to be written. Note the spellings of
the following words:
lap
lapen
lapenn

l+a+p+
l + a + p + en
l + a + p + en + n

peace
rabbit
sorrow

sa
san
sann
sanng

s+a
s + an
s + an + n
s + an + ng

that
'without'
ash
belt

lanp

l + an + p

lamp

PUNCTUATION
Most punctuation works the same way in St. Lucian Creole as in English.
However, special attention must be given to the uses of the hyphen and the
apostrophe.
hyphen The definite article (that is, the Creole equivalent of English the)
is attached to the preceding word with a hyphen. The Creole definite article
can take four forms, depending on the context: -a, -la, -an, and -lan. Here are
some examples:
lat-a
the earth
tab-la
the table
tan-an
the time/weather
lanp-lan the lamp
Mwen kout listwa-a i wakont-a.
I listened to the story he told.
apostrophe As in English, there are some words in Creole that are commonly
contracted, and the contraction of two words is marked with an apostrophe.
Here are some examples:
mwen + pa = ma
mwen + ka = nga (or na)
mwen + kay = ngay (or nay)
xvii

si + ou = sou
pa + ank = pk
When the pronouns i (he or she) and ou (you) follow a word that ends
with a vowel sound, they are sometimes converted to y and w respectively
and attached to the preceding word, as in the following examples:
Mwen kay pwdy ba ou. becomes Mwen kay pwdy baw.
Tifi i bo i. becomes Tifiy boy.

xviii

Kwyl English
Aa
a

PREP at, on, to. (usage limited only

to a few specific phrases; see also: a
kl, a kot, a laj di, a l, a tab, a t,
tt a tt) [< Fr. ]

-a (var: -la, -an, -lan)

ART

sav i s on malw. When you look at

his clothing you know that he is poor.
(syn: had, lenj) [< Fr. habillement]

abitw

V to be accustomed. I pa
abitw w mwen mach. Hes not
accustomed to seeing me walk. [< Fr.
habituer]

the. Mwen

ni chapo-a. I have the hat.

(conditioned variant)

abandonnen (var: anbandonnen,

abiy

V to dress. Mwen kay abiy

pou al lanms. Ill get dressed for
church. (opp: dzabiy) [< Fr.
habiller]

bandonnen) V to abandon. Mwen ja

abandonnen jaden-an. Ive
abandoned the garden. [< Fr.
abandonner]

abb (var: aboubou)

abizan

ADJ abusive. Madanm nonmlan kity paski i t abizan. The

mans wife left him because he was
abusive. [< Fr. abusant]

a person who
cannot understand or speak properly
because he is mentally retarded. Si ou
pa konnt nonm-lan ou pa kay sav i
s on abb. If you didnt know the
man you would not know he is a deaf
mute. (see also: moumou, dkdk)

abs

abiz

V to abuse. Mt-la t ka abiz

s twavay-a. The boss used to abuse
the workers. [< Fr. abuser]

abliman variant of abiman.

to humble, to submit.
Madanm-lan abs ky bay
mawiy. The woman submitted to her
husband. (syn: simt) [< Fr. abaisser]
V

ab

PREP in, on, aboard. Nou wy

ab yon motoka. We saw him in a
car. [< Fr. bord]

abilit

aboli

N ability. Mwen pa ni abilita pou f kalit twavay sala. I dont

have the ability to do this kind of
work. (see also: ladws, talan) [< Fr.
habilit]

V to abolish. Yo aboli slavay

konmen tan ki pas. They abolished
slavery a long time ago. [< Fr. abolir]

abondans

N abundance. [< Fr.

abondance] an abondans (var:
alabondans) abundantly, in
abundance, an abundance of. Szon

abiman (var: abliman)

N apparel,
clothing. L ou gad abimany, ou

aboubou

Kwyl English

afs

[< Fr. adultre]

sala pyi-a ni mango an abondans.

In this season the country has an
abundance of mangoes.

adjabls variant of ladjabls.

admiw

V to admire. Nou admiw

nonm sala pis i ni an chay lajan. We
admired that man because he has lots
of money. [< Fr. admirer]

aboubou variant of abb.

abousak

N canvas shoulder bag,

haversack. Abousak li t pann asou
koty. His bag was hanging on his
side.

adpt

V to adopt. Yo pa t sa f
pys ich, m yo adpt ti manmay
sala. They were unable to have any
children, but they adopted that child.
[< Fr. adopter]

absoliman

INTERJ definitely, of
course. s ou ka al an dans-a?
Absoliman! Are you going to the
dance? Of course! (see also:
positivman, asiw, kouman) [< Fr.
absolument]

adow

V to adore, to worship. Yo ka
adow Bondy. Theyre worshiping
God. (see also: glowify) [< Fr.
adorer]

abwzan variant of apwzan.

ach variant of chach.

adws

V to address. Nonm-lan
adws jan Sent Lisi an Kwyl. The
man addressed the St. Lucian people
in Creole. [< Fr. adresser]

acht

V to buy, to purchase. Nou

acht s chz-la an lanmen an piti
madanm. We bought the chairs from
a small woman. (syn: ganyen; opp:
vann) [< Fr. acheter]

afalay (var: anfalay)

N landslide.
Afalay-la dtwi tout s jaden-an.
The landslide destroyed all the
gardens. [< Fr. falaise]

adan1

PREP 1) in, inside. I mt

chbon-an adan tson-an. He put the
charcoal in the coalpot. (syn: an,
andidan; opp: dw) 2) out of, from.
I tiy lajany adan pch li. He took
his money out of his pocket. (syn: an,
andidan) [< Fr. dans]

afkt

V to affect (usually with a

negative connotation). Gwo dlo-a
afkt tout s jan b lawivy-a. The
flood affected everyone living by the
river. [< Fr. affecter]

adan2

af variant of afs.

ADJ some, certain. Adan s

moun-an ka chant, m adan yo ka
plw. Some of the people are singing,
but some of them are weeping. (see
also: d, yonn d, dotwa, sten,
tjk)

afon ADJ ashamed, embarrassed. f

afon to shame, to embarrass
(someone). L i mand nonm-lan
lajan ank, nonm-lan fy afon.
When he asked to borrow money from
the man again, the man shamed him.
(syn: tjipi, f hont, jaw)

adl variant of dl.

adilt

N adultery. Nonm sala t may

m atjlman i ka viv an adilt. That
man was married, but now hes living
in adultery. (see also: fnikasyon)

afs (var: af, fs)

ADV so, so much,

to such an extent. Yo twap Chouval
m wd an ltjiwi-a afs i t fach.

afwchi

Kwyl English

agreement. [< Fr. agrment]

They found Horse stone dead in the

stable because he was so angry. (see
also: kantit, mizi, osi, otan, si
tlman) [< Fr. force de]

agwyab

ADJ agreeable, pleasant.

Gason-an agwyab an pil. The boys
very pleasant. (opp: dzagwyab)
[< Fr. agrable]

afwchi (var: wfwchi)

V to cool, to
freshen, to refresh. Dlo-a afwchi
mwen apw mwen twavay wd. The
water refreshed me after I worked
hard. N a cooling using bush
medicine. Misy-a t ni pou pwan
afwchi avan i pwen mtsin. The
man had to take a cooling before
taking a purge. [< Fr. rafrachir]

ajen

N fasting (for religious purposes).

I ka svi Bondy an lapwiy pi ajen
konstan. She always serves God by
prayer and fasting. [< Fr. jeun] f
ajen to fast. I ka f ajen. Hes
fasting. (syn: fas, wst san manj)

aji

V 1) to get along with. Mwen aji

byen piw. I get along well with you.
(syn: dak) 2) to deal with. Si ou aji
byen k mwen, mwen kay baw an
bf. If you deal well with me, Ill give
you a cow. (syn: dak) [< Fr. agir]

Afwik

N Africa. Misy sala s jan

Afwik. That man is from Africa.
[< Fr. Afrique]

Afwitjen

ADJ African. Fw mwen

may pi an Afwitjen. My brother is
married to an African. [< Fr. Africain]

ajounou

V to kneel. Yo ajounou pou

pwdy. They knelt to pray. [< Fr.
sagenouiller]

agalo

N leatherback turtle
(Dermochelys coriacea). Lwil agalo
bon pou azma. Oil of the leatherback
turtle is good for asthma. (see also:
kawt, tti)

agspys

akiz

ajout

V to join, to bring together. I

ajout d tiyo. He joined two water
pipes. [< Fr. ajouter]

ak variant of aksyon.

crudely, not nicely

done. I koup tanmadz-la
agspys. He cut the tomatoes
crudely. [< Fr. grosse pice]
ADV

akajou

N red cedar. Biwo-a ft pi

bwa akajou. The dresser was made of
red cedar. [< Fr. acajou]

agouman

akennsin

N a type of plant like a wild

calalou or spinach. Nonm-lan t ni
an chay agouman an jadeny. The
man had lots of agouman in his
garden. agouman bf a type of
plant like a wild calalou or spinach
with a large leaf. L i bwil t-a an
chay agouman bf lv an t-a.
When he burnt the land, lots of
agouman bf came up there.

N a type of fresh-water fish.

La ni an chay akennsin an ma-a ki
dy faktri-a. There are lots of
akennsin in the pond behind the
factory. [< Eng. Atkinson]

akizasyon

N accusation. S moun-an
f an chay akizasyon kont nonm-lan,
m i pa jenmen konfs. The people
made many accusations against the
man, but he never confessed. (see also:
ks, plent) [< Fr. accusation]

agwman

N agreement. Kit s
moun-an w ou tjenn agwman sala.
Let the people see that you kept this

akiz (var: atjiz)

3

to accuse. Yo

akdans

Kwyl English

was already born. [< Fr. accoucher]

akizy m i pa t koupab. They

accused him but he wasnt guilty. (see
also: blanm, wipwoch) [< Fr.
accuser]

akouchman

N childbirth. I lav had

akouchmany. She washed her birth
clothes. [< Fr. accouchement]

akdans

PREP according to, in

accordance with. Yo pa ka viv
akdans pawl Bondy. They dont
live according to Gods word. (syn:
akdans di, akdans pou; see also:
dapw, silon) [< Fr. accorder]
akdans di same as akdans.
akdans pou same as akdans.

akoupi

V to squat, to stoop. Jzi

akoupi k i kwi a t-a k dwt li.
Jesus squatted and wrote on the
ground with his finger. (see also: bs)
[< Fr. saccroupir]

akow

V to brace. Nonm-lan akow

fig-la k pitjt-la. The man braced the
banana tree with the stake.

akd

V 1) to grant, to accord.
Bondy akdy sa i t vl-a. God
granted him what he wanted. 2) to
pack the wood evenly in making a coal
pit. Nonm-lan pa t akd bwa-a
byen an fou chbon-an, kon sa i
konsonm. The man didnt pack the
wood properly in the coal pit, so it
turned to ashes. [< Fr. accorder]

akspt (var: aspt) to accept. I ja

aspt lt twavay-la. He has already
accepted the other job. (see also:
wisivw) [< Fr. accepter]

aksidan

N accident. Nou menm s

tmwen aksidan sala. We ourselves
are witnesses of that accident. (see
also: dja) [< Fr. accident]

akdi variant of akwdi.

aksyon (var: ak)

N act. Yo
kondann nonm-lan pou mov
akson-an i t f-a. The man was
condemned for his violent act. [< Fr.
action]

akonmdi variant of konmsi.

akonmsi variant of konmsi.
akonpli

V to accomplish. I akonpli
tout sa i t di i kay f. He
accomplished everything he said he
would do. [< Fr. accomplir]

akonplis (var: dikonplis)

alafen

akwdi (var: akdi)

CONJ as if, as
though. Nonm-lan f akwdi i t
wich. The man acted as if he were
rich. (syn: konmsi, konmkwki)
[< Fr. crdit]

accomplice. Yo t akonplis an
kwim-lan. They were accomplices in
the crime. (see also: sitouwz) [< Fr.
complice]

alabondans

ADV variant of an
abondans. Nou ka mand Bondy
pou benni nou alabondans. We ask
God to bless us abundantly.

akouch

V 1) to give birth. I vini

akouch k i f an tibway. She gave
birth and she had a boy. 2) to birth.
Avan fanmchay-la wiv pou
akouch manman-an, ti manmay-la
t ja fin ft. Before the midwife
arrived to birth the mother, the child

alafen (var: alafendfen)

ADV finally,
at long last. I di i t kay vini pi
alafen i vini. He said he would come
and he finally came. [< Fr. la fin]
alafen di about, around,
approximately. L i koumans

alafendfen

Kwyl English

(see also: alapt, b, bdaj, pw,

vizavi) alimans yonn a lt side by
side. D motoka-a al alimans yonn
a lt. The two cars ran side by side.

twavay sala, i t alafen di twant

lann. When he began that work, he
was about thirty years old. (syn:
apipw, avwdi, b, owon, v)

alafendfen variant of alafen.

aliy

V to line up people or things. I f

tout s moun-an aliy douvan
balkon-an pouy t tiw ptw yo.
He made all the people line up in front
of the balcony to take their picture.
[< Fr. aligner]

alakous

ADV running, on the run. L

yo tann sa, s ti manmay-la vini
alakous. When they heard that, the
children came running. (see also:
kous) ADJ in competition, in
contention. Tifi sala alakous k
mwen. That girl is competing with
me. [< Fr. la course]

alkoupa

N a type of medicine for

worms. Alkoupa s an wimd ki
am an pil. Alkoupa is a very bitter
medicine.

alapt

PREP alongside, beside, next

to. Kon kannt-la wiv alapt tja, pch-a maw kd-la vitman.
When the boat arrived alongside the
dock, the fisherman tied the rope
quickly. (see also: alimans, b, bdaj,
a kot, pw, vizavi) [< Fr. la porte]

al (var: als)

CONJ well, so. I mout

anl mn-an, al. I koup tout py
fig ki t la. So he went up and cut all
of the banana trees which were there.
[< Fr. alors]

als variant of al.

alavwdi variant of avwdi.

alavidy

alyans

N wedding ring. I ba li alyanslan. He gave her the wedding ring.

[< Fr. alliance]

openly, publicly.
Atjlman moun ka f tout bagay
alavidy. Now people do everything
openly. [< Fr. la vue doeil]
ADV

am

V to arm. Bondy ja am nou

pi tout kalt zam. God has armed us
with all kinds of weapons. ADJ armed.
Yo vini dy mwen am k koutla
pou goumen k mwen. They chased
me armed with cutlasses to fight with
me. [< Fr. armer]

al (var: ay)

V to go (to). L sly
kouch, i al lakay li. When the sun
went down, he went home. (opp: vini,
viw, witounen; see also: kit, pati,
sti) [< Fr. aller]

alz

amn

ADJ financially well-off. Ou alz

pas mwen. You are better off than I
am. (syn: byennw, w, ja fy, ja
wiv, wich; opp: mal, malw, pv;
see also: byen, wichs) ADV easily.
Si ou svi papy, ou sa tiy sa alz. If
you use paper, you can remove that
easily. [< Fr. laise]

INTERJ amen. Mwen ka mand

tout s bagay sala an non Jzi Kwi,
amn. I ask all of these things in the
name of Jesus Christ, amen. (syn:
ensiswatil) [< Eng. amen]

an1 (var: on, yan, yon)

ART a, an. I ni
an chimiz wouj. He has a red shirt.
ADJ one. I ni an sl souly. He has
only one shoe. (see also: yonn) [< Fr.
un]

aliman variant of alimans.

alimans (var: aliman)

PREP

an

beside.
5

an

Kwyl English

an2

because he ate too much. (syn:

anbazoudi) [< Fr. embarrasser]

PREP 1) in, inside. La t ni on

poul an kay mwen m i ja al. There
was a fowl in my house but it is gone
now. (syn: adan, andidan; opp:
dw) 2) upon. An ouv zyy, i
chonj. Upon opening his eyes, he
remembered. [< Fr. en]

anbazoudi

ADJ emotionally or
physically distressed and unable to
hold still. I t anbazoudi k ky
paski i manj twp. He was not able
to sit still because he ate too much.
(syn: anbawas; see also: bazoudi)

an3 variant of mwen. Doubout isi-a

ban an soupl. Hold my place for me
please. (rare)

anbtan

ADJ annoying, troublesome.

I anbtan toubonnman. Hes very
troublesome. (syn: anmwdan,
antt; see also: dzagwyab) [< Fr.
embtant]

an4 variant of lann. (used after

numbers higher than one)

-an (var: -a, -la, -lan)

ART the. Mt
mwen b pon-an. Let me out at the
bridge. (conditioned variant)

anbt

V to annoy, to bother, to
disturb, to unnerve. Nou anbawas.
Pa anbt nou! Were busy. Dont
bother us! (syn: anmwd, annwv,
chagwinen, distw; see also:
pwovok) [< Fr. embter]

anba1

PREP below, under. Mt liv-la

anba tab-la. Put the book under the
table. [< Fr. en bas] anba-a la
down there. Mwen jwenn li anba-a
la. I met her down there. (opp: anl-a
la)

anbwas

V to embrace. L i wiv, i
anbwas madanm li. When he
arrived, he embraced his wife. [< Fr.
embrasser]

anba2

CONJ unless. Anba ou aspt

Jzi kon sov, ou kay pd. Unless
you accept Jesus as savoir, youll be
lost. (syn: kspt, tout tan...pa)
[< Fr. en bas]

anbwennzenng

ADJ busy in an
unproductive way. Ou toujou
anbwennzenng, m ou pa sav ki sa
ou ka f-a. Youre always busy, but
you dont know what youre doing.

anbadjo

ADJ many, much, a lot of.

Anbadjo moun pa ka kw sa. A lot
of people dont believe that. (syn: an
chay, an pil, mizi)

anchenn

V to chain. Yo anchenny
k mty lajl. They chained him
and put him in jail. (opp: dchenn;
see also: chenn) [< Fr. enchaner]

anbandonnen variant of
abandonnen.

anbawas

andklinan

andavans (var: davans)

ADV in
advance. Nonm-lan t ja di sa ki t
kay ft andavans. The man had said
what would happen in advance. [< Fr.
davance]

1) busy, occupied. I t
tlman anbawas i pa t menm ni
tan pou manj. He was so busy he
didnt even have time to eat.
2) emotionally or physically distressed
and unable to hold still. I t
anbawas k ky paski i manj
twp. He was not able to sit still
ADJ

and variant of d.
andklinan

ADJ in declining health. I

malad. I pa ka f pwogw. I

andl

Kwyl English

His arm was swollen. [< Fr. enfler]

andklinan. Hes sick. Hes not

making progress. Hes in declining
health. [< Fr. dclinant]

anfondw (var: ofondw)

V to cave
in, to collapse, to sink. T-a
anfondw paski i t ni dlo ka kouwi
anbay. The ground caved in because
there was water running underneath.
ADJ caved in. Tt kay-la t
anfondw. The top of the house was
caved in. [< Fr. effondrer]

andl variant of dl.

andpandan (var: endpandan)

ADJ

independent. Sent Lisi s on pyi ki

andpandan. Saint Lucia is an
independent country. [< Fr.
indpendant]

andpandans (var: endpandans)

anfons (var: fons)

V to dent.
Tibway-la anfons motoka-a l i
konyeny k wch-la. The boy dented
the car when he knocked it with a
stone. (syn: kabos) ADJ dented.
Douvan trk-la t anfons adan
aksidan-an. The front of the truck was
dented in the accident. [< Fr.
enfoncer]

independence. I vl andpandans li.

He wants his independence. [< Fr.
indpendance]

andidan

PREP 1) in, inside. Kwab-la

antw andidan twou-a. The crab
entered the hole. (syn: an, adan; opp:
dw) 2) out of, from. Kwab-la sti
andidan twou-a. The crab came out
of the hole. (syn: an, adan) [< Fr. an
dedans] andidan-an inside. Mt
sa andidan-an ban mwen. Put this
inside for me. (opp: dw-a)

anfoun

V to put in the oven.

Anfoun pen-an. Put the bread in the
oven. (see also: fou) [< Fr. en four]

Angl (var: Langl)

N 1) English, the
English language. Ou pa ka pal
Angl? You dont speak English?
2) Englishman. S on Angl ki ka
pal Patwa. Hes an Englishman who
speaks Patwa. [< Fr. anglais]

andjl (var: anndjl)

V to call
loudly, to shout, to yell, to scream.
Nou andjl nony m i pa tann. We
shouted his name but he didnt hear.
(syn: hl, kwiy)

andji

anjandw

angoudi

ADJ numb, asleep. Py

mwen angoudi. My foots asleep.
[< Fr. engourdir]

instead of, rather than.

Pwan sa mwen andji sa ou-a. Take
mine instead of yours. (syn: pito, oly;
see also: vonmy, simy)
PREP

anho

PREP above, over. I t asou

masonn-an anho kouch-la. It was on
the wall above the bed. (opp: anba)
[< Fr. en haut]

anfalay variant of afalay.

anfen

ADV in fact. Anfen tout moun

t ja la ka spy dkt-a. In fact
everyone was there waiting for the
doctor.

anhogwiyen

ADV upstairs. La t ni
lanp ka limen anhogwiyen-an ko
nou t y-a. There were lamps
burning upstairs where we were.
[< Fr. en haut grenier]

anfl

V to swell (in reference to a body

part). Bway koumans anfl. His
arm began to swell. (see also: boufi,
gonfl) ADJ swollen. Bway t anfl.

anjandw
7

to come up with. S

anjlen

Kwyl English

ankouwajman sala an pil. I

appreciated that encouragement very
much. [< Fr. encouragement]

jenn manmay-la ka anjandw tout

vy vis. The young children are
coming up with all kinds of vice.
[< Fr. engendrer]

anjlen

anl

PREP 1) on, upon, on top of, atop.

Yo mty anl tab-la. They put it
upon the table. (syn: asou) 2) off, off
of, from. Yo tiyy anl tab-la. They
took it off the table. anl-a la up
there. Yo mach jis anl-a la. They
walked all the way up there. (opp:
anba-a la) fas anl lying on ones
back, face up. I tonb asou doy fas
anl. He fell on his back face up.

a type of wood used for

making furniture. Si ou f mb k
anjlen, pys bagay pa kay pitjy. If
you make furniture out of anjlen, no
bugs will eat it.
N

ankacht

ADV secretly, in secret. Nou

t jwenn ankacht. We met secretly.
(syn: anba fy, an swan, an sigw)
[< Fr. en cachette] mt ankacht
to hide. Nou mt liv-la ankacht.
We hid the book. (syn: sw) [< Fr.
mettre en cachette]

ankay

Anman variant of Manman. Anman,

vini isi-a. Mother, come here.

anmas

V to pick up, to gather. I kay

anmas s jenn moun-an. He will
pick up the young people. (syn: hdi,
hap; see also: sanbl) [< Fr.
ramasser]

to stick, to catch on
(something). Mwen t ka pch l
zen-an ankay anba wch-la. I was
fishing when my hook got stuck under
the stone. (syn: pwi)
V

anklwant

anm

ADJ bitter. Wimd-la anm

kon fyl. That medicine is bitter like
bile. (opp: dou) [< Fr. amer]

shiny. Tjilt tibwayla anklwant. The boys pants are

shiny.
ADJ

ank (var: onk, k)

anmennen

V to attract. Pawl li ka
anmennen moun. His words attract
people. [< Fr. amener]

again, else,
anymore. Ki sa ou vl ank? What
else do you want? (see also: pa ank)
[< Fr. encore] pa ank no longer,
not any more. Ou pa sa doubout
Kwyl ank. You can no longer stop
Creole. (see also: pk)
ADV

anmwdan

ADJ annoying,
troublesome. Ti manmay-la
anmwdan pas ki. The child is so
troublesome. (syn: anbtan, antt;
see also: dzagwyab)

ankontw variant of okontw.

anmwd

V to annoy, to bother, to
disturb. Pa anmwd nou! Dont
bother us! (syn: anbt, annwv,
chagwinen, distw; see also: minab)

ankouwaj (var: enkouwaj,

onkouwaj) V to encourage. I
ankouwaj nonm-lan pou al oti
dkt. He encouraged the man to go
to the doctor. (opp: dkouwaj; see
also: pwan tj) [< Fr. encourager]

Anmwik (var: Lanmwik)

N United
States. Mwen pa janmen al
Anmwik. I have never been to the
United States. [< Fr. Amrique]

ankouwajman (var: enkouwajman)

N

anmitan

encouragement. Mwen t apwsy

anmitan (var: nanmitan)

8

PREP

in the

anmiyonnen

Kwyl English

unnerve, to make nervous, to make

angry. Ti manmay-la ka f tlman
dzd, i ka annwv mwen. The
child is making so much noise, it
makes me angry. (syn: anbt,
anmwd, chagwinen, distw; see
also: pwovok) ADJ bothered,
worried, nervous. I t tlman
annwv i t ka twanbl. He was so
nervous he was trembling. [< Fr.
nerver]

middle of. Nou wy anmitan lawi-a.

We saw him in the middle of the
street.

anmiyonnen

V to coax, to cajole.
Nonm-lan t ka anmiyonnen mwen
pou mwen pwty motoka-a. The
man was cajoling me to lend him the
car. (syn: flat)

anmiz

V to amuse. S blag ou-a ka

anmiz mwen an chay. Your jokes
amuse me a lot. [< Fr. amuser]

anmizman

annik variant of annk.

amusement. Batay kk
s on kalt anmizman. Cock fighting
is a kind of amusement. [< Fr.
amusement]
N

annikout variant of annkout.

annivs variant of annivws.
annivws (var: annivs)

ann variant of annou. Ann al,

annaf

ADJ meddling; having the

nature of a busybody. Tifi sala
annaf. That girl is a busybody. (see
also: soutiwz)

annd

ADV in order. Mt tout s liv

sala annd ban mwen asou ltaj-a.
Put all those books in order for me on
the shelf.

anndjl variant of andjl.

annou (var: ann) 1) lets. Annou al

just, merely.
Konp Lapen annk tonb,
blktk! Brer Rabbit just fell down,
bleketek!
ADV

annkout (var: annikout)

anniversary. Yo slbw annivws

yo. They celebrated their anniversary.
[< Fr. anniversaire]

gason. Lets go, boy.

annk (var: annik)

anpagal

an vil. Lets go to town. 2) lets go,

lets come. Mt had ou k annou
an vil. Put on your clothes and lets go
to town. 3) come. S manmay-la ni
pou annou pi mwen. The children
have to come with me. [< Fr. allons]

ADJ

attentive. Wt annkout k ou kay

tann pli nouvl apw sa. Remain
attentive and you will hear more news
after that.

annv variant of annwv.

annwi

ADJ bored. Ma vl ou vini

annwi. I dont want you to get bored.
[< Fr. ennui]

annkz

V to cause, to make. Ki sa ki
ka annkz ou pou twakas? What
makes you worry? N fault. S
annkz ou ki f bf-la m. It is your
fault that the cow died. (see also: a
kz di)

anpagal

ADV riotously, in a riotous,

confusing manner. Yo koumans
goumen anpagal kont yonn a lt.
They began fighting each other in free
for all. (see also: roro, ansazinay)
[< Fr. pagaille]

annwv (var: annv)

V to annoy, to
bother, to disturb, to worry, to

anpami

Kwyl English

anpami

antt

There was a brawl by the dance and a

lot of people got injured. (see also:
anpagal)

PREP among. I t ka sw
anpami s moun-an. He was hiding
among the people. [< Fr. en parmi]

anpany

ansazin variant of asasin.

ADV into little pieces, into

shreds. Yo dchiw had li anpany.
They tore his clothes into shreds. (see
also: miyt, mso)

ansent

ADJ pregnant. I twap ky

ansent. She became pregnant. (syn:
gwo bouden; see also: gws, plenn)
[< Fr. enceinte]

anpatikil

ADV in particular. Yo
enmen krikt anpatikil. They like
cricket in particular. (see also:
patikilman) [< Fr. particulier]

anslivi

V to shroud (corpse). Yo
anslivi m-a byen avan yo mty an
senky-la. They shrouded the corpse
well before they put it in the coffin.
[< Fr. ensevelir]

anpch

V to prevent. Sa ka anpch
nou pal. That prevents us from
speaking. (see also: dfann, doubout,
enpoz) [< Fr. empcher]

ansyen

ADJ long ago, in times past.

Kay ansyen t kay pay. In times past
houses were of straw. [< Fr. ancien]

anpz

V to starch. Pa anpz s
chimiz-la. Dont starch the shirts. (see
also: lanmidon) [< Fr. empeser]

ant

PREP between. Mty ant s livla. Put it between the books. [< Fr.
entre]

anplas (var: wiplas)

V to replace.
Anplas gwo-a k piti-a. Replace the
big one with the small one. (syn:
pwan plas) [< Fr. remplacer]

antanm

V to meddle with, to get

entangled with or in. Pa antanm vy
lavi. Dont get tangled up in
immorality. (syn: fofil; see also:
ml) [< Fr. entamer]

anplow variant of anploy.

anploy (var: anplow)

V to employ.
Yo pa sa anploy mwen. They cant
employ me. [< Fr. employer]

antansyon1

N intention. Sa s
antansyon mwen. Thats my
intention. (see also: vl, divwa,
volont) [< Fr. intention]

anpoz variant of enpoz.

anpwizonnen

V to imprison. Yo
anpwizonnen Jozf. They imprisoned
Joseph. [< Fr. emprisonner]

antansyon2

N attention. Antansyon
tout moun! Jdi-a mwen ka ladj
zt bonn. Attention everybody!
Today I am letting you off early.
[< Fr. attention] f antansyon to
watch out, to take care. F antansyon
pou vy ng pa bat ou asou chimen.
Watch out so that bad men dont beat
you up on the road. (see also: pwan
pwokosyon, pwan gad, vy)

ansanbl variant of asanbl.

ansanm

ADV together. Nou tout kay

chant ansanm. Well all sing
together. [< Fr. ensemble]

ansasin variant of asasin.

ansazinay

N brawl, free-for-all. B
dans-a t ni an mov batay
ansazinay k an chay moun t bls.

antt

ADJ stubborn, troublesome. Ti

manmay sala antt an pil. That

10

antwsan

Kwyl English

child is very troublesome. (syn:

anbtan, anmwdan; see also:
dzagwyab, tt di) [< Fr. tetu]

twanp)

antw

V 1) to enter. Tifi-a pa t vl
antw an motoka-a. The girl didnt
want to enter into the car. 2) to cause
to enter, to bring in. Yo antw tout s
bf-la an kay-la. They brought all the
cows in the building. 3) to welcome,
to invite in. I al an vil-la kot i lva, m pysonn pa antwy. He went
to the town where he grew up, but
nobody welcomed him. (syn: wisivw)
4) to bring in (the clothes after drying
outside). L ou fini lav s bagay
sal-la, antw s had-la. When you
finish washing the dishes, bring in the
clothes. [< Fr. entrer]

antwsan (var: entwsan,

twsan) ADJ interesting. Sa yo t
di nou-an t antwsan an chay.
What they told us was very interesting.
[< Fr. intressant]

antws (var: entws, tws)

interested. Nou t vl titj yo sa,
m yo pa t antws pys. We
wanted to teach them that, but they
werent at all interested. [< Fr.
intresser]
ADJ

antit (var: adan tit)

ADJ 1) entitled.
Mwen antit pou sa jwenn pyiman.
Im entitled to receive payment.
2) perfect, lacking nothing. Manj
sala antit. That food is perfect. [< Fr.
intituler]

antwt

ADV unpredictable,
treacherous, without warning. Chyen
sala ka md antwt. That dog will
bite you without warning. (see also:
twt) [< Fr. en tratre]

antiwan (var: antiwans)

PREP except.
Ou sa pwan tout s liv-la antiwan
sala. You can take all the books
except this one. (syn: kspt) [< Fr.
en tirant]

antwich

ADJ infatuated. Ti gason-an

t antwich an mwen an pil. The
little boy was quite infatuated with me.
[< Fr. enticher]

anty

ADJ entire, whole. I manj on

bwapen anty. He ate a whole
breadfruit. [< Fr. entier]

antiwans variant of antiwan.

antjt

ADJ jumpy. Si tjw antjt kon

sa, tal ou kay jwenn batman tj. If
you are so jumpy, soon you will get a
heart attack.

anven

ADV in vain. Nou pal ba li

anven. We spoke to him in vain.
[< Fr. en vain]

antouka variant of antoulka.

antoulka (var: antouka)

anvwit (var: anvyt) truly, in

in
case. Si antoulka ou w Amos
mandy lajan-an ban mwen. If in
case you see Amos ask him for the
money for me. (syn: pitt; see also: si)
[< Fr. an tout les cas]

antwanp

anvi

truth, to tell the truth. Anvwit l

mwen w span-an mwen f yon
kwi. To tell the truth, when I saw the
snake I screamed. [< Fr. en vrit]

ADV

anvyt variant of anvwit.

anvi

V 1) to want, to desire, to feel

like. I anvi dmi. He feels like
sleeping. (syn: vl) 2) to long, to

soaking. Ti manmayla t mouy antwanp. The child was

soaking wet. (see also: mouy,
ADV

11

anvlim

Kwyl English

see also: anvyj)

yearn. Nou anvi ww menm kon ou

vl w nou. We long to see you just as
you want to see us. 3) to covet.
Nonm-lan t anvi motoka-a tlman,
i vly. The man coveted the car so
much, he stole it. (syn: anwaj dy,
anwaj pou, ni an waj pou) [< Fr.
envie]

anwita

ADJ delayed, late. Lapli-a

mt mwen anwita. The rain made
me late. (see also: ta, tad) [< Fr. en
retard]

anwout

ADJ on the way. Kannt-la t

anwout ka al Senvsan l i koul.
The boat was on the way to St.
Vincent when it sank. (syn: asou
lawout) [< Fr. en route]

anvlim

ADJ inflamed, infected.

Bobo-a ja vini anvlim. The sore has
become inflamed. [< Fr. enflammer]

anvlp

apsivw

anyen

PRO 1) anything, something. Si

ou vl sav anyen, mand mwen. If
you want to know anything, ask me.
2) nothing. Anyen pa ka fy p.
Nothing makes him afraid. (opp: on
bagay, tout bagay; see also: ting,
mwenk)

envelope. I mt lt-la
adan anvlp-la pi i psty. He put
the letter into the envelope and mailed
it. (see also: lt, pst) [< Fr.
envelope]
N

anvow variant of anvoy.

anvoy (var: anvow)

anyenditou

anvyj

Apa variant of Papa. Apa, ban nou

V to postpone,
to adjourn (court). Yo ja anvoy
mitin-an jis lt simenn. They have
postponed the meeting until next
week. [< Fr. envoyer]

ADJ worthless (said of a

person). Nonm-lan ensilt madanm
li; i kwiyy anyenditou. The man
insulted his wife; he called her
worthless.

ADJ envious. S an fanm ki

anvyj. Shes an envious woman.
(syn: vivi; see also: jalou; anwaj
pou, ni an waj pou, vowas) [< Fr.
envieuse]

lajan-an, soupl. Father, give us the

money, please.

apa

ADV apart, set apart, aside. Mt

tout s bf blan-an apa. Put all of the
white cows apart. (syn: asou kot)
[< Fr. part] apa di apart from,
besides. Apa di sa, ma ka chonj
anyen ank konsn sa. Apart from
that, I dont remember anything else
about it. [< Fr. part de]

anvyol

V to rape. Nonm-lan anvyol

tifi-a. The man raped the girl. (syn:
jwi) [< Fr. violer]

anwaj

ADJ angry, enraged. Ki sa

mwen fw pouw anwaj kont
mwen kon sa? What did I do to you
for you to be so enraged against me
like that? (syn: dzol, sitway; see
also: fach) [< Fr. enrag] anwaj
dy same as anwaj pou. anwaj
pou to covet, to desire strongly.
Nonm sala toujou anwaj pou lajan.
That man always covets money. (syn:
anwaj dy, anvi, ni an waj pou;

apant

N surveyor. Apant ka svi

poto f. Surveyors use iron pegs.
[< Fr. arpenteur]

apant

V to survey. Yo apant t-a.

They surveyed the land. [< Fr.
arpenter]

apsivw
12

to perceive. S nonm-lan

api

Kwyl English

other. (opp: avan) CONJ then. Apw

mwen kit doudou-a pi mwen fini
k kalit lavi sala. Then I left the
girlfriend and I finished with that kind
of life. [< Fr. aprs] apw sa
afterward. Apw sa, i manj
boudeny plen. Afterward, he ate until
his belly was full. (see also: dpi)

apsivw yo t ka wiv b t. The

men perceived that they were getting
near land. (see also: w, kw, santi,
konpwann, wyaliz) [< Fr.
apercevoir]

api

N trust, confidence, weight,

support. Ou sa mt tout apiw asou
konmandman Bondy. You can put
all of your weight on Gods
commandments. (see also: fy, dfy,
konfyans, konfy) [< Fr. appui]

apwent

V to appoint. Gouvdmanan apwenty. The government

appointed him. [< Fr. appointer]

apipw

apwenti

ADV approximately, about,

around. I ni apipw d san dla. He
has approximately 200 dollars. (syn:
alafen di, avwdi, b, owon, v)
[< Fr. plus prt?]

apiy

N apprentice. Mwen twavay

kon an apwenti pou kat lann. I
worked as an apprentice for four years.
[< Fr. apprenti]

apwentman

N appointment. Yo ba li
apwentman-an. They gave him the
appointment.

to lean, to rest (on), to depend

on, to rely on. I ka apiy asou kayla. Hes leaning on the house. (see
also: panch, dpan, fy, konfy)
[< Fr. appuyer]
V

apwsy

V to appreciate. Yo pa ka
apwsy sa. They dont appreciate
that. [< Fr. apprcier]

apl

ADV may, might. Si ou gad pou

nonm-lan ou apl jwenn li b tj-a.
If you look for the man you might find
him by the dock. (see also: dw, p,
sa, pitt)

apwzan (var: abwzan)

ADV now,
nowadays, currently, presently, these
days. I ka twavay apwzan. Hes
working these days. (syn: atjwlman;
see also: pwzantman) [< Fr.
prsent] apwzan sala now, right
now, at this moment. Apwzan sala
nou kay chant an lt chant. Now
we will sing another song. (syn:
atjwlman sala)

aplikasyon

N application. I ka f an
aplikasyon pou twavay. He is making
an application to work. [< Fr.
application]

aplon

ADJ accurate, on target. Ou

vow wch-la, m ou pa aplon. You
threw the rock, but youre not
accurate. [< Fr. plomb]

apwoch

V to approach. Kon chat-la

apwoch jiby-a, i vol. As the cat
approached the bird, it flew away. (see
also: al, vini) [< Fr. approcher]

apt variant of zapt.

apwann

asanbl

apwouv

V to approve. Mt-la
apwouv tout twavay-la mwen f-a.
The boss approved all the work I did.
[< Fr. approuver]

to learn. Nou vl apwann

pal Patwa. We want to learn to speak
Patwa. [< Fr. apprendre]
V

apw

PREP after. Yo antw yonn

apw lt They entered one after the

asanbl (var: ansanbl, sanbl)

13

to

asasin

Kwyl English

assemble, to meet (together), to get

together. Chak Sanmdi nou ka
asanbl ansanm. Each Saturday we
meet together. (see also: jwenn) [< Fr.
assembler]

Asiw, mwen kay vini. Certainly, I

will come. (see also: absoliman,
kouman) [< Fr. assurer]

asiz (var: asid)

V to sit. Vy madanm
sala toujou ka asiz anba py mangoa. The old lady is always sitting under
the mango tree. [< Fr. assise]

asasin (var: ansazin, ansasin)

V to
beat up. Yo asasin nonm-lan, m yo
pa tjwy. They beat up the man, but
they didnt kill him. (see also: dkal)
[< Fr. assassiner]

asou

PREP 1) on, on top of, atop, upon.

Mty asou tab-la. Put it on the
table. (syn: anl) 2) off, off of, from.
I tiwy asou dif-a. He took it off the
fire. (syn: anl) 3) toward. Py
mach asouy. Peter walked toward
him. 4) about, concerning. Annou
pal asou sa. Lets talk about that.
(syn: konsn)

as

ADJ enough, sufficient. Nou pa ni

as lajan. We dont have enough
money. [< Fr. assez]

aspt1 variant of akspt.

aspt2 variant of kspt.
asid variant of asiz.

atak

V to attack. Bouwo-a atak s

moun-an pou vl lajan yo. The evil
person attacked the people to steal
their money. (syn: blotj anl, bouw
anl) [< Fr. attaquer]

asinasyon

N summons. Polis-la pt
asinasyon-an ba li. The police gave
him the summons. [< Fr. assignation]

asistans

N assistance. Mwen mand

lgliz-la asistans. I asked the church
for assistance. [< Fr. assistance]

atand1

V to wait for, to await. Mwen

t ka atandy m i pa vini. I was
waiting for him but he didnt come.
(syn: spw) [< Fr. attendre]

asist1

V to attend, to be present (at).

Yo asist mitin-an. They attended the
meeting. (syn: atand) [< Fr. assister]

atand2

V to attend, to be present at.

Tout fanmi-an atand ltman-an.
The whole family attended the funeral.
(syn: asist) [< Fr. attendre]

asist2

V to assist, to give support, to

help. Mwen ka asist nonm-lan. Im
helping the man. (syn: d) [< Fr.
assister]

atik

N ingredient. Gad-a mt atik li

ansanm pouy t f wimd bay
nonm-lan. The seer mixed his
ingredients together in order to make
medicine for the man.

asiwans

N assurance. I ka enstwi yo
pi an chay asiwans. He teaches them
with much assurance. (see also:
konfyans) [< Fr. assurance]

asiw

atjiv

atitid

N attitude, way, lifestyle. I ni

menm atitid k manmany. He has
the same attitude as his mother. (see
also: manny) [< Fr. attitude]

to assure. I asiw mwen i t

kay vini m i pa vini pys. He
assured me he would come, but he
didnt come. ADJ sure, certain. Nou
asiw ki dlo-a t pi. Were sure the
water was pure. ADV surely, certainly.
V

atjiv

V to achieve. Yo atjiv tout sa

yo t di yo t kay f-a. They achieved

14

atjiz

Kwyl English

avwdi (var: alavwdi)

all that they said they would. [< Fr.

achever]

ADV about,
around, approximately. Nou pati
avwdi siz sw. We left at about six
in the evening. (syn: alafen di,
apipw, b, owon, v) [< Fr. vers de]

atjiz variant of akiz.

atjlman variant of atjwlman.
atjwlman (var: atjlman)

avoka

N lawyer, attorney. Papa

mwen s on avoka. My fathers a
lawyer. [< Fr. avocat]

ADV

1) now. Atjwlman yo ka twavay.

Theyre working now. (syn: apwzan;
see also: pwzantman) 2) nowadays,
these days. Atjwlman la pa ni kay
pay. These days there are no foliage
houses. (see also: jdi, jdi jou) [< Fr.
actuellement] atjwlman sala right
now. (syn: apwzan sala)

avt

V 1) to abort (used of animals).

Bf-la t plenn m i avt. The cow
was pregnant but it aborted. (see also:
fskouch) 2) to fall prematurely (said
of fruit). Tout mango an py sala ka
avt. All of the mangoes in that tree
fall prematurely. ADJ description of
fruit that falls to the ground before it is
mature. Pa anmas s mango-a ki
avt-a. Dont gather up the mangoes
that fell before they were mature.
(opp: matwit, mi; see also: koul,
olt) [< Fr. avorter]

avan

CONJ 1) before (in the sense of

time). Nou wy avan i pati. We saw
him before he left. (opp: apw; see
also: douvan) 2) lest, or. Pa kouwi
la avan ou tonb. Dont run there lest
you fall. [< Fr. avant]

avans

V to advance. Nou sa avans

pyi-a. We can advance the country.
[< Fr. avancer]

avtsvis

ADJ at your service. Nou

avtsvis pouw. We are at your
service. [< Fr. votre service]

avansman

N advancement. Lajan
sala kay mennen an gwo avansman
pou lgliz-la. That money will bring a
great advancement to the church.
[< Fr. avancement]

avoudw (var: voudw)

V to wish.
Mwen avoudw i t la. I wish she
were here. (see also: simy, anvi, vl)
[< Fr. voudrais]

avanzy

avous

avg

Avwi

ADV the day before yesterday.

Avanzy nou al Castries. The day
before yesterday we went to Castries.
[< Fr. avant hier]

ADJ mercurial, moody,

temperamental. Tifi sala avous pas
ki. That girl is really moody. (see also:
ni vap, ni vous; zimy; vap anl)

ADJ blind. Misy-a twap ky

avg. The man became blind. (see
also: vgl; soud) N blind person. La
ni on lkl pou s avg-la. There is a
school for the blind. [< Fr. aveugle]

avtisman (var: vtisman)

awali

April. [< Fr. avril]

awa

INTERJ No! Oh no!. Awa! Pa di

sa! Oh no! Dont say that! (opp: wi;
see also: non)

awali

N a type of tree with an inedible

fruit. Wasin py awali-a maw
oliwon py pwy-a. The root of the
awali tree is tied around the white

warning. Nou inyow tout s

avtisman-an We ignored all the
warnings. [< Fr. avertissement]
15

awt

Kwyl English

bagay

ayl

cedar tree.

N great grandparent, ancestor.

Tout ayl mwen t wzidan Vy F.
All of my ancestors resided in Vieux
Fort. (archaic; syn: bizayl, gwan
ayl; see also: gwanmanman,
gwanpapa, dsandan) [< Fr. aeul]
gwan ayl same as ayl. Gwan ayl
mwen sti an Afwik. My great
grandparents come from Africa.

awt

V to arrest. Yo awt vl-a.

They arrested the thief. (see also:
memnen lalwa, mennen lodyans)
[< Fr. arrter]

Awou

N August. Mwa Awou s mwa

manmay lkl asou vakans. The
month of April is the month when the
school children are on vacation. [< Fr.
aot]

ayf

N fairy. Vy ayf-a mt an
modisyon anl ti manmay-la. The
evil fairy put a curse on the child.

ay variant of al. Ay limen dif-a. Go

light the fire.

Bb
ba1 (var: bay, ban)

V 1) to give. Ba li
lajan-an. Give him the money.
(conditioned variant) 2) to allow, to
permit, to let. Ba li lav had-la baw.
Let her wash the clothes for you. (syn:
kit, pwmit) PREP for. F sa ba li.
Do that for him. (see also: pou)
[< OFr. baillir]

an ft sala. They had babadin juice at

that party.

babawen

goatfish. (syn: souwi)

baboutjt

N muzzle. S pou ou mt
baboutjt bay bouwik-la pou ou sa
kondwiy. You have to put a muzzle
on a donkey to be able to control it.
(see also: bwid)

ba2

ADJ low, short. Kay li pli ba pas

sa mwen. His house is lower than
mine. (opp: ho) [< Fr. bas]

babouy

V to make a mess of oneself

while eating. Ti manmay-la ka
babouy tout ky k manj-a. The
child is making a mess of himself with
the food. [< Fr. barbouiller]

ba3

N stocking. Kot ou genyen ba

sala? Where did you buy that
stocking? [< Fr. bas]

baby

V to quarrel, to squabble. D
nonm koumans baby. Two men
began to quarrel. (syn: tiw mt, hal
kas; see also: chikannen, dispit)

baay variant of bagaj.

bab

N beard. I ni bab wouj. He has a

red beard. (see also: moustach) [< Fr.
barbe] bab kabwit goatee. Nonmlan t ni on ti bab kabwit. The man
had a small goatee. [< Fr. barbe
cabri]

bag

N ring. Mwen acht on bag l. I

bought a gold ring. [< Fr. bague]

bagaj variant of bagay.

babadin

bagay (var: bagaj, baay)

N a fruit like a passion fruit

but much larger (Passiflora
quadrangularis). Yo t ni ji babadin

N thing.
Kot i jwenn bagay sala? Where did
he find that thing? (syn: chz) [< Fr.

16

bak

Kwyl English

bagage] on bagay something.

Mwen ka gad pou on bagay an vil. I
am looking for something in town.
(syn: kchy; opp: anyen) bagay sal
dirty dishes. S pouw lav s bagay
sal-la. You must wash the dirty dishes.

bak1

bonm-lan asou tt li. He balanced the

bucket on his head. 2) to swing. I ka
balans lanmeny kon on slda. Hes
swinging his arms like a soldier. (see
also: swing) [< Fr. balancer]

balanswin same as swing.

river crab. Yo ka tjb bak.

Theyre catching crabs. (see also:
kwab, siwik, touloulou, zagaya)

bak2

balawou

N whale. Yo w an gwo
balenn chw asou lans-lan. They
saw a big whale washed up on the
shore. [< Fr. baleine]

bak3

V to reverse, to back (up). Yo

tout bak dy l yo w fizi mwen.
They all backed up when they saw my
gun. [< Eng. back]

balizy

N (Heliconia caribaea) a plant

of the family of the banana tree; it
bears red or yellow flowers but no
fruit. Madanm-lan f an ti kay k
fy balizy. The woman made a little
house with balizy leaves. [< Fr.
balisier]

baka

N backer, supporter. Yo pwen

lavantay asou mwen paski mwen pa
t ni pys baka. They took advantage
of me because I didnt have any
supporters. [< Eng. backer]

balkon

N balcony. I doubout an
balkon-an ka kwiy pwocheny. He
stood on the balcony calling his
neighbour. [< Fr. balcon]

bal1

N ball, dance. Kabwit bay bal, s

Mouton ki sou. Goat gave a dance, it
is Sheep that got drunk. (syn: dans)
[< Fr. balle]

baly

N broom. Madanm-lan kas

baly-a asou tt mawiy. The woman
broke the broom over her husbands
head. V to sweep. Tifi-a koumans
baly kay-la. The girl began to sweep
out the house. [< Fr. balayer]

bal2

N bullet. Yo jwenn bal fizi-a b

chimen-an. They found the rifle bullet
by the road. [< Fr. balle] bal simen
pellet, shot, buckshot. Fizi-a ka svi
bal simen. The gun uses shot.

ban1

N bench. I mt chapo-a asou

ban-an. He put the hat on the bench.
[< Fr. banc]

balance. Tjenn balanw pou

ou pa tonb an dlo. Keep your
balance so you dont fall in the water.
(syn: pyton) [< Fr. balance]
N

ban2 (var: ba, bay)

V 1) to give. Ban
mwen an ti bo. Give me a little kiss.
(conditioned variant) 2) to let, to
allow, to permit. Ban mwen diw yon
bagay. Let me tell you something.
(syn: kit, pwmit) PREP for. F sa
ban mwen soupl. Do that for me
please. (see also: pou)

balanmin

N digging tool made of an

iron bar flattened on one end. Yo ka
fouy twou poto tlfn-an k
balanmin. They dig holes for
telephone poles with iron bars.
V

a type of small fish with

balenn

trough, concrete water tank

without a top. Bak-la t plen dlo. The
tank was full of water.

balans

long snout.

balan

ban

1) to balance. I balans
17

banbou

Kwyl English

banbou

sea. (see also: chy, kaka, lasl,

ladjidjit, wilachman)

N bamboo. B lawivy-a t
plen banbou. There was a lot of
bamboo by the river. [< Fr. bambou]

band

bas1

N reef. Yo kw batiman-an t
kay touch anl bas-la. They thought
the boat was going to touch the reef.
(see also: kay) ADJ at low tide.
Bonmaten-an lanm-a bas. This
morning the sea is at low tide. (opp:
plen) [< Fr. basse]

to bandage, to tie, to bind.

Nonm-lan band weny pouy t lv
chay-la. The man tied his waist tight
to lift the load. [< Fr. bander]
V

bandja

N wild yam. Bandja-a bon

pi vyann kochon woti. The wild yam
is good with roast pork.

bas2

N cricket bat. Nonm-lan f bas li

menm. The man made his own cricket
bat. (see also: krikt) V to bat. Dpi
s kon sa ou ka bas, ou pa kay diw.
If it is that way you are batting, you
wont last.

bandonnen variant of abandonnen.

bank

N bank. I al an bank-lan pou

chanj lajany. He went to the bank
to change his money. (see also:
labank) [< Fr. banque] biy bank a
one pound note, roughly equivalent to
five dollars. Yo py kat biy bank
pou t-a. They paid twenty dollars for
the land. [< Fr. billet de banque]

bann

basen

N river basin, deep part of a

river or sea. Yo p naj an basen-an.
They are afraid to swim in the basin.
(see also: bsin) [< Fr. bassin]

bat

V 1) to hit, to strike. Nonm-lan t

tlman fach i bat poto-a. The man
was so angry he struck the post. (syn:
fwap, fout; see also: konyen, tap)
2) to beat, to spank. Papa ti
manmay-la bat li paski i pa t ka
kout manmany The childs father
spanked him because he wouldnt
listen to his mother. (syn: bay kou,
bay vol, lapid, plich, pt k)
3) to beat, to win, to defeat, to surpass.
Mwen t ka f on kous k gason
mwen m i bat mwen. I was having a
race with my son but he beat me. (syn:
ganyen; opp: pd) [< Fr. battre]

band, orchestra. I ka kondwi

bann polis. He leads the police band.
[< Eng. band]
N

bannann

N plantain. Mwen kontan

manj bannann k pwson. I like to
eat plantain with fish. (see also:
gwenn bannann, fig, makanbou)
[< Fr. banane]

bannbouden

N intestine. Ntway
bannbouden-an ban mwen. Clean
the intestines for me. (see also: fil
bouden)

banndjo1

N banjo. I ka jw banndjoa. Hes playing the banjo. [< Eng.

banjo]

banndjo2

batay

bata

N bastard, illegitimate child.

Mwen s pa on bata, mwen s
ljitim li. Im not a bastard; Im his
legitimate child. (syn: ich dw; opp:
ljitim) [< Fr. btard]

skipjack tuna.

bantj

N excrement deposited in a
chamber pot. S moun-an t ka jt
bantj yo an lanm-a. The people
were throwing their excrement in the

batay

N fight, battle. La t ni on
mov batay an kabaw-a. There was

18

batay

Kwyl English

load (something onto something). Yo

batj tout s bwt-la ab trk-la.
They loaded all the boxes on the truck.
(opp: dbatj; see also: bat, chaj)
[< Fr. embarquer]

a bad fight in the rumshop. (see also:

asasin, goumen, mlimlanj, roro)
[< Fr. bataille]

batay

N fighter, battler. L papa

mwen t an ladj-a i t on bon
batay. When my father was in the
war he was a good fighter. [< Fr.
batailleur]

batmanntj

N heart attack. Si ou
kontin manj gws kon sa, tal ou
kay jwenn batmanntj. If you
continue eating fat like that, soon you
will get a heart attack.

bat

V to load (normally with

animals). Ou bat mwen kon on
bouwik! Youve loaded me like a
donkey! (opp: dbat; see also: batj)
[< Fr. bter]

bato

N ship. Bato-a koul an dlo-a.

The boat sank in the water. (syn:
batiman, patj; see also: kannt,
chaloup) [< Fr. bateau]

batenm

N baptism. T ni on batenm
bay ti manmay-la. There was a
baptism for the child. (see also:
batiz) [< Fr. baptme]

baton

N stick. I bat li k baton-an.

He hit him with the stick. [< Fr.
baton]

bati

bava

V to build. I fin bati kay-la. He

finished building the house. (syn: f)
[< Fr. btir]

ADJ 1) boastful. Nonm sala

bava kon an chyen. That man is as
boastful as a dog. 2) overly talkative,
unable to keep a secret. Pa di nonm
sala zafw; i bava twp. Dont tell
that man your business; he is too
talkative. (see also: sous) N braggart,
boaster. Nonm sala s on bava. That
man is a braggart. (syn: bavadz,
vanta; see also: bavad) [< Fr.
bavard]

batiman

N ship. Tan lontan st ab

batiman moun t ka sti Vy F al
Kastwi. Long ago people used to have
to take ships to go from Vieux Fort to
Castries. (syn: bato, patj; see also:
kannt, chaloup) [< Fr. btiman]

batist

N baptismal certificate, birth

certificate. Madanm mwen al
ogwf pou gad pou batist s
manmay-la. My wife went to the
registry to look for a birth certificate
for the children. [< Fr. baptistaire]

bavad

V 1) to brag, to boast. Gasonan toujou ka bavad konsn tout sa

i ja f. The boy always brags about
what he has done. (syn: pal vanta)
2) to talk a lot, carelessly,
thoughtlessly; to chatter, to blab.
Madanm-lan enmen bavad. The
woman likes to chatter. (see also:
bava, bavadz) [< Fr. bavarder]

batiz

V to baptize. Yo batiz an
chay moun an lanm-a Dimanch
pas. They baptized many people in
the sea last Sunday. (see also:
batenm) [< Fr. baptiser]

batj

bavadz

bavadz

N braggart, boaster. Pa
kout bavadz sala. Dont listen to
that braggart. (syn: bava, vanta; see
also: bavad) [< Fr. bavardeuse]

1) to board, to embark aboard.

Yo batj vann-an pi yo al. They
boarded the van and they went. 2) to
V

19

bav

Kwyl English

bav

(syn: lodyans, lalwa) [< Fr. barreau]

V to drivel, to slobber. Ti
manmay-la ka bav. The child is
slobbering. [< Fr. baver]

bay1 (var: ba, ban)

V to give. Yo bay
Pita lajan-an. They gave Peter the
money. (conditioned variant; see also:
potjiw) PREP for, on the behalf of.
Mwen kay acht on motoka bay zt.
I am going to buy a car for you all.
bay asou to shine on. Klt sly-la
ka bay asou miw-a. The light of the
sun shone on the mirror. (see also:
klw) bay on so to throw to the
ground. Papa mwen ba li yon so pi
i kouvy a t-a. My father threw him
down and jumped on him. (syn: jt,
fs, fout, mat) bay tt to nurse.
Pito ou asid b lawi-a, al bay ich ou
tt. Rather than sit by the street, go
nurse your child.

bawad

N barrier, roadblock, retaining

wall. Yo mt an bawad an chimenan pou anpch moun pas. They put
a barrier on the road to prevent people
from passing. (syn: jennman; see
also: baw)

baw1

V to block. Py bwa-a tonb

pi i baw tout chimen-an. The tree
fell and blocked the whole road. (syn:
bouch; opp: dbaw; see also:
jennen, bawad) ADJ 1) blocked.
Mwen pa sa pas paski chimen-an
baw. I cannot pass because the road
is blocked. 2) overcast. Ovan-an
baw; i sanm lapli kay tonb. It is
overcast to the east; it seems like it is
going to rain. (see also: maw) [< Fr.
barrer]

bay2 (var: labay)

N manger. I vid
manj-a an bay-la bay kochon-an.
He poured the food into the manger
for the pig.

baw2

N kingfish, wahoo
(Acantchocybuim solandri). S
pch-a tjb baw tousl jdi-a.
The fishermen caught only kingfish
today.

bay

V 1) to yawn. Pita t ka bay

paski i t vl dmi. Peter was
yawning because he was sleepy. 2) to
stretch, to stretch out of shape. Ti
manmay-la jt choson-an paski yo
t bay. The child threw away the
socks because they were stretched out.
[< Fr. biller]

bawi

N barrel. Yo voy tout

konmisyon-an adan an bawi. They
sent everything in a barrel. (see also:
bouko, kas) [< Fr. baril]

bawo1

Bazil

bay

N gate. Fm bay-a pou

chyen-an pa sti. Close the gate so
the dog wont get out. (see also:
bawad) [< Fr. barrire]

wooden bar used for securing

a door or window. Yo pd bawo
lapt-la k yo t ni pou mawy pi
an kd. They lost the bar of the door
and they had to secure it with a rope.
[< Fr. barreau]
N

baza

N bazaar, fair. T ni on baza b

lopital-la. There was a bazaar by the
hospital. [< Fr. bazar]

bawo2

N court, magistrate, legal

authorities. Si ou kontin vl
mango mwen, mwen kay mennenw
douvan bawo. If you keep on stealing
my mangoes, I will take you to court.

Bazil a personification of death. s si

ou paw pou l Bazil vini? Are you
ready for death to come? Bazil
pweny he died. Nonm-lan t jenn
20

bazilik

Kwyl English

blt

bkt

toujou l Bazil pweny. The man was

still young when he died. (slang; see
also: m, tenn, maw patj, di dd,
tiw k)

V to peck. Poul-la bkt

manj-a. The chicken pecked at the
food. (see also: bat zy) [< Fr.
becqueter]

bazilik

bl

N basil tree. Fy bazilik-la ka

santi bon. The leaf of the bazilik
smells good. [< Fr. basile]

ADJ 1) pretty, beautiful. Kay-la t

bl. The house was beautiful. (syn:
joli; opp: ld; see also: blt) 2) nice,
wonderful. Nou t ni on bl joun.
We had a wonderful day. 3) serious,
good (in an ironic sense). Yo bay
misy-a an bl chal. They gave the
man a good beating. [< Fr. belle]

bazou

N jaw. I kas zo bazou nonmlan k an koul pwen. He broke the

mans jawbone with a punch. (syn:
machw)

bazoudi

ADJ stunned, giddy, dazed.

Kk-la t bazoudi apw i pwen koul
zpon-an an tt-li. The cock was
stunned after another one hit it on its
head with its spur. (syn: kagou, toudi;
see also: anbazoudi, gaw, vag)

bljenn

eggplant.

blfi

N daughter-in-law. Blfiw ka
vini denmen. Your daughter-in-law is
coming tomorrow. (see also: blm,
bls, bofis, bofw, bop) [< Fr.
belle-fille]

N butter. I genyen d liv b. He

bought two pounds of butter. [< Fr.
beurre]

blibann

N cinch, girth. I sw
blibann-an anba bouden chouvalla. He tightened the cinch under the
horses belly [< Eng. belly band]

bdji

ADJ amazed, astonished,

astounded, surprised. L yo tann sa,
yo t bdji. When they heard that,
they were amazed. (syn: sipwi,
tonnen, szi)

blm

N 1) mother-in-law. Mawi pa
kontan blm yo. Husbands dont like
their mothers-in-law. (see also: blfi,
bls, bofis, bofw, bop) 2) stepmother. I pa enmen blmy. She
doesnt like her step-mother. [< Fr.
belle-mre] blm zonng cuticle.
Blm zonng li anfl, i ni kannawi
dlo. Her cuticle is swollen, she has an
inflammation of the nails.

bf

N cow, cattle. Bf-la kwaz jaden

mwen. The cow destroyed my garden.
[< Fr. boeuf]

bgy

V to stammer, to stutter. Afs

nonm-lan t ka bgy, nou pa t sa
menm konpwann li. The man was
stammering so much we couldnt even
understand him. [< Fr. bgayer]

bls

N sister-in-law. Non blsy s

Mawi. Her sister-in-laws name is
Marie. (see also: blfi, blm, bofis,
bofw, bop) [< Fr. belle-soeur]

bk

N bake: flat bread cooked on a hot

plate. Bk cho bon pi b. Hot bakes
are good with butter. (syn: roti; see
also: dalpouri, sohari) [< Eng. bake]

blt

N beauty. Nonm-lan mayy

pou blty, m i pa t sa tjwit
manj byen. The man married her for
her beauty, but she couldnt cook well.

bk

N beak. Kilibwi ni on lonng bk.

Hummingbirds have long beaks. (see
also: zy) [< Fr. bec]

21

bly

Kwyl English

bly

bs

N ram. Pa al pw bly
mouton-an avan i baw on koul tt.
Dont go near the ram or it will butt
you. [< Fr. blier]

V 1) to lower, to bow. Annou

bs tt nou pou pwdy. Lets bow
our heads to pray (opp: lv; see also:
fil) 2) to stoop, to bend over, to bow,
to kneel. L i antw an lgliz-la i
bs asou on jounou. When he
entered the church he knelt on one
knee. (see also: akoupi, ajounou)
3) to abate, to lessen, to diminish. L
lapli-a bs tout moun al lakay yo.
When the rain abated everyone went
home. [< Fr. baisser]

ben

N bath. Mwen anvi pwan an

ben. I want to take a bath. (see also:
benyen) [< Fr. bain] ben fyay leaf
bath. I bon pou pwan an ben fyay
tanzantan. Its good to take a leaf
bath once in a while. ben lanm sea
bath, swim. Yo al pwan on ben
lanm. They went for a sea bath.

bsin

N basin. Genyen an bsin ban

mwen pou mwen sa pentwi fawin
fwans mwen. Get a basin for me to
knead my flour in. (see also: basen)
[< Eng. basin]

benndiksyon (var: labenndiksyon)

blessing. Bondy ba li
benndiksyony. God gave him his
blessing. (see also: benni) [< Fr.
bndiction]
N

bennfis

btiz

Bson

benefit. La pa ni pys
bennfis an sa. Theres no benefit in
that. (syn: gany; see also: pwofi) V to
benefit, to gain. Ki sa sa kay
bennfis ou si ou genyen tout lat-a
pi ou pd lam ou? What will it gain
you if you get the whole world and
you lose your soul? (syn: sinify)
[< Fr. bnfice]
N

bt

the village of Bexon.

N 1) animal, beast. Bt-la al

avan mwen w sa i t y. The animal
got away before I could see what it
was. (syn: zannimo) 2) bug, insect.
La t ni tout st kalt bt an jadenan. There were all kinds of bugs in the
garden. [< Fr. bte] bt san zo
same as vyann san zo. Bt san zo ka
manj jaden-an. Slugs destroy the
garden.

benni

V to bless. Bondy kay benni

nou. God will bless us. (see also:
benndiksyon) ADJ blessed. Anyen
pa wivy paski i benni. Nothing
happened to her because she is
blessed. [< Fr. bnir]

bt2

ADJ stupid, foolish (in reference to

a woman). Fanm-lan t bt an chay.
The woman was very foolish. (syn:
st, kouyon) [< Fr. bte]

benyen

btaf

V 1) to bathe. Yo vl benyen
atjlman. They want to bathe now.
(see also: ben) 2) to have an
abundance, to have a lot of something,
to be full of. Plas-la ni tizing t m
anbay t benyen kay. The place had
a little soil but under it there were a lot
of rocks. (see also: alabondans, bw,
plen) [< Fr. baigner]

N firefly. La ni an chay btaf

ka klw an nws-a. There are many
fireflies shining in the darkness.

btannipy

N centipede.
Btannipy-a t adan blk-la k i
mantj md mwen. The centipede
was in the block and it almost bit me.
(see also: kangowi)

btiz
22

foolishness, nonsense. I ka

btiz

Kwyl English

Bib

pal btiz. Shes talking nonsense.

(syn: maji, papicho, kouyontwi; see
also: ennitil, kouyon, dpal) [< Fr.
btise] pal btiz same as pal
papicho.

N Bible. Bib-la s pawl Bondy.

The Bible is the word of God. (syn:
Labib) [< Fr. Bible]

bich

N deer. Ou ni lapo bich

lapow pa ka gwat pys. You have
skin like a deers hide your skin
doesnt scratch at all. (syn: sf) [< Fr.
biche]

btiz

V to talk nonsense. Nonm-lan

sou tlman i ka btiz. The man is so
drunk he is talking nonsense. (see also:
palapata) [< Fr. btise]

btj

biwo

bidim

ADJ enormous, huge. Misy-a

ka f on bidim kay; mwen pa sav ki
tan i kay finiy. The man is building
an enormous house; I dont know
when hell finish it. (syn: gwo bidim,
matenm, manman)

white person. Manman

mwen st chabin k papa mwen
st btj, k s pou sa mwen blan
kon sa. My mother was light skinned
and my father was white, and that is
why I am so white. [< Bantu bk]
btj Kwyl albino. I s ich d
jan nw, m i s an btj Kwyl. He
is the son of two black persons, but he
is an albino.
N

bijou

N jewellery. I ka pt an chay
bijou. Shes wearing lots of jewellery.
[< Fr. bijou]

bimbwa variant of bi bwa.

btjin

biswi

N barracuda. Nou w on btjin

l nou t an dlo-a kon sa nou kouwi
sti an dlo-a. We saw a barracuda
when we were in the water so we got
out quickly.

N biscuit, cracker, cookie. [< Fr.

biscuit] biswi dou cookie. Mwen
kontan manj biswi dou pi dit. I
like to eat cookies with tea. biswi sl
salted cracker, saltine. Yo di biswi sl
bon pou van. They say saltines are
good for gas.

btouj variant of bt wouj.

bw

V to overdo, to pour on, to bathe

in. I bw manj-a piman. He put a
lot of pepper in the food. (see also:
benyen, plen)

bita

ADV together, neck and neck. Yo

t ka f on kous k yo wiv bita.
They were having a race and they
arrived neck and neck. (syn: bita bita,
tt a tt) bita bita same as bita.

bwj

N shepherd. Bwj-a ka vy
s mouton-an. The shepherd watches
the sheep. (syn: gadyenn mouton)
[< Fr. berger]

bitasyon

N plantation, estate,
countryside. I ka twavay anl on
bitasyon. He works on an estate. (see
also: ht, plantasyon)

bi

N a large piece (of something). Tifia t ni an bi pen ka manj. The girl

was eating a big piece of bread. (see
also: tj, mso, miyt) [< Fr. bille] bi
bwa (var: bimbwa) log. Yo ka svi
s bi bwa-a pou f kay. They using
the logs to make houses. [< Fr. bille
bois]

bitji

N crutch. Nonm-lan t ka mach

k bitji l janm li kas. The man was
walking with crutches after he broke
his leg. [< Fr. bquille]

biwo

N desk, office. Nonm-lan t

asid b biwoy ka twavay. The man

23

biyo

Kwyl English

bls

also: chandl) blan z egg white. I

svi blan z k sik blan fin pou
dkow bonbon-an. He used egg
white and icing sugar to decorate the
cake.

was sitting at his desk working. (see

also: fis) [< Fr. bureau]

biyo

N chopping block. Yo tjw poulla asou biyo-a. They killed the

chicken on the chopping block. [< Fr.
billot]

blanchi

V to bleach, to whiten. S
pouw blanchi chimiz sala. You must
bleach that shirt. (syn: lablanni) [< Fr.
blanchir]

bizayl same as ayl. [< Fr. bisaeul]

bizwen (var: bwizen, bouzwen,
bouzen) V to need. Nou bizwen
lajan. We need money. N need. I ka
potjiw tout bizwen nou. He provides
all of our needs. (syn: labizwen) [< Fr.
besoin] f bizwen to use the toilet,
to relieve oneself, to defecate or
urinate. Mwen kay f bizwen mwen.
Im going to the toilet. (euphemism;
see also: al an wazy, chy, kaka)
ni bizwen same as bizwen.

blanm

N blame. Pa bay tibway-la

blanm pou lw an lt moun. Dont
give the boy the blame for another
persons mistake. (see also: wipwch)
[< Fr. blme]

blanm

V to blame. Yo vl blanm
mwen. They want to blame me. (syn:
bay t; see also: akiz, wipwoch)
[< Fr. blmer]

blad

bl

N 1) bladder. La t ni on nonm
ki t ni on wch an blad li. There was
a man who had a stone in his bladder.
2) balloon. Chak l i vini vizit nou i
ka mennen blad bay s ti manmayla. Every time he comes to visit us he
brings a balloon for the children.

ADJ 1) blue. I ka pt on chimiz

bl. He is wearing a blue shirt.
2) green (said of plants), in leaf,
having foliage. L ou w jaden-an ja
bl, vyann san zo ka vin manjy.
When you see the garden is green,
slugs come to eat it. N bluing.
Madanm-lan mt bl an had blanan. The lady put bluing in the white
clothes. [< Fr. bleu]

bladj

V to joke, to share jokes, to

chat. S nonm-lan ka bladj. The
men are chatting. (see also: blag,
bladj, koz) [< Fr. blague]

blenm

ADJ pale due to sickness. D

jou malad sala fw vini blenm kon
moun ki pa ni san. Those two days of
being sick made you become pale like
people who dont have blood. (see
also: pal) [< Fr. blme]

bladj

N joker. Nonm sala s on

bladj. That mans a joker. (see also:
bladj, blag) [< Fr. blague]

blag

N joke. I konnt an chay blag.

He knows many jokes. (see also:
bladj, bladj) [< Fr. blague]

bls

N internal injury. S pouw bay ti

manmay-la wimd pou bls-la. You
must give the child medicine for the
internal injuries. (see also: san m)
[< Fr. blesser]

blan

ADJ white. Kay-la t pentiw

blan. The house was painted white.
(opp: nw) [< Fr. blanc] blan
balenn candle. Limen blan balennan. Light the candle. (syn: bouji; see

bls

V to injure, to wound. Nonmlan t bls l i t ka goumen. The

24

bliy

Kwyl English

bolonm

bbl

man was injured when he was

fighting. (see also: san m) [< Fr.
blesser]

N fraud, trickery, deceit,

chicanery, artifice. Tout sa yo ni, yo
twapy pa bbl. All they have they
got by deceit. f bbl to embezzle.
I f on gwo bbl. He embezzled a lot
of money.

bliy variant of obliy.

blotj

V to botch, to bungle, to mess

up, to do a job half-way. Madanmlan pa t lav had-la byen; i blotjy.
The wife didnt wash the clothes well;
she botched it. [< Fr. bloquer] blotj
anl to charge, to attack. L lyon-an
blotj anl nonm-lan, nonm-lan
pitjy k sab li. When the lion
attacked the man, the man stabbed it
with his sword. (syn: atak, bouw
anl; see also: kaw) [< Fr. bloquer]

bblis

N swindler, crook. Bblis-la

pwan tout lajan lapy mwen. The
swindler took all of my pay.

bdaj

N bank (of a river), edge. I

wst asou bdaj lawivy-a pou
pch. He settled on the side of the
river to fish. PREP alongside, beside,
next to. Nonm sou-a kouch bdaj
chimen-an. The drunk man lay down
beside the road. (see also: alapt,
alimans, b, a kot, pw, vizavi)
[< Fr. bordage]

bo

V to kiss. I bo ti manmay-la. She

kissed the child. N kiss. I ba li on ti
bo asou fidjiy. He gave her a small
kiss on her cheek.

bd

V to come (near), to approach.

Pa bd isi-a! Dont come here! (see
also: vini)

N side. Nou wy lt b-a. We saw

him on the other side. (syn: fasad,
kot, sayd) PREP 1) by, alongside,
beside, near, next to. I vini b
kannt-la. He came near the boat.
(opp: lwen; see also: alapt,
alimans, bdaj, a kot, pw, vizavi)
2) to. Mwen ka al b laplas. I am
going to the market. 3) about,
approximately, around. B ki l ou
kay vini? At about what time will you
come? (syn: alafen di, apipw,
avwdi, owon, v) [< Fr. bord] ki
b where. Ki b jadeny y?
Wheres his garden? (syn: ki kot)

bofis

N son-in-law. Mwen ni an bon

bofis. I have a good son-in-law. (see
also: blfi, blm, bls, bofw, bop)
[< Fr. beau-fils]

bofw

N brother-in-law. Non bofwy

s Py. His brother-in-laws name is
Peter. (see also: blfi, blm, bls,
bofis, bop) [< Fr. beau-frre]

bol

N 1) ball. I vow bol-la. He threw

the ball. 2) cricket. L nou t
tibway, nou toujou t ka jw bol
apw lkl. When we were boys, we
always used to play cricket after
school. (syn: krikt) [< Eng. bowl]

bobans

V to spend wildly, to waste.

I bobans tout sa i t ni. He wasted
all that he had. (syn: gaspiy)

bl

N bowl. I mt bouyon-an adan

an bl. She put the soup in a bowl.
(see also: pla, vsl, zasyt) [< Fr.
bol]

bobo

N sore, wound. I ni on bobo

asou lanmeny. He has a sore on his
hand. (see also: malenng, gad, bls)
[< Fr. bobo]

bolonm
25

1) doll. Tan lontan

bon

Kwyl English

bonsw

of hummingbird. (see also: kilibwi)

manmay t ka f bolonm k t gwa.

Long ago children used to make dolls
with clay. (syn: ppt) 2) a
supernatural character who looks like
a child with a big head and makes a
crying sound like a cat. Mwen p al
an bwa-a l sw paski mwen p
bolonm. I am afraid to go into the
woods at night because I am afraid of
bolonms. (see also: ladjabls) [< Fr.
bonhomme] ti bolonm child.

bn

V to be bounded by, to have a

boundary, to border (on), to adjoin, to
lie next to. T mwen-an bn pi sa
ou. My land borders on yours. [< Fr.
borner]

bonjou

INTERJ good morning, hello.

Bonjou. Kouman ou y? Good
morning. How are you? (see also:
bonnapwmidi, bonsw) N greeting,
hello. Mwen ka voy on bl bonjou
baw. I am sending you warm
greetings. [< Fr. bon jour]

bon

ADJ good. Ou sa anploy nonm

sala; i ka f bon twavay. You can
employ that man; he does good work.
(opp: mov, vy, mchan, slwa,
modi; see also: bl) INTERJ good,
okay, well. Bon, s sa nou kay f.
Okay, thats what well do. (see also:
ben) [< Fr. bon]

bonm

N bucket, pail. Bonm-lan plen

dlo. The bucket is full of water.
bonm-lan pt idiom referring to a
secret being revealed. L bonm-lan
pt ou kay konnt ki sa ki ka al-a.
When the news breaks you will know
what is going on.

bn

N boundary, boundary pegs. Yo

ka mt s bn-an bay popyty.
They are putting in the boundary pegs
on his property. [< Fr. borne]

bonmach

ADJ cheap, inexpensive.

Y fig t bonmach. Yesterday
bananas were cheap. (opp: ch) [< Fr.
bon march]

bonbon

N cake. Yo f on bonbon
pou ns mwen. They made a cake for
my wedding. [< Fr. bonbon]
bonbon z pound cake.

bonmaten

N morning. Nou ka mout

toul bonmaten. We go up every
morning. (see also: li bonmaten)
[< Fr. bon matin] li bonmaten in
the morning. Li bonmaten nou lv
pi nou al lakay nou. In the morning
we got up and we went to our house.

bonda

N backside, buttocks, arse. Yo

bwil bonda Tig k an f cho. They
burnt Tigers buttocks with a hot iron.
(syn: fs, tjou)

Bondous

INTERJ My God!. Bondous!

Papaw kay bat ou! My God! Your
father will beat you! (euphemism; syn:
Bondy)

bonnapwmidi

INTERJ good
afternoon. Bonnapwmidi. Kouman
ou y? Good afternoon. How are you?
(see also: bonjou, bonsw) [< Fr.
bonne aprsmidi]

Bondy (var: Dy)

N God. Bondy
ka potjiw ban nou. God provides for
us. INTERJ Good Lord!. Bondy! Sa
ki wivw? Good Lord! What
happened to you? (syn: Bondous)
[< Fr. bon Dieu] sisi Bondy a type

bonn

ADV early. Nou kay wiv

bonn. Well arrive early. (opp: ta)
[< Fr. bonne heure]

bonsw
26

INTERJ

good evening, good

bont

Kwyl English

You can run your mouth all you want,

I dont care. (syn: bat djl) bouch
lonng scowl, dark or gloomy look,
pout. Pouki ou ka f bouch lonng?
Ou fach? Why are you scowling like
that? Are you angry?

night. L nonm-lan diy bonsw

pysonn pa wponn. When the man
said good evening, nobody responded.
[< Fr. bon soir]

bont

N goodness, good things. I ka

f an chay bont ban nou. He does
many good things for us. (syn:
byennf) [< Fr. bont]

bouch1

V 1) to plug, to clog, to block.

Bonm-lan t ka koul kon sa i
bouchy. The bucket was leaking so
he plugged it. (syn: baw; opp:
dbouch; see also: bawad, jennen)
2) to catch by surprise. Yo bouch
Tig ka vl poul louwa. They caught
Tiger stealing the kings chickens. ADJ
clogged, plugged. Tiyo-a t bouch
k dlo-a pa t sa pas. The pipe was
clogged and water couldnt pass
through it. (syn: tjk) [< Fr. boucher]

bop

N 1) father-in-law. Madanm-lan
kontan bopy. The woman likes her
father-in-law. (see also: blfi, blm,
bls, bofis, bofw) 2) step father. Ti
manmay-la pa kontan bopy. The
child doesnt like her step father.
[< Fr. beau-pre]

bs

N brush. Mano fouy bs li an

penti-a k i koumans pentiw.
Mano dipped his brush into the paint
and he began to paint. [< Fr. brosse]

bouch2

N butcher. Mwen acht latj

kochon lanmen bouch-a. I bought
pigs tails from the butcher. (see also:
labatwa) [< Fr. boucher]

bos

V to brush. Ou enmen bos

chivw twp. You like to brush your
hair too much. [< Fr. brosser]

bosi

bouchon

N cork, bottle cap, lid.

Bouchon-an t wiy. The cap was
rusty. (see also: plak) [< Fr. bouchon]

hunchbacked. Nonm-lan
bosi. The man is hunchbacked. [< Fr.
bossu]
ADJ

bsko

bouchonnen

V to put a lid on.

Bouchonnen bouty-la. Put the lid on
the bottle.

lop-sided. Tt ou pa won,
i bsko. Your heads not round, its
lop-sided.

bouch

bouden

ADJ

bouden1

N 1) belly, stomach. Bouden

mwen plen. My belly is full. (syn:
pans) 2) heads; the open part of a
seed or nut used in gambling. L
moun ka jw kotji d bouden k d
do ka genyen. When people play kotji
two heads and two tails win. (opp: do)
[< Fr. boudin] bouden ka mennen
to have diarrhoea. Bouden mwen ka
mennen mwen. I have diarrhoea. (see
also: ladjidjit, mal vant, wilachman)

mouth. Mwen t tlman p

mwen pa t sa menm ouv bouch
mwen. I was so afraid I couldnt even
open my mouth. (see also: djl) [< Fr.
bouche] bat bouch 1) to mouth, to
move ones lips. L malad-la pwan
nonm-lan i t ka bat bouch li m
pawl-la pa t ka sti. When the man
fell sick he would move his lips but
the words wouldnt come out. 2) to
run ones mouth, to speak without
anyone paying attention. Ou sa bat
bouch ou kon ou vl, mwen pa ml.
N

bouden2

N black pudding, blood

sausage. Yo kontan manj bouden

27

boufi

Kwyl English

toul Sanmdi. They like to eat black

pudding every Saturday.

boukan k yo pwiy dif. They made

a pile of debris and set it on fire.
boukan dif campfire, debris fire,
bonfire. Yo f on boukan dif pou yo
t chof k yo. They made a fire to
warm themselves. (see also: fouy,
dif)

boufi

V to swell, to cause to swell,

particularly in reference to ones face.
Yo ba li yon koul pwen an fidjiy; yo
boufi zyy. They punched him in his
face; they caused his eye to swell. (see
also: anfl, gonfl) ADJ bloated,
swollen. Bf m-a ja vini boufi. The
dead cow has gotten bloated. (see also:
anfl) [< Fr. bouffir]

boug

boukant

V to exchange, to trade.
Boukant s pa on pch. To
exchange is not a sin.

boukl

V to buckle. Boukl sanng ou

k ann al. Buckle your belt and lets
go. [< Fr. boucler]

fellow, guy. Sa boug-la ka di

la-a? What is that guy saying? (see
also: nonm, misy)
N

bougonnen

bouko

N barrel, cask, hogshead.

Bouko-a plen wonm. The cask is full
of rum. (syn: kas; see also: bawi)

to grumble, to gripe, to
complain. S moun-an koumans
bougonnen l yo pa jwenn py. The
people began to complain when they
didnt get their pay. [< Fr. bougonner]
V

boukousou

N type of pea similar to

snow peas. Atjlman moun pa ka f
foli dy boukousou ank. Nowadays
people dont bother with cooking
boukousou anymore. (see also: senm,
pwa)

bouji

N candle. Limen bouji-a pas i

ja ka f nw. Light the candle because
it is getting dark. (syn: blan balenn;
see also: chandl) [< Fr. bougie]

boujon

boul

N clot, lump, clod. I kwaz boul

t-a pouy t plant py pwa-a. He
crushed the clod of soil to plant the
pea plant.

bud. Py bwa-a ka vow

boujon. The tree is putting out buds.
[< Fr. bourgeon] boujon gwiyav
guava bud used for bush medicine.
Madanm-lan bouwi boujon gwiyav
bay ti manmay-la pou doubout
wilachman-an. The lady boiled guava
bud for the child to stop the diarrhoea.
[< Fr. bourgeon goyave]
N

boujonnen

boula

N homosexual man. Nonm sala

s on boula m i pa vl pysonn sav.
That man is a homosexual but he
doesnt want anyone to know. (see
also: malmanman)

boulk

N unintelligible utterance.
Nonm-lan bat mwen an boulk al;
ma sa fin diw sa i di-a. The man
said something unintelligible; I cant
tell you what he said.

to bud. Py zowanj ka
boujonnen apwzan. Orange trees are
budding now. [< Fr. bourgeonner]
V

bouk

N billy goat. Yo tjw bouk-la

k yo f ft. They killed the billy goat
and they had a feast. (see also:
kabwit) [< Fr. bouc]

boukan

boulvs

boulon

N bolt. Yo sw boulon-an
twp. They tightened the bolt too
much. (see also: vis, vis)

a pile of debris. Yo f on

boulvs
28

to nauseate, to upset.

boulw

Kwyl English

longer in ignorance; everybody is

enlightened. (syn: inyowans; opp:
klw)

Bagay sala ka boulvs mwen. That

thing nauseates me. (syn: sivotj) ADJ
nauseated, queasy, upset. I vin
boulvs l i tann nouvl-la. He
became upset when he heard the news.
(syn: malotj) [< Fr. bouleverser]

boutik

N shop, store, boutique,

supermarket. Nou al an boutik-la
pou acht fawin fwans. We went to
the store to buy some flour. (syn:
magazen) [< Fr. boutique]

boulw

N boiler, tank used to provide

steam for cane train. Dif-a ka limen
an boulw-a. The fire is burning in
the boiler.

boutj

N bouquet. I ni on boutj fl.

She has a bouquet of flowers. [< Fr.
bouquet]

bous

N queen triggerfish (Balistes

vetula). Papa mwen t ni pou kch
tout s bous-la bay manman mwen.
My father had to skin all of the
triggerfish for my mother.

bouton1

N button. Mwen t ni pou

mt an lt bouton an chimiz-la. I
had to put a new button on the shirt.
[< Fr. bouton]

bousay

N debris, tangle of leaves and

twigs in water. Yo lv bousay-la
pou tjb kwibich. They lifted the
debris to catch crayfish.

bouton2

N rash. Chal-a f bouton

lv asou tout lapo ti manmay-la.
The heat caused a rash on the babys
skin. (see also: gwatl)

bousl

N swelling, bumps. Maygwen

t mdy tlman, lapoy plen
bousl. Mosquitoes bit him so much,
his skin has bumps all over it.

boutonnen

V to button. I boutonnen
chimiz li owa kol paski i t ka f
fwt. He buttoned his shirt up to his
collar because it was cold. (opp:
dboutonnen) [< Fr. boutonner]

bousol

ADJ swollen, bumpy, puffy.

Kot-a vonvon-an md mwen-an
bousol. Where the bee bit me is
swollen. [< Fr. boursoufl]

bout

bouwi

boutou

N club. Polis-la ni on gwo

boutou. The policeman has a big club.

bouw1

V to eat fast, to bolt ones

food. I ka bouw manjy. Hes
bolting his food. [< Fr. bourrer]
bouw anl to charge, to attack. Tig
bouw anl nonm-lan. Tiger charged
the man. (syn: atak, blotj anl)
[< Fr. bourrer]

end. Vwzinaj mwen f kay li

an bout chimen-an. My neighbour
built his house at the end of the road.
(syn: finisman; see also: fini) ADJ
over, finished, ended. L tan nou t
bout pi yo, nou al. When our time
with them was over, we went away.
[< Fr. bout]
N

bouw2

V to heap up soil around a

plant. I bouw t-a oliwon py fig-la
i fin plant-a. He heaped up soil
around the banana tree he had just
planted. (see also: labouw) [< Fr.
labourer]

bouty

N bottle. Chak an s nonmlan bw yon bouty wonm. Each of

the men drank a bottle of rum. [< Fr.
bouteille] bouty nw ignorance. I
pa ni moun ki an bouty nw ank;
tout moun klw. People are no

bouwi
29

1) to boil, to cook. Yo ka

bouwik

Kwyl English

bwanch

armpit was swollen.

bouwi vyann-an. Theyre boiling the

meat. (see also: fwi, tjwit) 2) to stir,
to swirl, to splash. L balenn-an fs
ky a t, i f dlo-a bouwi. When the
whale threw itself down, it made the
water splash. 3) to be angry. L i w
sa, i t ka bouwi andidany. When he
saw that, he was angry. (see also:
fach) 4) to growl, to rumble (used of
stomach). Bouden mwen ka bouwi.
My stomachs growling. [< Fr.
boullir]

bwa2

N 1) wood. S kay-la t ft an
bwa. The houses were made of wood.
2) same as gwan bwa. I al anba
bwa pou koup bwa. He went into
the woods to cut wood. [< Fr. bois]
bwa bwa puppet. Yo f tyat bwa
bwa. They did a puppet show. f
pwan an bwa to chase away. Nou
f yo pwan an bwa. We chased them
away! (syn: chach, f fann kann, f
kwazy bwa, f kwazy wazy, f
pwan lavl, kouwi dy; see also:
bay lapouswiv) gwan bwa forest,
woods. I al gwan bwa pou gad
pou bwa kannt. He went into the
forest to look for wood to make a
canoe. (syn: lafow) pwan an bwa
to flee, to run away. Mwen bay
chyen-an yan koul wch, i pwan an
bwa. I threw a stone at the dog and it
ran away. (syn: fann kann, f djip, f
lapousy, f zkl, kwaz bwa,
kwaz wazy, pwan lavl; see also:
kouwi, chap, mawon; bay py,
bwennen k, chap k, f py, f
yan, kouwi vant a t)

bouwik

N donkey, ass. Yo maw

bouwik-la an py mango-a. They tied
the donkey to the mango tree. (see
also: chouval, mil) [< Fr. bourrique]

bouwo

N someone with a bad

reputation. Bouwo-a atak s mounan pou vl lajan yo. The bad man
attacked the people to rob them. (see
also: mov lam, vy lam) [< Fr.
bourreau]

bouyon

N stew. Madanm-lan ka ban

nou bouyon chak Mkwdi. The
woman gives us stew every
Wednesday. [< Fr. bouillon]

bouzen variant of bizwen.

bwadenn

N bay (Pimenta racemosa).

Yo bouwi fy bwadenn pou f dit.
They boiled bay leaves to make tea.
[< Fr. Bois dInde]

bouzwen variant of bizwen.

boyo

N 1) small intestine. Yo mt
san an boyo-a pou f bouden. They
put blood in small intestines to make
black pudding. 2) bosom, guts. Ti
manmay-la sti an boyo mwen. The
child came from my bosom. 3) a type
of vine with prickles on it. Yo ka svi
boyo pou f koly bay mouton. They
use boyo vines to make collars for
sheep. (see also: lyenn) [< Fr. boyau]

bwadn

N pitch pine. Madanm-lan

limen dif-a k bwadn. The woman
lit the fire with pitch pine.

bwanch

N branch. Py bwa-a pa ni
bwanch. The tree has no branches.
[< Fr. branche] bwanch fil piece of
thread. Mwen vl on bwanch fil pou
koud tjilt mwen. I want a piece of
thread to sew my pants. bwanch
lakl key ring, bunch of keys. I ni
an bwanch lakl pann an sanng li.

bwa1

N arm. I kas bway. He broke

his arm. [< Fr. bras] anba bwa
armpit. Anba bway t anfl. His

30

bwanch

Kwyl English

bway2

He has a key ring hanging on his belt.

(syn: patj lakl, koly lakl)

N boy, man, guy, male.

bway, kot ou ka al? Hey guy,
where are you going? (see also:
tibway) [< Eng. boy]

bwanch

V to swing from branch to

branch. I ka bwanch kon on
makak. He swings like a monkey.
(see also: swing)

bw

N bamboo float used for

identifying location of fish pots. L
pch-a pa w bw-a i sav on moun
vl nas-la. When the fisherman
didnt see his float, he knew someone
had stolen his fishpot. [< Fr. boue]

bwanhany

ADJ barren. Madanm-lan

t bwanhany. The woman was barren.

bwapen

N breadfruit. Yo ka vann
bwapen ch atjwlman. They are
selling breadfruit for a lot of money
now. [< Fr. bois pain]

bw

V 1) to drink. Mwen enmen bw

dlo fwt l nga santi cho. I like to
drink cold water when I am feeling
hot. 2) to drink alcohol. I ka bw
twp. He drinks too much. (see also:
bwason, gg, gg, ng wonm, sou,
wonm) 3) to take in completely what
a person is saying, to eavesdrop. Ou
ka bw sa moun-an ka di-a, m i pa
ka pal baw. Youre taking in
everything the person is saying, but
hes not talking to you. (syn: gob) N
liquor, alcoholic drink. I doubout b
kabaw-a pou i t acht on bw. He
stopped by the bar to buy a drink.
(syn: bwason, gg) [< Fr. boire]

bwas

N span from hand to hand with

outstretched arms used as a measure
for buying rope. Mwen genyen d
bwas kd. I bought two measures of
rope.

bwasl

N bracelet. Tifi-a ni on
bwasl nf. The girl has a new
bracelet. [< Fr. bracelet]

bwason

N drink, drinking of alcohol

beverages. S pa pouw kontan twp
ft k twp bwason. You must not
love too much partying and drinking.
(syn: bw, gg; see also: sou, gg,
ng wonm, sou, wiski, wonm) [< Fr.
boisson]

bwennen

V to twitch, to stir, to fidget.

Madanm-lan pa menm bwennen
afs i t malad. The woman didnt
even twitch because she was so sick.
bwennen k to hurry, to get moving,
to go quickly. Al an boutik-la ban
mwen k bwennen kw. Go to the
store for me and go quickly. (syn: bay
py, chap k, chap py, f py, f
vit; see also: kouwi; fann kann, f
djip, f lapousy, f yan, f zkl,
kouwi vant a t, pwan lavl)

bwav

ADJ brave, courageous, bold. I

s on nonm ki bwav. Hes a brave
man. (syn: fouben; see also: ni tj)
[< Fr. brave]

bwavt

N bravery, courage. I t ni on
chay bwavt pou plonj adan dlo
fon sala. He had a lot of bravery to
dive into that deep water. (see also:
bwav, fouben)

bway1 (var: bwy)

bwt

bwt

N box. I ni tout bagay adan

bwt-la. He has everything in the box.
[< Fr. bote] bwt zouti toolbox. I
pd bwt zouti-a k i pa t sa f

gills. Yo tiy
bway-la an pwson-an. They
removed the gills from the fish.
N

31

bwt

Kwyl English

down the house when they were

playing with matches. 2) to cause
envy, to make jealous. s i ka
bwilw pis mwen ni an pli bl
motoka pas sa ou-a? Does it make
you jealous that I have a nicer car than
yours? ADJ burnt, burnt down. L
nonm-lan w kay li tout bwil i
koumans hl. When the man saw
his house burnt down he began to cry.
[< Fr. brler]

twavay li. He lost the toolbox and he

couldnt do his work.

bwt

V to limp. Nonm-lan t ka
bwt paski i bls vy janm li-an.
The man was limping because he hurt
his injured foot. [< Fr. boiter]

bwy variant of bway.

bwi

N star apple (Chrysophyllum

Cainito). Pa d bwi ki anl py-a.
There are a lot of star apples on the
tree. bwi kaymik a large variety of
star apple. Bwi kaymik-la ni an chay
lt l i vt. The star apple has a lot of
milk when it is green.

bwital

ADJ brutal, severe. Nonm sala

s on nonm ki bwital; i koup tt
madanm li. That man is a brutal man;
he cut off his wifes head. (syn: mov,
mchan; opp: bon, dous) ADV
seriously. Bway t bls bwital. His
arm was seriously injured. [< Fr.
brutal]

bwid

N bridle. Chouval-la ni on
bwid nf. The horse has a new bridle.
(see also: baboutjt, boukl, bwid)
[< Fr. bride]

bwid

bwiz

bwitaliz

V to rough up. Vl-a

bwitaliz madanm-lan l i pwen bag
li. The thief roughed up the woman
when he took her bag. (syn: bwiz)
[< Fr. brutaliser]

to bridle. I bwid chouval-la

byen. He bridled the horse well. (see
also: baboutjt, boukl, bwid) [< Fr.
brider] bwid domino final move
in a game of dominoes. I bwid
domino-a k i genyen pa pwen. I
made the final move in the game of
dominoes and he won by points.
V

bwitl

N suspenders. Nonm sala

enmen mt tjilt ki ni bwitl. That
man likes to wear pants with
suspenders. [< Fr. bretelle]

bwigan

ADJ boisterous. Ti manmayla tw bwigan. The child is too

boisterous. (see also: anbtan) [< Fr.
brigand]

bwiyan

ADJ bright, brilliant. Klt-a

bwiyan. The light is bright. [< Fr.
brillant]

bwigo

bwiyans

N whelk, sea snail. Nou jwenn

an chay bwigo an lanm-a. We found
a lot of whelks in the sea.

N brilliance. Bwiyans slyla vgl nonm-lan. The brilliance of

the sun dazzled the man. [< Fr.
brillance]

bwik

N brick. Yo t ka ml t gwa
pi zb pou f bwik. They were
mixing clay and grass to make bricks.
[< Fr. brique]

bwiy

V to celebrate. Lawz-la ka
bwiy Vy F sw-a. The La Rose
festival is being celebrated in Vieux
Fort tonight. (syn: f laft, slbw,
wibot) [< Fr. briller]

bwil

V 1) to burn, to burn down. S ti

manmay-la bwil kay-la l yo t ka
jw k zalimt-la. The children burnt

bwiz
32

to rough up. S polis-la

bwizen

Kwyl English

well. S pa moun ki byen ptan ki

bizwen an dkt. Its not people who
are healthy who need a doctor. [< Fr.
bien portant]

bwiz boug-la l yo awty. The

police roughed the fellow up when
they arrested him. (syn: bwitaliz)

bwizen variant of bizwen.

byen

chach

byenmsi

ADV well, quite well,

satisfactorily. Mt bf-la viw plant
fl-a viw ban mwen byenmsi. The
owner of the cow re-planted the flower
for me satisfactorily. [< Fr. bien
merci]

well. I f twavay li byen.

He did his work well. ADJ well. s
ou byen? Are you well? (see also: la)
V to be friendly with. Pa byen k
nonm sala piski i s an kwennad.
Dont be friendly with that man
because he is a deceiver. N wealth,
riches, possessions, goods, belongings,
inheritance. I m pi i kit tout
byeny bay madanm li. He died and
he left all his possessions to his wife.
(see also: popyt, wichs) [< Fr.
bien] byen ft rightly, correctly. s
nou pa byen ft di ou s an vl?
Werent we correctly calling you a
thief? (opp: ni t; see also: ni wzon)
byen jwenn well-matched. Nonm
sala k madanm li byen jwenn. That
man and his wife are well-matched.
(syn: tenk) byen ptan healthy,
ADV

byennw

ADJ rich, prosperous,

wealthy. Nonm sala byennw; i ni
konmen svant lakay li. That man is
wealthy; he has many servants at his
home. (syn: w, alz, wich; opp:
mal, malw, pv; see also: wichs,
byen, ja fy, ja wiv)

byennf

N good works, good deeds.

S moun-an t kontan madanm sala
paski i f an pil byennf ba yo. The
people liked that woman because she
did a lot of good deeds for them. (syn:
bont; see also: bon)

Cc
chaben

Theyre looking for the child who got

lost. (syn: chach pou, gad pou)
[< Fr. chercher] chach pou same
as chach. Yo ka chach pou ti
manmay-la ki t pd-la. Theyre
looking for the child who got lost.

N light-skinned Negro.
Chaben-an ka kw i s an blan. The
light-skinned Negro thinks he is white.
(see also: chabin, ng, milat) [< Fr.
chabin]

chabin

N light-skinned Negress. Ou
pa konnt Agafa? I s chabin-an ki
ka vann pen anba-a la. You dont
know Agatha? She is the light-skinned
woman selling bread down there. (see
also: chaben, ngws, miyatws)
[< Fr. chabine]

chach2 (var: chach al)

V to chase
away. Nou kay chach s moun-an
ki ka wt la. Well chase away the
people who live there. (syn: kouwi
dy, f fann kann, f kwaz bwa, f
kwaz wazy, f pwan an bwa, f
pwan lavl; see also: bay lapouswiv)
[< Fr. chasser] chach al variant
of chach. Nou kay chach al s

chach1 (var: ach)

V to look for. Yo
ka chach ti manmay-la ki t pd-la.

33

chadt

Kwyl English

chalbawi

chagwinen

moun-lan ki ka wt la. We will

chase away the people who live there.
chach kont to hinder, to interfere
with. I pwch san pysonn
chachy kont. He preached without
anyone troubling him. (syn: anbt,
anmwd, annwv, chagwinen)

V to annoy, to bother, to
worry, to disturb, to unnerve, to make
nervous. Pa kit sa nonm-lan diw-la
chaginenw. Dont let what the man
told you bother you. (syn: anbt,
anmwd, annwv, distw; see also:
minab) [< Fr. chagriner]

chadt

chaj

N shaddock (Citrus grandis).

S fanm-lan t ka vann chadt k
sitwon. The women were selling
shaddocks and limes.

N criminal charge. Polis-la f an

chaj kont nonm-lan paski i t jiwy.
The policeman made a charge against
the man for cursing him. (see also:
plent) [< Fr. charge] an chaj in
charge. Yo mt polis-la an chaj
pwizonny-a. They put the police in
charge of the prisoner. (see also: asou
kont)

chadon (var: chadwon)

N white sea
urchin, sea egg (Stronglyocentrus
spp.). La ni an chay chadon an
lanm-a la. There are many sea
urchins in the sea there. chadon
benni a type of plant used for a
seasoning or bush medicine. Nonmlan mt chadon benni an zpis-la
pou pwson-an. The man put chadon
benni in the seasoning for the fish.
chadon nw (var: chadwon nw)
black sea urchin (Diadema antillarum).
Chadon nw kay pitjw si ou naj
an dlo-a la. Black sea urchins will
prick you if you swim in the water
there.

chaj

V 1) to put a load on (an

animals back or a persons head).
Chaj patj bwa-a anl bouwik-la k
ann al. Load the bundle of wood on
the donkey and lets go. (syn: bat,
batj; opp: dchaj) 2) to load (a
gun). I chaj fizi-a pou fiziw s
kanna sovay-la. He loaded his gun to
shoot the wild ducks. [< Fr. charger]

chajs variant of lasajs.

chak (var: chaken)

ADJ each, every.

Chak fwa ou vini ou ka manj. Each
time you come you eat. [< Fr. chaque]

chadwon variant of chadon.

chaginen variant of chagwinen.
chagwen

chaken variant of chak. Chaken

V depression, sadness,
chagrin. [< Fr. chagrin] ni chagwen
to be unable to do without. Fanmiy
t ni chagweny l i al lt pyi. His
family couldnt do without him when
he went overseas. (see also: mantj)
pwan chagwen to grieve, to be
overtaken with grief. L manman-an
kit tibway-la, i pwan chagwen k i
mantj m. When the mother left the
boy, he was overtaken with grief and
he almost died.

moun ka pt chay li. Each person

will bear his burden.

chal

N kerosene bottle torch. L

mwen t piti mwen toujou t ka
chach kwab k chal. When I was
little I always used to look for crabs
with a kerosene bottle torch. (syn: chal
bouty, flanbo) chal bouty same
as chal.

chalbawi

N ridicule. S manmay-la
t ka f chalbawi b kay nonm-lan.

34

chal

Kwyl English

The children were inflicting ridicule

on the man by his house. ladj
chalbawi dy to ridicule, to heckle,
to harass. L nonm-lan koumans
pal, yo ladj chalbawi dyy. When
the man began to speak, they heckled
him. (syn: pwan svi papicho, pwan
svi widitjil, pwan svi wizib; see
also: f sin)

chay chan pou s zannimo-a. He has

plenty of space for the animals. (see
also: savann) [< Fr. champ]

chandl same as chandl ml. [< Fr.

chandelle] chandl ml soft candle.
Manman tibway-la mt chandl
ml anl pyy pou hdi pikan-an.
The mother of the boy put soft candle
on his foot to take out the thorn. (syn:
chandl; see also: blan balenn, bouji)

chal

N 1) heat. I ni an chay chal

jdi-a. There is a lot of heat today.
(opp: fwt; see also: cho) 2) conflict,
pressure. Yo ka ban nou chal paski
nou pk fini twavay nou. They are
giving us pressure because we havent
finished our work. 3) beating. Yo ba
li an bl chal paski i pa t fini
twavay li. They gave him a good
beating because he hadnt finished his
work. 4) sexual drive, promiscuity.
Madanm sala ni an chay chal; i pa
vl wt pi yon sl nonm. That
woman has a strong sexual drive; she
wont be faithful to one man. [< Fr.
chaleur]

chanj

V to change. Bondy ja
chanj tj nou pou enmen yonn a
lt. God has changed our hearts to
love one another. [< Fr. changer]

chanjman

N change. An chanjman
ja pwan kou. A change has taken
place. [< Fr. changement]

chanjmand

N a change of air,
atmosphere, setting, location. Si ou
al Anglit anl vakans,
chanjmand-a kay bon pouw. If you
go to England on vacation, the change
of setting will be good for you. [< Fr.
changement dair]

chaloup

N yacht. Yo t ni pou py
an chay lajan pou chaloup nf yo.
They had to pay a lot of money for
their new yacht. (see also: batiman,
bato, kannt, patj) [< Fr. chaloupe]

chank

N canker sore in the mouth.

Chank-lan ja pwan tout bouch ti
manmay-la. The canker has spread in
all the childs mouth. (see also: bobo,
gad, malenng) [< Fr. chancre]

cham

N potion. Nonm-lan bay tifi-a

an cham pouy wt piy. The man
gave the girl a potion to force her to
stay with him. (see also: koupay,
lowizon) [< Fr. charme]

chanm

N bedroom, room. Kay-la ni

kat chanm. The house has four
bedrooms. [< Fr. chambre]

chanmo

N camel. (archaic; syn:

kanml) [< Fr. chameau]

cham

V to give a potion. Fw mwen

cham chyen-an pouy pa t al
jwenn pwmy mt li. My brother
gave the dog a potion to prevent it
from going back to its first master.
[< Fr. charmer]

chan

chans

chanpiyon

N fungus, mould.
Fwomaj-la pa bon pys; i ni
chanpiyon. The cheese is not at all
good; its mouldy. (see also: wasi)
[< Fr. champignon]

chans

free space, open land. I ni an

35

luck. Nonm sala ni an chay

chans

Kwyl English

chapl

chapanty

chans pouy genyen otan lajan. That

man has a lot of luck to win so much
money. [< Fr. chance] bon chans
good luck. Bon chans! Good Luck!
(opp: mal chans, mal) mal chans
1) bad luck. Misy ni mal chans pas
pysonn mwen konnt. The man has
bad luck more than anyone else I
know. (syn: mal; opp: bon chans)
2) unfortunately. Mal chans pou li, i
pa ni lajan. Unfortunately for him, he
has no money. (opp: chans)

N carpenter. Chapanty
ka f senky-la. Carpenters are
making the coffin. [< Fr. charpentier]
dit chapanty a kind of bush
medicine for colds. Madanm-lan bay
ti manmay-la dit chapanty pou
koup wim-lan. The woman gave the
child a cup of chapanty tea to cure
the cold. (see also: wimd wazy)

chap

V 1) to escape. Ou pa sa chap
anba pinisyon sala. You cant escape
that punishment. (see also: mawon;
fann kann, f djip, f lapousy, f
zkl, pwan lavl, kwaz bwa,
kwaz wazy, pwan an bwa, pwan
lavl) 2) to rescue, to save. D gason
t ka ny, m an nonm chap yo.
Two boys were drowning, but a man
rescued them. (see also: sov, d,
soukou) 3) to come. L i lv zyy,
i w s chyen-an chap. When he
looked up, he saw the dogs coming.
(syn: vini) [< Fr. chapper] chap
k to hurry up, to move quickly, to
get moving. Chap kw avan laplia kwv. Hurry up before the rain
starts to pour. (syn: bay py, bwennen
k, chap py, f py, f vit; see also:
kouwi; fann kann, f djip, f
lapousy, f yan, f zkl, kouwi
vant a t, pwan lavl) chap py
same as chap k.

chans

ADJ fortunate, lucky. Ou

chans ou pa t an vann-an l i
mat. You are fortunate you werent
in the van when it overturned. (see
also: chans) ADV fortunately.
Chans pou mwen, mwen ni lajan.
Fortunately for me, I have money.
(opp: mal chans) [< Fr. chanceux]

chanson

N song. I chant an bl
chanson. She sang a nice song.
(archaic; syn: chant) [< Fr. chanson]

chant

V 1) to sing. Ou toujou ka
chant maji. Youre always singing
nonsense. (see also: chanson, chant,
chantwl) 2) to crow. Kk-la toujou
ka chant l bonmaten. The cock
always crows in the morning. N song.
Ou pa konnt chant-a? You dont
know the song? (syn: chanson; see
also: chant, chantwl) [< Fr.
chanter]

chapl

N place of worship, shrine.

Toul Sanmdi s moun-an ka
asanbl an chapl-la pou pwdy.
Every Saturday the people assembled
at the shrine to pray. (see also: lgliz)
[< Fr. chapelle]

chant

N singer. Nou tann chant-a

ka chant kont. We heard the singer
singing folk songs. (see also: chanson,
chant, chantwl) [< Fr. chanteur]

chantwl

chapit

N singer (in reference to

woman), choir. S chantwl-la
chant byen sw-a. The singers sang
well tonight. (see also: chanson,
chant, chant) [< Fr. chantrelle]

N chapter. Nou ja li jis chapit

kenz. Weve read as far as chapter
fifteen. [< Fr. chapitre]

chapl
36

1) rosary beads. I pwan

chapo

Kwyl English

fatter. [< Fr. chtrer]

chapl-a k i koumans pwdy. She

took the rosary and started to pray.
2) rosary prayer. Toul bonmaten-an
papa mwen ka di chaply. Every
morning my father says his rosary.
[< Fr. chapelet]

chapo

chatwiy

V to tickle. Chat-la ka
chatwiy mwen pi pat li. The cat
tickled me with his foot. (syn: tjikilik)
[< Fr. chatouiller]

chatwiyen variant of chatwiy.

hat. I mt chapo-a asou tt

li k i al. He put the hat on his head
and he left. [< Fr. chapeau] chapo
Denmou same as chapo djab.
chapo djab toadstool. Chapo djab
ka lv an bwa pouwi-a. Toadstools
are growing in the rotten wood. (syn:
chapo Denmou, pawasl djab)
chapo kay ridge cap of a roof. Vanan vol chapo kay-la nt. The wind
completely blew away the ridge cap of
the roof. (see also: tt kay, galvanniz)
koukou chapo skullcap. S pouw
plen ti koukou chapo saa lajanw
ban mwen. You must fill this little
skullcap with your money for me.
N

chaviw (var: chaviy)

V to overturn,
to capsize. I p kannt-la kay
chaviw. Shes afraid the boat will
capsize. (opp: dchaviw; see also:
mat) [< Fr. chavirer]

chaviy variant of chaviw.

chawi

N plough. Yo t ka svi chawi

k kat bf pou fouy t-a. They used
to use ploughs and four cows to dig
the ground. V to plough. Moun pa
ka chawi ank; yo ka svi trakta.
People dont plough anymore; they
use tractors. [< Fr. charrue]

chawit variant of lachawit. [< Fr.

chapoti variant of sapoti.

charit]

chas

chay

V to hunt. Yo ka chas lapen.

Theyre hunting rabbits. (see also:
chas, lachas) [< Fr. chasser]

N load. I ka pt an gwo chay

lou asou tt li. She is carrying a big,
heavy load on her head. [< Fr.
charrier] an chay 1) much, many.
Yo ni an chay lajan. They have much
money. (syn: anbadjo, an pil, an lo,
mizi, tibwen; opp: dj; see also:
joliman, konmen) 2) very. Pwan
pokosyon; misy dwl an chay. Be
careful; the man is very strange. (see
also: toubonnman) an chay di l
many times, often. An chay di l yo
ka manti. They often lie. (syn: dwi,
souvan; see also: wgl)

chas

N hunter. Tonton mwen s on

chas. My uncle is a hunter. [< Fr.
chasseur]

chat

N cat. Chyen ka kouwi dy

chat. Dogs chase cats. [< Fr. chat]
chat tig same as tig.

chatany

N breadnut. Yo jwenn
chatany an jaden-an. They found
breadnuts in the garden. [< Fr.
chatigne]

chatou

chay

chay

V to carry. Yo t ni pou koup

bwa k chay dlo. They had to cut
wood and carry water. (syn: pt; see
also: chay, mennen) [< Fr. charrier]
chay pawl to bear tales, to back-

octopus. (see also: chs)

chatw

V to castrate. Yo ka chatw
s towo bf-la pou yo vini pli gwa.
They castrate the bulls so theyll get

37

ch

Kwyl English

run.

bite, to speak badly about. Yo enmen

chay pawl asou moun. They like to
bear tales about people. (syn: pt
pawl, mal pal, mpwiz; see also:
manti, sali non, nwsi non, ensilt)

chennt

N akee fruit (Melicoccus).

Moun ka vann chennt tout b lawia. People are selling akees all along
the road.

ch

ADJ expensive, dear. Tout bagay

an magazen ch apwzan.
Everything in the stores is expensive
nowadays. (opp: bonmach) [< Fr.
chr] pwan ch to charge a lot of
money. Koutwiyz sala ka pwan ch
pou koud. This seamstress charges a
lot to sew.

chs

N squid, inkfish. Chs s an bon

lak pou pch. Squid is a good bait
for fishing. (see also: chatou)

chwi

V to cherish. Nou ka chwi

lanmity Bondy. We cherish Gods
love. (see also: enmen, kontan) N
sweetheart, darling, loved one.
Madanm sala s chwi mwen. That
woman is my sweetheart (syn:
doudou) [< Fr. chrir]

chbon1

N coal, charcoal. Yo ka
vann chbon b laplas. Theyre
selling charcoal by the market. [< Fr.
charbon]

chz

N chair. La ni kat chz k kat

tab. There are four tables and chairs.
[< Fr. chaise] bwa chz a reply in
the opening of a tim tim. Tim tim.
Bwa chz.

chbon

N boil, carbuncle. L ou ni
chbon, s dlo ki wimd li. When you
have a boil, its water that is its
medicine. (syn: klou; see also: latwas,
plk, zanpoul) [< Fr. charbon]

chichi

chch

fringe, tassel. [< Fr. chichi]

chifonnen

V to become dry. Had-la ja

ka chch. The clothes are already
drying. (see also: sk) [< Fr. scher]

V to crumple, to wrinkle, to
rumple. I chifonnen papy-a pi i
jty. He crumpled the paper and
threw it away. [< Fr. chifonner]

chd

N shelter, shed, lean-to. Yo

konbl an chd-la paski yo pa t vl
lapli-a mouy yo. The crowded in the
shelter because they didnt want the
rain to get them wet. (see also: kab)
[< Eng. shade] chd fig banana
shed.

chf

chikannen

chik

N hookworms, the sores cause by

hookworms. Nonm sala ni chik k i
pa sa pas asou wch. That man has
hookworm sores and cant walk on
rocks.

chikann

N quarrel, argument. (syn:

dzagwman, kankan, libenn; see
also: pwovok) [< Fr. chicane] ach
chikann to look for a quarrel, an
argument, trouble. Pa ach mwen
chikann! Dont look for trouble with
me! (syn: ach kankan, ach twen)

chief, boss, head. Kils ki chf

twavay sala? Who is the boss at this
job? (syn: mt, jw; see also:
kolonm) [< Fr. chef]
N

chenn

N chain. Chenn-an kas. The

chain broke. (see also: anchenn,
dchenn) [< Fr. chaine] bay chenn
to wind (clock). Bay mont-lan chenn
pou i mach. Wind the clock so it will

chikannen (var: ach chikann)

V to
argue. S ti manmay-la koumans
chikannen. The children began to

38

chikola

Kwyl English

argue. (see also: baby, dispit, hal

kas, tiw mt) [< Fr. chicaner]

hl! The boys a cry-baby. As soon

as you talk to him he cries.

chikola

chis

N cocoa tea. Yo ba li chikola

pou dit. They gave him cocoa tea for
breakfast. (syn: dit kako) [< Fr.
chocolat]

chimen

ADJ stingy. Nonm-lan chis pas

ki. The mans very stingy. [< Fr.
chiche]

chiv

N hair. Yo koup chivy paski

i t ka vin tw lonng. They cut his
hair because it was getting too long.
(see also: pwl) [< Fr. cheveu]

road, highway, way. Yo

baw chimen-an pou nou pa sa pas.
They blocked the road so we couldnt
pass. (see also: lawi, lawout) [< Fr.
chemin] f chimen 1) to make
ready, to get ready. F chimen!
Madanm ou p akouch touswit. Get
ready! Your wife might give birth
soon. 2) to go ones own way. Nou
pa t sa dak kon sa mwen diy ay f
chimeny. We couldnt get along so I
told him to go his own way. gwan
chimen main road. Ou kay w
gwan chimen-an la. Youll see the
main road there. pwan chimen to
do as one likes. Bondy ka kit nou
pwan chimen nou. God allows us to
do as we like. ti chimen path,
footpath. Nou ni pou pas an ti
chimen pou nou al an jaden nou.
We have to pass on a footpath to go to
our garden. (see also: twas)
N

chivi

N ankle. I kas chiviy padan i

t ka janb kannal-la. He broke his
ankle while he was jumping across the
ditch. (syn: zgo) [< Fr. cheville]

chivon

N rafter. Yo mt planch
asou s chivon-an avan yo mt
galvanniz-la. They put boards on the
rafters before putting on the
galvanized roofing. [< Fr. chevron]

chiya variant of chinya.

chiyan variant of chinya.
chiz

N disagreement. Mwen t an
chiz pi madanm mwen. I was in a
disagreement with my wife. (see also:
dzagwman, goumen, roro)

chlen

N shilling, 24 cents (often

rounded off to 25 cents). [< Eng.
shilling] yon chlen d sou twentyfive cents. Abwzan yo ka vann yon
pen pou yon chlen d sou. Nowadays
they sell one bread for twenty-five
cents.

chimiz

N shirt. I ni on chimiz wouj.

He has a red shirt. (see also: k) [< Fr.
chemise]

chini

N caterpillar. Adan moun p

chini. Some people are afraid of
caterpillars. [< Fr. chenille] sak
chini cocoon. S pouw tiy s ti
bwa-a ki anl sak chini-an pouw sa
tiy chini-an. You have to remove the
little sticks on the cocoon in order to
take out the caterpillar.

chinya (var: chiya, chiyan)

cho

cho

ADJ 1) hot. I ka f cho jdi-a. Its

hot today. (opp: fwt; see also: chal,
chod, chof, bwil, tyd) 2) lively.
Mizik fwans s an mizik ki cho. The
French music is lively.
3) enthusiastic, ardent, zealous.
Nonm-lan t cho l i vini pou lwa
Bib-la. The man was ardent
concerning the laws of the Bible. (see

ADJ

crybabyish, apt to cry easily. Gasonan chinya. Dpi ou pal ba li i ka

39

chb

Kwyl English

chopin

also: zl) 4) drunk, tipsy. Pa pwan

pawl nonm-lan pou anyen; i ja cho.
Dont take his words for anything;
hes already drunk. 5) flirtatious. Tifi
sala s on tifi ki cho. That girl is
flirtatious. (see also: mal pwp) [< Fr.
chaud] f cho to be hot (in reference
to weather). Jdi-a ka f cho. It is hot
today. (opp: f fwt)

N pint measure; 2 cups or 1/2

quart. Mwen kay pwan on chopin
fawin. Ill take a pint of farine. (see
also: po) [< Fr. chopine]

choson (var: chonson, sonson)

ADJ bald. Tt li t chb kon an

kalbas. His head was bald as a
calabash. (see also: tt kwi) [< Fr.
chauve]

chou

N eddo, tanya. Jaden-an pa f

dj chou lann sala. The garden
didnt produce many eddoes this year.
[< Fr. chou] manman chou the
main tanya root off of which other
tanya roots develop. Kochon-an
manj tout manman chou-a. The pig
ate all the main tanya roots.

chod

V to scald. I chod lanmeny

an dlo cho-a. He scalded his hand in
the hot water. (see also: cho, chal,
bwil) [< Fr. chauder]

chdy

chouponm (var: chwaponm)

N iron cooking pot with two

handles. I mt manj-a bouwi adan
chdy-a. He put the food to boil in
the pot. (see also: kannawi, pann,
twin) [< Fr. chaudire]

cabbage. Fy chouponm ka f bon

bouyon. Cabbage leaves make good
soup. [< Fr. chou]

chous1

N the part of the roots of a tree

above the ground, stump. Yo koup
py bwa-a owa chous li. They cut the
tree down to a stump. [< Fr. souche]

to heat up. Chof dit-a ban

mwen. Heat up the tea for me. (see
also: cho, chal, bwil) [< Fr.
chauffer] chof dif to warm
oneself at a fire. Yo f on boukan
dif pou yo t chof dif. They made
a fire to warm themselves.
V

chous2 variant of sous.

chouval

N horse. Chouval-la t m
an ltjiwi-a. The horse was dead in
the stable. (see also: bouwik, mil)
[< Fr. cheval] chouval Bondy
praying mantis. Chouval Bondy
sala ja pous zl. This praying mantis
has grown wings.

chof

N driver. Chof-a t fach

paski pasaj-a t ka fimen ab
machin li. The driver was angry
because the passenger was smoking on
board his vehicle. [< Fr. chauffeur]

chonj

sock. Ban mwen choson-an pou

mwen mt an py mwen. Give me
the sock for me to put on my foot.
[< Fr. chausson]

chb

chof

Chwazy

chz

N thing. Bondy mt tout chz

asou lat. God put everything on
earth. (rare; syn: bagay) [< Fr. chose]

to remember, to recall. Ma
t sa chonj sa i t di mwen-an. I
couldnt remember what he had told
me. (opp: obliy; see also: katjil,
wflchi) [< Fr. songer]
V

chwaponm variant of chouponm.

Chwazy (var: Swazy)

N Choiseul.
S pch Chwazy-la toujou ka tjb
an chay volan. The Choiseul

chonson variant of choson.

40

chwazi

Kwyl English

fishermen always catch a lot of flying

fish.

chwazi (var: chwzi, swazi, swzi)

danj

(see also: pal an zwy, soufl)

chy

N excrement. I pa t ka gad an
pyy k kon sa i pil chy. He
wasnt watching his feet and so he
stepped in excrement. (crude; syn:
kaka; see also: lasl) V to defecate.
Gason-an al chy an wazy-a. The
boy went to defecate in the bushes.
(crude; syn: kaka; see also: al an
wazy, f bizwen) chy anl to pay
attention to, to take on. S moun-an i
t envit-a pa chy anl s svant lia. The people he had invited didnt
pay any attention to his servants. (used
with negative; syn: bay ganm)

to choose. S pouw chwazi sa ki pli

bl. You must choose which is most
beautiful. [< Fr. choisir]

chwzi variant of chwazi.

chwichwi

N whisper. S moun sala

toujou ni an chwichwi ka pal.
Those people are always speaking in
whispers. V same as pal chwichwi.
pal chwichwi to whisper, to gossip.
Yo ka pal chwichwi paski yo pa vl
mwen tann. They are whispering
because they dont want me to hear.

Dd
da

the land to keep it fresh. (archaic)

N woman who stands in for the

mother at a babys christening. Da ti
manmay-la ba li an chenn l. The
woman who held the baby at his
baptism gave him a gold chain. (see
also: nennenn, pawen, makoum,
konp)

dalpouri

N East Indian bread stuffed

with curried split peas. Dalpouri sala
wipiny mwen. That dalpouri satisfied
me. (see also: bk, sohari, roti)

dan

N tooth. Yo wach dany paski i

t ka fy mal. They extracted his
tooth because it was hurting him.
[< Fr. dent] bay dan to speak evil of
people. Si ou kontin ka bay yonn a
lt dan, tal zt kay pli mov llmi
ki ni. If you continue speaking evil of
each other, youll soon be worst
enemies. (syn: mal pal) dan sajs
wisdom tooth. Dan sajs ou kay fw
mal an pil l yo ka pous. Your
wisdom teeth will hurt you a lot when
they are pushing out.

dachin

N dasheen, taro (Colocasia

esculanta). Py dachin sala f an
gwo dachin. That dachin plant made a
big dachin. (syn: danma)

dajan

N silver. Mwen ni an bl bag

dajan. I have a beautiful silver ring.
[< Fr. dargent]

dak

INTERJ okay, agreed. Dak, s

sa nou kay f. Agreed, thats what
well do. V to agree. Mwen dak pi
tout sa ou di-a. I agree with
everything you said. [< Fr. daccord]

danj

N danger, peril. S jan vilaj-la

t an danj paski gwo dlo-a t ka
mout. The villagers were in danger
because the flood waters were rising.

dal

N irrigation system. Dal-la ka

mennen dlo an tout t-a pou tjenn li
fw. The irrigation system waters all

41

danjw

Kwyl English

[< Fr. danger]

dat

pilonnen; see also: pil) [< Fr. fouler]

danjw

danmy

dankl

dann

danm

dans

ADJ dangerous. Chimen-an

danjw l i mouy. The road is
dangerous when it is wet. [< Fr.
dangereux]

N good draughts player.

Nonm sala s on danmy! That
mans a good draughts player! [< Fr.
damier]

V to make an edge jagged, to

form notches, teeth, or ragged edges.
Ou kay dankl koutla-a l ou ka
konweny asou wch kon sa. You
will make the edge of that cutlass
jagged if you knock it against rocks
like that. ADJ jagged; having notches,
teeth, or ragged edges. Koutla-a t
fil m atjlman i dankl. The cutlass
was sharp but now its jagged. (see
also: dfil, m) [< Fr. denteler]

V to damn, to condemn. Ou
kay dann lam ou si ou kontin viv
kon sa. You will damn your soul if
you continue to live like that.
(religious; syn: kondann; opp: sov;
see also: damnasyon, kondannasyon,
pd) ADJ damned, condemned. Si ou
f mov bagay sala, lam ou kay
dann. If you do this wicked thing
your soul will be condemned. [< Fr.
damner]

N 1) female dancing partner.

Danm k kavaly ka dans ansanm.
Women and men dance together. (see
also: kavaly) 2) nun. S danm-lan
ka end pwt-la. The nuns help the
priest. (syn: mw; see also: lab,
lvk, p, pwt, monseny)
3) draughts game. S gwan nonm
sala sa jw danm byen. Those older
men can play draughts well. 4) queen
in a card deck. Mwen pa t sav s ou
ki t ni danm-lan. I didnt know it
was you who had the queen. (see also:
wa) [< Fr. dame]

V to dance. Tifi mwen-an

apwann dans kdwil an lkl. My
daughter learned to dance the quadrille
at school. N dance. Tout moun an
vilaj-la al an dans-a. Everyone in
the village went to the dance. (syn:
bal) [< Fr. danser]

dans

N dancer. Anpami tout s jenn

jan-an, tifi sala ki pli bon dans-a.
Among all the young folks, that girl is
the best dancer. [< Fr. danseur]

dapw

PREP according to ones own

understanding or opinion. Dapww
mwen t ka pas an ti chimen. You
thought I was passing on the little
road. (see also: akdans, silon) [< Fr.
daprs]

danma

N dasheen, taro (Colocasia

esculanta). Lagon sala ka f bl
danma. That wetland produces good
dasheen. (syn: dachin) danma
alifm a type of dasheen. danma
blan white dasheen. danma nw
black dasheen. danma v green
dasheen.

dat1

N date. Dat-la mwen t may-a

t li senk Novanm. The date I was
married was November fifth. [< Fr.
date] ansyen dat ancient times,
long ago. Dpi ansyen dat nonm ka
jw gwennd. Since ancient times
people have played dice.

danm

V to trample, to tread on. Fini

mwen fini fak t-a k ou ka
danmy! I just forked the ground and
youre trampling on it! (syn: foul,

dat2
42

lotah, vitiligo, a fungus causing

davans

Kwyl English

dbit

was using to sew. [< Fr. d]

white patches on the skin. Manmanan di ti manmay-la, Pa touch

zanndoli-a avan i baw dat. The
Mother said to the child, Dont touch
the lizard or it will give you lotah.
(syn: lota; see also: kannawi dlo,
wzipl) [< Fr. dartre]

dbann

N bunch. Mwen pa vl al
pw dbann ipokwit sala! I dont
want to go near that bunch of
hypocrites! [< Fr. des bandes]

dbat

V to struggle, to attempt, to try,

to cope, to get by, to muddle through.
Yo t ka dbat pal langaj sala, m
yo pa t sa. They were struggling to
speak that language, but they werent
able. (syn: dbwiy; see also: sy, f
so, mennaj) [< Fr. dbattre]

davans variant of andavans.

davwa

CONJ because. Davwa chay-la

t lou titak, ou pa pty vini.
Because the load was a little heavy,
you didnt bring it. (syn: paski)

dayann (var: dayonn)

dbat

dayonn variant of dayann.

dbatj

N a medicine
for bedbugs. Tan lontan moun t ka
svi dayann pou tjw pinz. In times
past people used to use dayann to kill
bedbugs.

V to unload something from an

animal. S pouw dbat bouwik-la.
You must unload the donkey. (syn:
dchaj; opp: bat; see also: dbatj)
[< Fr. dbter]

V 1) to disembark, to get off.

Nou kay dbatj vann-an. Well get
off the van. (opp: batj) 2) to unload.
Dbatj s bwt-la an batiman-an.
Unload the boxes from the boat. (see
also: dchaj, dbat) [< Fr.
dbarquer]

ADJ two. Kay sala ni d lapt.

That house has two doors. [< Fr.
deux] d sou one cent. Nonm sala
tlman chis, si lajanw mantj d
sou i pa kay baw konmisyon-an.
That man is so cheap, if you lack one
cent he wont give you the item.

dbawas

V 1) to clear. Si ou
dbawas tab-la, la kay ni l pou
pwen konpyouta-a. If you clear the
table, therell be room for the
computer. 2) to help someone get rid
of something. Dbawas mwen pi
s sak mango sala soupl. Help me
get rid of these bags of mangoes
please. [< Fr. dbarrasser]

d2

ADJ some, a few. La ni d kot ki

ni pinz. There are some places that
have bedbugs. (see also: adan, yonn
d, dotwa, tjk) [< Fr. des] Ou
kw s d? an expression used to
say that there is an incredible amount
of something. pa d much, many,
very, quite. Nonm sala piti m pa d
f i f. That man is small but he is
quite strong. Pa d lajan i kay f. He
wont make just a few dollars. Pa d
sanm i ka sanm li. He resembles him
more than a little bit.

dbaw

V to unblock, to open, to
uncover, to remove barrier or obstacle.
Yo ja dbaw chimen-an k mwen
sa pas. Theyve opened the road and
I can pass. (syn: dbouch, djennen;
opp: baw, bouch, jennen) [< Fr.
dbarrer]

d3

N thimble. Ti manmay-la pd da manmany t ka svi pou koud-la.

The child lost the thimble his mother

dbit
43

to butcher. Bouch-a dbit

dbd

Kwyl English

bf-la. The butcher butchered the cow.

[< Fr. dbiter]

avan i mty an kay-la. The man

unloaded the gun before putting it in
the house. [< Fr. dcharger]

dbd (var: dbond)

V to overflow.
Bonm-lan ja plen k i ka dbd.
The bucket is full and it is
overflowing. [< Fr. dborder]

dchaviw

V to set upright again, to

restore to upright position. Yo
dchaviw motoka-a ki t chaviw-a.
They set upright the car that had
overturned. (syn: dmat; opp:
chaviw) [< Fr. chavirer]

dbond variant of dbd.

dbouch

V to unplug. Yo dbouch
bak-la pou yo sa lavy. They
unplugged the water tank in order to
clean it. (syn: dbaw; opp: bouch,
jennen) [< Fr. dboucher]

dchenn

V to unchain. L yo
dchenny, i kouwi al. When they
unchained him, he ran away. (opp:
anchenn; see also: chenn) [< Fr.
dchaner]

dboutonnen

V to unbutton. I t ka
f cho tlman, i dboutonnen chimiz
li. It was so hot, he unbuttoned his
shirt. (opp: boutonnen) [< Fr.
dboutonner]

dchifw

V to explain, to interpret, to
decipher. Mwen kontan manny ou
dchifw mso lvanjil sala. I like
how you interpreted that portion of
scripture. (syn: spity, splik) [< Fr.
dchiffrer]

dbwanch

V to prune, to cut off

branches. Py mango-a t tlman
gwo nou t ni pou dbwanchy. The
mango tree was so big we had to cut
off some of its branches. (see also:
tay) [< Fr. dbrancher]

dbway

ddik

dchiw

V to rip, to tear. Pa dchiw

papy-a. Dont tear the paper. [< Fr.
dchirer]

dd INTERJ goodbye. (syn: oplz) di

dd 1) to say goodbye. I di dd l

dishevelled, disorderly,
untidily dressed. Ou pa ka vini dy
mwen k had ou tou dbway. You
will not come with me with your
clothes so untidy. [< Fr. dbraill]
ADJ

i pati. He said goodbye when he left.

2) to die, to expire. Gwan nonm-lan
di dd. The old man died. (slang;
syn: m; see also: Bazil pweny,
foukan, maw patj, tenn, tiw k)

dbwiy

V to strive, to try hard, to

struggle, to get by, to muddle through.
Mwen kontan w manny ou ka
dbwiy bay ich ou. I like to see how
you are trying hard on behalf of your
children. (syn: dbat; see also: sy,
mennaj, f so) [< Fr. dbrouiller]

ddfouden (var: lldouden)

wari

game, a board game played with

seeds. [< Fr. graine]

ddi

V to go back on ones word. Y

ou dak pou twavay pi mwen m
jdi-a ou ka ddi. Yesterday you
agreed to work with me but today you
are going back on your word. [< Fr.
ddire]

dchaj

V 1) to remove a burden, to
unload (a person or animal). Dchaj
mwen, soupl. Unload me, please.
(syn: dbat; opp: chaj) 2) to unload
(a gun). Nonm-lan dchaj fizi-a

ddik
44

to dedicate. Jenn nonm-lan

dfach

Kwyl English

ddik laviy bay Bondy. The young

man dedicated his life to God. ADJ
dedicated, committed. Nonm sala
ddik an chay an twavay li. That
man is quite dedicated to his work.

dgliz

effiler]

dfiltw

V to remove a hem, a stitch

(in sewing). Dfiltw chimiz-la pi
viy koud li. Take the hem out of the
shirt and sew it again.

dfach

V to cool off, to allow ones

anger to abate. Pa pal ba li tout tan
i pa dfach! Dont talk to him until
he cools off! [< Fr. dfcher]

dfini

N death, end. (syn: lanm; opp:

lavi; see also: m) f dfini to kill,
to put to death. Yo t vl f an dfini
pi nonm sala. They wanted to put
that man to death. (see also: tjw)

dfann

V to forbid, to prohibit. Mwen

dfann yo al ptw. I forbid them to
go to movies. (syn: enpoz; see also:
anpch, doubout) [< Fr. dfendre]

dfo

N defect, flaw, weakness. Sl

dfo i ni i ka bw twp wonm. His
only weakness is that he drinks too
much rum. (see also: fbls, ft, t)
[< Fr. dfaut]

dfans

N defence. Tout s slda-a

vini ansanm pou dfans vil-la. All of
the soldiers came together for the
defence of the city. [< Fr. dfense] f
dfans to defend. I t vl f dfans
li menm douvan s moun-an. He
wanted to defend himself before the
people. (syn: wponn tt; see also:
pwotkt, pwotj)

dfouk

V to split at crotch. Tjilt

tibway-la dfouk! The boys pants
are split at the crotch! (see also: fann,
pt)

dfoul

V to unpack, to uncrowd, to
loosen, to pack less densely. Dfoul
sak dachin-an paski mwen pa kay
pty kon sa. Unpack some of the
dasheens from that bag because I
wouldnt carry it like that. (opp: foul)
[< Fr. dfouler]

dfen

ADJ late, deceased. Si dfen

gwanpapa mwen t ka viv, ou pa t
kay f mwen sa. If my late
grandfather were still alive, you would
not have done that to me. [< Fr.
dfunt]

dfy

V to distrust, to mistrust.
Nonm-lan f mwen dfyy plis ank
pou sa i f-a. The man made me
distrust him more for what he did.
(opp: fy, konfy) [< Fr. dfier]

dfil

V to dull, to take edge or point

off. Kils ki dfil koutla mwen?
Who dulled my cutlass? (syn: tjw;
opp: fil; see also: dankl) ADJ dull,
not sharp. Koutla-a t dfil tlman,
mwen pa t sa koup anyen piy.
The cutlass was so dull, I couldnt cut
anything with it. (syn: m)

dgaj

V to render a witch powerless.

L yo dgaj nonm-lan, i dpal.
When they rendered the witch
powerless, he told all that he had done.
(syn: pitj; see also: jan gaj) [< Fr.
dgager]

dfil2

ADJ frayed, tattered, unravelled.

I vini pou mwen sa koud tjilt li
paski i t dfil. He came to me to
sew his pants because they were
frayed. (see also: dwoul) [< Fr.

dgliz

V to mar. Vy ms li ka
dgliz blt tifi sala. Her bad
manners mar that girls beauty.

45

dgb

Kwyl English

dgb

djnen (var: djlen)

dgou (var: dgoutans)

djouk

V to chip (rock, wood, etc.). I

pa t sa fann tj bwa-a m i t ka
dgby. He couldnt split the wood
but he was chipping it. (see also: gb,
gb)

dklaw

V to eat lunch.
Mwen ka al djnen k kanmawad
mwen jdi-a. Im going to lunch with
my friend today. (see also: manj,
dit, dinen, wipa) [< Fr. djeuner]

N disgust,
distaste, aversion. Mwen ni dgou
pou nonm sala. I have a distaste for
that man. (see also: dgout) [< Fr.
dgot]

V to unyoke (ox, cow). L yo

fini, yo djouk s bf-la. When they
finished, they unyoked the cows. (opp:
jouk)

dkacht

V to unseal. Pysonn pa sa
dkacht anvlp sala. Nobody can
unseal that envelope. (opp: kacht)
[< Fr. dcacheter]

dgoutans variant of dgou.

dgout1

V to dislike, to be disgusted
with or by. Mwen t kontan tifi-a,
m mwen vin dgouty. I liked the
girl, but I came to dislike her. [< Fr.
dgoter]

dkal

V 1) to break open or remove

shell. Madanm-lan t ka dkal
kwab-la. The woman was removing
the crab shell. 2) to beat severely.
Lafanmi tifi-a dkal nonm-lan pou
sa i fy-la. The girls relatives beat up
the man for what he did to her. (see
also: asasin, bat) 3) to mess up
(hair). Pa dkal chiv mwen! Dont
mess up my hair! (syn: dwanj,
kwaz)

dgout2

V to drip, to drop. Dlo-a ka

dgout an gouty-a tak pa tak.
Water is dripping from the drain pipe
drop by drop. [< Fr. dgoutter]

dgwennen

V ripe bananas falling off

hand. Wjim fig-la mi tlman i ka
dgwennen. The bunch is so ripe the
bananas are falling off. [< Fr.
grener]

dkatj

V to cut up, to cut in parts.

Dkatj poul-la ban mwen soupl.
Cut the chicken up into parts for me
please.

dja

ADV already. Yo ja ka fouy

yanm-lan dja. Theyre digging yams
already. (for emphasis; see also: ja)
[< Fr. dja]

dkdk

N retarded person. Tifi-a ka

f ky kon on dkdk. The girl acts
like she is retarded. (syn: enfim an tt,
goch an tt; see also: tt wd,
ttenm)

djanb

V to jump back over (in order

to remove a jinx). Si ou pa djanb
mwen, ma kay pwofit. If you dont
jump over me again, I wont grow.
(superstitious; see also: janb)

dklaw

V to declare. Yo dklaw
andpandans yo. They declared their
independence. [< Fr. dclarer]
dklaw asou to come upon, to
come over, to afflict. I pk menm
fini djwi anba maladi sala pi an
lt ja dklaw asouy. He was not yet
fully recovered from this sickness and

djennen

V to get out of the way.

Djennen mwen pou mwen pas. Get
out of my way so I can pass. (opp:
jennen; see also: dbaw, dbouch)

djlen variant of djnen.

46

dklouw

Kwyl English

returning. (opp: koul; see also:

apsivw, f t) [< Fr. dcouvrir]

another one has come upon him.

dklouw

V to remove nails. Yo
dklouw tout planch ki t anl kayla. They removed nails from all the
boards which were on the house. (opp:
klouw) [< Fr. dclouer]

dkouwaj

V to discourage. Kon i ja
wiv otan lwen-an, s pa pou
dkouwajy. As he has already
gotten that far, you mustnt discourage
him. (syn: dkonpt; opp:
ankouwaj) ADJ discouraged. Mwen
t dkouwaj l s manmay-la pa t
akspt konsy-la. I was discouraged
when the children didnt accept the
advice [< Fr. dcourager]

dkol

V 1) to come unstuck, to come

apart. Souly-a ka dkol; i ja f
tany. The shoe is coming apart; its
served its time. (opp: kol) 2) to rest
on. Pa dkol asou kwazon-an avan
penti-a saliw. Dont rest on the wall
or the paint will get you dirty. [< Fr.
dcoller]

dkow

V to decorate. S madanmlan t an twizin-an ka dkow

bonbon. The ladies were in the
kitchen decorating cakes. [< Fr.
dcorer]

dklt

ADJ open, exposing the neck.

I al an vil k had li tou dklt. He
went to town with his clothes quite
open at the neck. [< Fr. dcollet]

dkwiy

V to slander, to defame.
Madanm-lan t ka dkwiy mawiy
douvan jij-la. The wife was
slandering her husband before the
judge. (syn: mpwiz, nwsi non, sali
non; see also: ensilt, chay pawl,
mal pal)

dkonpt

V to become discouraged,
downcast. Pa dkonpt; ou kay
jwenn an lt twavay. Dont be
discouraged; you will find another job.
(syn: dkouwaj) [< Fr. comporter]

dkonsy

V to dissuade. Fanmi
gwan nonm-lan dkonsyy pouy
pa may k jenn tifi-a. The relatives
of the old man dissuaded him from
marrying the young girl. [< Fr.
dconseiller]

dkoud

dlabw

ADJ to fall into disarray,

disorder. Madanm-lan vini dlabw
apw mawiy m. The womans life
fell into disarray after her husband
died. [< Fr. dlabrer]

dlakl

V to unlock. Yo pa t sa
dlakl lapt-la. They couldnt
unlock the door. (opp: lakl; see also:
dtjatj)

to unsew. Dkoud had

sala k koud li pli my, soupl.
Unsew this garment and resew it
better, please. (opp: koud)

dkouv

dl

dlas

V to unlace. I dlas soulyy.

He unlaced his shoes. (opp: las)
[< Fr. dlacer]

1) to discover, to uncover.
Adan moun kw s Klonmbs ki
dkouv Sent Lisi. Some people think
it is Columbus who discovered St.
Lucia. 2) to sight, to catch sight of.
S jan lanm-a dkouv s piton-an
l yo t ka viy. The fishermen caught
sight of the pitons when they were
V

dl (var: adl, andl)

ADV

sometimes, occasionally. Dl yo ka
vini isi-a m pa souvan kon avan.
Sometimes they come here, but not
often like before. (syn: l dl,
47

dlibwasyon

Kwyl English

tanzantan) l dl same as dl.

dmout

V to take apart, to dismantle.

Boug-la dmout machin-an pi i pa
t sa viw mouty. The fellow took
the engine apart and he couldnt put it
back together again. (opp: mout)
[< Fr. dmonter]

dlibwasyon

N deliberation. Apw
an chay dlibwasyon s jiwi-a
twap nonm-lan koupab. After a lot
of deliberation the jurors found the
man guilty. [< Fr. dlibration]

dlij (var: dliz)

denmen

ADV tomorrow. Denmen nou

kay mout an jaden. Tomorrow well
go to the garden. (opp: y; see also: li
denmen) [< Fr. demain] li denmen
the following day, the next day, the
morrow. Li denmen i al Kastwi.
The following day he went to Castries.
[< Fr. lendemain] denmen si p ta
Dy tomorrow if God wills. Denmen
si p ta Dy nou kay al Mikou.
Tomorrow we will go to Micoud if
God wills.

flood. Dlij Dbi

f an chay donmaj an Sent Lisi. The
flood from Tropical Storm Debbie did
a lot of damage in St. Lucia. (syn: gwo
dlo) [< Fr. dluge]
N

dlivwans

N deliverance. Nou
pwdy pou nou sa jwenn
dlivwans. We prayed for deliverance.
[< Fr. dlivrance]

dlivw

V to deliver. Yo kay dlivw

s chz-la nou acht-a. Theyll
deliver the chairs that we bought.
[< Fr. dlivrer]

denmi

V to sprain. Pa kouwi avan ou

denmi pyw! Dont run or youll
sprain your foot! ADJ sprained. Dwt
mwen denmi; yo ka hdiy pi
chandl ml. My fingers sprained;
theyre massaging it with soft candle.

dliz variant of dlij.

dmanti

V to contradict, to refute, to
prove wrong or false. L yo dmanti
nonm-lan, pa d hont i t hont.
When they refuted the man, he was so
ashamed. [< Fr. dmentir]

Denmou

N Devil. Denmou pwan

nonm-lan k i bw tout sany. The
Devil took the man and drank all his
blood. (see also: djab, vy lspwi)

dmat

V to set upright again, to

restore to upright position. I pwen sis
nonm pou t sa dmat motoka-a. It
too six men to set the car upright
again. (syn: dchaviw; opp: chaviw,
mat)

dmaw

dny

Dennwi

N the village of Dennery.

Dennwi s on kot ki benyen jan
lanm. Dennery is a place full of
fishermen.

dny

ADJ 1) last. Sa s dny

simenn nou isi-a. This is our last
week here. (opp: pwmy) 2) all,
every last one, every little bit. I
manj dny bonbon-an! He ate all
of the cake! (syn: tout; see also: sl)
ADV last. Anpami tout s moun-an
ki manj-a, s li ki manj dny.
Among all the people who ate, it was
he who ate last. [< Fr. dernier]

to untie. L nou dmaw

bf-la, nou d t ni pou tjby.
When we untied the cow, the two of us
had to hold it. (opp: maw)
V

dml

V to untangle. Patan mwen t

ka dml chiv tifi-a, kwiz pweny.
While I was untangling the girls hair,
she screamed. (opp: ml) [< Fr.
dmler]

48

dnyman

Kwyl English

dnyman

dpat

ADV lastly. Dnyman

nou kay al lakay. Lastly we will go
home. (opp: pwmyman) [< Fr.
dernirement]

V to cut (bananas, etc.) into

hands. Fama-a koup wjim fig-la
pi i dpaty. The farmer cut down
the bunch of bananas and cut it into
hands. (see also: koup)

dotwa

ADJ some, a few. S moun

sala t ni dotwa bf, m yo tout m.
Those people had some cows, but they
all died. (see also: d, adan, yonn d,
tjk) [< Fr. deux ou trois]

dpal

dpay1

V to strip leaves off. Yo

dpay tout pys kann-an. They
stripped the leaves from the whole
field of cane.

dpay2

1) to jabber, to talk nonsense.

Dpi tibway sala w manj i ka
dpal. Whenever this boy sees food
he talks nonsense. (see also: btiz,
maji, ennitil, papicho, kochonni,
kouyon, kouyontwi) 2) nearing
death, obeah person tells all of his
wicked acts. L jan gaj-a t ka m,
i dpal. When the witch was dying,
she told all her wicked acts.

V to cancel a bet. Bava-a

dpay vitman paski i sav i t kay
pd. The boaster cancelled his bet
quickly because he knew he would
lose. [< Fr. dparier]

dpi

CONJ 1) since. Lt mwa kay f

d lann dpi mwen may. Next
month will be two years since I got
married. (see also: apw)
2) whenever, as soon as. Dpi tibway
sala w manj i ka dpal. Whenever
this boy sees food he talks nonsense.
3) if, since, as long as. Dpi ou blan
ou sipoz ni lajan. If you are white
you are expected to have money. (see
also: si) PREP 1) from. I t ni gwo
dlo dpi Bson pou wiv Kastwi.
There was a flood from Bexon to
Castries. 2) since, ever since. Dpi
jou sala mangous pa janmen manj
mango lonng ank. Ever since that
day mongoose never eat mango lonng
any more. [< Fr. depuis]

dpan

V to depend, to rely. Ou pa sa
dpan asou manmay jdi-a. You
cant rely on children nowadays. (see
also: apiy, panch, fy, konfy)
[< Fr. dpendre]

dpann

V to take down, to unhang.

Misy-a dpann chapo-a an klou-a.
The man took the hat down off the
nail. (opp: pann) [< Fr. dpendre]

dpans

N expense. Sl sa ou ni pou
f s py dpans nou. All you have
to do is pay our expenses. [< Fr.
dpense]

dpans

dpl

dplas

V to displace, to move. Yo t
ni pou dplas s kay sala pou f
chimen-an. They had to move those
houses to make the road. [< Fr.
dplacer]

to spend. I ja dpans
tout sa ou t ba li-a. He has already
spent all that you gave him. [< Fr.
dpenser]
V

dpas

dpl

V to exceed. Lajan-an yo
twap dviw dpas sa yo t bay-la.
The money they got back was more
than what they had given. [< Fr.
dpasser]

V to displease. Ms s
manmay-la dpl mwen an chay.
The manners of the children
displeased me a lot. (opp: pl; see
also: dgout) [< Fr. dplaire]

49

dpt

Kwyl English

dpt

dsid

V to deport. Yo dpt nonmlan paski i pa t ni papy pou wst

an pyi-a. They deported the man
because he didnt have the proper
papers to stay in the country. [< Fr.
dporter]

V to decide. Mwen dsid pou

swiv Jzi. I decided to follow Jesus.
(syn: f lid) [< Fr. dcider]

dsyen

N swarm. Dsyen myl-la

antw an twou-a ki t an py bwa-a.
The swarm of bees went in the hole
that was in the tree. (see also: myl,
vonvon) [< Fr. des essaim?]

dpoz

V to make a deposit, to put

down a deposit. Mwen t ni pou
dpoz yon san dla pou mwen t sa
jwenn s chz-la. I had to make a
deposit of 100 dollars in order to get
the chairs. [< Fr. dposer]

dsakw

dt

N debt. Nou ni an gwo dt pou

nou py. We have a large debt to
pay. [< Fr. dette]

dtay

N detail. Kolonm sala ni pou

gad tout dtay avan i sa di twavayla bon. That foreman has to look at
every detail before he can say the
work is good. (see also: pwen) [< Fr.
dtail]

to desecrate. S llmi-an
antw an Kay Bondy-a k yo
dsakwy. The enemies entered the
Temple and desecrated it.
V

dsandan

N descendant. Tout s
dsandan nonm sala bon. All of that
mans descendants are good. (see also:
ayl) [< Fr. descendant] an
dsandan and lower, and less, and
under. Yo tjw tout gason ki t d
lann an dsandan. They killed all
boys who were two years old and
under. (opp: an moutan)

dtenn

V to run (in reference to dye),

to fade. Had wouj sala dtenn asou
s had blan-an pi i gat yo. These
red clothes ran on the white ones and
spoiled them. (opp: tenn; see also:
kouwi) [< Fr. dteindre]

dtjatj

V to unlatch. Lapt-la pa sa
ouv paski ou pk dtjatjy. The
door wont open because you havent
unlatched it. (opp: tjatj; see also:
dlakl)

Dsanm

N December. S an mwa
Dsanm Nwl ka tonb. It is in the
month of December Christmas falls.
[< Fr. dcembre]

dsann

dvgond

dtou

N curve. Chimen-an ni an
chay dtou. The road has many
curves. [< Fr. dtour]

to go (down). Denmen nou

kay dsann an vil. Tomorrow well
go to town. (opp: mout) [< Fr.
descendre]
V

dtwi

V to destroy. Wat dtwi tout

jaden patat mwen. Rats destroyed my
whole garden of sweet potatoes. (syn:
kwaz) [< Fr. dtruire]

dsatisf

ADJ dissatisfied. Mwen

dsatisf pi ms ou. I am dissatisfied
with your manners. (syn: dpl; opp:
satisf, pl, kontant)

dvagond (var: dvgond)

N very
bad person. Nonm saa s on
dvagond! That man is a very bad
person! (syn: mov lam, vy lam)

dsl

V to unsaddle. I dsl
chouval-la. He unsaddled the horse.
(opp: sl) [< Fr. desseller]

dvgond variant of dvagond.

50

dvid

Kwyl English

dvid

V 1) to spill. Pa dvid dlo-a!

Dont spill the water! 2) to pour (in
reference to rain). Lapli-a ka dvid!
The rain is pouring! (see also: fifin,
tonb, kwv)

dviwan (var: viwan)

pans. Her belly was out of place and

she had to go see the midwife in order
to get it treated. (see also:
dwanjman) [< Fr. dranger]

dwanjman

N disarrangement (in
reference to internal organs). Mwen
pwen on so pi mwen santi on
dwanjman. I fell and I feel my
organs are out of place. (see also:
dwanj)

return,
returning. An dviwan, yo al an
tout s vilaj-la. Upon returning, they
went into all the villages.
N

dviw variant of viw.

dwspkt

V to disrespect. Tibwayla dwspkt tifi-a. The boy

disrespected the girl. (see also: fanm,
nonm)

dviy variant of viw.

dvlop

V to develop. Pyi-a ka
dvlop piti pa piti. The country is
developing little by little. [< Fr.
dvelopper]

dw (var: dw)

PREP outside (of).

Yo t dw kay-la l yo tann ti
manmay-la ka hl. They were
outside the house when they heard the
child crying. (opp: adan, an,
andidan) [< Fr. dehors] dw-a
outside. S manmay-la ka toujou
jw dw-a. The children are always
playing outside. (opp: andidan-an)

dvlpman

N development.
Dvlpman nf sala kay mennen an
chay twavay an pyi-a. This new
development will bring a lot of work
to the country. [< Fr. dveloppement]

dvopl

V to unroll, to unwrap. I
dvopl kd-la k i maw bf-la. He
unrolled the rope and tied the cow.
(opp: vopl)

dwoul

V to lose a hem. Had

madanm-lan dwoul, i pa menm
sav. The womans dress lost its hem
and she didnt even know. (see also:
dfil, woul) [< Fr. drouler]

dvos

V to divorce. Nonm-lan
dvos madanm li. The man divorced
his wife. [< Fr. divorcer]

dvow

dy

dy

N mourning. Papa yo t m, kon

sa yo mt had dy anl yo. Their
father had died, so they put on
mourning clothes. [< Fr. deuil] an
dy in mourning. Yo an dy toujou.
Theyre still in mourning. pt dy
to mourn. I pt dy pou kawant
jou. He mourned for forty days.

to devour, to eat. Chyen-an

dvow vyann-an tlman vit ou ka
kw i ni dan an gj li. The dog
devoured the meat so quickly you
would think he has teeth in his throat.
(syn: manj) [< Fr. dvorer]
V

dwanj

V to disarrange, to put in
disarray, to mess up. I dwanj s
papy-a. He disarranged the papers.
(syn: dkal, kwaz) ADJ out of place
(in reference to internal organs).
Boudeny t dwanj pi i t ni pou
al w fanmchay-la pou i t sa

dy

PREP 1) behind. Yo mt sak-la

dy kay-la. They put the bag behind
the house. (opp: douvan) 2) after, in
pursuit of. I al dy Tijan. He went
in pursuit of Tijan. [< Fr. derrire]

51

dzabiy

Kwyl English

dzabiy

dzyenm

dzobyi

V to undress. Pa dzabiy
douvan s manmay-la. Dont undress
in front of the children. (opp: abiy)
[< Fr. dshabiller]

V to disobey. Gason-an
dzobyi papay. The boy disobeyed
his father. (opp: obyi; see also:
dzobyisan, dzobyisans) [< Fr.
dsobir]

dzagwman

N trouble,
disagreement. I toujou ka twap
ky an dzagwman. He always
finds himself in trouble. (syn:
chikann, libenn; see also: chiz,
goumen, roro, twaka)

dzobyisan

ADJ disobedient. Si ou
pa t otan dzobyisan, sa pa t kay
wivw. If you werent so disobedient,
that wouldnt happen to you. (opp:
obyisan; see also: dzobyi,
dzobyisans) [< Fr. dsobissance]

dzagwyab

ADJ deliberately
annoying, irritating, offensive,
unpleasant. I pa ni on tibway ki
dzagwyab kon tibway sala. There
isnt any other boy as disagreeable as
this one. (opp: agwyab; see also:
anbtan, antt, anmwdan) [< Fr.
dsagrable]

dzobyisans

N disobedience.
Bondy kay jij dzobyisans yo.
God will judge their disobedience.
(opp: obyisans; see also: dzobyi,
dzobyisan) [< Fr. dsobissance]

dzd

N 1) noise. Yo t ka f tlman
dzd mwen pa t sa menm dmi.
They were making so much noise I
couldnt even sleep. (syn: dibwi, son)
2) quarrelling, confusion, disorder. L
la ni moun ki jalouzi, la kay toujou
ni dzd. When there are people who
are jealous, there will always be
quarrelling. [< Fr. dsordre]

dzan

N same as d lann. Yo wst

la pou dzan. They remained there for
two years. [< Fr. deux ans]

dzapwent

V to disappoint. Soupl
pa dzapwent nou! Please dont
disappoint us! (see also:
dzapwtman) ADJ disappointed. Si
mwen diw mwen pa dzapwent,
mwen manti. If I were to tell you I am
not disappointed, I would be lying.
[< Fr. dsappointer]

dzolasyon

N desolation. (see also:

twibilasyon) [< Fr. dsolation]

dzol

ADJ enraged. Nonm sala fach

tlman i dzol. That man was so
angry he was enraged. (syn: anwaj;
see also: fach) [< Fr. dsol]

dzapwtman

N disappointment. Sa
s on dzapwtman pou mwen an
vyt. That is truly a disappointment
to me. (see also: dzapwent) [< Fr.
dsappointement]

dzonnow

V to dishonour. Ou pa
sipoz dzonnow chf gouvdman
pyi-a kon sa. You shouldnt
dishonour the head of the government
of the country like that. (opp: onnow)
[< Fr. dshonorer]

dz

N two oclock. [< Fr. deux

heures]

dzi

N desire. Sa st dzi mwen pou

vini m mwen pa t sa. It was my
desire to come but I couldnt. (see
also: vl, antansyon) [< Fr. dsir]

dzyenm

ADJ second. Nou ka f

dzyenm lison. Were doing the
second lesson. [< Fr. deuxime]

52

dzyenman

Kwyl English

dzyenman

dimoty

fire to, to set on fire. Nou pwi

boukan-an dif. We set the pile of
debris on fire. (see also: limen)

ADV secondly.
Pwmyman nou kay pwt lajanan, k dzyenman nou kay acht an
motoka nf. First were going to
borrow the money, and secondly were
going to buy a new car. (see also:
pwmyman, twazyenman,
dnyman)

difwan

ADJ different. Madanm sala

ni senk ich pi yo tout ni difwan
manny. That woman has five
children and they all have different
ways. [< Fr. diffrent]

di1

PREP of. I f sa a laj di kenz an.

He did that at the age of 15 years.
[< Fr. de]

difwans

N difference. La pa ni pys
difwans pi Bondy, menm si ou
blan ben nw. Theres no difference
with God, whether you are white or
black. [< Fr. diffrence]

di2 variant of dis.

di3

V 1) to say. Pa di sa pa vw! Dont

say that isnt true! 2) to tell. I di
mwen i kay vini pli ta. He told me he
would come later. (see also: enfm,
f sav, pal, soufl, wakont) [< Fr.
dire]

difikilt

N difficulty. S manmay-la
ni an chay difikilt pou kopwann sa
titja-a ka di-a. The children have a lot
of difficulty in understanding what the
teacher is saying. (see also: difisil,
wd) [< Fr. difficult]

di4

ADJ hard. (see also: wd) [< Fr.

dur] tt di stubborn, hard-headed.
Ki manny tt ou di kon sa? Why are
you so stubborn? (see also: antt,
dzagwyab) ni tt di to be
stubborn. Tibway-la ni tt di; i pa ka
kout pysonn. The boy is stubborn;
he doesnt listen to anyone. (see also:
ni tt wd, antt)

difisil

ADJ difficult, hard. Mwen pa t

sav pou apwann bon ms t otan
difisil. I didnt know it was so difficult
to learn good manners. (syn: wd;
opp: fasil, z) [< Fr. difficile]

dikonplis variant of akonplis.

Dimanch

N Sunday. L Dimanch
nou ka al lgliz. Sundays we go to
church. [< Fr. dimanche] Dimanch
Dwanmo Palm Sunday.

dibonntt

N wisdom, intelligence,
intellect. I pa f sa pa dibonntt li
menm, s fs yo fsy fy. He
didnt do it by his own wisdom; they
forced him to do it. [< Fr. de bonne
tte]

dimi

ADJ half. Ban mwen dimi sak

chbon. Give me half a sack of
charcoal. (see also: lanmwaty) [< Fr.
demi]

dibwi

N noise. Nou tann an chay

dibwi. We heard lots of noise. (syn:
dzd, son) [< Fr. de bruit]

diminw

V to diminish. Lajany ka
diminw jou pa jou. His money is
diminishing day by day. [< Fr.
diminuer]

dif

N fire. Dif-a pa t vl pwi paski

bwa-a t mouy. The fire wouldnt
light because the wood was wet. (see
also: boukan dif, zondif) [< Fr. de
feu?] pwi dif to catch fire, to set

dimoty

ADV when a person who has a

cow shares profits from sale with a
person who has tended it for him.

53

dinen

Kwyl English

argue. Yo t ka dispit kils pou t

jwenn pli an popyt-a. The were
arguing about who should get more of
the property. (see also: chikannen,
baby) [< Fr. disputer]

Nga baw bf sala dimoty. I want

you to tend this cow for me and well
share the profits.

dinen

N dinner. Nou manj tout

dinen nou. We ate all our dinner. (see
also: manj, dvow, dit, djnen) V
to eat dinner, to dine. Ki l nou kay
dinen? What time will we eat dinner?
[< Fr. dner]

dispity variant of dispit.

distans

N distance. S manmay-la
swiv vy madanm-lan adan an
distans. The children followed the old
lady at a distance. [< Fr. distance]

dis (var: di)

ADJ ten. Yo ni dis

panyen mango. They have ten baskets
of mangoes. N tenth. Papa mwen
ban mwen yon dis an sa i t ni. My
father gave me one tenth of what he
had. [< Fr. dix]

dist

ADJ

distw

V to annoy, to bother, to
disturb. S pa pou ou distw papaw
l i ka tidy. You mustnt disturb
your father while he is studying. (syn:
anbt, anmwd, annwv,
chagwinen, twakas; see also: fach,
kontway, minab, sitway, twoubl)
ADJ annoyed, bothered, disturbed. Tj
manman mwen t distw l i tann sa
tibway-la f-a. My mothers heart was
disturbed when she heard what the boy
did. [< Fr. distraire]

seventeen. [< Fr. dix-sept]

disip

N disciple. Jzi ni an chay

disip. Jesus has many disciples.
(religious; see also: zapt) [< Fr.
disciple]

disizyon

N decision. Yo f on
disizyon ki enptan. They made an
important decision. [< Fr. dcision]

dit

N 1) tea. Adan moun simy dit

pas kaf. Some people prefer tea to
coffee. 2) breakfast. Yo ka pwan
dit yo. Theyre eating their breakfast.
(see also: dvow, djnen, dinen,
manj, wipa) V to eat breakfast.
Atjlman yo ka dit. Now theyre
eating breakfast. [< Fr. de th] dit
bwadenn bay leaf tea. Yo bw dit
bwadenn pou chof k yo. They
drank bay leaf tea to warm themselves.
dit chin black tea. Dit chin ka
bay moun bon sant. Black tea gives
people good health. dit kako cocoa
tea. Yo ba li dit kako. They gave
him cocoa tea. (syn: chikola) dit
kannl cinnamon tea. Dit kannl
bon pou mal bouden. Cinnamon tea
is good for belly aches. dit pyi a
kind of bush medicine for colds.

diskasyon

N discussion. Diskasyon
sala pwen an chay tan m i t
entwsan. This discussion took a lot
of time but it was interesting. (see
also: koz, pal) [< Eng. discussion]

diskit

V to discuss. Yo koumans ka
diskit k yonn a lt ki sa yo kay f.
They began to discuss with each other
what they were going to do. (see also:
pal, koz) [< Fr. discuter]

dispawt

V to disappear. Nonm sala

ni an chay vis; yo di i ka dispawt.
That man has a lot of tricks; they say
he can disappear. (usually associated
with supernatural; opp: pawt) [< Fr.
disparatre]

dispit (var: dispity)

dit

to discuss, to
54

diten

Kwyl English

diten

disciples perceived Jesus divinity.

(religious) [< Fr. divinit]

N thyme. Yo ka vann ti lonyon

k diten b laplas-la. They sell chives
and thyme by the market. (syn: ti
diten) [< Fr. de thym] gwo diten a
kind of thyme with relatively big
leaves. Mt gwo diten-an an ss-la,
i ni an bon gou. Put thyme in the
sauce, it has a good flavour. ti diten
same as diten.

divizyon

N division. La ni twp
divizyon an fanmi sala. Theres too
much division in that family. (syn:
hal kas, tiw mt) [< Fr. division]

divwa

N will, intention. S moun-an

vl swiv divwa Bondy. The people
wanted to follow Gods will.
(religious; syn: volont; see also:
antansyon) [< Fr. devoir]

dit

N wrong, hurt, harm. [< Fr. de

tort] f dit to hurt, to harm. Si ou
pwan wimd sala, i pa kay fw dit.
If you take this medicine, it wont hurt
you.

diwan

N duration. Yo koup kann

tousl pou diwan tan wkt-la. They
cut only cane for the duration of the
harvest. [< Fr. durant]

diven

N wine. Yo t ka bw twp
diven k yo vini sou. They were
drinking too much wine and they got
drunk. [< Fr. de vin] diven wak
dry, bitter wine. Lontan nou t ka
svi diven wak adan an chay wimd.
Long ago we used to use bitter wine in
a lot of remedies.

diwant

ADJ everlasting, eternal. (syn:

twnl) [< Fr. durant] lavi diwant
eternity, eternal life, everlasting life.
Nou kay viv pi Bondy pou lavi
diwant. We will live with God for
eternity. (religious; syn: pou tout tan)

divs

diw

ADJ various, diverse. B laplas

ou ka jwenn divs kalit gwo manj.
By the market you find various kinds
of ground provisions. [< Fr. divers]

divin

dizan

V to last. Dpi s kon sa ou ka

bas, ou pa kay diw. If you bat like
that, you wont last. [< Fr. durer]

diwkt

to divine, to practice
divination, to supernaturally foretell
the future or discern hidden facts.
Madanm-lan f mwen ouv lanmen
mwen pou i t sa divin ban mwen.
The woman had me open my hand in
order to tell me about my future. (see
also: gaj, f maji nw, f tjenbwa, f
zb, gad) [< Fr. deviner]

to direct. (syn: djid,

kondwi)

diwktiman

ADV 1) directly. Mwen

diy kot pou i jwenn avoka-a pi i
al la diwktiman. I told him where
to find the lawyer and he went there
directly. 2) exactly. Mwen pa sav
diwktiman ki jou papa mwen ka
vini. I dont know exactly what day
my father is coming. (syn:
gzaktiman) [< Fr. directement]

divin

N seer, practitioner of obeah.

Manman mwen s on divin. My
mother is a seer. (syn: gad; see also:
jan gaj, tjenbwat, vy lam)

diwi

N rice. Yo ka manj diwi k

pwa wouj. Theyre eating rice and red
beans. [< Fr. du riz]

divinit

N divinity. Tout s disip-la

t apsivw divinit Jzi. All of the

dizan

N same as dis lann. Yo kay

wst la pou dizan. Theyll remain

55

diz

Kwyl English

djari

there for 10 years. [< Fr. dix ans]

diz

N transparent rubber sandal.

Tan lotan st djari tousl nou t ka
mt. Long ago it was only djaris we
used to wear.

ten oclock. [< Fr. dix heures]

diznf

ADJ

nineteen. [< Fr. dix-neuf]

dizwit

ADJ

eighteen. [< Fr. dix-huit]

djwt

dj

ADJ happy. Nou t dj

toubonmnan! We were very happy!
(syn: kontan; opp: an lapenn, sonm,
twis) [< Fr. gai]

dja

N accident, collision, crash, wreck.

La t ni on dja b kay-la bonmatenan. There was a wreck by the house
this morning. (see also: aksidan) V to
collide. Bonmaten-an d motoka dja
dwt douvan kay mwen. This
morning two cars collided right in
front of my house.

dj

ADV hardly any, scarcely any. Nou

pa t sa jw bol-la paski la pa t ni
dj moun. We couldnt play ball
because there were hardly any people.
[< Fr. gure]

djab

djl variant of djl.

N devil. Gwan moun di l lapli

sly, djab ka may dy kay. Old
folks say that when the sun shines as it
is raining, devils are getting married
behind the house. (see also: Denmou,
vy lspwi) [< Fr. diable]

djp

N a kind of red wasp. Djp-la

pitjy patan i t ka ach mango.
The wasp stung him when he was
looking for mangoes. (see also: myl,
vonvon)

djabal

N concubine, mistress, outside

woman. Fanm sa-a s djabal tonton
mwen. That woman is my uncles
mistress.

djt

N brace for a pole. Nou ka mt

djt an tout konwen kay-la. We are
putting braces on all the corners of the
house.

djal

N chick, attractive girl or woman.

Tifi sala s on bl djal. This girl is a
nice chick. (see also: fanm, kabws,
madanm, manmzl, tifi) [< Eng. girl]

djt

V to freeload, to expect
something that you have not been
invited to take. Pa asiz lakay s
moun-an pou djt pou manj yo.
Dont sit at their home and expect to
eat uninvited. (see also: mandyan)

djanmt

N 1) prostitute. Fanm sala

s on djanmt. That womans a
prostitute. (syn: fanm konmen, fanm
lawi, fanm vy lavi) 2) prostitution.
Fanm sala pa ka kit djanmt pys.
This woman wont leave prostitution
at all.

djwi

V to heal, to cure. Dkt-a

djwi boug-la. The doctor cured the
fellow. [< Fr. gurir]

djwizon (var: djwizyon)

N cure,
remedy. Maladi sala pa ni djwizon.
That illness has no remedy. (see also:
wimd, wimd wazy) [< Fr.
gurison]

djapanna

N a plant that heals, flu,

cold and internal injuries when made
into a tea. Tibway-la ni wim, s pou
ou f dit djapanna ba li. The boy
has a cold and you should make
djapanna tea for him. (see also: wimd
wazy)

djwizyon variant of djwizon.

djwt
56

joy. Ou sa f nou souf m

djid

Kwyl English

run ones mouth, to speak without

anyone paying attention. Ou sa bat
djl ou kon ou vl, mwen pa ml.
You can run your mouth all you want,
I dont care. (syn: bat bouch) djl
twou mouth or opening of a hole.
Tibway-la mt an wch asou djl
twou kwab-la. The boy put a stone
over the opening of the crab hole.

ou pa sa pwan djwt nou. You can

make us suffer but you cant take
away our joy. (syn: lajwa; see also:
wjwi, widjwt, dj, lakontantman)
an djwt joyful. Ou kay an
djwt l gasonw-lan vini sti lt
pyi. Youll be joyful when your son
comes back from overseas.

djid

N guide, leader. Lswpi Bondy

s djid nou. The Spirit of God is our
guide. (see also: djid) [< Fr. guide]

djn

N gonorrhoea. Misy-a t ni pou

al w dkt paski i t ni djn. The
man had to go see the doctor because
he had gonorrhoea. (see also: kako)

djid

V to guide. L ou al an souf, la
toujou ni on moun pou djidw.
When you go to the sulphur springs,
there is always someone to guide you.
(syn: kondwi; see also: djid) [< Fr.
guider]

djin

dlo

djs

ADV just. Ti manmay-la pa

malad; i djs mov. The child isnt
sick; hes just bad. [< Eng. just]

djouk

N a kind of potfish. Djouk s

on pwson ki ka santi fw an chay.
Djouk is a kind of fish that smells very
rotten. djouk bwa a sharp piece of
wood, such as the root of a tree that
has been cut down, sticking up out of
the ground, over which someone
might trip or get hurt. Tibway-la
tonb anl an djouk bwa pi djouk
bwa-a stpyy. The boy fell on a
sharp piece of wood and it cut him.
(see also: djouk)

person with very dark, blueblack skin. (see also: ng) [< Fr.
Guin]
N

djip

N Jeep, four-wheel drive vehicle.

Yo wiv ab on djip. They arrived in
a Jeep. [< Eng. Jeep] f djip same
as f zkl. Vl-a f djip l i w
polis-la chap. The thief ran away
when he saw the police coming.

djiyon

N jinx, bad luck. Ou ni djiyon

paski ou ka twavay toul jou m ou
pa janmen ni lajan. You have bad
luck because you are working every
day yet you never have money. (see
also: mal, chans, limy, modisyon)
[< Fr. guignon]

djouk

V to poke, to jab. Las djouk

mwen avan mwen f on bagay
piw! Stop poking me before I do
something with you! (syn: tjok)

djoup

ADV directly, straight. L

chyen-an bouw dyy i antw an
kay-la djoup toubonnman. When the
dog charged after him, he went
straight into the house just like that.

djb

N job, work. I pd djb li tou.

He lost his job too. (syn: twavay)
[< Eng. job]

djl (var: djl)

N mouth or snout of an
animal. I bay bouwik-la an koul
wch asou djl li. He hit the donkey
on the mouth with a stone. (see also:
bouch) [< Fr. gueule] bat djl to

dlo (var: glo)

N 1) water. V-a plen

dlo. The glass is full of water. 2) tear.
Mwen ka di zt oplz k dlo an zy
mwen. Im telling you farewell with

57

do

Kwyl English

donmaj

dgla variant of dogla.

tears in my eyes. (see also: lam) [< Fr.

de leau] dlo ajenni fountain of
youth. Yo benyen tifi-a an dlo
ajenni. They bathed the girl in the
fountain of youth. dlo dous fresh
water. Pwson sala pa ka wt an
lanm-a, i ka wt an dlo dous. That
fish doesnt live in the sea, it lives in
fresh water. dlo gwip gripe water,
given to babies for gas. Yo bay ti
manmay-la dlo gwip paski i t ni
kolik. They gave the baby gripe water
because he had colic. mt dlo an
bouch to water down. Nonm sala
pa ka mt dlo an bouch li pou diw
anyen. That man doesnt water down
his message when he tells you
anything. dlo sikw sugar water,
given to a child as medicine after a
fall. Ti manmay-la pwan on so; nou
ba li dlo sikw pou bw.

dkt

N doctor. Dkt-a pa t sa
djwiy. The doctor couldnt cure him.
(see also: ns, lopital) [< Fr. docteur]

dla

N dollar. Konmen dla ou ni?

How many dollars do you have? (syn:
goud) [< Eng. dollar]

dol

V to trim. Poto-a t tw gwo,

nou t ni pou dol asouy. The post
was too thick and we had to trim it.
(see also: pwenti)

dolot

V to caress. Misy-a t ka
dolot madanm li. The man was
caressing his wife. (syn: kaws,
nich; see also: manyen, touch)

dmz

N one who falls asleep easily.

Boug sala s on mov dmz. That
fellow is always sleeping. [< Fr.
dormeuse]

do

N 1) back. Si ou kontin f sa, ou

kay kas dow! If you keep doing
that, youll break your back! (see also:
zpl) 2) tails; the rounded side of a
split seed or nut used for gambling.
L moun ka jw kotji, d bouden k
d do ka genyen. When people play
kotji, two heads and two tails win.
(opp: bouden) [< Fr. dos] bay do to
turn ones back. I bay tibway-la do.
She turned her back on the boy. do
lanmen backhand. Yo pt djl li l
yo ba li an do lanmen. They broke his
jaw when they gave him a backhand.
(see also: palaviw, soufl, tap)

dmi

V to sleep. Nou kay dmi

bonn sw-a. We are going to sleep
early tonight. (see also: kouch,
sonmy) [< Fr. dormir] anvi dmi
to be sleepy. Ma sa li sw-a; mwen
anvi dmi twp. I cant read tonight;
Im too sleepy.

dmino

N domino, game of dominoes.

S nonm-lan ka jw dmino toul
Vandwdi. The men play dominoes
every Friday. [< Fr. domino]

don

N gift. S on don Bondy ban

mwen-an. Its a gift that God gave
me. (rare; syn: kado; see also:
donnan) [< Fr. don]

dogla (var: dgla)

N person who is
part Indian, part Negro. Papa mwen
s on dogla. My father is half Indian.
(see also: milat) chiv dogla mixed
hair; curly or wavy hair. Sa s an bl
tifi; i ni chiv dogla. Thats a
beautiful girl; she has mixed hair.

donbw

N dumpling. Yo ka manj
an chay donbw. They eat lots of
dumplings. [< Fr. dombr]

donmaj

N damage. Bouwik-la f an
chay donmaj. The donkey did much

58

donmaj

Kwyl English

damage. [< Fr. dommage]

pou doubout l Gouvn-a wiv. We

all had to stand when the Governor
General arrived. 2) to stop. Doubout
la, gason! Stop there, boy! 3) to stop
doing (something). Ou ni pou
doubout s bagay sala ou ka f-a.
You need to stop doing the things you
are doing. (see also: las, anpch,
dfann, enpoz) [< Fr. debout] bon
doubout good standing, good status.
I ni on bon doubout an vilaj-la. He
has a good standing in the village.

donmaj

V to damage. Si yo kontin
vow wch, yo p donmaj motokaa. If they keep throwing stones, they
may damage the car. [< Fr.
endommager]

donmstik

N maid, domestic helper or

servant. L mwen t al lt pyi tou
fw, mwen t ka twavay kon on
donmstik. When I first went
overseas, I was working as a maid.
(see also: svant) [< Fr. domestique]

donminasyon

doudou

N darling, sweetie. Ou tonb,

doudou? Did you fall, darling? (syn:
chwi) [< Fr. doux doux]

domination. S waa ni donminasyon asou s moun sala

k yo ka maltwt yo. The kings have
domination over those people and they
mistreat them. [< Fr. domination]
N

doukw

ADJ just enough. Anmas

doukw mango pou nou manj jdia. Gather up just enough mangos for
us to eat today. (syn: jis kont)

donnan

ADJ generous. Mwen pa sa

di anyen asou misy sala; i donnan
an chay. I cannot say anything bad
about that man; hes very generous.
(see also: don) [< Fr. donnant]

dous

ADJ 1) calm, tranquil. Tout

bagay t dous. Everything was calm.
2) tame. Bouwik sala dous tlman,
npt moun sa batjy. That donkey
is so tame, anyone can load it. (opp:
fawouch, mawon, sovay) 3) quiet.
Tifi sala dous an chay. That girl is
very quiet. (see also: koutja) ADV
slowly. Pal pli dous pou mwen sa
kopwann. Speak more slowly so I can
understand. [< Fr. douce]

dont

V to tame, to train an animal (or

a child). Chouval sala sovay; ou kay
ni pou donty. That horse is wild;
you will have to tame it. Mwen kay
dontw! Ill fix you!

dosil

ADJ docile, tame. Zannimo-a t

dosil. The animal was tame. (opp:
sovay, fawouch, mawon; see also:
savan) [< Fr. docile]

dous

N sweetness, pleasantness. La
ni an dous an ti manmay sala.
There is a sweetness in that child.
[< Fr. douceur]

dou

ADJ sweet. Bonbon-an t dou!

The cake was sweet! (opp: si, anm;
see also: dousi, soumach) [< Fr.
doux]

dousi

V to sweeten. I ka dousi kaf-a.

Hes sweetening his coffee. (see also:
dou, soumach) [< Fr. adoucir]

doubl

V to double. Mt-la doubl

twavay-la asou mwen jdi-a. The
boss doubled my work today. [< Fr.
doubler]

doubout

dout

dousman

ADV quietly, slowly, calmly.

Pal dousman, soupl. Speak slowly,
please. (opp: vit, vitman)

dout (var: doutans)

1) to stand. Nou tout t ni

59

doubt. Si la ni

doutans

Kwyl English

also: lenn) [< Fr. drap]

dout an tjw, wimd-la pa kay

twavay. If there is any doubt in your
mind, the medicine wont work. [< Fr.
doute] an dout in doubt. I pa kit
nou an dout pou tan sala. He didnt
leave us in doubt about that time.

dw1 (var: dwtt)

ADV 1) must, must

have, must be, may, may have, may
be, might, might have, might be. I
dw al la paski i kw i t kay jwenn
twavay. He must have gone there
because he thought he would get work.
(syn: oblij; see also: fo, nss, p,
sa, apl, pitt) 2) ought, should. I pa
ka twavay kon i dw. He doesnt
work like he should. (syn: sipoz)
[< Fr. doit]

doutans variant of dout.

douvan

PREP 1) in front of. Tifi-a

doubout douvan mwen. The girl
stood in front of me. (opp: dy)
2) before, in the sight of, with respect
to. Nou ni on bon doubout douvan
Bondy. We have a good standing
before God. [< Fr. devant] pwan
douvan to go ahead, to go in front, to
take the lead. Pwan douvan k ann
al. You take the lead and lets go.

dw2

V to owe. Boug-la dw mwen

an chay lajan. The fellow owes me a
lot of money.

dw3

CONJ though, although, despite,

in spite of. Dw i t ni an chay lajan,
m i pa t satisf. Although he had a
lot of money, he was not satisfied.
(syn: magw)

douz

ADJ twelve. Mwen genyen douz

z. I bought twelve eggs. [< Fr.
douze]

douzenn

dwt

dwt1

dozen. Ou pa ka vann yo
pa douzenn? Dont you sell them by
the dozen? [< Fr. douzaine]

N finger. L i tonb, i kas

dwt li. When he fell, he broke his
finger. (see also: gwo pous) [< Fr.
doigt] bout dwt fingertip. I koup
bout dwt li. He cut his fingertip.
tt dwt to suck ones thumb. S
pou ou doubout tt dwt. You must
quit sucking your thumb. ti dwt
little finger, pinkie. I kas ti dwt li.
He broke his little finger.

dowad

N dolphin. Jdi-a yo ka vann

dowad bonmach. Today theyre
selling dolphin cheap. [< Sp. dorado]

dw variant of dw.
drayv

V to drive. Sa ki ka drayv
motoka-a? Who is driving the car?
(syn: kondwi) [< Eng. drive]

dwt2

ADJ 1) right. I soud an zwy

dwt li. He is deaf in his right ear.
(opp: gch) 2) straight. Baton-an
dwt. The stick is straight. (opp:
kochi) 3) right, righteous. I t ka viv
an lavi ki dwt. He was living a
righteous life. ADV right, directly.
Mango-a tonb dwt douvan laptla. The mango fell right in front of the
door. [< Fr. droit] lanmen dwt
right, right-hand side. L ou wiv an
vil, tounen asou lanmen dwt. When

dwa1

N right. Kils ki baw dwa-a

pou f sa? Who gave you the right to
do that? (syn: lotowit, pouvwa; see
also: tit) [< Fr. droit] an dwa to
have a right. Ou an dwa mt yo
dw asou t-a. You have the right to
kick them off of the land. (see also:
adan tit)

dwa2

N bed sheet. Dwa-a t dchiw.

The sheet was torn. (syn: kouvti; see

60

dwtt

Kwyl English

to roam. Yo pa ni anyen pou f, kon

sa yo enmen dwiv tout lajoun-a.
They have nothing to do, so they love
to stroll all day long.

you arrive in town, turn to the right.

(opp: lanmen gch)

dwtt variant of dw. [< Fr. doit

tre?]

dwi

dwiyt

N a traditional dress worn

when dancing the quadrille. An tan
lontan s madanm-lan t ka abiy
an dwiyt pou dans kdwil. Long
ago the ladies wore the traditional
dress to dance the quadrille. (see also:
wb)

often. Nonm-lan ka al
lanm dwi toujou magw i s an
gwan nonm. The man still goes to the
sea often although hes old. (syn:
souvan, an chay di l; opp: wa; see
also: wgl)
ADV

dwivayz

N someone who wanders

aimlessly, loafer, someone who is
unproductive. Tibway sala s on
dwivayz. That boy is an aimless
wanderer. (syn: vakabon)

dwiv

gal

dwl

ADJ strange, funny. Zyw ka

gad dwl. Your eyes look strange.
(syn: twanj) [< Fr. drle]

dyanman

N diamond. Yo ka chach
dyanman. Theyre looking for
diamonds. [< Fr. diamant]

to stroll, to wander aimlessly,

Ee
variant of pi. Mwen byen, ou

The whale washed up on the Laborie

beach. (syn: kst; see also: f t)
[< Fr. chouer]

menm? Im fine, and you? [< Fr. et]

INTERJ eh, eh. , , sa ki wivy?

Eh, eh, whats the matter with him?

ben (var: enben, oben, ouben)

d (var: end)

V to help. Zt tout
kay d nou. You all will help us. (see
also: chap, sov, soukou) [< Fr.
aider]

CONJ

1) or. s ou vl sala ben lt-la? Do

you want that or the other? 2) well,
then. ben, f sa ou vl. Then do
what you want. (see also: bon) [< Fr.
eh bien]

fasi

V to erase. Yo fasi tout sa ki t

kwi-a. They erased all that was
written. [< Fr. effacer]

chanlib variant of lchanlib.

N effort. Nonm-lan pa f pys f

pou d ky. The man didnt make
any effort to help himself. [< Fr.
effort]

chofi

N athletes foot; a fungus that

grows between the toes. Tibway sala
toujou ni chofi paski i pa ka lav
pyy. That boy always has athletes
foot because he doesnt wash his feet.

gal

ADJ equal, level, same, flush.

Mwen miziw d mso planch sala
pi yo gal. I measured the two planks
of wood and they are the same length.
(see also: nivo) [< Fr. gal]

chw

V to beach, to wash up on
shore, to land a boat. Balenn-an
chw asou lans lanm Labowi-a.

61

gaw

Kwyl English

gaw

klat

ADJ dazed, in a daze. I gaw

menm kon ti manmay ki lv an
sonmy. Hes in a daze just like a
child who has been awakened from
sleep. (see also: bazoudi, kagou,
toudi, vag) [< Fr. garer]

gzaktiman

V to resound, to burst, to
reverberate, to echo. Son koul hachla t ka klat an bwa-a. The sound
of the axe echoed in the forest. (see
also: pt) [< Fr. clater]

klw

V to clarify, to make clear, to

enlighten. klw mwen pli asou sa,
soupl. Clarify that for me, please.
(syn: klawify) ADJ enlightened.
Apwzan tan-an klw. Nowadays
times are enlightened. (opp: inyowan,
bouty nw) [< Fr. clairer]

exactly. Ma sav
gzaktiman ki jou i ka vini. I dont
know exactly what day he is coming.
(syn: diwktiman) [< Fr. exactement]
ADV

gzanmin

V to examine. Yo
gzanmin papy-a. They examined
the paper. [< Fr. examiner]

kl

V to hatch. Tout z poul-la kl.

All the chickens eggs hatched. (see
also: ponn, kouv) [< Fr. clore]

gzanp

N example. I s on bon
gzanp pou s jenn manmay an
vilaj-la. He is a good example for the
young people in the village. [< Fr.
exemple] pa gzanp 1) for example.
Pa gzanp, pys nonm ki kit
madanm li k i ka viv k yon lt
madanm, i ka viv an adilt. For
example, any man who leaves his wife
and leaves with another woman, he is
living in adultery. 2) as an example.
S pou ou viv pa gzanp. You must
live your life as an example for others.

koutan

ADJ obedient. L yo tann sa,

yo kay pli koutan. When they hear
that, they will be more obedient. (syn:
obyisan; opp: dzobyisan) [< Fr.
coutant]

kspt (var: aspt)

PREP except.
Yo mennen tout bagay kspt sa.
They took everything except that.
(syn: antiwan) CONJ unless. Ou pa
kay sov kspt ou konnt Jzi.
You wont be saved unless you know
Jesus. (syn: anba, tout tan...pa) [< Fr.
except]

gzibisyon

N exhibition. S fama-a
ka tjenn an gwo gzibisyon an vil
Vy F. The farmers are holding a big
exhibition in Vieux Fort. [< Fr.
exhibition]

kstr

N x-ray. Dkt-a ka gad

kstr fwisi misy-a. The doctor is
looking at the x-ray of the mans
lungs. V to x-ray, to take an x-ray.
Tifi-a t adan an aksidan pi yo t ni
pou kstr tt li. The girl was in an
accident and they had to x-ray her
head. [< Eng. x-ray]

gzist

V to exist. Ma ni lid bagay

kon ladjabls ka gzist. I dont think
things like she-devils exist. [< Fr.
exister]

k variant of vk.
klanm

kwi

kwi

V 1) to write. Tifi-a d
gwanmanmany kwi lt-la. The girl
helped her grandmother write the
letter. (see also: matj) 2) to have the
ability to write. I t ka li kwi. He

to claim. S pou ou
klanm t-a gwanmanmanw t ba
ou-a. You must claim the land your
grandmother left you. [< Fr.
rclamer]
V

62

kwiti

Kwyl English

could read and write. [< Fr. crire]

ennitil

zaf mwen. That boy is so

presumptuous; he is asking me my
business. (syn: konpawzon) [< Fr.
indiscret]

kwiti

N 1) writings. kwiti s
pwoft-la pa t z pou kopwann.
The writings of the prophets were not
easy to understand. (see also: lvanjil)
2) handwriting. Mwen pa sa fouti
kopwann kwiti dkt-a. I couldnt
understand the doctors handwriting at
all. [< Fr. criture]

enfim

ADJ infirm, lame, crippled.

Aksidan-an kit nonm-lan enfim.
The accident left the man crippled.
[< Fr. infirme] enfim an tt
mentally deficient, retarded. Tibwayla ka f kon moun ki enfim an tt.
The boy is acting like a retarded
person. (syn: goch an tt, dkdk;
see also: tt wd, ttenm)

kwiven

N writer, author. kwiven

liv sala s on Sent Lisyen. The author
of this book is a St. Lucian. [< Fr.
crivain]

enfimit

N lame, crippled person. S

avg-la w k enfimit t ka mach.
The blind saw and the crippled were
walking. [< Fr. infirmit]

kzv variant of bzv.

liv ADJ mannered. [< Fr. lev]
byen liv polite, well-mannered.
S on gason ki byen liv. Hes a
well-mannered boy. mal liv illmannered. Gason-an t mal liv.
The boy was ill-mannered.

enfmasyon

N information. Liv-la ni
an chay enfmasyon ki enptan. The
book has much important information.
[< Fr. information]

enben variant of ben.

enfm

V to inform. Yo kay enfm

nou ki jou nou kay jwenn ank.
They will inform us what day we will
meet again. (syn: f sav, soufl; see
also: di) [< Fr. informer]

end variant of d.
endik

N advice. Si endik st lajan,

s pa mwen ou t kay bay li. If
advice were money, you wouldnt give
it to me. (syn: konsy) [< Fr. indiquer]

engwa

ADJ ungrateful. Nonm wich-la

t tlman engwa! The rich man was
so ungrateful! (syn: mal onnt) [< Fr.
ingrat]

endikasyon

N education. S moun
sala pa ni dj endikasyon. Those
people have hardly any education.
[< Fr. ducation]

enkoutan variant of koutan.

endik

enkouwaj variant of ankouwaj.

V to educate. Yo ka endik s
ti manmay-la. Theyre educating the
children. (see also: moutw, enstwi,
titj) ADJ educated. Madanm sala
endik an chay. That woman is welleducated. [< Fr. indiquer]

enmen

V to like, to love. Nou enmen

jw pi s ti manmay-la. We like to
play with the children. (syn: kontan;
opp: hayi; see also: lanmity,
lanmou) [< Fr. aimer]

endiskw

ADJ indiscreet,
presumptuous. Tibway sala
endiskw pas ki; i ka mand mwen

ennitil

ADJ silly, lacking sense. Gason

sala ennitil! That boy is silly! [< Fr.
inutile] pal ennitil same as pal

63

enposib

Kwyl English

also: endik, moutw) [< Fr.

instruire]

papicho.

enposib

ADJ impossible. Sa wd m i
pa enposib. Thats hard but not
impossible. (opp: posib) [< Fr.
impossible]

enswi variant of enstwi.

entl

PRO so and so. Ay di entl

mwen bizwen koutla mwen. Go tell
so and so I need my cutlass. (Used
when you dont want to mention the
persons name.; see also: tl tl,
tan3) [< Fr. en tl]

enptan

ADJ important. I enptan

pou kout manmanw. It is important
to obey your mother. [< Fr.
important]

enpoz (var: anpoz)

entlijan (var: tlijan)

V to forbid.
Papay enpozy al an vil. His father
forbad him from going to town. (syn:
dfann; see also: anpch, doubout)
[< Fr. imposer]

ADJ

intelligent, smart. Gason-an entlijan

m i pa kontan lkl. The boy is
intelligent but he doesnt like school.
[< Fr. intelligent]

enpwidan variant of pwidan.

entlijans (var: tlijans)

intelligence. Bondy ban nou tout

entlijans. God gave all of us
intelligence. (see also: svl) [< Fr.
intelligence]

ensi variant of s.
ensiltan

ADJ insulting. Pa pal bay

nonm sala; i tw ensiltan! Dont
speak to that man; hes too insulting.
[< Fr. insultant]

ensilt

pawlab

entwsan variant of antwsan.

entws variant of antws.

to insult. Pouki ou ka
ensilt mwen kon sa? Why are you
insulting me like that? (see also:
dkwiy, jt pawl, mpwiz, mal
pal, sali non) [< Fr. insulter]
V

entnasyonnal

ADJ international.
Nou ka slbw Jounen Kwyl
Entnasyonnal. We are celebrating
International Creole Day. [< Fr.
international]

ensiswatil

INTERJ amen. Mwen ka

mand tout s bagay an non Jzi
Kwi, ensiswatil. I ask all of these
things in the name of Jesus Christ,
amen. (religious, archaic; syn: amn)
[< Fr. ainsi soit-il]

envitasyon

N invitation. Yo ban nou

envitasyon-an pou ft-la, m nou pa
al. They gave us the invitation to the
party, but we didnt go. [< Fr.
invitation]

ensit

envit

enstwi (var: enswi)

p variant of pi.

N insult. Ou ni twp ensit anba

lanng ou! You have too many insults
under your tongue! (see also: mpwi)
[< Fr. insulte]

V to invite. Mwen t vl al an
ft-la, m yo pa envit mwen. I
wanted to go to the party, but they
didnt invite me. [< Fr. inviter]

V to teach, to
instruct. Titja-a ka enstwi nou
manny pou li. The teacher is
teaching us how to read. (syn: titj; see

pawlab

ADJ speechless. I t tlman

sipwi, i t pawlab! He was so
surprised he was speechless!

64

Kwyl English

slavaj (var: slavay)

ADJ thick. Liv-la t p! The book

was thick! (opp: mens) [< Fr. pais]

N slavery. Yo
aboli slavaj konmen tan ki pas.
They abolished slavery a long time
ago. [< Fr. esclavage]

pi (var: , p)

CONJ and. Mwen

genyen pen pi yonn d ti bagay. I
bought bread and a few small things.
(syn: vk) PREP with. Mennen
mwen piw! Take me with you! (syn:
vk; opp: san)

slavay variant of slavaj.

soufl (var: wisoufl)

V to gasp for
air. L i fin mout mn-an i t ka
soufl an chay. When he finished
climbing the hill he was really gasping
for air. [< Fr. essouffler]

pwidan (var: enpwidan)

N illness
whose symptoms are chills and fever.
(see also: kanmanmi, sapant, tiyl)
[< Fr. imprudent]

spw (var: spy)

V 1) to wait
(for), to await. Yo t ka spw nou.
They were waiting for us. (syn:
atand) 2) to expect. Ou vini l
mwen pa t ka spw. You came
when I wasnt expecting. [< Fr.
esprer]

s (var: sk, s ki, s si, ensi) Y/N

question marker. s ou ni lajan? Do
you have money? [< Fr. est-ce] s ki
variant of s. s si variant of s. s
si wat enmen patat? Do rats like
sweet potato?

sy

spyans

N experience. Yo t ni on
vy spyans. They had a bad
experience. [< Fr. exprience]

to try, to attempt. Yo sy
m yo pa t sa fy. They tried but
they couldnt do it. (see also: dbat,
dbwiy, f so, mennaj) [< Fr.
essayer]
V

spyans

V to experience. Nou ja
spyans lanmity Bondy. We
have experienced Gods love. [< Fr.
exprience]

sk variant of s. [< Fr. est-ce que]

skiz

spy variant of spw.

N excuse. Yo ban nou tout st

kalt skiz. They gave us all kinds of
excuses. [< Fr. excuse]

skiz

spoz

spity variant of splik. spity sa

ban mwen. Explain that to me.

to excuse. skiz mwen,

soupl. Excuse me, please. [< Fr.
excuser]
V

splik (var: spity)

V to explain.
Nonm-lan splik pwoblenm-lan
ban nou. The man explained the
problem for us. (syn: dchifw) [< Fr.
expliquer]

skoupyon

N scorpion. Mwen t ka
fouy bandja pi mwen jwenn an
skoupyon. I was digging for wild
yams and came across a scorpion.
[< Fr. scorpion]

spoz

V 1) to expose. S jenn tifi

sala annk spoz k yo
toubonnman. These young women
just expose themselves like that. 2) to
lay out a corpse for viewing. Yo
spoz k m-a d nditan avan
ltman-an. They laid out the body
for viewing two hours before the

slav

ADJ enslaved. I t slav sigawt.

He was enslaved to cigarettes. N
slave, person who is enslaved. Ou ka
twt mwen kon an slav. You are
treating me as a slave. [< Fr. sclav]

65

spwa

Kwyl English

burial. [< Fr. exposer]

started. Wilizyon sala tabli an Sent

Lisi senkant lann ki pas. This
religion got started in St. Lucia fifty
years ago. [< Fr. tablir]

spwa

N hope. spwa mwen s sa:

Yon jou mwen kay w s ich mwenan ank. My hope is this: One day I
will see my children again. [< Fr.
espoir] ni spwa to hope. Mwen ni
spwa mwen kay ww ank. I hope
I will see you again.

taj (var: tay)

N floor, storey.
Boutik-la t asou pwmy taj kayla. The shop was on the first floor of
the building. [< Fr. tage]

spw

tay variant of taj.

ADV deliberately, on purpose.

S spw i f sa! He did that
deliberately. [< Fr. exprs]

spwsman

tlijan variant of entlijan.

tlijans variant of entlijans.

especially. Mwen f
bonbon sala spwsman baw. I
made this cake especially for you.
(syn: sitou)
ADV

tnl variant of twnl.

tenn

V 1) to extinguish, to put out (a

fire). Yo tenn dif-a avan i bwil
kay-la. They put out the fire before it
burnt down the house. (see also: tenn)
2) to die, to pass away, to expire.
Gwan nonm-lan pa m, i tenn. The
old man didnt die, he expired. (slang;
usually used in reference to the death
of elderly people; syn: m; see also:
Bazil pweny, foukan, maw patj,
di dd, tiw k) [< Fr. teindre]

spwi variant of lspwi.

stati

N statue. Yo f on stati pou f

moun chonj tout s slda-a ki m
an ladj-a. They made a statue to
remind people of the soldiers who died
in the war. [< Fr. statue]

stenn

V to sneeze. Lapousy-a fy
stenn. The dust made him sneeze.
[< Fr. ternuer]

stim

tonnen

twsan variant of antwsan.

to estimate. I kay stim

val kay-la. He will estimate the value
of the house. [< Fr. estimer]
V

tws variant of antws.

twnl (var: tonnl, tnl)

ADJ

eternal. Kado Bondy s lavi

twnl. Gods gift is eternal life.
[< Fr. ternel]

stdin

ADJ extraordinary, strange.

Kay sala stdin. That house is
extraordinary. (see also: din) [< Fr.
extraordinaire]

tidy

V to study. Pou f byen lkl

ou ni pou tidy an chay. To do well
in school you must study a lot. [< Fr.
tudier]

stopy

V to cut. Pa kouwi la avan

bouty stopyw. Dont run there, or
glass will cut you. (syn: koup; see
also: vol) [< Fr. estropier]

tonnl variant of twnl.

tabli

tonnen

V 1) to establish, to start. Jzi

vini asou lat-a pou tabli lgliz li.
Jesus came on earth to establish his
church. 2) to get established, to get

ADJ astounded, astonished,

amazed, surprised. L yo w sa yo t
tonnen! When they saw that they
were astonished! (syn: szi, sipwi,

66

twal

Kwyl English

bdji) [< Fr. tonner]

fak

ou pa vl al vk mwen, mwen kay

al pa k mwen. If you dont want to
go with me, Ill go alone. (syn: pi)
[< Fr. avec]

twal

N star. Nou w lalin-an k an

chay twal. We saw the moon and
many stars. [< Fr. toile] twal fil
falling star. L yo w klt-a, yo kw
i st an twal fil. When they saw
the light, they thought it was a falling
star.

vw

ADV Its true. vw mwen ba li

lajan, m mwen pa ba li tlman. Its
true I gave him money, but I didnt
give him so much. [< Fr. cest vrai]

twanj

ADJ strange. Nou tann on

dzd ki twanj. We heard a strange
noise. (syn: dwl) [< Fr. trange]

ADJ prosperous, wealthy.

Madanm sala pa bizwen anyen;
mawiy mty w. That woman
doesnt need anything; her husband
has made her prosperous. (syn: alz,
byennw, ja fy, ja wiv, wich;
opp: mal, malw, pv; see also:
byen, wichs) [< Fr. heureux]

twanj

N stranger, foreigner. S pou

ou twt twanj byen. You should
treat strangers well. [< Fr. tranger]

twsi

V to shrink. Chimiz-la twsi

l mwen lavy. The shirt shrank
when I washed it. [< Fr. rtrcir]

wisi

V to succeed. I wisi f s
moun-an kw sa. He succeeded in
making the people believe that. (see
also: siks) [< Fr. russir]

twt

ADJ narrow, tight. Twl sala

tw twt pou mwen sa f anyen
piy. That cloth is too narrow for me
to do anything with it. (syn: jis) [< Fr.
troit]

wity (var: iwity)

V to inherit.
Gason wity tout lajan papay. The
son inherited all of his fathers money.
[< Fr. hriter]

vansyon

N invention. Sa s an
vansyon nf. Thats a new invention.
[< Fr. invention]

ADJ easy. I pli z pou dsann

mn pas mout. It is easier to go
down a hill than to go up it. (syn: fasil;
opp: difisil, wd)

vk (var: k)

CONJ and. Kouman

Py vk Mawi y? How are Peter
and Mary? (syn: pi) PREP with. Si

Ff
fach

ADJ 1) vexed, irritated, cross,

annoyed, upset. L mwen w boutikla t fm, mwen t fach tlman.
When I saw the shop was closed, I
became quite upset. (see also: anwaj,
distw, sitway, twoubl, lv
vlkan, tous n, waj) 2) when you
are not speaking with someone
because of an unhappy relationship.

Misy sala fach pi tout pwocheny.

That man is not speaking with his
neighbours. [< Fr. fch]

fad

ADJ bland, tasteless. Manj-a t

fad pis mwen t obliy mt sl
adany. The food was bland because I
forgot to put salt in it. [< Fr. fade]

fak
67

fork used for gardening. Mwen

faktri

Kwyl English

fann bwa. The man was splitting

wood. 2) to cut open a body to
perform an autopsy. Mwen pa t
wst l dkt-a koumans fann k
m-a. I didnt stay when the doctor
began to cut the corpse open. ADJ
split, cracked. Kay masonn-an t
fann. The concrete house was cracked.
[< Fr. fendre]

kas fak-la patan mwen t ka plant

patat. I broke the fork while I was
planting sweet potatoes. V to plough,
to dig with a fork. Mwen fak tout t
sala mwen yonn. I ploughed all this
land myself. [< Eng. fork]

faktri

N factory. Yo ka f had an
faktri sala. They make clothes in that
factory. (syn: lizin) [< Eng. factory]

fal

fant

N crack, split. La ni fant an

kay-a. There are cracks on the rock.
[< Fr. fente]

crop, craw of a bird. Fal jiby-a

t plen pi pwa. The birds crop was
full of peas.
N

falz

fap (var: faps)

ADV 1) intensifier. P
la fap ben ou kay jwenn pli! You
just shut up or youll get it worse!
2) just, suddenly. Yo pwen kouwanan fap, k toupatou t ka f nw.
They suddenly took the current and
everywhere was dark.

cliff, precipice. Pwen

pokosyon; la ni on gwo falz la. Be
careful; theres a big precipice there.
(syn: kaskou, koudoum) [< Fr.
falaise]
N

fama

N farmer. Bofw mwen s on

fama ki ka plant fig. My brother-inlaw is a farmer who grows bananas.
(syn: plant) [< Eng. farmer]

faps variant of fap.

fas1 N face, front side. [< Fr. face] an
fas opposite. Tounen l ou wiv an

fanm

N woman. Mwen pa t janmen

sav fanm sala t on dkt. I never
knew that woman was a doctor. (see
also: djal, kabws, madanm,
manmzl, tifi) ADJ womanish; when
a young girl rudely tries to act older
than she really is. Tifi sala, pys
moun pa fanm pasy. This girl
thinks she is more grown up than
everybody else. (see also:
dwspkt, nonm) [< Fr. femme]

fas laps-la. Turn when you arrive

opposite the post office. fas a t face
down, on ones face. Ti manmay-la
t ka kouwi pi i tonb fas a t. The
child was running and fell on his face.
(syn: fas anba, vant anba, vant a t;
opp: vant anl) fas anba face down,
on ones stomach. I mt liv-la fas
anba. He put the book face down.
(syn: fas a t, vant a t, vant anba;
opp: vant anl)

fanmchay

N midwife. S fanmchay
ki t ka koup lonbwi. Its midwives
who used to cut umbilical cords.

fas2

V to fast. Jou sala nou fin fas.

That day we finished fasting. (syn: f
ajen, wst san manj) [< Eng. fast]

fanmi (var: lafanmi)

N family. Tout
fanmi mwen ka wst lt pyi. My
whole family lives overseas. (see also:
jennenwasyon) [< Fr. famille]

fann

fasil

fasad

N side. Motoka-a t lt fasad

chimen-an. The car was on the other
side of the road. (syn: b, kot, sayd)
[< Fr. faade]

1) to split. Nonm-lan t ka

fasil
68

ADV

easy. Lgzanm-a t fasil.

fatpk

Kwyl English

This shirt fits you well. [< Fr. faire]

The test was easy. (syn: z; opp:

difisil, wd) [< Fr. facile]

fatpk

fennen

f majl to extend the dewlap (in

reference to lizards). Zanndoli-a ka
f majl ban mwen. The lizard is
extending its dewlap at me.

a type of fruit. (syn: zikak)

fav

N favour. Konp Lapen mand

on fav. Brother Rabbit asked for a
favour. (see also: gwas) [< Fr. faveur]
an fav for, in favour of, in defence
of. Fw mwen pal an fav mwen an
lodyans-lan. My brother spoke in
favour of me in court. (opp: kont)

f2

N 1) iron, steel. Mwen f bay

mwen tout an f. I made my gate out
of iron. 2) iron used for pressing
clothes. Moun ka svi f pou pas
had yo. People use irons to press their
clothes. [< Fr. fer] f blan
aluminium. Dlo nou ka bw nou ka
mt adan an bonm f blan. We keep
our drinking water in an aluminium
bucket.

favowi

N sideburn, side whisker. I t

ni favowi m i wazy. He had
sideburns but he cut them off. [< Fr.
favoris]

fawin

fb

N cassava flour. Nou t ka f

fawin. We were making cassava flour.
(syn: fawin manyk; see also: kasav)
[< Fr. farine] fawin fwans wheat
flour. I genyen on sak fawin fwans
pou f pen. He bought a sack of wheat
flour to make bread. fawin manyk
same as fawin.

ADJ weak. Janm fb li-a

anpchy kontin asou lawout-la.
His weak leg prevented him from
continuing on his way. (opp: f; see
also: toub) [< Fr. faible]

fbls

N weakness. Misy-a t fen

tlman fbles pwany. The man was
so hungry weakness came over him.
(opp: fs, kouway) [< Fr. faiblesse]

fawouch

ADJ wild. Kabwit-la t

fawouch. The goat was wild. (syn:
mawon, sovay; opp: dous) [< Fr.
farouche]

fman

N weapon. Jenn jan apwzan

pa ka goumen san fman yo. Young
people today dont fight without their
weapons. (see also: zam)

fawouch

V to scare, to frighten. Yo
fawouch s kwibich-la. They
frightened the crayfish. [< Fr.
farouche]

fm

V to close, to shut. Antw an

kay-la k fm lapt-la, soupl.
Come into the house and close the
door, please. (opp: ouv; see also:
lakl, tjatj) [< Fr. fermer]

f1

V 1) to do. Sa ou ka f la? What

are you doing there? 2) to make.
Manman f bonbon koko. My
mother made coconut cake. (see also:
fm, wann) 3) to cause (something
to happen), to force, to make
(someone do something). I f mwen
manj tout mango vt-la mwen
tjouwi-a. He made me eat all the
green mangos I picked. (see also: fs)
4) to fit. Chimiz sala ka fw byen.

fen

ADJ hungry. I fen paski i pa t

pwen dit. She is hungry because she
didnt eat breakfast. [< Fr. faim]

fennen

V 1) to wilt, to wither. Slyla fennen tout fy py bwa-a. The

sun withered the trees leaves. 2) to
ripen off the vine. Mt mango-a
fennen. Put the mango to ripen. [< Fr.

69

fpl

Kwyl English

had made its nest on the roof of the

house. (syn: tt kay; see also: chivon,
chapo kay) [< Fr. fatage]

faner]

fpl (var: fypl)

ADJ frank,
straightforward, plain-spoken. Nonm
sala fpl; i pa ka mt dlo an bouch
li. That man is plain-spoken; he
doesnt water down what he says.

ft

V to hold, to have, to give (a

party), to celebrate. Ti manmay-la
batiz jdi-a m nou ka ft ft-la
denmen. The child was baptized today
but we are holding the party
tomorrow. (see also: slbw, wibot,
f laft) [< Fr. fter]

fs

N backside, buttocks, arse. I tonb

asou dif-a k bwil fs li. He fell on
the fire and burnt his backside. (syn:
tjou, bonda) [< Fr. fesses]

fs

fi

fto variant of ftay.

to throw down, to slam down.

(syn: fout, jt) fs a t to throw
someone down on the ground. Nonmlan tjb tibway-la k i fsy a t!
The man grabbed the boy and he threw
him down to the ground! fs py a
t to stamp ones feet. Tibway-la t
fach tlman i fs pyy a t. The
boy was so angry he stamped his feet.
V

Fvwiy

N February. S an mwa
Fvwiy nou ka slbw
andpandans nou. It is in the month
of February we celebrate our
independence. [< Fr. Fvrier]

fw

V to shoe (horses). Mwen

mennen chouval-la bay fjon-an pou
fwy. I brought the horse to the
blacksmith to shoe it. [< Fr. ferrer]

fsten

N festival, fete, feast. L

pwmy tibway mwen ft, mwen
bay an gwan fsten. When my first
boy was born, I gave a big feast. (syn:
ft, slbwasyon; see also: bal) [< Fr.
festin]

fy

N leaf. Py bwa-a m k tout fy

li tonb. The tree died and all of its
leaves fell. (see also: pay) [< Fr.
feuille] anba fy secretly, in secret.
Yo asanbl anba fy. They met
secretly. (syn: ankacht, an swan,
an sigw) bwa gwan fy a type of
tree with large leaves. Bwa gwan fyla ni an nich ml anly. The big
leaf tree has a blackbird nest in it.
fy kas leaves of cassia plant, used as
bush medicine. Fy kas s an bon
afwchi si ou vid dlo cho anly.
Cassia leaves make a good cooling if
you pour hot water on it. (see also: zb
akouws)

ft1

V 1) to happen, to take place. Sa

ka ft atjlman. That happens
nowadays. (syn: pwan plas, pwan
kou; see also: f, wiv) Sa ka ft?
Whats happening?/Hows it going?
2) to be born. Tifi mwen ft an mwa
Dsanm. My daughter was born in the
month of December. [< Fr. fait]

ft2 (var: laft)

N party, celebration,
feast. Jdi-a la kay ni on ft. Today
there will be a party. (syn: fsten,
slbwasyon) [< Fr. fte] Ft L M
All Saints Day. Ft Sent Jozf St.
Josephs Day, Feast of St. Joseph.

fyt

N page. S ti manmay-la
dchiw s fyt liv-la. The children
tore the pages of the book. [< Fr.
feuillet]

ftay (var: fto)

N roof. Jiby-a t f
nich li asou ftay kay-la. The bird

fi variant of tifi. [< Fr. fille] vy fi

70

fidl

Kwyl English

unripe banana used in cooking. fig

wouj a small, fat, red banana. (syn:
fig kochon)

old maid, spinster. Vy fi sala ka

vann chbon. That old maid sells
charcoal.

fidl

fiks

ADJ faithful, in the sense of

keeping ones word, vows. Nonm
sala fidl; i pa janmen f anyen asou
madanm li. That man is faithful; he
has never cheated on his wife. (rare)
[< Fr. fidle]

fidlit

V to fix (in reference to eyes,

mind), to direct steadily. Zy yo t
fiks asou nonm-lan. Their eyes were
fixed on the man. [< Fr. fixer]

fiksyon

N oil, ointment, liniment

applied to the body by rubbing. S
pouw f an bon fiksyon pou mt
an tt ti manmay-la. You must make
a good ointment to put on the childs
head. [< Fr. friction]

faithfulness. (rare) [< Fr.

fidlit]

fidjay variant of fidji.

fidji (var: fidjay)

N face. I lav
fidjiy avan i al lkl. He washed his
face before he went to school. [< Fr.
figure] fidji lonng a desolate,
embarrassed look on ones face.
Fidjiy vini lonng l yo mt sigwy
dw. He had a desolate look on his
face when they revealed his secrets.
ponm fidji cheek. Ponm fidjiy t
wouj. Her cheeks were red. fidji pou
fidji face to face. Yo gad yonn a
lt fidji pou fidji. The looked at each
other face to face.

fiksyonnen

V to rub with oil,

ointment, liniment. S pouw
fiksyonnen ti manmay-la si i bls.
You must rub the child with ointment
if hes in trauma. (see also: fwot,
hdi) [< Fr. frictionner]

fil

N thread. I svi fil blan pou koud

chimiz li. She used white thread to
sew her shirt. (see also: fisl, kd)
[< Fr. fil] gwo fil bouden (var: ti fil
bouden) large intestine. Gwo fil
bouden-an pli mal pou tjwit l ou f
bouden piy. The large intestine is
harder to cook when you make black
pudding with it. (see also:
bannbouden) ti fil bouden (var:
gwo fil bouden) small intestine. Ti
fil bouden-an pli bon pou f bouden.
The small intestine is better for
making black pudding. (see also:
bannbouden)

fifin

N drizzle, very fine rain. An ti

fifin lapli i w pi i pa al twavay.
He saw a little drizzle and he didnt go
to work. (see also: lapli)

fifin

V to drizzle, to rain lightly.

Lapli-a ka fifin; mt an bagay
asou tt ou. The rain is drizzling; put
something on your head. (see also:
dvid, kwv, tonb)

fig

fil

filaylonm

N a type of sweet syrup

added to rum. Wonm-lan tw f; ou
ni pou mt filaylonm adany. The
rums too strong; you have to add
syrup to it.

banana. I ka koup fig li pou

vann b laplas. Hes cutting his
bananas to sell at the market. (see also:
bannann, makanbou) fig kochon a
small, fat, red banana. (syn: fig wouj)
fig mi ripe banana. fig sikwiy a
small type of banana. fig vt green,
N

fil1

V to sharpen. I fil koutlay pi

an lim. He sharpened his cutlass with

71

fil

Kwyl English

the window. [< Fr. fentre]

a file. (opp: dfil, tjw) ADJ sharp.

Kouto-a pa fil! The knife is not
sharp! (opp: m) [< Fr. filer]

fini (var: fin)

V to finish. Nou pk
fini twavay nou. We havent finished
our work yet. (opp: koumans; see
also: bout) ADV just. Ou pa ka pwan
an bonbon ou fini f pi mty an
fridj-la. You dont put a cake you just
made and put it in the refrigerator.
Fini mwen fini wy. I just saw him.
[< Fr. finir] fini anyen to come to
nothing, to vanish, to disappear. S
bagay-la ki pa vo anyen-an kay fini
anyen. The things that are worthless
will come to nothing.

fil2

V to lower on a rope. Fil bonmlan ban mwen. Lower the bucket to

me. (opp: lv; see also: fil, bs)
[< Fr. filer] fil zdjwi to thread a
needle. I fil zdjwi-a. She threaded
the needle.

filt

N small fishing net. Filt-la plen

pwson. The nets full of fish. (see
also: senn, lpvy, kali) [< Fr. filt]

filzf

ADJ flashy, stylish, elegant,

well-dressed. Nonm sala filzf kon
on pan. That man is as flashy as a
peacock. (syn: flanman) [< Fr.
philosophe]

fiml

ADJ

fimen

finisman

N end, finish. An finismanan yo viy san pwson. In the end

they returned without fish. (syn: bout)

fisl

N string. Mwen maw sak-la pi

fisl. I tied the bag with a string. (see
also: fil, kd) [< Fr. ficelle] fisl
pch fishing line. Yo genyen fisl
pch. They bought fishing line. (see
also: ling)

female (in reference to

animals). Nou ni twa fiml chat pi
on mal. We have three female cats and
one male. (opp: mal) N female. Chat
sala s on fiml. That cat is a female.
[< Eng. female]

fiyans (var: fwiyans)

ADJ engaged
to be married. Misy sala ja fiyans
pi an bl madanm. That man is
engaged to a beautiful woman. N
fianc, fiance. Fiyans fw mwen
ka wt lt pyi. My brothers fiance
lives overseas. (usually in reference to
woman) [< Fr. fianc]

to smoke (a cigarette, cigar,

pipe). Pa fimen isi-a! Dont smoke
here! (see also: lafim, pafim,
sigawt) [< Fr. fumer]

fimy

N manure, compost. Nou mt

fimy asou jaden-an. We put manure
on the garden. (see also: lasl, sl)
[< Fr. fumier]

fin1

fiyl

N godchild. Mwen acht an wb

bay fiyl mwen pou Nwl. I bought a
dress for my godchild for Christmas.
[< Fr. filleul]

thin. Gason-an fin kon an

glt. The boy is as thin as a stick.
(opp: gwa, gwo; see also: mg)
[< Eng. thin]
ADJ

fiyonnen

V to scoff, to ridicule. Yo
tout t ka fiyonnen nonm-lan ki t
ka pwch-a. They were all ridiculing
the man who was preaching. (see also:
motj, pwan svi papicho, pwan svi
widitjil, pwan svi wizib)

fin2 variant of fini. Madanm-lan ja

fin vann. The woman has finished
selling. (used before another verb)
Ma fin sav. Im not even sure.

fint

fiyonnen

window. Ouv fint-la. Open

72

fizi

Kwyl English

fizi

flo

flatz

N gun, rifle. Nonm-lan pwan

fiziy pi i kouwi dy vl-a. The
man took his rifle and chased after the
thief. (see also: fiziw, wivlva) [< Fr.
fusil] fizi bouw a kind of muzzleloading gun. Moun t ka svi fizi
bouw lontan. People used to use
muzzle-loaders long ago. (archaic)

N flatterer. Ou s on flatz!
Youre a flatterer! [< Fr. flatteuse]

fl

N flower. Jaden madanm sala

benyen fl. That womans garden is
full of flowers. (see also: flwi) [< Fr.
fleur]

flch

N 1) arrow. Tan lontan moun t

ka svi bannza pi flch pou ay
pch. Long ago people used to use
bows and arrows to fish. (rare; see
also: va, pitjt f) 2) wire leader for a
fishing hook. S pou ou maw flch
an zenw avan btjin koup ling ou.
You must put a leader on your fishing
hook or a barracuda might cut your
line. 3) shoot (of rice, etc.). Bf-la
manj tout flch diwi-a. The cow ate
all the shoots of rice. (see also: jm,
koko, wichton; pous) [< Fr. flche]

fiziw

V to shoot with a firearm. Nou

fiziw tout jiby nou w. We shot
every bird we saw. (see also: fizi)

flanbo

N torch. Yo t ka ach kwab

pi an flanbo. They were looking for
crabs with a torch. (see also: chal)
[< Fr. flambeau]

flanbot

V to hunt or fish by torch

light. Yo toujou ka flanbot. They
always fish by torch light.

flandj

V to slit. Flandj fig vt-la

pou ou sa gwenneny. Slit the green
banana in order to peel it.

flch

V to hurl, to throw something in

anger. Mwen flch pla-a dy chatla l i manj pwson mwen-an. I
hurled the plate at the cat when it ate
my fish. (see also: jt, voy)

flanm

N flame. Kay-la pwi dif pi

flanm-lan t cho an chay. The house
caught fire and the flames were very
hot. (see also: dif) [< Fr. flamme]

flwi1

V to flower. S py mango-a ja
ka flwi. The mango trees are already
flowering. (see also: fl) [< Fr. fleurir]
flwi Nwl poinsettia. Yo ni an
chay flwi Nwl douvan kay yo.
They have many poinsettias in front of
their house.

flanman

ADJ flashy, stylish, elegant,

well-dressed. Ou gad flanman! You
look elegant! (syn: filzf)

flas

N thermos. Flas-la plen kaf. The

thermos is full of coffee. [< Eng.
flask]

flwi2

N a fork used to pierce witches

in order to kill them or render them
powerless. Papa mwen pitj gaj-a
pi an flwi. My father pierced the
witch with a fork.

flat

V 1) to flatter. Misy-a ka flat

mwen pou mwen sa acht an
magazeny. The man flatters me to get
me to buy something in his store.
2) to coax, to cajole. Yo t ka flat
tibway-la pou manj titak manj.
They were coaxing the boy to eat a
little food. (syn: anmiyonnen) [< Fr.
flatter]

flo1

ADJ empty, hollow. Pistach-la t

flo! The peanut was empty. (syn:
kwz)

flo2

N styrofoam. Las jw k flo-a; i

ka twisay mwen. Quit playing with

73

flot

Kwyl English

foli

the styrofoam; it is giving me the

shivers.

N craze, mania, craving.

Madanm-lan pa ka f foli dy s
souly sala. The woman doesnt
follow the craze for those shoes.
[< Fr. folie] an foli in heat. Chat-la
t an foli. The cat was in heat. (syn:
mand mal, pwan mal)

flot

V to float. Kannt-la t ka flot

asou dlo-a. The boat was floating on
the water. (opp: koul) [< Fr. flotter]

fo1

ADJ false. Lat-a benyen fo

pwoft. The world is full of false
prophets. [< Fr. faux] fo tmwen
false witness. La kay ni fo tmwen.
There will be false witnesses. [< Fr.
faux tmoin]

fo2

fnikasyon

fm

N form. Adjabls-la vini adan

an fm an bl fanm. The spirit came
in the form of a beautiful woman.
[< Fr. forme]

fm

V to form. Bondy fm lat-a

adan sis jou. God formed the earth in
six days. (see also: f) [< Fr. former]

necessary. (see also: dw,

nss, oblij) s fo it is necessary.
S fo ou al lkl si ou vl apwann. It
is necessary for you to go to school if
you want to learn. (syn: s pou; see
also: ni pou, oblij)
ADJ

fon1

ADJ deep. Dlo-a pa fon. The

water is not deep. (opp: plat) N
valley. Nou dsann an fon-an. We
went down into the valley. [< Fr.
profond] f fon to sink. Yo vow
lank-lan an dlo-a k kity f fon.
They threw the anchor in the water
and let it sink. (see also: koul) Fon
As Fond Assor (a village in St.
Lucia). Joun Kwyl t Fon As.
Creole Day was at Fond Assor.

ADJ 1) strong. Nonm sala f pas

ki! That mans very strong! (opp: fb)
2) intense. Van-an ka vin f. The
wind is becoming intense. ADV
loudly. Nonm sou-a chant f kon i
pas kay-la. The drunk man sang
loudly as he passed by the house.
[< Fr. fort] piman f hot pepper.
Tjb f. Hold tight. Hang in there.
(see also: pwan tj, tjb wd)

fon2

N forehead. Yo bat li asou fony.

They hit him on the forehead. [< Fr.
front]

fofil

V 1) sewing term: to baste, to

tack. 2) to mingle, to get entangled, to
get involved (with). Annou pa fofil
k nou pi pch. Lets not entangle
ourselves with sin. (syn: antanm; see
also: ml) [< Fr. faufiler]

fondasyon

N foundation. La t ni
tlman lapli nou pa t sa twavay
asou fondasyon kay-la. There was so
much rain we couldnt work on the
foundation of the house. [< Fr.
fondation]

fjon

N blacksmith. Fjon-an ka
fw chouval-la. The blacksmith is
putting shoes on the horse. [< Fr.
forgeron]

fondj

N depth. Ki fondj basen-an

y? How deep is the river basin? (see
also: gwand, gws, ht, laj,
londj) [< Fr. profondeur]

fl (var: fou)

ADJ crazy, mad (fem.

form). Madanm-lan fl! The woman
is crazy! [< Fr. folle]

fnikasyon

N fornication. Yo bouch
d moun sala ka f fnikasyon. They
caught those two people committing

74

fonmaj

Kwyl English

knoll for planting. Fs-la t ja fouy,

kon sa yo plant s gwenn-an. The
furrow was already dug, so they
planted the seeds.

fornication. (see also: adilt) [< Fr.

fornication]

fonmaj variant of fwonmaj.

fonmasi

N pharmacy. Ay an
fonmasi-a, acht wimd ban mwen.
Go to the pharmacy and get medicine
for me. [< Fr. pharmacie]

fs3 variant of afs.

fs

V to force. I fs nou pt chay

lou-a. He forced us to carry the heavy
load. (syn: oblij; see also: f) [< Fr.
forcer]

fonmi

N ant. La ni an chay fonmi

asou py mango-a. There are many
ants in the mango tree. [< Fr. fourmi]
fonmi flanman a large red ant that
sometimes lives in rotten wood.
fonmi fou a small black ant that
moves quickly. fonmi kaka type of
ant with a bad odour. fonmi mdan
a small black, biting ant. fonmi
wouj a small red ant that bites.
fonmi ada a kind of large black ant.
fonmi azl rainfly. fonmi f a
small hard-backed black ant.

fskouch

N miscarriage. Fanm-lan t
gwo bouden, m i f fskouch. The
woman was pregnant, but she had a
miscarriage. (see also: avt) [< Fr.
fausse couche]

ft

N fault due to negligence. S ft

ou ki f chat-la chap. It is your fault
the cat escaped. (syn: t; see also:
dfo) [< Fr. dfaut]

fot variant of fwot.

fonn

ftifiyan

V to melt, to dissolve. Chal-a

fonn tout b-a. The heat completely
melted the butter. ADJ broke (in
reference to money), bankrupt.
Misy-a t fonn plat; bank-lan pwen
tout sa i t ni. The man was flat
broke; the bank took all he had. (opp:
wich; see also: pv, mal, malw)
[< Fr. fondre]

ADJ strengthening, nutritious,

fortifying. Manj-a t byen ftifyan.
The food was quite nutritious. [< Fr.
fortifiant]

fou1 (var: fl)

ADJ crazy, mad (masc.

form). Py fou! Peter is crazy! [< Fr.
fou]

fou2

N oven. Nou tiw pen-an an foua. We removed the meat from the
oven. [< Fr. four] fou chbon
charcoal pit. Mwen f on fou chbon
dwt b jaden-an. I made a charcoal
pit right next to the garden.

fons variant of anfons. fons anl

to fight. (syn: sot anl)

fs1 (var: lafs)

N force, strength.
Nou t ni pou svi tout fs nou pou
sa pous trk-la. We had to use all
our strength to be able to push the
truck. (syn: kouway; opp: fbls)
[< Fr. force] f fs k to strive, to do
ones best. Yo ka f fs k yo pou
wiv an bout-la. Theyre striving to
arrive at the end.

fs2

foucht

fouben

ADJ bold, brave, courageous.

Yo t sipwi l yo w mizi fouben
gason-an t fouben. They were
surprised when they saw how brave
the boy was. (syn: bwav; see also: ni
tj)

foucht

furrow, mound, heap, hillock,

75

fork. Mt foucht-la asou

fouk

Kwyl English

tab-la. Put the fork on the table. (see

also: kouto, tjwiy) [< Fr. fourchette]

fouk

fwap

fs)

fouti

ADV (emphasizes a negative).

Konstan mwen ka di nga mty
dw kay-la m mwen pa fouti sa
fy. I am always saying I am going to
put him out of the house but I just
cannot do it. [< Fr. foutu]

crotch. I ka koud fouk tjilt

li. Hes sewing the crotch of his pants.
N

foukan

V 1) to go away. Tout s
moun-an ja foukan. All the people
have gone away. 2) to die. (slang; see
also: m, tenn, maw patj, di dd,
tiw k) [< Fr. foutre le camp]

fouy1

V 1) to dig. I ka fouy twou

yanm. Hes digging yam holes. 2) to
stuff, to put, to push (something into
something). I fouy chat-la an sak-la
k i mawy. He stuffed the cat into
the bag and tied it. (see also: mt)
[< Fr. fouiller] fouy dy to look
into, to investigate. Madanm-lan
fouy dy s bagay sala. The woman
looked into these things. [< Fr.
fouiller]

foul

V 1) to pack densely, to tamp, to

cram. Foul sak kopra-a, i tw lj.
Pack the sack of copra densely, its too
light. (opp: dfoul) 2) to trample, to
tread on. (syn: danm) ADJ packed
densely, crammed. Sak kopra-a byen
foul. The bag of copra is packed
quite densely. [< Fr. fouler]

founi

ADJ leafy, having an abundance

of leaves. Py bwa-a founi twp. The
tree has too many leaves.

fouy2

N an arrangement of three rocks

with a fire in the middle used for
cooking. Apw yo fin twavay an
jaden-an yo bouwi bwapen-an asou
fouy. After they finished working in
the garden they boiled breadfruit on a
cooking fire. (see also: fou, boukan,
dif)

founiti

N 1) furniture. Kay-la t ja ni
tout founitiy andidany. The house
already had all its furniture inside it.
(syn: mb) 2) trimmings, garnish.
Madanm mwen mt tout founiti
anl salzon-an. My wife put all the
trimmings on the meat. [< Fr.
fourniture]

fridj

N refrigerator. Mwen gad an

fridj-la m la pa t ni pys laglas. I
looked in the refrigerator but there
wasnt any ice. [< Eng. fridge]

founo

N furnace. Yo bwil tout s

vy kawton-an an founo dif-a. They
burnt all the old cartons in the furnace.
[< Fr. fourneau]

fwa1

N time, occasion. Sa s dny

fwa-a mwen kay pal baw. This is
the last time Im ever going to talk to
you. (syn: kou) [< Fr. fois]

fout

V to hit, to strike. I t fach

tlman i fout tibway-la an koul
baton. He was so angry he struck the
boy with a stick. (syn: bat, fwap; see
also: konyen, tap) Mwen kay
foutw on bl tap. Im going to give
you a hard slap. (crude) fout a t to
throw down. I fout ky a t. He
flung himself to the ground. (syn: jt,

fwa2

N liver. L ou ka bw dlo fwt

pi dlo cho ansanm, i ka baw gwo
fwa. If you drink cold water and hot
water together, it will give you an
enlarged liver. (syn: fwisi wd) [< Fr.
foie]

fwap
76

to hit, to strike. Nonm-lan

fw

Kwyl English

fwap kochon-an pi baton-an. The

man hit the pig with the stick. (syn:
bat, fout; see also: konyen, tap)
[< Fr. frapper]

fw

fwdi an jounouy. She has

rheumatism in her knee. [< Fr.
froidure]

fwkant

V to have sex, to be sexually

active. S jenn jan sala ja ka
fwkant; s sa ki f yo nonm pi
fanm kon sa. Those young people are
already sexually active; they think that
makes them grown up. (euphemism;
syn: f vis, kouch, pwan) [< Fr.
frquenter]

1) cool. Ti van sala fw

bonmaten-an. This breeze is cool this
morning. 2) fresh. Si pen-an pa fw,
pa achty. If the bread is not fresh,
dont buy it. (opp: wasi) 3) refreshed.
Ti ben sala f mwen vin fw. That
little bath made me refreshed.
4) strong (in reference to smell).
Pwson nas ka santi fw an chay.
Pot fish have a strong smell. 5) proud
(in a negative sense), conceited. Boug
sala fw paski i ni endikasyon. That
fellow is conceited because he has
education. (see also: kw, lgy)
[< Fr. frais] f fw to cut fish and
throw in the sea to attract fish. S
pch-a ka f fw pou tjb volan.
The fishermen are throwing chopped
fish in the water to attract flying fish.
tou fw recently. Li pi madanm li
t sti Sent Lisi tou fw. He and his
wife had come from St. Lucia
recently. (see also: tal-a)

fw

ADJ

fwt1

ADJ 1) cold. Dlo-a t fwt. The

water was cold. (opp: cho; see also:
tyd) 2) quiet, silent. L sa ft, tout
bagay vini fwt. When that happened,
everything became silent. (see also:
silans, tjantjil) [< Fr. froid] f fwt
to be cold (in reference to weather). I
ka f fwt jdi-a pas pys jou. It is
colder today than any other day. (opp:
f cho)

fwt2

N whip. I fwap tibway-la senk

fwa k fwt-la. He struck the boy five
times with the whip. (syn: kavach,
lyenn) [< Fr. fouet]

fwy variant of fwiy.

1) brother. Non fw mwen s

Mak. My brothers name is Mark. (see
also: ss) 2) brother, in the sense of
being a fellow Christian. Nou kay
kwiy asou Fw Py pou pwdy.
We will call on Brother Pierre to pray.
(religious) [< Fr. frre]
N

fwi1 (var: fwitaj)

N fruit. Yo ka vann
tout st kalt fwi b laplas. They sell
all kinds of fruit at the market. [< Fr.
fruit]

fwi2

V to fry. Yo ka fwi pwson-an

pou vann. Theyre frying the fish to
sell. (see also: bouwi, tjwit) ADJ
fried. Pwson fwi s on manj ki
bon. Fried fish is a kind of food that is
good. [< Fr. frire]

fwch

N breeze, cool air. An

balkon-an la ni an bl fwch. On
the balcony theres a nice breeze. (syn:
ti van) [< Fr. fracheur]

fwdi

fwidj

fwidj

N banyan tree. Nou ka f bas

bol pi wasin fwidj. We make
cricket bats out of the roots of banyan
trees.

1) cold weather. Fwdi-a ja

koumans la. The cold weather has
already begun there. (opp: chal; see
also: livnaj) 2) rheumatism. I ni on
N

77

fwij

Kwyl English

fwij

gad

fwiyans variant of fiyans.

N fern. La ni an pil fwij b

chimen-an. There are many ferns near
the road. [< Fr. fougre]

fwiy (var: fwy)

N fear. Mwen
santi on fwiy pas an mwen l
mwen pas b senmity-a. I felt a
fear pass in me when I passed by the
cemetery. (syn: fwison, pwz, lap,
kwentif)

fwisi

N entrails, internal organs,

giblets, offal. L yo tjw kochon-an
yo vann fwisi-a. When they killed the
pig they sold the entrails. malad an
fwisi cirrhosis of the liver. I ka t ka
bw tlman wonm, i jwenn malad an
fwisiy. He drank so much rum, he got
cirrhosis of the liver. fwisi ml lung.
Yo tiw fwisi ml kochon-an pi yo
tjwit li pou manj. They removed the
lungs of the pig and cooked them to
eat. fwisi wd liver. Mwen kontan
manj fwisi wd bf. I like to eat beef
liver. (syn: fwa)

fwonmaj (var: fonmaj)

N cheese.
Nou genyen d liv fwonmaj. We
bought two pounds of cheese. [< Fr.
fromage]

fwot (var: fot)

V to rub, to massage.
Fwot janm mwen k fiksyon sala
soupl. Rub my leg with this liniment
please. (see also: fiksyonnen, hdi)
[< Fr. frotter]

fwison

fy variant of konfy.

N 1) chill (a kind of illness).

Madanm sala malad; i ni fwison.
That woman is sick; she has a chill.
2) chill (as a result of fear). L mwen
tann bwa-a kas an fwison pas
andidan mwen. When I heard the
wood break a felt a chill pass over me.
(syn: fwiy, pwz, lap, kwentif; see
also: bouton fwdi) [< Fr. frisson]

fyl

N 1) bile, gall. Kaf-a pa ni sik; i

anm kon fyl. The coffee doesnt
have sugar; it is as bitter as gall.
2) gall bladder. Kk-la pwan an koul
zpon k fyl li pt. The cock was
struck by anothers spur and its gall
bladder burst. [< Fr. fiel]

fyl

N jar. Bouchonnen fyl-la. Put

the lid on the jar. (see also: j)

fwitaj variant of fwi.

Gg
ga variant of gad. Ga yo! Ga yo!

vl-a. The guards are supposed to

protect the house, but they were
helping the thieves. [< Fr. garde]
gad mouton variant of gadyenn
mouton. pwan gad same as pwan
pwokosyon. Pwan gad; chimen sala
benyen chous bwa. Be careful; this
path is full of roots.

Look at them! Look at them! (used in

imperative; syn: mi)

gad1

N incurable sore. Lontan l

span t pitjw i ka baw an gad.
Long ago when a serpent struck you it
would give you an incurable sore. (see
also: bobo, malenng)

gad2

gad (var: ga)

V to look, to look at.

Nou gad andidan kay-la, m nou pa

guard. S gad-la sipoz

pwotkt kay-la, m yo t ka d s
N

78

gad

Kwyl English

gargling his throat with salt water.

w pysonn. We looked in the house,

but we didnt see anyone. [< Fr.
regarder] gad apw to look after,
to take care of. Dpi manmanw m
s mwen ki gad apww. Since your
mother died it is I who have been
looking after you. (syn: otjip, pwan
ka; see also: swen) gad an mitan
zy to look directly in the eye. Polisla gad nonm-lan an mitan zyy, k
i sav nonm-lan t ka manti. The
policeman looked directly into the
mans eyes and knew that he was
lying. gad kon to look like, to
resemble. Ou gad kon papaw. You
look like your father. (syn: sanm) pa
gad dont be fooled, deceived by
appearance of. Pa gad tibway sala, i
ni bon tt. Dont be fooled by that
boys appearance, he is very smart.
gad pou to look for. Yo t ka gad
pou l, m yo pa jwenn pys. They
were looking for gold, but they didnt
find any. (syn: chach) gad pou k
to be selfish, to be concerned with
ones own interests. I ka gad pou
ky tousl. He is only concerned
about his own interests.

gad

gaj

V to practice obeah or witchcraft.

Fanm sala ka gaj. That woman
practices obeah. (see also: divin,
maji nw, tjenbwa, zb, pyay) N
1) same as jan gaj. Chat nw sala
sanm s an gaj. That black cat seems
to be a witch. (see also: tjenbwat,
gad) 2) money kept safe by the spirit
of a dead slave. jan gaj seer, witch,
practitioner of obeah. S moun-an
vini fach k yo tjw jan gaj-a. The
people became angry and killed the
witch. (syn: divin, gad, maji nw,
tjenbwat, vy lam; see also: dgaj)

gal

N scabies, mange. Gal sala tw

mov an tt ti manmay-la, s pouw
menneny oti dkt. That scabies is
too bad on the childs head, you
should take him to the doctor. [< Fr.
gale]

galba

N a type of tree that has a round

seed. Tan lontan s manmay-la t
ka svi gwenn galba kon mab. Long
ago the children used galba seeds as
marbles.

gal1

ADJ when ones skin is mottled or

marked up from bites or sores. Tout
k tifi-a gal. The girls whole body is
marked up from mosquito bites.

seer, practitioner of obeah.

Madanm-lan s on gad. The woman
is a seer. (syn: divin; see also: jan
gaj, tjenbwat, maji nw, vy lam)
N

gadyenn

galon

gal2

V to plane. I ka gal bwa-a pou

f mb. Hes planning the wood to
make furniture.

guardian. Gadyenn tifi

sala ka gady byen. That girls
guardian is taking good care of her.
[< Fr. gardien] gadyenn mouton
(var: gad mouton) shepherd. Jou
sw sala, s gadyenn mouton-an
kit mouton yo an savann-an. That
night the shepherds left their sheep in
the field. (syn: bwj)
N

gal

N plane. Chapanty-a ka f pli

bon twavay pis i ni on gal nf. The
carpenter is doing better work because
he has a new plane.

galon

N gallon. Pwi an galon

kawozin ja mout. The price for a
gallon of kerosene has gone up. [< Fr.
gallon]

gagawouz

V to gargle. I ka
gagawouz gj li pi dlo sl. He is

79

galop

Kwyl English

galop

V to gallop, to trot. S
manmay-la ka galop kon chouval.
The children are galloping like horses.
(see also: kouwi) [< Fr. galloper]

galta

Gany Vy F kay vini. The Vieux

Fort group will come. (syn: gwoup,
konpanni; see also: pil) [< Fr. gang]

gany2

N gain, advantage. Ou pa kay

ni pys gany an konsy mwen si ou
pa swiv li. You wont get any
advantage from my advice if you dont
follow it. (syn: bennfis; see also:
pwofi, sinify) [< Fr. gain]

loft, attic. Nou f s ti

manmay-la dmi an galta-a. We
made the children sleep in the loft.
[< Fr. galetas]
N

galvanniz

N corrugated galvanized
roofing. Mwen kay kouv kay
mwen-an pi galvanniz. I am going
to cover my house with corrugated
galvanized roofing. (see also: tt kay,
chapo kay) [< Fr. galvaniser]

ganyen (var: genyen)

V 1) to buy, to
purchase. Yo ganyen d liv sik. They
bought two pounds of sugar. (syn:
acht; opp: vann) 2) to win, to defeat,
to conquer. Wa-a goumen ladj-a la,
m i pa ganyen. The king fought the
war there, but he didnt win. [< Fr.
gagner] ganyen a bout to
overcome, to completely conquer, to
utterly defeat. Si ou kit anyen
ganyen a bout ou, ou ka vini slav
bagay sala. If you let anything
completely conquer you, you become
the slave of that thing.

galwi

N extension (to a house). Papa

mwen jt an galwi asou kay-la. My
father added an extension to the house.
[< Fr. galerie]

gan

N glove. I t ni gan pou l i t ka

f fwt. He had gloves for when it was
cold. [< Fr. gant]

ganbo variant of gonbo.

ganm

gason

N son, boy. Yo ni d tifi k d

gason. They have two girls and two
boys. (syn: tibway; see also: ich, tifi)
[< Fr. garon]

figure, body. Tifi sala ni an

bl ganm. That girl has a nice figure.
(see also: k) bay ganm to pay
attention (to). Yo pa bay svant-lan
ganm. They didnt pay attention to the
servant. (used in negative
constructions; syn: chy anl) Bay
kw ganm! Get busy! f ganm to
prepare, to make preparation, to get
ready. Yo ka f ganm pou yo al
lgliz. Theyre getting ready to go to
church. (syn: pwpaw, f
pwovizyon)
N

gaspiy

V to waste, to squander. I ja
gaspiy tout sa i t ni. He has already
wasted all that he had. (syn: bobans)
[< Fr. gaspiller]

gat

V to spoil. Yo pwan kouwan-an,

k tout vyann-an gat. They took the
electricity, and all the meat spoiled.
(see also: pouwi) ADJ 1) spoiled.
Tout fwi-a t gat k mwen pa t sa
manjy. All the fruit was spoiled and
I could not eat it. 2) spoiled, in the
sense of overindulged. Dny tibway
li-a gat pas ki. His last boy is quite
spoiled. [< Fr. gter]

ganm to fix up, to dress up (ones

appearance). Ganm kw pou
mawiw. Fix yourself up for your
husband. (syn: wanj)

gany1

gat

group (of people), gang.

80

gavw

Kwyl English

gavw

ADJ gravely. T-a t gavw,

kon sa nou pa plant pys gwenn.
The ground was gravely, so we didnt
plant any seeds. [< Fr. gravier]

gawoul

Paditan i t ka hach bwa-a, an gb

konyen tibway-la asou fidjiy. While
he was cutting the wood, a chip hit the
boy on his face. (see also: dgb)

gb1

to enjoy (oneself, with

dance, drink, etc.). Yo ka gawoul k
yo. They are enjoying themselves. (see
also: jw, jwi)

V to chip (in reference to

marbles, tops). Pa kas mab mwen
f avan ou gby. Dont hit my
marble hard lest you chip it. (see also:
dgb)

genyen variant of ganyen.

glanglan

gb2 variant of gob.

cheap, flashy jewellery,

baubles. Madanm sala abiy pi an
chay glanglan. That woman is
adorned with a lot of cheap jewellery.
N

gob (var: gb)

V to gape, to
eavesdrop, to listen intently with a
blank stare. Las gob; s pa ba ou
mwen ka pal. Stop eavesdropping;
Im not talking to you. (syn: bw)

gliglinglas

N a type of grass.
Gliglinglas-la bl an jaden-an. The
gliglinglas is in leaf in the garden.
(syn: tibnad; see also: zb)

gch

ADJ left. Py gch li kas an

aksidan-an. His left foot was broken
in an accident. (opp: dwt) [< Fr.
gauche] lanmen gch left, left-hand
side. Tounen asou lanmen gch.
Turn to the left. (opp: lanmen dwt)

glisad

N slide, slip. I pwan yon glisad

k i tonb adan dlo-a! He took one
big slide and fell in the water! [< Fr.
glissade]

glis

goch

N left-hander, left-handed
person. Fw mwen s on goch. My
brothers a left-hander. [< Fr.
gaucher] goch an tt mentally
deficient, retarded. Pdjab, i goch
an tt li. Poor devil, he is mentally
retarded. (syn: dkdk, enfim an tt;
see also: tt wd, ttenm)

to slide. Yo glis an labou-a.

They slid in the mud. ADJ slippery.
La t ni tlman lapli, chimen-an t
glis an chay. There was so much
rain, the road was very slippery. [< Fr.
glisser]
V

glo variant of dlo.

gloum variant of groum.

gg

N liquor, alcoholic beverage. S

an kabaw sala papa mwen ka bw
gg li. It is in this bar my father drinks
his liquor. (syn: bw, bwason; see
also: gg, ng wonm, sou, wonm,
wiski) [< Eng. grog]

glowify

V to glorify, to praise. Tout

s moun an lgliz-la t ka glowify
Bondy. All the people in the church
were praising God. [< Fr. glorifier]

go1

N one penny/two cents E.C. Mwen

acht yon chlen d go pen. I bought
twenty-nine cents worth of bread.

gg

N drunkard, sot. Nonm sala s

on gg. That mans a drunkard. (syn:
wonmy, ng wonm; see also: gg,
bw, bwason)

go2 variant of gwo.

gb

gj

gj

chip of wood, rock, etc.

81

throat. Gj mwen ka f mwen

gj

Kwyl English

face in anger. Tifi-a t fach tlman i

gonfl fidjiy. The girl was so angry
she puffed up her face. 3) to swell (in
reference to waves). Gwo van-an f
s lanm-lan gonfl an lawad-la. The
strong winds made the waves swell in
the harbour. [< Fr. gonfler]

mal. My throat hurts. Yo hl tout

laj gj yo, Awty! They shouted
at the top of their lungs, Arrest him!
[< Fr. gorge] anba gj violin. I ka
jw anba gj-la. Hes playing the
violin. (syn: vylon)

gj

N swallow. Dlo-a t wa tlman,

s d gj tousl mwen t sa bw.
The water was so scarce, I could only
drink two swallows. (see also: val,
bw) [< Fr. gorge]

gonmy

N gommier tree. Mwen ni an

py gonmy dwt dy kay mwenan. I have a gommier tree right behind
my house. [< Fr. gommier] gonmy
benni a kind of gommier tree used
for making dugout canoes. Yo ka f
an chay kannt Pwalen paski la ni
an chay py gonmy benni. They
make a lot of dugout canoes in Praslin
because there are a lot of gonmy
benni trees there.

gjt

N Adams apple. Gjt li ka

fy mal. His Adams apple hurts him.
[< Fr. gorge] bay gjt to hit or
push someone on the throat. Apa ba li
an gjt k i maty a t! Papa hit
him on the throat and threw him
down!

gl1

gouj

gs variant of gws.

long robe or gown worn by

priests or at a graduation ceremony,
etc. Pwt-la k Monseny-a t ni
difwan gl. The priests and the
Monsignor have different robes. (see
also: siltann)
N

gou

N 1) taste. Manj sala fad; i pa

ni pys gou. This food is bland; it
doesnt have any taste. Manj sala ni
on bou gou. This food tastes good.
2) sense of style. Manny nonm sala
abiy-a ka moutw i pa ni pys gou.
The way that man dresses shows he
doesnt have any taste. [< Fr. got]

gl2

N long stick with a curved blade

on the end. Nonm-lan t ka tjouwi
koko pi on gl. The man was picking
coconuts with a long stick with a
curved blade on the end. (see also:
glt) [< Fr. gaule]

goud

N dollar. I mand nou d goud

pou lo mango-a. He asked us two
dollars for the heap of mangos. (syn:
dla) [< Fr. gourde]

glt

N pole used for knocking fruit

down from trees. Ou ka tjouwi
bwapen k glt mwen. You are
picking breadfruit with my pole. (see
also: gl, kali)

goudon

N pitch, tar. Yo pa ka mt
as goudon asou chimen-an l yo ka
fy. They are not putting enough tar
on the road when they are making it.
[< Fr. goudron]

gonbo (var: ganbo)

N okra. Yo pa
enmen gonbo. They dont like okra.

goudonnen

V to pitch, to tar. Yo kay

goudonnen chimen-an jdi-a.
Theyll put pitch on the road today.
(see also: pitj) [< Fr. goudronner]

gonfl

V 1) to puff up. Diwi-a gonfl

tlman i plen pann-an. The rice
puffed up so much it filled the pan.
(see also: anfl) 2) to puff up ones

gouj
82

long, cucumber-like vegetable.

goulgoula

Kwyl English

Gouj bon l ou bouwiy pi vyann.

Gouj is good when you boil it with
meat.

Mwen pa kontan dachin sala; i ja

groum. I dont like this dasheen; it is
already groum. (see also: kyanng,
nyak, tounen)

goulgoula

N East Indian fried bread.

Papa mwen enmen f goulgoula. My
father likes to make East Indian fried
bread.

gwa

ADJ fat. Bf sala gwa an chay.

That cow is very fat. (opp: fin, mg)
[< Fr. gras] manj gwa to eat food
with a lot of fat. I t ka manj tw
gwa, kon sa gws bouch tjy k i
m. He ate too much fatty foods, so
grease blocked his heart and he died.

goumen

V to fight. S manmay-la t
ni on dzagwman pi yo koumans
goumen. The children had a
disagreement and they began to fight.
N fight. Pa doubout kot la ni
goumen. Dont stop where theres a
fight. (see also: dzagwman, chiz,
twaka, roro) [< Fr. gourmer]

gout

Gwadloup

N Guadeloupe. Nou t ka
vizit Gwadloup. We were visiting
Guadeloupe. [< Fr. Guadeloupe]

gwafiyen

V to claw, to scratch. Chatla gwafiyen mwen! The cat scratched

me.

to taste. Gout manj-a;

mwen asiw ou kay kontany. Taste
the food; Im sure youll like it. [< Fr.
goter]
V

gwaj

N grater. Mwen ka chach gwaj

mwen pou gwaj koko. I am looking
for my grater to grate some coconut.
(see also: gwat) gwaj koutla a
cutlass with one end made jagged,
used to grate coconut. Gwaj koutla
sala mwit fil. That coconut grater
needs to be sharpened.

gouty

N gutter. Yo mt gouty tout

oliwon kay-la. The put gutters all
around the house. [< Fr. gouttire]

gouvdman

N government. I ka
twavay bay gouvdman-an. He
works for the government. [< Fr.
gouvernement]

gwaj

V to grate. I ka gwaj tout

manyk-la. She is grating all the
cassava. (see also: gwat, wap) ADJ
grated. Ou kay bizwen koko gwaj.
You will need grated coconut.

gouvnay

N rudder. Gouvnay-la
kas pi mwen pa t sa kondwi
kannt-la ank. The rudder was
broken and I could not control the boat
any more. [< Fr. gouvernail]

gwan

ADJ 1) big, large. Mt pen-an

adan an gwan panyen. Put the bread
in a large basket. (syn: laj; see also:
gwo) 2) old. Gwan nonm-lan pa
vini pis i t malad. The old man
didnt come because he was sick. (syn:
vy; opp: jenn) [< Fr. grand] gwan
ouv wide open. L i sti, i kit
lapt-la gwan ouv. When he left, he
left the door wide open.

gouvn

V to govern. Yo ka gouvn
pyi-a byen. They are governing the
country well. (syn: kondwi) [< Fr.
gouverner]

gouvn

N governor. Nonm sala s

gouvn-a. That man is the governor.
[< Fr. gouverneur]

groum (var: gloum, kroum)

ADJ

gwand

gwand

stage in the maturity of dasheen.

83

1) width. Ki gwand fint-

gwand

Kwyl English

gwat

la? How wide is the window? (see

also: fondj, gws, ht, laj,
londj) 2) age, level of maturity,
adulthood. Pou gwandw ou pa
sipoz wst lakay manmanw
toujou. For your age you shouldnt be
living at your mothers house any
more. (see also: pitits, vyys) [< Fr.
grandeur]

N scraper used to clean out the

inside of a calabash. L i fini gwat
kalbas-la k gwat-la, i ay pwen dlo.
When he finished cleaning out the
calabash with the scraper, he went for
water. [< Fr. gratte, gratter] gwat
kwi a type of frog. Gwat kwi-a sot
asou tt tibway-la. The little frog
jumped onto the boys head. (see also:
tolin, kwapo)

gwand variant of lagwand.

gwandi

gwat

V 1) to scratch, to scrape. Yo
ka gwat manyk-la pou yo sa
gwajy pou f fawin. Theyre
scraping the cassava in order to grate it
to make cassava flour. (see also:
gwaj) 2) to itch. Bagay-la ka gwat
mwen. The thing is itching me. [< Fr.
gratter]

1) to become larger (in

reference to inanimate objects).
Bagay-la ka gwandi! The thing is
getting larger! (opp: twsi, mgwsi;
see also: gwosi, ogoumant) 2) to
enlarge. Nou kay gwandi kay nou.
We will enlarge our house. (syn:
ogoumant) [< Fr. agrandir]
V

gwanmanman

gwenn

gwatl

N rash, itching. Gwatl-la t

tlman mov, i t ni pou al oti
dkt. The rash was so bad, he had to
go see a doctor. (see also: bouton)
[< Fr. grattelle]

grandmother.
Gwanmanman mwen pa t la. My
grandmother wasnt there. [< Fr.
grande-manman]
N

gwanmsi

CONJ because of, thanks to.

Gwanmsi papa mwen ki voy
mwen lkl, jdi mwen sa li kwi.
Thanks to my father who sent me to
school, today I can read and write.
[< Fr. grand merci]

gwaten

N stewed green papaya or

christophene. Gwaten-an t ni bon
gou. The stewed christophene had a
good taste.

gwatjanm

N calf (of leg). Gwatjanm

li t ka fy mal. His calf was hurting
him. (syn: jaw)

gwanpapa

N grandfather. Gwanpapa
mwen s on mason. My grandfather is
a mason.

gwenn

N 1) seed. I acht gwenn mi

pou plant. He bought corn seeds to
plant. 2) testicle. Tibway-la pwan an
koul bol asou gwenn li. The boy got
hit by a ball on his testicles. [< Fr.
graine] gwenn bannann plantain.
Mwen bouwi d gwenn bannann. I
boiled two plantain. (see also:
bannann) gwenn fig banana.
gwenn lgliz a kind of seed that is
black and red, or the plant that bears
those seeds. Yo t ka f chenn pi

gwap

N cluster, bunch (of fruit). Nou

tjouwi d gwap koko. We picked two
bunches of coconuts. [< Fr. grappe]

gwas variant of lagwas.

gwasy

V to spare, to be gracious to.

Jij-la gwasy madanm-lan magw i
t koupab. The judge spared the
woman even though she was guilty.
[< Fr. gracier]

84

gwennd

Kwyl English

gwenn lgliz. They were making

chains out of seeds that are red and
black. gwenn makanbou plantain.
gwenn pwa dou sweet pea. Gwenn
pwa dou-a ka lv san ou planty.
The sweet pea grows without your
having to plant it. gwenn zy
eyeball. Ou ni on bagay blan asou
gwenn zyw. You have something
white on your eyeball. (syn: koko zy)

gwo

plich) ADJ wrinkled. Ou ka w

madanm-lan ja vy paski tout fidjiy
gwiji. You can see the woman is old
because her face is all wrinkled. (syn:
plis; see also: pli)

gwinad

N pomegranate. Dl s
fanm-lan ka vann gwinad.
Sometimes the women sell
pomegranates. [< Fr. grenade]

gwiv

N tropical mockingbird, thrush

(Minus gilvus). Gwiv-la f nich li
asou py mango-a. The thrush made
its nest in the mango tree. [< Fr.
grive]

gwennd N dice. (syn: zo) jw

gwennd to gamble with dice, to roll
dice. Yo ka jw gwennd. They are
playing dice.

gwennen

V to peel (bananas,
plantain), to shell (peas). I ka
gwennen fig-la. Hes peeling the
banana. (syn: kal; see also: plich)

gwiyav

N guava. Yo manj tout

gwiyav-la ki t an py-a. They ate all
the guavas that were in the tree. [< Fr.
goyave]

gws

N fat, grease. Vyann-an ni an

chay gws. The meat has lots of fat.
[< Fr. graisse]

gwiy

V to grill, to parch. Yo ka
gwiy kaf avan yo pily. They
parch coffee before they grind it.
[< Fr. griller] bwa gwiy a type of
tree with small seeds that turn your
teeth black if you chew them. Gwenn
bwa gwiy-a bon pou manj. The
seeds of the gwiy tree are good to eat.

gwi

ADJ grey. Chouval gwi-a genyen

kous-la. The grey horse won the race.
(syn: sann) [< Fr. gris]

gwif

N claw, talon. Gwif jiby sala

lonng an chay. That birds claw is
very long. [< Fr. griffe] koul gwif
scratch. Chat-la ban mwen on koul
gwif. The cat gave me a scratch.

gwiyen

V 1) to grin, to smile. I ka
gwiyen kon an chyen. He is grinning
like a dog. (see also: wi, souwi) 2) to
grimace. Dlo-a t ka bwily tlman
i koumans gwiyen. The water was
burning him so much he began to
grimace. (syn: f js, f maji)

gwigwi

N a tree similar to coconut

(Aiphanes luciana). Mwen ni d py
gwigwi asou t mwen. I have two
gwigwi trees on my property. gwigwi
poul chicken hawk, American
kestrel (Falco spaverius). Gwigwi
poul-a ka manj poul. The
American kestrel eats chickens. (syn:
malfini; see also: lg)

gwo (var: go)

ADJ big, large. I ka

vann gwo yanm b laplas-la. She is
selling big yams at the market. (syn:
gwan, laj; opp: piti) [< Fr. gros] gwo
bidim same as bidim. gwo bouden
pregnant. I gwo bouden ank. Shes
pregnant again. (syn: ansent) gwo
dlo flood, floodwaters. Gwo dlo-a

gwiji

V to skin, to abrade. Gason-an

pwan yon so, i gwiji jounouy. The
boy fell and skinned his knee. (syn:

85

gwodja

Kwyl English

had

The dog began to growl when it saw

the cat. [< Fr. gronder]

al pi jaden mwen-an ki t b
lawivy-a. The floods washed away
my garden that was by the river. (syn:
dlij) gwo mo sal foul language,
swear words. Nonm-lan ka svi an
chay gwo mo sal l i ka pal. The
man uses a lot of foul language when
he talks. (see also: jiw) gwo pitja
big shot, important person. Nonm
sala kw i s on gwo pitja. That man
thinks he is a big shot. (syn: gwozm,
gwo pp) gwo ponpon a type of
plant used for treating colds. Dit
gwo ponpon bon pou wim. Tea made
of gwo ponpon is good for colds.

gws (var: gs)

ADJ pregnant. Mwen

t kw tifi sala pa ka gws pys. I
thought this girl would never get
pregnant. (derogatory; see also: gwo
bouden, ansent) [< Fr. grosse]

gws

N size. Ki gws i y? How

big is it? (see also: fondj, gwand,
ht, laj, londj) [< Fr. grosseur]

gwosi

V to get bigger, to increase (used

of animate objects). Jou apw jou
yanm-lan t ka gwosi. Day after day
the yam got bigger. (see also:
ogoumant, gwandi) [< Fr. grossir]

gwodja

N East Indian pastry roll with

ginger and saffron. Mwen enmen
manj gwodja l Nwl. I like to eat
gwodja at Christmas time.

gwoup

N group. Gwoup-la pa t sa
vini. The group couldnt come. (syn:
gany, konpanni; see also: pil) [< Fr.
groupe]

gwg variant of gg.

gwon

Gwozil

N large metal staple, horseshoe

nail. Tjb s gwon sala ban mwen
pou mwen klouw waya pak-la.
Hold these staples so I can nail the
fence wire.

N Gros Islet, a town in the

northern part of St. Lucia.

gwozm

N big shot, important man.

S pou ou twt misy-a byen; i s
an gwozm. You must treat that man
well; he is an important man. (syn:
gwo pitja, gwo pp, gwo tj)

gwond

V to growl. Chyen-an
koumans gwond l i w chat-la.

Hh
ha variant of ja.

hach2 variant of wach.

hach

hacht

N axe. I ni on hach nf. He has

a new axe. (see also: hacht) [< Fr.
hache]

N hatchet. Mano koup py

bwa-a k hacht li. Mano cut down
the tree with his hatchet. (see also:
hach) [< Fr. hachette]

hach1 (var: wach)

V to chop, to cut
something with a cutlass or an axe.
Bouch-a hach vyann-an pi an
koutla. The butcher cut the meat with
a cutlass. (see also: koup) [< Fr.
hacher]

had (var: wad)

N clothes, apparel.
Had ki moun ou ka pas? Whose
clothes are you pressing? (syn:
abiman, lenj) [< Fr. hardes] had
dmi night clothes, nightgown,

86

haden

Kwyl English

sometimes made out of flour sacks.

Manman mwen ka lav s had
dmi-an. My mother is washing the
night clothes.

hanche]

hanni

V to bray. Kon midi sonnen

bouwik-la koumans hanni. At the
stroke of noon the donkey began to
bray.

haden variant of jaden.

hadi

hansouwa variant of hanswa.

ADJ rude. Mwen pa ni anyen

pou f piw paski ou tw hadi. Im
not having anything to do with you
because you are too rude. [< Fr.
hardi]

hadys

hdi

hanswa (var: hansouwa)

N sickle.
Yo ka koup zb k hanswa. Theyre
cutting grass with sickles.

hanyon

N rag. Madanm-lan maw

tt li k an mso hanyon. The woman
tied her head with a piece of rag. (see
also: kabann) [< Fr. haillon]

rudeness. Pa pt hadys
ou ban mwen. Dont bring your
rudeness to me. [< Fr. hardiesse]
N

hal (var: lahal)

N slaughterhouse, a
place where an animal is killed and
butchered and the meat is sold.
Bouch-a mennen bf-la adan hal-la
pou tjw. The butcher led the cow
into the slaughterhouse to kill it. (syn:
labatwa)

hap1

V to bark. Nou pa t sa dmi

paski s chyen-an t ka hap tout
lannwit. We couldnt sleep because
the dogs were barking all night.

hap2

V to grab. I hap on chz pou i

t fs an tt nonm-lan. He grabbed a
chair in order to hit the man on the
head. (syn: hdi; see also: anmas)

hal

V to pull. Yo hal bf-la sti an

jaden-an. They pulled the cow out of
the garden. (syn: hdi) INTERJ what
one says to a cow to get it to move.
[< Fr. haler] hal kalpat to crawl.
Ti manmay-la ka hal kalpat. The
child is crawling. (syn: mach kalpat)
[< Fr. hal kat pat] hal kas
division, confusion. La ni twp hal
kas anpami s moun-an. Theres too
much division among the people. (syn:
divizyon, tiw mt) hal k to
withdraw, to pull (oneself) away.
Mwen hal k mwen anpami s
moun sala pou anpch
dzagwman. I withdrew from among
those people in order to avoid
disagreement. (syn: witjil, hdi k)

hav variant of sav.

hawans

N smoked herring. Mwen

enmen manj hawans k fig vt. I
like to eat smoked herring and green
bananas. [< Fr. hareng saur]

hayi

V to hate. Mwen hayi al

twavay l Lendi-a. I hate to go to
work on Mondays. (opp: enmen,
kontan) [< Fr. har]

hayisans

N hatred. Yo ni haysans
adan tj yo. They have hatred in their
hearts. (opp: lanmity, lanmou)

hdi (var: wdi)

V 1) to pull. S
pch-a hdi kannt yo sti an
lanm-a. The fishermen pulled their
boats up out of the water. (syn: hal)
2) to pick up. L mwen w chyen-an,
mwen hdi on wch. When I saw the

hanch

N hip, haunch. Nonm-lan

tonb k i kas zo hanch li. The man
fell and broke his hip bone. [< Fr.

87

hl

Kwyl English

hdi variant of jdi.

dog, I picked up a stone. (syn: hap,

anmas) 3) to massage, to rub (in
reference to finger). Misy-a hdi
dwt mwen pi chandl ml. The
man rubbed my finger with soft
candle. (see also: fwot, fiksyonnen)
hdi dy to back off, to draw back.
Pito ou al douvan, ou ka hdi dy
kon kwibich yo tjb k zen. Rather
than going forward, you are drawing
back like a crayfish they caught with a
hook. (see also: hdi k) hdi k to
stretch oneself. L i lv, i hdi ky.
When he got up, he stretched himself.

hont

ADJ ashamed, embarrassed. I t

tlman hont l yo diy sa tifiy-la f.
She was so ashamed when they told
her what her daughter had done. Pa
hont pou pal. Dont be ashamed to
speak. [< Fr. honte] f hont to
embarrass, to shame. Ma vl fw
hont. I dont want to embarrass you.
(syn: f afon, tjipi, jaw)

hont (var: hontz)

N shame. Sa s
on hont pou w sa s manmay
lkl-la t ka f an chimen-an. It is a
shame to see what the school children
do in the road. [< Fr. honteux]

hl

V to call loudly, to shout, to yell,

to scream. Ti manmay-la koumans
hl! The child began to scream! (syn:
andjl, kwiy, f kwi; see also:
plw) hl dy to shout at. Yo
hl dy s moun-an pou f yo al.
They shouted at the people to make
them go away. (see also: lv dy)

hlsenta

houma

hontz variant of hontz. [< Fr.

honteuse]

hos

V to raise. Yo hos pwi diwi-a.

They raised the price of rice. (opp:
bs; see also: lv) [< Fr. hausser]

hosman

N raise. Yo ba li an hosman
an saly. They gave him a raise in his
salary. [< Fr. haussement]

health centre. Dkt-a ka

vini an hlsenta-a jdi-a. The doctor
is coming to the health centre today.
[< Eng. health center]
N

ht variant of zt.

henn

ht

ADJ having a grudge or bad

feelings. Mwen henn kont li pis i
vl lajan mwen. I have a grudge
against him because he stole my
money. (see also: lahenn) [< Fr.
haine]

N 1) height. Ki ht i y? How
high is it? (see also: fondj, laj,
londj, gwand, gws) 2) high
country, countryside, plantation,
estate. Nou t ft an ht. We were
born in the countryside. (see also:
bitasyon, plantasyon) [< Fr. hauteur]

ho

ADJ tall, high. Kay-la ho pas ki!

The house is very high! (opp: ba,
kout) [< Fr. haut]

hou

N hoe. Ma t sa skl paski

mwen obliy hou mwen. I couldnt
weed because I forgot my hoe. [< Fr.
houe]

h variant of zt.
hd

PREP from, away from. Mwen ka

twavay senk ly hd kay mwen. I
work five miles from my home. [< Fr.
hors de] hd di variant of hd.
[< Fr. hors de]

houma

N lobster. Yo t ka vann
houma twz dola la liv. They were
selling lobster at twelve dollars a
pound. [< Fr. homard]

88

Kwyl English

inyowans

Ii
i (var: li, y)

before they came to know God. [< Fr.

image]

PRO third person singular

pronoun. L i wiv, i w nou. When
he arrived, he saw us. [< Fr. il]

imajinasyon

N imagination. L s ti
manmay-la ka jw yo ka svi
imajinasyon yo. When the children
play they use their imagination. [< Fr.
imagination]

i variant of wi. Titja-a la, i. The

teacher is there, yes.

ich

N child, offspring. Tifi-a s ich li.

The girl is his child. (see also: fi,
gason) ich dw illegitimate child.
Nonm sala ni twa ich dw pi d
pi madanm li. That man has three
illegitimate children and two with his
wife. (syn: bata; opp: ljitim) ich
ich same as ti ich. Tibway sala s
ich ich fw mwen. That boy is my
brothers grandchild. (see also: ayl,
gwanmanman, gwanpapa) ti ich
grandchild. Nonm sala ni an chay ti
ich. That man has many
grandchildren. (syn: ich ich; see also:
ayl, gwanmanman, granpapa)

igwt

imajin

V to imagine. Mwen ka
imajin s bagay-la mwen ni pou di
lodyans denmen-an. I am imagining
what things I will have to say in court
tomorrow. [< Fr. imaginer]

imdytman (var: imidytman)

ADV

immediately. Vini imdytman!

Come immediately! [< Fr.
immdiatement]

imidytman variant of imdytman.

inosan

ADJ 1) innocent. Nonm-lan t

inosan m yo voyy lajl. The man
was innocent but they sent him to jail.
(opp: koupab) 2) naive, simple. S
manmay sala inosan toujou; yo
pk konnt lavi. Those children are
still naive; they dont yet know about
life. [< Fr. innocent]

variant of wigwt.

ijenny

N engineer. Papa mwen s

on ijenny. My father is an engineer.
[< Fr. ingnieur]

ilksyon

N election. La kay ni
ilksyon lann sala. There will be
elections this year. [< Fr. lection]

inyowan

ADJ ignorant. An tan jdi

mwen pa t kw i ni moun ki
inyowan kon sa toujou. I would not
have thought nowadays that there are
still such ignorant people. (opp:
klw) [< Fr. ignorant]

ilkt

V to elect. Yo vl ilkty pou

wpwzant nou an lt ilksyon-an.
They want to elect him to represent us
in the next election. [< Eng. elect]

imaj (var: wimaj)

inyowans

N 1) image,
reflection. Nou w imaj nou an
miw-a. We saw our reflection in the
mirror. 2) idol, false god. Yo t ka
adow imaj avan yo vini konnt
Bondy. They used to worship idols

N ignorance. Kit yo wt
adan inyowans yo. Let them remain
in their ignorance. (syn: bouty nw;
opp: nlaj, lakonpwann) [< Fr.
ignorance]

89

inyow

Kwyl English

jalou

inyow

nou wiv isi. We were young when

we arrived here. [< Fr. ici] isi-a
(var: isit-la) right here. Mwen vl ou
mt mwen a t isi-a. I would like
you to drop me off right here. isi-a la
over here. S isi-a la aksidan-an ft.
It was over here the accident took
place.

ipokwit

isit variant of isi. isit-la variant of isi-

V 1) to ignore. S manmay-la
t ka inyow ld manman yo. The
children were ignoring what their
mother had told them. (syn: kit bat
miz) 2) to deny. Ou pa sa inyow
s twavay-la nou ja f an pyi sala.
You cannot deny the things we have
done in this country. [< Fr. ignorer]
N hypocrite. Mwen pa ka f
ipokwit k moun. I dont act like a
hypocrite with people. [< Fr.
hypocrite]

ipokwizi

a.

iv variant of wiv.
iwity variant of wity.

hypocrisy. Mwen pa sa
sipt ipokwizi nonm sala. I cannot
bear that mans hypocrisy. [< Fr.
hypocrisie]
N

iz (var: wiz)

V to use up, to wear

out. ADJ used up, worn out. Pa mt
tjilt sala ank, paski i ja iz twp.
Dont wear those pants again, because
they are too worn out. Mwen kay
izw! Ill beat you! [< Fr. user]

is variant of yis.
isi (var: isit)

ADV

here. Nou t jenn l

Jj
ja (var: ha, za)

the garden but you cannot see what

they are doing. [< Fr. jardin]

ADV 1) already. L
nou wiv yo t ja la. When we arrived
they were already there. (see also:
dja) 2) perfect indicator. Yo ja
akspt sa mwen di yo-a. They have
accepted what I told them. [< Fr.
dja] ja fy to have made it
financially, to have made ones
fortune. Nonm sala ja fy; i pa ni
pou twavay ank. That man has made
his fortune; he does not have to work
any more. (syn: alz, byennw, w,
ja wiv, wich; opp: mal, malw,
pv; see also: byen, wichs) ja wiv
same as ja fy. Nonm sala ja wiv.
That man has made it financially.

jak

N penis. Nonm-lan ni an maladi

an jak li. The man has a sickness in
his penis. (syn: kal, lolo, kk, koko,
pennsil, pati)

jako

N St. Lucian parrot (Amazona

versicolor). La ni an chay jako an
lfow s jou sala. There are a lot of
St. Lucian parrots in the forest these
days. [< Fr. jacquot]

jalap

N medicine used for purging

long ago. Ou ka pal ennitil menm
kon moun ki bw jalap. You talk
foolishness like people who take jalap.
(see also: mtsin, tizann, lk)

jaden (var: haden)

N garden. Toul
jou yo ka al an jaden m ou pa ka
w sa yo ka f. Every day they go to

jalou (var: jalouzi)

ADJ jealous,
jealous of. Nonm sala jalou mwen

90

jalouzi

Kwyl English

2) lap. Tifi-a asid asou janm

manmany. The little girl sat on her
mothers lap. [< Fr. jambe]

paski mwen ni lajan pasy! The

man is jealous of me because I have
more money than he. (see also: vivi,
anvyj, vowas) [< Fr. jaloux]

jalouzi

janmen (var: jenmen)

ADV 1) never.
Mwen pa kay janmen f lw sala
ank. I will never make that mistake
again. (opp: toujou, tout tan) 2) ever.
s ou janmen t vl al lt pyi? Did
you ever want to go overseas? [< Fr.
jamais]

jealousy. Fanm sala ni

jalouzi an tjy. That woman has
jealousy in her heart. ADJ variant of
jalou. Jalouzi i jalouzi kon sa, i jik
vl mwen boy tou. He is so jealous,
he even wants me to kiss him too.
[< Fr. jalousie]

jan

janmou variant of jmou.

1) friend. Mwen al an vil k s

jan mwen-an. I went to town with my
friends. (syn: kanmawad; opp: llmi)
2) nationality. Ki janw? What is
your nationality? 3) citizen. Mwen s
jan Babad. I am a citizen of
Barbados. f jan to befriend, to
make friends. Nou t vl f jan pi
pwochen nou, pis nou pa t konnt
pysonn. We wanted to make friends
with our neighbour, because we didnt
know anyone.
N

janti

ADJ gentle, kind. Mwen enmen

misy sala; i janti an chay. I like that
man; he is very kind. [< Fr. gentil]

jantiym

N gentleman. Nonm sala

ka abiy kon jantiym. That man
dresses like a gentleman. [< Fr.
gentilhomme]

Janvy

N January. S manmay-la pa
t vl viw lkl an Janvy. The
children didnt want to return to
school in January. [< Fr. janvier]

janb

V to cross over, to jump over, to

straddle. Nou t ni pou janb
konmen lawivy pou nou t sa wiv
an vil-la. We had to cross over so
many rivers in order to reach town.
(syn: lans; see also: twavs) [< Fr.
enjamber]

jaw1

N calf muscle. Jaw tibway-la

fb tlman i pa sa menm mout
mach-la. The boys calf muscle was
so weak he could not even go up the
steps. (syn: gwatjanm)

jaw2

V to shame. Mwen pa vl al
w kolonm-lan paski mwen p i
jaw mwen. I dont want to go see the
overseer because I am afraid he will
shame me. (syn: f afon, f hont,
tjipi)

janbt

N penknife, pocket knife. Fw

mwen toujou ka mach pi on ti
janbt. My brother always carries a
little penknife. (see also: kouto,
koutla, sab, ponya) [< Fr. jambette]

janbon

N jar. J-a t plen dlo. The jar was

full of water. (syn: j t; see also: fyl)
j lajan treasure chest. Mwen sav ki
kot yo tw an j lajan. I know
where they buried a treasure chest. j
t clay jar. S moun sala ka f j t.
Those people make clay jars. (syn: j;

ham. Mwen enmen manj

janbon l Nwl. I like to eat ham at
Christmas time. [< Fr. jambon]
N

jandji variant of zandji.

janm

N 1) leg. Tibway-la kas janm

li. The boy broke his leg. (syn: katjt)

91

Jdi

Kwyl English

his relative. (see also: fanmi) [< Fr.

gnration]

see also: fyl)

Jdi

N Thursday. Nou ka f
konmisyon toul Jdi. We do errands
every Thursday. [< Fr. jeudi]

jenns

N 1) youth, adolescence. Nou

t ka f sa an jenns nou. We did that
in our youth. (opp: vyys; see also:
pitits, jenn) 2) youth, young person.
S jenns atjlman-an pli fenyan
pas jenns lontan. The youth of
today are lazier than those long ago.
[< Fr. jeunesse]

jm

N germ, sprout. I ja l pou plant

yanm-lan paski yo tout ja ni jm. It
is already time to plant the yams
because they all already have sprouts.
(see also: pous; flch, koko,
wichton) [< Fr. germe]

Jen

jt

jennwal

N general. Mwen ka pal

an jennwal; mwen pa ni pysonn
an lid mwen. I am speaking in
general; I dont have any specific
person in mind. [< Fr. gnral]

June. Szon mov tan ka

koumans an mwa Jen. The
hurricane season begins in June.
[< Fr. juin]
N

jenjanby

N ginger beer. L mwen

ka bw jenjanby i ka afwchi
mwen. When I drink ginger beer it
refreshes me. [< Fr. gingembre]

jennman

N obstacle, hindrance. I
menm tiw jennman-an i t mt an
chimen-an. He removed the obstacle
he himself had put on the road. (syn:
bawad; see also: jennen) [< Fr. gner]

jenjanm

N ginger. Manj sala ni

twp jenjanm. This food has too
much ginger in it. [< Fr. gingembre]

jennton

N June bug. Tan lapli s tan

jennton. The rainy season is a time of
June bugs.

jenmen variant of janmen.

jenn

js

ADJ young. S jenn moun-an ka

jw tout tan-an. The young people
play all the time. (opp: vy; see also:
jenns) [< Fr. jeune]

N supernatural trick. Misy sala

sanm ni an chay js. This man has a
lot of tricks. (see also: lowizyon, vis,
maji nw) f js 1) to grimace, to
make faces, to gesticulate. Nonm sala
toujou ka f js! That man always
makes faces! (syn: f maji, gwiyen)
2) to manipulate the supernatural in
order to do evil. Nonm sala oblij ka
f js. This man must be dealing with
evil. (see also: divin, f tjenbwa, f
zb, gaj, pyay)

jennen

V to hinder, to block, to be in
the way, to keep someone away from
something. Pa jennen mwen asou
twavay mwen. Dont hinder me from
my work. (opp: djennen; see also:
baw, bouch, jennman) [< Fr.
gner]

jennenwasyon

N 1) generation.
Jennenwasyon sala pa ni pys wsp
pou Bondy. Put it there for all their
generations to see it. 2) relative. I al
ltman-an paski m-a t
jennenwasyony. He went to the
funeral because the dead person was

jt

V 1) to throw, to throw away. Yo

jt zdi-a b chimen-an. They threw
the garbage by the road. (see also:
flch, voy, fs) 2) to add. Papa
mwen jt an mso asou kay li. My
father added an extension onto his

92

jw

Kwyl English

house. [< Fr. jeter] jt pawl to

insult, to use insulting language. Tifia t ka jt pawl ban mwen m
mwen pa di anyen. The girl was
saying derogatory things to me but I
didnt say anything. (see also: ensilt,
jiw) jt zy to keep an eye (on), to
watch out (for). Jt zy asou
chdy-a ban mwen soupl. Keep
your eye on the pot for me please.

jijw

CONJ much less. Nou pa sa

acht an poul, jijw an kay. We
cant buy a chicken, much less a
house.

jijman

N judgment. Ma kontan
jijman sala jij-la pas-a. I dont like
this judgment the judge passed. [< Fr.
jugement]

jik variant of jis.

jw

jily

N manager, boss. Jw-a kay

py nou jdi-a. The boss will pay us
today. (syn: chf, mt; see also:
kolonm)

N waistcoat. Mwen pa kay mt

jily jdi-a paski i ka f tw cho. I
am not going to put on a waistcoat
today because it is too hot. [< Fr.
gilet]

Jzi

N Jesus. Jzi s wa-a Bondy t

pwonmt pou voy-a. Jesus is the
king God had promised to send. (syn:
Jezi Kwi) [< Fr. Jsus] Jzi Kwi
Jesus Christ. Nou ka swiv Jzi Kwi.
We follow Jesus Christ. (syn: Jzi)

ji

jis

jimo

N twin. Madanm sala ja f d

jimo. That woman has had two sets of
twins. [< Fr. jumeau]

jinis

N heifer. Manman bf sala ja f

twa pt pi tout s piti-a s jinis.
That cow has given birth three times
and all the little ones are heifers. (opp:
towo) [< Fr. gnisse]

N juice. Yo ka bw ji zowanj.
Theyre drinking orange juice. [< Fr.
jus]

jiby

jip

N bird. Jiby kontan ti gwenn

sala. Birds like that little seed. jiby
lapli rain bird: a type of little bird.
L lapli-a ka pas, ou kay w jiby
lapli-a ka vol. When rain passes,
youll see rain birds flying.

N skirt. I pt on jip kout. She

wore a short skirt. [< Fr. jupe]

jipon

N slip. Jipony pli lonng pas

jip li. Her slip was longer than her
skirt. [< Fr. jupon] dimi jipon halfslip. I ka lav dimi jipon-an. She is
washing the half-slip.

jij

N judge. Jij-la kondanny pou i

al lajl. The judge condemned him to
go to jail. (see also: majstwa) [< Fr.
juge]

jis1 (var: jik)

PREP 1) until. Nou p

wst jis lann ka vini. We may stay
until next year. (syn: jis a tan, jis tan,
jis l, jisannatandan, jiskatan) 2) as
far as, up to. Yo mach pou wiv jis
an ht. They walked until they
reached the countryside. [< Fr.
jusque] jis a tan variant of jis tan.
jis l until. Wt la jis l nou wiv.
Stay there until we come. (syn: jis
tan) jis tan (var: jis a tan, jiskatan,

jij1

V to judge. Bondy kay jij nou

asou jou jijman-an. God will judge
us on the day of judgment. [< Fr.
juger]

jij2

N gizzard. Mwen kontan jij

poul k diwi. I like chicken gizzards
and rice. [< Fr. gsier]

93

jis

Kwyl English

jon

jiw

jisannatandan) until. Madanm-lan

pal dpi nou kit Kastwi jis tan nou
wiv Vy F. The woman spoke from
the time we left Castries until we
arrived in Vieux Fort. (syn: jis l)
[< Fr. jusqu temps]

V to curse, to use foul language.

Nonm sala enmen jiw. That man
likes to curse. (see also: jt pawl)
[< Fr. jurer]

jiwi

N jury. Jiwi-a pa pwen dj tan

pou f disizyon yo. The jury hardly
took any time to make their decision.
[< Fr. jury]

jis2 (var: jik)

ADV 1) even. Jis s

madanm-lan ki al w s manmay-la
jw bol. Even the women went to see
the children playing cricket.
2) exactly, precisely. I mennwit jis. It
is exactly midnight. [< Fr. juste] jis
kont 1) just enough. Anmas jis
kont mango pou nou manj jdi-a.
Gather up just enough mangos for us
to eat today. (syn: doukw) 2) just
right, just the right size, just fits.
Souly nf-la jis kont tibway mwenan. The new shoe is just the right size
for my boy.

jiwf

N clove. Jiwf bon an dit

kako. Cloves are good in cocoa tea.
(syn: klou jiwf)

jb

N cigarette paper. Tan lontan

moun t ka svi jb pou woul
sigawt yo. Long ago people would
use cigarette paper to roll their
cigarettes.

jdi (var: hdi)

ADV today (in a

general sense), nowadays. Manmay
jdi pa kon manmay lontan.
Children today are not like children in
the past. (see also: atjwlman) [< Fr.
aujourdhui] jdi-a today. Jdi-a
pa ni twavay. There is no work today.
jdi jou nowadays, these days. Jdi
jou nou pa ka mach pou al an
ht. Nowadays we dont have to
walk to get to the countryside. (syn:
atjwlman)

jis3

ADJ just. Bondy as jis pou

pawdonnen pch nou. God is just
enough to forgive our sins. (see also:
jistis) [< Fr. juste] jis di p justice
of the peace. Tan saa papa mwen t
an jis di p. At that time my father
was a justice of the peace.

jis4

ADJ tight. Tjilt tibway-la jis

tlman i pa sa menm bs. The boys
trousers are so tight he cannot even
bend over. (see also: sw) [< Fr.
juste]

joli

ADJ lovely, beautiful. Sa s an joli

madanm. That is a beautiful woman.
(syn: bl; opp: ld) [< Fr. joli]

jisannatandan variant of jis tan.

joliman

ADV very, very much. Yo

mchan joliman! They are very
wicked! (see also: an chay, an pil)
[< Fr. joliment]

jiskatan variant of jis tan.

jistify

V to justify, to clear. I jik vl

jistify sa i ka f-a. He even wants to
justify what he is doing. [< Fr.
justifier]

jmou (var: janmou, jonmou,

jonmon) N pumpkin. Jmou sala ni
bon gou. That pumpkin tastes good.
[< Fr. giraumon]

jistis

N justice. La pa ni pys jistis an

lat sala. Theres no justice in this
world. (see also: jis) [< Fr. justice]

jon
94

reed. Tan lontan st chz jon

jn

Kwyl English

ou t ka pli jwenn. Long ago it was

chairs made of reeds that were most
common.

jn

bf-la. The farmer yoked the cows.

(opp: djouk) [< Fr. joug]

joun

N day (with an emphasis on

activities done or condition during the
day). Yo twavay wd tout joun-a.
They worked hard all day. (opp:
lannwit; see also: jou, lajoun) [< Fr.
journe] jan joun friend for a day,
reciprocal exchange of favours. Papa
mwen t ni jan joun jdi-a. My
father had a few friends helping him
work today. (see also: koudmen)

yellow. Kay-la t pentiw an

jn. The house was painted yellow.
[< Fr. jaune] jn z egg yolk.
Dkt-a di mwen s pa pou mwen
manj jn z. The doctor told me I
shouldnt eat egg yolks.
ADJ

jonmon variant of jmou.

jonmou variant of jmou.
jou

jounou

N 1) day (with an emphasis on

calendar, rotation of the earth, or
seasons of the year). Ki jou ou kay
viw? What day will you return? (see
also: joun, lajoun) 2) daylight,
daytime. (opp: sw) [< Fr. jour] f
jou to become daylight. I t ja ka f
jou l kannt-la chw. It was
already becoming daylight when the
boat landed. (opp: f nw) gwan jou
broad daylight. I t gwan jou l vla kas kay madanm-lan. It was broad
daylight when the thief broke into the
womans house. (syn: gwan lajoun,
gwan midi; opp: gwo lannwit) jou
ouv 1) dawn, daybreak. I t ja fini
bouwi manj avan jou ouv. She had
already finished cooking the food
before dawn. (see also: laba, sly
lv) 2) daybreak jump-up. Tout s
jenn manmay-la al an jou ouv. All
of the young children went to
daybreak jump-up. (associated with
carnival and other celebrations)

N knee. Jounouy ka fy
mal. Her knee is hurting her. [< Fr.
genou]

jowanj variant of zowanj.

jowany variant of zowanj.
jwa

N a good player of board games.

Pa gad misy, i s on bon jwa.
Dont be fooled by his looks, he is a
good player. [< Fr. joueur]

jw

V 1) to play. S ti manmay-la
toujou ka jw. The children always
play. 2) to gamble. I jw k i pd
tout lajany. He gambled and lost all
his money. (see also: wafl) 3) to
enjoy. Nonm-lan jw blag madanmlan. The man enjoyed the womans
jokes. (see also: jwi, gawoul) N
game. Sa s on bl jw. That is a nice
game. [< Fr. jouer] jw an fidji to
wag a finger or hand in anothers face.
Pa jw lanmenw an fidji mwen,
tibway! Boy, dont wag your hand in
my face.

Joudlan

N New Years Day. Toul

Joudlan mwen ka al asou skw.
Every New Years Day I go to the
street festival. [< Fr. jour de lan]

jouk
jouk

N
V

jwenn

jwenn

V 1) to join, to meet. Tout

lgliz kay jwenn ansanm pou
pwdy bay pyi-a. All of the
churches will meet together to pray for
the country. (see also: asanbl) 2) to
get. Si ou acht d chimiz ou kay

yoke. [< Fr. joug]

to yoke. Fama-a jouk s
95

jwi

Kwyl English

jwenn yonn pou anyen. If you buy

two shirts you will get one for free.
(syn: twap, twouv, wisivw) 3) to
find. Y mwen jwenn on dla b
chimen-an. Yesterday I found a dollar
by the road. [< Fr. joindre]

jwi

kabws

jouir]

Jwif

N Jew. Byen p an s Jwif-la ki

t akspt Jzi kon wa yo Few of the
Jews accepted Jesus as their king.
(religious) [< Fr. Juif]

Jwiyt

N July. Pyi Sent Lisi ka

slbw kannaval an Jwiyt
atjwlman. St. Lucia celebrates
carnival in July now. [< Fr. juillet]

1) to enjoy. Nonm-lan bati an

matenm kay m i pa t ni tan jwiy
paski i m. The man built a huge
house but he didnt have time to enjoy
it because he died. (see also: gawoul,
jw) 2) to rape. (syn: anvyol) [< Fr.
V

jy variant of zy.

Kk
ka1

ADV progressive aspect marker. I

ka pal. He is speaking.

an kabaw-a. Although the doctor

had told him not to drink he continued
going to the bar. [< Fr. cabaret]

ka2 (var: kad)

N 1) quarter. I pa t sa
menm manj yon ka an manj-a. He
could not even eat a quarter of the
food. (see also: katy, katyenm)
2) quarter of an hour, fifteen minutes.
I yon ka apw senk. Its a quarter
after five. [< Fr. quart]

kab

N a temporary shelter made of

sticks, palm fronds. Mwen f an kab
b jaden-an pou bouwi manj
mwen. I made a temporary shelter in
the garden in order to cook my food.
(see also: chd)

ka3

N care. [< Eng. care] pwan ka

to take care of, to care for. Bondy
kay pwan kaw. God will take care of
you. (syn: gad apw, otjip; see also:
swen)

kabos

V to dent. Bonm zenk-lan

tonb asou masonn-an pi i kabos.
The galvanized bucket fell on the
concrete and got dented. (syn:
anfons) ADJ dented. Mwen pa vl
acht motoka sala paski i twp
kabos. I dont want to buy that car
because it is dented too much. [< Fr.
cabosser]

kab

N cable, rope. Machin kannt-la

koup tout kab nas-la. The engine of
the boat cut the fish pots ropes. [< Fr.
cable]

kabann

kabow

N 1) cart. Pa mt kabow-a
douvan chouval-la. Dont put the cart
before the horse. (see also: kaws)
2) toy car pushed on the end of a stick.
Tout s ti gason-an ni kabow. All
the little boys have toy cars.

bed in the form of old

clothes on the floor. Yo anmas
kabann-an a t-a. They gathered up
all the rags for sleeping on. (syn:
kouch) [< Fr. cabane]
N

kabaw

N bar, tavern, pub. Magw

dkt-a diy pa bw i kontin ka al

kabws

N young girl. Mi kabws-la

la! Look at the young girl there! (syn:

96

kabwit

Kwyl English

tifi; see also: djal, fanm, madanm,

manmzl)

kaka

kous-la. The man took one minute and

ten seconds to run the race. (see also:
minit, nditan)

kabwit

N goat. I maw kabwit-la an

jaden misy-a. He tied the goat in the
mans garden. (see also: bouk) [< Fr.
cabri]

kadna

N padlock. Vl-a pt
kadna-a pou i t sa antw an kay-la.
The thief broke the padlock in order to
break into the house. (see also: lakl,
swi) [< Fr. cadenas]

kabwiya

N noose used for catching

animals. Yo ka tjb zanndoli vk
kabwiya. They catch lizards with
nooses.

kado

N gift. Madanm mwen ban

mwen on kado pou Nwl. My wife
gave me a gift for Christmas. (syn:
don) [< Fr. cadeau]

kaby variant of kwaby.

kachiman

N custard apple. S
kachiman-an matwit atjlman. The
custard apples are ripe now.

kaf

N coffee. Kaf sala mwit sik.

This coffee needs some sugar. [< Fr.
caf] kaf bwzilyen, kaf gwenn
lgliz, kaf gwo bouwo, kaf pat
chouval, kaf ti kaf, kaf
zpyant types of coffee.

kachmabal

N a game in which people

have to guess who is holding a certain
small object. L nou t manmay nou
toujou t ka jw kachmabal. When
we were children we liked to play
kachmabal. [< Fr. cache ma balle]

kafty

N coffee maker. Manman

mwen ban mwen kafty sala kon
an kado. My mother gave me this
coffee maker as a present. [< Fr.
caftire]

kacho

N jail cell. Polis-la fm vl-a

an kacho-a. The police locked up the
thief in the jail cell. (see also:
kalabous, lajl, pwizon) [< Fr.
cachot]

kagou

ADJ dazed, stunned, disoriented.

Ti manmay-la gad kagou; i sanm
malad. The child looks disoriented; he
seems to be sick. (syn: bazoudi,
toudi; see also: gaw, vag)

kacht

V to seal (envelope, etc.). Ltla tou kacht. The letter was all
sealed up. (opp: dkacht) [< Fr.
cacheter]

kaka

N excrement. Nou al anmas

kaka bf an savann-an pou nou
mt an jaden nou. We went to
gather up cow excrement in the field
in order to put it in our garden. (syn:
chy; see also: bantj, fimy,
ladjidjit, lasl, wilachman) V to
defecate. Mwen tjb tibway-la ka
kaka dy kay mwen. I caught the
boy defecating behind my house. (syn:
chy; see also: f bizwen, al an
wazy) [< Fr. caca] kaka bawi a
type of saltwater fish. kaka btj a

kad variant of ka. Ban mwen on kad

pt. Give me a quarter cup. (archaic)
[< Fr. quart de]

kadav

N cadaver, dead body. Nonmlan tjw madanm li k i jt kadavla adan an twou pwvit. The man
killed his wife and put her body in a
pit toilet. (see also: k) [< Fr. cadavre]

kad

N second (time). Nonm-lan

pwen yon minit dis kad pou kouwi

97

kakan

Kwyl English

kind of plant used for bush medicine.

Kaka btj s on bon afwchi. Kaka
btj is a good cooling. (syn:
soumatj) kaka dlo extreme fear.
Kaka dlo pweny l i w span-an.
Extreme fear overtook him when he
saw the snake. kaka laby barley
residue left at brewery. kaka ml a
type of tree with dark blue fruit. kaka
n dried nasal mucous. kaka poul
1) a small flower that is commonly
white or pink. S pli an senmity-a
ou ka jwenn kaka poul. Kaka poul
are usually found in the cemetery. 2) a
type of fish found in the sea. kaka
sl a stone found in salt that looks
like salt. Kaka sl-la gad kon sl
m i pa ni pys gou. The false salt
looks like salt but it has no taste.
kaka zwy earwax.

ki kas magazen-an an kalabous-la.

They put the man who broke into the
store in jail. (syn: lajl, pwizon; see
also: kacho) [< Sp. calabozo]

kalalou

N callaloo (Xanthosoma
braziliense). L ou mt kalalou an
bouyon, s sa ki bon. When you put
callaloo in dumpling soup, its really
nice. [< Fr. calalou]

kalandj

V to dawdle. Tibway-la ka
kalandj ky-la kon an moun ki pa
ni anyen pou f. The boy is dawdling
like a person who doesnt have
anything to do. (syn: f klonng, f
kakl)

kalbas

N calabash (Cruscentia cujete).

Tibway-la al pwan dlo pi i kas
kalbas-la an wavin-an. The boy went
to get water and he broke the calabash
in the ravine. [< Fr. calebasse]

kakan

N 1) oxbow. 2) headlock. I
tjby an kakan. He held him in a
headlock.

kal

V to peel (bananas, plantain).

Kal pat fig sala ban mwen. Peel
those bananas for me. (syn: gwennen;
see also: plich)

kako1

N cacao (Theobroma cacao),

cocoa. La ni an chay py kako b
wavin-an. There are a lot of cacao
trees by the ravine. ADJ brown. I
mt an souly kako pou i al an
twavay. He put on brown shoes to go
to work. [< Fr. cacao]

kali

N 1) small round net used to catch

flying fish. Kali-a t plen volan. The
net was full of flying fish. (see also:
senn, filt, lpvy) 2) net on the end
of a long stick, used to pick fruit
without it falling to the ground and
getting damaged. Pwt-la wst an
balkony pi i t ka tjouwi mango
pi on kali. The priest stayed on his
balcony and was picking mangoes
with a net on the end of a long stick.
(see also: gl, glt)

kako2

N venereal disease. Nonm sala

ni kako k i pa sa byen pis. That
man has venereal disease and he
cannot urinate well. (see also: djn)

kakl

N delay. f kakl to stall, to

delay, to dawdle. Las f kakl! Ay
an boutik-la! Quit stalling! Go to the
store! (syn: f klonng, kalandj)

kalim

N a type of grass, like bamboo,

but smaller. An lagon-an benyen py
kalim. The swamp was filled with
kalim plants.

kal

N penis. (crude; syn: lolo, kk,

jak, pennsil, koko)

kalabous

kalit

jail. Yo mt nonm-lan

kalit (var: kalt)

98

1) kind, type.

kalkanda

Kwyl English

kamo

Nou genyen tout kalit fwitaj. We

bought all kinds of fruit. 2) quality.
Yanm mwen-an s an pli bon kalit
pas sa ou-a. My yams are better
quality than yours. [< Fr. qualit] ki
kalit what kind. Ki kalit motoka i
ni? What kind of car does he have?

N a kind of fresh-water fish..

Tan lontan lawivy t benyen kamo.
Long ago the rivers were filled with
kamo fish.

kan

N crease. Kan tjilt-la fil menm

kon an koutla. The crease in the pants
is as sharp as a cutlass.

kalkanda

N sickness in roosters.
Manny kk sala ka mach-a, ou sa
w i ni kalkanda. The way that
rooster is walking, you can see it has
kalkanda.

kandi

V to harden, to cake. Tout ltla kandi an fyl-la. All of the milk

powder hardened in the jar.

kankan

N trouble, mischief. (syn:

chikann; see also: pwovok) [< Fr.
cancan] ach kankan to look for
trouble. Ou toujou ka al b
chimen-an ka ach kankan. You
always go by the road looking for
trouble. (syn: ach, chikann, ach
twen)

kalkati

N a kind of storytelling that

involves exaggeration. tiw kalkati
to tell wild, exaggerated stories.
Pysonn pa enmen tiw kalkati pas
gwanpapa mwen. Nobody likes to tell
exaggerated stories like my
grandfather. (see also: tiw listwa,
tiw plan)

kankandz variant of kankannz.

kalmason

kankannz (var: kankanndz)

N snail. Kalmason pa ka
al vit. Snails dont go quickly. [< Fr.
colimaon]

troublemaker. Tibway sala

kankannz an chay. That boy is a big
troublemaker. (see also: anbtan,
anmwdan, antt, dzagwyab)
[< Fr. cancanire]

kalj

N cage. Yo mt lapen-an an
kalj-la. They put the rabbit in the
cage.

kalt

kanmawad

kankroum

N cartilage. Yo ba li an
koul pwen, yo kas kankroum ny.
They punched him in the nose, they
broke his nose cartilage.

1) blow to the head given with

the finger or knuckle. Tan lontan
manmay t ka bay yonn a lt kalt.
Long ago children gave each other
blows to the head. 2) same as kalt
tt. [< Fr. calotte] kalt tt skull.
Kalt tt sala plat kon kalbas ki pij
an fant bwanch. That skull is flat like
a calabash that is squeezed between
two branches. (syn: kalt)
N

kanmad

ADJ bow-legged. Ma t sav

tibway sala t kanmad kon sa. I
didnt know that boy bow-legged like
that.

kanmanmi

N a type of plant used for

bush medicine. Mwen acht
kanmanmi pou f wimd pwidan. I
bought kanmanmi to make medicine
for pwidan. (see also: sapant,
tiyl)

kalson

N drawers, underpants.
Madanm-lan acht kalson bay
mawiy. The woman bought
underpants for her husband.

kalt variant of kalit.

kanmawad
99

friend. I t la k

kanml

Kwyl English

kann f a type of sugar cane. Lapo

kanmawad li. He was there with his

friend. (syn: jan; opp: llmi) [< Fr.
camarade]

kann f wd m i dou an chay. The

husk of kann f is hard but it is very
sweet. kann wiban type of sugar
cane that has what appear to be
ribbons on it. Kann wiban pli dou
pas s lzt kann-an. Kann wiban
is sweeter than other types of sugar
cane.

kanml

N camel. L i wiv b pi-a, i

f s kanml-la kouch. When he
arrived near the well, he made the
camels lie down. (syn: chanmo)
[< Eng. camel]

kanmenm

CONJ however,
nevertheless. Mwen t ja di mwen
pa t kay al an dinen-an, m
kanmenm pou lapti madanm
mwen, mwen al. I had already said I
wasnt going to the dinner, but
nevertheless for the sake of my wife I
went. (syn: okontw; see also: m,
wannman) [< Fr. quand mme]

kanmizl

kanna

N duck. S moun sala benyen

kanna b kay yo. Those people have
a lot of ducks by their house. (see also:
poul dlo) [< Fr. canard]

kannal

N ditch, drain. Dlo-a ka koul

adan kannal-la. The water runs in the
ditch. [< Fr. canal]

Kannaval

N Carnival. Yo ka al
Sent Lisi pou Kannaval. They are
going to St. Lucia for Carnival. [< Fr.
carnaval]

coat, jacket, suit coat,

sport coat. I mt kwavat-la pi
kanmizl li. He put on his tie and
jacket. [< Fr. camisole]

kann

kannik

kannawi

sugar cane. Avan fig s kann

nou t ka plant Sent Lisi. Before
bananas, sugar cane was grown in St.
Lucia. (see also: vizou) [< Fr. canne]
fann kann to run quickly, to run
away, to flee. Mwen fann kann l
mwen w mt mango-a ka vini. I ran
away when I saw the owner of the
mango tree coming. (syn: f djip, f
lapousy, f zkl, kwaz bwa,
kwaz wazy, pwan an bwa, pwan
lavl; see also: kouwi, chap,
mawon; bay py, bwennen k, chap
k, f py, f yan, kouwi vant a t)
f fann kann to chase away. L
nou antw an plas sala, nou kay f s
moun-an fann kann. When we enter
that place, we will chase those people
away. (syn: chach, f kwaz bwa, f
kwaz wazy, f pwan an bwa, f
pwan lavl; see also: bay lapouswiv)

N clay pot. Kannawi-a kas

an miyt. The clay pot broke into
pieces. (see also: chdy, pann,
twin) kannawi dlo paronychia,
inflammation of the fingernails.
Manman mwen t ni pou py moun
pou lav ba li paski i ni kannawi dlo.
My mother has to pay people to wash
for her because she has kannawi dlo.
(see also: dat, lota, wzipl)

kannl

N cinnamon (Cinnamomum).
Kannl ka bay dit kako bon gou.
Cinnamon gives cocoa tea a good
taste. [< Fr. cannelle]

kangowi

N millipede. La ni an chay
kangowi an jaden-an. There are
many millipedes in the garden.
kangowi nw black millipede.
kangowi wouj red millipede.

kannik

100

N a certain kind of pod,

sometimes used by children for

kannitil

Kwyl English

of money in coins. Pl ni on fyl

asou ltajy ki benyen kapa. Paul
has a jar on his shelf that is full of
small change. [< Eng. copper]

playing marbles.

kannitil dog days; the hot time in July

and August. Tan kannitil s tan
sly-la pli cho. The dog days are
when the sun is hottest.

kapab

ADJ able, capable. I pa as

kapab pou f sa. Hes not capable of
doing that. [< Fr. capable]

kannt

N boat, dugout canoe. S

pch-a pd kannt yo an mov tanan. The fishermen lost their boat in the
storm. (see also: batiman, bato,
chaloup) [< Fr. canot]

kapasit

N capacity. I t vl mt-la
fy an kolonm m i pa ni kapasit-a
pou sa. He wanted the boss to make
him an overseer but he doesnt have
the capacity for that. [< Fr. capacit]

kannou

N 1) cannon. I pt st koul
kannou. He fired seven cannon shots.
2) noisemaker cannon made of
bamboo hollowed out and filled with
kerosene vapour and ignited to make a
loud noise. Szon Nwl s tan nou
ka pt pli kannou. The Christmas
season is the time when we fire our
bamboo cannons. [< Fr. canon]

kanp

kapital

N capital. Kastwi s kapital

Sent Lisi. Castries is the capital of
Saint Lucia. [< Eng. capital]

kaponnen

V to grab. L i tonb
mwen kaponneny. When he fell I
grabbed him. (see also: tjb)

kas1

camp, camping. Lgliz-la ka

al kanp lt simenn. The church is
going camping next week. [< Eng.
camp]
N

N cassia, a type of plant

(cinnamomum cassia) used in bush
medicine as a cooling. Si ou manj
kas-la, i kay mennenw. If you eat the
cassia, it will loosen your bowels.
[< Fr. casse]

kanpch

N campche, a type of thorny

tree (Haematoxylon campechianum).
Tout bdaj chimen-an t plen py
kanpch. The road was lined by
campche trees. [< Fr. campche]

kantit

N 1) amount, quantity. I t ni
on gwo kantit lajan. He had a large
amount of money. 2) variant of ki
kantit. Yo w kantit ho i t ho.
They saw how tall he was. (syn: mizi;
see also: afs, osi, otan, si tlman)
[< Fr. quantit] ki kantit (var:
kantit) how much. Nou w ki
kantit lajan nonm-lan t ni. We saw
how much money the man had. (syn:
ki otan, ki mizi, konmen; see also:
afs, si tlman)

kapa

kas

kas2

N cask. Mwen acht an kas

wonm bay kabaw mwen-an. I
bought a cask of rum for my rumshop.
(syn: bouko; see also: bawi)

kasav

N cassava bread. Mwen enmen

kasav pi lt. I like cassava bread and
milk. (syn: kasav manyk) kasav
manyk same as kasav. kasav
myl honeycomb. Kasav myl-la
dou! The honeycomb is sweet! (see
also: myl, vonvon)

kas

V 1) to break. I kas v-a. He

broke the glass. 2) to break into. Yo
kas kay-la. They broke into the
house. 3) to hit one marble with
another. Mwen kas mab-la! I hit the

small change, a small amount

101

kaskou

Kwyl English

marble! [< Fr. casser] kas bwa an

zwy to refuse to listen to or obey.
Mwen diw pa f sa. Ou ka kas bwa
an zwy ou! I told you not to do that.
You are refusing to obey! kas
kanmawad to break or sever a
friendship. Mwen pi misy pa sa
dak, kon sa mwen kas kanmawad
piy. The man and I could not agree,
so I severed my friendship with him.
kas wen to give a heavy blow.
Mwen kay kas wenw! Ill give you
a good licking.

cure chofi, ti kouwi and vitiligo. Fy

katalzm bon pou lota. Katalzm
leaves are good for treating vitiligo.

kataplanm

N poultice. Wen mwen

ouv pi mwen t ni pou mt on
kataplanm. My waist opened and I
had to put a poultice on it. [< Fr.
cataplasme]

katapl

N 1) catapult, slingshot.
Mwen tjw an jiby pi katapl
mwen. I killed a bird with my
slingshot. 2) slipper, thong, sandal,
flip-flop. I mt kouwi pi katapl li
vol sti an pyy. He started running
and his slipper flew off his foot. [< Fr.
catapulte]

kaskou

N cliff, precipice. I tonb an

kaskou-a. He fell in the precipice.
(syn: falz, koudoum; see also: fon)
[< Fr. casse-cou]

kast

helmet, hard hat. Misy-a ni

on kast nf. The man has a new hard
hat.
N

katin

N black widow spider. Gwan

moun di si an katin mdw, ou ni
pou dans pou ven kat nditan. Old
folks say that if a black widow spider
bites you, you have to dance for 24
hours. (syn: ven kat nditan)

Kastwi

N Castries. Yo ka al Kastwi
vitman ay f on konmisyon. Theyre
going to Castries to do a quick errand.

kat1

four. Mwen vl kat liv sl. I

want four pounds of salt. Ou kw s
kat! Ou kw s d! Do you really
believe that? [< Fr. quatre] kat
chimen crossroad. Yo kouwi jis tan
yo wiv an kat chimen-an. They ran
until they arrived at the crossroads.
kat nw five cents. Nou py kat
nw pou chak fig. We paid five cents
per banana.

katjt

N leg. S pou ou toujou fm

katjt ou l ou ka asid. You must
always put your legs together when
you sit. (crude; syn: janm)

ADJ

katjil

N thought, mind. Mwen piw

f menm katjil. You and I are of the
same mind.

katjil

V to think, to ponder, to
meditate. S pou nou katjil asou sa.
We must think about that. (see also:
chonj, kw, ni lid, wflchi) [< Fr.
calculer]

kat2

N cards, playing card. I toujou

ka jw kat. He is always playing
cards. [< Fr. carte] bat kat to
shuffle cards. Yo bat s kat-la avan
yo jw. They shuffled before they
played. (sometimes refers to occult
practice like Tarot)

katalzm

Katolik

Katolik

ADJ Roman Catholic. Lgliz

Katolik s pli gwo lgliz ki Sent Lisi.
The Roman Catholic Church is the
biggest church in Saint Lucia. N
Roman Catholic. S Katolik-la ka
chant. The Catholics are singing.
[< Fr. catholique]

a type of plant, used to

102

katouch

Kwyl English

katouch

kawaf

katz

kawakt

katwan

kawanng

N cartridge, shell. Fizi sala

ka pwan kat katouch. That rifle takes
four cartridges. [< Fr. cartouche]

ADJ fourteen. Nou ni katz liv.

We have fourteen books. [< Fr.
quatorze]
N same as kat lann. [< Fr.
quatre ans]

katw

kaws

N jug. Kawaf-la t plen dlo.

The jug was full of water. [< Fr.
carafe]

N character. Nonm sala ni

on bon kawakt. That man has a good
character. [< Fr. caractre]
N amberjack fish. Mwen
enmen pch kawanng. I like to fish
for kawanng.

four oclock. [< Fr. quatre

kawant

heures]

ADJ forty. Yo ni kawant

dla. They have forty dollars. [< Fr.
quarante]

katwiven

ADJ eighty. Yo ni katwiven

dla. They have eighty dollars. [< Fr.
quatre-vingts] katwiven dis ninety.
Yo ni katwiven dis dla. They have
ninety dollars. [< Fr. quatre-vingt-dix]

kaw

ADJ square. Tout fint an kay

sala kaw. All the windows of that
house are square. (see also: skw) N
lot, piece of land, house spot. Mwen
tiw an kaw bay tifi mwen-an pou i
sa f kay li. I divided off a piece of
land for my daughter so she could
build her house. V to square off, to
prepare to fight. L i w nonm-lan i
kaw! When he saw the man he got
ready to fight! [< Fr. carr] kanf
kaw camphor balls. Manman
mwen mt kanf kaw an biwoy
pou wavt pa md had li. My
mother put camphor balls in her
dresser so cockroaches wouldnt eat
her clothes. kaw t acre. Mwen
acht an kaw t an ht pou mwen
sa f jaden. I bought an acre of land in
the countryside in order to make a
garden.

katy

N one fourth, one quarter. Yo

ba li on katy byen yo. They gave
him a quarter of their wealth. (see
also: ka, katyenm) [< Fr. quartier]

katyenm (var: katzyenm)

ADJ fourth.
Sa s katyenm fwa-a mwen ka al
lt pyi. This is the fourth time Im
going overseas. (see also: ka, katy)
[< Fr. quatrime]

katzyenm variant of katyenm.

kav

N cave. Yo sw bwt-la adan

kav-la. They hid the box in the cave.
[< Fr. cave]

kavach

N whip. Yo bat li k kavach.

They whipped him. (syn: fwt, lyenn)
[< Fr. cravache]

kavaly1

kavaly2

male dancing partner.

Danm k kavaly ka dans ansanm.
Women and men dance together. (see
also: danm)
moss rose. Douvan kay li
benyen kavaly plant. There are a
lot of moss roses planted in front of
their house.

kawenm

N dry season, January to

May. Tan kawenm moun ka bati
kay. In the dry season people build
houses. (opp: livnaj) [< Fr. carme]

kaws

V to caress. Nonm-lan t ka
kaws madanm li. The man was
caressing his wife. (syn: dolot, nich;
see also: manyen, touch) [< Fr.

103

kawt

Kwyl English

caresser]

kawt

pk w jij-la. The courthouse is full

of people but we havent seen the
judge. kay masonn wall house,
house made of concrete blocks. Kay
masonn s kay ki ka f pli cho. Wall
houses are the hottest kind of houses.
kay planch wooden house. Kay
planch ka kwaz pli vit pas kay
masonn. Wooden houses fall apart
quicker than wall houses.

N tool for stirring cassava

flour. Yo wimen fawin-lan pi
kawt-la. They stirred the cassava
flour with the stirring tool. (see also:
wabt)

kawt2

N a type of sea turtle. Yo ka

manj kawt. Theyre eating sea
turtle. (see also: agalo, tti) [< Fr.
caret]

kaws

kay3 (var: kway)

N scale appearing on
ones skin. Tibway-la pa ka benyen;
tout doy s kay. The boy doesnt
bathe; his back is covered with scales.
[< Fr. caille] kay pwson fish
scale. Yo ka tiy kay pwson anly.
Theyre taking the scales off the fish.

buggy, cart, chariot. Nou w

d chouval ka hdi kaws-la. We
saw two horses pulling the buggy. (see
also: kabow)
N

kawouj

N St. Lucia oriole. Kawouj

s yonn an s pli bl jiby-a ki St.
Lisi, i ni koul jn k nw. The oriole
is one of the most beautiful birds in St.
Lucia, its coloured yellow and black.

kay4

N reef. Lanm-a bas; nou sa

mach al jik asou kay-la. The sea is
low; we can walk all the way to the
reef. (see also: bas)

kawozin

N kerosene. Bouty-la t
plen kawozin. The bottle was full of
kerosene. [< Eng. kerosene]

kaya

N marijuana. An chay moun ka

fimen kaya. Many people smoke
marijuana.

kawton

N cardboard. Pt tj
kawton sala ban mwen. Carry this
piece of cardboard for me. ADJ
cardboard. S an bwt kawton ou ka
mt fig. You put bananas in
cardboard boxes.

kay

kayal

N egret, heron, cowbird. L

lapli s savann-an ka benyen kayal.
In the rainy season the fields are full
of egrets.

kay1

V to clot, to congeal, to curdle.

Tout san bf-la kay. All of the
cows blood clotted. N curds. L
mwen t piti manman mwen t ka
ban mwen kay pi pen cho pou
dit. When I was little my mother
would give me curds and hot bread for
breakfast. [< Fr. cailler]

future tense indicator.

Denmen nou kay pati. Tomorrow we
will depart.
ADV

kay2 (var: kaz)

N house, building. I
ja ni d lann dpi misy-a
koumans kay-la pi i pk sa
wst adany jik toujou. It has
already been two years since the man
began to build the house and he still
cant live in it yet. (see also: mzon)
kay lodyans courthouse. Kay
lodyans-lan plen moun m nou

kay

kay2

V to scale (a fish). S mwen ki

kay tout s pwson sala. I am the
one who scaled all of those fish. ADJ
scaly. Tout do tibway-la kay. The
boys back is all scaly. [< Fr. cailler]

104

kay

Kwyl English

kay

kils which. Kils motoka ou simy?

Which car do you prefer? kils ki

N bedrock, rock. Pa mach asou

kay glis sala avan ou tonb. Dont
walk on that slippery rock or youll
fall. (see also: wch)

which, who. Kils ki m? Who died?

(see also: ki moun ki, ki sa ki)

kayman

kilibwi (var: koulibwi)

N caiman, alligator. Moun

ka manj kayman. People eat
alligator.

kiliwou variant of kiliyou.

kchy variant of kchz.

something.
L ou al an vil, pt kchz ban
mwen. When you go to town, bring
something back for me. [< Fr. quelque
chose]
PRO

kiliyou (var: kiliwou)

ks

kirou

N sweetened rice. L yo ka f
ft, s Kouli-a ka manj an chay
kirou. When they are having a party,
the Indians eat a lot of sweet rice.

kit

V 1) to leave, to depart. I kit Oj

k i al Kastwi. He left Augier and
went to Castries. (syn: pati; opp: wiv;
see also: al, sti) Kit koutla-a
anba kay-la. Leave the cutlass under
the house. Lajan-an ou dw mwenan, kit sa. The money you owe me,
dont worry about it. 2) to allow, to
let, to permit. Pa kit mwen viw pi
ou pk lav s bagay sal-la. Dont
let me return and find you havent
washed the dishes. (syn: ba, pwmit)
[< Fr. quitter]

court, court case. I mout

dsann konsy pou d lann avan
ks-la pawt. He went up and down to
high court for two years before they
called the case. (see also: akizasyon,
plent) [< Eng. case]

Kwl variant of Kwyl.

kwon variant of kwyon.
ki

kibich variant of kwibich.

a type of

kimonnon variant of koumonnon.

ADJ what, which. Ki jou ou vl yo

sti? What day do you want them to
leave? CONJ that, which, who. S
pou ou f bagay ki ka pl nou. You
must do things that please us. [< Fr.
qui] ki...ki 1) whether...or. Ki yo
vl tann ki yo pa vl tann, i pa ka f
pys difwans. Whether they want to
hear or not, it doesnt make any
difference. 2) either...or. Ki an lklla, ki an chimen-an... Either at
school, or on the road... (see also:
ni...ni, sw...ben)

fish.

kenz

ADJ fifteen. Yo ni kenz dla.

They have fifteen dollars. [< Fr.
quinze]

hummingbird. Kilibwi ka sis fl.

Hummingbirds suck flowers. (syn: sisi
Bondy)

kaz variant of kay.

kchz (var: kchy)

klazon

kiyennen variant of kwennen.

klaklak (var: krakrak)

N locust.
Klaklak-la t asou py bwa-a ka
kas zwy mwen. The locust was in
the tree making a lot of noise.

klas

N class, grade. Kils klas ou kay

al l lkl ouv? What class will you
be in when school opens? [< Fr.
classe]

klazon variant of kwazon.

105

kl

Kwyl English

kl

ADJ clear. Dlo-a t tlman kl nou

t ka w tout ofony. The water was
so clear we could see to the bottom.
ADV same as a kl. Wi, mwen ka w
kl ank! Yes, I am seeing clearly
again! [< Fr. clair] a kl clearly.
Ou kay w tout bagay a kl. You will
see everything clearly.

ko variant of ki kot. Ko ou ka al?

Where are you going?

N 1) body. Yo koup gj nonmlan pi yo jt k-a an lawivy-a.

Someone cut the mans throat and
threw the body in the river. (see also:
ganm, kadav) 2) self. S moun sala
ja vy; yo pa sa f anyen bay k yo.
These people are old; they cant do
anything by themselves. 3) same as
k had. [< Fr. corps] k had
blouse. I ka lav k had-la. Shes
washing the blouse. (syn: k, k wb)
k py bwa tree trunk. K py
bwa-a t wd! The trunk was hard!
pa k by oneself, alone. I al pa
ky. He went by himself. (see also:
yonn) k wb same as k had.

klt variant of klt.

klt (var: klt)

N light. Mennen an
klt ban mwen pou mwen gad pou
an bagay la. Bring me a light so I can
look for something there. (syn: limy)
[< Fr. clart]

klw

V to shine, to give light, to

illuminate. Lalin-an ka klw an
chay sw-a. The moon is shining a
lot tonight. (see also: bay asou)

klch

kochi

kbiya

N hearse. Kbiya-a kay

mennen senky-la. The hearse will
carry the coffin. [< Fr. corbillard]

bell. I ja l djlen kon sa s

pou ou sonnen klch-la. Its
lunchtime, so you should ring the bell.
[< Fr. cloche]
N

kbo

N vulture. Kbo ka manj tout

bagay ki m avany. Vultures eat
anything that dies before them. [< Fr.
corbeau]

kloch

N belfry, steeple. Dpi misy

sala al lgliz, i ka toujou doubout
anba kloch-a. Whenever that man
goes to church, he always stands under
the belfry. [< Fr. clocher]

kch

V 1) to hook (a fish, etc.), to

join, to hitch. Mwen kch konmen
pwson m ma tjb yonn. I hooked
so many fish but I didnt catch any.
2) to skin (a type of fish without
scales). Papa mwen t ni pou kch
tout s bous-la bay manman mwen.
My father had to skin all of the
triggerfish for my mother. [< Fr.
accrocher]

klou1

N nail. Yo pa ni pys klou pou

fini twavay-la. They dont have nails
to finish their work. [< Fr. clou] klou
jiwf same as jiwf.

klou2

N boil, carbuncle, sty. Papa

mwen ni an klou dwt an fony. My
father has a boil right on his forehead.
(syn: chbon; see also: latwas, plk,
zanpoul) [< Fr. clou]

kochi

klouw

V to nail. Yo ka klouw
planch-lan pi an mato. Theyre
nailing the board with a hammer. (opp:
dklouw) [< Fr. clouer]

106

ADJ 1) bent, crooked. Baton-an

kochi. The stick is bent. (opp: dwt;
see also: kviy, td, ttiy)
2) crooked, dishonest. S pou ou vy
nonm sala i kochi an chay. You
must look out for that man he is very
crooked.

kochon

Kwyl English

kochon

N pig. Yo ni an chay kochon

an pak-la. They have many pigs in the
sty. ADJ greedy. Ki manny ou
kochon kon sa? Why are you so
greedy? (syn: vowas) [< Fr. cochon]
kochon t a type of insect. Gwan
moun di kochon t ka md f. Old
folks say the kochon t bug bites
hard.

kf

N strongbox, place to keep

valuables. Madanm-lan mt tout
bijouy adan kf-a. The woman put
all of her jewellery in the strongbox.
[< Fr. coffre]

kk1

N cock, rooster. Apw kk-la

chant mwen pa t sa dmi ank.
After the rooster crowed I couldnt
sleep any more. (see also: poul,
poult) [< Fr. coq] batay kk
cockfight. Toul Sanmdi la ni batay
kk. Every Saturday there are
cockfights.

kk2

N fang. Nonm-lan ka ach

goumen paski i ni on kk span an
pch li. The man is looking for a fight
because he has a snake fang in his
pocket. [< Fr. croc]

kd

N cord, rope. Bf-la pt kd-la

pi al an jaden-an. The cow broke
the rope and went into the garden. (see
also: fil, fisl) [< Fr. corde]

kk3

N penis. I ni an maladi an kk
li ki ka anpchy pis. He has a
problem with his penis that is
preventing him from urinating. (syn:
kal, koko, jak, pennsil, lolo, pati)

kodenn

N turkey. Nou manj an gwo

kodenn pou Nwl. We ate a big
turkey for Christmas.

kdgad

police station. Si ou pa
kit mwen bat miz mwen, mwen
kay mt nonw an kdgad. If you
dont leave me alone, I will report you
to the police station. (syn: stchann)
[< Fr. corps de guard]
N

kokiyaj

N 1) clam. Yo ka manj
kokiyaj. They eat clams. 2) shell. I
ka f ppt kokiyaj. She makes shell
dolls. (see also: zkal) [< Fr.
coquillage]

kkma

N a supernatural being that

gives you nightmares. Y sw mwen
wv on kkma t dy mwen. Last
night I dreamed a kkma was after
me.

kdonny

N shoemaker. Kdonny
sala pa jenmen ni souly. That
shoemaker never has any shoes. [< Fr.
cordonnier]

kdonny

jackfish (Alexis crinitus).

boxfish.

kf

kochonni

N 1) rubbish, trash. S
moun-an ka jt an chay kochonni
an lawivy-a. The people throw a lot
of rubbish in the river. (syn: zdi)
2) nonsense, foolishness, stupidity. S
kochonni tousl ou ka pal la. It is
only nonsense you are speaking there.
(syn: btiz, maji, kouyontwi,
papicho) [< Fr. cochonnerie]

koko

koko1

N 1) coconut. Vl-a tjouwi

tout koko-a an jaden mwen. The
thief picked all of the coconuts in my
garden. 2) male genitals, groin. Bolla konyeny asou kokoy; i tonb a
t. The ball hit him in the groin; he fell
to the ground. (slang; see also: pati,

kdwil

N quadrille, a traditional St.

Lucian dance. Jenn tibway sala ka
dans kdwil-la byen. That young
boy dances the quadrille well. [< Fr.
quadrille]

107

koko

Kwyl English

kal, lolo, jak, pennsil, kk, lenn)

[< Fr. coco] koko an tjwiy jelly
coconut. koko di coconut meat
between the stages of being jelly and
being dry. [< Fr. coco dur] koko
Kouli type of fruit. koko makak
type of plant like a cactus. koko sk
dry coconut. koko tanbou a tree
like turmeric. (syn: topi tanbou)
koko wak immature coconut. koko
zy same as gwenn zy. Koko zyy
bl. His eyes are blue.

kolw. Fix your collar. (see also:

koly) [< Fr. collet]

kl

N anger. Yo wt la jis a tan

kl fw yo bs. They stayed there
until their brothers anger abated. (see
also: waj, lv vlkan) [< Fr. colre]

kolik

N colic. Kolik-la ka mal

mennen ti manmay sala
toubonnman. The colic is really
giving this little child a hard time.
[< Fr. colique]

koko2

kolonm

N shoot, sprout of banana, yam,

dasheen, tanya, etc. Py danma-a ni
koko tout oliwony. The dasheen has
shoots all around it. (see also: flch,
jm, wichton; pous)

kkt

N foreman, overseer.
Kolonm-lan ka twavay bay jw-a.
The foreman works for the manager.
(see also: jw)

klonng N dawdling, stalling, wasting

time. f klonng to dawdle, to stall,

vagina of a child, sometimes

of an older woman. Tifi-a pwan an
koul bol asou kkt li. The girl was
hit by a ball on her vagina. ch
doudou kkt my darling. L
misy-a t ka pas b s madanmlan, i di yo, Bonjou ch doudou
kkt. When the man was passing by
the women, he said, Hello my
darlings.

kolan

to delay, to waste time. Pysonn pa

ka f klonng pas madanm mwen.
Nobody wastes time like my wife.
(syn: kalandj, f kakl) Zt ka f
klonng tlman nou pa t sa menm
al lgliz. You dawdled so much we
couldnt go to church. ni klonng
same as f klonng.

klvt

N culvert, underground drain.

Dlo-a lav chimen-an paski klvt-la
bouch. The water washed away the
road because the culvert was blocked.
[< Eng. culvert]

the stage in maturity of a

dasheen, yam, etc., when it is still soft
and tasty. Plizy moun simy dachin
l i kolan. Most people prefer dasheen
when it is soft and tasty. (see also:
groum) [< Fr. collant]
ADJ

koly

N collar (for an animal),

necklace. I mt koly-a an kou
kabwit-la. He put the collar on the
goats neck. [< Fr. collier] koly
lakl key ring, bunch of keys. (syn:
bwanch lakl, patj lakl)

kolasyon

N snack. Ngay pwan an

kolasyon. Im going to have a snack.
(syn: soutni) [< Fr. collation]

kol1

V to stick, to adhere, to glue. pi

ki sa ou kol liv-la? What did you
glue the book with? (opp: dkol)
[< Fr. coller]

kol2

kon

kon

collar (of clothes). Wanj

108

CONJ 1) as, like. Zt ka swiv

misy-a kon mouton. You are
following the man like sheep. Kon ki
di kon ki ft. It happened just as it
was foretold. 2) when, as. Kon i wiv

kn

Kwyl English

i w lapen-an. When he arrived, he

saw the rabbit. (syn: l; see also:
padan) 3) as well as. Yo tout al,
nonm kon fanm. They all went, men
as well as women. [< Fr. comme]
kon ha variant of kon sa. kon sa
(var: kon ha) 1) so. I t las kon sa i
kouch pou f on sonmy. She was
tired so she laid down to take a nap.
2) as soon as. Kon sa nou chanj
had lkl nou, manman mwen voy
nou pwan dlo. As soon as we changed
out of our school clothes, my mother
sent us to collect water. 3) introduces
indirect quotation. I di kon sa i kay
vini denmen. He said that he will
come tomorrow.

kn

1) horn (of an animal). Bf sala

ni yon sl kn. That cow has only one
horn. 2) sea shell. Mwen acht yon
kn lanbi b lanm-a. I bought a
conch shell by the sea. [< Fr. corne]

condamner]

kondisyon

N condition. Kondisyon
kot gwanmanman mwen ka wsta pa bon pys. The conditions where
my grandmother is living are not at all
good. [< Fr. condition]

kondwi

V 1) to lead, to control, to
rule, to reign. Nonm-lan pa sa menm
kondwi kay li. The man cannot even
rule his household. (see also: djid)
2) to drive. Mwen pa kontan
manny madanm-lan ka kondwi
motoka-a. I dont like the way the
woman is driving the car. (syn: drayv)
[< Fr. conduire]

kondwit

N rule, reign, control. S

moun-an t anba kondwit wa-a. The
people were under the rule of the king.
[< Fr. conduite]

kn1

V to blow a conch shell as a

horn. Yo ka kn pou f moun sav
s pwson yo ka vann. They blow the
conch shell to let people know they are
selling fish. (see also: sonnen, soufl)
[< Fr. corner]

konbl

V to crowd. Tout s moun-an

konbl douvan lapt-la ka spy
magazen-an ouv. All the people
were crowding in front of the door
waiting for the store to open. [< Fr.
encombrer]

kn2

V to cuckold, to be unfaithful to
ones husband. Mwen tann moun di
madanm sala ka kn mawiy. I hear
people say that that woman is being
unfaithful to her husband. (see also:
adilt)

konbs

N rival for a mans attention.

Mi konbs ou ka gadw la. Look at
your rival watching you.

kondannasyon

N condemnation. I
sov nou hd kondannasyon. He
saved us from condemnation. (syn:
danmnasyon; see also: dann,
kondann) [< Fr. condamnation]

kondann

to condemn, to sentence,
to fine, to convict. Majstwa-a
kondann misy-a yon mil dla. The
magistrate fined the man one thousand
dollars. (see also: danmnasyon,
dann, kondannasyon) [< Fr.

konfi

konfs

V to confess. Nou sipoz

konfs pch nou. Were supposed
to confess our sins. [< Fr. confesser]

konfsyon

N confession. Vl-a f
an bon konfsyon douvan jij-la. The
thief made a full confession before the
judge. [< Fr. confession]

konfi

V to preserve. Yo ka svi ving

pou konfi piman. They use vinegar to

109

konftab

Kwyl English

much money do you have? 2) so

much, so many. Magw konmen
lann t ja pas, i t ka chonj
mchanst-a yo t fy-la toujou.
Although many years had passed, he
still remembered the bad thing they
had done to him. (syn: an chay, an
pil, anbadjo, mizi, plizy; see also:
yonn d, dotwa) [< Fr. combien]

preserve peppers. (syn: konsv,

pwzv) Ou sa konfi la si ou vl;
mwen pa ml piw. You can stay
there as long as you like; Im not
going to have anything to do with you.
[< Fr. confire]

konftab

ADJ comfortable. Mwen

asid la byen konftab. Im sitting
there very comfortable. [< Fr.
confortable]

konmen2

ADJ common. St on
bagay ki konmen. It was a common
thing. [< Fr. commun] fanm
konmen prostitute. L sw lawi
sala ka benyen k fanm konmen. At
night that street is full of prostitutes.
(syn: djanmt, fanm lawi, fanm vy
lavi)

konft

V to comfort. Madanm-lan
t ka plw tlman l mawiy m,
pysonn pa t sa konfty. The
woman cried so much when her
husband died, nobody could comfort
her. [< Fr. rconforter]

konfyans

N confidence. Nou ni
konfyans an Bondy. We have
confidence in God. (see also: asiwans,
lafwa) [< Fr. confiance]

konfy

konms

N mess. Ti manmay-la ka f
on konms! The child is making a
mess!

konmzasyon

to trust, to confide. Pa
konfy nonm sala! Dont trust that
man! (syn: fy; opp: dfy) [< Fr.
confier]
V

N conversation.
Konmzasyon zt pa ka sanm
konmzasyon manmay. Your
conversation doesnt sound like the
conversation of children. [< Fr.
conversation]

konkonm

N cucumber. La pa ni pys
konkonm an magazen-an. Theres no
cucumber in the supermarket. [< Fr.
concombre]

konmi

V to commit. Avan yo
anpwizonneny, i konmi an chay
abonminasyon. Before they
imprisoned him, he committed many
abominations. (see also: f) [< Fr.
commettre]

konmand (var: koumand)

V to
command, to order. Nonm sala
enmen konmand moun. That man
likes to order people around. [< Fr.
commander]

konmandman (var: koumadman)

konminikasyon

N communication.
La pa ni pys konminikasyon ant
madanm-lan pi mawiy. Theres no
communication between the woman
and her husband. [< Fr.
communication]

commandment. Yo ka swiv tout s

konmandman-an. They follow all the
commandments. [< Fr.
commandement]

konmen1

konminik

konminik

V to communicate. Mwen
t sa konminik pi s jan Matnik-la
paski yo sa kopwann Kwyl. I could

1) how much, how

many. Konmen lajan ou ni? How
ADJ

110

konminy

Kwyl English

family. (see also: nlaj, lakopwann,

konnt, sav) [< Fr. connaissance]

communicate with the Martiniquans

because they understand Creole. (see
also: pal) [< Fr. communiquer]

konminy

konnt

V 1) to know. Mwen konnt

nonm sala. I know that man. (see also:
konnsans, sav, pwan vwa) 2) to
find out. Si ou ja sav, tal tout moun
kay konnt. If you already know,
soon everyone will find out. [< Fr.
connatre] f konnt to introduce.
Mwen vl fw konnt papa mwen. I
would like to introduce you to my
father.

to have communion.
Dimanch sala mwen kay konminy.
This Sunday I will have communion.
[< Fr. commune]
V

konminyon (var: lakonminyon)

communion. Nou ka ni konminyon

an lgliz nou toul Dimanch. We
have communion in our church every
Sunday. [< Fr. communion]

konmisyon

konng

N salt-water eel, moray eel.

(see also: zandji)

1) errand. Mwen ni on
konmisyon pou f. I have an errand to
do. 2) message. I kit an konmisyon
ban mwen. He left a message for me.
3) parcel. I kit konmisyony asou
ban-an. She left the parcel on the
bench. [< Fr. commission]
N

konpanni (var: kopanni)

N company,
group. Si ou swiv vy konpanni, ou
kay toujou twap kw an
dzagwman. If you follow bad
company, you will always find
yourself in trouble. (syn: gany,
gwoup; see also: pil) [< Fr.
compagnie]

konmisyonn

N messenger. Mwen
pa t w konmisyonn-a ou vow-a. I
didnt see the messenger you sent.
[< Fr. commissionaire]

konpany

N companion. Konpany
mwen, Pita, al toutpatou k mwen.
My companion, Peter, went
everywhere with me. [< Fr.
compagnie] tjenn konpany keep
company. Vini tjenn mwen konpany
patan mwen ka bouwi manj. Come
keep me company while I am cooking.

konmkwki

CONJ as though, as if.

Ou ka gad mwen konmkwki s
mwen ki pwan bagay-la. You are
looking at me as though I were the one
who took the thing. (syn: akwdi,
konmsi)

konmsi (var: akonmdi, akonmsi,

konmsidi, konmsidiw) CONJ as
though, as if, like. I f konmsi i pa t
w nou. He acted as though he didnt
see us. (syn: akwdi, konmkwki)
[< Fr. comme si]

konmsidi variant of konmsi.

konpawzon

konpasyon

N compassion. La ni
konpasyon adan tjy. Theres
compassion in his heart. (syn: tj fb;
see also: mizwikd, pity) [< Fr.
compassion]

konpawzon

ADJ overly bold or

forward, presumptuous. Ou tw
konpawzon pou ou vini pwen zouti
mwen san mand mwen. Youre too
presumptuous to come take my tools
without asking. (syn: endiskw)

konmsidiw variant of konmsi.

konnsans

N acquaintance. Mwen
vl f konnsans pi fanmiw. I want
to make acquaintance with your

111

konp

Kwyl English

konp

N 1) male cosponsor at
baptismal ceremony; your childs
godfather, or your godchilds father.
(see also: makoum, pawen,
nennenn) 2) friend, pal, comrade.
Kot ou ka al, konp? Where are
you going, friend? 3) Brer (used in
folktales). Konp Lapen ka toujou
kwennen Konp Tig. Brer Rabbit is
always tricking Brer Tiger. [< Fr.
compre]

di-a? Did you understand what I said?

(see also: apsivw, kw, lakopwann,
sav) [< Fr. comprendre] konpwann
k to come to, to come to ones
senses, to revive. Konpwann kw
avan mwen kwiy polis baw. Come
to your senses before I call the police.
mal konpwann to misunderstand.
Mwen pa vl ou malkonpwann
mwen, ou sav. I dont want you to
misunderstand me, you know.

konpltman

konpyouta

ADV completely. I ba
Bondy laviy konpltman. He gave
God his life completely. (syn:
ntaman, toutaft) [< Fr.
compltement]

konpliman

N computer. Mwen acht

on konpyouta bay s manmay-la. I
bought a computer for the children.
[< Eng. computer]

konsn

V to concern. Sa mwen ka
di-a pa ka konsnw. What I am
saying doesnt concern you. PREP
about, concerning. Mwen vl pal
baw konsn s zannimow-la ki
ladj-a. I want to talk to you about
your animals that are loose. (syn:
asou) [< Fr. concerner]

compliment. Yo
avoudw twap on konpliman. They
would like to get a compliment. [< Fr.
compliment]
N

konplimant

V to compliment.
Mwen t ni pou konplimant s
manmay-la paski yo tout f byen an
lgzanm-a. I had to compliment the
children because they all did well on
the exam. [< Fr. complimenter]

konsy

N 1) advice, counsel. Si
konsy st lajan, ou pa t kay ban
mweny. If advice were money, you
wouldnt give it to me. (syn: endik;
see also: konsit) 2) high court. I
mout dsann konsy pou d lann
avan ks-la pawt. He went up and
down to high court for two years
before they called the case. [< Fr.
conseil]

konplo

N plot, conspiracy. S tibwayla f on konplo pou bat mwen. The

boys made a conspiracy to beat me.
[< Fr. complot]

konpt

V to behave, to bear up, to

conduct oneself, to get along.
Kouman ou ka konpt kw? How
are you getting along? [< Fr.
comporter]

konsidiw

V to consider. Yo pa t
konsidiw sa mwen di-a. They hadnt
considered what I said. (see also:
wgad) [< Fr. considrer]

konpoz

V to compose. Mwen ka
konpoz an bl chant bay wa-a. I
am composing a beautiful song for the
king. [< Fr. composer]

konpwann (var: kopwann)

V to
understand. Ou konpwann sa mwen

konsit

konsilt

V to consult. Yo konsilt pi
nou avan yo al. They consulted us
before they went. [< Fr. consulter]

konsit
112

conference, council, meeting.

konsol

Kwyl English

pouy t sa pal vanta. They gave the

man complete freedom to boast.

Avan nou f pys disizyon, nou ni

pou tjenn an konsit. Before we make
any decision, we need to hold a
meeting. (see also: konsy, mitin)
[< Fr. consulter]

konsol

kont2 N account. [< Fr. compte] asou

kont on or under ones authority,
charge, responsibility. Mwen kit
tout pozsyon mwen asou kont yo. I
left all of my possessions under their
authority. bay kont to account, to be
accountable. Ou kay ni pou bay kont
pou tout sa ou di-a. Youll have to be
accountable for everything that you
said.

to console. Apw papa yo

m, tout jan yo vini konsol yo. After
their father died, all their friends came
to console them. [< Fr. consol]
V

konsonm

V to consume. Chbon-an
konsonm, i f sann. The coals were
consumed and turned to ashes. [< Fr.
consommer]

kont3

N ballad, such as sung at a wake

about the deceased. Nou toujou ka
chant kont l lavy. We always
sing ballads at wakes.

konstan variant of konstanman.

konstanman (var: konstan)

ADV

constantly. I t ka pal konstanman!

He was talking constantly! (syn:
toujou, tout l, tout tan) [< Fr.
constamment]

kontan

V to like, to love. Nou kontan

mizik-la yo ka jw-a. We like the
music. (syn: enmen; opp: hayi) ADJ
happy, glad. Mwen kontan an pil
pou mwen isi-a anpami jan mwen.
Im very happy to be here among my
friends. (syn: dj; opp: twis, an
lapenn, sonm) [< Fr. content]

konstip

V to constipate, to make
constipated. L ou manj an chay
gwiyav, i kay konstipw si ou pa
manj lapo-a. When you eat a lot of
guavas, if you dont eat the skin, it
will constipate you. ADJ constipated.
Ti manmay-la pa t sa al lkl
paski i t konstip. The child could
not go to school because she was
constipated. [< Fr. constiper]

kontant

V to be contented, to be
satisfied. Ou sa f sa ou p ba li, i pa
ka jenmen kontant. You can do all
you can for him but he is never
satisfied. ADJ satisfied, contented. S
pou ou toujou kontant pi sa ou ni.
You must always be satisfied with
what you have. (syn: satisf) [< Fr.
contenter]

konsyans

N conscience. Nou sipoz

swiv konsyans nou. We should follow
our consciences. [< Fr. conscience]

kont1

PREP 1) against. Ss mwen

pal kont mwen an lodyans-lan. My
sister spoke against me in court. (opp:
an fav) 2) about, because of. Mwen
fach kont bonm-lan ki tonb-a. I
am upset about the bucket that fell
over. [< Fr. contre] kont chans all,
every opportunity, complete freedom.
Yo bay nonm-lan kont chans li

kontin

kontantman variant of
lakontantman.

kont

V to count. Yo ka kont lajanan. Theyre counting the money.

[< Fr. compter]

kontin (var: kontwin)

V to
continue, to persist. Magw i malad i
kontin ka bw wonm. Although he

113

kontinlman

Kwyl English

is sick he continued drinking rum.

[< Fr. continuer]

kri

N curry. Ou mt twp kri an

manj-a. You put too much curry in
the food. [< Tamil kari]

kontinlman

ADV 1) continually. I di
nou sa kontinlman! He told us that
continually! (see also: konstanman,
toujou) 2) continuously, all the time.
I pa ka twavay kontinlman. He
doesnt work continuously. [< Fr.
continuellement]

ks

N clove (of garlic, etc.), a segment

of a bulb. Manman mwen voy
mwen acht yon ks lay. My mother
sent me to buy a clove of garlic. [< Fr.
cosse] ks kako 1) cocoa pod.
Mwen pa vl ou tjouwi ks kako-a
avan i mi. I dont want you to pick the
cocoa pod before it is ripe. 2) hand
grenade. L ks kako-a pt i tjw
slda-a nt. When the hand grenade
exploded it killed the soldier.

kontway

ADJ troubled, upset,

distressed. I t tlman kontway i
koumans hl. He was so troubled
he began to cry. (see also: distw,
twoubl, twakas) [< Fr. contrarier]

kontw

to meet. D montany pa
ka kontw. Two mountains dont
meet. (see also: jwenn) [< Fr.
rencontrer]
V

ksl

N soursop (Annona muricata).

Ji ksl s ji ki bon. Soursop juice is
a good kind of juice. [< Fr. corossol]

kst

V to dock, to land. Batiman-an

kst an vil Vy F. The boat docked
in Vieux Fort. (syn: chw; see also:
f t, tj, wf)

kontwin variant of kontin.

kontwol

V to control. I pa sa
kontwol ky. He cant control
himself. [< Fr. contrle]

kosyon

N bail, bond. Apw yo py

kosyon, s polis-la ladj yo. After
they paid bail, the police released
them. [< Fr. caution]

konwen1 variant of kwen.

konwen2 variant of konyen.
konyen1 (var: konwen)

1) to hit, to
strike, to knock. Yo konyen vann-an
asou on py bwa. They hit the van on
a tree. (see also: bat) 2) to knock on,
to rap on. Mwen konyen lapt-la m
pysonn wponn. I knocked on the
door but nobody answered. [< Fr.
cogner]
V

kot

kt1

N rib. I ni d kt ki kas. He has

two broken ribs. [< Fr. cte]

kt2

N quart. Nonm sala bw yon kt

wonm anty. That man drank a whole
quart of rum.

kot

N 1) side. Nou ka al lt kot-a.

Were going to the other side. (syn:
b, fasad, sayd; see also: plas)
2) half of a pair (of shoes, socks, etc.).
An dans-a i t pwen yon kot
souly tifi-a. At the dance he had
taken one of the girls shoes.
3) house, place. Yo al kot Pita k
yo mandy lajan. They went to
Peters house and asked him for
money. (see also: lakay) ADV

konyen2 variant of kwen.

kopanni variant of konpanni.
kopwann variant of konpwann.
krk

ADJ good, okay, well. s ou

krk? Are you okay? [< Eng.
correct]

114

kotjen

Kwyl English

1) wherever. Kot ou al, mwen

dyw. Wherever you go, Ill find
you. 2) variant of ki kot. Mwen pa
sav kot i al-a. I dont know where
he went. [< Fr. cot] a kot beside,
at ones side, next to. I ni chyeny a
koty. He has his dog at his side. (see
also: alimans, b, bdaj, alapt,
pw, vizavi) asou kot aside. I
mt lajan manjy asou kot. He
put his food money aside. (syn: apa)
ki kot (var: kot, ko) where. Ki
kot ou ka al? Where are you going?
(syn: ki b)

kotjen

ADJ dishonest, characterized by

cheating. Pa jw pi tibway sala; i
kotjen an chay. Dont play with that
boy; he is such a cheater. (see also:
bbl, vl, kochi) f kotjen to
cheat. Nonm sala pa sa jw si i pa f
kotjen. That man cant play without
cheating.

springs. (syn: fwa) pwan kou to

take place. Joun Kwyl ka pwan
kou toul ktb. Creole Day takes
place every October. (syn: pwan plas)

kou3

N try, attempt. Tig f on sl kou.

Tiger made only one attempt. [< Fr.
coup]

kou4 N blows, licks. (see also: koul)

bay kou to beat, to spank. Ki moun
ki baw kou? Who beat you? (syn:
bat, lapid, bay plich, plich, koup
fs, koup latj, pt k, wiz, bay
vol)

koub

N bridge (of nose). N nonmlan plat, i pa ni koub. The mans

nose is flat, it doesnt have a bridge.
[< Fr. courbe]

koubawi

N coubaril tree, which has

hard wood and big pods like horns.
B jaden mwen plen py koubawi.
By my garden there are a lot of
coubaril trees.

kotji

N a type of gambling game. Yo

ka jw kotji k yo ka pay lajan yo.
They play kotji and bet their money.

koub

ADJ bent, curved, hunched.

Nonm-lan twavay tlman wd, i vini
koub. The man worked so hard, he
became hunched over. [< Fr. courber]

koton

N cotton. Zwy koton bon

pou dmi. Cotton pillows are good for
sleeping. [< Fr. coton] bt koton
cotton bug, a type of red insect that
may be found in cotton plants. Py
koton-an kouv pi bt koton. The
cotton plant is covered with cotton
bugs. koton flo a type of cotton
from a wild plant. Tan lontan yo t
ka svi koton flo pou f zwy. Long
ago they used wild cotton to make
pillows.

kouch

kouch

N bed. Mwen kwaz kouch li.

I destroyed his bed. (syn: kabann)
[< Fr. couche]

kouch

V 1) to lie down, to go to bed.

Yo kouch m yo pa dmi. They lay
down but they didnt sleep. (opp: lv;
see also: dmi) 2) to set (in reference
to the sun). Sly-la ka kouch ta s
jou-a. The sun is setting late these
days. (opp: lv) 3) to sleep. Mwen
mt ti manmay-la kouch asou
kabann li. I put the child to sleep on
his bed. (syn: dmi) 4) to have sex. I
may m i ka kouch pi lt fanm.
He is married but he is having sex

kou1

N neck. I pwsk kas kouy!

He almost broke his neck! [< Fr. cou]

kou2

N time, occasion. Sa s pwmy

kou mwen ka al an souf. Thats the
first time Ive been to the sulphur

115

koud

Kwyl English

with other women. (euphemism; syn:

fwkant, f vis, pwan) [< Fr.
coucher]

koud

to sew. Manman mwen ka

koud chimiz-la. My mothers sewing
the shirt. (opp: dkoud) [< Fr. coudre]
V

al. The fishermen lost sight of the

pitons when they were going further
out. (opp: dkouv)

koul3

ADJ immature, unripe (said of

fruit). Mango-a koul, i tonb avan i
t matwit. The mango was immature,
it fell before it got ripe. (see also:
avt)

koudbwa (var: koutbwa)

N elbow. I
kas koudbway. He broke his elbow.
[< Fr. coude bras]

koul4

V to strain a liquid. S pou ou

koul ji-a avan ou bwy. You must
strain the juice before you drink it.
[< Fr. couler]

koudmen

N a help, a free work day, a

group work project. Sanmdi nou kay
bay fw mwen an koudmen asou
kay li. Saturday we will give my
brother a free day working on his
house. (see also: jan joun) [< Fr.
coup de main]

koudoum

N cliff, precipice. (syn:

falz, kaskou; see also: fon)

koul (var: kout)

N blow, strike, hit. I

ba li on koul baton. He struck him
with a stick. (see also: kou) [< Fr.
coup] koul zkl bolt of lightning.
I t ni on koul zkl b kay-la, i
mantj avg mwen. There was a bolt
of lightning near the house that almost
blinded me.

koul

colour. Nou pa kontan koul

sala. We dont like that colour. [< Fr.
couleur]
N

koul1

V 1) to leak. Sitenn-an ka
koul. The pipe is leaking. 2) to sink.
Kannt-la koul dwt an lawad-la.
The canoe sank right in the harbour.
(opp: flot; see also: f fon) 3) to
water, to salivate. Bouch ou p
koul, m ou pa kay jwenn anyen.
Your mouth may water but you wont
get anything. [< Fr. couler]

koumansman

Kouli

N person of East Indian descent.

Sent Lisi ni on bon dotwa Kouli. In
St. Lucia there are quite a few people
of East Indian descent. (derogatory)

koumadman variant of
konmandman.

kouman 1) how. Kouman ou y?

How are you? (syn: ki manny,
koumanny) 2) of course; used to
make tag question. Ou ni lajan-an,
kouman? You have the money, dont
you? (see also: absoliman, asiw)
[< Fr. comment]

koumand variant of konmand.

koumanny variant of ki manny.
Koumanny ou kay f sa? How will
you do that?

koumans

V to start, to begin. Yo
koumans hl l yo tann papa yo
m. They began to yell when they
heard their father died. (syn: pwan;
opp: fini) [< Fr. commencer]

koumansman

N beginning. An
koumansman lann-a mwen di
mwen pa kay bw ank. At the
beginning of the year I said I wouldnt
drink any more. [< Fr.
commencement]

koul2

V to lose sight of. S jan

lanm-a koul s piton-an l yo t ka

116

koumonnon

Kwyl English

koumonnon (var: kimonnon) what

is... name?. Non mwen s Pita, k ou
menm, koumonnonw? My name is
Peter, and you, what is your name?
[< Fr. comment nom]

kounoumounou

koup kou poul-la. The man cut off

the chickens head. (see also: vol,
sot) koup latj same as koup
fs.

koupy

N croup strap. Koupy-a ka

pas an sl-la pi dy latj chouvalla. The croup strap passes through the
saddle and behind the horses tail.
[< Fr. croupire]

fool. Gason-an
s on kounoumounou! The boy is a
fool! (syn: kouyon, ll)
N

koupab

ADJ guilty. S nonm sala t

koupab m yo chap. Those men
were guilty but they got away. (opp:
inosan) [< Fr. coupable]

kous

N 1) race. Sa ki genyen kousla? Who won the race? (see also:

alakous) 2) route, course. Nou al
dwt asou kous-la. We went straight
on the course. [< Fr. course]

koupay

N curse breaker, action that

breaks a black-magic curse. (see also:
cham, lowizon)

kouson

N watercress. An lagon-an la
ni an chay kouson plant. In the
swamp there is a lot of watercress
planted. [< Fr. cresson]

koup

V 1) to cut. Fanmchay-la
koup lonbwi ti manmay-la. The
midwife cut the babys umbilical cord.
(see also: stpy, sp, siy, sot,
vol) 2) to cure, to stop. Madanmlan bay ti manmay-la dit chapanty
pou koup wim-lan. The woman gave
the child a cup of chapanty tea to
cure the cold. [< Fr. couper] koup
dlo same as siy dlo. Kant-la ka
koup dlo. The boat is going fast.
koup douvan 1) to cut in front of,
to jump the line, to break in line. Yo
annk koup douvan mwen! They
just cut in front of me! 2) to interrupt.
Ou pa ni ms paski mwen t ja ka
pal pi ou annk koup douvan
mwen! You dont have manners
because I was already speaking and
you interrupted me. koup fs to
spank, to beat. Si ou f sa ank
mwen kay koup fs ou. If you do
that again I will beat you. (syn: bat,
bay kou, bay plich, bay vol, koup
latj, lapid, pt k, plich, wiz)
koup kou to behead, to cut off the
head (of something). Nonm-lan

koutja

kout1

ADJ short. Tjilt mwen tw

kout. My pants are too short. (opp:
lonng, ho; see also: ba) [< Fr. court]

kout2 variant of koul.

koutbwa variant of koudbwa.
kout1

V to cost. Konmen chimiz-la

kout? How much did the shirt cost?
[< Fr. coter]

kout2

V to listen (to). Pa kout s

moun sala! Dont listen to these
people! (see also: tann) [< Fr. couter]

kouti

N 1) sewing. Madanm mwen

asid la ka f koutiy. My wife is
sitting there doing her sewing.
2) seam. Tout kouti had-la ja
dkoud. The whole seam of these
clothes has come out. [< Fr. couture]

koutiyz variant of koutwiyz.

koutja

ADJ shy, timid. I p pal paski

i koutja. She wont speak because she
is shy.

117

koutla

Kwyl English

koutla

kouws

kouto

kouwi

N cutlass, machete. Ko ou kit

koutlaw? Where did you leave your
cutlass? (see also: kouto, sab, ponya,
janbt) [< Fr. coutelas]

N a type of nocturnal snake

found only on the Maria Islands.
Asou lilt-la benyen kouws. On the
islet there are plenty of snakes.

N knife. Mt kouto-a asou

tab-la. Put the knife on the table. (see
also: koutla, sab, ponya, janbt;
foucht, tjwiy) [< Fr. couteau]

koutwiyz (var: koutiyz)

V 1) to run. I ka kouwi vit

pas mwen. He runs faster than I. (see
also: chap, mawon; galop; kwaz
bwa, kwaz wazy, pwan an bwa,
fann kann, f djip, f lapousy, f
yan, f zkl, kouwi vant a t, pwan
lavl) 2) to flow. Kannal-la bouch
pi dlo-a ka kouwi dsann chimenan. The drain is clogged and the water
is running down the road. (see also:
koul, dtenn) [< Fr. courir] kouwi
dy to chase away. S moun sala
kouwi dy llmi yo l yo antw an
pyi sala. The people chased away
their enemies when they entered this
country. (syn: chach, f fann kann,
f kwaz bwa, f kwaz wazy, f
pwan an bwa, f pwan lavl) kouwi
vy lavi to live immorally. S moun
sala ka kouwi vy lavi. Those people
live immorally. (usually used in
reference to women)

seamstress. Koutwiyz sala ka pwan

ch pou koud. This seamstress
charges a lot to sew. (see also: tay)

kouvan

N convent. S danm-lan ka
wt an kouvan-an. The nuns live in
the convent. [< Fr. couvent]

kouv to sit (on, in reference to

chickens and eggs). Poul-la ka kouv
asou s z-a. The hen sits on the eggs.
(see also: ponn, kl)

kouv

V to cover. Pa kouv fidjiw!

Dont cover your face! (opp: dkouv)
[< Fr. couvert] kouv a t-a to
wrestle, to fight. Papa mwen ba li
yon so pi i kouvy a t-a. My father
threw him down and jumped on him.
(see also: lit, sot anl)

kouwonn (var: kouwann)

N crown,
wreath. Mt tout kouwonn-an asou
senky-la. Put all the wreathes on the
coffin. [< Fr. couronne]

kouvti

N bed sheet, covering. Nou

pa ni pys kouvti. We have no bed
sheet. (syn: dwa; see also: lenn) [< Fr.
couverture]

kouwonn

V to crown. Yo
kouwonn nonm-lan kon wa Lawz.
They crowned the man as La Rose
king. [< Fr. couronner]

kouwan

N 1) current. La ni kouwan
an lanm-a la. There are currents in
the sea there. 2) current, electricity.
Nou pa ni kouwan. We dont have
electricity. [< Fr. courant]

kouyon

kouy variant of kwiy.

kouyon

ADJ stupid, foolish. Nonm

sala kouyon tlman, tout moun ka
kwenneny. That man is so stupid,
everybody tricks him. (syn: st; opp:
savan) N fool, idiot. Nonm sala s
on kouyon. That man is a fool. (syn:
kounoumounou, ll) pal kouyon

kouwann variant of kouwonn.

kouway

N strength, force. I pa ni
pys kouway an janm li. He has no
strength in his legs. (syn: fs; opp:
fbls) [< Fr. courage]

118

kouyontwi

Kwyl English

krikt

same as pal papicho. Ou ka pal

kouyon. You are talking nonsense.

N the game of cricket. Mwen

ka al jw krikt jdi-a. I am going
to play cricket today. (syn: bol; see
also: bas) [< Eng. cricket]

kouyontwi

N foolishness. S
kouyontwi tousl ou ka pal. Youre
only talking foolishness. (syn: btiz,
kochonni, maji, papicho)

kouzen

kroum variant of groum.

kwa

N cross. Jzi m asou kwa-a.

Jesus died on the cross. (see also:
Kwis) [< Fr. croix] kwa chyen kwa
chat come what may (words used in
swearing, making an oath). I f kwa
chyen kwa chat i pa kay janmen
fimen ank. He swore he would never
smoke again.

male cousin. Py s kouzen

mwen. Peters my cousin. (see also:
kouzin) [< Fr. cousin]
N

kouzin

N female cousin. Mari s

kouzin Py. Mary is Peters cousin.
(see also: kouzen) [< Fr. cousine]

kv

N job, task. Vini f an kv ban

mwen, mwen kay pyw. Come do a
job for me, Ill pay you. [< Fr. corve]

kwab

N crab. Tan lapli s tan kwab.

Rainy season is crab season. (see also:
bak, siwik, touloulou, zagaya) [< Fr.
crabe] kwab hont red sea-crab.
Papa mwen tjb d kwab hont an
nas li. My father caught two red crabs
in his fish pot. kwab mal zwy
fiddler crab. Kwab mal zwy piti
m mdany gwo. The fiddler crab is
small but its claw is big.

kviy

V to twist, to kink. I kviy

chenn-an. He twisted the chain. ADJ
twisted, kinked. Kd-la t kviy.
The rope was twisted. (see also: td,
ttiy)

kowij

V to correct. Otan kou ou ja

pwan, ou pk kowij toujou? You
have taken so many licks and you are
still not corrected? [< Fr. corriger]

kwaby (var: kaby)

N great blue
heron (Ardea herodias). Kwaby ka
manj pwson. Herons eat fish.

kz

N cause. Yo fs mwen pou

mwen t mennen kz mwen bay waa. They forced me to bring my cause
to the king. [< Fr. cause] a kz di
because of. A kz di ou, bf-la m.
Because of you, the cow died. (see
also: annkz, pou lapti) [< Fr.
cause de]

kwacha

N saliva, spit, spittle. Ti

manmay-la ka jw an kwacha-a. The
child is playing with spit. [< Fr.
crachat]

kwach

V to spit. Madanm ansent

ka toujou kwach. Pregnant women
are always spitting. N spit and image,
exact likeness. Tibway-la s kwach
papay. The boy is the spit and image
of his father. (syn: papay tjwa) [< Fr.
cracher]

koz

V to chat. S nonm-lan ka jw
dmino pi s madanm-lan ka koz.
The men are playing dominoes and the
women are chatting. (see also: bladj,
pal, diskit) N chat. Yo t ni on ti
koz. They had a little chat. (syn:
diskasyon, pal) [< Fr. causer]

kwapo

kwanp variant of lakwanp.

kwapo

N toad. Mwen f yon kwi l

kwapo-a sot asou mwen. I let out a

krakrak variant of klaklak.

119

kwapon

Kwyl English

scream when the frog jumped on me.

(see also: gwat kwi, tolin) [< Fr.
crapaud]

kwaz kay-la. They destroyed the

house. (syn: dtwi; see also:
migannen) 2) to mess up, to
disarrange. Pa kwaz chiv mwen.
Dont mess up my hair. (syn: dkal,
dwanj) [< Fr. craser] kwaz
bwa to flee, to run away. Mwen bay
chyen-an yon koul wch; i kwaz
bwa. I hit the dog with a stone and it
fled. (syn: fann kann, f djip, f
lapousy, f zkl, kwaz wazy,
pwan an bwa, pwan lavl; see also:
kouwi, chap, mawon; bay py,
bwennen k, chap k, f py, f
yan, kouwi vant a t) f kwaz
bwa to chase away. Mwen f s
kabwit-la kwaz bwa sti an jaden
mwen. I chased away the goats from
my garden. (syn: chach, f fann
kann, f kwaz wazy, f pwan an
bwa, f pwan lavl, kouwi dy; see
also: bay lapouswiv) kwaz bwiz
to completely destroy. Siklonn-an
kwaz bwiz tout lafow. The
hurricane completely destroyed the
forest. (see also: lapatouch; dtwi)
kwaz wazy same as kwaz bwa.
f kwaz wazy same as f kwaz
bwa.

kwapon

ADJ cowardly. Misy

kwapon an chay. The man is very
cowardly. N coward. Kwapon ka viv
lontan. Cowards live long.

kwas

N dregs. An fon bouko-a

benyen kwas. In the bottom of the
barrel are the dregs. dny kwas the
last little bit, remainder. I dpans
dny kwas lajan nou. He spent the
last bit of our money. ti kwas little
bit. An ti kwas lt ki wst an pt-la.
A little bit of milk remained in the
cup. (syn: ti miyt, ti tak, tizing)

kwatj

V to make a squeaking,
grinding, or cracking noise. Lapt-la
ka kwatj. The door is squeaking.
kwatj dan to grind or gnash ones
teeth. Las kwatj danw; i ka
twisay mwen. Quit grinding your
teeth; it is giving me the shivers.

kwavat

N necktie. I mt an kwavat
nw pou i al ltman-an. He put on
a black tie to go to the funeral. [< Fr.
cravate]

kway variant of kay.

kwazon (var: klazon)

N wooden
partition in a house. Yo pentiw
kwazon-an an blan. They painted the
partition white. [< Fr. cloison]

kwayan

N believer, Christian, person

with faith in God. Nou tout s
kwayan an Jzi. Were all believers
in Jesus. (relig., rare; see also:
kwityen) [< Fr. croyant]

kw variant of kwy.
kw1 (var: kwy)

V to believe, to
think. Mwen t kw ou t ja al. I
thought you had gone. (syn: ni lid;
see also: apsivw, katjil,
konpwann, sav, lafwa) [< Fr. croire]

kway variant of kay.

kwaz1

V to cross (arms). Nonm-lan

kwaz bway; i pa sanm vl twavay
jdi-a. The man crossed his arms; he
doesnt seem like he wants to work
today. [< Fr. croiser]

kwaz2

kw

kw2

V to have undue pride, to be full

of oneself. I kwy tlman, i pa ka
pal ban nou. He thinks so much of

1) to destroy, to crush. Yo
120

kwdi

Kwyl English

fear anyone. (syn: p, ni lap, ni

pwz)

himself, he doesnt talk to us. (see

also: fw, lgy, kwyans)

kwdi

N credit. Mwen pa ka baw

kwdi ank paski ou pa ka py. I
wont give you any more credit
because you dont pay. ADV on credit.
I acht radyo-a kwdi. He bought the
radio on credit. [< Fr. crdit]

kwen (var: konwen, konyen)

kwsyon (var: tjsyon)

N question.
Sa s on bl kwsyon ou mand-a.
That is a good question you asked.
(opp: wpons) [< Fr. question]

kwsyonnen (var: tjsyonnen)

V to
question. Nou pa sipoz kwsyonnen
Bondy. We shouldnt question God.
[< Fr. questionner]

corner. Mt baly-a an kwen-an.

Put the broom in the corner. (see also:
ti kt) [< Fr. coin]

kwv

V 1) to burst, to pierce, to
puncture, to stab. Sak-la kwv pi
tout sik-la tonb. The bag was
punctured and all of the sugar came
out. (syn: ps, pitj) 2) to develop a
hole. Fou chbon-an kwv y sw
pi tout chbon-an konsonm. The
coal pit developed a hole last night and
all of the charcoal was consumed.
3) to fall, to pour (in reference to rain).
Fm s fint-la; lapli-a kay kwv!
Close the windows; it is going to rain.
(see also: dvid, fifin, tonb) [< Fr.
crever]

kwenm

N 1) cream, whipped cream.

Bonbon-an benyen kwenm asouy.
The cake has a lot of whipped cream
on it. 2) porridge. Ki kalt kwenm
ou ka manj la-a? What kind of
porridge are you eating there? (see
also: loukou, malobi, matt, pap)
[< Fr. crme] ti kwenm same as
kwenm. Ti manmay-la manj ti
kwenm-lan nt. The child swallowed
the porridge right down.

kwennad

N deceiver. Pa byen k
nonm sala paski i s an kwennad.
Dont get friendly with that man
because hes a deceiver. (see also:
malen)

kwyans

N pride. I ni tlman
kwyans, i pa kay kitw antw an
kay li. Hes so proud, he wont let you
in his house. (syn: logy; see also:
kw) [< Fr. croyant]

kwennen (var: kwiyennen, kiyennen)

to fool, to deceive, to trick. Si ou
pa t soufl mwen sa, i t kay
kwennen mwen. If you hadnt
notified me in advance, he would have
tricked me.
V

kwenst

to crowd. Zt ka kwenst
twp asou ban sala. You are
crowding too much on this bench. (see
also: konbl)

Kwyl

kwy

V to create. S Bondy ki
kwy lat-a. Its God who created
the earth. (relig., rare; see also:
kwiyasyon) [< Fr. crer]

kwy variant of kw. I f sa an

kwy s Tijan i koul. He did that
believing it was Tijan he sank.

Kwyl (var: Kwl)

N 1) Creole
language. Yo pa ka pal Kwyl.
They dont speak Creole. (syn: Patwa)
2) person of African descent. Papa
mwen s on Kwyl, manman mwen

kwentif

N fear. (syn: pwz, lap)

[< Fr. craintif] ni kwentif to fear. I
pa ni kwentif pysonn. He doesnt

121

kwyon

Kwyl English

kwim

s on Kouli. My father is of African

descent and my mother is of East
Indian descent. [< Fr. crole]

N crime. I pa f pys kalt

kwim m s li polis-la awt. He
didnt do any kind of crime but it was
him the police arrested. [< Fr. crime]

kwyon (var: kwon)

N pencil. I ka
kwi pi on kwyon wouj. He is
writing with a red pencil. [< Fr.
crayon]

kwis

N crucifix. Kwis-la ka pann la.

The crucifix hangs there. (see also:
kwa) [< Fr. Christ]

kwz

kwisif variant of kwisify.

ADJ hollow. Py bwa-a t kwz.

The tree was hollow. (syn: flo) [< Fr.
creuse]

kwisify (var: kwisif)

V to crucify.
Yo kwisify Jzi asou Mn Kalv.
They crucified Jesus on Calvary Hill.
[< Fr. crucifier]

kwi1

N cry, scream, shout. Nou kouwi

viw an kay-la paski nou tann an
kwi. We ran back to the house because
we heard a scream. [< Fr. cri] f kwi
to cry out. Nou pa t ka f yo anyen,
m yo t ka f kwi. We werent doing
anything to them, but they were crying
out. (syn: andjl, kwiy, hl) f
yon kwi to scream. L mwen w
span-an mwen f yon kwi. When I
saw the snake I screamed.

kwi2

kwistal

N crystal. Zatolan enmen

manj gwenn kwistal. Ground doves
love to eat grains of crystal. [< Fr.
cristal]

kwititj

V to criticize. Madanm sala

enmen kwititj lt moun. That
woman likes to criticize other people.
[< Fr. critiquer]

N calabash bowl or plate. St an

kwi nou t ka manj l nou al an
ht. It was on calabash plates we
used to eat when we went into the
countryside. koup kwi to cut off,
to shave (in reference to hair on head).
Misy-a koup chivy kwi. The man
cut all of his hair off. tt kwi hair
cut very short. Tt ou kwi kon on
kalbas. The hair on your head is cut
short like a calabash. (see also: chb)

kwitjt

N grasshopper. Kwitjt-la pa
t ka sot. The grasshopper wasnt
jumping. [< Fr. criquet] kwitjt
bwa a very large type of grasshopper
or locust. kwitjt senky a type of
locust or grasshopper shaped like a
coffin. kwitjt v cicada. Kwitjt
v ka mennen bon nouvl. Cicadas
bring good news.

kwityen

N 1) Christian. Nou tout s

pa Kwityen. Were not all Christians.
(relig., rare; see also: kwayan)
2) mankind. S Bondy ki f tout
kwityen. It is God who created all
mankind. (syn: lat, lzm) [< Fr.
chrtien]

kwi3

ADJ raw. S nonm-lan ki t pd

anl lanm-a t ni pou manj
pwson-an tou kwi. The men who
were lost at sea had to eat the fish
quite raw. [< Fr. cru]

kwibich (var: kibich)

N crayfish. An
lawivy-a ni an chay kwibich. There
are lots of crayfish in the river. [< Fr.
crevisse]

kwiyasyon

kwiyasyon

N creation. Lat-a s
kwiyasyon Bondy. The earth is
Gods creation. (see also: kwy)
[< Fr. cration]

122

kwiy

Kwyl English

kwiy (var: kouy)

has convulsions. (see also: malkadi,

twanblad) 2) crisis; uncontrolled
anger, rage, craziness, madness;
nervous tension, stress; the state of
being out of ones mind. Pa pas
kwiz ou anl mwen. Dont pass your
rage on to me. [< Fr. crise] kwiz
pwan to bawl, to cry out, to have a
fit. Mwen f ti manmay-la sot pi
kwiz pwany. I startled the child and
he cried out. (see also: andjl, hl,
plw) f kwiz pwan anl to
infuriate, to anger, to enrage. Tibwayla f kwiz pwan mwen anly. The
boy infuriated me.

V to call loudly, to
shout, to yell. Yo kwiy nou m nou
pa tann. They called us but we didnt
hear. (syn: andjl, hl; see also:
kwi) [< Fr. crier] kwiy anl to call
upon (e.g. for help). Yo kwiy anl
Bondy pou Bondy t sa d yo.
They called upon God to help them.
kwiy asou to call upon (e.g. to give
an account). L Bondy kay kwiy
asouw, ki sa ou kay di? When God
calls on you, what will you say?

kwiyennen variant of kwennen.

kwiyot

N evil, wickedness. S
moun-an t ka f nou an chay
kwiyot. The people were doing us a
lot of evil. (syn: mchanst, movzt;
see also: vis)

lab

kyanng

ADJ overripe (in reference to

dasheen). Dachin-an pa bon ank, i
ja kyanng. The dasheen isnt good
anymore, its already overripe. (syn:
nyak, tounen; see also: groum)

kwiz

N 1) fit, convulsion. Tibway

sala ni an kwiz ka pwany. That boy

Ll
-la (var: -a, -an, -lan)

ART the. I ka
manj fig-la. She is eating the banana.
(conditioned variant)

labank

ADV in the bank, to the bank. I

dpoz lajany labank. He deposited
his money in the bank. (see also:
bank) [< Fr. la banque]

la

ADV 1) there. Sa ou ka f la? What

are you doing there? 2) then. La yo
vin konpwann. Then they understood.
[< Fr. l] la menm right then, right
away, immediately. La menm i
koumans kouwi! Right then he
began to run!

laba

N dawn. Nou al b lanm-a

avan laba kas. We went to the beach
before dawn broke. (syn: laba jou; see
also: jou ouv, sly lv) laba jou
same as laba. L laba jou ka pas,
sly-la t ja lv. When dawn was
breaking, the sun had already risen.

labatwa

N abattoir, shop where

animals are slaughtered and the meat
is sold. Mwen ka mennen bf-la an
labatwa-a. I am bringing the cow to
the abattoir. (syn: hal) [< Fr.
labattoir]

labay variant of bay.

lab1

N priest. Lab sala pa jan Sent

Lisi. That priest is not from St. Lucia.
(syn: p, pwt; see also: danm, mw,
lvk, monseny) [< Fr. labb]

lab2
123

drumfish (Equetus loreto).

labenndiksyon

Kwyl English

labenndiksyon variant of

He drinks too much beer. [< Fr. la

bire]

benndiksyon. [< Fr. la bndiction]

Labib

lachajs variant of lasajs.

N the Bible. Labib di ou

sipoz enmen pwochenw. The Bible
says you are supposed to love your
neighbour. (syn: Bib) [< Fr. la Bible]

lachas

N hunting. I pwen chyeny k

i al lachas. He took his dog and went
hunting. (see also: chas, chas) [< Fr.
la chasse]

labitid

N custom, habit. Ou ka pwan

sa kon an labitid; pa fy ank. You
do this as a habit; dont do it anymore.
(syn: lakoutim) [< Fr. lhabitude]
kon labitid as usual, according to
custom. (see also: kon lakoutim)

lachawit (var: chawit)

N alms,
charity. Nonm avg-la t ka mand
lachawit. The blind man was asking
for alms. [< Fr. la charit]

labizwen same as bizwen. Bondy

konnt labizwen lgliz-la. God knows
the needs of the church. (relig., rare)
[< Fr. le besoin]

lach V to release. [< Fr. lcher]

lach dlo to urinate. Yo al lach
dlo dy kay-la. The went to urinate
behind the house. (syn: pis) lach
van to break wind, to pass gas.
Tibway-la lach van anpami tout s
moun-an. The boy broke wind among
all the people. (syn: pt)

lablanni

V to bleach, to whiten.
Mwen mt had-la lablanni an
sly-la. I put the clothes to bleach in
the sun. (syn: blanchi) lablanni a t
to fall flat. Mwen bay vl-a yon
koul baton dy tt li; i lablanni a
t-a. I hit the thief on the head with a
stick and he fell flat. (syn: plant
bannann)

Labonnlann same as Bon Lann.

Mwen ka swtw Labonnlann. I
am wishing you a happy New Year.
[< Fr. la bonne lanne]

labou

N mud. S jou sala la ni an

chay labou. These days theres lots of
mud. [< Fr. la boue]

lach1

N flesh; the physical or

corporeal part of a whole person.
Lach lzm fb. Human flesh is
weak. (see also: vyann) [< Fr. la
chair]

lach2

N lime, limestone, quicklime.

(see also: plasta) [< Fr. la chaux]

lad

N leprosy. Dkt-a di maladi-a i

ni-an s lad. The doctor said the
sickness he has is leprosy. ADJ
leprous. I djwi tout sa ki t lad. He
healed all who were leprous.

ladjabls (var: adjabls)

N female
bewitching spirit that may cause
someone to lose his way. Jan lontan
di i t ni ladjabls Sent Lisi. Long
ago people said there were female
bewitching spirits in St. Lucia. [< Fr.
la diablesse]

N labourer, worker. Yo py
s labouw-a byen. They paid the
labourers well. (see also: twavay)
N

bow (of a violin). [< Fr.

lacho

labouw

laby

larchet]

labouw

V to root (in reference to

pigs). Kochon-an labouw tout
jaden mwen. The pig rooted up my
garden.

ladjabls

beer. I ka bw twp laby.

124

ladj

Kwyl English

ladj

V 1) to drop. Tibway-la ladj

pt-la an bonm dlo-a. The boy
dropped the cup in the bucket of
water. 2) to drop off, to let off. Ladj
mwen an vil, soupl. Drop me off in
town, please. (syn: mt) 3) to let
loose, to let go, to release. I ladj
mouton-an an jaden misy-a. He let
the sheep loose in the mans garden.
4) to dismiss, to fire (from job).
Gason-an f kouyon jis a tan yo
ladjy an twavay-la. The boy did
foolishness until they fired him from
work. ADJ loose. Vis-la t ladj. The
screw was loose. (see also: slak)
ladj asou to loosen. Ladj asou
vis-la. Loosen the screw. (opp: sw)

has a lot of skill but he is lazy. (see

also: abilit) [< Fr. ladresse]

lafanmi variant of fanmi. [< Fr. la

famille]

lafen

N hunger, famine. Lafen ka

tjw an chay moun oliwon lat-a.
Famine kills a lot of people around the
world. [< Fr. la faim]

laft variant of ft. f laft to be

merry, to have a party, to celebrate.
Yo pwpaw pou yo f laft. They
got ready to have a party. (syn: bwiy,
slbw, wibot)

lafim (var: lafimen)

N 1) smoke,
haze. Machin sala ka f an chay
lafim. That truck makes a lot of
smoke. (see also: fimen, pafim,
sigawt) 2) cigarette. Ban mwen on
lafim. Give me a cigarette. [< Fr. la
fume]

ladj

N war. I ni ladj toupatou an

lat sala. There are wars everywhere
in this earth. (opp: lap; see also:
batay, goumen) [< Fr. la guerre]

ladjidjit

N diarrhoea. Ti manmay-la
ni ladjidjit. The child has diarrhoea.
(syn: mal vant, wilachman; see also:
bouden ka mennen)

lafimen variant of lafim.

laflanmasyon

N inflammation. I t
ni an chay laflanmasyon paski i pa
t ka pwen mtsin. She had a lot of
inflammation because she didnt take
the purge. [< Fr. linflammation]

ladmi

N anaesthesia. Dkt-a ba li
ladmi avan lopwasyon-an. The
doctor gave him anaesthesia before the
operation.

lafj

N forge. Fjon-an ka twavay

adan lafj. The blacksmith works in
the forge. [< Fr. la forge]

ladwati

N righteousness. Ladwati
nonm pa bon as douvan Bondy.
Mans righteousness is not good
enough before God. (relig.; see also:
dwt) [< Fr. la droiture]

lafs variant of fs. [< Fr. la force]

lafow (var: lfow)

N forest, woods.
Lafow-a enptan pou lavi Sent Lisi.
The forest is important for life in St.
Lucia. (syn: gwan bwa; see also:
ht) [< Fr. la fort]

ladwenn

N customs tax, import duty.

Mwen t ni pou py an chay
ladwenn pou motoka-a. I had to pay
a lot of duty on the car. (see also:
lajan kay, taks) [< Fr. la douane]

lafwa

lafwa

N faith. Si mwen pa t ni lafwa

mwen t ja m. If I didnt have faith I
would have already died. (see also:
konfyans, kw) [< Fr. la foi]

ladws

N skill. Gason sala ni an

chay ladws m i fenyan. That boy

125

lafyv

Kwyl English

lafyv

N fever. Ti manmay-la ni on
mov lafyv. The child has a bad
fever. [< Fr. la fivre]

laglas

ice. La pa ni pys laglas an

v mwen. Theres no ice in my glass.
[< Fr. la glace]
N

also: henn) [< Fr. la haine]

laivy variant of lawivy.

laj1

N age. Ki laj ou y? What is your

age? [< Fr. lage] a laj di at the age
of. A laj di senk an yo voy ti
manmay-la lkl. At the age of five
years they sent the child to school. an
laj old enough, of age. Yo otjip ti
manmay-la jis a tan i wiv an laj
pou gad apw ky. They took care
of the child until he became old
enough to look after himself.

lagli

N sticky sap. Nou f zatwap k

lagli pou tjb jiby. We made traps
out of sticky sap to catch birds. (see
also: lakl, lt) [< Fr. la glu]

laglwa

N glory. Laglwa Bondy plen

lgliz-la. Gods glory filled the
church. (relig., rare) [< Fr. la gloire]

laj2

ADJ big, large. Jip-la tw laj pou

tifi-a. The skirt was too big for the
girl. (opp: piti; see also: gwan, gwo)
[< Fr. large]

lagon

N swampy or soft muddy area

fed by a fresh water spring. Lagon-an
mwen ni an wavin-an toujou ni
dachin andidany. The swamp that I
have in the ravine always has dasheen
in it. (see also: manng, sous) [< Fr.
lagune]

lajan (var: lahan)

N money. Nonmlan ni an chay lajan. The man has

lots of money. [< Fr. largent] lajan
kay 1) house tax. Nonm-lan ka
anmas lajan kay bay gouvdman.
The man is collecting the house tax for
the government. (see also: ladwenn,
taks) 2) rent money. Mwen mt
lajan kay mwen asou kot. I put my
rent money aside.

lagroup

N mumps. Titja-a pa al
lkl jdi-a paski i ni lagroup. The
teacher didnt go to school today
because she has the mumps.

lagwand

N magnitude, greatness.
Nou pa sa jenmen fini konnt
lagwand Bondy. We will never
fully understand Gods greatness.
(relig., rare) [< Fr. la grandeur]

laj

N size, breadth, width. Laj

lanm sala, zt pa sa pch adan san
zt goumen? The size of this sea, you
all cant fish in it without fighting?
(see also: fondj, gwand, gws,
ht, londj)

lagwas (var: gwas)

N grace. Nou
mand Bondy lagwas pou nou sa
fini twavay-la. We asked God for
grace to finish our work. (see also:
fav) [< Fr. la grace]

lajl

N jelly. Sent Lisyen ka f lajl

pi an chay difwan kalit fwi. St.
Lucians make jelly with a lot of
different kinds of fruit. [< Fr. la
gele]

lahal variant of hal.

lahan variant of lajan.
lahenn

grudge, bad feelings, ill will.

Annou pa kwij yo an lahenn. Lets
not correct them with a grudge. (see
N

lajl

lajl

N jail, prison. Yo kondanny

pouy al lajl. They sentenced him to
jail. (syn: pwizon, kalabous; see also:
kacho) [< Fr. gele]

126

lajoun

Kwyl English

lajoun

N 1) day. Yo twavay wd
tout lajoun. They worked hard all
day. (opp: lannwit; see also: jou,
joun) 2) during the daytime. Moun
sala ka twavay l sw pi i ka dmi
lajoun. That person works nights and
sleeps during the daytime. [< Fr. la
journe] gwan lajoun broad
daylight, in the middle of the day.
Vl-a kas kay mwen gwan
lajoun. The thief broke into my
house in broad daylight. (syn: gwan
jou, gwan midi; opp: gwo lannwit)

kot i mt lakl kay-la. The servant

doesnt know where he put the key to
the house. 2) lock. Vl-a kwaz
lakl lapt-la pi i antw an kay-la.
The thief broke the lock of the door
and he entered the house. (syn: swi;
see also: kadna) V to lock. Chonj
pou lakl lapt-la avan ou ay dmi.
Remember to lock the door before you
go to bed. (opp: dlakl; see also:
tjatj, fm) ADJ locked. Lapt-la
lakl pi nou pa sa antw. The door
is locked and we cant enter. [< Fr. la
cl]

lajwa

N joy. L i w mawiy, tjy t

plen pi lajwa. When she saw her
husband her heart was filled with joy.
(syn: djwt; see also: wjwi,
widjwt) [< Fr. la joie]

lakoklich

N whooping cough. Ti
manmay sala ka tous an chay; i
oblij ni lakoklich. This child is
coughing a lot; she must have
whooping cough. [< Fr. la
coqueluche]

lak

N bait. Yo pa tjb pys pwson

paski lak yo pa t bon. They didnt
catch any fish because their bait
wasnt good.

lakl

N glue. Pa touch lakl-la; i

pk sk. Dont touch the glue; it
isnt dry yet. [< Fr. la colle]

lakal

N deck (of a boat). Yo mennen

mwen toupatou anba lakal batimanan. They took me everywhere under
the deck of the ship. [< Fr. la cale]

lakangwenn

lakonminyon variant of konminyon.

[< Fr. la communion]

lakontantman (var: kontantman)

gangrene. I ni
lakangwenn an pyy k yo t ni pou
koupy. He has gangrene in his foot
and they had to cut it off. (see also:
malenng, bobo) [< Fr. la gangrne]

lakansyl

lakopwann

N understanding,
comprehension. Bondy ouv
lakopwann nou. God opened our
understanding. (opp: inyowans; see
also: nlaj, konnsans, konpwann,
lid, sav)

lakay

N home. Mwen menneny

lakay mwen pi mwen ba li an pla
manj. I brought him to my home and
I gave him a plate of food. (see also:
kay, kot)

lakl

happiness, contentment. La ni tlman

lakontantman an tj mwen, mwen
pa sa menm manj. I have so much
happiness in my heart, I cannot even
eat. (opp: twists; see also: djwt,
lajwa, satisfaksyon) [< Fr. le
contentement]

N rainbow. Apw lapli-a

nou w an lakansyl. After the rain
we saw a rainbow. [< Fr. larc-enciel]

lakou

lakou

N yard. La ni on py mango
adan lakou-a. Theres a mango tree in

1) key. Svant-lan pa sav ki

127

lakout

Kwyl English

the yard. [< Fr. la cour]

lalwas

N lotion made from aloe. Ay

an fonmasi-a genyen lalwas ban
mwen. Go to the pharmacy and get
aloe for me. (see also: lalw)

lakout

N scab. Bobo-a ka f lakout.

The sore is making a scab. [< Fr. la
crote]

lakoutim

habit, custom. (see also:

labitid) [< Fr. la coutume] kon
lakoutim as usual. Yo ka slbw
Lawz kon lakoutim. The are
celebrating La Rose as usual. (see
also: kon labitid)
N

lalw

N aloe plant. Ki moun ki koup

py lalw mwen? Who cut my aloe
plant? (see also: lalwas)

lalwt

N uvula. Yo ba li wimd pou

djwi lalwt li. They gave him
medicine to heal his uvula. [< Fr. la
luette]

lakwanp (var: kwanp)

N cramp. On
lakwanp tjb mwen an lanm-a. I
had a cramp in the sea. [< Fr. la
crampe]

lam1

N soul, spirit. Tout moun ni an

lam. Everybody has a soul. (see also:
lspwi) [< Fr. lme] vy lam
1) witch, practitioner of black magic
or obeah. L yo sti an vy, yo w an
vy lam t ka swiv yo. When they left
the wake, they saw that a witch was
following them. (syn: mov lam,
dvagond; see also: tjenbwat,
divin, jan gaj, gad, maji nw)
2) person who practices evil. Nonm
sala s an vy lam, la pa ni yon vis i
pa ni. That man is an evil person,
theres no wrong he doesnt do. (syn:
mov lam; see also: bouwo,
dvagond)

lakwenn

N crackling, fried rind.

Lakwenn kochon bon pi bandja.
Fried pork rind is good with wild yam.

lald

N the ugly one. Yo t ka kwiy

tifi sala lald. They call that girl the
ugly one. (rare; see also: ld)

lalin

N 1) moon. Lalin-an ka klw

an chay sw-a. The moon is shining
a lot tonight. 2) the lunula, the
crescent-shaped spot near the root of
the fingernail. Mi lalin-an la, kot
zonng-lan ka jwenn k lach-a. Look
at the lunula there, where the nail
meets with the flesh. 3) capability of
holding ones breath underwater.
Misy sala ni tlman lalin, nou t jik
kw i ny. That man can hold his
breath so long, we thought he had
drowned. [< Fr. la lune]

lam2

N tear. (see also: dlo) [< Fr.

larme] lam dlo tear drops. Lam dlo
t an zyy. Tears were in his eyes.

-lan (var: -a, -an, -la)

ART the.
Nonm-lan ki fy-la t ka pt on
chimiz nw. The man who did it was
wearing a black shirt. (conditioned
variant)

lalwa

N court, legal authorities.

Mwen kay mennenw douvan lalwa
si ou kontin anbt mwen. I will
bring you before the legal authorities
if you continue to trouble me. (syn:
lodyans, bawo) [< Fr. la loi]
mennen lalwa same as mennen
lodyans.

landji

lanbi

N conch. Ou ka toujou jwenn

lanbi Gwozil pou acht. You can
always find conch for sale in Gros
Islet. [< Fr. lambi]

landji

N teasing, torment. f landji

to tease by offering and then taking

128

landwt

Kwyl English

back. I ka f mwen landji! Hes

teasing me!

menm kon on ti biswi ki ft an siwo.

Manna was just like a small biscuit
made in syrup. (relig.) [< Fr. la
manne]

landwt

ADV right side out. Chimiz

ou lanv; mty landwt. Your shirt
is on inside out; put it on right side
out. (opp: lanv) [< Fr. lendroit]

lanmant (var: mant)

N mint candy.
Manmay lkl jdi pa kontan
lanmant. School children today dont
like mints. [< Fr. la menthe]
lanmant fanm a type of mint plant.
lanmant kouwant a type of mint
plant.

lanf

N hell. Lanf ft pou mov

moun. Hell was made for bad people.
(relig.) [< Fr. lenfer]

langaj

N language. Lat sala ni an

chay difwan kalit langaj. This
world has a lot of different kinds of
languages. (syn: lanng) [< Fr.
langage]

lanm

N ocean, sea. Yo ka naj an

lanm-a. Theyre swimming in the
sea. [< Fr. la mer] jan lanm
fishermen. Jan lanm enmen tiw
listwa. Fishermen like to tell stories.
(syn: nonm lanm, pch) nonm
lanm fisherman. Pita s on nonm
lanm. Peter is a fisherman. (syn:
pch, jan lanm)

Langl variant of Angl. [< Fr.

langlais]

Langlit

N England. Mwen pa
janmen al Langlit. I have never
been to England.

lank1

lanmen (var: lenmen)

ink. La pa ni pys lank pou

mwen sa kwi. Theres no ink for me
to be able to write. [< Fr. lencre]
N

N hand. I lv
lanmeny asou papay. He raised his
hand against his father. (see also: py)
PREP from. Nou acht tout bagay
lanmeny. We bought everything from
him. [< Fr. la main] an lanmen
some help, assistance. Ban mwen an
lanmen la soupl. Give me some help
here please. anba lanmen under the
care of. I t anba lanmen dkt-a l
i m. He was under the doctors care
when he died. (see also: otjipasyon)

lank2

N anchor. Batiman-an ladj

lank li an lawad-la. The boat dropped
its anchor in the harbour. [< Fr.
lancre]

lanklim

N anvil. Fjon-an ka twavay

an lanklim-lan. The blacksmith works
on the anvil. [< Fr. lenclume]

lanm1

N blade. Lanm kouto-a m.

The knife blade is dull. [< Fr. lame]

lanms

N mass in a Roman Catholic

church. Yo ka al an lanms.
Theyre going to mass. (relig.) [< Fr.
la messe]

lanm2

N wave. Lanm-a ni an chay

gwo lanm jdi-a. The sea has a lot of
big waves today. [< Fr. lame] lanm
batan shore (i.e. where waves are
breaking). Ngay mennenw an lanm
batan. Ill bring you on the shore.
[< Fr. lame battant]

lanmann

lanmidon

Lanmwik variant of Anmwik.

lanmidon

N starch. Madanm mwen

mt twp lanmidon an had-la. My
wife put too much starch in the
clothes. (see also: anpz) [< Fr.

manna. Lanmann t
129

lanmity

Kwyl English

[< Fr. la neige]

lamidon]

lanmity

N love. Bondy ni an chay

lanmity pou lzm. God has a lot of
love for mankind (opp: hayisans; see
also: lanmou, enmen, kontan) [< Fr.
lamiti]

lanng

N 1) tongue. Kaf-a t tlman

cho i bwil lanng li. The coffee was
so hot it burnt his tongue.
2) language. Titja mwen ka pal
konmen difwan lanng. My teacher
speaks so many different languages.
(syn: langaj) 3) what one says. Nou
kay f malpalan sala py pou lanng
li! We will make that bad-talker pay
for what he says! [< Fr. langue]
lanng kaka babbler, one who cannot
keep a secret. Pa di tifi sala zafw; i
s an lanng kaka. Dont tell that girl
your secrets; she is a babbler. (syn:
palapata)

lanm

N death. Byen p nonm ki pa

p lanm. There are few people who
dont fear death. (syn: dfini; opp:
lavi; see also: m) [< Fr. la mort]

lanmonn

N change. L ou fini f
konmisyon-an, pt lanmonn
mwen ban mwen. When you finish
doing the errand, bring me back my
change. (see also: pys) [< Fr. la
monnaie] on ti lanmonn a small
amount of money. Bagay wd; ban
mwen on ti lanmonn. Things are
hard; give me a little money.

lanmou

love. I pa ni pys lanmou

pou madanm li. He has no love for
his wife. (opp: hayisans; see also:
lanmity, enmen, kontan) [< Fr.
lamour]
N

lanni

N anis. Yo ni lanni k psi an

jaden yo. They have anis and parsley
in their garden. [< Fr. lanis]

lannwit (var: nannwit)

N late at
night. Nou pa kontan sti lannwit.
We dont like to go out late at night.
(opp: lajoun; see also: nwit, sw,
sw) [< Fr. la nuit] gwo lannwit the
dead of night. Misy-a vini lakay
mwen gwo lannwit ka mand mwen
pou pty soukou. The man came to
my house in the middle of the night
asking me for help. (opp: gwan jou,
gwan lajoun, gwan midi)

lanmowi

N saltfish. Lanmowi k fig

vt s sa ki bon. Saltfish and green
figs are good. [< Fr. la morue]

lanmwaty

N half, some, a good

amount. I ba li lanmwaty byeny.
He gave him half of his wealth. (see
also: dimi) [< Fr. la moiti]

lanp

N lamp. Lanp-lan ka mantj

kawozin. The lamp is out of kerosene.
(see also: layt) [< Fr. lampe]

lann (var: nann)

N year. Lann
sala kay ni an chay lapli. This year
there will be a lot of rain. [< Fr.
lanne] Bon Lann (var:
Labonnlann) Happy New Year.
Nou swtw Bon Lann! We wish
you Happy New Year!

lans1

N bay, beach, shore. Pyi sala ni

an chay lans tout oliwony. This
country has a lot of beaches all around
it. (see also: lanmbatan) [< Fr. lanse]

lans2

N handle (e.g. of a bucket).

Bonm-lan pa ni lans. The bucket has
no handle. [< Fr. lanse]

lannj

N snow. I t blan pas lannjla. It was whiter than snow. (rare)

lansan

lansan
130

incense. Mwen kontan

lans

Kwyl English

pwan ld lansan. I like to take the

smell of incense. [< Fr. lencens]

Yo f an lapatouch k fig-la. They

completely destroyed the bananas. (see
also: dtwi, kwaz, kwaz bwiz)

lans

V 1) to jump over. I tonb

patan i t ka lans kannal-la. He fell
while he was jumping over the canal.
(syn: janb; see also: lansman, sot,
twavs) 2) to give a shooting pain
(associated with a sore or a swollen
gland). Bobo-a ka lans mwen. The
sore is giving me a shooting pain.
[< Fr. lancer]

Lanslaw

lapawl (var: lapawli)

N the faculty
of speech. On ladjabls pwan
lapawl li. A bewitching spirit took
his speech away. (see also: pawl,
vwa) [< Fr. la parole]

lapawli variant of lapawl. (rare)

lap

N peace. Nou sa viv an lap. We

can live in peace. (opp: ladj; see also:
mily) [< Fr. la paix]

the village of Anse La

Raye.

lansman

leap, jump. Lansman

manman kabwit s menm pi ti
kabwit. The mother goats leap is the
same as its kid goats leap. (see also:
lans)
N

lantman (var: ltman)

lap

N fear. S moun sala ni pli lap

an yo pas lafwa. Those people have
more fear in them than faith. (syn:
pwz, kwentif) [< Fr. la peur]

lapen

N rabbit. Lapen ni gwo zwy.

Rabbits have large ears. [< Fr. lapin]

burial.

[< Fr. lenterrement]

lapenn

N sorrow, grief. (see also:

penn) [< Fr. la peine] an lapenn
(var: an penn) in grief, in sorrow.
Madanm-lan t an lapenn paski ich
li t m. The woman was in sorrow
because her child had died. (syn: twis,
sonm; opp: dj, kontan) f lapenn
to cause to feel grief, sorrow, distress.
S manmay sala ka f mwen lapenn
paski ni manman yo ni papa yo m.
I feel sorry for these children because
both their mother and their father died.

lantw variant of lentw.

lanti

N lentil. Mwen ni pou acht

lanti pou mwen sa bouwi pi diwi. I
need to buy some lentils to cook with
rice. [< Fr. lentille]

lantounw

N funnel. S pou ou svi

lantounw-a pou vid lwil-la. You
must use the funnel to pour the oil.
[< Fr. lentonnoir]

lanv

ADV backwards, wrong side out,

inside out. Ou mt wb ou lanv.
You put your dress on backwards.
(opp: landwt) [< Fr. lenvers]

Lapankt

Whit Monday.

lapti1

N appetite. I ni on bon lapti.

He has a good appetite. [< Fr.
lapptit]

lapti2

N sake. pou lapti for the

sake of, on behalf of, because of. Pou
lapti wonm ou pa sa ni d sou.
Because of rum, you cant keep a
penny. (see also: paski)

lapat

N dough. Lapat sala kay f bon

pen. This dough will make good
bread. (see also: pentwi, ptwen)
[< Fr. la pte]

lapatouch

lapwmisyon

lapwmisyon variant of pwmisyon.

complete destruction.

[< Fr. la permission]

131

lapy

Kwyl English

lapy

N pay, wages. Denmen yo kay

ban nou lapy nou. Tomorrow theyll
give us our pay. (see also: pyiman,
sal)

lapid

manmay-la tonb dw-a. Close the

door before the child falls outside.
[< Fr. la porte]

lapouswiv

N pursuit, chase. [< Fr.

poursuivre] bay lapouswiv to
chase, to pursue. Nou bay nonm-lan
lapwouswiv jis tan nou tjby. We
chased the man until we caught him.
(syn: kouwi dy, chach; see also:
fann kann, kwaz bwa, kwaz
wazy, pwan an bwa, pwan lavl, f
lapousy)

to thrash. Ngay lapidw!

Ill thrash you! (syn: bat, bay kou,
bay vol, plich, koup fs; see also:
chal)
V

lapit

N sisal. Yo ka maw s
zannimo-a k kd lapit. They tie the
animals with sisal cord.

laplas1

N market, market place.

Mwen acht bannann b laplas
bonmaten-an. I bought plantain at the
market this morning. [< Fr. la place]

lapousy (var: pousy)

N dust.
Chanm sala benyen lapousy. This
room is full of dust. [< Fr. la
poussire] f lapousy 1) to make
dust fly up. Chouval-la jty an
mitan chimen-an, i f lapousy. The
horse threw him off on the middle of
the road and dust flew up. (see also: f
pousy) 2) to flee. L chyen-an pati
dyy i f lapousy dsann chimenan. When the dog chased after him, he
fled down the road. (syn: fann kann,
f djip, f lapousy, f zkl, kwaz
bwa, kwaz wazy, pwan an bwa,
pwan lavl; see also: kouwi, chap,
mawon; bay py, bwennen k, chap
k, f py, f yan, kouwi vant a t)
swiy lapousy asou to dust. Yo
ka swiy lapousy-a asou s chz-la.
They are dusting the chairs.

laplas2 in place of. Mwen al lanm

laplas fw mwen paski i t malad. I
went fishing in place of my brother
because he was sick.

lapli

N rain. Tan-an ld; lapli kay

kwv. The weather is looking bad;
the rain is going to pour. (see also:
fifin) Lapli ka tonb. It is raining.
(see also: dvid, kwv, fifin) [< Fr.
la pluie]

lapo

N 1) skin. Lapoy t blan. His

skin was white. 2) bark (of a tree).
Zannimo manj tout lapo py bwaa. Animals ate all of the trees bark.
(syn: tjilas) [< Fr. la peau] f lapo
to have dandruff. Tt mwen ka f
lapo. I have dandruff. (see also: tipo)
lapo zy eyelid. I ni on klou asou
lapo zyy. He has a carbuncle on his
eyelid.

laps

N post office. I ni konmen jou

dpi mwen al laps. It has been so
many days since I have gone to the
post office. [< Fr. la poste]

lapt

lapws

lapouy variant of lapwiy.

laps

N abscess. Mal dan-an ja f an

laps. The sore tooth has made an
abscess [< Fr. labcs]

lapwennss variant of pwennss.

lapws

N press for making cassava

flour. Nou ja mt manyk-la
lapws. We have already put the
cassava to the press. [< Fr. la presse]

door. Fm lapt-la avan ti

132

lapwiy

Kwyl English

lapwiy (var: lapouy, pwiy)

throw out the excrement. (see also:

bantj, chy, fimy, kaka) [< Fr. la
selle]

prayer. Bondy tann lapwiy yo.

God heard their prayers. [< Fr. la
prire]

lapwiz

lasi

N 1) wax. Yo ka f lasi k kasav

myl. They make wax from
honeycombs. 2) matter, sleep in ones
eyes. Mal zy-a ka f zy mwen f
lasi. The bad eye makes my eye make
matter. [< Fr. la cire]

captive. Mwen ni bf oua lapwiz. I have your cow captive.

tjb lapwiz to keep or hold captive,
to capture. Mwen tjb bf-la ki
manj jaden mwen-an lapwiz. I
captured the cow that was eating my
garden.
ADJ

lasw

N sweat, perspiration. I t ni
lasw asou fidjiy. He had sweat on
his face. (see also: sw) [< Fr. la
sueur]

las1

ADJ tired, weary. Yo t las k fen.

They were tired and hungry.

las2

lat

V to stop, to cease. Las pal kon

sa! Stop talking like that! (used in the
imperative; see also: doubout)

lasajs (var: sajs, chajs, lachajs)

N lath, piece of wood set on a beam

to support the rafters. Mt s lat-la
d py hd yonn a lt. Put the laths
two feet from each other. (see also:
chivon) [< Fr. latte]

wisdom. S pou ou ni lasajs pou

konpwann s pawl sala. You must
have wisdom to understand these
words. (see also: entlijans, lspwi)
[< Fr. la sagesse]

lasal

latanny

N a type of tree whose

fronds are used to make brooms
(Coccothrinax dussiana).

lat

N 1) earth, world. L ou vini an

lat-a ou pa ka vini k anyen; l ou
ka kity ou pa ka kity k anyen.
When you come into this world you
dont come with anything; when you
leave it you dont leave it with
anything. (see also: t) 2) mankind.
Lat sala ka vin mov jou an jou.
Mankind is becoming worse day by
day. (syn: lzm, kwityen) [< Fr. la
terre]

sitting room, living room. S

nonm-lan asid an lasal-la ka koz.
The men were seated in the sitting
room chatting. (see also: chanm,
tjwizin) [< Fr. la salle]
N

las1

N shoelace. I ni souly-a m i pa
sav kot i mt las-a. She has the
shoe but she doesnt know where she
put the lace. (syn: las souly) V to
lace. Las soulyw! Lace your
shoes! (opp: dlas) [< Fr. lacet] las
souly same as las.

lattopy

ADV from head to toe. Pinz

kouv tifi-a lattopy. Bed-bugs
covered the girl from head to toe.
[< Fr. la tte aux pieds]

las2

V to tire, to weary. Ti mach

sala las mwen. This little walk tired
me. (see also: las) [< Fr. lasser]

latily

latily

N crowd. An latily moun

swiv li. A crowd of people followed
him. (syn: popilas; see also: kopanni,
gany, twipo, pil)

lasl

N excrement. Yo lv bonn
bonmaten pou ay jt lasl-la The
got up early in the morning to go

133

latj

Kwyl English

latj

lavantay variant of lavantaj.

N tail. Silon van-an, latj kk-la

ka panch. According to the wind, the
cocks tail bends. [< Fr. la queue]
latj wat a type of grass or weed.

lav

V to wash. I ka lav lanmeny.

Shes washing her hands. (see also:
lavman, pwp, ntway, tjiw,
savon) [< Fr. laver]

latjt

N offering. Kils ki kay

anmas latjt jdi-a? Who will
gather the offering today? (syn:
lofwann)

lavwit

N truth. S pou ou toujou

pal lavwit. You should always
speak the truth. (opp: mansonj; see
also: anvyt) [< Fr. la vrit]

latjilbit

N fall, tumble. (syn: so) [< Fr.

la culbute] pwan latjilbit to
stumble. I pwen yon latjilbit, i
mantj tonb. He stumbled and
almost fell. (see also: pwan so, tonb)

lavy N eve. [< Fr. la veille] Lavy

Joudlan Old Years Day, New
Years Eve. Lavy Joudlan mwen ka
al lanms. Old Years Day I am
going to go to church.

latwas

N boil, carbuncle. S pou ou

ay w dkt pouy sa fann latwas
sala baw You should go see a doctor
so he can cut out that carbuncle for
you. (see also: klou, chbon, plk,
zanpoul) [< Fr. la trace]

laval

lavi

lavy (var: vy)

N wake. La kay ni
an lavy sw-a. There will be a
wake tonight. (see also: lanm,
ltman, ywit jou) [< Fr. la veille]

lavi

about, approximately (in

reference to money). I ban mwen
laval d dla pwson. He gave me
about two dollars worth of fish. [< Fr.
la valeur]
ADV

lavan

N bow, front of a boat. Lavan

kannt-la mantj konyen nou padan
nou t ka benyen-an. The bow of the
canoe just missed hitting us while we
were in the sea. [< Fr. lavant]

lavant

N sale. Lavant mango-a cho

jdi-a. The sale of mangoes is going
well today. (see also: vant) [< Fr. la
vente]

lavantaj (var: lavantay)

N advantage.
(see also: pasyalit, pwfwans)
[< Fr. lavantage] pwan lavantaj to
take advantage (of). I enmen pwan
lavantaj anl moun ki piti pasy. He
likes to take advantage of people who
are smaller than he. (syn: mach asou,
manstip)

134

N 1) life. S Bondy ki ka bay

lavi. It is God who gives life. (opp:
dfini, lanm; see also: lisouf, viv)
2) some, an amount (of money). Yo
ban mwen an lavi lajan. They gave
me some money. [< Fr. la vie] bon
lavi a good amount of money. Mawi
mwen voy an bon lavi ban mwen.
My husband sent me a good amount of
money. (opp: ti lavi) fanm vy lavi
prostitute. (syn: djanmt, fanm
konmen, fanm lawi) lavi Sodm
immoral or homosexual life. Lavi
Sodm s pli vy lavi pou an moun
ka viv. The immoral live is the worst
life for a person to live. ti lavi living,
a small amount of money. I ka
genyen on ti lavi. He makes a small
living. (opp: bon lavi) vy lavi
immoral lifestyle, immorality. Vy
lavi-a ou ka viv-la pa kay baw pys
bennfis. That immoral life you are
living wont bring you any benefit.
(syn: vis; see also: mal pwpt)

laviktwa

Kwyl English

laviktwa

N victory. Nou ka wimsy

Bondy paski i ja ban nou laviktwa.
We thank God because he has given us
victory. (see also: ganyen, ganyen a
bout) [< Fr. la victoire]

chimen, lawout) [< Fr. la rue] fanm

lawi prostitute. (syn: djanmt, fanm
konmen, fanm vy lavi)

lawivy (var: laivy, lawouvy,

lvy) N river. La ni kwibich adan
lawivy-a. There are crayfish in the
river. (see also: wavin) [< Fr. la
rivire] lawivy gwo river at flood
stage, river overflowing. Lawivy
gwo jdi-a; mwen pa sa al an
jaden. The river at flood stage; I cant
go to the garden.

lavman washing. (see also: lav)

[< Fr. lavement] lavman di k
preparation of a corpse. S madanmlan f lavman di k-a avan ltmanan. The women prepared the body
before the funeral.
N flight. [< Fr. le vol] a lavl
in flight, in the air. I tjw jiby-a a
lavl. He killed the bird in flight.
pwan lavl to take flight, to flee, to
run away. L jiby-a w chat-la i
pwan lavl. When the bird saw the cat
it took flight. (syn: fann kann, f djip,
f lapousy, f zkl, kwaz bwa,
kwaz wazy, pwan an bwa; see also:
vol, vltij; kouwi, chap, mawon;
bay py, bwennen k, chap k, f
py, f yan, kouwi vant a t) f
pwan lavl to chase away. Mwen f
ni li ni koutla-a pwan lavl. I chased
him away along with his cutlass. (syn:
chach, f fann kann, f kwaz bwa,
f kwaz wazy, f pwan an bwa,
kouwi dy; see also: bay lapouswiv)

lavl

lawjl

N measles. I pa sa al lkl
paski i ni lawjl. He cant go to
school because he has the measles.
(see also: bouton) [< Fr. la rougeole]

lawonn

N a game played with tops.

Tan lontan s ti manmay-la t ka
jw lawonn k topi yo. Long ago
children played lawonn with their
tops.

lawouj

N rust. Pa kit dlo an bonmlan avan lawouj pwany. Dont leave

water in the bucket or rust will
overcome it. (see also: wiy) [< Fr. la
rouge]

lawout

N route, way. Nou pwan an

chay tan pou wiv paski lawout-la t
lonng. We took a long time to arrive
because it was a long way. (see also:
chimen, lawi) Asou lawout-la mwen
doubout pou pwan an ben an
lawivy-a. On the way I stopped to
take a bath in the river. [< Fr. la
route]

lavwenn

N oats. Ay bay s kk-la

lavwenn. Go give the cocks some
oats. [< Fr. lavoine]

lawad

N harbour. Kannt-la antw

an lawad-la. The canoe entered the
harbour. (see also: tj) [< Fr. la rade]

lawat

N spleen. I t malad k dkta tiy lawat li. He was sick and the
doctor removed his spleen. [< Fr. la
rate]

lawouz

lawouvy variant of lawivy.

lawouz

N dew. Pa wt an lawouza, ou kay jwenn fwdi. Dont stay in

the dew, youll get rheumatism. (syn:
swen) [< Fr. la rose]

lawi

N street. Ki lawi bank-lan y?

What street is the bank on? (see also:

135

Lawz

Kwyl English

Lawz

liver. (syn: si) [< Fr. lheure] a l

1) on time. Nou kouwi pou nou wiv
a l. We ran to arrive on time.
2) same as l. Ki manny ou sa f
pal bon bagay a l s mov bagay
ki an tjw? How can you speak good
things when it is wicked things that are
in your heart? ki l when, what time.
Ki l ou kay pati? What time will you
leave? (see also: ki tan)

N La Rose festival. Lawz-la

ka bwiy Vy F sw-a. The La
Rose festival is being celebrated in
Vieux Fort tonight.

lay

N garlic. Nou bizwen lay pou sa

mt an ss-la. We need garlic to put
in the gravy. [< Fr. lail]

layt

N light. Tenn layt-la! Turn the

light off! (see also: lanp, limy, klt)
[< Eng. light]

a class of something. L gwo

ka manj l piti. The big eat the
small. [< Fr. les] l Dimanch,
Lendi... every Sunday, Monday... or - on Sundays, Mondays.... L
Dimanch nou toujou ka al lgliz.
On Sundays we always go to church.
l malw poor, disadvantaged
people. l pasan passers-by. Ou ka
gad l pasan-an? Youre watching
the passers-by? [< Fr. passant] l
pv poor people. l wich rich
people. (see also: wicha)

lbich

N 1) sifter for cassava flour.

Lbich-a kas padan nou t ka pas
fawin-an. The sifter broke while we
were sifting the cassava flour. (see
also: fawin, tanmi, paswa) 2) sea
fan. Lanm-a bas; ou ka w tout s
lbich-a asou kay-la. The tide is
low; you can see all of the sea fans on
the reef.

ART

lchanlib (var: chanlib)

N liberty,
freedom, license. Manmay jdi jou
twp lchanlib. Children today have
too much freedom. (see also: libt)
bay lchanlib to give rights (to
someone, over someone else). (syn:
bay py; see also: bay wzon)

l1

N room, space. s ou ni l pou ou

sa pwan nou? Do you have room to
take us? [< Fr. lair] f l to move
over, to make room. F l pou mwen
sa asid asou ban-an piw. Move
over so I can sit on the bench with
you. (syn: tjil, vans)

l2

N 1) time, hour. Ki l i y? What

time is it? (see also: nditan) 2) time,
occasion. La ni l i nss pou mwen
piniw. There are times that I must
punish you. (see also: tan, fwa) CONJ
1) when. Nou wy l i wiv. We saw
him when he arrived. (syn: kon; see
also: padan, a menm di tan) 2) if.
L ou ka bw dlo fwt pi dlo cho
ansanm, i ka baw gwo fwa. If you
drink cold water and hot water
together, it will give you an enlarged

lfow

lchl

N ladder. I mout lchl-la

pou i sa pentiw fto kay-la. He
climbed the ladder so he could paint
the ceiling of the house. [< Fr.
lchelle]

ld

ADJ ugly. Chyen sala ld an chay.

That dog is very ugly. (opp: bl, joli)
[< Fr. laid]

ldjim

N vegetable. T sala bon pou

plant ldjim. This ground is good for
planting vegetables. (see also: gwo
manj, vivt) [< Fr. lgume]

lfan

elephant. [< Fr. lphant]

lfow variant of lafow.

136

lg

Kwyl English

lg

N eagle. Lg-la ka vol. The eagle

is flying. (see also: malfini) [< Fr.
laigle]

levain]

lman

N magnet. Nou jwenn on tj

lman anpami kochonni-an. We
found a piece of magnet among the
trash. [< Fr. laimant]

lgliz

N church. Lapt lgliz-la ouv

pou tout moun. The door of the
church is open for everyone. (see also:
lanms) [< Fr. lglise]

lgowin (var: ligowin)

hand saw. I
siy bwa-a k lgowin-an. He cut the
wood with the hand saw. (see also: si,
paspatou; siy) [< Fr. lgoine]
N

lgzanm N test, exam, inspection.

pas lgzanm to take exams. Tout

Lendi

lenmen variant of lanmen.

lenn1

N 1) wool. Yo ka svi lenn

mouton pou f had fwdi. They use
sheeps wool to make winter clothing.
2) blanket. Mt lenn-an asou
kouch-la. Put the blanket on the bed.
(see also: dwa, kouvti) [< Fr. laine]

lenn2

N groin. I pwan an koul bol an

lenn li. He got hit with a ball in his
groin. (see also: koko) [< Fr. laine]

ljitim

lentw (var: lantw)

N interest,
return on a deposit. Yo pk py
lentw-a asou lajan-an yo pwt-a.
They havent yet paid the interest on
the money they borrowed. [< Fr.
lintrt]

lkl

N school. Toul bonmaten yo

ka al lkl. Every morning they go to
school. [< Fr. lcole]

ll

N fool, a silly or gullible person.

Nonm sala s on ll! Tout moun ka
kwenneny. That man is a fool!
Everyone deceives him. (syn:
kounoumounou, kouyon; see also:
st)

lpvy

N cast net. Mwen tjb an

chay pwson pi lpvy mwen. I
caught a lot of fish with my cast net.
(see also: filt, senn, kali)

lpini

N a type of spiny tree

(Zanthoxylum monophyllum). L
pikan lpini pitjw, i ka bwilw
pas tout lt pikan. When the lpini
thorn pricks you, it burns more than
any other. (see also: zakasya)

lldouden variant of ddfouden.

llmi

N enemy. Nou pa ni pys llmi.

We have no enemies. (opp: jan,
kanmawad) [< Fr. lennemi]

llven

N yeast, leavening. Pen sala ft

san llven. That bread was made
without leavening. (syn: yis) [< Fr.

Monday. [< Fr. lundi]

N clothes. Nonm sala wich; lenj

li ch an chay. That man is rich; his
clothes are very expensive. (syn: had,
abiman) [< Fr. linge]

lj

N legitimate child. Mwen s

pa bata, mwen s an ljitim. Im not
a bastard, Im his legitimate child.
(opp: bata, ich dw) [< Fr. lgitime]

lenj

manmay lkl ka pas lgzanm

simenn sala. All of the school
children are taking exams this week.
ADJ light. Tibway-la lj kon on
plim. The boy is as light as a feather.
(opp: lou) [< Fr. lger]

lponj

lponj

N foam (for cushions or a bed).

L nou al an ht nou ka dmi asou
lponj. When we go into the

137

lsisyon

Kwyl English

countryside we sleep on a foam. (see

also: matla) [< Fr. lponge]

lsisyon

lessons, teaching,
instruction. Mwen t apwann
lsisyon sala l mwen t jenn. I
learned that lesson when I was young.
(see also: lison)
N

li pi lwil koko. They rubbed his chest

with coconut oil. [< Fr. lestomac]

lt1

N letter. Mwen kwi d lt jdi-a.

I wrote two letters today. [< Fr. lettre]

lt2

N 1) milk. Mwen genyen d pt

lt. I bought two cans of milk. 2) sap.
Lt-la ka koul an py bwa-a. The
sap is leaking from the tree. (see also:
lagli) [< Fr. lait] lt konsv
condensed milk. Lt konsv s on lt
ki dou. Condensed milk is a kind of
milk that is sweet. tiw lt to milk (a
cow). Toul bonmaten i ka tiw lt.
Every morning he milks the cow.

lsiv

N laundry. I ka f lsiv li toul

Sanmdi sw. She does the laundry
every Saturday evening. [< Fr.
lessive]

lskaly

N stairway, stairs. L i w sa
ki ft, i dsann lskaly-a vitman.
When he saw what happened, he went
down the stairs quickly. (see also:
mach) [< Fr. lescalier]

lta

N 1) occupation, profession, trade.

Ki lta ou ni? What is your
profession? (see also: twavay)
2) state, condition. Sa ban mwen an
penn an tj mwen l mwen w lta
nonm sala. That hurt me when I saw
the condition of that man. (see also:
s) [< Fr. ltat]

lspiwasyon

N breath. (syn: lisouf,

van) [< Fr. respiration] pwan
lspiwasyon to breathe, to take a
breath. I pa ka pwan lspiwasyon.
Hes not breathing.

lspwi (var: spwi)

N 1) spirit. s ou
kw tout moun ni on lspwi? Do you
think everyone has a spirit? (see also:
lam) 2) intelligence, cleverness,
shrewdness, cunning, wiles. (syn:
lifon; see also: lasajs, entlijans,
savan, malen) [< Fr. lesprit]
Lspwi Bondy Holy Spirit.
Lspwi Bondy ka djid nou. The
Holy Spirit guides us. (syn:
Lisentspwi) ni lspwi to be smart,
sly, cunning, wise, intelligent, clever,
shrewd, wily. s ou kw ou ni lspwi
pas mwen? Do you think you are
smarter than I am? (syn: visy) vy
lspwi evil spirit. Nonm sala ni an
vy lspwi adany. That man has an
evil spirit inside him. (syn: mov lam)

lstan variant of lwstan.

lstomak

lti

ltabli

N work bench. Mt bsin-an

asou ltabli-a. Put the wash bucket on
the work bench. [< Fr. ltabli]

ltaj

N shelf. Yo mt lanp-lan anl

ltaj-a. They put the lamp on the
shelf. [< Fr. ltagre]

ltan

N lake. I pa ni pys ltan Sent

Lisi. There are no lakes in St. Lucia.
(rare; see also: ma) [< Fr. ltang]

ltman variant of lantman.

ltnit variant of ltwnit.
ltwnit (var: ltnit)

N eternity.
Nou kay viv pou tout ltwnit. We
will live for all eternity. (syn: lavi
diwant; see also: tan) [< Fr. lternit]

lti

N lettuce. La pa ni pys lti an

magazen-an. Theres no lettuce in the

chest. Yo fot lstomak

138

ltj

Kwyl English

when we heard what he was doing.

(syn: pwi dy, pwi an pwi an k; see
also: hl dy) lv kankan same
as ach kankan, ach twen, ach
chikann. mal lv to raise, bring up
poorly, wrong. Ti manmay-la
mchan kon sa paski manmany mal
lvy. The child is bad because his
mother brought him up wrong. (opp:
byen lv) [< Fr. mal lever] lv n
to make proud. Gason-an lv n
mwen pis i f byen lkl. The boy
made me proud because he did well in
school. (see also: lgy)

supermarket. [< Fr. laitue]

ltj

N carpentry square. Yo pa ka
svi ltj-a. Theyre not using the
square. (syn: skw) [< Fr. lequerre]

ltjiwi

N stable. Mt chouval-la
adan ltjiwi-a. Put the horse in the
stable. (see also: bay) [< Fr. lcurie]

lvanjil

N Holy scriptures. Yo toujou

ka tann lvanjil m sa pa ka f
anyen ba yo. They always are
listening to the scriptures but it doesnt
do anything for them. (see also: Bib;
kwiti) [< Fr. lvangile]

lv

lip. Lv li t ka senyen. His lip

was bleeding. (see also: bouch) [< Fr.
lvre]

lv

V 1) to get up, to rise, to wake up.

Ki l ou ka lv l bonmaten? What
time do you get up in the morning?
(opp: kouch) 2) to grow (in
reference to plants). Py koko-a kay
lv si ou ba li sl. The coconut tree
will grow if you give it fertilizer. (see
also: pwofit) 3) to raise, to lift up.
Gason-an lv lanmeny. The boy
raised his hand. (opp: bs) 4) to rise
(in reference to sun). Sly-la ka lv
bonn! The sun rises early! (opp:
kouch) 5) to wake, to awaken. L ti
manmay-la lv an sonmy-la, i t
gaw. When the child woke from
sleep, he was in a daze. 6) same as
lv wvt. S moun-an lv kont
gouvdman-an The people rebelled
against the government. (see also:
wbl, wivlt) [< Fr. lever] byen
lv to bring up properly, to raise
well. Tonton mwen byen lv s
manmay li-a. My uncle raised his
children well. lv dy to rebuke.
Nou lv dy tibway-la l nou tann
sa i t ka f-a. We rebuked the boy

lz

lvk

N bishop. Lvk-la t adan

lgliz-la. The bishop was in the
church. (see also: p, pwt, lab,
monseny) [< Fr. lveque]

lw

N error. Ou an lw! Youre in

error! (opp: ni wzon; see also: ni t)
[< Fr. lerreur]

lwstan (var: lstan)

N the rest,
remainder. I ka lav lwstan s
had-la. Shes washing the rest of the
clothes. [< Fr. restant]

lwni

N hernia. L ou lv chay tw
lou, ou kay twap lwni. When you
carry a too heavy load, you will get a
hernia. [< Fr. lhernie]

lza

N iguana. (see also: zanndoli)

[< Fr. lzard]

lzavwa

N reservoir. Yo ka mt dlo
an lzavwa-a pou l la pa ni dlo.
They fill the reservoir for when there
is no water. [< Fr. rservoir]

lz

N sky, air. L mwen gad an

lz-a mwen w an vl jiby ka pas.
When I looked in the sky I saw a flock
of birds passing by. (see also: syl,
van) [< Fr. les aires]

139

lzksis

Kwyl English

lzksis

lidy. He has the thing in mind. d

lid to be double minded, ambivalent,
undecided. Gwan moun di d lid pa
bon. Older folks say that being
double-minded is not good. f lid to
make up ones mind, to decide.
Mwen f lid mwen pou al an vil
jdi-a. I have decided to go to town
today. (syn: dsid) f d lid to
waver, to hesitate, to be doubleminded, indecisive, of two minds. Pa
f d lid, paski ou sav sa pou f.
Dont hesitate, because you know
what to do. ni lid to think, to
believe. Mwen ni lid yo kay vini
jdi-a. I think they will come today.
(syn: kw; see also: katjil)

N exercise. Lzksis bon

pou santw. Exercise is good for
your health. [< Fr. lexercise]

lzm

N people, man, mankind. La ni

tlman ladj paski lzm pa ka
dak. There are so many wars because
mankind cannot get along. (see also:
lat, kwityen) [< Fr. les hommes]

lzt

ADJ other (plural). Yo t ni d

lzt ti manmay. They had two other
children. (see also: lt) [< Fr. les
autres]

li1

PRO variant of i. Ba li chz li. Give

him his chair.

li2

V to read. Mwen kontan tann titja

sala li. I like to hear this teacher read.
[< Fr. lire]

li3

ART

libenn

the. (limited usage) [< Fr. le]

argument. (syn:
dzagwman, chikann)
N

lifon

N smartness, shrewdness, slyness,

cunning.

ligowin variant of lgowin.

Lildivan

N Windward Islands. Sent

Lisi s on pyi an Lildivan. St. Lucia
is a country in the Windward Islands.
[< Fr. lle de vent]

libt

N liberty. Yo t vl libt yo.

They wanted their liberty. (see also:
lchanlib) [< Fr. libert]

libwasyon

liberation. Avan
libwasyon i t on slav. Before
liberation he was a slave. [< Fr.
libration]

libw

lid

lilt

N islet. I t ka naj pou al asou

lilt-la pi i mantj ny. He was
swimming to the islet and he almost
drowned. [< O Fr. lislet]

to liberate. Tout ng an
slavay t libw pas yon san
swasant lann ki pas. All blacks in
slavery were liberated more than one
hundred and sixty years ago. [< Fr.
librer]

lilyon

N unity. S lilyon ki ka ban

nou lafs. Its unity that gives us
strength. (see also: manch) [< Fr.
lunion]

N 1) idea. I t ni on bon lid. He

had a good idea. (see also: katjil)
2) mind. Sa pas an lid mwen. That
slipped my mind. (see also: svl)
[< Fr. lide] asou lid in mind, on
ones mind. I ni bagay-la asou

lim

lim1

N lemon. Yo ka vann lim k

sitwon. They sell lemons and limes.
[< Fr. lime]

lim2

N file. I fil koutlay pi an lim.

He sharpened his cutlass with a file.

lim (var: limy)

N pus. Lim ka sti

an bobo-a. Pus is coming out of the
sore. (syn: maty; see also: pstim)

140

limen

Kwyl English

limen

V to light, to ignite. Nou ja

limen dif-a. We have lit the fire. (see
also: pwi dif) [< Fr. allumer]

[< Fr. lisse]

lisans

N license. Mwen pa ni lisans

pou mwen drayv vann-an. I dont
have a license to drive the van. [< Fr.
licence]

limit

N limit. La pa ni pys kalt

limit an sa s tibway sala sa f.
Theres no kind of limit on what these
boys can do. [< Fr. limite]

Lisentspwi

N Holy Spirit. S pou

nou kout vwa Lisentspwi-a. We
must listen to the voice of the Holy
Spirit. (syn: Lspwi Bondy) [< Fr. le
saint sprit]

limit

V to limit. Ou pa sa limit yo.

You cant limit them. ADJ limited.
Lid nou limit. Our minds are
limited. [< Fr. limiter]

limou

moss, slime on trees. Py

pwadou-a t ka glis pas i t ni an
chay limou anly. The tree was
slippery because it had much moss on
it.

lison

N lesson. Nou ja apwann lison

nou. Weve learned our lesson. (see
also: lsisyon) [< Fr. leon]

lisouf (var: souf)

N life, breath as a
sign of life. S pou ou f bon patan
ou ni lisouf toujou. You must do
good while you still have life. (see
also: lavi, lspiwasyon, van, viv)
[< Fr. le souffle]

limowo

N number. Mwen obliy

limowo-a ou ban mwen-an. I forgot
the number you gave me. [< Fr.
numro]

limy1

listwa

N history, story, tale. Nou vini

isi-a pou apwann listwa pyiw. We
came here to learn the history of your
country. [< Fr. lhistoire] tiw
listwa to tell stories. Yo t ka tiw
an chay listwa b lavy-a. They
were telling a lot of stories at the
wake. (see also: tiw kalkati, tiw
plan)

1) light. Tout gwan chimen

ni limy apwzan. All of the main
roads have lights now. (syn: klt)
2) curse. I kay mt an limy anl
tt ou. He will put a curse on you.
(syn: modisyon; see also: djiyon)
N

limy2 variant of lim.

lint

N glasses. Dkt-a ba li lint

nf. The doctor gave her new glasses.
[< Fr. lunettes]

ling

N line. I ouv had li asou linglan. She hung her clothes on the line.
(see also: kd, fil, fisl) [< Fr. ligne]

lipap

Pope. Lipap kay vini Sent

Lisi. The Pope is coming to St. Lucia.
[< Fr. le pape]

lis

smooth. Planch-lan vini lis

apw nou galy. The board became
smooth after we planed it. (opp: wid)
ADJ

livnaj

lit

V to wrestle. S ti manmay-la t
ka lit. The children were wrestling.
(see also: kouv a t-a) [< Fr. lutter]

liv1

N book. Yo ka li an chay liv.

They read many books. [< Fr. livre]

liv2

N pound. Mwen vl kat liv sik. I

want four pounds of sugar. [< Fr.
livre]

livnaj

N rainy season. Tan sala s

tan livnaj. This is rainy season. (opp:
kawenm; see also: fwdi, szon)
[< Fr. lhivernage]

141

livw

Kwyl English

livw

my house again, I will take you to

court. (syn: lalwa, bawo; see also:
gwan konsy) [< Fr. laudience]
mennen lodyans to take to court.
Si ou kontin f sa, mwen kay
mennenw lodyans. If you continue
doing that, Ill take you to court. (syn:
mennen lalwa; see also: awt)

V to hand over, to turn over (to).

Yo livw nonm-lan an lanmen s
polis-la. They turned the man over to
the police. [< Fr. livrer]

livy

N lever. Yo ka svi livy pou

lv py bwa-a. They use levers to
raise the tree. [< Fr. levier]

lizin

N factory. I ka twavay an lizinan. He works in the factory. (syn:

faktri) [< Fr. lusine]

lfb

N goldsmith. S an lfb ki f
tout s bl chenn sala. It was a
goldsmith who made all of these nice
chains. [< Fr. lorfvre]

lo

N 1) share, portion. Ban mwen lo

mwen! Give me my share! (see also:
pa, psyon) 2) pile, heap. Konmen
pou lo dachin-an? How much for the
pile of dasheen? (syn: pil) an lo a
lot. La t ni an lo moun. There were
a lot of people. (syn: an chay, an pil;
see also: anbadjo, mizi)

lofwann

N offering. S pa pou ou
obliy anmas lofwann-an. Dont
forget to take up the offering. (syn:
latjt) [< Fr. offrande]

lg

N organ. Nou ni on lg an lglizla m nou pa ni moun pou jwy. We

have an organ in the church but we
dont have anyone to play it.

N gold. Mwen ni d zanno ki ft

an l. I have two earrings made of
gold. (see also: lofb) [< Fr. lor]

logy variant of lgy.

loch

lgy (var: logy)

ld

lj

ld

ljman

lodyans

lk

V to be loose, to shake (in

reference to tooth). Dan-an ka loch.
The tooth is shaking.

N order. Mwen t ka swiv ld

mt-la. I was following the bosss
orders. [< Fr. lordre] bay ld to
order, to give orders. Mwen ba yo
ld pou doubout goumen. I ordered
them to stop fighting.

N smell, odour, scent. Bl fl m

i pa ni ld. Its a beautiful flower but
it has no scent. I ni on bon ld. It
smells nice. [< Fr. lodeur] pwan
ld to smell. Mwen ka pwan ld
vyann-an. I smell the meat. (see also:
santi)
N court, legal authorities. Si
ou vini b kay mwen ank, mwen ka
mennenw lodyans. If you come by

lk

N pride. Ou ni
twp lgy. You have too much pride.
(syn: kwyans, kw)

V to lodge someone, to put

someone up. Manman mwen di i
kay lj mwen jik tan mwen fin f
kay mwen. My mother said she will
put me up until I finish building my
house. (see also: ljman)

N lodging, residence, place to

stay. Msi Bondy pou kouzen
mwen ki ban mwen an ljman l
mwen t lkl. I thank God for my
cousin who gave me a place to stay
when I was in school. (see also: lj,
wst, lakay)
N oils taken as a purge several days
after taking tisane. Madanm mwen
pwan on lk st jou apw i akouch.

142

lokasyon

Kwyl English

to name. Yo lonmen ti manmay-la

Pl. They named the child Paul. (syn:
bay non) [< Fr. nommer]

My wife took a purge seven days after

she gave birth. (see also: mtsin,
jalap, tizann)

lokasyon

lonn

N location. Yo chanj
lokasyon-an. They changed the
location. [< Fr. location]

N honour. Nonm sala enmen

bay ky lonn. That person likes to
give himself honour. (see also: wsp,
pwivilaj) [< Fr. lhonneur]

lokazyon

N occasion, opportunity.
Nou wimsyy pou lokazyon sala.
We thanked him for that opportunity.
[< Fr. loccasion]

loko

lonng

ADJ long. Ling-lan t tw

lonng. The line was too long. (opp:
kout) [< Fr. long]

same as twen. [< Fr. locomotif]

lontan (var: lotan)

ADV 1) a long
time, for long, long. Nou pa t wst
lontan. We didnt stay long. 2) same
as tan lontan. Lontan yo t ka wt
isi. Long ago they lived here. [< Fr.
longtemps]

lol

V to wriggle. V t-a ka lol a ta. The worm is wriggling on the

ground.

lolo

N penis. Nonm-lan t ni an
maladi an loloy. The man had a
sickness in his penis. (crude; syn: kal,
koko, pennsil, jak, kk, pati)

lonvi

N binoculars, telescope. Nou t

sa w tout bagay a kl paski nou t
ni lonvi nou. We could see everything
because we had our binoculars. [< Fr.
longue vue]

lonbwaj

N shade, shadow. Py balata

ka ban nou lonbwaj. The balata tree
gives us shade. [< Fr. lombrage]

lonbwi

lonyon

N onion. Lonyon ka bay

manj bon gou. Onions give food a
good taste. [< Fr. loignon] ti
lonyon spring onion, green onion,
chives. Yo ka vann ti lonyon pi ti
diten. They sell green onions and
thyme.

umbilical cord, navel.

Fanmchay-la koup lonbwi ti
manmay-la. The midwife cut the
childs umbilical cord. [< Fr. nombril]
N

londj

N length. Ki londj kd-la?

How long is the rope? (see also:
fondj, gwand, gws, ht, laj)
[< Fr. longueur]

lopinyon (var: wipinyon)

N opinion.
Wspkt lopinyon lt moun.
Respect others opinions. [< Fr.
lopinion]

lonj (var: lonji)

V to stretch out, to
extend. I lonj lanmeny ban mwen.
He extended his hand to me. [< Fr.
allonger] lonj lanmen to assist, to
help out. S pou ou toujou lonj
lanmenw bay l pv. You must
always help out the poor. (see also:
lachawit, d, asist)

lopital

N hospital. I ka wst an
lopital-la. Hes staying in the hospital.
(see also: dkt, ns) [< Fr. lhpital]

loposyon

N asthma. Pa wst an dloa twp paski ou ni loposyon. Dont

stay in the water too long because you
have asthma.

lonji variant of lonj.

lonmen (var: nonmen)

to christen,

losyon

losyon
143

perfume. Losyon sala ni on

lt

Kwyl English

bon ld. This perfume has a nice

scent. [< Fr. lotion]

loup

N welt, lump. L i manj vyann

kochon, gwo loup ka lv anl
lapoy. When he eats pork, welts rise
on his skin. [< Fr. loupe]

lt

ADJ 1) other. La pa ni pys lt

manny pou f sa. Theres no other
way to do that. (see also: dt, lzt)
2) next. Lt simenn nou kay al
Kastwi. Next week we will go to
Castries. (syn: ka vini, pwochen)
[< Fr. lautre] an lt another. Yo t
ka f an lt bagay. They used to do
another thing. lt pyi abroad,
overseas. Yo tout ka wst lt pyi.
They live abroad.

loup

V to blister, to cause welts to

rise. Mt lkl-la loup fs tibway-la
k an lyenn. The school principal
blistered the boys rear-end with a
whip. [< Fr. loup]

louwa

N king. Louwa di si mwen

genyen batay-la i kay may mwen
pi fiy-la. The king told me that if I
win the battle he will let me marry his
daughter. (term used only in folktales;
see also: wa) [< Fr. le roi]

lota

N lotah, vitiligo, fungus causing

white patches on the skin. Pa d lota
ki an do tibway-la. The boys back is
covered with lotah. (syn: dat; see also:
kannawi dlo, wzipl)

lvy variant of lawivy.

loway

N thunder. La t ni loway k
zkl. There was thunder and
lightning. [< Fr. lorage]

lotan variant of lontan.

lotl

N altar. Yo mt sakwifis-la
asou lotl-la. They put the sacrifice
upon the altar. [< Fr. lautel]

lowizon1 (var: lowizyon)

N charm,
object used for supernatural
protection. Pysonn pa sa f nonm
sala anyen pask i ni an lowizon.
Nobody can do anything to him
because he has a charm. (see also:
cham, js, koupay) [< Fr. loraison]

lotowit (var: otowit)

N authority.
Ki moun ki baw lotowit pou f sa?
Who gave you authority to do that?
(syn: pouvwa, dwa; see also:
otowizasyon) [< Fr. lautorit]

lou

1) heavy. Sak-la t lou pas

ki! The sack was very heavy! (opp:
lj) 2) easy-going, laid back.
Madanm mwen lou tlman i pa sa
janmen wiv twavay a l. My wife is
so laid back she can never arrive at
work on time. (syn: kalandj, f
kakl, f klonng) [< Fr. lourd]

lowizon2

N horizon. Yo navidj jis

lowizon-an. They sailed to the
horizon. [< Fr. lhorizon]

ADJ

loukou1

N porridge made with cassava

flour. (syn: matt; see also: fawin,
kwenm, malobi, pap)

lwa

lowizyon variant of lowizon.

lozy

N sorrel. L Nwl s tan-an

nou ka bw pli lozy. Christmas is the
time when we drink the most sorrel.
[< Fr. loseille]

lwa

N 1) law. Lwa pyi sala pa z.

The laws of this country are not easy.
2) rule. S manmay sala wivlt
kont lwa lkl-la. Those children
revolted against the school rules.
[< Fr. loi]

loukou2

N halter that squeezes the

animals nose. [< Fr. licou]

144

lw

Kwyl English

lw

mach

kavach) [< Fr. liane] lyenn chas a

type of vine that releases water when
cut. Koup lyenn chas sala ban
mwen pou mwen bw dlo adany.
Cut that vine for me so I can drink
water from it. lyenn dous a type of
wild vine that goats and rabbits like to
eat. Kabwit kontan lyenn dous.
Goats like wild vines. lyenn savon
soap vine, a type of vine that some
people use to brush their teeth. S
Rasta-a ka svi lyenn savon pou
tjiw dan yo. The Rastas use soap
vines to brush their teeth. lyenn wid
rough vine, a type of vine that has a
rough surface and causes the skin to
turn black. Pa kit ti manmay-la al
b lyenn wid-la. Dont let the child go
near the rough vines.

V to rent, to let. Nou lw kay-la

bay polis-la pou d lann. We rented
the house to the policeman for two
years. (see also: pwt) [< Fr. loyer]

lwen

ADV far, far away. Nou t ni pou

al lwen pou nou p sa jwenn dlo.
We had to go far away in order to be
able to collect water. (opp: pw) [< Fr.
loin]

lwil

N oil. Ban mwen dimi bouty

lwil koko. Give me half a bottle of
coconut oil. [< Fr. lhuile]

ly

N mile. Yo mach sis ly avan yo

doubout. They walked six miles
before they stopped.

lyenn

N 1) vine. S lyenn-an kouv

py bwa-a. The vines covered the
tree. 2) branch used as a whip. I bat
chyen-an k an lyenn. He whipped
the dog with a branch. (syn: fwt,

lyon

N lion. Lyon f pas Tig. Lion is

stronger than Tiger. [< Fr. lion]

Mm
ma

away!

N pool, manmade pond. Ma-a t

plen dlo. The pond was full of water.
(see also: ltan) [< Fr. mare]

machandiz

N merchandise. Yo t ka
vann machandiz yo b lawi-a. They
used to sell their merchandise by the
street. (see also: machann) [< Fr.
marchandise]

mab

N marbles. Mwen enmen jw

mab. I like to play marbles. (see also:
tk, zing) [< Fr. marbre]

mabouya variant of mabwiya.

machann

N vendor, merchant.
Machann-an ka vann fwitaj. The
vendor sells fruit. (see also:
machandiz, wivandz) [< Fr.
marchande]

mabwiya (var: mabouya)

N gecko,
house lizard. La ni an chay mabwiya
adan kay-la. There are a lot of geckos
in the house. (see also: zanndoli)

mach1

step, stair. I asid asou

mach-la. She sat on the step. (see also:
lskaly) [< Fr. marche]
N

mach

mach2

V go away (said to dogs). Di

chyen-an, Mach! Tell the dog, Go

145

V 1) to walk. I t tlman sou i

pa t sa menm mach. He was so
drunk he couldnt even walk. (see
also: pwonmnen) Mach byen! Take
care of yourself! 2) to work, to
function. Trk-la ka mach byen.

mach

Kwyl English

The truck works well. [< Fr. marcher]

mach anl to approach someone
threateningly. Mwen mach anly
pi mwen ba li on palaviw. I
approached him and I gave him a slap
on the face. mach asou to take
advantage of. Pa kit pysonn mach
asouw. Dont let anyone take
advantage of you. (syn: manstip,
pwan lavantaj) mach pi to walk
with, to carry (something with you).
S pou mach pi manjw l ou ka
al an ht. You must carry your food
with you when you go to the
countryside. mach kalpat to
crawl. Ti manmay-la ka mach
kalpat. The child is crawling. (syn:
hal kalpat) [< Fr. mach kat pat]
mach piti to tiptoe, to creep, to
stalk. I ka mach piti dy mwen; i
kw ma wy. He tiptoed behind me;
he thought I didnt see him.

denmen. My wife is coming

tomorrow. (opp: mawi) TITLE Mrs.,
Mistress (used with surname).
Madanm Ambrose tonb malad.
Mrs. Ambrose fell sick. (syn: Man;
see also: Manz, My) [< Fr.
madame]

Madi

magazen

N shop, store, supermarket.

Mt magazen-an dw nou lajan. The
store owner owes us money. (see also:
boutik) [< Fr. magasin]

magnify

V to exalt. Nou kay

magnify non Bondy. Were going
to magnify the name of God. (relig.)
[< Fr. magnifier]

magot

V to graft. Yo magot py
mango-a. They grafted the tree. ADJ
1) grafted. Py mango-a ki magot-a
ka pt bl fwi. The mango tree that
is grafted bears nice fruit. 2) having
an extra finger or toe. Tibway sala
magot; i ni sis dwt adan yon
lanmen. That boy is grafted; he has
six fingers on one hand. [< Fr.
marcotter]

machin

N 1) machine, engine.
Machin-an toujou ka kwaz. The
machine always breaks down.
2) truck, van. Machin-an kay vini
pwany. The truck will come take it.
(syn: trk; see also: motoka, vann)
[< Fr. machine]

jaw. Avan chyen manj

zo, i ka miziw machwy. Before a
dog eats a bone, he measures his jaw.
(syn: bazou) [< Fr. machire]

machwen

madanm

magw

CONJ though, although,

despite, in spite of. I vini, magw i
pa t ni pys lajan. He came,
although he didnt have any money.
(see also: dw, kanmenm) [< Fr.
malgr]

porpoise. [< Fr.

marsouin]

Tuesday. [< Fr. mardi]

V to bewitch. Tjenbwat-a
mafwz tifi-a. The obeah man
bewitched the girl.

(see also: monch) [< Fr. ma chre]

mafwz

mach my dear (said of a woman).

machw

maho

maho

N mahogany. Maho ka f bl
mb. Mahogany makes nice furniture.
maho piman 1) a type of tree whose
bark can be peeled to make rope.
2) the rope made from such a tree.
Mwen maw bwa-a pi maho

1) lady, woman.
Madanm sala ka vann pen. That
woman sells bread. (see also: djal,
fanm, kabws, manmzl, tifi)
2) wife. Madanm mwen kay vini
N

146

majstwa

Kwyl English

marque] mak py footprint. Yo ka

swiv s mak py-a pou w ki kot i
sti. Theyre following the footprints
to see where he came from.

piman. I tied the wood with peeled

bark.

majstwa

N magistrate. Majstwa
sala pa ka bay blag. This magistrate
doesnt joke around. (see also: jij)
[< Fr. magistrat]

maji

1) magic. Ti manmay-la t
kw i t maji. The child thought it
was magic. 2) nonsense, foolishness.
(syn: btiz, papicho, kouyontwi,
kochonni) [< Fr. magie] maji blan
white magic, the use of supernatural
powers to abuse men sexually in their
sleep, or the person who practices
white magic. Mwen pa t janmen
sav madanm sala st on maji blan.
I never knew this woman practiced
white magic. f maji to grimace, to
make faces, to gesticulate. Dlo-a t
ka bwily tlman i koumans f
maji. The water was burning him so
much that he began to grimace. (syn:
gwiyen, f js) maji nw black
magic, the use of supernatural powers
to abuse women sexually in their
sleep, or the person who practices
black magic. I ka f maji nw. He
does black magic. (see also: gaj, js,
tjenbwa, vy lam, zb) pal maji
same as pal papicho.

makabou variant of makanbou.

makanbou (var: makabou)

N a kind
of cooking banana. I ka vann
makanbou. She sells cooking
bananas. (see also: fig, bannann)

maj

ADJ strong, stronger, strongest.

Ou kw ou maj pas mwen? You
think youre stronger than I am?

majl

makak

N monkey. Makak-la ni on
lonng latj. The monkey has a long
tail. [< Fr. macaque]

makouchat

N tomcat. Makouchat-la
gwo! The tomcat is large!

makoum

N 1) female cosponsor at
baptismal ceremony; your childs
godmother or your godchilds mother.
Makoum mwen vini pi mwen pa
ni anyen pou ofy. My godmother
came and I dont have anything to
offer her. (see also: konp, pawen,
nennenn) 2) effeminate male, a man
who is acting like a woman. Nonm
sala ka mach kon on makoum.
That man is walking in an effeminate
way. (see also: boula, mal manman)

makwyo

mackerel. [< Fr.

maquereau]

makwisti N castor oil plant. gwenn

makwisti castor bean. lwil gwenn
makwisti castor oil. Lwil gwenn
makwisti s yonn an s lwil-la yo ka
bay madanm ki akouch. Castor oil
is one of the oils which they give
women who have given birth.

dewlap.

majwit

N most. Majwit moun

Sent Lisi ka pal Kwyl Most
people in St. Lucia speak Creole.
[< Fr. majorit]

mal

mal1

ADJ male. Mal bouwik sala wd

pou kondwi. That male donkey is
hard to control. (opp: fiml) [< Fr.
male] mal manman homosexual
male. Nonm saa s on mal

mak

N scar. Koul bouty-la kit on

mak asou fidjiy. The blow from the
bottle left a mark on his face. [< Fr.

147

mal

Kwyl English

malen

manman. That mans a homosexual.

(syn: boula) pwan mal to be in
heat. Fiml chat-la ka pwan mal.
The female cat is in heat. (syn: anfoli,
mand mal)

ADJ sly, cunning, crafty. Ou

kw ou malen, m ou pa kay
kwennen mwen! You think youre
sly, but you wont fool me! (see also:
lspwi, lasajs, entlijans, savan,
lifon) [< Fr. malin]

mal2

ADJ 1) bad. Nou pa di anyen ki

mal asouw. We didnt say anything
bad about you. 2) poor. Yo t mal,
yo pa t ni anyen. They were poor,
they didnt have anything. (syn: pv,
malw; see also: fonn) N pain.
Chouval sala sanm ni an chay mal.
This horse seems to be in a lot of pain.
[< Fr. mal] f mal 1) to hurt. Dan
mwen ka f mwen mal. My tooth is
hurting me. 2) to harm. Yo ka f
tjenbwa pou f llmi yo mal. They
use obeah to harm their enemies.

mal3

malenng

N sore that doesnt heal. I ni

an malenng asou pyy. He has a sore
that doesnt heal on his foot. (see also:
bobo, gad, lakangwenn)

malw

ADJ poor. Nonm-lan

malw. The man is poor. (syn: mal,
pv; opp: wich; see also: malwz,
fonn) N poor person. I s on malw
m i pa an vl. He is a poor person
but hes not a thief. (opp: wicha)
[< Fr. malheureux]

malwz

ADJ poor (in reference to

females). An ti madanm malwz ki
ban mwen an pt dlo pou mwen
bw. It was a little poor woman who
gave me a cup of water to drink. (syn:
pv, mal; see also: fonn, malw) N
poor woman. Mwen vlw d
madanm sala paski i s on malwz.
I want you to help this woman because
she is a poor woman. [< Fr.
malheureuse]

trunk, suitcase. I sti Langlit

pi an gwo mal. He left England with
a big trunk. [< Fr. malle]
N

malad

ADJ ill, sick. I pa tlman

malad. Hes not so sick. [< Fr.
malade] malad akouch in labour,
having labour pains. Al kwiy
fanmchay-la, madanm mwen malad
akouch. Go call the midwife, my
wife is in labour.

malad variant of maladi.

malfini

N chicken hawk. Malfini ka

manj ti poul. Chicken hawks eat
small chickens. (syn: gwigwi poul;
see also: lg)

maladi (var: malad)

N illness,
sickness. Yo ni tout st kalt maladi.
They have all kinds of illnesses. (see
also: plg) [< Fr. maladie]

malis

ADJ devious. I pli malis pas

lzt. Hes more devious than the
others. (syn: visy, kwennad, bblis)

malanga

N wild tanya. Pa kas

malanga-a avan i gwatw. Dont
break the wild tanya or it will make
you itch.

malkadi

N epilepsy. Dl malkadi
ka pwen ti gason-an. Sometimes
epilepsy takes the little boy. (see also:
kwiz, twanblad)

mal

N bad luck. Yo ni an chay mal.

They have lots of bad luck. (syn: mal
chans; opp: bon chans; see also:
djiyon, modisyon) [< Fr. malheur]

malobi

malobi

N porridge made with white

flour, milk and spices. L i ka f fwt

148

malotj

Kwyl English

mwen enmen manj malobi. When it

is cold I like to eat porridge made with
white flour. (syn: pap; see also:
kwenm, loukou, matt, pap)

malotj

nauseous, queasy, upset.

L mwen w lta nonm sala, mwen
jwenn malotj. When I saw that
mans condition, I became queasy.
(syn: boulvs; see also: sivotj)

mand mal same as pwan mal.

Chat-la ka mand mal. The cat is in
heat.
mandyan

N moocher, freeloader.
Nonm sala s on mandyan. That
mans a moocher. (see also: djt)

ADJ

mango

N mango (Mangifera indica).

Yo ka vann tout st kalt mango.
They sell all kinds of mangos.
[< Tamil mankay] mango alawz,
mango diwidou, mango djouli,
mango grhenm, mango groum,
mango kawozin, mango Kayenn,
mango koko bf, mango kwenm,
mango lonng, mango lota, mango
madanm, mango man wili,
mango manng, mango manng
nw, mango palwi, mango pon,
mango ti wavin, mango tin,
mango tin alawz, mango tin
djk, mango tin kwenm, mango
v, mango wili, mango zanzanna
names for types of mangoes.

malpalan

N bad-talker. Nou kay f

malpalan sala py pou lanng li!
Were going to make that bad-talker
pay for what he said! (see also: pal,
mal pal) [< Fr. mal palant]

Man

TITLE Mrs., Mistress, Madam

(used with surname). Man Ambrose
kay vini pli ta. Mrs. Ambrose will
come later. (syn: Madanm; see also:
My, Manz)

manch

N 1) handle. I bizwen on
manch pou hach li. He needs a
handle for his axe. 2) sleeve.
Chimiz-la ni manch kout. The shirt
has short sleeves. (syn: manch had)
[< Fr. manche] manch had same as
manch.

manh variant of manj.

manj (var: manh)

V to eat. Yo pa
manj pwson-an. They didnt eat the
fish. (see also: dvow, djnen,
dinen, dit) Pen k pwson fwi ka
manj byen. Bread and fried fish go
well together. N food. Yo bay chatla manj-a. They gave the cat the
food. [< Fr. manger] gwo manj
ground provision, starchy root crops.
Jdi-a an chay madanm ka vann
gwo manj. Today many women are
selling ground provisions. (syn: vivt;
see also: ldjim)

manch

V 1) to put a handle on. I

manch on pikwa. He put a handle on
an axe. 2) to unite, to join together.
Tj mwen manch pi sa ou. My
heart is united with yours. (see also:
lilyon, jwenn, ansanbl) [< Fr.
emmancher]

manchonj variant of mansonj.

mand

V 1) to ask. Ou sa mand
npt moun ki kot mwen ka wst.
You can ask anyone where I live.
(opp: wponn; see also: pld) 2) to
ask for. Mwen pa vl ou mand
mwen lajan. I dont want you to ask
me for money. [< Fr. demander]

manm

manm1

N muscle. Nonm sala oblij

ka lv plon; gad gws manm li!
That man must lift weights; look at the
size of his muscles!

149

manm

Kwyl English

manm2

manng

N member. Nou tout s

manm gwoup sala. Were all
members of that group. [< Fr.
membre]

N mangrove, swamp. Yo t ni
pou pas an manng-lan pou al b
lanm. They had to cross through the
mangrove to get to the beach. (see
also: lagon) [< Taino mangle]

manm3 variant of manman.

manman (var: manm, Anman)

mansyonnen

mother. Kouman manmanw?

Hows your mother? (see also: papa)
ADJ huge, really big, enormous. Sa s
on manman wch ki tonb an
chimen-an. That is a huge rock that
fell on the road. (syn: bidim,
matenm) [< Fr. maman] manman
dlo mermaid. Jan lontan kw i ni
manman dlo an lanm-a. Long ago
people thought there were mermaids in
the sea.

mannikou

N opossum. Adan moun

ka manj mannikou. Some people
eat opossum.

mannwa

N warship. La ni an
mannwa an lawad-la. There is a
warship in the harbour. [< Eng. manof-war]

manny

N 1) manner, way, how.

Mwen kontan manny i bouwi
pwson-an. I like the way he cooked
the fish. (see also: sitiwasyon) 2) way
of living, lifestyle. I ja chanj
mannyy. Hes changed his lifestyle.
(see also: atitid, ms) [< Fr. manire]
ki manny (var: koumanny) how.
Ki manny ou f sa? How did you do
that? ki manny ki f why, how
come. Ki manny ki f ou pa ni
koutla-a? Why dont you have the
cutlass? (see also: pouki)

manmay

N child. Tout s manmayla ni wim. All of the children have

colds. (syn: ti manmay, zanfan; see
also: ich) ti manmay same as
manmay. Ti manmay-la ka hl
twp. The child cries too much.

manml

N udder. Manml bf-la

gwo; i sanm kay mtba. The cows
udder is full; it looks like it is going to
give birth. (see also: tt)

mansonj (var: manchonj)

N lie.
Tibway sala ka pal mansonj tousl.
That boy speaks only lies. (opp:
lavwit) [< Fr. mensonge] tiw
mansonj to lie, to tell lies. Yo t ka
tiw mansonj pou kwennen s lzt
moun-an. They were telling lies to
deceive the others. (syn: manti)

manmit

N large tin. Manmit-la plen

dlo. The large tin is full of water. (see
also: bonm, tin) [< Fr. marmite]

manmot

V to mumble. Ki manny
ou ka manmot kon sa? Why are you
mumbling like that? (see also:
mimiw)

manstip

V to take advantage (of).

Ou sa manstip asou nonm sala pis
ou ni lajan pasy. You can take
advantage of that man because you
have more money. (syn: mach asou,
pwan lavantaj)

manmzl

N unmarried young woman.

Sa s on bl manmzl ki ka vann an
magazen-an. That is a pretty young
woman who is selling in the store. (see
also: djal, fanm, kabws, madanm,
tifi) [< Fr. mademoiselle]

mansyonnen

V to mention. S pa
pou mansyonnen sa mwen diw-la

150

mant

Kwyl English

bay pysonn. You must not mention

what I told you to anyone. [< Fr.
mentionner]

Manz

TITLE Mistress (used with first

name). Yo al vizit Manz Twza.
They went to visit Mistress Teresa.
(syn: My; see also: Madanm, Man)

mant variant of lanmant. [< Fr.

menthe]

mapou

N a type of tree with soft wood

(Ceiba pentadra).

mant

N liar. I s on mant. Hes a

liar. (see also: manti, mantz) [< Fr.
menteur]

mas1

N sledgehammer. I svi on mas

pou kwaz masonn-an. He used a
sledgehammer to break the concrete.
(see also: mato) [< Fr. mace]

mantz

ADJ lying. Nonm sala s on

vy ipokwit mantz. That man is an
evil lying hypocrite. (see also: manti,
mant)

manti

to lie. I manti asou mwen!

He lied to me! (syn: tiw mansonj;
see also: mant, mantz) [< Fr.
mentir]
V

mantj

V 1) to lack, to need. Si ou
mantj anyen, mwen kay ba ouy. If
you are lacking anything, I will give it
to you. (see also: bizwen, mwit)
2) to miss. I vow wch-la m i
mantj mango-a. He threw the rock
but he missed the mango. (see also: ni
chagwen) ADV almost, nearly. I
tonb asou an py koko pi i mantj
m. He fell out of a coconut tree and
he almost died. (see also: pwsk)
[< Fr. manquer]

Mas2

the month of March. [< Fr.

mas3

N mask. Vl-a t ni on mas; s

sa ki f nou pa w fidjiy. The thief
was wearing a mask; that is why we
didnt see his face. [< Fr. masque]

mason

N mason. Mwen vl on
mason pou mt an tj masonn asou
kay-la ban mwen. I want a mason to
put a concrete extension on my house.
[< Fr. maon]

masonn

N concrete. Lgliz-la ft an
masonn. The church is made of
concrete. (see also: siman)

masonnen

V to pour concrete, to lay

concrete, to pave. Yo ka masonnen
b kay-la. Theyre laying concrete
next to the house. (see also: pitj)

mastif

ADJ hard, tough, heavy (in

reference to bread). Pen sala tw
mastif; mwen pa sa manjy. This
bread is too tough; I cant eat it.

manyk

N cassava. S pi manyk
ou ka f fawin. It is with cassava that
you make cassava flour. (see also:
fawin, kasav) koukou manyk
mangrove cuckoo (Coccizus minor).
Mwen pa konnt pys jiby ki pli
dous pas koukou manyk. I dont
know any bird thats tamer than the
mangrove cuckoo.

mars]

manyen (var: menyen)

V to touch, to
stroke, to handle. I t ka manyen
chat-la. He was stroking the cat. (see
also: touch) [< Fr. manier]

matenm

mat

V 1) to overturn, to tumble.
Nonm-lan mat motoka-a. The man
overturned the car. (syn: chaviw;
opp: dmat, dchaviw) 2) to buck.
Bouwik-la koumans mat. The
donkey began to buck.

matenm
151

ADJ

huge, enormous. Nonm-

matt

Kwyl English

malad an matwis li. The woman is

sick in her womb. [< Fr. matrice]

lan bati an matenm kay, m i pa

jwiy. The man built a huge house, but
he didnt enjoy it. (syn: bidim,
manman)

matwit

ADJ 1) mature. Viv laviw

kon on moun ki matwit. Live your
life like a person who is mature.
2) ready to pick. S zabka-a pk
matwit. The avocadoes are not yet
ready to pick. (see also: olt, mi, vt)
[< Fr. maturit]

matt

N porridge made of cassava

flour and milk. Gwanmanman mwen
enmen matt. My grandmother likes
to eat porridge made of cassava flour.
(syn: loukou; see also: fawin, kwenm,
malobi, pap)

matj

1) to mark, to write. I matj

asou liv-la pi on kwyon. He wrote
on the book with a pencil. (see also:
kwi) 2) to heed, to take note of, to
pay attention to. Matj sa mwen
diw-la! Heed what Im telling you!
[< Fr. marquer]

matla

matwiyo

N building materials. I ban

nou tout matwiyo-a pou nou sa bati
lkl-la. He gave us all the materials
to build the school. [< Fr. matriaux]

mattress. Mt matla-a asou

kouch-la. Put the mattress on the bed.
(see also: lponj) [< Fr. matelas]
N

maty

N pus. Maty ka sti an boboa. Pus is coming out of the sore. (syn:
lim; see also: pstim)

maw

V 1) to tie. Yo maw kanntla b tj-a. They tied the canoe by the

dock. (opp: dmaw) 2) to put under
a spell. Yo di madanm sala maw
mawiy. They say that woman put her
husband under a spell. (see also:
tjenbwa, mafwz, cham) ADJ
1) tied. I kit kabwit-la maw an
pak-la pi i ay f zafy. He left the
goat tied to the fence and he went to
do his business. 2) cloudy, overcast
(in reference to weather). Tan-an
maw jdi-a. The weather is overcast
today. (see also: baw) [< Fr.
amarrer]

matlo

N sailor. Papa mwen s an

matlo. My father is a sailor. [< Fr.
matelot]

Matnik

N Martinique. Yo t kw nou
t al Matnik. They thought we had
gone to Martinique. [< Fr.
Martinique]

mato

N hammer. Pt mato-a k
klou-a ban mwen. Bring the hammer
and nails to me. (see also: mas) [< Fr.
marteau]

maton

chin. I koup matony. He

cut his chin. (see also: machw,
bazou) [< Fr. menton]

mawi

N husband. Mawiy s on
mason. Her husband is a mason. (opp:
madanm) [< Fr. mari]

matoutou

mawisos

N dragonfly. La ni an
chay mawisos b kay mwen. There
are a lot of dragonflies around my
house.

tarantula. Mwen w an
matoutou asou py mango-a. I saw a
tarantula on the mango tree.
N

matwyo variant of matwiyo.

matwis

mawiyaj

mawiyaj

N marriage. Mawiyaj yo pa
f. Their marriage isnt strong. (see
also: ns, may) [< Fr. mariage]

womb. Madanm-lan
152

mawon

Kwyl English

mawon

V to run away, to escape. Ti

manmay-la mawon! The child ran
away! (see also: chap; fann kann, f
djip, f lapousy, f zkl, pwan
lavl, kwaz bwa, kwaz wazy,
pwan an bwa, pwan lavl) ADJ wild.
Sa s on bt mawon. That is a wild
animal. (syn: fawouch, sovay; opp:
dous) [< Fr. marron]

nf pou Nwl. Theyre buying new

furniture for Christmas. (syn: founiti)
[< Fr. meubles]

mbl

V to furnish. I ja mbl kay-la.

She has already furnished the house.
[< Fr. meubler]

mch

N wick. Yo mt mch-la adan

lanp-lan pouy limen. They put the
wick in the lamp to light it. [< Fr.
mche]

mawonn

N beach party. La kay ni an

mawonn Lanslaw Dimanch. There
will be a beach party in Anse La Raye
Sunday.

mchan

ADJ evil, wicked. Gason sala

mchan an chay. That boy is very
wicked. (syn: slwa, modi; opp: bon;
see also: mov, vy) [< Fr. mchant]

may

N 1) link (of a chain). Chanj

chenn-an asou bf-la paski an may
ja pws kas. Change the chain on the
cow because a link is almost broken.
2) holes in a fishpot or netting wire or
fence wire. Wtjen-an koup
konmen may an nas-la pou t sa
manj pwson-an. The shark tore
open several holes in the fishpot in
order to eat the fish. [< Fr. maille]

mchanst

N evil, iniquity,
wickedness, wicked things. Pa f sa;
sa s mchanst. Dont do that; that is
evil. (syn: kwiyot, movzt; see also:
slwat, vis) [< Fr. mchancet]

mdikanman

N medicine, remedy.
Dkt-a ba li an mdikanman pou
bw. The doctor gave him a medicine
to drink. (syn: wimd) [< Fr.
mdicament]

may

V to marry. Mwen kay may

mwa pwochen. Im getting married
next month. (see also: mawiyaj, ns)
[< Fr. marier]

mdit

V to meditate. Paditan i t ka
spw, i t ka mdit. While he was
waiting, he meditated. (see also:
katjil, konsidiw, chonj) [< Fr.
mditer]

maygwen

N mosquito. Tan lapli s

tan maygwen. Rainy season is the
time for mosquitoes.

mayhont

N creeping mimosa plant.

Mayhont-lan ni an chay pikan tout
anl ky. The mayhont has many
thorns all over.

m1

CONJ

M2

May. [< Fr. mai]

mb

furniture. Yo ka acht mb

Mkwdi

mg

ADJ skinny, thin. Bf sala mg

an chay. That cow is very thin. (syn:
fin; opp: gwa, gws) [< Fr. maigre]

mgwsi

V to get smaller, to get

thinner, to shrink. Manman mwen ka
mgwsi paski i malad k i pa vl
manj. My mother is getting smaller
because she is sick and doesnt want to
eat. (opp: gwandi, gwosi, ogoumant)
[< Fr. maigrir]

but. Nou t la m nou pa

wy. We were there but we didnt see
him. (see also: kanmenm, magw)
[< Fr. mais]

Mkwdi
153

Wednesday. [< Fr.

ml

Kwyl English

mercredi]

ml

menm

ADJ 1) same. Tout s souly-a

menm pwi. Theyre all the same
price. 2) own. Mwen wy k zy
mwen menm. I saw it with my own
eyes. (syn: pwp) ADV 1) intensifier
modifying a noun or pronoun. Mwen
menm pa sav! I myself dont know!
2) even. I t sou tlman i pa t sa
menm mach. He was so drunk he
couldnt even walk. [< Fr. mme]
menm kon just like, just as. Ou
bladj menm kon manmanw. You
are a joker just like your mother. (syn:
md kon; see also: tl kon, pawy)
menm si even if, even though.
Menm si yo al, ma kay al. Even if
they go, I wont go.

N blackbird. Ml kontan manj

mi. Blackbirds like to eat corn. [< Fr.
merle]

ml2

N stone used for sharpening,

whetstone. I fil kouto-a asou mlla. He sharpened the knife on the
whetstone. (syn: py dous)

ml

V 1) to mix, to tangle. I ml sik

pi b pou i t sa f bonbon. She
mixed sugar with butter in order to
make a cake. (opp: dml) 2) to
confuse. Pa kity mlw. Dont let
him confuse you. (see also: toubl)
3) to care, to be concerned. Ti
manmay-la tonb pi ou pa menm
ml? The child fell and you dont
even care? Ki ml mwen? What do I
care? Mwen pa ml k sa. I dont
care about that. Ki mlw pi yo!
Dont worry about them! ADJ mixed,
tangled. Tout s fil-la ml ansanm.
All of the threads are tangled together.
(see also: ttiy) [< Fr. mler]

mennwit

mennaj

V to manage. Mwen vl
nonm sala mennaj zaf mwen byen
k pa gaspiy lajan. I want that man
to manage my affairs well and not
waste money. (see also: dbat,
dbwiy)

mennen

V to bring, to take. I kay

mennen lajan-an l i vini. He will
bring the money when he comes.
[< Fr. mener] mennen fwi to bear
fruit. Si titak lapli tonb, py sala p
mennen fwi. If a little rain falls, that
tree may bear fruit. (syn: pt; see
also: pwodwi) [< Fr. mener fruit]
mal mennen 1) to buffet. Van-an
t ka mal mennen kannt-la. The
wind was buffeting the boat. 2) to
treat roughly, to mistreat, to ill-treat, to
abuse. Nonm-lan t ka mal mennen
tibway-la. The man was mistreating
the boy. (see also: mal twt) 3) to
wear down, to cause to lose weight
and strength. Malad sala ka mal
mennen mwen. This sickness is
wearing me down.

mlimlanj

N 1) mixture (of food). I

f an mlimlanj k manj-a, m i t
bon. He made a mixture with the food,
but it was good. 2) mle; noisy,
confused brawl. La ni yon
mlimlanj anba-a la; manman ka
goumen k papa, papa ka goumen
k ich. There is a mle down there;
mother fighting with father, father
fighting with children. (see also:
batay, roro) [< Fr. mler mlange]

mltwi

V to soften. Pwan pwokosyon

pi mango-a avan ou mltwi yo.
Take care with the mangoes lest you
soften them. ADJ soft. Tout mango-a
mltwi. All of the mangoes are soft.
(see also: ml)

mennwit
154

midnight. Yo kay wiv

mens

Kwyl English

b mennwit. They will arrive near

midnight. (see also: midi) [< Fr.
minuit]

mens

animals). Chat-la ja mtba. The cat

has given birth. [< Fr. mettre bas]

mt

V 1) to put. Mt bwt-la asou

tab-la. Put the box on the table. 2) to
put on (clothes). Mt had ou pou
nou al. Put on your clothes so we can
go. (opp: tiw) 3) to drop, to let off.
Mt nou b laplas-la. Drop us at the
market. (see also: ladj) 4) to begin
to. Yo mt kouwi! They began to
run! (syn: pwan, pitj, koumans)
5) to set (clock). Mt mont-lan asou
l. Set the clock to the right time.
[< Fr. mettre] mt bay to ally with,
to side with, to stand with, to support.
Pa mt bay twanj kont fanmiw.
Dont side with strangers against your
family. (syn: mt pou, pwan pou;
see also: bay wzon, sipt) mt
pou same as mt bay.

thin. Twl sala tw mens

pou f tjilt. That cloth is too thin to
make into pants. (opp: p; see also:
fin, mg) [< Fr. mince]
ADJ

menyen variant of manyen.

mpwi

N defamation, slander. Yo ka
voy mpwi ban nou. They heap
slander on us. (see also: ensit) [< Fr.
mpris]

mpwiz

V to defame, to slander. Yo
t ka mpwiz nou. They were
slandering us. (syn: dkwiy, nwsi
non, sali non; see also: ensilt, chay
pawl, mal pal) [< Fr. mpriser]

ms

N 1) manners. I pa ni bon ms.

He doesnt have good manners. (see
also: manny) 2) habit. Ou pwan sa
kon on ms. You do that as a habit.
(syn: labitid)

mtsin

N purge. Misy-a t ni pou

pwan afwchi avan i pwen mtsin.
The man had to take a cooling before
he took the purge. (see also: jalap,
lk, tizann)

msi

INTERJ thank you. I pa menm di

nou msi. He didnt even say thank
you. (see also: wimsy) [< Fr.
merci]

msy

Man! exclamation
denoting surprise. Msy! Ki sa ki
ft-la? Man! What happened? (see
also: misy) [< Fr. messieurs]
INTERJ

mt (var: mtws)

N 1) owner,
proprietor. Mt boutik-la ni an chay
lajan. The store owner has lots of
money. 2) Lord, master. Jzi Kwi s
Mt lavi nou. Jesus Christ is Lord of
our lives. [< Fr. matre] mt lkl
headmaster, principal. Mt lkl-la
ka wt an vil. The headmaster lives
in town.

mtba

mwit

mtsiny

N manchineel (Hippomane
Mancinella). [< Fr. mdecinier]

mtws (var: mt)

N female owner,
proprietress. Mtws bitasyon sala
ka twavay wd. The owner of this
estate is working hard. [< Fr.
matresse]

mw

N nun. Titja tifi mwen-an s an

mw. My daughters teacher is a nun.
(syn: danm; see also: lab, lvk,
monseny, p, pwt)

mwit

V 1) to deserve. Nou pa
mwit kado sala. We didnt deserve
that gift. 2) to need, to lack. Kaf
sala mwit sik. This coffee needs
some sugar. (see also: mantj,

to give birth (in reference to

155

Mwitjen

Kwyl English

[< Fr. midi] an midi variant of a

midi. gwan midi broad daylight, in
the middle of the day. Gwan midi
kon sa ou vl di mwen ou ka dmi?
You want to tell me you are sleeping
like that in the middle of the day?
(syn: gwan jou, gwan lajoun; opp:
gwo lannwit)

bizwen) [< Fr. mriter]

Mwitjen

N American, person from

the United States. Nou ka twavay pi
kat Mwitjen. We are working with
four Americans. (see also: Anmwik)
ADJ American. Nonm Mwitjen sala
kontan bay blag. That American man
likes to tell jokes. [< Fr. amricain]

my1

migannen

V to crush. An gwo wch

tonb asou nonm-lan k i migannen
janm li. A large rock fell on the man
and crushed his leg. (see also: kwaz)

better. Sa ou-a my pas

sa mwen-an. Yours is better than
mine. (see also: bon) [< Fr. meilleur]
pli my best. Kils ki pli my an
twa sala? Which one is best among
these three?
ADJ

mik

ADJ damp. Tout anba tab-la

mik. All under the table is damp. (see
also: mouy)

My2

TITLE Mistress. Sa ou f, My
Fabsie. How are you, Mistress Fabsie?
(used with first name; syn: Manz; see
also: Man, Madanm)

Mikou

mi1

mi2

corn. Mi-a t dou. The corn

was sweet. (see also: zopi) [< Fr.
mas]

look. Mi manmanw la. Look

at your mother there. (used in
imperative; syn: ga; see also: w,
gad) [< Fr. mirer]

milat

N mulatto. Nonm sala s on

milat. This man is a mulatto. (see also:
chaben, miyatws, ng) [< Fr.
mulatre]

mil1

N mule. Mil-a ka manj mi.

The mule is eating corn. (see also:
bouwik, chouval) [< Fr. mulet]

mil2

mullet. [< Fr. mulet]

milit

ADJ military. I s on ofisy

milit. He is a military officer. N
military. Gwanpapa mwen t adan
milit Anglit-a. My grandfather was
in the British military. [< Fr.
militaire]

miltipy

V to multiply, to reproduce.
Wadenn ka miltipy vit. Guinea pigs
reproduce quickly. (syn: plpl) [< Fr.
multiplier]

midi

N noon, midday. L i t midi,

nonm-lan vini. When it was noon, the
man came. (see also: mennwit) [< Fr.
midi] a midi at midday, at noon.
Nou wiv a midi. We arrived at noon.

the village of Micoud.

ADJ thousand. I t ni senk mil

dla pi i pd li. He had five thousand
dollars and he lost it. [< Fr. mille]

mi3

ADJ ripe, ready to eat. S fig-la

pk mi. The bananas are not yet
ripe. (opp: vt; see also: matwit,
olt) [< Fr. mur]

mil

mzon

N nice house. Tan lontan

mwen t ka viv adan an ti kay m
apwzan mwen ka viv adan an
mzon. Long ago I used to live in a
little house but now I live in a nice
house. (see also: kay) [< Fr. maison]

mily

mily

N peace, truce, cessation of

fighting. S pou nou mt mily ant

156

milyonn

Kwyl English

d nonm sala avan yo tjw yonn a

lt. We must make peace between
those two men before they kill each
other. (see also: lap)

milyonn

N millionaire. I ja vini
milyonn. Hes become a millionaire.
[< Fr. millionnaire]

[< Fr. mystre]

mistk

N mistake. Nou f an chay

mistk. We made many mistakes.
[< Eng. mistake]

misy

TITLE Mr.. Misy Ambrose ka

twavay atjlman. Mr. Ambrose is
working now. N 1) man. Misy sala
kay vini denmen. That man will come
tomorrow. (syn: nonm; see also:
boug) 2) sir. Ki sa ou vl, misy?
What do you want, sir? (used as a
form of address; see also: msy)
[< Fr. monsieur]

mimiw

V to murmur. Apw pasta-a

fini pwch, s moun-an koumans
mimiw. After the pastor finished
preaching, the people began to
murmur. (see also: bougonnen,
manmot) [< Fr. murmurer]

minab

ADJ frazzled and frustrated. S

manmay sala ka wann manman yo
minab. Those children rendered their
mother frazzled and frustrated. (see
also: anbt, twakas, anmwd,
annwv, chagwinen, distw) [< Fr.
minable]

minis

N minister (of government).

Tout s minis gouvdman-an vini an
ltman-an. All of the government
ministers came to the funeral. [< Fr.
ministre] Pwmy Minis Prime
Minister. Jik Pwmy Minis-la ki t
la. Even the Prime Minister was there.

minit

mitin

N meeting. Nou ka tjenn mitin

nou sw-a. We are having our
meeting tonight. (see also: konsit)
[< Eng. meeting]

miwak

N miracle. Jzi f an chay

miwak. Jesus did many miracles.
[< Fr. miracle]

miw

V to look in the mirror. Tout la i ka miw ky. Hes always

looking in the mirror. [< Fr. mirer]

miw

N mirror. Yo kas miw-a.

They broke the mirror. [< Fr. miroir]

miyatws

N female mulatto. Magw i

s an miyatws, i ka sipt sly-la
menm kon an jan nw. Although she
is a mulatto, she bears the sun just like
a black person. (see also: chabin,
milat, ngws) [< Fr. multresse]

minute. spw on minit!

Wait a minute! (see also: monman,
kad, nditan) [< Fr. minute]
N

minizy

N joiner. Felix s on
minizy. Felix is a joiner. [< Fr.
menuisier]

mis

miyt

miyt

N crumb, small piece. Bay

poul-la s miyt pen-an. Give the
fowls the bread crumbs. (see also: bi,
mso, tj, wonyen) [< Fr. miette] ti
miyt (var: tiyt) 1) some, a little
bit, a few. Nou ba li ti miyt diven.
We gave him a little bit of wine. (syn:
tak, tibwen, ti mso, ti tak, tizing)
2) okay, so so. Mwen la ti miyt. Im

musk. [< Fr. musc]

miskad

N nutmeg. B laplas toujou

ni miskad ka vann. At the market
they are always selling nutmeg. [< Fr.
muscade]

mist

N mystery. Sa s on gwo mist.

Thats a big mystery. (see also: sigw)

157

miz

Kwyl English

backed up. (see also: pli...pli) [< Fr. en

mesure] ki mizi how much. Ki mizi
lajan ou vl dpans? How much
money do you want to spend? (syn: ki
kantit, ki otan, konmen; see also:
afs, si tlman)

okay. (syn: pasab, pyanmpyanm,

tibwen, titak, tizing, ti mso)

miz

V to overstay, to delay. Mwen

ka voyw pwan dlo, m pa miz.
Im sending you to get some water,
but dont delay. [< Fr. muser]

miz

misery, poverty. Miz s pa

anyen ki dou. Misery is not at all
sweet. [< Fr. misre] kit bat miz
to leave alone. Kit nonm-lan bat
mizy avan i voy wch dyw.
Leave the man alone before he throws
stones at you. (syn: bay wipo; see
also: inyow)
N

mizik

N music. Nou kontan mizik

sala. We like that music. [< Fr.
musique] mizik kd stringed
instrument. Tan lontan s mizik kd
nou t ni. Long ago we had only
stringed instruments.

mizisyen

N musician. Nou vl an
mizisyen pou jw bay lgliz-la. We
want a musician to play for the church.
[< Fr. musicien]

mizwab

ADJ miserable, wretched. S

moun sala s moun ki pli mizwab.
Those people are the most miserable
sort. (see also: mov) [< Fr.
misrable]

mizwikd

N mercy. Bondy ja
moutw nou mizwikd li. God has
shown us his mercy. (relig.; see also:
pity, tj fb, konpasyon) [< Fr.
misricorde]

mizi

miziw

V to measure. I miziw
planch-lan. He measured the board.
[< Fr. mesurer]

mo

N profanity, swearing, curse word.

Las di mo la. Stop saying bad words
there. (see also: jiw, mo pawl)
[< Fr. mot]

m1

V to die. I m lann pas. He

died last year. (opp: viv; see also:
pwi, Bazil pweny, di dd, tenn,
tiw k) ADJ 1) dead. Madanm-lan
jwenn nonm-lan m an kay li. The
woman found the man dead in his
house. (opp: vivan) 2) dull (in
reference to a blade). Kouto-a m
tlman i pa sa koup b. The knife is
so dull it cant cut butter. (syn: dfil;
see also: dankl) [< Fr. mort] m
lafen to starve. Nou kay m lafen si
lapli pa tonb asou jaden-an lann
sala. We will starve if rain doesnt fall
on the garden this year. m swf to
die of thirst. S zannimo-a m swf
paski ma-a pa t ni dlo. The animals
died of thirst because the pond didnt
have any water in it. tou m half-

size, amount, measure. Ki mizi

pyw? What is the size of your foot?
(see also: miziw) ADJ a lot of, so
much, so many. I ni mizi lajan! He
has so much money! (syn: anbadjo,
an chay, an pil; see also: ki mizi,
konmen, tlman) ADV so. I fs
pyy a t, mizi fach i t fach. She
stamped her feet on the ground, she
was so angry. (syn: otan, kantit)
[< Fr. mesure] an mizi an mizi
little by little, gradually. An mizi an
mizi i vini pli my. Little by little he
got better. (syn: piti an piti) an
mizi...an mizi the more, to the same
extent. An mizi nou mach asouy s
an mizi i ka bak dy. The more we
walked towards him, the more he
N

158

Kwyl English

modisyon

dead. Machin-an konyen nonm-lan

pi i kouch tou m b chimen-an.
The vehicle knocked the man and he
lay by the road half-dead.

N curse. Modisyon gwan

moun ki asou tibway sala ki f i
mov kon sa. It is a curse some old
people put on that boy that makes him
bad like that. (syn: limy; see also:
djiyon) [< Fr. maudire]

m2

N bit ( for a horse). Chouval-la

pa kontan m-a. The horse doesnt
like the bit. [< Fr. mors]

md

mk same as mwen pk. Mk

same as manny. Ki md ou
vl mwen f kay-la? How do you
want me to make the house? [< Fr.
mode] md kon same as menm
kon. I ka mach md kon on kanna.
He walks just like a duck. (see also: tl
kon)

ni lajan pou pyw. I dont have the

money to pay you yet.

mtl

N a type of tree that has a red

flower that is shaped like a cutlass,
used to mark boundaries of a property.

ml

ADJ soft. Mi-a pa t ml. The

corn wasnt soft. (opp: wd; see also:
chandl ml) [< Fr. molle]

mdan

N pincer, claw (of a crab).

Mdan s kwab sala gwo. The claws
of these crabs are big. [< Fr. mordant]

moli

V to soften. Si ou mt chandl
ml asou klou-a, i kay moliy k i
kay pt. If you put soft candle on the
boil, it will make it soft and it will
burst. [< Fr. amollir]

md

V to bite. Chyen saa md

mwen! That dog bit me! (see also:
pitj) [< Fr. mordre] md anl to
chew out, to scold. I md anl
mwen. He chewed me out. md
lanng to make a failed attempt to
speak a language (literally, biting
ones tongue). Las md lanng ou;
ou pa sa pal Angl. Stop biting your
tongue; you cant speak English.

mdl

N model, pattern. Di
manmanw voy mdl had-la ban
mwen. Tell your mother to send me
the pattern for the clothes. [< Fr.
modle]

modi1

modi2

ADJ

to curse, to put a curse on. Si

ou anbt vy madanm-lan, i kay
modiw. If you bother that old
woman, she will put a curse on you.
[< Fr. maudire]

monseny

mlky

tortoise, land turtle. (see

also: tti)

mn

N hill, small mountain. Yo

mout mn-an. They climbed the
mountain. (see also: montany, piton)
[< Fr. morne]

monch my dear. Bon, monch,

mwen ka al. Well, my dear, Im
going. (see also: mach) [< Fr. mon
cher]

monman (var: mouman)

N moment,
minute. Ban mwen an monman,
mwen ka vini tal. Give me a minute,
Im coming shortly. (see also: minit)
[< Fr. moment]

monseny

N bishop, monsignor in the

Roman Catholic church. S
monseny-a ki ka f lanms
bonmaten-an. It is the bishop who
will be conducting mass this morning.

wicked. I s on modi
tibway. He is a wicked boy. (syn:
mchan, slwa; opp: bon; see also:
mov, vy)
159

mont

Kwyl English

(see also: danm, lab, lvk, mw,

p, pwt)

mouch, mwen pa sa kopwann li.

Your handwriting is just like a scrawl,
I cant understand it.

mont

N clock, watch. I ni on mont

nf. He has a new watch. [< Fr.
montre]

mouchas

N 1) starch (found naturally

in foods). Manyk sala ni an chay
mouchas. This cassava has a lot of
starch. 2) starch (used for ironing).
Mwen mt mouchas asou chimiz
mwen avan mwen pasy. I put starch
on my shirt before I ironed it.

montany

N mountain. Misy-a f
kay-la asou tt montany-lan. The
man built the house on the top of the
mountain. (see also: mn) [< Fr.
montagne]

mpyon

mouch (var: mouchw)

V to blow
(ones nose). I mouch ny. He blew
his nose. (see also: stenn) [< Fr.
moucher]

pubic louse. Pa asid kot

nonm sala avan mpyon mout
anlw. Dont sit by that man or lice
will get on you. (see also: pou) [< Fr.
morpion]
N

mouchw variant of mouch.

mso

mouchw

N piece, bit. Ban mwen an

mso pen. Give me a piece of bread.
(syn: tj; see also: bi, miyt) [< Fr.
morceau] ti mso same as ti miyt.
Mwen la ti mso. Im so so.

N kerchief, scarf. S pou

tt ou maw k mouchw pouw t
dans kdwil. Your head must be tied
with a kerchief for you to dance the
quadrille. [< Fr. mouchoir]
mouchw pch handkerchief. I
swiy fidjiy k mouchw pch li. He
dried his face with his handkerchief.

motj

V to mock. Ti manmay-la ka
motj papay. The child is mocking
his father. (see also: f papicho, f
sin, pwan svi papicho, pwan svi
widitjil, pwan svi wizib, tous n,
wi) [< Fr. moquer]

moukl

N click beetle. Moukl-a ka

bat tt li a t-a. The fire beetle knocks
its head on the floor.

motoka

moulavan (var: moulen van)

N automobile, car. I genyen

on motoka nf. He bought a new car.
(see also: machin, trk, vann)
[< Eng. motor car]

moulen

N mortar. Yo ka f mty pou

bati an pak masonn. Theyre making
mortar to build a brick wall. [< Fr.
mortier]

mouch

N mill, grinder. Nou bizwen

on moulen pou f fawin fwans. We
need a mill to make flour. [< Fr.
moulin] moulen van variant of
moulavan. [< Fr. moulin vent]

hog plum, hog plum tree.

fly. La ni an chay mouch

asou chouval-la. There are a lot of
flies on the horse. [< Fr. mouche] pat
mouch scrawl, indecipherable
writing. kwitiw menm kon pat
N

windmill. Asou mn-an ni an gwo

moulavan. On the hill there is a big
windmill. [< Fr. moulin vent]

mty

mouben

mouli

mouli

160

N shavings, filings. Mouli-a ka

tonb l i fil koutla-a. Filings fall
when he sharpens the cutlass. mouli
bwa sawdust. La ni mouli bwa
toupatou. Theres sawdust

moulon

Kwyl English

everywhere.

moulon

N watermelon. Moulon-an t
dou. The watermelon was sweet.
[< Fr. melon]

moutjw variant of moutw.

mouton

N sheep. Tan lontan savann

Vy F t benyen mouton. Long ago
the field in Vieux Fort was full of
sheep. [< Fr. mouton]

mouman variant of monman.

moumou

dumb, unable to speak.

Sa ki wivw? Ou moumou jdi-a?
Whats wrong with you? Are you
dumb today? (see also: pawlab,
soud) N mute. Gason sala s on
moumou. That boy is a mute. (see
also: abb)
ADJ

moutw (var: moutjw)

V 1) to show.
Moutw nou lajan-an. Show us the
money. (see also: wvl) 2) to teach.
Tout s bagay-la mwen moutwwla, ou pa apwann anyen. All the
things I have taught you and you
havent learned anything. (see also:
endik, enstwi, titj) Mwen kay
moutww an lison ou pa janmen
obliy! Ill teach you a lesson that
youll never forget! [< Fr. montrer]

moun

N person. Moun sala s on

Fwans. That person is a Frenchman.
[< Fr. monde] gwan moun older
folks, grownups, elders. Pa mt
kw an zaf gwan moun. Dont
involve yourself in grownups
business. ki moun whom. Bay ki
moun ou ka twavay? For whom do
you work? ki moun ki who. Ki
moun ki m? Who died? (syn: kils
ki, sa ki) sa ki moun whose. Sa ki
moun sa y? Whose is that? (syn: sa
ki)

mouvman

N movement. La pa t ni
pys mouvman anba kay-la. There
was no movement under the house.
[< Fr. mouvement]

mouy

V to wet, to get wet. Lapli-a

mouy nou. The rain got us wet. (see
also: twanp, mik, sos) ADJ wet.
Chimiz-la mouy toujou. The shirts
still wet. (opp: sk; see also:
antwanp) [< Fr. mouiller]

moustach

N moustache. I ni on gwo
moustach. He has a big moustache.
(see also: bab) [< Fr. moustache]

mov (var: movz)

ADJ bad. S on
mov gason. Hes a bad boy. (syn:
vy; opp: bon; see also: mchan,
slwa, modi) [< Fr. mauvais] mov
lam 1) evil spirit. L yo sti an vy,
yo w an mov lam t ka swiv yo.
When they left the wake, they saw an
evil spirit was following them. (syn:
vy lspwi) 2) same as vy lam.
Nonm sala s on mov lam i ka f
maji nw. That man is an evil person
he does black magic.

moustik

N sand fly. Moustik piti m

i ka md f. The sand fly is little but
it has a big bite. [< Fr. moustique]

mout

V 1) to go up. I ja mout an
ht twa fwa. She has already gone
up to the countryside three times.
(opp: dsann) 2) to put together, to
assemble. Yo koup tout planch-lan
avan yo mout kouch-la. They cut all
of the boards before they assembled
the bed. (opp: dmout) 3) to ride. I
ka mout chouval-la. Shes riding the
horse. [< Fr. monter]

movzt

movzt

N evil, wickedness. Yo f
tout st kalt movzt. They did all
kinds of evil. (syn: kwiyot,

161

mwa

Kwyl English

mchanst; see also: slwat, vis)

jako. The mwennsons beak resembles

a parrots.

mwa

N month. Yo kay wst d mwa

lt pyi They are going to stay two
months overseas. [< Fr. mois]

mwens

ADJ less, fewer. Mwen ni

mwens lajan pasw. I have less
money than you. (opp: pli) [< Fr.
moins]

mwl

N marrow. Yo tiy mwl an zoa. They removed marrow from the

bone. [< Fr. moelle]

mwzi

ADJ soft (in reference to dry

foods). Biswi-a pa bon ank; i ja
mwzi. The biscuit isnt good
anymore; its soft. (see also: wasi)

mwen

PRO I, me, my, mine. Mwen

pd tout lajan mwen. I lost all my
money. [< Fr. moi]

mwenk

nothing, not a word. L

yo akiz nonm sala, i pa di mwenk.
When they accused the man, he didnt
say a word. (syn: ting; see also:
anyen)
PRO

nati

myl

N bee. S myl-la t ka vol b

djl tou-a. The bees were flying by
the mouth of hole. (syn: vonvon; see
also: dsyen, kasav myl) [< Fr. miel]
siwo myl honey. Vonvon ka f
siwo myl. Bees make honey. (see
also: siwo)

mwennson

N a type of small bird.

Bk mwennson-an ka sanm bk

Nn
naj

V 1) to swim. Yo t ka naj an
lanm-a. They were swimming in the
sea. (see also: benyen) 2) same as
naj saviyon. [< Fr. nager] naj
saviyon to paddle. Nou naj
saviyon pou wiv jik asou lilt-la.
We paddled until we reached to islet.

koko-a t dou! The coconut meat was

sweet!

nann variant of lann.

nannwit variant of lannwit.
nas

N fish pot. I ka tann nas-la

douvan lilt-la. He is setting his fish
pots in front of the islet. (see also:
panyen basen) [< Fr. nasse]

nan variant of adan. Yo mty nan

bwt-la. They put it in the box.

nanj

N angel. Nanj-lan t ka pal

bay Daniel. The angel was speaking
to Daniel. [< Fr. un ange] nanj
Satan demon. S nanj Satan-an t
ka atak nonm-lan. The demons were
attacking the man. (syn: vy lspwi,
mov lam)

nasyon

N nation. Lat sala ni

difwan kalit nasyon. The world has
different kinds of nations. (syn: pyi)
[< Fr. nation]

nat

V to braid, to weave, to plait. S

tifi-a ka nat chiv yo. The girls are
braiding their hair. (see also: tws)
[< Fr. natter]

nanmitan variant of anmitan.

nannan

inside, centre, heart, meat

or pulp of fruit or nuts. Nannan
N

nati1

N dreadlocks. Nati Rasta sala

lonng an chay. That Rastas

162

nati

Kwyl English

mawon uneducated, unskilled,

dreadlocks are very long.

nati

unsophisticated, unambitious person.

Pal kon an moun ki entlijan, pa
kon an ng mawon. Talk like a
person whos intelligent, not like an
uneducated person. ng wonm
drunkard. Ng wonm pa ka ni lajan
pis l yo ni d sou, yo ka bwy.
Drunkards dont have money because
when they have a few cents, they drink
it. (syn: wonmy, gg; see also:
bwason, bw, gg, sou, wonm) ti
ng rascal, scoundrel, mischievous
boy. Pa kwiy mwen, ti ng; mwen
pa janw. Dont call me, you rascal;
Im not your friend. vy ng
irresponsible person. Misy s on vy
ng; i pa ka swen ich li. That man is
an irresponsible person; he doesnt
feed his children.

nature. S kon sa nati lzm

y. That is what mans nature is like.
[< Fr. nature]
N

natiwl

ADJ 1) natural. Dlo sous s on

bagay ki natiwl. Spring water is a
natural thing. 2) sober, not drunk.
Misy-a pa natiwl pys; i sanm ja
bw wonm. The man is not sober at
all; it seems like he has been drinking
rum. (opp: sou) N natural affection.
Manmay jdi pa ni natiwl. Children
today dont have any natural affection.
[< Fr. naturel]

nav

turnip. [< Fr. navet]

navidj

V to sail. Yo navidj pou d

jou. They sailed for two days. [< Fr.
naviguer]

n1

nglijan

N nose. I ni on gwo n. He has a

big nose. [< Fr. nez]

ADJ negligent. Si ou pa t
otan nglijan, aksidan sala pa t kay
ft. If you werent so negligent, this
accident wouldnt have happened.
[< Fr. ngligent]

n2

N knot. La ni an n an kd-la.
Theres a knot in the rope. [< Fr.
noeud] n banbou bamboo knot,
joint. Yo kwv d an s n banboua k yo pleny k dlo. They pierced
two of the bamboo joints and filled it
with water.

nglijans

N negligence. S pou lapti

nglijans dkt-a ti manmay-la m.
It was because of the negligence of the
doctor the child died. [< Fr.
ngligence]

nditan

N hour. Nou twavay pou st

nditan jdi-a. We worked for seven
hours today. (see also: kad, minit, l)

nglij

V to neglect. I ka nglij
twavay li. He is neglecting his work.
[< Fr. ngliger]

nf1

ADJ new. Motokay t nf l i

kwazy. His car was new when he
wrecked it. (syn: nivo; opp: vy) [< Fr.
neuf]

nf2

ADJ

ngws

N Negress. (see also: chabin,

miyatws, ng)

nennenn

N godmother. Madanm-lan
s nennenn mwen. The womans my
godmother. (see also: pawen, da,
makoum, konp)

nine. [< Fr. neuf]

nf3

N nerve. Nf-la anba lapo-a. The

nerve is under the skin. [< Fr. nerf]

ng

Negro. (see also: chaben, djin,

milat, ngws) [< Fr. ngre] ng
N

npt

npt

163

ADJ any. Ou sa mand npt

moun ki kot mwen ka wst. You

nss

Kwyl English

ni1

can ask anyone where I live. (syn:

pwmy vini) [< Fr. nimporte]

V 1) to have. Mwen ni twa dla

an pch mwen. I have three dollars in
my pocket. 2) to be (a certain age).
Niv mwen ni ven lann. My nephew
is twenty years old. ni pou to have
to, must. Nou ni pou genyen lavi
nou. We must make a living. (syn: s
pou, s fo, oblij; see also: dw)

nss

ADJ necessary. S pou ou f

tout sa ki nss avan mwen vini.
You must do everything that is
necessary before I come. (see also:
dw, fo, oblij) [< Fr. ncessaire]

nt

ADJ clean. Wb-la pa nt. The

dress is not clean. (syn: pwp; opp:
sal, mal pwp) ADV completely. Ou
ni pou dtwi yo nt. You must
destroy them completely. (syn:
ntaman, konpltman) [< Fr. net]

ni2

ADJ bare. [< Fr. nu] ni py

barefoot. Ti manmay-la ka mach ni
py an labou-a. The child was
walking barefoot in the mud. [< Fr.
nu-pieds] tou ni (var: toupanni)
naked, nude. Ti manmay-la t tou ni
l yo jwenn li. The child was naked
when they found her.

ntaman

ADV 1) clearly, definitely.

Mwen kay moutww ntaman sa
mwen vl di. I will show you clearly
what I wanted to say. (syn: a kl)
2) completely. Konsyans mwen kl,
m sa pa vl di mwen inosan
ntaman. My conscience is clear, but
that doesnt mean I am completely
innocent. (syn: nt, konpltman,
toutaft) 3) (not) at all. Ou pa kay f
sa ntaman! You wont do that at all!
(syn: pys)

ntway

1) to tidy, to clean. Al
ntway kay-la. Go clean the house.
(opp: sali; see also: nt, pwp, lav,
tjiw, savon) 2) to cut grass and
brush and clear away trash. S mounan ka ntway b chimen-an. The
people are cutting the grass and
clearing away the trash by the road.
[< Fr. nettoyer]
V

ni...ni

CONJ 1) both...and, as well as.

Ni chouval-la ni kaws-la tonb an
lanm-a. Both the horse and the cart
fell into the sea. (see also: vk, pi,
ki...ki, sw...ben, osi, tou)
2) neither...nor. I pa ka obyi ni
papay ni manmany. He obeys
neither his father nor his mother.
[< Fr. ni]

nich

N nest. Jiby-a f on nich asou

py mango-a. The bird made a nest in
the mango tree. [< Fr. niche]

nich1

V to lick. Chyen-an nich

lanmen mwen. The dog licked my
hand. [< Fr. lcher]

nich2

V to caress. Misy-a ka nich

madanm li. The man is caressing his
wife. (syn: kaws, dolot; see also:
manyen, touch) [< Fr. nicher]

nvan

N same as nf lann. [< Fr.

neuf ans]

nv

ny

niv

N nephew. Niv mwen ni ven

lann. My nephew is twenty. (see
also: nys) [< Fr. neveu]

nine oclock. [< Fr. neuf

heures]
to drown. An jenn tifi ny an
lanm-a. A young girl drowned in the
sea. [< Fr. noyer]

nivo

nivo1

ADJ level. S planch-lan pa

nivo. The boards are not level. (see
also: gal) N level. Chapanty-a ka

164

nivo

Kwyl English

svi nivo-a pou twavay. The

carpenter is using the level to work.
[< Fr. niveau]

nivo2

ADJ

north. [< Fr. nord]

new. Sa s on lwa nivo.

That is a new law (rare; syn: nf; opp:
vy) [< Fr. nouveau]
N

nlaj

knowledge. Misy sala ni an

chay nlaj konsn Bib-la. That man
has a lot of knowledge about the
Bible. (opp: inyowans; see also:
lakopwann, konnsans, sav) [< Eng.
knowledge]
N

al piy nonplis. He said he wouldnt

take me, but I didnt want to go with
him anyway. [< Fr. non plus]

ns1

N nurse. Ns-la ka otjip fw

mwen. The nurse takes care of my
brother. (see also: dkt, lopital)
[< Eng. nurse]

ns2

N wedding. Jdi-a la kay ni on

ns an lgliz Katolik-la. Today there
will be a wedding in the Catholic
church. (see also: mawiyaj, may)
[< Fr. noce]

ntseny

N our Lord. Yo pk
aspt ntseny Jzi Kwi kon sov
yo. They havent yet accepted our
Lord Jesus Christ as their saviour.
(relig., archaic) [< Fr. notre seigneur]

non1

N name. Nony s Mano. His

name is Mano. [< Fr. nom] bay non
to name, to christen. Yo bay nony
Jozf. They named him Joseph. (syn:
lonmen; see also: kwiy) ti non
same as soudnon. Nony s
Christopher m ti nony s Tofa. His
name is Christopher but his nickname
is Tofa.

non2

no. Non, nou pa vl pys

pen. No, we dont want any bread.
(opp: wi; see also: awa) [< Fr. non]

ntwipen

N our daily bread. Bondy

ka ban nou ntwipen-an. God gives
us our daily bread. (relig., archaic,
rare) [< Fr. notre pain]

nou

PRO we, us, our. Yo ban nou

lajan nou. They gave us our money.
[< Fr. nous]

ADV

nonm

man. Nonm-lan ka twavay

wd. The man works hard. (syn:
misy; see also: boug) ADJ mannish;
when a boy rudely acts older than he
really is. Tibway sala tw nonm.
That boy is too mannish. (see also:
dwspkt, fanm) [< Fr. un homme]
nonm douvan nonm a type of
grass, remedy for pwidan. (syn:
pikan vwi)

nouwi

nouvl

N 1) news. L i tann nouvlla konsn papay, i koumans hl.

When he heard the news about his
father, he began to cry. (see also:
wap) 2) greeting. Ba yo nouvl
nou. Give them our greetings. (see
also: bonjou) Ki nouvl lakay? How
is home? [< Fr. nouvelle]

nouwi

V to feed. I ka nouwi gasonan. Shes feeding the boy. (syn: swen)

[< Fr. nourrir] mal nouwi to
malnourish. I ka mal nouwi ky, s
sa ki f i mg kon sa. He
malnourishes himself, and that is why
he is skinny like that. [< Fr.
malnourrir]

nonmen variant of lonmen. [< Fr.

nommer]

nonpli variant of nonplis.

nonplis

ADV anyway. I di i pa kay

mennen mwen, m mwen pa t kay

165

nouwiti

Kwyl English

nouwiti

Today is Christmas. [< Fr. Nol]

N nourishment. Manj sala

pa ni pys nouwiti. That food has no
nourishment. [< Fr. nourriture]

Novanm

Lavy Nwl Christmas Eve. Yo

kay pati Lavy Nwl. Theyll depart
on Christmas Eve.

November. [< Fr.

nws

novembre]

N darkness, the dark. Pa wst

an nws-a; limen lanp-lan. Dont
stay in the dark; light the lamp. (syn:
f nw) [< Fr. noirceur]

nwa1

N nut. Yo ka anmas nwa pou

woti. They are gathering nuts to roast.
[< Fr. noix]

nwa2

kidney. Manman mwen

malad an nway. My mother is sick in
the kidney.
N

nwsi

V to blacken, to darken. Sti b

chdy-a avan i nwsi had ou. Get
away from the cooking pot before it
blackens your clothes. nwsi non to
defame, to slander. S moun-an ka
nwsi non s lzt-la. The people
were slandering the others. (syn:
dkwiy, mpwiz, sali non; see also:
ensilt, mal pal, chay pawl) [< Fr.
noircir]

nwaj

N cloud. Syl-la kouv pi

nwaj jdi-a. The sky is covered with
clouds today. [< Fr. nuage]

nw

ADJ black. I ka pt souly nw.

Hes wearing black shoes. (opp: blan)
[< Fr. noir] f nw 1) to be dark.
Nou pa vl sti l i ka f nw. We
dont want to go out when its dark.
(opp: f jou) 2) darkness. Mwen t
p mach an f nw-a. I was afraid to
walk in the dark. (syn: nws) ti f
nw pre-dawn. An ti f nw-a yo al
gad pou ti manmay-la. Just before
dawn they went to look for the child.
f ti nw to be in the dark still, just
before daybreak. I t ka f ti nw
toujou l nou pati al an jaden. It
was still dark when we went out to the
garden. (see also: laba, labajou)

Nwl

obyisans

nwit

N night. I wst la kawant jou

k kawant nwit. He stayed there 40
days and 40 nights. (opp: jou, joun;
see also: sw, lannwit) [< Fr. nuit]

nyak

ADJ overripe condition of

dasheen. Dachin-an pa bon ank, i
ja nyak. The dasheen isnt good
anymore, its already overripe. (syn:
kyanng, tounen; see also: groum)

nys

N niece. Nys mwen malad;

mwen ka al wy. My niece is sick;
Im going to see her. (see also: niv)
[< Fr. nice]

Christmas. Jdi-a s Nwl.

Oo
oben variant of ben.

obyisan

ADJ obedient. Mi an tibway

ki obyisan! Look, what an obedient
child! (syn: koutan; opp:
dzobyisan) [< Fr. obissant]

obyi

V to obey. I pa vl obyi
manmany. He doesnt want to obey
his mother. (opp: dzobyi) [< Fr.
obir]

obyisans

N obedience. Obyisans
ou kay mennenw byen lwen an lavi.

166

obligasyon

Kwyl English

Your obedience will take you far in

life. (opp: dzobyisans) [< Fr.
obissance]

obligasyon

obligation. I pa t
anba pys obligasyon pou d nou.
He was not under any obligation to
help us. [< Fr. obligation]

oblij

houma ki ni odj. It is against the law

to catch lobsters that have eggs.

of

V to offer. Madanm-lan of an ti
tj t pou mwen sa acht. The
woman offered to sell me a little piece
of land. [< Fr. offre]

1) to compel, to force. Mwen

oblij tibway-la mennen s bagay-la
i vl-a dviw. I compelled the boy
to bring back the things he stole. (syn:
fs) 2) to be obligated, to have to.
Mwen pa oblij baw anyen. I dont
have to give you anything. (syn: ni
pou, s fo, s pou; see also: nss)
[< Fr. obliger]

fis

N office. I ka twavay adan on

fis. She works in an office. (see also:
biwo) [< Fr. office]

oblij must. I oblij s yonn an s ti

manmay sala ki voy wch-la. He
must be one of those children who
threw the rocks. (syn: dw) [< Fr.
obliger]

obliy (var: bliy)

to forget. Pa
obliy nou! Dont forget us! (opp:
chonj) [< Fr. oublier]
V

bzki

ADJ out of shape. Tjilt-la

tw bzki, i pa ka f mwen byen.
The pants are too out of shape, they
dont fit well.

ofisy

N officer. Mwen s an ofisy

an lgliz mwen. I am an officer in my
church. [< Fr. officier]

flen

N orphan. Ti manmay sala s

on flen. This child is an orphan.
[< Fr. orphelin]

ofon

PREP at the bottom of. I twouv

papy-a ofon an panyen. He found
the paper at the bottom of a basket.
(see also: fon) [< Fr. au fond]

ofondw variant of anfondw.

ofwans

N offence. Sa s on ofwans
pou nou. Thats an offence to us.
[< Fr. offense]

ofwans

V to offend. Pawdonnen
mwen si mwen ofwansw. Pardon
me if I offended you. ADJ offended.
Nonm-lan vini ofwans paski mwen
pal lavwit. The man became
offended because I spoke the truth.
[< Fr. offenser]

bzv (var: kzv)

V to observe.
Mwen pa t bzv s ou ki t la. I
hadnt observed it was you who was
there. (see also: w, wyaliz) [< Fr.
observer]

gannizasyon

N organization.
Ogannizasyon-an sala ka
wpwzant tout twavay an pyi-a.
This organization represents all of the
workers in the country. [< Fr.
organization]

din

ADJ ordinary. S pa pys nonm

din ou sav; i s on gwo pp. That is
no ordinary man, you know; he is a
big shot. (see also: stdin) [< Fr.
ordinaire]

odj

ganniz

ganniz

V to organize. Kils ki
ganniz s jw sala? Who organized
these games? [< Fr. organiser]

eggs waiting to hatch (of a

crustacean). I kont lwa-a pou tjb
N

167

ogoumant

Kwyl English

ogoumant

V to increase. Bondy ka
ogoumant lafwa nou. God increases
our faith. (opp: twsi, mgwsi; see
also: gwosi, gwandi) [< Fr.
augmenter]

ogwf

registry. Madanm mwen al

ogwf pou gad pou batist s
manmay-la. My wife went to the
registry to look for the childrens birth
certificates.
N

Oj

N the village of Augier. Yo tout

ka wst Oj pw lopital-la. They all
live in Augier near the hospital. [< Fr.
Augier]

k variant of ank.

fruit), unripe. S pa pou tjouwi

mango-a olt. You mustnt pick the
mangoes before they are mature. (see
also: matwit, mi, vt)

oliwon variant of owon.

olwen

ADV from a distance. Yo t ka

swiv nonm-lan olwen. They were
following the man from a distance.
(opp: opw; see also: lwen) [< Fr. au
loin]

oly

PREP instead of, rather than. Svi

sa mwen-an oly sa ou-a. Use mine
instead of yours. (syn: andji, pito; see
also: vonmy, simy) [< Fr. au lieu]

on1 variant of an. I ni on gwo motoka.

okontw (var: ankontw)

CONJ 1) on
the contrary, however. I di i pa ka
pal ban mwen. Okontw s mwen
ki pa ka pal ba li. She said she is not
speaking to me. On the contrary, it is I
who am not speaking to her. (syn:
kanmenm; see also: m) 2) as a
matter of fact. s mwen sa tjouwi on
koko? Wi, okontw, ou sa tjouwi
tout koko-a. Can I pick a coconut?
Yes, as a matter of fact you can pick
all of the coconuts. [< Fr. au
contraire]

He has a large car. [< Fr. un]

on2 sentence tag. Ko ou ka al, on?

Where are you going, eh? (used after a
question or a command; see also: wi)
[< Fr. non]

onk variant of ank.

onkouwaj variant of ankouwaj.
onnt

ADJ honest. Ti manmay-la t

onnt. The child was honest. [< Fr.
honnte] mal onnt 1) impolite, illmannered, untrained. Ou mal onnt,
wi! Ou pas kay-la k ou pa di
bonjou! Youre very impolite! You
passed the house and didnt say good
morning. (syn: mal liv; opp: byen
liv) 2) ungrateful. Ou mal onnt.
Ou pa janmen di mwen msi pou
kado-a. You are ungrateful. You
never said thank you for the gift. (syn:
engwa) [< Fr. malhonnte]

okouwan

ADJ familiar. Mwen pa

okouwan pi chimen sala. I am not
familiar with this road. (see also:
konnt) [< Fr. au courant]

ktb

October. [< Fr. octobre]

olanm

ADV unto death. Jzi di npt

moun ki pa paw pou swiv li jis
olanm pa vo pou s disip li. Jesus
said anyone who is not ready to follow
him even unto death is not worthy to
be his disciple. [< Fr. au la mort]

olt

ADJ

immature (in reference to

onnow

onnwab

ADJ honourable. I s on
nonm onnwab. He is an honourable
man. [< Fr. honorable]

onnow
168

to honour. Yo ka onnow

oplz

Kwyl English

(syn: ki kantit, ki mizi, konmen)

non Jzi. They honour Jesus name.

(opp: dzonnow; see also: wspkt)
[< Fr. honorer]

ot

V to belch. Gason-an koumans

ot. The boy began to belch. [< Fr.
roter]

oplz

INTERJ goodbye, farewell. Apw

mwen di yo oplz mwen pati asou
chimen mwen. After I said farewell I
went on my way. (syn: dd) [< Fr. au
plaisir]

oti1

V to tell on, to tattle. Mwen kay

oti papaw baw! Ill tell your father
on you!

oti2

opw variant of pw.

V to visit, to pay a visit, to see

(someone for something). Tt li t ka
fy mal tlman i t oblij ay oti
dkt-a. His head was hurting him so
much he had to go pay a visit to the
doctor.

osi

ADV also, as well, too. I vl al osi.

He wants to go too. (syn: tou; see also:
ni...ni) [< Fr. aussi] osi byen also,
as well as. Di manmanw bonjou, osi
byen papaw. Tell your mother hello,
as well as your father. (see also: vk,
pi)

oti3 variant of woti.

otjt

N hiccups. I ka bw dlo pis i ni

otjt. Hes drinking water because he
has hiccups. [< Fr. hoquet]

sw

N evening. I kay vini denmen

sw. He will come tomorrow
evening. (opp: bonmaten; see also:
sw, lannwit) [< Fr. au soir] sw-a
this evening, tonight. I kay vini swa. He will come this evening. (see
also: li sw) li sw (var: li sw) in
the evening. Li sw nou wiv
Babad pi nou dmi la. In the
evening we arrived in Barbados and
we slept there.

otjipasyon

N care. Misy-a t anba

otjipasyon ich li dpi l i tonb
malad. The man was under his childs
care since he fell sick. (`; see also:
lanmen)

otjip

V 1) to take care of, to care for,

to look after. Mwen ka otjip tout
ich fw mwen-an ki m-a. I am
taking care of all of the children of my
brother who died. (syn: pwan ka,
gad apw; see also: swen, vy) Ay
otjip zafw! Go tend to your own
business! 2) to worry, to be disturbed
or troubled. Pa otjipw piy. Dont
worry about him. [< Fr. occuper]

otan

ADV how, how much, to what

extent. Nou w otan ho kay-la ho.
We saw how high the house is. (syn:
kantit, mizi) ADJ so much, so many.
Ma t sav i t ni otan lajan. I didnt
know he had so much money. (syn:
tlman) [< Fr. autant] d otan
double, twice as much, twice as many.
L nou fini, nou kay ni d otan
lajan-an nou t ni an koumansman.
When we finish, we will have twice as
much money as we had before. ki
otan how much. Ki otan lajan ou
vl pou f konmisyon-an? How much
money do you want to do the errand?

otowizasyon

otowit variant of lotowit.

otowizasyon

N authorization.
Pwmy Minis-la ban mwen
otowizasyon-an pou mwen sa tabli
an lkl Vy F. The Prime Minister
gave me authorisation to establish a
school in Vieux Fort. (see also:
lotowit, pouvwa, dwa) [< Fr.

169

ou

Kwyl English

pa

ovan

autorisation]

ADV upwind. Ou pas ovan nou.

You passed upwind of us. N
windward side, east. Ovan-an baw;
i sanm lapli kay tonb. The
windward side is overcast; it seems it
is going to rain. (see also: sly lvan)
[< Fr. au vent]

ou (var: w)

PRO second person

singular pronoun. Ou pd lajanw?
Did you lose your money?

ouben variant of ben.

oukou

N a type of tree. Oukou-a ka

bay ss-la bon gou. Oukou gives the
sauce a good taste.

ovif

ADJ raw, open (in reference to a

wound). Bobo-a ovif. The sore is
open. [< Fr. vif]

ouvan variant of ouv. An ouvan

bouch mwen, mwen wigwt mwen
diy. Upon opening my mouth, I was
sorry I said it. (rare)

ouv variant of wiv.

owa

ADJ to the brim. Yo plen s j-a

owa. They filled the jars to the brim.
(syn: waz)

owon (var: oliwon)

PREP around.
Mwen mach tout owon vil ka gad
pou souly lkl. I walked all around
town looking for school shoes. ADV
approximately, about. Mwen ni lid
chyen-an ni owon douz piti. I think
the dog has about twelve pups. (syn:
alafen di, apipw, avwdi, b, v)
[< Fr. au rond] owon-an around
here, around there. Gad owon-an la
pou bol-la; s la i tonb. Look around
there for the ball; that is where it fell.

ouv (var: ouvan)

V 1) to open. Ouv
fint-la ban mwen soupl. Open the
window for me please. (opp: fm)
2) to put out to dry, to hang out (in
reference to clothes). Al ouv had-la
ban mwen. Go hang out the clothes
for me. (opp: antw) ADJ open.
Lapt-la t ouv pi vl-a antw.
The door was open and the thief
entered. [< Fr. ouvrir]

Pp
pa1

(see also: lo, psyon) [< Fr. part]

ADV not. Sa pa vw! Thats not

true! [< Fr. pas] o pa or not. Ou vl
al an vil o pa? Do you want to go to
town or not? [< Fr. ou pas]

pwan pa to take part, to participate.

Mwen pa vl pwan pa an pys jw
ou ni pou pay lajan. I dont want to
take part in any game that involves
gambling. (syn: patisip)

pa2

PREP 1) by, through. S Bondy

ki sovw pa lagwas li. It is God who
saved you by his grace. 2) per. Yo ka
vann li on dla pa bouty. They sell
it one dollar per bottle. (syn: li) [< Fr.
par]

pa4

N step. Vl-a f d pa pi i
janb lawivy-a. The thief took two
steps and he jumped over the river.
[< Fr. pas] fo pa misstep, mistake.
Mwen f on fo pa la. I made a
mistake there. [< Fr. faux pas] pa
lapt doorstep, doorway. Lv an

pa3

N part, share. Chak moun kay f

pay. Each person will do his part.

170

pachpach

Kwyl English

pa lapt-la, ou ka anpch mwen

pas. Come out of the doorway,
youre blocking my way.

pachpach

N second-rate, lesser
quality items. Ou pwen tout s bon
tanmadz-la, m ou ban mwen s
pachpach-la. You took all the good
tomatoes, but you gave me the lesser
ones.

Pak2

N Easter. Dimanch Pak tout

moun ka al lanms. Easter Sunday
everyone goes to mass. [< Fr. Paques]

pakouw

N womaniser. Nonm-lan s
on pakouw. The mans a womaniser.

pakouwi

V to womanise, to engage in
illicit sexual relations. S jou sala ni
tlman maladi, pi ou pa ka doubout
pakouwi? These days there are so
many different diseases, and you
wont quit womanising? (see also:
adilt, fnikasyon) [< Fr. parcourir]

padan (var: padantan, paditan,

patan) CONJ while. Padan nou t ka
pal s gason-an t ka jw. While we
were talking the boys were playing.
(see also: kon, l) [< Fr. pendant]

pal

ADJ pale, light in colour. Mwen

enmen w chimiz-la ou ni ki pal bla. I like to see your shirt that is pale
blue. (see also: blenm) [< Fr. ple]

padantan variant of padan. [< Fr.

pendant temps]

paditan variant of padan.

palanma

padon

palapata

N pardon, forgiveness. Wavt

pa ni padon douvan poul.
Cockroaches get no pardon from
chickens. (syn: pawdonnasyon,
pawdonnab) INTERJ excuse me.
Padon wpt sa ou di-a ank,
soupl. Excuse me repeat what you
said, please. [< Fr. pardon]

screwpine.

N babbler. Ki sa vy
palapata sala konnt? What does that
evil babbler know? (syn: lanng kaka;
see also: bava)

palaviw

N big, angry slap.

Manman-an bay tibway-la yon
palaviw al. The mother gave the
boy one big slap. (syn: soufl, do
lanmen; see also: tap) V to slap with
both sides of hand. Manman-an
palaviw ti manmay-la. The mother
slapped the child. (syn: soufl)

pafim

V 1) to send out smoke. Vy

vann sala ka pafim toupatou. That
old van sends out smoke everywhere.
(see also: fimen, lafim) 2) to
fumigate. Pafim kay-la pou kouwi
dy s maygwen-an. Fumigate the
house to chase away the mosquitoes.
Mn-an ka pafim. There is a haze
around the mountain. [< Fr. parfumer]

pal

pal1

V to speak, to talk. I ka pal

Kwyl. He speaks Creole. (see also:
di, diskit, koz, wakont) N talk,
chat. Nou wy k nou t ni an ti
pal. We saw him and we had a little
chat. (see also: diskasyon, koz)
[< Fr. parler] mal pal to bad-talk,
to speak badly about, to backbite. Las
mal pal moun. Stop bad-talking
people. (syn: bay dan, chay pawl,
pal moun mal; see also: dkwiy,
mpiwz, nwsi non, sali non) pal

pak1

N 1) fence. Kabwit-la janb

pak-la. The goat jumped over the
fence. 2) pen, fold. Yo mt
mouton-an adan pak-la. They put the
sheep in the pen. [< Fr. parc] pak
wch pile of stones on which women
do laundry.

171

pal

Kwyl English

moun mal same as mal pal. Tout

also: chdy, kannawi, twin) pann

a fwi frying pan. I lav pann a fwia. She washed the frying pan.

moun ki pal moun mal kay m. All

who gossip will die.

pal2

pans

pal3

pans

palmis

pant

pan

panti

panchan

pantoufouy

N palace. Nonm sala abiy kon

on moun ka wst andidan pal.
That man is dressed like a man who
lives in a palace. [< Fr. palais]
N palate, roof of mouth. Kaf
cho sala bwil tout pal mwen. This
hot coffee burned my whole palate.
[< Fr. palais]

N palmiste, a very tall kind of

palm tree. (see also: wanmo) [< Fr.
palmiste]

N peacock. Ou filozf kon an

pan Youre as flashy as a peacock.
[< Fr. paon]

N slope, slant. (syn: pant)

[< Fr. penchant] an panchan
sloping, on a slant. Mt bwt-la an
panchan. Put the box on a slant.

N belly. Nonm sala malad; ou

pa w gws pans li? That man is
sick; dont you see the size of his
belly? (syn: bouden) [< Fr. panse]

V to dress, to tend (a sore or a

wound). I al lopital pans boboy.
He went to the hospital to dress his
sore. [< Fr. panser]
N slope, slant. Yo mt tab-la
an pant. They leaned the table at a
slant. (syn: panchan) [< Fr. pente]

N hinge. Mwen ni pou acht

panti pou lapt-la. I need to buy
hinges for the door.

pann1

1) to hang. I ka pann had li

asou ling-lan. She is hanging her
clothes on the line. (syn: ouv; opp:
dpann; see also: sispann, wanm)
2) to hang (a person, as execution or
suicide). Nonm sala mwit pann
paski i tjw madanm li. That man
deserves to hang because he killed his
wife. [< Fr. pendre]

pann2

saucepan, frying pan, cooking

pot. Mt dlo-a adan pann-an pou
ou sa bouwi diwi-a. Put the water in
the saucepan to cook the rice. (see

hammerhead shark.

N basket. Panyen-an t plen

konkonm. The basket was full of
cucumbers. [< Fr. panier] panyen
basen basket used as a trap for
catching crayfish. Mwen tjb d
kwibich an panyen basen-an. I
caught two crayfish in the trap. (see
also: nas)

panyt

N pint. Ban mwen on panyt

lt. Give me a pint of milk. [< Eng.
pint]

panyen

panch

V to bend, to bend over, to

cause to bend, to lean. Van-an
tlman f i ka panch s kann-an.
The wind is so strong it is bending the
cane over. (see also: pliy) [< Fr.
pencher]

papa

pap

N porridge made with white flour.

Mwen enmen manj pap l i ka f
fwt. I like to eat porridge made with
white flour when it is cold. (syn:
malobi; see also: kwenm, loukou,
matt)

papa (var: Apa)

N father. Papay t
ja an vyys li l i f dny gasony.
His father was already in his old age
when he had his last son. (see also:
manman) [< Fr. papa] papay tjwa

172

papay

Kwyl English

spit and image of ones father.

Tibway sala s papay tjwa. That boy
is the spit and image of his father. (see
also: kwach, tjenb py)

papay

papaya, pawpaw. [< Fr.

pas2 variant of paski. pas pouki

same as paski. Pas pouki mwen pa
al, i lv fach. Because I didnt go,
he became angry.

pasab

ADJ passable, so so. Manj-a

pa t tw mal; i t pasab. The food
wasnt too bad; it was passable. (syn:
tibwen, titak, ti mso, tizing) Mwen
la pasab. Im doing so so. [< Fr.
passable]

papaye]

papicho

N 1) nonsense, foolishness.
Sa ou ka di-a s papicho. What you
are saying is foolishness. (syn: btiz,
maji, kouyontwi; see also: kochonni)
2) foolish person, fool. Nonm sala s
on papicho. That man is a fool. f
papicho to make fun of, to ridicule.
Ou ka f papicho pi mwen. Youre
making fun of me. (see also: motj, f
sin) pal papicho to speak
foolishness, to talk nonsense. Nonm
sala ka pal papicho tousl. That
man is only speaking foolishness.
(syn: pal btiz, pal ennitil, pal
kouyon, pal maji; see also: dpal,
kouyontwi) pwan svi papicho to
mock, to ridicule, to make fun of. Yo
t ka pwany svi papicho. They
were mocking him. (syn: f papicho,
pwan svi widitjil, pwan svi wizib,
motj, fiyonnen)

pasaj (var: pasay)

N passage. Nou ja
li pasaj sala. We have read that
passage. [< Fr. passage]

pasaj

N passenger. Chof-a t fach

paski pasaj-a t ka fimen ab
machin li. The driver was angry
because the passenger was smoking on
board his vehicle. [< Fr. passager]

pasay

N passage, fare (for travel on

bus, airline, etc.). Ki moun ki py
pasay ou baw pou ou sa al
Matnik? Who paid your passage for
you to go to Martinique? [< Fr.
passage]

pasdwa

N injustice, wrongdoing,
trespass, harm. Fanmiw ka baby
apwzan; yo pa t ka w tout s
pasdwa-a ou t ka f mwen-an. Your
family is quarrelling now; they didnt
see all the injustices youve done to
me. (syn: dit)

papiyon

N moth. Papiyon ka vol b

layt-la. Moths fly near the light.
[< Fr. papillon]

papiyt

N butterfly. Papiyt ka vol

toupatou. Butterflies are flying
everywhere. [< Fr. papillon]

pas

pas

V 1) to pass by. Nonm sou-a

chant f kon i pas kay-la. The
drunk man sang loudly as he passed by
the house. 2) to spend (time).
Kouman ou pas joun-a? How did
you spend the day? 3) to sift. Yo
pas sab-la adan tanmi-an. They
sifted the sand in the screen. 4) to
iron, to press. I pas chimiz-la, pa
chifonneny. She ironed the shirt,

papy

N paper. I pliy tout s papya. She folded all the papers. [< Fr.
papier]

pas1

N trouble, problem. I vin

wakont yo tout s pas-la yo pas-a.
He told them all they troubles they
went through. (syn: twaka,
pwblenm) [< Fr. passe]

173

pask

Kwyl English

dont rumple it. 5) same as pli pas. I

bl pas yo. Shes prettier than they
are. ADJ past, last. Mwen t malad
simen pas. I was sick last week.
(opp: pwochen, lt) [< Fr. passer]
pas an lid to slip (ones) mind.
Sa pas an lid mwen. That slipped
my mind. (see also: obliy) pas
anl to walk by in an aloof manner,
ignoring the other person. I annk
pas anl nou! She just walked right
by us! pas ki more than anything.
Ou ld pas ki! Youre uglier than
anything!

pasyans to be patient. Soupl ni

pasyans pi mwen; mwen kay
pyw. Please be patient with me; I
will pay you. (syn: pwan pasyans)
pwan pasyans same as ni pasyans.
pat

N 1) animals foot, hoof, paw. Bf

ni kat pat. Cows have four hooves.
2) hand (of bananas, plantain, etc.).
Yo mt senk pat fig adan bwt-la.
They put five hands of bananas in the
box. [< Fr. patte] koul pat kick (by
an animal). bay koul pat to kick
(done by an animal). Bf-la ban
mwen an koul pat. The cow kicked
me. (see also: tiw py)

pask variant of paski.

paski (var: pas, pask, pis, piski, pas
pouki) CONJ because. I t fach
paski i pa t ni pys lajan. He was
angry because he didnt have any
money. (syn: davwa; see also: lapti)
[< Fr. parce que]

patan variant of padan.

patat N sweet potato. [< Fr. patate]
bt patat sweet potato bug, a type of
insect that may be found in sweet
potato fields. Bt patat-la ka f v
pwan patat-la. The potato bug makes
worms infest the potatoes.

paspatou

N compass saw. I ka svi

paspatou-a pou koup bwa-a. He
uses the compass saw to cut the wood.
(see also: lgowin, si; siy) [< Fr.
passe par tout]

pasti

N flat, white, extra-strong sweet.

Ban mwen an pasti pou pas an
bouch mwen. Give me a pasti to put
in my mouth. (see also: switi)

paswa

N screen, sifter, sieve, strainer.

(see also: lbich, tanmi)

pati1

V to depart, to leave. Yo kay

pati denmen. Theyll leave tomorrow.
(syn: kit; opp: wiv; see also: al,
sti) [< Fr. partir]

pati2

N penis. Yo ka koup bout lapo

pati tibway-la. They cut the foreskin
of the boys penis. (syn: jak, kal, kk,
koko, lolo, pennsil)

patikilman

ADV particularly. Yo
antws an tout jw, patikilman
kwikt. Theyre interested in all
games, particularly cricket. (see also:
an patikil) [< Fr. particulirement]

pasyalit

N unfair advantage. Ou ja
f mwen as pasyalit! Ma sa
pweny ank. Youve taken unfair
advantage of me enough! I cant take
it anymore. (see also: lavantaj,
pwfwans) [< Fr. partialit]

patisipasyon

N participation. Yo vl
patisipasyon tout moun. They want
everyones participation. [< Fr.
participation]

pasyans

N patience. Tifi-a pa ni as
pasyans. The girl doesnt have enough
patience. [< Fr. patience] ni

patisip

patisip
174

to participate. Yo vl tout

patizan

Kwyl English

moun patisip an Jounen Kwyl.

They want everyone to participate in
Creole Day. (syn: pwan pa) [< Fr.
participer]

parabole]

Pawadi

N Paradise. Jzi di vl-a,

Jdi-a ou kay pi mwen an
Pawadi. Jesus said to the thief,
Today you will be with me in
Paradise. (see also: syl) [< Fr.
paradis]

patizan

N party (e.g., political). Nou

ni twa patizan politik Sent Lisi. We
have three political parties in St.
Lucia. [< Fr. partisan]

patj1

1) package, packet. Acht on

patj lonyon ban mwen. Buy a
package of onions for me. 2) deck of
cards. Yo ni on patj nf. They have
a new deck of cards. [< Fr. paquet]
patj lakl key ring, bunch of keys.
Mwen pa sav kot mwen mt patj
lakl mwen. I dont know where I put
my bunch of keys. (syn: bwanch
lakl, koly lakl) maw patj to
die, to expire. Nonm malad-la maw
patjy. The sick man died. (slang;
syn: m; see also: Bazil pweny, tiw
k, tenn, di dd, foukan)

pawasl (var: pawisl)

N umbrella,
parasol. S pou ou mach pi
pawasl ou jdi-a; i kay f lapli. You
must carry your umbrella today; it is
going to rain. [< Fr. parasol]
pawasl djab toadstool. Tan lapli
nou ka w an chay pawasl djab an
savann-an. In the rainy season you
see a lot of toadstools in the field.
(syn: chapo djab, chapo Denmou)

pawdonnab same as padon,

pawdonnasyon.

pawdonnasyon

N pardon,
forgiveness. An chay moun pa sav
sa vl di pawdonnasyon. A lot of
people dont know what forgiveness
means. (syn: padon)

patj2

N cargo ship. Chak simenn

patj-a ki ka mennen fawin fwanslan ka vini. Each week the cargo ship
that brings flour comes. (syn: bato,
batiman; see also: kannt, chaloup)

pawdonnen

V to forgive, to pardon.
Bondy ja pawdonnen pch nou.
God has forgiven our sins. [< Fr.
pardonner]

patjit

N purse, pouch, money bag.

Patjit-la vid; i pa sanm i ja vann
anyen bonmaten-an. The money bag
is empty; it doesnt seem she has sold
anything this morning.

paw1 variant of pwpaw. Yo paw

k-a pou ltman-an. They prepared
the body for the funereal. ADJ
prepared, ready. Ma t paw
bonmaten-an. I wasnt ready this
morning. (see also: f ganm)

Patwa

N Patois, St. Lucian Creole.

Yo ka pal Patwa tousl lakay yo.
They only speak Patois at home. (syn:
Kwyl) [< Fr. patois]

paw2

V to catch. I vow wch-la k

mwen pawy. He threw the rock and
I caught it.

pawabl

N parable: a way of speaking

used to hide the true meaning from
outsiders. Mwen pa vl ou pal ban
mwen an pawabl. I dont want you
to speak to me in parables. [< Fr.

paw

paw3

V 1) to take shelter from, to

escape, to get away from (rain, sun,
etc.). Yo paw lapli-a adan kay-la.

175

pawen

Kwyl English

says. Sa s on bl pawl ou di-a.

That is a nice thing you said. (see also:
lapawl) [< Fr. parole] mo pawl
word. I pa sa di yon mo pawl an
Fwans. He cannot say one word in
French.

They took shelter from the rain in the

house. 2) to block, to fend off (a
blow). I paw tout koul pwen yo
voy dyy. I blocked all of their
punches. [< Fr. parer]

pawen

N godfather. I ka twavay bay

paweny. He works for his godfather.
(see also: da, konp, makoum,
nennenn) [< Fr. parrain]

paws

parish, region. Pwt sala ka

twavay an paws Vy F. That priest
works in the parish of Vieux Fort.
[< Fr. paroisse]

pawsad

N wattle. Sa s on kay
pawsad. Thats a wattle house.

pawsad

V to wattle. Yo ka pawsad
kay-la. Theyre wattling the house.

pay

N dry, dead grass or leaves; thatch.

Ay koup pay-la asou s py fig-la.
Go cut the dead leaves off of the
banana tree. (see also: fy) [< Fr.
paille] pay a kouto same as zb a
kouto. kay pay thatched-roof house.
Yo t ka f kay pay. They used to
make thatched-roof houses.

pawt

V to appear. Mwen w an
bagay pawt an syl-la. I saw
something appear in the sky. (opp:
dispawt) [< Fr. paratre]

pawy1

ADJ similar, like. Mwen ni on

bonm menm pawy k sala. I have a
bucket just like that one. (see also:
menm kon) [< Fr. pareil]

pay

V to bet, to gamble. Asou kils

chouval ou pay? Which horse did
you bet on? (see also: pawi) [< Fr.
parier]

pawy2

N partner. Mwen pa vl
misy pou pawy mwen. I dont want
this man for my partner.

p1

ADV 1) may, might. Nou p vini

kon nou p pa. We may or may not
come. (see also: apl, dw, pitt)
2) can, able. Nou ka f tout sa nou
p. Were doing all that we can. (syn:
sa) [< Fr. peut]

pawyman

INTERJ the same to you.

Bon Nwl! Pawyman! Merry
Christmas! The same to you! (used
as a response in greeting) [< Fr.
pareilement]

p2

ADJ few, a little. Byen p moun

ka vini. Very few people come. [< Fr.
peu]

pawf

ADJ perfect. Bagay-la pawf; i

pa ni pys dfo andidany. Its
perfect; it doesnt have any flaw in it.
[< Fr. parfait]

p3

V to keep quiet, to shut (ones

mouth). P bouch ou, gason! Shut
your mouth, boy! [< Fr. paix] P la!
Shut up!. P la, ben ou kay jwenn
pli! Shut up, or youll get it worse!

pawi

N bet, wager. Yo f pawi, yo

pay an chay lajan. They made bets,
they bet lots of money. (see also:
pay) [< Fr. pari]

p1

N priest. Tan sala p-a t mt

lkl-la. At that time the priest was
head of the school. (syn: pwt, lab;
see also: danm, lvk, mw,

pawisl variant of pawasl.

pawl

speech, utterance, what one

176

Kwyl English

monseny) [< Fr. pre] p nw

Lesser Antillean bullfinch (Loxigilla
noctis).

pdant

N loss. Pdant mwen s gany

ou. My loss is your gain. an pdant
on the losing end, at a loss. L i vann
motoka-a i t an pdant. When he
sold the car he was on the losing end.

p2

V to fear, to be afraid. Gason-an

p tout bagay. The boy is afraid of
everything. (syn: ni kwentif, ni lap,
ni pwz) [< Fr. peur]

p3

pair. L mwen t piti mwen t

ni yon sl p jiby. When I was little I
had just one pair of birds. [< Fr.
paire]

pdi variant of pd. [< Fr. perdu]

pdwi

N wild dove. (see also:

toutwl, zatolan)

pch1

V to fish. Yo vl al pch
toul jou. They want to go fishing
every day. (see also: pwson) [< Fr.
pcher]

pl

N shovel, spade. Yo kas manch

pl-la. They broke the handle of the
shovel. [< Fr. pelle]

plkan

N pelican (Pelecanus
occidentalis). Plkan ka plonj
anba lanm-a pou tjb pwson.
Pelicans dive into the sea to catch fish.
[< Fr. plican]

pch2

V to sin. Avan yo sov yo t

ka pch tout tan-an. Before they
were saved they used to sin all the
time. N sin, transgression. S pch
ki kwaz wilasyon nonm pi
Bondy. It is sin that destroyed the
relation between man and God. [< Fr.
pcher]

pch1

fisherman. Tout s pch-a

t la. All the fishermen were there.
(syn: jan lanm, nonm lanm) [< Fr.
pcheur]
N

pch2

N sinner, transgressor. Jzi

vini asou lat pou sov pch. Jesus
came to earth to save sinners. [< Fr.
pcheur]

pmisyon variant of pwmisyon.

pmit variant of pwmit.
pen

N bread. Bonmaten-an i ka f
pen. This morning she is making
bread. [< Fr. pain]

penchen (var: penchennen)

V to
pinch. Gason-an penchen mwen.
The boy pinched me. (see also: pij)

penchennen variant of penchen.

penmi

N cornbread made of corn

meal, sugar, coconut, spices, milk,
cooked in a banana leaf or foil and
eaten for dessert. I ka f penmi bay
ich li. She makes cornbread for her
children. (see also: timi)

pd (var: pdi)

V to lose, to get lost.

Gason-an pd lajan-an. The boy lost
the money. (opp: jwenn, twap,
twouv) ADJ lost. Nou ka ach ti
manmay-la ki pd-la. We are looking
for the lost child. [< Fr. perdre] pd
tt to lose (ones) mind, to be senile.
Gwan nonm sala ja ka pd tt li.
That old man is already becoming
senile.

pennpis

penn

N feeling of emotional pain,

heartache. Sa kit an penn an tj
mwen l mwen w nonm sala. It gave
me a feeling of pain in my heart when
I saw that man. (see also: lapenn) an
penn same as an lapenn.

pennpis
177

unleavened bread. Yo ka

penng

Kwyl English

manj pennpis toul Vandwdi

Sen. They eat unleavened bread every
Good Friday.

ear. (see also: kwv, pitj) [< Fr.

percer]

psi

N parsley. Psi ka bay manj

bon gou. Parsley gives food a good
taste. [< Fr. persil]

penng variant of peny.

pennsil

N penis. Nonm sala ni an

maladi an pennsil li. The man has a
sickness in his penis. (syn: jak, kal,
koko, kk, lolo, pati) [< Eng. pencil]

psikasyon (var: pwsikasyon)

psikit (var: pwsikit)

V to
persecute. Yo psikit s moun sala.
They persecuted those people. [< Fr.
perscuter]

pentiw

V 1) to paint. Yo pentiw
kay-la an blan. They painted the
house white. 2) to use a lot of
makeup. Madanm-lan pentiw
fidjiy. The woman used a lot of
makeup on her face.

psonn variant of pysonn. [< Fr.

personne]

pt

V 1) to break, to burst. Chouvalla pt kd-la. The horse broke the

rope. 2) to break wind, to pass gas.
S pa pou pt anpami moun kon sa.
You must not pass gas in public like
that. (syn: lach van) pt an wi to
burst out laughing. L nonm sou-a
tonb an labou-a, nou pt an wi.
When the drunk man fell into the mud,
we burst out laughing. pt k to
spank, to give a spanking, to beat, to
give a beating. Manman tibway-la
pt ky l i w manny i dchiw
chimiz li. The boys mother gave him
a beating when she say how he tore his
shirt. (syn: bay kou, vol, plich,
plich lapo, koup fs, koup latj)

pentwi

V to knead. Mwen ka pentwi

fawin fwans pou mwen f pen. I am
kneading flour to make bread. (see
also: lapat, ptwen) [< Fr. ptrir]

peny (var: penng)

N comb. Peny-lan
kas an tt tifi-a. When the girl was
combing her hair the comb broke.
[< Fr. peigne]

penyen

V to comb. I ka penyen
chivy. Shes combing her hair.
[< Fr. peigner]

pp

N people. Pwsk tout pp Sent

Lisi kay slbw Jounen Kwyl.
Nearly all the people of St. Lucia will
celebrate Creole Day. (see also: jan,
popilas) [< Fr. peuple] gwo pp big
shot, important person. Fsten sala s
pou gwo pp tousl. This party is for
big shots only. (syn: gwo pitja, gwo
tj, gwozm)

persecution. Yo tout t souf

psikasyon. They all suffered
persecution. [< Fr. perscution]

penti

N paint. Yo ka vann tout st

kalit penti an magazen sala. They
sell all kinds of paint in that shop.
[< Fr. peinture]

pwz

ptwen

N kneading bowl, trough. Yo

pa t sa menm pt ptwen yo. They
couldnt even carry their kneading
bowls. (see also: lapat, pentwi) [< Fr.
ptrin]

pwz

N fear. Mwen ni on pwz an

tj mwen ki ka f mwen twanbl. I
have a fear in my heart that makes me
tremble. (syn: lap, kwentif; see also:

ps

V to pierce. Misy jik ps

zwy li. The man even pierced his

178

pwi

Kwyl English

[< Fr. peser] pz f to stress, to

emphasize. L ou ka pwch, s pou
ou pz f asou s bagay sala. When
you preach, you must emphasize these
things.

p) [< Fr. peureuse]

pwi

V to perish. Tout sa ki kw an li
pa kay pwi. All who believe in him
will not perish. (opp: viv; see also:
m) [< Fr. prir]

pwmi

permission. Mwen pa
bizwen pys pwmi pou pwch
lvanjil-la. I dont need any
permission to preach the gospel. (syn:
pwmisyon; see also: pwmit, kit)
[< Fr. permis]
N

pwmisyon (var: lapwmisyon,

pmisyon) N permission. Jw-a
ban mwen pwmisyon pou mwen sa
plant fig isi-a. The overseer gave me
permission to plant bananas here. (syn:
pwmi) [< Fr. permission]

pi1

ADJ pure. Dlo-a ki ka sti an sous

sala pi. The water that comes from
that spring is pure. [< Fr. pur]

pi2

N well. B lizin-an ni d pi. By

the factory there are two wells. (see
also: sous) [< Fr. puits]

piblik

N public. S pa pou ou gwat

tt ou an piblik. You mustnt scratch
your head in public. [< Fr. public]

piblikasyon

N publication. Sa s
dny piblikasyon liv sala Thats the
last publication of that book. [< Fr.
publication]

pwmit (var: pmit)

V to permit, to
allow. Pwmit mwen pou mwen sa
pas an lakouw soupl. Please allow
me to pass in your yard. (syn: ba, kit)
[< Fr. permettez]

pwsikasyon variant of psikasyon.

pibliy

V to publish. I ja pibliy d
liv. He has published two books.
[< Fr. publier]

pifw

V to card, to comb (cotton). I

ka pifw koton-an. Shes carding the
cotton.

pwsikit variant of psikit.

py

V to pay. I py nou tout lajanan i dw nou-an. He paid us all the

money he owed us. [< Fr. payer]

pij

V to squeeze. Yo pa sipoz pij

fig-la. The shouldnt squeeze the
banana. (see also: penchen) ADJ
bruised (in reference to fruit). S pa
pou ou vann s fig pij sala. You
must not sell those bruised bananas.

pyi

N country, nation, land. Kils

pyi ou simy? Which country do you
prefer? (syn: nasyon; see also: plas)
[< Fr. pays]

pijon

N pigeon. (see also: wanmy)

[< Fr. pigeon]

pyiman

N payment. Pou pyiman

mwen, i ban mwen yon san dla. For
my payment, he gave me one hundred
dollars. (see also: lapy, sal) [< Fr.
paiement]

pik

N stinger. Vonvon-an pa ni pys

pik. The bee has no stinger. (see also:
pitj) [< Fr. pique] pik lfan tusk,
ivory. Yo t ni l, dajan k bagay ki
ft k pik lfan. They had gold, silver
and things made with ivory.

pz

V to weigh. Yo ka pz
chouponm-lan avan yo vann li. They
weigh the cabbage before they sell it.

pikan

pikan
179

thorn. Pikan-an pitj mwen.

pikpch

Kwyl English

house on four pillars. (syn: poto)

The thorn pricked me. [< Fr. piquant]

pikan kouzen burr. La ni an chay

pikan kouzen b chimen-an. There
are many burrs by the road.

piman

N pepper. I ka vann piman k

sl. Shes selling peppers and salt. (see
also: pwv) [< Fr. piment] piman
bwil a type of hot pepper. piman
gwiv a small, hot pepper. piman
manjak a type of hot pepper.
piman st chdy a type of hot
pepper.

pikpch

N pickpocket. Vy misy;
i s an pikpch. Watch that man; he
is a pickpocket. (see also: vl)

pikwa

N pickaxe. I manch on
pikwa. He put a handle on a pickaxe.

pil

1) heap, pile. Mwen genyen d

pil tanmadz. I bought two heaps of
tomatoes. (syn: lo) 2) group. Spaw
s moun-an an pil. Divide the people
into groups. (syn: gwoup; see also:
konpanni, gany) [< Fr. pile] an pil
much, many, a lot of. I ni an pil liv.
He has many books. (syn: an badjo,
an chay, an lo, konmen, mizi)
N

pinz

N bedbug. Pinz pa konmen

kon avan. Bedbugs are not common
like before. [< Fr. punaise]

pini

V to punish. I pini ti manmay-la

pou bagay-la i vl-a. He punished
the child for the thing she stole. (see
also: pinisyon) [< Fr. punir]

pinisyon

N punishment. Yo ba li
menm pinisyon kon tout moun. They
gave him the same punishment as
everyone else. (see also: pini) [< Fr.
punition]

pil1

V to grind, to pound. Yo ka pil

kaf-a. Theyre grinding the coffee.
[< Fr. piler]

pil2

V to step on. I mantj pil chatla. He almost stepped on the cat. (see
also: danm, pilonnen) [< Fr. piler]

pipirit

N grey kingbird (Tyrannus

dominicensis). Pipirit-la pt an zy
an tt malfini-an. The kingbird
pecked the hawks head.

pilon

N mortar, bowl-shaped vessel of

hard material in which coffee is
ground with a pestle. Yo ka svi
pilon pou pil kaf. They use mortars
to grind coffee. [< Fr. pilon] manch
pilon pestle; a heavy instrument for
grinding coffee, etc. in a mortar.
Manch pilon mwen-an kas padan
mwen t ka pil kaf. My pestle
broke while I was grinding coffee.

pis1

N flea. Chat-la t ni an chay pis.

The cat had many fleas. [< Fr. puce]

pis2 variant of paski.

pisa

N urine. Blad-la plen pisa. The

bladders full of urine. [< Fr. pisse]
pisa dou diabetes. Pisa dou s on
maladi ki konmen Sent Lisi.
Diabetes is an illness that is common
in St. Lucia.

pilonnen

V to trample, to step on. Las

pilonnen kabann-an. Stop trampling
on the bed. (syn: danm; see also:
pil) [< Fr. pilonner]

pilotwi

N pillar, post, pole. Yo mt

kay-la asou kat pilotwi. They put the

pis

pisannit

N bedwetter. L mwen t
piti mwen t on pisannit. When I was
little I was a bedwetter.

pis

V to urinate. Ti manmay sipoz

ay pis avan yo kouch. Children

180

piski

Kwyl English

should urinate before they go to bed.

[< Fr. pisser]

goumen. We egged the children on to

see if they would fight. 5) to begin to.
L yo wy yo pitj kouwi! When
they saw him they began to run! (syn:
pwan, mt, koumans) N injection.
Dkt-a ba li on pitj. The doctor
gave him an injection. [< Fr. piquer]

piski variant of paski.

pistach

N peanut. S gason-an ka
vann pistach. The boys are selling
peanuts. [< Fr. pistache]

pitt

pitjt

ADV maybe, perhaps. Pitt s

papa mwen ki t la. Maybe it was my
father who was there. (see also: dw)
[< Fr. peut-tre]

N 1) stake, picket. I ka pwenti

pitjt-la. Hes sharpening the stake.
2) wicket (in a cricket game).
Konmen pitjt ou pwan? How many
wickets did you take? [< Fr. piquet]
pitjt f spear, lance, spike. Wa-a
voy d san nonm pi pitjt f k
senkant nonm a chouval. The king
sent 200 men with lances and 50 on
horses. (see also: flch, va)

piti (var: ti)

ADJ 1) little, small. Kayla tw piti pou nou tout sa wst.

The house is too small for all of us to
stay in. (opp: gwo, gwan, laj)
2) young. I piti pas mwen. He is
younger than I. (syn: jenn; opp: gwan)
[< Fr. petit] piti an piti little by
little, gradually. Piti an piti nou kay
fini. Gradually we will finish. (syn: an
mizi an mizi)

pitjwit

N spotted sandpiper (Actitis

macularia).

pito

CONJ instead of, rather than.

Pwan sala pito sa ki wouj-la. Take
this one instead of the red one. (syn:
andji, oly; see also: vonmy, simy)

pitits

N childhood. Tan sala nou t

an pitits nou. At that time we were
in our childhood. (opp: vyys; see
also: jenns) [< Fr. petitesse]

piton

N peak. (see also: mn,

montany) [< Fr. piton] Gwo Piton
Gros Piton, a specific mountain in St.
Lucia. Piti Piton Petit Piton, a
specific mountain in St. Lucia.

pitj

V to pave with asphalt. Fini yo

fini pitj chimen-an, i ja ka kwaz
ank. They just finished paving the
road and it is already collapsing again.
(see also: goudonnen, masonnen)
[< Eng. pitch]

pity

N pity. Jzi ni pity pou nou

tout. Jesus has pity on us all. (see also:
konpasyon, mizwikd, tj fb)
[< Fr. piti]

pitj

V 1) to prick, to stab. I pitj

blad-la. He pricked the balloon. (see
also: kwv, ps) 2) to sting.
Vonvon-an pitj mwen. The bee
stung me. (see also: pik) 3) to render
(a witch) powerless by stabbing or
stoning. Papa mwen pitj gaj-a. My
father stabbed the witch and rendered
him powerless. (syn: dgaj) 4) to
goad, to egg on. Nou t ka pitj s
manmay-la pou w si yo t kay

pla

piwify

V to purify. Yo ka piwify
dlo-a. Theyre purifying the water.
[< Fr. purifier]

piyon

N gable. Kay-la ni twa piyon.

The house has three gables. [< Fr.
pignon]

pla

N plate. Mt pla-a asou tab-la.

Put the plate on the table. (see also:

181

plak

Kwyl English

want to grow bananas on this piece of

land. (opp: wklt) [< Fr. planter]
plant bannann to fall flat. I pwan
an so; i plant bannann He took a
fall; he fell flat. (syn: lablanni a t)

zasyt, bl, vsl)

plak

N flattened bottle cap used in

game of marbles. Mt plak-la an
won-an pou nou zing. Put the cap in
the circle so we can play marbles. (see
also: bouchon) [< Fr. plaque]

plant

N planter. Tout s plant-a t

la. All the planters were there. (syn:
fama) [< Fr. planteur]

plan1

N cutting, seedling, immature

plant suitable for transplanting. S
pou ou plant s plan-an avan yo
vini tw gwo. You should plant the
seedlings before they get too big.

planten

N plant used in bush

medicine. Yo lav zy tibway-la k
planten k zyy vin djwi. They
washed his eyes with planten and his
eyes became healed.

plan2

N plan. Annou f plan pou

denmen. Lets make plans for
tomorrow. [< Fr. plan] pous plan
to trick, to play a practical joke on
someone. I pous on plan asou
mwen. He played a trick on me. (see
also: kwennen) tiw plan 1) to tell
jokes or funny stories. Dpi
bonmaten yo la ka tiw plan. Since
morning they have been there telling
funny stories (see also: bladj, tiw
kalkati, tiw listwa) 2) same as
pous plan.

planch

plas

N place. Kils plas ou simy?

Which place do you prefer? (see also:
kot, pyi) [< Fr. place] pwan plas
1) to take place. Fsten-an pwan plas
lann pas. The festival took place
last year. (syn: pwan kou) 2) to
replace, to take the place of. Kils ki
kay pwan plas ou l ou kit? Who
will take your place when you leave?
(syn: anplas)

plasta

N 1) bandage. I mt on plasta
asou jounouy. She put a bandage on
her knee. 2) plaster. Mwen vlw
wanj plasta-a kot i ka kwaz-a. I
want you to fix the plaster where it is
crumbling. (see also: lacho) V to
plaster. Yo ja fini plasta kay-la.
They have already finished plastering
the house. [< Eng. plaster]

board. Yo kay siy s

planch-lan. Theyll saw the boards.
[< Fr. planche]
N

planch

V to floor, to put flooring (in

a house). S pou ou mt sonmy
avan ou planch kay-la. You must
put in beams before you put the
flooring in the house. N floor.
Planch kay sala pa f. The floor of
that house is not strong

plat

ADJ 1) flat. Wch-la t plat. The

rock was flat. 2) shallow. Dlo-a t
plat. The water was shallow. (opp:
fon) [< Fr. plat]

plantasyon

N plantation, estate. Yo
ka twavay asou plantasyon-an. They
work on the plantation. (see also:
bitasyon, ht, jaden) [< Fr.
plantation]

platin

platin

N huge iron bowl used for

boiling the juice of sugarcane or for
drying cassava that has been grated,
pressed and sifted to make farine. Yo
ka svi platin pou f fawin. They use

plant

V to plant, to grow (plants).

Mwen vl plant fig an tj t sala. I

182

plato

Kwyl English

you. (see also: akizasyon, ks, chaj)

[< Fr. plainte]

iron bowls to make farine.

plato

N plateau. Kay-la anl plato-a.

The house is on the plateau. [< Fr.
plateau]

plpl

V to spread by multiplication.
Pinz ka plpl vit. Bedbugs multiply
quickly. (syn: miltipy)

pl

V to please. Ou toujou vl pl
kw. You always want to please
yourself. (opp: dpl) [< Fr. plaire]

plw

V to cry, to weep. Madanmlan koumans plw l i tann

manmany m. The woman began to
cry when she heard her mother had
died. (see also: hl) [< Fr. pleurer]

pld

V to beg, to plead. Mwen t ni

pou pld pi misy-a pou i sa bay
tibway-la an chans. I had to plead
with the man to give the boy a chance.
(see also: mand) [< Fr. plaider]

plzi

N pleasure. Sa ka ban nou an

chay plzi. That give us much
pleasure. [< Fr. plaisir]

plg

N plague. Maladi sala ka simen

kon on plg. This sickness is
spreading like a plague. (see also:
maladi) [< Eng. plague]

pli1

N fold, wrinkle. Madanm-lan ni

an chay pli an fidjiy. The woman
has many wrinkles in her face. (see
also: plis, gwiji) [< Fr. plisser]

plen

ADJ 1) full. Bonm-lan t plen

dlo. The bucket was full of water.
(opp: vid) 2) high tide. Bonmatenan lanm-a plen. This morning the
tide is high. (opp: bas) V to fill. Nou
plen tout s bonm-lan. We filled all
the buckets. (see also: wd) [< Fr.
plein] an plen in full, fully. I kay
py nou an plen. He will pay us in
full.

pli2 (var: plis)

ADJ more. Yo vl pli

lajan. They want more money. (opp:
mwens) [< Fr. plus] pli pas more
than. I pli ho pas s lzt fwy-la.
Hes taller than his other brothers.
(syn: pas) pli...pli the more...the
more. Pli yo ka twavay, s pli yo ka
gaspiy lajan yo. The more they
work, the more they waste their
money. (see also: anmizi)

pln

N airplane. Pln-an wiv ta. The

plane arrived late. [< Eng. plane]

plenn

plich

plich

N beating, spanking. Papa

mwen ban mwen on plich. My father
gave me a beating. (see also: bat, bay
kou, bay vol, lapid, plich)

ADJ pregnant (in reference to

animals). Chat-la plenn ank. The
cats pregnant again. (see also:
ansent) [< Fr. pleine]

plich

plenn2

V to moan, to groan. Lapen-an

sanm ni an chay mal; i ka plenn. The
rabbit seems to be in a lot of pain; it is
groaning. (see also: soupi) [< Fr.
plaindre]

plent

N plaint, charge, grievance, legal

case. Mwen kay pt plent kont ou.
Im going to bring charges against

183

V 1) to husk. I plich koko-a.

He husked the coconut. (see also:
gwennen) 2) to skin, to scrape, to
abrade. Gason-an plich jounouy.
The boy skinned his knee. (syn: gwiji)
3) to spank, to beat. Si ou f sa ank
mwen kay plich fs ou. If you do
that again Im going to spank your
bottom. (see also: pt, koup)

plim

Kwyl English

plim

pokosyon

He dove under the water. [< Fr.

plonger]

N 1) feather. Plim-lan t blan.

The feather was white. 2) pen. I ka
kwi k plim-lan. Hes writing with
the pen. [< Fr. plume]

plotonnen

V to crumple up, to rumple,

to dishevel, to disarrange. Vl-a
plotonnen tout had-la. The thief
disarranged all the clothes. (see also:
chifonnen)

plimaj

N plumage. S kk-la ka
chanj plimaj yo. The cocks change
their plumage. [< Fr. plumage]

plimen

po

plis variant of pli.

pblenm variant of pwblenm.

plis

pch

pliyan

pochen variant of pwochen.

V to pluck. Yo ka plimen
poul-la. Theyre plucking the chicken.
[< Fr. plumer]

N 2 quarts, four pints, half a gallon.

Mwen vl yon po fawin. I want two
quarts of farine. (see also: chopin)

ADJ wrinkled. Fidjiy t tlman

plis. Her face was so wrinkled. (syn:
gwiji; see also: pli) [< Fr. plisser]

N pocket. I fouy lanmeny an

pch li. He dug his hand into his
pocket. [< Fr. poche]

N snare, trap. Mwen tjb an

toutwl an pliyan mwen. I caught a
dove in my snare. (see also: zatwap)
[< Fr. pliyant]

pdjab

ADJ poor, wretched. Pdjab

madanm-lan, i pd tout sa i t ni-an.
The poor woman, she lost all she had.
INTERJ poor devil, poor thing, poor
you. Pdjab! Li yonn ki ka twavay
an sly-la. Poor thing! He alone has
to work in the sun.

pliy

V to bend, to flex, to fold. Yo

pliy f-a. They bent the iron. (see
also: panch) [< Fr. plier]

plizy

ADJ several. I ni plizy liv. He

has several books. (see also: konmen,
dotwa, yonn d, tizing, tibwen)
[< Fr. plusieurs]

plk

podwi variant of pwodwi.

pofsyon variant of pwofsyon.

boil, blister, pustule. Malad-la

kit plk tout asou fidjiy. The illness
left pustules all over his face. (see
also: chbon, klou, latwas, zanpoul)

plon

1) lead. Bagay-la t ft an
plon. The thing was made of lead.
2) weight, sinker, fishing equipment. I
ka f plon pou i sa al pch. He is
making a sinker in order to go fishing.
[< Fr. plomb] lv plon to lift
weights. Gason-an ka lv plon pou
vini pli f. The boy lifts weights in
order to get stronger.
N

plonj

to dive. I plonj anba dlo-a.

poft variant of pwft.

pofi variant of pwofi.
pofit variant of pwofit.
pogwanm variant of pwogwanm.
pogw variant of pwogw.
pk

ADJ withered. I ni on lanmen

pk. He has a withered hand.

poklanm variant of pwoklanm.

pk

ADV not yet. Manj-a pk

paw. The food isnt ready yet. (see
also: pa ank) [< Fr. pas encore]

pokosyon variant of pwokosyon.

184

politik

Kwyl English

politik

ADJ political. Kils patizan

politik ou ka swiv? Which political
party do you follow?

popilas variant of ppilas.

ppilas

N crowd, number (of people).

An gwan popilas moun vini w
Nelson Mandela. A great number of
people came to see Nelson Mandela.
(syn: latily; see also: kopanni, gany,
twipo, pil) [< Fr. populace]

pon1

N bridge. Mt nou b pon-an.

Drop us near the bridge. [< Fr. pont]

pon2

N pound (currency). I twap an

papy yon san pon a t-a. He found a
one hundred pound note on the
ground.

ppilasyon

N population. Ki
ppilasyon Sent Lisi? What is the
population of St. Lucia? (see also:
pp, jan) [< Fr. population]

ponm

N cashew. I jwenn on py
ponm. He found a cashew tree. (syn:
ponm nwa) [< Fr. pomme] ponm
danmou love apple. (syn: ponm
dzenn) [< Fr. pomme damour]
ponm dzenn same as ponm
danmou. ponm di lyenn type of
wild fruit like passion fruit, but
sweeter. ponm kannl sugar apple.
ponm nwa same as ponm. ponm
t Irish potato. La pa ni dj ponm
t. There are very few potatoes. [< Fr.
pomme de terre] ponm wz type of
wild fruit resembling an apple.

ppt

N 1) doll. Acht an ppt bay

tifi-a. Buy a doll for the girl. (syn:
bolonm) 2) the flower of a banana
plant. [< Fr. popote]

popyt

N property. I di papay i vl
tout sa ki ka vini pou li a popyt-a.
He told his father he wanted all that
was coming to him of his property.
(see also: byen, wichs, t) [< Fr.
proprit]

posd

V to possess, to have. Sa s
tout mwen posd. Thats all I
possess. (rare; see also: ni) [< Fr.
possder]

ponmt variant of pwonmt.

ponmnen variant of pwonmnen.
ponmsit

golden apple (Cythere).

posib

ADJ possible. Mwen di yo sa pa

t posib. I told them that wasnt
possible. (opp: enposib) [< Fr.
possible]

ponn

V to lay (eggs). Poul-la ponn d

z. The chicken laid two eggs. (see
also: kl, kouv) [< Fr. pondre]

ponya

dagger, poniard. I pwen an

ponya, i pitj madanm-lan. He took
a dagger, he stabbed the woman. (see
also: kouto, koutla, janbt, sab)
[< Fr. poignard]
N

ponyen

posibilit

N possibility. Katjil asou

posibilit sala. Think about that
possibility. [< Fr. possibilit]

pspw variant of pwspw.

pst

V to post, to mail. Pst lt sala

ban mwen soupl. Mail this letter for
me please. (see also: voy) [< Fr.
poster]

handful. I ni on ponyen
sab. He has a handful of sand. [< Fr.
poigne]

ponyt

N wrist. I kas ponyt li. He

broke his wrist. [< Fr. poignet]

pstim

pstim

V to form pus. Oliwon

zonng ou kay pstim pis ou ka lav

185

psyon

Kwyl English

twp souvan. Around your nail pus

will form because you wash too often.
(see also: lim, maty)

(syn: pwovizyon)

potjiw

V to provide. Bondy ka
potjiw tout sa nou bizwen ban nou.
God provides us with all that we need.
(see also: bay)

psyon

N portion. Ban mwen an

psyon manj. Give me a portion of
food. (see also: pa, lo) [< Fr. portion]

pt

can, tin, enamel cup. Nou

genyen senk pt lt. We bought five
cans of milk. (see also: tas) [< Fr. pot]
pt a fl flower pot. Sa ki kas pt
a fl-a? Who broke the flower pot?
[< Fr. pot de fleurs] pt chanm
chamber pot. Ay jt pt chanm-lan.
Go empty the chamber pot.

poto

N peg, pillar, post. Yo svi poto

pou f pak. They used posts to make
fences. (syn: pilotwi) [< Fr. poteau]

ptw

N picture, photograph, movie.

Ou ja w ptw sala? Have you seen
that movie? [< Fr. portrait] tiw
ptw to take pictures, to
photograph. Misy-a ka tiw ptw.
The man is taking pictures. Si ou vin
douvan mwen, mwen kay tiw
ptww k on wch! If you come
close to me, Im going to throw this
rock at you!

pt

V 1) to carry, to bring. I ka pt
bwt-la. Hes carrying the box. (syn:
chay; see also: mennen) 2) to bear.
Py mango-a sanm kay pt an chay
lann sala. The mango tree looks like
it will bear a lot this year. (syn:
mennen fwi; see also: pwodwi) 3) to
wear. I ka pt souly nw. Hes
wearing black shoes. N calving, birth
of a calf. Manman bf sala ja f twa
pt pi tout s piti-a s jinis. That
cow has given birth three times and all
the little ones are heifers. (see also:
akouchman, mtba) [< Fr. porter]
pt pawl same as chay pawl.
Madanm sala enmen pt pawl
asou moun. That woman likes to badtalk people.

pou1

PREP 1) for (in the sense of

duration). I wt la pou twa simenn.
He stayed there for three weeks.
2) for, in exchange for. Mwen vann
d bwapen ba li pou d dla. I sold
him two breadfruits for two dollars.
3) for, because of. Nou wimsyy
pou bon potjiwasyon-an. We thanked
him for the good provision. 4) to, in
order to. I vini pou apwann pal
Patwa. He came in order to learn
Patwa. [< Fr. pour] s pou must, to
have to, it is necessary. S pou nou
al an ht gad pou manj. We
must go up to the high country to look
for food. (syn: s fo; see also: ni pou,
oblij) pou li pwzan for now, for
the present. Pou li pwzan ou ka f
byen, m mwen pa sav pou pli ta.
For now youre doing well, but I dont
know about later. (syn: apwzan,
atjwlman) [< Fr. pour le prsent]

pt

N porter, a medicinal drink.

Mwen ka bw lalwas k blan z an
pt pou bls. I drink a mixture of
aloe and egg white as a medicine for
internal injuries.

potkt variant of pwotkt.

potjiwasyon

N provision. Nou ka
wimsyy pou bon potjiwasyon-an.
We thank him for the good provision.

pou

pou2

N pulse. Si ou koup pou an

moun, i kay senyen jik a tan i m. If

186

pou

Kwyl English

you cut a persons pulse, he will bleed

to death. [< Fr. pouls]

pousad. I gave him a push. [< Fr.

pousser]

pou3

pous

N head louse. Yo ni pou an

chiv yo. They have lice in their hair.
(see also: mpyon) [< Fr. pou]

V 1) to push. Pous motoka-a

ban mwen. Push the car for me. 2) to
sprout. Tal s fy-la kay pous.
Soon the leaves will sprout. (see also:
flch, jm, koko, wichton) [< Fr.
pousser]

poud

N powder. I mt poud tout

anl lapoy. She put powder all over
her skin. [< Fr. poudre]

pousy variant of lapousy. [< Fr.

poussire] f pousy to break into

pouki (var: poutji) why. Pouki ou f

sa? Why did you do that? [< Fr.
pourquoi]

little pieces. Moulon-an sti asou tt

li k tonb, i f pousy. The
watermelon came off of his head and
fell and broke into little pieces. (see
also: f lapousy)

pouki pou same as pouki.

poul

N hen, chicken, fowl. Tout s

poul mwen-an ja ka ponn. All of my
hens are already laying eggs. (see also:
kk, poult) [< Fr. poulet] poul dlo
water fowl. Tan lontan anba mannglan t benyen poul dlo. Long ago
there were plenty of water fowl in the
mangrove. (see also: kanna)

poulay

N coop. Tout s poul-la ka

dmi an poulay-a. All the chickens
sleep in the coop.

poutji variant of pouki.

pouvwa

N authority. Ki moun ki
baw pouvwa pou f sa? Who gave
you authority to do that? (syn: dwa,
lotowit; see also: otowizasyon)
[< Fr. pouvoir]

pouwi

ADJ rotten. Yanm-lan t ja

pouwi. The yam was already rotten.
(see also: gat, fw) V to rot. Si ou
kit s fig-la la, yo kay pouwi. If you
leave the bananas there, they will rot.
[< Fr. pourrir]

poulbwa

N wood ant, termite.

Poulbwa ja manj tout lapt-la.
Termites have eaten up the door.

poult

pv

poumy variant of pwmy.

povizyon variant of pwovizyon.

pous

povok variant of pwovok.

N young hen. S poult-la

pk koumans ponn. The young
hens havent yet begun to lay. (see
also: poul, kk) [< Fr. poulet]

N 1) inch. Londj btannipy

sala t senk pous. The length of that
centipede was five inches. 2) span (as
a unit of measure in marbles). [< Fr.
pouce] gwo pous thumb. Kouto-a
koup gwo pous li. The knife cut his
thumb. (see also: dwt)

pousad

pz

ADJ poor. S moun sala t pv.

Those people were poor. (syn: mal,
malw; opp: wich; see also: fonn)
[< Fr. povre]

pwy

N white cedar. Tout bdaj

chimen-an t plen py pwy. The
road was lined by white cedar trees.

pz

N rest. Kit mwen pwan an ti

pz avan mwen koumans twavay
sala. Let me take a little rest before I

push. Mwen ba li on
187

poz

Kwyl English

money. 2) to carry. Al pwan dlo-a.

Go carry the water. 3) to go. Ko ou
pwan? Where are you going? (see
also: al) 4) to have sex with. Tifi
sala ja ka pwan nonm. This girl is
already having sex with men. (syn:
fwkant, f vis, kouch) 5) to start,
to begin, to fall. L sw pwan, tout
bt ka sti anba wazy. When
evening falls, all of the animals come
in from the bush. (used in reference to
morning, evening, perhaps season)
6) to start to, to begin to. Ti manmayla pwan hl l i w kwapo-a. The
child began to cry when she saw the
toad. (syn: mt, pitj, koumans)
[< Fr. prendre] pwan pou to ally
with, to side with, to stand with, to
support. Si goumen lv, mwen kay
pwan pou fanmi mwen. If a fight
breaks out, I will side with my family.
(syn: mt pou; see also: bay wzon,
sipt) pwan vwa to recognize a
voice. L nonm-lan pal, tifi-a pwan
vway. When the man spoke, the girl
recognized his voice. (see also:
konnt, vwa)

start that work. (see also: van) [< Fr.

pause]

poz

V 1) to rest, to relax. Jdi-a nou

kay poz. Today well rest. 2) to
alight, to land. Jiby-a poz asou tt
py mango-a. The bird landed on the
top of the mango tree. 3) to take the
first move in dominos. Poz si ou ni
mal sis. Go first if you have a double
six. [< Fr. reposer]

pozisyon

N position. Annou chanj

pozisyon nou. Lets change our
position. [< Fr. position]

pozitivman

ADV positively. Sa vw
pozitivman! Thats true, positively!
(see also: absoliman, asiw, kouman)
[< Fr. positivement]

pwa1

N pea. Yo ka manj tout kalt

pwa. They eat all kinds of peas. [< Fr.
pois] pwa angl pigeon pea. [< Fr.
pois dAngole] pwa chous a large
kind of bean. pwa dou sweet peas.
pwa gwat itching peas. Savann-an
t plen pwa gwat. The field was full
of itching peas. pwa kas split pea.
Nou pil pwa kas. We ground split
peas. pwa salad green beans, salad
beans. pwa wouj kidney beans, red
beans. pwa zy nw black-eyed
peas.

pwa2

weight. Yo ladj on kd ki t
ni an pwa maw adany. They
released a rope that had a weight tied
on it. [< Fr. poids] pwa senkant a
50 lb. weight.

pw

pwatik1

N customer. Nou s pwatik

li. Were his customers.

pwatik2 N practice. [< Fr. pratique]

mt an pwatik to put into practice.
Ou ka apwann an chay bon bagay,
m s pouw mt yo an pwatik.
Youre learning many good things, but
you must put them into practice.

pw (var: opw)

PREP near. Nou pa

t pwy. We werent near him. (opp:
lwen; see also: alapt, alimans, a
kot, b, bdaj, vizavi) ADV near,
nearby. L i vini pw, nou wy.
When he came near, we saw him.
[< Fr. prs]

pwalin

N praline, a candy made with

cashews or almonds. Mwen acht d
pwalin pou mwen manj. I bought
two pralines to eat. (see also: tablt)

pwan (var: pwen)

V 1) to take. Nou
kay pwan lajan-an. Well take the

188

pwch

Kwyl English

pwch

V to preach. I ka pwch
toul Sanmdi. He preaches every
Saturday. (syn: pwdik) [< Fr.
prcher]

brother is a man who is very hairy.

pwmy (var: pwenmy)

ADJ first.
Ou ki pwmy moun mwen w jdia. You are the first person I have seen
today. (opp: dny) [< Fr. premier]
pwmy vini any. Pwmy vini
moun ki ka dsann chimen-an, ba li
bagay-la ban mwen. Any person you
see coming down the road, give him
the thing for me. (syn: npt)

pwchman

N preaching, sermon.
Pwchman-an ja fini. The preaching
has ended. (syn: pwdikasyon; see
also: konmisyon)

pwdikasyon

N preaching, sermon.
Mwen apwsy ti pwdikasyon-an
ou bay bonmaten-an. I appreciated
the little sermon you gave today. (syn:
pwchman; see also: konmisyon)
[< Fr. prdication]

pwdik

pwmyman (var: pwenmyman)

ADV firstly. Pwmyman, nou kay
pal ba yo. Firstly, well talk to them.
(opp: dnyman) [< Fr.
premirement]

to preach. (rare; syn:

pwen1

pwch)

N fist. Pweny t wd. His fists

were hard. [< Fr. poing] koul pwen
blow, punch. bay koul pwen to
punch, to slug. I ba li on koul pwen.
He slugged him.

pwdy (var: pwiydy)

V to pray.
Nou ka pwdy bay Bondy. We
pray to God. (see also: lapwiy) [< Fr.
prier Dieu]

pwfwans

preference. Bondy pa
ni pwfwans pou pysonn. God
doesnt have preference for anyone.
(see also: pasyalit, lavantaj) [< Fr.
prfrence]
N

pwen2

N 1) point, detail, element. Zt

kay ni pou akspt chak ti pwen an
sa mwen ka di-a. You must accept
each small point in what Im saying.
(see also: dtay) 2) proof. Sa ou
moutw mwen la-a s as pwen pou
f mwen kw. What you showed me
is enough proof to convince me. (see
also: pwv) 3) point (in reference to
games). Konmen pwen zt jwenn
pou jw sala? How many points did
you get for this game? [< Fr. point]

pwl

N 1) fur, hair of an animal, pelt.

Tout s mouton sala ni pwl blan.
All of those sheep have white hair.
2) body hair of a human. Pwl li t
wouj. His body hair was red. [< Fr.
poil]

pwl1

pwennss

batch (of cassava flour).

Mwen f kat pwl fawin pou jouna. I made four batches of cassava flour
for the day.
N

pwen3 variant of pwan.

pwenmy variant of pwmy.
pwenmyman variant of
pwmyman.

pwl2 variant of pwlz. Ou pwl

kon on makak. You are as hairy as a
monkey.

pwennss (var: lapwennss)

princess. Jenn tifi-a abiy kon on

pwennss. The young girl was dressed
like a princess. [< Fr. princesse]

pwlz

ADJ hairy, hirsute. Fw mwen

s on nonm ki pwlz an chay. My

189

pwens

Kwyl English

pwens

N prince. Pwens-lan pa t ni
pys kouwonn. The prince had no
crown. [< Fr. prince]

pwt

N priest. I ka pas had pwt-la.

She was ironing the priests clothes.
(syn: lab, p; see also: danm, lvk,
monseny, mw) [< Fr. prtre]

pwensip

N principle. Manmay jdi

pa ni pys pwensip. Children today
dont have any principles. [< Fr.
principe]

pwt

V 1) to borrow. Mwen kay

pwt lajan-an an bank-lan pou f
kay-la. Ill borrow the money from the
bank to build the house. 2) to lend, to
loan. Mwen pwty lajan-an. I
loaned him the money. [< Fr. prter]

pwent

N point. Yo kas pwent

kouto-a. They broke the knifes point.
[< Fr. point]

pwenti

to sharpen (wood). I ka
pwenti pitjt-la. Hes sharpening the
stake. (see also: dol)
V

pwpawasyon

N preparation. Pa f
pwpawasyon ban mwen; ma ka
wt pou lontan. Dont do any
preparation for me; Im not staying
long. [< Fr. prparation]

pwpaw (var: paw)

to prepare.
Yo pwpaw k-a pou ltman-an.
They prepared the body for the
funeral. (syn: f ganm, f pwovizyon)
[< Fr. prparer]
V

pwv1

N black pepper. Pwv ka f

mwen stenn. Black pepper makes
me sneeze. (see also: piman) [< Fr.
poivre]

pwv2

N evidence, proof. Sa s pwvla ou t ka gad pou. Thats the

evidence you were looking for. (see
also: pwen) [< Fr. preuve]

pwvit

N bathroom, WC, loo, toilet,

outhouse. I mt pwvit-la dy kayla. He put the outhouse behind the
house. al an pwvit to defecate, to
go to the bathroom, to use the toilet. I
al an pwvit. He went to the
bathroom. (euphemism; syn: al an
wazy, f bizwen, chy, kaka)

pws variant of pwsk.

pws

ADJ in a hurry, hurried, rushed.

I pws tlman s jou sala. She is in
such a hurry these days. [< Fr.
presser]

pwzans

N presence. I f tout s
bagay sala an pwzans mwen. He did
all of these things in my presence.
[< Fr. prsence]

pwsk (var: pws)

ADV almost,
nearly. Pwsk tout zabka-a gat.
Nearly all of the avocadoes are spoiled
(see also: mantj) [< Fr. presque]

pwzant

V to present. I pwzant
twavay li bay titja-a. He presented
his work to the teacher. [< Fr.
prsenter]

pwson

N fish. Yo ka vann tout

kalt pwson. They sell all kinds of
fish. (see also: pch) [< Fr. poisson]
pwson am porcupine fish,
globefish, puffer, blowfish. pwson
gwan zy red snapper. (see also:
sb) pwson nas pot fish.

pwzv

pwzantman

ADV presently. Mwen

pa ka twavay pwzantman. Im not
working presently. (see also:
apwzan, atjwlman) [< Fr.
prsentment]

pwzv (var: pwzv)

190

to

pwzidan

Kwyl English

preserve. S pou ou sal vyann-an

pou pwzvy. You must salt the
meat to preserve it. (see also: konfi)
[< Fr. prserver]

plums. [< Fr. prune]

pwivilaj

N privilege. I s on pwivilaj
pou mwen sa vini isi-a jdi-a. It is a
privilege for me to come here today.
(see also: lonn) [< Fr. privilge]

pwzidan

N president. Nonm sala

vl nou ilkty pwzidan. That man
wants us to elect him president.

pwzon

poison. Yo fy manj
pwzon-an. They made him eat the
poison. (see also: vlen) [< Fr. poison]
N

pwiy variant of lapwiy.

pwiydy variant of pwdy. Mwen
ka pwiydy pou Bondy sa ni
mizwikd asouw. I am praying that
God will have mercy on you. [< Fr.
prier Dieu]

pwzonnen

V to poison. Yo
pwzonnen nonm-lan. They poisoned
the man. [< Fr. empoisonner]

pwizon

N prison, jail. Yo mty an

pwizon. They put him in jail. (syn:
lajl, kalabous; see also: kacho)
[< Fr. prison]

pwzv variant of pwzv.

pwi1

N price. La ni chimiz tout st

kalit pwi. There are shirts at all
different prices. [< Fr. prix]

pwi2

stuck, caught. Lawivy-a

gwo; i sanm mwen byen pwi sw-a.
The river is high; it seems I am well
stuck tonight. V 1) to get stuck. Py
mwen pwi an twou-a pi mwen pa t
sa tiwy. My foot got stuck in the
hole and I couldnt remove it. 2) to
take root. I pa sanm py bwa-a kay
pwi. It doesnt look like the tree will
take root. (syn: f wasin) 3) to perch.
Malfini ka pwi adan bwanch bwa.
Chicken hawks perch on tree
branches. pwi an pwi an k same
as pwi dy. Mwen pwi an pwi an
k Pita paski sa i t ka f-a pa t
bon. I rebuked Peter because what he
was doing wasnt good. pwi dy to
rebuke. Mwen t ni pou pwi dy
tibway-la pou i t sa kout mwen. I
had to rebuke the child to get him to
listen to me. (syn: pwi an pwi, lv
dy)

pwodwi

pwizonn variant of pwizonny.

pwizonny (var: pwizonn)

prisoner. Tout s pwizonny mawon.

All of the prisoners escaped. [< Fr.
prisonnier]

ADJ

pwblenm (var: pblenm)

problem. Nou pa ni pys pwblenm.

We have no problems. (syn: pas,
twaka) [< Fr. problme]

pwochen (var: pochen, pwochenn)

next. Mwen ka al lt pyi
simenn pwochen. I am going overseas
next week. (syn: ka vini, lt; opp:
pas) N neighbour, fellow man. S
pou ou f bon bay pwochenw. You
must do good to your neighbours.
(syn: vwzinaj; see also: jan) [< Fr.
prochain]
ADJ

pwochenn variant of pwochen.

pwodwi (var: podwi)

V to produce.
Jaden mwen pwodwi an chay lann
sala. My garden produced a lot this
year. (see also: pt, mennen fwi)
[< Fr. produire]

pwin

N plum. S ti manmay-la ka
manj pwin. The children are eating

191

pwofs

Kwyl English

pwofs

V to profess. Mwen ka
pwofs lafwa an Jzi Kwi. I am
professing faith in Jesus Christ.
(religious) [< Fr. professer]

pwofsyon (var: pofsyon)

Pwan pokosyon pou pa koup kw.

Be careful you dont cut yourself.
(syn: pwan gad)

pwonmt (var: ponmt)

V to
promise. I ja pwonmt nou sa. He
has promised us that. (see also:
swmant) N promise. Pa f
pwonmt ou pa sa tjenn. Dont make
a promise you cant keep. (see also:
sman) [< Fr. promettre]

profession (of faith). Yo tout f

pwofsyon lann pas They all made
professions of faith last year.
(religious) [< Fr. profession]

pwoft (var: poft)

N prophet.
Pwoft Bondy toujou ka pal
lavwit. Gods prophets always
speak the truth. (religious) [< Fr.
prophte]

pwonmnen (var: ponmnen)

V to
stroll, to wander. L Dimanch nou
ka pwonmnen. On Sunday we go for
a stroll. (see also: mach) [< Fr.
promener]

pwofi (var: pofi)

N profit, gain,
benefit. Mwen kay fm magazenan paski mwen pa ka f pwofi. I am
going to close my shop because I am
not making any profit. (see also: gany,
bennfis) [< Fr. profit]

pwp

ADJ clean. Mwen vl ou

ntway la byen pwp ban mwen. I
want you to tidy up there very clean
for me. (syn: nt; opp: sal; see also:
ntway, lav) [< Fr. propre] mal
pwp 1) dirty, nasty, unclean,
polluted, unsanitary. Ou mal pwp;
al benyen. Youre dirty; go bathe.
(syn: sal; opp: nt; see also: salp)
2) promiscuous. Tifi sala mal pwp
an chay; i ka dmi pi konmen
nonm. That girl is quite promiscuous;
she sleeps with so many men. (see
also: cho)

pwofit (var: pofit)

V to grow. Ou
ja pwofit an chay! Youve grown a
lot! (opp: twsi; see also: lv) [< Fr.
profiter]

pwogw (var: pogw)

N progress.
Nou ka f bon pwogw asou kay-la.
Were making good progress on the
house. [< Fr. progrs]

pwoj

N project. Nou twavay wd

asou pwoj sala. We worked hard on
this project. [< Fr. projet]

pwpt

N cleanliness. Pwpt
enptan an chay l ou ka f
pwpawasyon manj. Cleanliness is
very important when you are preparing
food. [< Fr. propriet] mal pwpt
1) dirtiness, filth, pollution,
uncleanliness. Ay ntway mal
pwpt-a la! Go clean up the filth
there! 2) immorality; immoral,
disgusting behaviour. S pou ou
doubout mal pwptw la. You must
stop that disgusting behaviour. (see
also: vy lavi, vis) [< Fr. malpropret]

pwoklanm (var: poklanm)

V to
proclaim. Yo ja pwoklanm lvanjilla toupatou Sent Lisi. They have
already proclaimed the Gospel
everywhere in St. Lucia. [< Fr.
proclamer]

pwokosyon (var: pokosyon)

pwpt

caution, precaution. [< Fr. prcaution]

pwan pwokosyon be careful.
192

pwspw

Kwyl English

pwspw (var: pspw)

length of measure). Mwen acht on

poto dis py. I bought a ten foot long
post. [< Fr. pied] bay py 1) to
grant power or authority over
someone. Pa janmen bay manmay
py asou gwan moun. Dont ever
give children power over older folks.
(syn: bay lchanlib; see also: bay
wzon) 2) same as f py. f py to
hurry up, to move quickly, to get
moving. F py! F py pou nou
fini. Hurry up! Hurry so we can finish.
(syn: bay py, bwennen k, chap
k, chap py, f vit; see also: kouwi;
fann kann, f djip, f lapousy, f
yan, f zkl, kouwi vant a t, pwan
lavl) koul py kick (by a person).
bay koul py to kick. Nonm-lan t
fach pis yo t ba li koul py. The
man was angry because they had
kicked him. pas anba py to
humiliate. Yo pasy anba py yo.
They humiliated him. py kaw
square foot. Yo py twa dla pa py
kaw. They paid three dollars per
square foot. py kou base of the
neck. I bay mouton on koul bwa
asou py kouy. He hit the sheep at
the base of its neck with a piece of
wood. py ni same as ni py. Si ou
mach py ni, ou kay twap v
solits. If you go barefoot, you will get
hookworms. [< Fr. pieds nus] tiw
py to kick. Bouwik-la t ka tiw
pyy. The donkey was kicking its
feet. (see also: bay koul pat) tjenb
py to follow in footsteps of, to keep
traditions of. Tibway sala tjenb py
papay. That boy follows his fathers
tradition. (see also: swiv, twadisyon,
papay tjwa)

V to
prosper. Ou pa kay pwspw si ou
ka vl bagay moun. You will not
prosper if you steal peoples things.
[< Fr. prosprer]

pwotj (var: potj)

V to protect.
Papay ka pwotjy. His father
protects him. (rare; syn: pwotkt; see
also: dfans) [< Fr. protger]

pwotkt (var: potkt)

V to protect.
Bondy ka pwotkt nou. God
protects us. (syn: pwotj; see also:
dfans) [< Eng. protect]

pwovizyon (var: povizyon)

provision. Nou wimsyy pou bon

pwovizyon-an. We thanked him for
the good provision. (syn:
potjiwasyon) [< Fr. provision] f
pwovizyon to make provision, to
prepare, to get ready. S pou ou f
pwovizyon pou l ou vini vy. You
must prepare for when you get old.
(syn: f ganm, pwpaw)

pwovok (var: povok)

V to provoke.
Li ki pwovok mwen avan! Hes the
one who provoked me first! (see also:
anbt, annwv, chikann, kankan,
twen) [< Fr. provoquer]

pyanmpyanm

ADJ so so. Mwen la

pyanmpyanm Im so so. (syn: pasab,
ti miyt, ti mso, tibwen, tizing, ti
tak)

pyay

V to do obeah on. Gwan

madanm-lan pyay tibway-la paski i
t wiy. The old woman did obeah on
the boy because he had laughed at her.
(see also: f js, f tjenbwa, f zb,
gaj)

py1

1) foot (as a part of the body).

Mwen t kay sp pyy. I would
have cut off his foot. 2) foot (as a
N

py

py2

N plant, bush, tree. I ban mwen

d py mango pou mwen sa plant.
He gave me two mango trees to plant.

193

py

Kwyl English

pys3

(see also: zb, wazy) py bwa tree.

Lapen mout an py bwa-a. Rabbit
climbed the tree. py dibas type of
tree. py dimas type of tree. py
onflen fir tree. L van-an ka pas
an py onflen-an, ou ka kw s an
moun ki ka soufl. When the wind
passes through the fir tree, you think
its a person whistling. py wazy
same as wazy. py wozo type of
tree. py zb same as zb. py zl
wavt type of tree. Fy py zl
wavt-la ka sanm an zl wavt pou
vw. The leaf of the tree really does
resemble a roachs wing.

ADJ not any, none at all. Ou pa

ni pys wzon pou al la. You dont
have any reason to go there. (opp:
tout) ADV not at all. Mwen pa ka al
an s bagay sala pys. Im not going
into those things at all. [< Fr. pice]
pys kot nowhere. Nou pa ka al
pys kot. Were not going anywhere.

pysonn (var: psonn)

PRO nobody,
no one. L nou wiv la pa t ni
pysonn. When we arrived there was
nobody. (opp: tout moun) [< Fr.
personne]

pyst

V to patch. I pyst tjilt-la.

She patched the pants. ADJ patched.
Had li toujou pyst. His clothes
were always patched. [< Fr. rapicer]

py N stone. (rare) [< Fr. pierre] py

dous whetstone. Chapanty-a fil
lanm gal-a k an py dous. The
carpenter sharpened the plane blade
with a whetstone. (syn: ml) py
loway thunder stone, Indian stone
axe. Dl moun ka jwenn py loway.
Sometimes people find stone axes.

pys1

pyt

V to strain, to exert oneself. Si

ou pa pyt ou pa kay fini jdi-a. If
you dont exert yourself, you wont
finish today. (syn: f fs k)

pyton

N balance. Ou pa ni as
pyton pou pas asou bwa-a. You
dont have good enough balance to
walk on the wood. (syn: balan)

coin. Ti manmay-la pd pys

lajan-an. The child lost the coin.
[< Fr. pice]
N

pys2

N 1) patch (on clothing). I mt

on gwo pys an do chimiz-la. She put
a big patch on the back of the shirt.
2) field, piece of land. Ou plant on
bl pys fig an ht. You planted a
nice banana field in the countryside.
(see also: t, twen) [< Fr. pice]

roro

Pywo

N the village of Pierrot. Mwen

s jan Pywo. I am from Pierrot.

pyon

N knobs (in a game of draughts).

I pd tout pyon-an. He lost all of his
knobs.

Rr
radyo

N radio. Nou tann nouvl-la

asou radyo-a. We heard the news on
the radio. [< Eng. radio]

[< Eng. record]

roro

N uproar, tumult. La t ni an
gwo roro. There was a big uproar.
[< Eng. row]

rkd

N record. Gwoup-la f on
rkd. The group made a record.

194

roti

Kwyl English

roti

sal

they are hot. (syn: bk; see also:

dalpouri, sohari)

N East Indian flat bread. Mwen

enmen roti l i cho. I like rotis when

Ss
sa1 (var: san)

PRO 1) demonstrative
pronoun: this, that. s ou kopwann
sa? Do you understand that? San
mwen-an pli gwo pas sa ou-a. Mine
is bigger than yours. 2) variant of ki
sa. Sa ou ka f la? What are you
doing there? [< Fr. a] ki sa (var:
sa) what. Ki sa ou kay f la? What
will you do there? ki sa ki (var: sa
ki) what. Ki sa ki wivw? What
happened to you? sa ki 1) variant of
ki sa ki. Sa ki wivw? What
happened to you? 2) who. Sa ki
genyen motoka-a? Who bought the
car? (syn: kils ki, ki moun ki)
3) whose. Sa ki motoka sala? Whose
car is that? (syn: sa ki moun) 4) he
who, whoever. Misy-a wiv k sa ki
t paw al piy. The man arrived
and whoever was ready went with
him. s sa ki those who, whoever.
Misy-a wiv k s sa ki paw al
piy. The man arrived and whoever
was ready went with him.

sa2

ADV can, to be able. I pa t sa

menm mach. He couldnt even walk.
(syn: p) Sigawt sala sa bon! This
cigarette is really good!

sadin

sand. Yo mt sab-la adan

sak-la. They put the sand in the sack.
[< Fr. sable]

sab2

N sword. I mennen sab li

toupatou. He took his sword
everywhere. (see also: kouto, koutla,
ponya, janbt) [< Fr. sabre]

sardine. [< Fr. sardine]

sajs variant of lasajs.

sak

N bag, sack. Mwen vl on sak

sik. I want a bag of sugar. [< Fr. sac]

sakw

ADJ damned. Ou s on sakw

vl. Youre a damned thief. [< Fr.
sacr]

sakwifis

N sacrifice. Mwen ni pou f

on chay sakwifis pou mwen sa f kay
mwen. I have to make a lot of
sacrifice in order to be able to build
my house. [< Fr. sacrifice]

sal

ADJ dirty, soiled. S jou sala dlo-a

sal an chay. These days the water is
very dirty. (syn: mal pwp; opp:
pwp, nt; see also: salp) [< Fr. sale]

sala (var: saa)

ADJ this, that. Nou

kontan motoka sala. We like that car.
[< Fr. cela] s sala these, those.
Pwan liv sala m kit s sala. Take
this book but leave those.

salad

N salad. Mwen pa t sa f
salad-la paski tout konkonm-lan
gat. I couldnt make the salad
because all of the cucumbers are
spoiled. [< Fr. salade]

saa variant of sala.

sab1

sal

V to salt. Yo ka sal vyann-an.

They salt the meat. ADJ salty. Dlo-a
t tw sal. The water was too salty.
(see also: sl) [< Fr. saler]

sal

N salary. I vl yo hos sal-a. He

wants them to raise the salary. (see
also: sal, pyiman) [< Fr. salaire]

195

salzon

Kwyl English

salzon

N meat, fish. Nou manj

manj-a san salzon. We ate the food
without meat. [< Fr. salaisons]

sali

without food. (opp: pi, vk) [< Fr.

sans]

san4 variant of sa. San mwen-an gwo

V to soil, to dirty. Las sali dlo-a!

Stop dirtying the water! [< Fr. salir]
sali non to slander, to defame. S pa
pou sali non moun. You must not
slander people. (syn: dkwiy,
mpwiz, nwsi non; see also: chay
pawl, mal pal)

pas sa ou-a. Mine is bigger than

yours.

sanbl

V 1) to gather. Yo ka sanbl
nwa. They are gathering cashews. (see
also: anmas) 2) variant of asanbl.
Yo tout sanbl b pon-an. They all
gathered by the bridge. (syn: jwenn)
[< Fr. assembler]

sali2

V to prime. S pou ou sali

planch-lan avan ou pentiwy. You
must prime the board before you paint
it.

sangl

V to buckle (something on an
animal). Yo mt sl-la k yo
sangly ba li. They put the saddle on
and buckled it for him. (see also:
boukl)

salp

ADJ nasty, dirty. Ou salp. You

are nasty. (crude; see also: mal pwp,
sal) [< Fr. salope]

salvasyon

sanm

V to appear, to seem, to look

like, to resemble. I sanm lapli-a kay
kwv. It seems that the rain is going
to fall. (syn: gad kon) Mwen kw
zt t d fw pis zt ka sanm. I
thought you were brothers because
you look like each other. [< Fr.
sembler]

salvation. Jzi ka of
nou salvasyon. Jesus offers us
salvation. (religious)
N

san1

N blood. Bouden sala ft k san

kochon. This black pudding is made
with pigs blood. (see also: senyen)
Tout py mwen t ni san. My foot
was all bloody. [< Fr. sang] mt
san dw to shed blood, to spill
blood. Si ou touch mwen, mwen ka
mt sanw dw. If you touch me,
Ill spill your blood. san m broken
blood vessel, haematoma, contusion,
bruise. Dkt-a tiw san m-a an
py nonm-lan. The doctor removed
the haematoma from the mans foot.
(see also: bls, bls)

san2

hundred. Sa kout konmen

san dla. That costs many hundred
dollars. [< Fr. cent] yan san one
hundred. Sak-la pz yan san liv.
The sack weights one hundred pounds.
ADJ

sanngki

Sanmdi

N Saturday. Toul Sanmdi

yo ka al laplas. Every Saturday they
go to the market. [< Fr. samedi]

sann

N ashes. Sa ou pd an dif ou
p twouvy adan sann. What you
lose in the fire you may find in the
ashes. ADJ grey. Wb li t sann. Her
dress was grey. (syn: gwi) [< Fr.
cendre]

sanng

N belt. Sanng-lan t tw gwo

pou weny. The belt was too large for
his waist.

sanngki

N hymn. L la ni lavy
moun ka chant sanngki. When
theres a wake people sing hymns.
[< Fr. Ira D. Sankey]

san3

PREP without. Nou wt twa jou

san manj. We stayed three days

196

sans

Kwyl English

sans (var: syans)

sapoti

N sense. Sa pa ka
f sans. That doesnt make sense. (see
also: santiman) [< Fr. sens]

sansi

N sapodilla (Achras zapota).

[< Fr. sapotille]

Satan

N Satan, the Devil. Satan

toujou ka tant moun. Satan is
always tempting people. (syn:
Denmou; see also: djab, vy lspwi)
[< Fr. Satan]

leech. Sansi ka sis san.

Leeches suck blood. [< Fr. sangsue]
N

sansib

ADJ sensitive. Ti manmay-la

sansib an tt. The childs head is
sensitive. (see also: sisptid) [< Fr.
sensible]

satifika

N certificate. S manmay
lkl-la wisivw satifika yo jdi-a.
The school children received their
certificates today. [< Fr. certificat]

sansiv

N gums. Sansiv li ka senyen.

His gums are bleeding. [< Fr. gencive]

sant

health. Santy pa bon pys.

His health is not at all good. [< Fr.
sant]
N

satisfaksyon

N satisfaction. Mwen
pa ka jwenn pys satisfaksyon an sa
mwen ka f-a. I dont receive any
satisfaction in what I am doing. (see
also: lakontantman) [< Fr.
satisfaction]

sant

N stinker. Sti la, sant! Get

out of there, you stinker!

santi

V 1) to feel. Mwen santi an

bagay annk pas andidan mwen. I
felt something just pass inside me.
2) to smell. Fl-a ka santi bon. The
flower smells good. (see also: pwan
ld) 3) to stink. Vyann-an ka santi;
i sanm ja gat. The meat stinks; it
seems to be spoiled. [< Fr. sentir]

santiman

satisf

V to satisfy. Mwen satisf pi

wpons-lan ou bay-la. I am satisfied
with your response. (syn: kontant;
see also: wipiny) ADJ satisfied.
Atjlman yo satisf. Now theyre
satisfied. (syn: kontant, pl; opp:
dsatisf) [< Fr. satisfaire]

sav

V to know. Mwen pa sav sa i y. I

dont know what it is. (see also:
konnt) [< Fr. savoir] f sav to let
one know, to inform. L ou paw, f
mwen sav. When youre ready, let me
know. (syn: enfm, soufl; see also:
di)

common sense. Fanm

sala pa ni santiman; i k nonm-lan
toujou. That woman doesnt have any
sense; she is still with the man. (see
also: sens) [< Fr. sentiment]
N

sapant

N a type of plant, remedy for

pwidan. (see also: kanmanmi,
tiyl)

savan

ADJ 1) wise, smart. Nonm-lan

kw i savan. The man thinks he is
wise. (opp: kouyon, st; see also:
lasajs, entlijans, lspwi,
lakopwann) 2) civilized. Moun pli
savan apwzan pas avan. People are
more civilized now than before. (opp:
sovay; see also: dosil) [< Fr. savant]

sapat

N 1) sandal. Kot ou acht

sapat sala? Where did you buy those
sandals? 2) domino term: a set of
consecutive games unbroken by
defeat. Mwen ba yo d sapat y
sw. I won two straight sets in
dominoes last night.

savann

savann

N field. Yo maw bf-la

adan savann-an. They tied the cow in

197

saviyon

Kwyl English

the field. [< Fr. savane]

sk2

N hoop, band, ring, circle. S ti

manmay-la tiw sk-la oliwon bawia pi wouly dsann chimen-an.
The children removed the hoop from
around the barrel and rolled it down
the road. (see also: won) [< Fr. cercle]

saviyon

N oar, paddle. Saviyon

kannt-la kas. The oar of the canoe
broke. [< Fr. aviron]

savolan

N kite. Yo ka vol savolan.

Theyre flying kites. [< Fr. cerfvolant]

skl

V to weed. I ka skl jadeny.

Hes weeding his garden. (see also:
sp) [< Fr. sarcler]

savon

N soap. I svi savon pou lav

lanmeny. He used soap to wash his
hands. (see also: ntway, lav) [< Fr.
savon] savon nt a type of tree
whose leaves are used to do laundry. I
svi fy savon nt pou tjiw planchlan. He used the savon nt leaves to
scrub the floor.

sl1

ADJ only. Sl dla mwen t ni,

mwen ba ouy. The only dollar I had,
I gave it to you. (see also: dny,
slman, tousl) [< Fr. seul]

sl2

N salt. Yo mt twp sl an
manj-a. They put too much salt in
the food. (see also: sal) [< Fr. sel]

sayd

N side. I t lt sayd-la. He was

on the other side. (syn: b, fasad,
kot) [< Eng. side]

sl3

N fertilizer. L plan-an lv, mt

pli sl. When the plant sprouts, put on
more fertilizer. (see also: fimy) [< Fr.
selle]

s1 (var: y)

V to be. Fw mwen s on
dkt. My brothers a doctor. [< Fr.
cest]

sl4

N saddle. Yo mt sl-la anl do

chouval-la. They put the saddle on the
horses back. [< Fr. selle]

s2 pluralizer. S wb sala bl pas s

lzt-la. These dresses are prettier
than the others.

sl

V to saddle. Ay sl chouval-la.
Go saddle the horse. (opp: dsl)
[< Fr. seller]

N sister. S moun sala s fw k s

mwen an Jzi. Those people are my
brothers and sisters in Jesus.
(religious; syn: ss)

slbwasyon

N celebration.
Slbwasyon-an kay sw-a. The
celebration will be tonight. (see also:
ft, fsten) [< Fr. clbration]

sf

N deer. An chay moun ka manj

sf. Many people eat deer. (syn: bich)
[< Fr. cerf]

slbw

V to celebrate. Tout moun

vl slbw Kannaval. Everyone
wants to celebrate Carnival. (see also:
ft, bwiy, f laft, wibot) [< Fr.
clbrer]

sjan

N sergeant. Kils ki sjan-an?

Who is the sergeant? [< Fr. sergent]

sk1

ADJ dry. I lav wb-la m i

pk sk. She washed the dress but
its not dry yet. (opp: mouy) V to
dry. Chimiz-la pa kay sk kot ou
mty la. The shirt will not dry there.
(see also: chch) [< Fr. sec]

slwa

slwa

ADJ wicked. Pa f blag pi

tibway sala; i slwa an chay. Dont
joke around with that boy; he is very
wicked. (syn: mchan, modi; opp:
bon; see also: mov, vy)

198

slwat

Kwyl English

slwat

Fishermen use seine nets. (see also:

filt, lpvy; kali) [< Fr. seine]

N wickedness. Slwat
matj asou fidjiy. Wickedness is
written all over his face. (opp: bont;
see also: mchanst, movzt)

sennen

V to seine, to fish with a seine.

S pch-a ka sennen. The fishermen
are seining.

slman

ADV alone, only. S ou

slman mwen vl vini. It is you alone
I want to come. (syn: tousl, yonn; see
also: sl) [< Fr. seulement]

senp

ADJ simple. Bagay-la mwen ni

pou diw-la byen senp pou
konpwann. What I have to tell you is
very simple to understand. [< Fr.
simple]

sman

N oath. Mwen f sman ma

ka janmen al la ank. I made an
oath I would never go there again. (see
also: pwonmt, swmant) [< Fr.
serment]

Sent Lisi

N St. Lucia. Yo ka al Sent

Lisi pou Kannaval. They are going to
St. Lucia for Carnival. [< Fr. Sainte
Lucie]

sen

N saint. Pwt-la di i sipoz

pwdy bay s sen-an an syl. The
priest said he should pray to the saints
in heaven. [< Fr. saint]

senk

ADJ five. Gason-an ni senk ss.

The boy has five sisters. [< Fr. cinq]

sentdjn

N plant with a red flower

used in bush medicine. [< Eng. Saint
John]

Seny

N Lord. S pou ou toujou

kwiy asou Seny-a. You must
always call upon the Lord. (religious)
[< Fr. seigneur]

senkant

ADJ fifty. Si nou t ni

senkant dla nou t kay genyeny. If
we had fifty dollars we would buy it.
[< Fr. cinquante]

senk

senyen

V 1) to bleed. Yo kwv
nonm-lan k i koumans senyen.
They stabbed the man and he began to
bleed. (see also: san) 2) to kill. Yo
ka senyen an pil zannimo l Nwl.
They kill many animals at Christmas.
(see also: tjw) [< Fr. saigner]

five oclock. [< Fr. cinq

heures]

senky (var: senkay)

N coffin.
Kbiya-a vini pwan senky-la. The
hearse came to take the coffin. [< Fr.
cercueil]

span

N serpent, snake. Span-an

pitj fw madanm-lan. The snake bit
the womans brother. (see also: vlen)
[< Fr. serpent]

senkyenm

ADJ fifth. Yo viw asou

senkyenm jou-a. They returned on the
fifth day. [< Fr. cinquime]

senm

snow peas.

spaw

V 1) to divide, to separate.
Spaw manj-a pou nou manj.
Divide the food for us to eat. 2) to
share. Yo t ka spaw tout bagay.
They used to share everything. [< Fr.
sparer]

senmity

N cemetery. Yo t ka
chach on plas pou f an senmity.
They were looking for a place to make
a cemetery. (see also: tw, tonm)
[< Fr. cimetire]

senn

sp

sp

V to cut (brush). Mwen t ka

sp zb-la b kay-la. I was cutting

seine net. Pch ka svi senn.

199

Sptanm

Kwyl English

the grass near the house. (see also:

skl, koup, sot)

Sptanm

cutlass, it will cut you.

svw

V to wean. Yo svwy a laj di

twazan. They weaned him at the age
of three years. [< Fr. sevrer]

September. [< Fr.

septembre]

ss

svyt

st

swan

N sister. Ss mwen ka twavay

an lopital-la. My sister works at the
hospital. (syn: s; opp: fw)

ADJ seven. Yo ni st mal bouwik.

They have seven male donkeys. [< Fr.
sept]

N towel. Ba li on svyt pou i

swiy bouch li. Give him a towel to
wipe his mouth. [< Fr. serviette]
ADJ secretive. Mi nonm ki
swan; i pa ka diw zafy pys.
Look, a man that is secretive; he wont
tell you his business at all. [< Fr.
serrant] an swan secretly, in
secret. Yo f tout bagay an swan.
They did everything secretly. (syn: an
sigw, ankacht, anba fy)

st (var: t)

V was. Papa mwen st

on pch. My father was a fisherman.
[< Fr. cetait]

st

N seven oclock. [< Fr. sept

heures]

sten

certain. La ni sten bagay

ou pa sa f. There are certain things
you cant do. [< Fr. certain]

sw1

V to hide. Kot ou sw lajanan? Where did you hide the money?

(syn: mt ankacht)

ADJ

styenm

sw2

V to tighten. Yo sw boulonan twp. They tightened the bolt too

much. (opp: ladj asou; see also: vis)
ADJ tight. Sanng-lan t tw sw.
The belt was too tight. (opp: slak; see
also: jis) [< Fr. serrer]

seventh. Mwen s
styenm ich manman mwen. I am
my mothers seventh child. [< Fr.
septime]
ADJ

svant (var: svant)

N servant.
Louwa vow svant li ay pwan dlo.
The king sent his servant to get water.
(see also: donmstik)

svl

N brain. Ti manmay-la ka svi

svl li. The child is using his brain.
(see also: lid, tt) [< Fr. cervelle]

swen

N dew. Swen ka tonb l

bonmaten. Dew falls in the morning.
(syn: lawouz)

Swnal

N Christmas celebration
where people march early in the
morning, singing and beating on metal
buckets. Mwen ka al Swnal
denmen bonmaten. I am going to the
Christmas celebration early tomorrow
morning.

Svsan

N St. Vincent. Mwen ka al

Svsan asou vakans. I am going to
St. Vincent for vacation.

svi

V 1) to serve. Nou sipoz svi

Bondy. We should serve God. 2) to
use. Yo ka svi manyk pou f
fawin. They use cassava to make
farine. [< Fr. servir] mal svi to
misuse. Si ou mal svi koutla-a, i
kay koupw. If you misuse the

swiy

swi

N lock. Lakl-a t adan swi-a.

The key was in the lock. (syn: lakl;
see also: kadna) [< Fr. serrure]

swiy

ADJ serious. I pa t swiy l i

di sa. He wasnt serious when he said
that. [< Fr. srieux]

200

swmant

swmant

Kwyl English

to swear, to pledge, to
vow. Mwen ka swmant sa mwen
di-a s lavwit. I swear that what I
said is the truth. (see also: pwonmt,
sman) [< Fr. serment]
V

si4 variant of sis. Yo wst la pou si

mwa. They stayed there fore six
months.

sibit

ADV suddenly, all of a sudden,

unexpectedly. Nonm-lan m sibit.
The man died all of a sudden. (see
also: sibitman) [< Fr. subitement]

sz

ADJ sixteen. I py sz dla pou

d koutla. He paid sixteen dollars for
two cutlasses. [< Fr. seize]

szi

to seize. Bank-lan szi

motoka-a paski i pa t ka pyy.
The bank seized the car because he
wasnt paying them. ADJ astonished,
astounded, amazed, surprised. L yo
w mizi pw aksidan-an ft douvan
yo, yo szi. When they saw how close
the accident happened in front of
them, they were astonished. (syn:
bdji, tonnen, sipwi) [< Fr. saisir]

sibitman

ADV suddenly, all of a

sudden. Sibitman, nou tann an
dibwi! Suddenly, we heard a sound!
(see also: sibit) [< Fr. subitement]

sigawt

N cigarette. I pa ni pys
sigawt. He has no cigarettes. (see
also: fimen, lafim) [< Fr. cigarette]

sigw

N secret. Kit mwen diw on

sigw. Let me tell you a secret. [< Fr.
secret] an sigw secretly, in secret.
Nou t jwenn an sigw. We met
secretly. (syn: anba fy, ankacht, an
swan)

szisman

N shock, wonder. L tifi-a

tann manmany t m, szisman
pweny. The girl was in shock when
she heard that her mother had died.
[< Fr. saisissement]

sigwt

N secretary. Py s
pwzidan-an k Mari s sigwt-a.
Peter is president and Marie is
secretary. [< Fr. secrtaire]

szon

N season. Tan sala s szon

lapli. This is the rainy season. [< Fr.
saison]

si

sik

N sugar. Nou genyen d liv sik.

We bought two pounds of sugar.
[< Fr. sucre] sik an dan to be
elated, to be overwhelmed with
happiness. I t kontan tlman, i t ni
an sik an dany l i w mawiy. She
was so happy, she was elated when
she saw her husband.

CONJ if. Nou kay al si ou vl. We

will go if you want. (see also: dpi)
[< Fr. si] si...sa this...that. Moun
kay diw si, moun kay diw sa, m
pa kout yo. People will tell you this,
people will tell you that, but dont
listen to them.

si2

a two-man saw for splitting wood.

Yo fann bwa-a k si-a pou f planch.
They split the wood with the saw to
make planks. (see also: siy; lgowin,
paspatou) [< Fr. scie]

si3

ADJ sour. Zowanj-lan si kon siton.

The orange was as sour as a lime.
(opp: dou) [< Fr. sur]

sikwiy

siklonn

N hurricane. Tan sala s

szon siklonn. This hurricane season.
(see also: mov tan) [< Fr. cyclone]

siks

N success. (see also: wisi)

[< Fr. succder]

sikwiy

N bananaquit (Coereba
flaveola): a small grey bird with
yellow breast that sucks the flower of

201

silans

Kwyl English

simt

the coconut, banana and mango tree.

[< Fr. sucrier]

V to submit. Simt kw bay

Jzi. Submit yourself to Jesus. (rare;
syn: abs) [< Fr. soumettre]

silans

N silence. Mwen vl zt tout

asid la an silans. I want you all to sit
there in silence. ADJ quiet, silent.
Nonm-lan wst silans l i jwenn
nouvl-la. The man remained silent
when he got the news. (see also: fwt,
tjantjil) [< Fr. silence]

simwj

V to scatter. I simwj
manj tout a t-a. He scattered food
all over the ground. (syn: simen)

simy

V to prefer. Kils kay ou

simy? Which house do you prefer?
ADV it would have been better,
preferable. Simy nou t wst la. It
would have been better for us to have
stayed there. (syn: vonmy; see also:
andji, oly, pito)

silon

PREP according to. Silon Tti,

Chat ka pas pa t. According to
Turtle, Cat is going on the ground.
(see also: akdans, dapw) Silon
van-an latj kk panch. According
to the wind the cocks tail bends.
[< Fr. selon]

sin1

N sign. I pa t sa pal kon sa i t

ka f yo sin k lanmeny. He couldnt
speak so he was making signs to them
with his hands. [< Fr. signe] f sin
anl same as f sin asou. f sin
asou to make derisive gestures in
order to mock, deride, make fun of the
person. Pa f sin asou nonm-lan
avan i ww. Dont let that man see
you pointing at him. (see also: f
papicho, ladj chalbawi, motj,
pwan svi papicho, pwan svi
widitjil, pwan svi wizib) sin a kwa
sign of the cross. Apw i fini pwdy
i f sin a kwa. After she finished
praying she made the sign of the cross.
(relig.) [< Fr. signe croix]

siltann

N robe worn by Catholic priest.

Pwt-la t ni on siltann blan l i vin
f lanms. The priest had a white robe
when he came to conduct mass. (see
also: gl)

siman

N cement. Mwen ni pou acht

on sak siman. I need to buy a bag of
cement. [< Fr. ciment]

simant

V to cement, to bind. S
lanmity ki ka simant nou ansanm.
It is love that binds us together.
(religious) [< Fr. cimenter]

simen

V to spread, to scatter, to sow.

Zdi-a simen tout a t-a. Trash was
scattered all over the ground. (syn:
simwj) [< Fr. dissminer] simen
gwenn to play the fool. Yo toujou
ka simen gwenn! Theyre always
playing the fool! (syn: simen kouyon)
simen kouyon same as simen
gwenn.

sinify

sin2 variant of sindich.

sindich (var: sin)

N mole (on the

skin). I ni sindich asou lanmeny.
She has moles on her hands. [< Fr.
signe de chair]

sinify

V to benefit, to gain. Ki sa sa
kay sinifyw menm si ou mal pal
mwen? What would you gain even
though you bad talk me? (syn:
bennfis; see also: gany, pwofi) [< Fr.
signifier]

simenn

N week. Nou kay pati lt

simenn. We will leave next week.
[< Fr. semaine]

202

sip

Kwyl English

sip

sistans

N support. Mt an sip bay py

bwa-a. Put a support for the tree.
[< Fr. support]

N sustenance, substance. S
manj-a ou enmen-an pa ni sistans.
The foods you like dont have any
sustenance. [< Fr. substance]

sipt

V 1) to support. S sonmy-a
ka sipt kay-la. The beams support
the house. (see also: bay wzon, mt
bay, pwan pou) 2) to bear, to stand.
Magw i s an miyatws, i ka sipt
sly-la kon an jan nw. Although
shes a mulatto, she can stand the sun
like a black person. [< Fr. supporter]

sit

V to hiss. S gason-an ka sit s

tifi-a. The boys are hissing at the girls.

sitenn

N standpipe. Mwen jwenn dlo

adan sitenn-an. I found water in the
standpipe. (see also: tiyo) [< Fr.
citerne] tt sitenn faucet. Ti
manmay kas tt sitenn-an. The
child broke the faucet.

sipoz

ADV ought to, supposed to,

should. Mwen pa t sipoz di anyen.
I shouldnt have said anything. (syn:
dw) Yo sipoz wiv jdi-a. Theyre
supposed to arrive today. [< Fr.
supposer]

sitiwasyon

N situation. Mwen vlw

d mwen paski mwen adan an vy
sitiwasyon apwzan. I want you to
help me because I am in a bad
situation. (see also: manny) [< Fr.
situation]

sipwi

V to amaze, to surprise, to
astonish, to astound. Yo kay sipwiy
pi an kado. Theyll surprise him with
a gift. ADJ surprised. Manman
mwen t sipwi l i tann ssy m.
My mother was surprised when she
hear her sister died. (syn: bdji,
tonnen, szi) [< Fr. surprise]

siton variant of sitwon.

sitonnl

sis

ADV especially, above all. Mwen

vl zt tout sti isi-a, sitou ou menm,
Pita! I want you all to get out of here,
especially you, Peter! (syn:
spwsman) [< Fr. surtout]

sitway

ADJ aggravated, annoyed.

Mwen t sitway tlman l mwen w
sa nonm-lan f madanm li. I as quite
annoyed when I saw what the man did
to his wife. (syn: anwaj; see also:
distw, twoubl, fach)

to suck. Mwen sis tt dowadla. I sucked the dolphins head. (see

also: tt) [< Fr. sucer]

sisptid

sitwon (var: siton)

N lime. Madanmlan ka f ji sitwon. The womans

making lime juice. [< Fr. citron]

sispann

V to hang, to dangle, to
suspend. Gason-an ka sispann asou
bwanch bwa-a. The boys hanging
from the tree. (see also: pann,
wanm) [< Fr. suspendre]

citronella (Cymbopogon

sitou

ADJ sensitive, touchy. Ou

sisptid pas on mouton. You are
touchier than a sheep. (see also:
sansib) [< Fr. susceptible]

nomdus).

sis (var: si)

ADJ six. Gason-an ni sis

lann. The boy is six years old. [< Fr.
six]

sivotj

sivotj

V to upset, to nauseate. Vy
ld sala sivotj mwen. That bad
smell nauseated me. (syn: boulvs;
see also: malotj)

203

siwt

Kwyl English

siwt

this meat is seasoned. 2) hardy,

resilient. Pa anbt kw pi s
manmay sala; yo ja sizonnen. Dont
worry yourself about those children;
they are resilient. [< Fr. assaisonner]

gooseberry.

siwik

N blue crab. (see also: bak,

kwab, touloulou, zagaya)

siwiz

N cherry, acerola (Malpighiaceae

emarginata). [< Fr. cerise]

skw

N 1) set square, used in

carpentry. Si i pa ni skw i pa sa fy
dwt. If he doesnt have a square he
cant make it straight. (syn: ltj; see
also: kaw) 2) park, plaza, enclosed
garden in the middle of town. Mwen
al asou skw-a pi on kanmawad
pou jw m skw-a t fm. I went to
the square with a friend to play but the
square was closed. [< Eng. square]
asou skw street festival. Asou
skw lontan t ka pli bl pas
atjwlman. The street festivals in the
past were nicer than those today.

siwo same as siwo myl. I dousi

dity pi siwo. She sweetened her tea
with honey. [< Fr. sirop] gwo siwo
molasses. Dkt zannimo-a di pou
mt gwo siwo an manj bf. The vet
said to put molasses in the cows food.

siy1

V to saw. S nonm-lan ka siy

bwa. The men are sawing wood. (see
also: koup; si, lgowin, paspatou)
[< Fr. scier] siy dlo to go fast in a
boat, to cut through the water. S
kannt-la ka vini; yo ka siy dlo.
The boats are coming; they are cutting
through the water. (syn: koup dlo)

slak

ADJ loose. Sanng-lan maw tw

slak. The belt was tied too loose. (opp:
sw; see also: ladj) [< Eng. slack]

siy

V to sign. S pou zt tout siy

papy-a. You must all sign the paper.
[< Fr. signer]

so

N 1) fall. I pwan on so. He took a

fall. (syn: latjilbit; see also: tonb)
2) waterfall. Nou mout jis an ht
pou t sa benyen an so-a. We went
up right to the countryside to bathe in
the waterfall. f so to struggle
physically. I f so pouy chap, m i
t byen pwi. He struggled to get away,
but he was stuck. (see also: dbat,
dbwiy, mennaj) pwan so to fall,
take a fall. Mwen pwan an so dwt
douvan lapt-la. I fell right in front of
the door. (syn: tonb; see also: pwan
latjilbit)

siyz

N a type of cactus. La t ni py
siyz tousl. There were only cactus
trees. (see also: watjt)

sizan

same as sis lann. [< Fr. six

ans]

siz
sizo

six oclock. [< Fr. six heures]

N scissors. Koutiyz-la pd
sizoy. The seamstress lost her
scissors. [< Fr. ciseaux]

sizo2

N Magnificent Fregate bird

(Fregata magnificens). [< Fr. ciseaux]

sizonnen

to season. Mwen pa sa
manj pwson-an paski ou pa
sizonneny byen. I cant eat the fish
because you didnt season it well. ADJ
1) seasoned. Mwen kontan manny
vyann sala sizonnen-an. I like how
V

sb

N fate, destiny, state of being poor.

Yo pas an mov malw s. They
went through a bad time. (see also:
lta) [< Fr. sort]

sb

N snapper. (see also: pwson

gwan zy)

204

sohari

Kwyl English

sohari

listening). Dkt-a pa menm ni pou

sondy pou sav sa ki wivy. The
doctor doesnt even need to check him
to know what happened to him. [< Fr.
sonder]

N East Indian bread similar to a

roti shell but fried. Mwen enmen
sohari-a l i wasi. I like sohari when
it is stale. (see also: bk, dalpouri,
roti)

sl

flounder. [< Fr. sole]

sonm

ADJ sombre, sad. Ou sonm kon

moun ki pd manman yo. Youre
sombre like people whove lost their
mother. (syn: twis, an lapenn; opp:
dj, kontan) [< Fr. sombre]

slda1

N soldier. Tonton mwen st

on slda. My uncle was a soldier.
[< Fr. soldat]

slda2

N hermit crab. (see also: bak,

kwab, siwik, touloulou, zagaya)
[< Fr. soldat]

sly

N sun. Sly-la ka kouch

bonn s jou sala. The sun sets early
these days. [< Fr. soleil] sly
kouchan variant of sly kouch.
sly kouch (var: sly kouchan)
1) west. I t ka mach asou sly
kouch. He was walking to the west.
(opp: sly lvan, sly lv)
2) sundown. Antw s bf-la avan
sly kouch. Bring in the cows
before sundown. sly lvan variant
of sly lv. I t ka mach asou
sly lvan. He was walking to the
east. sly lv (var: sly lvan)
1) east. (opp: sly kouchan, sly
kouch) 2) sunrise, sunup. Mwen
pati al an twavay avan sly lv. I
left to go to work before sunrise. (see
also: jou ouv, laba)

slsouwi

N bat. Nou w slsouwi t

ka vol. We saw bats flying. [< Fr.
chauve-souris]

sonmy

N sleep. Sonmy pwan ti

manmay-la. Sleep overtook the child.
(see also: dmi) [< Fr. sommeil]

sonmy

N beam, floor joist. Tout

sonmy kay-la ni poulbwa. All of the
beams of the house have termites.
[< Fr. sommier]

sonn

N stethoscope. Dkt-a svi

sonn-an pou gad si tjy ka twavay
byen. The doctor used the stethoscope
to see if his heart was working well.

sonnen

V to ring, to sound. Klch-la

sonnen a yonn. The bell rang at one
oclock. (see also: kn, soufl) [< Fr.
sonner]

sonson variant of choson.

ss

N sauce. Ss pwson s an bon

ss pou manj k bwapen. Fish sauce
is a good sauce to eat with breadfruit.
[< Fr. sauce]

sos

V to dip. Nou t ni pou sos penan an dit-a pou nou t p manjy.

We had to dip the bread in the tea in
order to be able to eat it. (see also:
mouy, twanp) [< Fr. saucer]

son

N noise, sound. L mwen tann

son-an mwen al dw pou w sa i t
y. When I heard the sound I went out
to see what it was. (syn: dzd, dibwi)
[< Fr. son]

sond

V to check, to test (with a

stethoscope, or otherwise by

st

st1

ADJ foolish. Gason-an st

tlman! The boy is so foolish! (syn:
kouyon; opp: savan) [< Fr. sot]

st2
205

kind, sort, type. Yo ka vann

st

Kwyl English

tout st kalit pwson. They sell all

kinds of fish. [< Fr. sorte]

soufl

yon sou. Long ago they used to sell

two pieces of bread for one farthing.
[< Fr. sou] d sou one cent.

st3 variant of sti. St anba kay-la

soud

apwzan! Come out from under the

house right now!

ADJ deaf. Papay ja vini soud.

His father has become deaf. (see also:
avg, moumou) [< Fr. sourd] ti non
soud same as soudnon.

sot

V 1) to jump. Gason-an wst

asou tt kay-la pi i sot a t. The
boy was up on the roof of the house
and he jumped to the ground. 2) to cut
the top of something off. Si ou vini
an lakou mwen, mwen kay sot tt
ou. If you come into my yard, Im
going to cut your head off. (see also:
sp, koup, vol) 3) to be surprised,
to be startled. Vl-a sot l i w mt
kay-la. The thief was startled when he
saw the owner of the house. ADJ
surprised, startled, amazed. (syn:
sipwi, tonnen, bdji, szi) [< Fr.
sauter] f sot to startle. L i antw
nou fy sot. When he came in we
startled him. sot anl to fight, to
attack. Si ou vin douvan mwen,
mwen ka sot anlw. If you come in
front of me, I am going to attack you.
(see also: lit, goumen)

soud

N deaf person. Jou-a Jzi kay

viw-a tout soud kay tann. On the
day Jesus returns, all the deaf people
will be able to hear.

soudnon

N nickname. Nony s
Christopher m soudnony s Tofa.
His names Christopher but his
nickname is Tofa. (syn: ti non, ti non
soud)

souf1

N sulphur, sulphur springs.

Denmen nou kay pwan an ben an
souf. Tomorrow we will take a bath in
the sulphur springs. [< Fr. soufre]

souf2 variant of lisouf.

souf

V to suffer. S moun sala t ka

souf tlman. Those people were
suffering so much. (see also:
soufwans) [< Fr. souffrir]

sti (var: st)

V 1) to go out. Nou pa
sti an kay-la. We didnt go out of the
house. (opp: antw; see also: al, pati,
kit) 2) to come from. Ko ou sti?
Where do you come from? [< Fr.
sortir] f an sti to visit a
practitioner of obeah. Ti manmay-la
malad an chay pi manmany f an
sti ba li. The child was quite sick and
his mother visited an obeah man on his
behalf.

soufl1

sou1

ADJ drunk. Nonm sala toujou

sou. That man is always drunk. (opp:
natiwl) [< Fr. saoul]

sou2

N farthing, one half cent E.C..

Tan lontan yo t ka vann d pen pou

206

V 1) to blow. Ti manmay-la
soufl asou blan balenn-an. The
child blew on the candle. (see also:
kn, sonnen) 2) to whistle, to blow
(a whistle, flute, horn, etc.). Nonm
sala toujou ka soufl l i ka twavay.
That man is always whistling when he
works. 3) to whisper. Las soufl
paditan mwen ka pal! Dont
whisper while Im speaking! (see also:
chwichwi, pal an zwy) 4) to
notify, to inform. Si ou pa t soufl
mwen sa, nonm-lan t kay kwennen
mwen. If you hadnt notified me about
that, the man would have tricked me.
(syn: enfm, f sav; see also: di)

soufl

Kwyl English

[< Fr. souffler]

soumach

V to sweeten slightly. Si
ou pa soumach dit-a mwen pa kay
sa bwy. If you dont sweeten the tea
a little, I wont be able to drink it. (see
also: dou, dousi)

soufl

N slap. Sa s soufl manmanan bay tibway-la! What a slap the

mother gave the boy! (syn: palaviw;
see also: tap, do lanmen) [< Fr.
souffleter]

soumatj

N a kind of plant that is

supposed to be good for the skin.
(syn: kaka btj)

souflt

N whistle. Ou ka soufl
souflt sala tw f! You are blowing
that whistle too loud! [< Fr. sifflet]

soupi

N groan, sigh. Ti manmay-la

ka f soupi kon an ti chyen ki ni an
bagay ka fy mal. The child is
making groans like a sick puppy. (see
also: plenn) [< Fr. soupir]

Soufouy variant of Soufwiy.

soufwans

N suffering. Nou pk ni
soufwans kon tan sala. We now
longer have suffering like that time.
(see also: souf) [< Fr. souffrance]

soupl

INTERJ please. F sa ban

mwen, soupl. Do that for me, please.
[< Fr. sil vous plat]

Soufwiy (var: Soufouy) the town of

Soufriere.

soukou

soukw

help. Pt mwen soukou!

Give me some help! (see also: chap,
d, sov) [< Fr. secours]
to shake. Pa soukw
bouty-la. Dont shake the bottle. (see
also: twanbl) [< Fr. secouer]
soukw lanmen to shake hands. Yo
tout soukw lanmen. They all shook
hands. soukw zpl to shrug ones
shoulders. Pa soukw zpl ou ban
mwen. Dont shrug your shoulders at
me.

soupy

N floormat. Mt soupy-a
an pa lapt-la. Put the floor mat in the
doorway. [< Fr. dessous de pied?]

sous (var: chous)

N spring. An ht
yo ka twap dlo adan sous. In the
countryside they get water from
springs. (see also: pi, lagon) [< Fr.
source]

sous

N one who reveals anothers

personal business. Mwen pa kay pal
bay nonm sala ank paski i s an
sous! I wont talk to that man
anymore because he is a talker! (see
also: bava)

soulaj

V to relieve, to ease, to
comfort, to alleviate. Chant ka
soulaj lapenn yo. Singing relieves
their grief. [< Fr. soulager]

sousi same as sousi zy. sousi zy

eyebrow. Kannou-an bwil tout
sousi zyy. The bamboo canon burnt
off his eyebrows. [< Fr. sourcil]

soulajman

N relief, solace, comfort.

Wimd-la ba li an soulajman. The
medicine gave him some relief. [< Fr.
soulagement]

soutiw

soutiw

V to encourage, to foster, to
help, to meddle, to abet. Manman-an
ka soutiw nonm-lan bay tifi-a. The
mother is encouraging the man for the
girl. (negative connotation) [< Fr.
soutirer]

souly

N shoe. I ka pt souly nw.

Hes wearing black shoes. [< Fr.
soulier]

207

soutiwz

Kwyl English

soutiwz

swf

sov

N accessory, accomplice,
meddler. Madanm sala soutiwz, s
li ki annkz tifi-a gwo bouden. That
lady is a meddler, shes the reason the
girl is pregnant. (syn: dikonplis; see
also: annaf) Si pa ni sitouwz pa ni
vl. Without accomplices there are
no thieves.

V to save. Soukou! Sov mwen!

Help! Save me! (see also: chap, d,
soukou) [< Fr. sauver]

sov

N saviour. I konnt Jzi kon

sovy. He knows Jesus as his saviour.
(religious) [< Fr. sauveur]

Spanyl

N Spanish. Nonm-lan ka
pal Spanyl tousl. The man speaks
only Spanish. [< Fr. espagnol]

soutni

N snack. Mwen pwan an

soutni avan mwen ay dmi. I had a
little snack before I went to bed. (syn:
kolasyon)

sp

N sport. S manmay sala

entws an sp tousl. These
children are only interested in sports.
[< Fr. sport]

souvan

ADV often. Nou ka al Kastwi

souvan. We go to Castries often. (syn:
an chay di l, dwi; opp: wa; see also:
wgl) [< Fr. souvent] ki souvan
how often. Ki souvan ou ka al
lgliz? How often do you go to
church?

stchann

N police station. Dsann an

bout chimen-an pi ou kay w
stchann-an. Go down to the end of
the road and you will see the police
station. (syn: kdgad) [< Eng. station]

souwi1

swa

souwi2

swasant ADJ sixty. [< Fr. soixante]

swasant dis seventy. [< Fr.

V to smile. Apa souwi l i w

nou. Papa smiled when he saw us. (see
also: gwiyen, wi) [< Fr. sourire]
N mouse. Chat-la kouwi dy
souwi-a. The cat chased the mouse.
(see also: wat) [< Fr. souris]

souwi

goatfish. (syn: babawen)

N silk. Ki kot ou acht had swa

sala? Where did you buy those silk
clothes? [< Fr. soie]

soixante-dix]

Swazy variant of Chwazy.

souy variant of swiy.

swazi variant of chwazi.

sovaj variant of sovay.

sw

V to sweat. Nou t ka sw
tlman! We were sweating so much!
(see also: lasw) [< Fr. suer]

svant variant of svant.

sovay (var: sovaj)

ADJ 1) wild. Bf
sala sovay tlman ou pa sa menm
vini pwy. That cow is so wild you
cannot even come near it. (syn:
fawouch, mawon; opp: dous)
2) uncivilized. S moun sala tlman
sovay, dpi yo w moun yo ka
kouwi. Those people are so
uncivilized, whenever they see people
they run away. (opp: savan) [< Fr.
sauvage]

sw

N evening, night. I ka vini l sw.

He comes in the evening. (opp: jou;
see also: lannwit, sw, nwit) [< Fr.
soir] li sw variant of li sw.

sw...ben (var: swt...ben)

CONJ

either...or. Sw ou al ben mwen

kay al. Either you go or I will go.
(see also: ki...ki, ni...ni)

swf
208

ADJ

thirsty. Nou t swf k las.

swen

Kwyl English

swing. Las pwan swing asou

bwanch-lan avan i kas. Quit
swinging on the branch or it will
break. (see also: balans)

We were tired and thirsty. Nou kay

m swf! Were going to die of thirst!
[< Fr. soif]

swen

V to feed, to take care of by

feeding. Ki manny nou kay swen
yo? How will we feed them? (syn:
nouwi; see also: otjip, pwan ka,
gad apw) [< Fr. soigner]

switi

N candy. I nich switi-a. He

licked the candy. (see also: pasti)
[< Eng. sweetie]

swiv

V to follow. Mwen pa vlw

swiv mwen. I dont want you to
follow me. (see also: tjenb py)
[< Fr. suivre]

swt...ben variant of sw...ben.

Swt ou kay wst ben ou kay al.
Either youll stay or youll go.

swt

swiy (var: souy)

V to wish. Mwen ka swtw

on bon Nwl. I wish you a merry
Christmas. [< Fr. souhaiter]

V to dry, to wipe.
S pou ou swiy kw sk apw ou
benyen. You must dry yourself well
after you bathe. [< Fr. essuyer]

swzi variant of chwazi.

swif

tach

to apply candle wax or tallow

(on an iron). Swif f-a apw ou fin
pas. Put tallow on the iron after you
press. [< Fr. suif]
V

syans variant of sans.

syl

N 1) sky. Syl-la t kouv k

nwaj. The sky was covered with
clouds. (see also: lz) 2) heaven.
Bondy ka wst an syl. God is in
heaven. (syn: wym Bondy) [< Fr.
ciel]

swing

N swing. (syn: balanswin)

[< Eng. swing] pwan swing to

Tt
ta

sugar and coconut. S ti manmay-la

ka manj an chay tablt. The
children eat lots of coconut candy. (see
also: pwalin)

ADV late. I toujou ka wiv twavay

ta. He always arrives late at work.
(opp: bonn; see also: anwita, tad)
[< Fr. tard]

tab

N table. Yo mt kouto-a asou

tab-la. They put the knife on the table.
[< Fr. table] a tab at table. Nou t
asid a tab ka manj. We were sitting
at table eating.

tabliy

N apron. Madanm-la ka lav

tabliyy. The woman is washing her
apron. [< Fr. tablier]

tach1

N stain. Chimiz tibway-la

benyen tach. The boys shirt is full of
stains. [< Fr. tache]

tabak

N tobacco. S fanm-la ka vann

tabak. The women are selling
tobacco. [< Fr. tabac] tabak djab a
kind of plant you can smoke.

tablt

tach2

N school (of fish). S pch-a

ka gad pou tach pwson-an. The
fishermen are looking for the school of
fish.

candy made with melted

209

tach

Kwyl English

tach1

V to stain. Fig ka tach had

nou. Bananas stain our clothes. [< Fr.
tacher]
2

tach

talony. The shoe cut him behind his

heel. [< Fr. talon]

tan1

N time. La ni on tan pou tout

bagay. Theres a time for everything.
[< Fr. temps] an menm di tan at
the same time, simultaneously,
meanwhile. An menm di tan nou
wy ka pas. At the same time we
saw him passing by. ki tan when.
Ki tan ou kay viw? When will you
return? (see also: ki l) tan lontan
long ago. Tan lontan moun t ni kay
pay. Long ago people had straw
houses. (syn: lontan)

to pin. Tach had ou pi

zpenng-lan. Pin your clothes with
the safety pin. [< Fr. attacher]
V

tad

V to delay, to make late. Nou

tad paski lapli t ka tonb. We
delayed because rain was falling. (see
also: ta, anwita) ADJ late, delayed.
Lapli-a f pln-an tad. The rain
made the plane late. [< Fr. tarder]

tak1

N stem. Gason-an kas tak fl-a.

The boy broke the stem of the flower.

tak

tan2

N weather. Tan-an mov jdi-a.

The weather is bad today. [< Fr.
temps] mov tan storm, tropical
wave, hurricane. Szon mov tan ka
fini mwa sala. Hurricane season is
finishing this month. (see also:
siklonn)

some, a little bit, a few. Ban

mwen tak dlo pou bw. Give me
some water to drink. (syn: ti tak,
tibwen, ti miyt, tizing)
ADJ

taks

N tax. Mwen ka py taks toul

mwa. I pay taxes every month. (see
also: ladwenn, lajan kay) [< Eng. tax]

tan3

ADJ such and such an amount

(deliberately vague). s s pou tan
lajan ou vann t sala? Is it for such
and such an amount you sold the land?
(see also: tl tl, entl)

takt

ADJ spotted, speckled, freckled.

Fig takt dou an chay. Bananas with
speckles on them are very sweet.
[< Fr. tachet]

talan

talent. Bondy bay tout

moun talan. God gives everyone
talents. (see also: abilit) [< Fr. talent]
N

tanbl variant of twanbl.

tanbou

N drum. Nonm sala ka jw

tanbou. That man plays the drum.
[< Fr. tambour]

tal

ADV soon, shortly, in a little while.

Tal vann-an kay wiv. The van will
arrive soon. (syn: touswit) [< Fr. tout
lheure] tal-a a while ago,
recently, earlier. Mwen jwenn
madanm-lan tal-a. I met the woman
earlier. (see also: tou fw)

talkari

talon

heel. Souly-a koupy dy

East Indian dish: stewed

pumpkin. Mwen kontan talkari pi
diwi. I like talkari and rice.
N

tanmadz

tanbouwen

N tambourine. Yo ka jw
tanbouwen k tanbou. They are
playing tambourines and drums.
[< Fr. tambourin]

tangl variant of twangl.

tanmadz

N tomato. Nou al an
jaden-an pou tjouyi tanmadz. We
went to the garden to pick tomatoes.
[< Eng. tomatoes] ti tanmadz
cherry tomato.

210

tanmawen

Kwyl English

tanmawen

N tamarind (Tamarindus).
Tanmawen s on bagay ki si an chay
m i ka f bon ji. Tamarinds are very
sour but they make good juice. [< Fr.
tamarin] tanmawen fwans a type
of tamarind that is round, not long.
An chay moun kontan tanmawen
fwans paski i pa si kon lt
tanmawen-an. Many people like
tanmawen fwans because its not sour
like other tamarinds.

tanmi

tantant nou. We used to live with our

aunt. (see also: tonton) [< Fr. tante]

tantasyon

N temptation. Satan ka
of nou an chay tantasyon. Satan
offers us many temptations. [< Fr.
tentation]

tant

V to tempt. Manj sala ka tant

mwen. That food is tempting me.
[< Fr. tenter]

tantjil variant of tjantjil.

screen, sieve, sifter. Yo pas

sab-la adan tanmi-an. They sifted the
sand in the screen. (see also: lbich,
paswa) [< Fr. tamis]
N

tanzantan

ADV sometimes,
occasionally. Tanzantan nou ka al
lgliz. From time to time we go to
church. (syn: dl) [< Fr. de temps an
temps]

tann1

V 1) to hear. Ma tann sa ou dia. I didnt hear what you said. (see

also: kout) 2) same as al. I mout
an mn-an, tann! I koup tout py
fig ki t la! So he went up on the hill!
He cut down all the banana trees that
were there! [< Fr. entendre]

tann

tap

N slap. On tap ou bizwen, ou kay

jwenn li! You want a slap, youre
going to get it! (see also: palaviw,
soufl, do lanmen)

tapi

N table cloth. Manman mwen

acht an bl tapi pou Nwl. My
mother bought a pretty table cloth for
Christmas. (syn: tapi tab) [< Fr. tapis]
tapi tab same as tapi.

V to set (a trap). Ngay tann an

zatwap pou tjb souwi-a. Ill set a
trap to catch the mouse. [< Fr. tendre]

tanp

N temple, side of head. Tibwayla pwan on koul wch an tanp li; i

tonb plat a t-a. The boy got hit on
the temple by a stone; he fell flat to the
ground. [< Fr. temple]

tas

N ceramic cup. Lapen mand on

tas dit. Rabbit asked for a cup of tea.
(see also: pt) [< Fr. tasse]

taya

N tyre. Taya-a pt; s sa ki f

vann-an mat-a. The tyre blew; that
is what made the van overturn.
[< Eng. tyre]

tanpi variant of tanpwi.

tanpwi (var: tanpi) I beg you.
Tanpwi soupl, pa mennen tibway
sala b kay mwen. I am begging you
please, dont bring that boy to my
house. [< Fr. je tan prie]

tay

V 1) to trim. Nonm-lan tay

dachin-an avan i planty. The man
trimmed the dasheen before he planted
it. (see also: dbwanch) 2) to crack
(as a whip). L i koumans tay
fwt-la, s manmay-la twanbl.
When he began to crack the whip, the
children trembled. [< Fr. tailler]

tant

N tent. Kils wilizyon ki mt

tant saa la? Which denomination put
up that tent there? [< Fr. tente]

tantant

tay

aunt. Nou t ka wt pi
211

tay

Kwyl English

tay

mesh. Mizik-la k chant-a pa ka

tl. The music and the singing dont
mesh. 2) same as tl tl. tl kon just
like. Ou ka toujou f mwen hont, tl
kon jou-a ou jwenn mwen b lanm
pi s madanm-lan. You always
embarrass me, just like the day you
found me at the beach with the ladies.
(see also: menm kon, md kon) tl
tl such and such (in reference to a
thing or person you have been
discussing). Si ou w tl tl misy,
bay konmisyon-an ban mwen. If
you see such and such a man, give him
the message for me. (syn: tl; see also:
tan3, entl)

N tailor. Kils tay ki f tjilt

sala? Which tailor made these pants?
(see also: koutwiyz) [< Fr. tailleur]

taza

king mackerel.

t1 1) anterior verb marker. I t vini

plas sala an chay tan ki pas. He had
come to that place a long time ago.
(see also: st) I t malad. She was
sick. 2) variant of st. Papa mwen
t on jan lanm. My father was a
fisherman. t ka 1) past continuative
verb marking. I t ka hl l nou
wiv. He was crying when we arrived.
2) used to. Tan lontan moun t ka
wt an kay pay. Long ago people
used to live in straw houses.

t2

variant of kit. T mwen diw

yon bagay. Let me tell you something.
(used in imperatives)

N telephone. Nou pa ni on
tlfn. We dont have a telephone.
[< Fr. tlphone]

tlfn

V to telephone. Yo tlfn
nou pou mand lajan. They
telephoned us to ask for money. [< Fr.
tlphoner]

tk

to play marbles. Nou ka tk

toul apwmidi apw lkl. We play
marbles every afternoon after school.
(syn: zing; see also: mab)

tl

tlfn

1) dirt, ground, soil. I mt t

oliwon s plan fl-a. He put dirt all
around the small flower plants.
2) land, property. Sa ki mt t sala?
Who is the owner of that land? (see
also: pys, twen, popyt) [< Fr.
terre] a t on or to the ground. Yo
jty a t. They threw it on the
ground. f t to get back to land. L
nou t pd asou lanm-a i pwan nou
konmen jou avan nou f t. When we
were lost at sea it took us a long time
to get back to land. (see also:
dkouv, chw, kst) t gwa clay
soil. Mwen hayi mach asou t gwa
l i mouy. I hate to walk on clay soil
when it is wet.
V

tmwenyaj

tlman

ADV so, so much, to such an

extent. Gason-an pa t tlman
malad kon nou t kw. The boy was
not as sick as we thought. (syn: otan,
si tlman; see also: afs, kantit,
mizi) [< Fr. tellement] si tlman
same as tlman. Yo t si tlman
kontan! They were so happy!

tmwen

N witness. Nou t tmwen

aksidan sala. We were witnesses of
that accident. [< Fr. tmoin]

tmwennaj variant of tmwenyaj.

tmwenyaj (var: tmwennaj)

testimony. Tmwenyaj tifi-a ki f yo

voy vl-a lajl. The girls testimony
resulted in them sending the thief to
jail. (see also: tstify) [< Fr.
tmoignage]

1) to match, to go together, to
212

tenk

Kwyl English

tenk

(syn: bita) 2) getting along well with

each other. Yo pa t ka pal avan m
apwzan yo tt a tt. They didnt
speak to each other before but now
they are getting along well with each
other. [< Fr. tte tte] tt anl a
traditional type of ladys hair wrap
with a kerchief. tt cho stress.
Mawi mwen ka ban mwen tt cho.
My husband is giving me a lot of
stress. tt chyen boa constrictor.
Sent Lisi ni an chay tt chyen. St.
Lucia has a lot of boa constrictors. tt
kas a traditional type of ladys hair
wrap with a kerchief. tt kay roof.
Mwen f tt kay mwen an galvanniz.
I made the roof of my house out of
galvanized corrugated roofing
material. (syn: ftay; see also: chapo
kay) tt maw a traditional type of
ladys hair wrap with a kerchief. tt
mn summit, peak. Yo mout jik an
tt mn-an. They climbed as far as
the summit.

ADJ well-matched. Nonm sala k

madanm li tenk. That man and his
wife are well-matched. (syn: byen
jwenn)

tenn1

V to dye. Mwen vlw tenn

chimiz sala ban mwen. I want you to
dye this shirt for me. (opp: dtenn)
[< Fr. teindre]

tenn2

V to turn off. Tenn layt-la. Turn

the light off. (see also: tenn) [< Fr.
teindre]

tenpwanman

N energy. Nonm sala

ni an chay tenpwanman; i ka
twavay tout joun-a k i pa ka las.
That man has lots of energy; he works
all day without tiring. [< Fr.
temprament]

tp

N tape measure. Chapanty-a pd

tp li. The carpenter lost his tape
measure. [< Eng. tape]

tson

N coalpot. S madanm-lan ka
f tson. The women are making
coalpots.

twen

tt

V to nurse, to suck, to suckle. Ti

manmay-la vl tt. The child wants
to nurse. (see also: sis) N breast.
Madanm-lan pwan an kou an tty.
The woman took a blow on her breast.
(see also: manml) [< Fr. tter]

tst

V to talk back, to argue. Mwen

ki manmanw; pa tst pi mwen. I
am your mother; dont talk back to
me. [< Fr. tester]

tstify

V to testify. Madanm-lan
tstify kont ich li menm. The
woman testified against her own child.
(see also: tmenyaj)

ttenm

ADJ brain-damaged. Ti
manmay sala ja pwan kou an tt li
tlman, i ttenm. That child has
gotten hit on the head so many times,
he is brain-damaged. (see also:
dkdk, tt wd, enfim an tt, goch
an tt)

tt

N head. I ka pt on patj bwa

asou tt li. She is carrying a bundle of
wood on her head. (see also: svl)
[< Fr. tte] mal tt headache. I ni
mal tt. He has a headache. tt a tt
1) head-to-head, neck and neck,
together, at the same time. Yo t ka f
kous k yo wiv tt a tt. They were
racing and they finished neck-in-neck.

tw

V to bury. Chyen mwen-an m

pi mwen twy. My dog died and I
buried it. [< Fr. enterrer]

twen

213

N plot of land. Yo ka vann

twen sala. Theyre selling that plot of

twib

Kwyl English

land. (see also: pys, t) [< Fr. terrain]

Pwen an tich koko ban mwen pou

mwen pitj bonbon-an pou w si i
tjwit. Get me a rib of a coconut frond
so I can stick the cake to see if its
done.

twib

ADJ terrible. Tan-an nou ka

viv-la twib an chay. The times we
are living in are quite terrible. [< Fr.
terrible]

twin

tif

N pumice, hardened volcanic ash.

Yo mt tif asou chimen-an avan yo
pitj li. They put pumice on the road
before they paved it.

clay pot. Mt bagay sal-la

adan twin-an. Put the dirty dishes in
the clay pot. (see also: chdy,
kannawi, pann)
N

tifi (var: fi)

N 1) young girl, young

lady. Sa ki tifi sala? Who is that girl?
(syn: kabws; see also: djal, fanm,
madanm, manmzl, tibway)
2) daughter. Moun ka di tal tifi kay
tounen kont manman. People say
that soon daughters will turn against
mothers. (see also: gason, ich) [< Fr.
petite fille]

ti1 variant of piti. I genyen kat ti pen.

He bought four small breads. ti jn
yellow fin tuna. (see also: ton) ti kt
little place, little corner. Mwen ja al
an tout ti kt Sent Lisi. I have
already been to every little corner of
St. Lucia. (see also: toupatou, kwen)
ti tak 1) same as tak. Ban mwen ti
tak lajan. Give me a little money.
2) same as ti miyt. Mwen la titak.
Im okay.

tig

N tiger. Jik toujou tig ka wt an

bwa-a. To this day tigers live in the
woods. (syn: chat tig) [< Fr. tigre]

ti2

ADV yes. Joel? Ti, manm. Joel?

Yes, mother. (child language; see also:
wi)

til

N chicken wire. Kalj jiby ft k

til. The birds cage is made with
chicken wire.

tib

N cigarette holder. Bout sigawt-la

tw kout s pou mwen mty
adan an tib. The cigarette is too short
Id better put it in a holder. [< Fr.
tube]

tilapiya

1) same as ti miyt.
Mwen vl tibwen lt. I want some
milk. Mwen la tibwen. Im okay.
2) a lot of. Madanm sala ni tibwen
ich. That woman has a lot of children.
(syn: anbadjo, an chay, an pil, an lo,
mizi, konmen)

tich

to stagger, to reel. Nonm sou-a

twilbich jis a tan i tonb. The drunk
man staggered until he fell. [< Fr.
trbucher]

tim

N team. I ka jw bay an lt tim.

He is playing for another team.
[< Eng. team]

ADJ

the rib of a coconut frond.

a type of fish.

twilbich (var: tizbich, tilbich)

tibway

tibwen

tilbich variant of twilbich.

tibnad same as gliglinglas.

N boy, son. Konmen tibway
ou ni? How many boys do you have?
(syn: gason; see also: bway, ich, tifi)

timi

tim tim first part of the introduction of

a riddle. Tim tim. Bwa chz. Tout sa
Bondy mt asou lat. Tout chz.
(untranslatable)

timi
214

cornmeal, cornmeal porridge.

tin

Kwyl English

ky. We were surprised when the

young man died. (euphemism; syn:
m; see also: Bazil pweny, foukan,
di dd, tenn, koup ba, maw
patj, twpas) tiw kw la Go
away!. Mt ponm-la la k ou
menm, tiw kw la! Put the cashew
there and go away!

Mwen f timi pou s manmay-la pou

dit yo. I made cornmeal porridge for
the children for their breakfast. (see
also: penmi)

tin

N tin, small can. I genyen on tin

lt. He bought a can of milk. (see also:
manmit) [< Eng. tin]

ting

PRO nothing, anything, at all. I pa

wponn yo ting. He didnt answer
them at all. (syn: mwenk; see also:
anyen)

tipo

dandruff. Ou pa t ka lav
chivw, pa d tipo ou ni! You
werent washing your hair, you have
so much dandruff! (see also: f lapo)
N

tit

N 1) title. Ma chonj tit liv-la. I

dont remember the title of the book.
2) title, right. s ou ni tit pou t-a
kot ou ka wst-a? Do you have the
title for the land where you are
staying? (see also: dwa) 3) surname.
Ki tit ou? Whats your surname?
[< Fr. titre] adan tit variant of antit.
Mwen adan tit pou sa jwenn
pyiman. I am entitled to receive
payment. (see also: an dwa) vy tit
bad name. Ou ka bay fanmiw vy
tit. You are giving your family a bad
name.

tiw

N drawer. Minizy-a ka f s
tiw-a. The joiner is making the
drawers. [< Fr. tireur]

tiy variant of tiw.

tiyl

N a type of plant, remedy for

pwidan. (see also: sapant,
kanmanmi)

tiyt variant of ti miyt.

tiyta

N movie cinema. I t vl f on
tiyta. He wanted to make a cinema.
[< Eng. theatre]

tiyo

N underground water pipe. Tiyo-a

pt pi an chay dlo ka gaspiy. The
pipe burst and a lot of water is being
wasted. (see also: sitenn) [< Fr. tuyau]

tizann

N purge, cooling taken by

women after giving birth. Pwsk
tout madanm ka pwen tizann apw
yo akouch. Nearly all women take a
cooling after they give birth. (see also:
jalap, lk, mtsin) [< Fr. tisane]

titj

V to teach. Misy-a ka titj an

lkl-la. The man teaches in the
school. (syn: enstwi; see also: endik,
moutw) [< Eng. teach]

tizbich variant of twilbich.

tizing

ADJ same as ti miyt. Ban nou

tizing lt. Give us a little milk. Mwen
la tizing. Im so so.

titja

N teacher. Lkl-la pa ni as
titja. The school doesnt have enough
teachers. [< Eng. teacher]

tjantjil

ADJ tranquil, quiet, under

control. Wst tjantjil, zt ka f
twp dzd. Quiet down, youre
making too much noise. (see also:
fwt, silans) [< Fr. tranquille]

tiw (var: tiy)

V to remove, to take
off. Gason-an ja tiw had li. The boy
has removed his clothes. (opp: mt)
[< Fr. tirer] tiw k to die, to expire.
Nou t sipwi l jenn nonm-lan tiw

tjatj

tjatj
215

to hook, to latch. I tjatj

tjatjt

Kwyl English

took heart. (see also: ankouwaj,

tjb f, tjb wd)

lapt-la. He latched the door. (opp:

dtjatj; see also: fm, lakl)

tjatjt

tjb variant of tjenb.

N hook, latch. Tjatjt-la ou

acht bay fint-la tw piti. The latch
you bought for the window is too
small.

tjk

ADJ some, certain. Papa mwen

dgaj on jan gaj tjk tan ki pas.
My father rendered an obeah man
helpless some time ago. (see also: d,
adan, yonn d, dotwa) [< Fr.
quelque]

tj

N dock. L Tti wiv b tj-a,

Chat t dyy. When Turtle arrived
near the dock, Cat was behind him.
(see also: wf, kst) [< Fr. quai]

tj

tjiki

tjenb (var: tjb)

1) heart. Madanm sala malad

an tjy. That woman has a problem
with her heart. 2) mind. Si la ni dout
an tjw, pa al. If there is any doubt
in your mind, dont go. 3) inner man,
essence of a person. Tout movzt, s
an tj nonm i ka sti. All evil comes
from the heart of man. 4) the centre
(of something, like a tree). Tj
kanpch wd tlman, i ka tjw
koutlaw l ou ka koupy. The heart
of a campche tree is so hard, it will
dull your cutlass if you try to cut it.
[< Fr. coeur] tj fb soft heart,
tender heart, compassion, loving
kindness. Nonm sala ni an pil tj fb
pou s moun-an ki pa ni anyen. That
man has a lot of compassion for the
people who have nothing. (syn:
konpasyon; see also: mizwikd,
pity) mal tj sadness. Sl tifi
madanm-lan m pi sa kit an mal
tj ba li. The womans only daughter
died and that left her in sadness. (see
also: penn, lapenn, twists) ni tj to
be brave, courageous. S pou ou ni
tj pou ou sa mach gwo lannwit
kon sa. You have to be brave to walk
in the dead of night like that. (see also:
bwav, fouben) pwan tj to take
heart, to be encouraged, to gather up
ones courage. L yo w sa, yo tout
pwan tj. When they saw that, they all

V 1) to hold.
Tjenb sak-la ban mwen soupl.
Hold the bag for me please. 2) to
catch. Yo an savann-an ka tjb
kwab. They are in the field catching
crabs.

tjenbwa

N obeah, sorcery. (see also:

gaj, maji nw, zb, vidajan)
[< quimbois] f tjenbwa to practice
obeah. Yo ka f tjenbwa pou f llmi
yo mal. They practice obeah to harm
their enemies. (see also: divin, f js,
f zb, gaj, pyay)

tjenbwat

N seer, witch, practitioner

of obeah, obeah man. Nonm sala s
on tjenbwat. That mans an obeah
man. (syn: divin, gad, jan gaj,
maji nw; see also: vy lam)

tjenn

V 1) to keep. Yo pa t sa tjenn
zy yo ouv. They couldnt keep their
eyes open. 2) to hold, to keep. Tjenn
lanmonn-a. Keep the change. Tjenn
kw avan mwen vti manmanw
baw. Dont touch me or I will warn
your mother about you. [< Fr. tiens]

tjsyon variant of kwsyon.

tjsyonnen variant of kwsyonnen.
tjiki

216

ADJ nosy, prying, unduly curious.

Gason-an tjiki an chay. The boy is
very inquisitive. (see also: tjiwiyz)
[< Eng. cheeky]

tjikilik

Kwyl English

tjikilik

V to tickle. Las tjikilik

mwen! Stop tickling me! (syn:
chatwiy)

tjiktjik

kwiy kochon mwen, mwen ka hl

Tjo, tjo, tjo! When I call my pigs, I
call, Tjo, tjo, tjo!

tj

yellow warbler (Dendroica

N piece. I kas pen-an, i pwan an

tj. He broke the bread and took a
piece. (syn: mso; see also: bi, miyt,
wonyen) gwo tj big shot,
important person. Papa mwen s on
gwo tj. My father is a big shot. (syn:
gwo pitja, gwo pp,gwozm)

petechia).

tjil

V to move over, to make room.

La pa ni l; tjil soupl. Theres no
room; move over please. (syn: f l,
vans; see also: witjil) [< Fr. reculer]

tjilt

N pants, trousers. Mwen t ka

pt tjilt nw. I was wearing black
pants. [< Fr. culotte]

tjok

ADJ clogged, plugged. Sitenn-an

tjok. The pipe is clogged. (syn:
bouch) [< Eng. choked]

tjim

N froth, foam, suds. La ni tjim

asou dlo-a. Theres foam on the
water. [< Fr. cume]

tjkanblk

ADV haphazardly,
chockablock. I mt s liv-la
tjkanblk. He put the books in
haphazardly. (see also: vaykivay)
[< Eng. chockablock]

tjim

V to foam, to froth. Lanm-a ka

tjim afs i mov. The sea is foaming
because its so rough. [< Fr. cumer]

tjipi

to embarrass, to shame. Pa
mand nonm-lan zoutiy pwt ank
avan i tjipiw. Dont ask the man
again to borrow his tools or hell
shame you. (syn: f afon, f hont,
jaw)

tjok

V to poke, to jab. Yo ka tjok

mannikou-a pou fy tonb. Theyre
poking the opossum to make it fall.
(syn: djouk) [< Fr. tisonner]

tjou

tjiw

V to clean, to scrub. Manman

mwen f mwen tjiw tout a t an
lasal-la. My mother made me scrub
the whole living room floor. (see also:
ntway, lav) [< Fr. rcurer] tjiw
dan to brush ones teeth. Nou ka
tjiw dan nou toul jou. We brush
our teeth every day.

tjouy variant of tjwiy.

tjw

V 1) to kill. Yo tjw yon bf pi

yon kabwit pou Nwl. They killed a
cow and a goat for Christmas. (see
also: f dfini, senyen) 2) to dull, to
take point or edge off. Ki moun ki
tjw koutla-a? Who dulled the
cutlass? (syn: dfil; opp: fil; see
also: dankl) [< Fr. tuer] tjw koz
forget about it, case closed, end of
discussion. Si ou pa ka kopwann sa
mwen ka di-a, ben, tjw koz. If
you dont understand what Im saying,
well, lets just end this discussion.

ADJ curious. Gason-an tw

tjiwiyz. The boys too curious. (see
also: tjiki) [< Fr. curieuse]
INTERJ

same as fs. (crude) [< Fr. cul]

V to pick. Kils ki tjouwi

mango mwen? Who picked my
mangoes? [< Fr. cueillir]

tjiwiyz

tjo

tjouwi

tjitjima

N turmeric (Curcuma longa).

Madanm-lan ka vann tjitjima. The
woman is selling turmeric.

tjw

pig call. L mwen ka

217

tjwi

Kwyl English

tjwi

N leather. Yo ka svi tjwi pou f

souly. They use leather to make
shoes. [< Fr. cuir]

lanmen mwen! Stop twisting my arm!

(see also: tounen) ADJ warped,
twisted. Bwa-a td an chay! The
wood is quite warped! (syn: kviy;
see also: kochi, ttiy) [< Fr. tordre]

tjwis

N thigh. I pwan an so, i bls

tjwis li. He took a fall and injured his
thigh. [< Fr. cuisse]

tolin

N same as ti tolin. ti tolin a

type of small frog. Dl ti tolin ka
antw an kay-la. Sometimes little
frogs come in the house. (syn: tolin;
see also: gwat kwi, kwapo)

tjwit

V to cook. Ki manny ou ka
tjwit pwson wouj? How do you
cook red snapper? (see also: bouwi,
fwi) [< Fr. cuit]

tjwiv

brass, copper. I jwenn on

pys lajan tjwiv b kay-la. She found
a copper coin by the house. [< Fr.
cuivre]
N

toloman

N arrowroot (Canna indica).

Manman-an f ti kwenm toloman.
The mother made arrowroot porridge.

tmant

V to torment, to torture.
Mwen ka tmant isi. I am being
tormented here. [< Fr. tourmenter]

tjwiy (var: tjouy)

N spoon. I mt
s tjwiy-a asou tab-la. She put the
spoons on the table. (see also: foucht,
kouto) [< Fr. cuillre]

ton

N tuna. S nonm sala ka vann

ton. Those men are selling tuna. (see
also: ti jn) [< Fr. thon]

tjwizin (var: twizin)

N kitchen.
Manman mwen ka tjwit manj an
tjwizin-an. My mother is cooking in
the kitchen. [< Fr. cuisine]

tonb

V to fall. Las kouwi avan ou

tonb! Stop running or youll fall!
(syn: pwan so; see also: pwan
latjilbit) [< Fr. tomber]

t1 fault. Sa s tw. That is your fault.

(syn: ft; see also: dfo) [< Fr. tort]
bay t to blame, to accuse. Mwen
ka baw t; ou pa t sipoz bay ich
moun-an kou. Im blaming you; you
shouldnt have beat someone elses
child. (syn: blanm) ni t to be
wrong. S ou menm ki ni t! Youre
the one who is wrong! (opp: ni wzon,
byen ft)

t2 variant of tw.

tonbo

td

to twist, to wring. Las td

same as tonm.

tonm

N tomb. Fanmi mwen ni on

tonm an senmity-a. My family has a
tomb in the cemetery. (syn: tonbo; see
also: tw, senmity) [< Fr. tombe]

tonnl

N trellis. La ni an chay senm

anl tonnl-la. There are a lot of snow
peas on the trellis.

tons

V to cut evenly. Nonm-lan ka

tons tj bwa-a. The man is cutting
the wood into even pieces. [< Fr.
trononner]

tch

N pad made of cloth or leaves or

polythene, used for carrying items on
ones head. S pou ou mt on tch
asou tt ou pou pt s bwa sala.
You must put a pad on your head to
carry these pieces of wood.

tp

tonton

N uncle. Tonton mwen s on

chapanty. My uncle is a carpenter.
(see also: tantant)

tp variant of twp.
218

topi

Kwyl English

topi

boys very troublesome! (see also: an

chay) toubonnman kon sa just so,
just like that. Toubonnman kon sa
ou ka jiw manman mwen, gason?
Just like that you curse my mother,
boy?

N top: wooden toy with string

wound around it, flung down to spin.
Ki moun ki f topi sala baw? Who
made you that top? [< Fr. toupie]
topi tanbou a tree like turmeric.
(syn: koko tanbou)

tti

toubwennman variant of

N a type of sea turtle. Tti t ka

naj m Chat t an doy. Tortoise
was swimming but Cat was on his
back. (see also: agalo, kawt,
mlky) [< Fr. tortue]

toubonnman.

touch

V to touch. Pa touch liv

mwen-an! Dont touch my book! (see
also: manyen) [< Fr. toucher]

ttiy

V to tangle. Mouton-an ttiy

ky oliwon chous bwa-a. The sheep
got its rope tangled all around the
stump. ADJ tangled, tangled up.
Mouton-an ttiy owa gj li. The
sheep is tangled up to its neck. (see
also: td, kochi, kviy, ml) [< Fr.
tortiller]

tou1

toul

toudi

V to stun. Mwen ba li on koul

pwen k mwen toudiy. I slugged him
and stunned him. ADJ dizzy, giddy,
stunned. Nou wouly jis tan i vini
toudi. We rolled him until he got
dizzy. (syn: bazoudi, kagou; see also:
gaw, vag) [< Fr. tourdir]

touf

N patch, tuft, cluster (of some

kind of plant). Poul-la ponn an touf
zb-la. The hen laid eggs in the cluster
of grass.

quite, very. Kit mwen w si

Chat tou pw mwen ank. Let me
see if Cat is still very close. tou dwt
straight ahead. I dsann chimen-an
tou dwt. He went straight down the
road.
ADV

touf

V to suffocate. Zwy-a tonb

asou fidji ti manmay-la pi i touf.
The pillow fell on the childs face and
he suffocated. (see also: twangl)
[< Fr. touffer]

tou2

ADV also, as well, too. Nou vl

al tou. We want to go too. (syn: osi;
see also: ni...ni) [< Eng. too]

toujou

ADV 1) still, yet. I ka pal

toujou. He is speaking still. (opp: pa
ank) 2) always. I toujou ka pal.
Hes always speaking. (syn:
konstanman, tout l, tout tan; opp:
janmen) [< Fr. toujours]

tou3 variant of twou.

toub

ADJ dim, dull. Misy-a vini

gwan pi zyy vini toub. The man
became old and his eyes got dim. (see
also: fb) ADV dimly. Gwan nonmlan sa w toub tousl. The old man
could only see dimly.

toul

toubl variant of twoubl.

toubonmnan variant of toubonnman.
toubonnman (var: toubwennman,
toubonmnan) ADV very, very much.
Gason-an anbtan toubonnman! The
219

ADJ every. Nou ka mout toul

bonmaten. We go up every morning.
[< Fr. tous les] toul d 1) both.
Ban mwen toul d pil zowanj-lan.
Give me both heaps of oranges.
2) every other. Nou ka vizit yo toul
d simenn. We visit them every other
week.

touloulou

Kwyl English

touloulou

touswit

tounen

tout

N a type of land crab that

lives by the beach. (see also: bak,
kwab, slda, zagaya)

ADV soon, very soon. I kay

vini touswit. He will come very soon.
(syn: tal) [< Fr. tout de suite]

V 1) to turn, to twist. L ou
wiv an bout lawi-a, tounen asou
lanmen dwt ou. When you reach the
end of the road, turn to the right. (see
also: td) 2) to turn into. Tifi-a
tounen on fiml bouwik. The girl
turned into a female donkey. ADJ
over-ripe state of dasheen. Dachin-an
tounen, i pa bon ank. The dasheen
has turned, its not good anymore.
(syn: nyak, kyanng; see also: groum)
[< Fr. tourner]

toupanni

ADJ

ADJ 1) all. Vini denmen k

mennen tout s liv-la. Come
tomorrow and bring all the books.
(syn: dny; opp: pys) 2) every.
Kolonm sala ni pou gad tout dtay
avan i sa di twavay-la bon. That
foreman has to look at every detail
before he can say the work is good.
[< Fr. tout] tout bagay everything.
Senpwi kay pt tout bagay. St. Prix
will carry everything. (opp: anyen)
tout l same as toujou, tout tan.
Nou t douvany tout l. We were
always ahead of him. tout moun
everybody, everyone. Denmen tout
moun kay al an vil. Tomorrow
everybody will go to town. (opp:
pysonn) [< Fr. tout le monde] tout
tan 1) always. Nou t la tout tan.
We were always there. (syn: toujou,
tout l, konstanman; opp: janmen)
2) as long as. Tou tan ou kontin sa,
ma kay dw. As long as you
continue to do that I wont help you.
pou tout tan forever. Nou kay viv
pou tout tan. We will live forever
(syn: lavi diwant) tout tan...pa
unless. Tout tan ou pa f sa, mwen
kay bat ou. Unless you do that, Im
going to beat you. (syn: kspt,
anba)

variant of tou ni.

toupatou

ADV everywhere. Yo gad

toupatou m yo pa jwenn lajan-an.
They looked everywhere but they
didnt find the money.

toupisan

ADJ all-powerful. Bondy s

on Bondy toupisan. God is an allpowerful God. (religious) [< Fr. toutpuissant]

tous

V to cough. I koumans tous

k kwach. He began to cough and
spit. [< Fr. tousser] tous bouch to
make a face that shows one is upset,
angry. Tifi-a tous bouch li; i sanm
byen fach. The girl was making a
face; it seems she is quite angry. (syn:
tous fidjay; see also: fach) tous
fidjay same as tous bouch. tous
n to make a mocking face. Tifi-a
tous ny. The girl made a mocking
face. (see also: motj, f sin)

toutaft

ADV completely. Ou vl
kwaz viv nou toutaft, en? Do you
want to destroy our relationship
completely? (syn: konpltman,
ntaman) [< Fr. tout fait]

tousl

ADV only, alone. S sa tousl

mwen di nonm-lan pi i lv fach. It
is only that I told the man and he got
angry. (syn: slman, yonn; see also:
sl) [< Fr. tout seul]

touv

toutwl

N Zenaida dove (Zenaida

aurita). (see also: pdwi, zatolan)

touv variant of twouv.

220

towo

Kwyl English

towo

began to tremble.

N bull. Towo-a mt kouwi

dy yo. The bull started to chase
them. (opp: jinis) [< Fr. taureau]

twanblannt

N earthquake.
Twanblannt-a soukw kay-la. The
earthquake shook the house. [< Fr.
tremblement de terre]

trakta

N tractor. Tan lontan yo pa t

ni trakta. Long ago they didnt have
tractors. [< Eng. tractor]

Trindad

twanbl (var: tanbl)

V to tremble, to
shake. Mwen t p tlman mwen
twanbl kon on fy. I was so afraid I
shook like a leaf. (see also: soukw)
[< Fr. trembler]

Trinidad. Nonm-lan sti

Trindad. The man is from Trinidad.
N

trk

N bus, truck. Trk-la ka mach

byen. The truck runs well. (syn:
machin; see also: motoka, vann)
[< Eng. truck]

twanbl

N trembler: a type of bird that

trembles. Twanbl s on jiby ki ni
an lonng bk. The trembler is a bird
with a long beak. [< Fr. trembleur]

twa

ADJ three. Yo ni twa ti manmay

tousl. They have only three children.
[< Fr. trois]

twangl (var: tangl)

V to choke, to
strangle. Kd-la sw kou kochonan tlman i twangly. The rope was
so tight around the pigs neck it
strangled him. (see also: touf) [< Fr.
trangler]

twadisyon

N tradition. Yo ka swiv
twadisyon papa yo. They follow their
fathers traditions. (see also: tjenb
py) [< Fr. tradition]

twadisyonnl

ADJ traditional.
Kdwil s dans twadisyonnl Sent
Lisi. The quadrille is the traditional
dance of St. Lucia [< Fr. traditionelle]

twanp

V to soak. Mt had-la
twanp. Put the clothes in to soak.
(see also: mouy, sos) ADJ soaked.
Ou ka ml san pi pen twanp pou
f bouden. You mix blood and soaked
bread to make blood pudding. [< Fr.
tremper]

twaka

N problem, trouble. La pa ni
pys twaka. Theres no problem. (syn:
pwblenm, pas; see also:
dzagwman) [< Fr. tracas]

twakas

to trouble, to bother. Pa
twakas mwen pi pwoblenm ou.
Dont trouble me with your problems.
(see also: anbt) Pa twakas kw
pou sa. Dont worry about that. ADJ
disturbed, troubled. Mwen t
twakas an chay. I was quite
disturbed. (syn: twoubl, distw; see
also: kontway) [< Fr. tracasser]

twansplant

V to transplant. Yo
twansplant s chouponm-lan an
jaden-an. They transplanted the
cucumbers in the garden. [< Fr.
transplanter]

twanblad N shaking, trembling.

twanblad pwan to tremble, to

twap

twant

ADJ thirty. I py nou twant

dla pou panyen mango-a. He paid
us thirty dollars for the basket of
mangoes. [< Fr. trente]

twap

V 1) to receive, to get, to find.

s ou twap lt-la mwen pst
baw? Did you receive the letter I sent
you? (syn: jwenn, twouv; opp: pd;

shake. Yo t p tlman, twanblad

pwan yo. They were so afraid, they
221

twas

Kwyl English

see also: wisivw) 2) it so happened,

you find. Bon, twap twavay li st
gad mouton bopy. Well, it so
happened that his work was to watch
his father-in-laws sheep. twap k
to find oneself, to become. I twap
ky adan an aksidan. He found
himself in an accident. (syn: twouv
k; see also: vini) Tifi-a twap ky
ansent. The girl became pregnant.

twaz

ADJ third. I ka wt adan

twazyenm kay-la. He lives in the
third house. (see also: ty) [< Fr.
troisime]

twen

N train, cart on rails used to carry

sugar cane. Lontan st twen ki t
ka chay kann al an lizin. Long ago
it was trains that carried sugar cane to
the factory. (syn: loko; see also:
wagon) [< Fr. train] ach twen to
took for trouble. Ou toujou ka al b
chimen-an ka ach twen. You always
go by the road looking for trouble.
(syn: ach chikann, ach kankan)

twavay

twennen

V to drag. Had li t tlman

lonng i t ka twennen a t-a. This
clothes were so long they were
dragging on the ground. [< Fr.
traner]

twavay

twpas

V to die. Nonm-lan t
malad pou an lonng tan pi i
twpas y sw. The man was sick
for a long time and he died last night.
(syn: m; see also: tenn, di dd,
foukan, Bazil pweny, tiw k, maw
patj) [< Fr. trpasser]

twavs

V to cross, to traverse. L ou
twavs lawi-a ou kay wy. When
you cross the street youll see it. (see
also: janb, lans) [< Fr. traverser]

twavo

N roadworks. S moun-an ki
ka f twavo-a ka twavay wd. The
people who are doing roadworks work
hard. [< Fr. traveaux] chf twavo
foreman on a road job.

tws

V to knit, to weave. Nas sala

byen tws. That lobster pot is well
woven. (see also: nat) [< Fr. tresser]

twt

ADJ treacherous. Nonm sala twt

pas ki. That man is extremely
treacherous. (see also: antwt) [< Fr.
tratre]

twayi

V to betray. S jany menm ki

twayiy. It was his own friends who
betrayed him. [< Fr. trahir]

twazan

three oclock. [< Fr. trois

twazyenm

N path. Nou t ka swiv twas-la

adan lafow-a. We were following
the path in the forest. (see also: ti
chimen) [< Fr. trace]

N worker. S twavay-a pa
ni anyen pou f jdi-a. The workers
dont have anything to do today. (see
also: labouw) [< Fr. travailleur]

heures]

twas

V to work. I ka twavay wd
bay lizin-an. He works hard for the
factory. N work, job. La pa ni dj
twavay isi. Theres scarcely any work
here. (syn: djb; see also: lta) [< Fr.
travailler]

twt

twt

V to treat. Kouman lapli-a

twtw? How did the rain treat you?
[< Fr. traiter] mal twt to mistreat,
to ill-treat, to abuse. S pa pou ou
mal twt madanm ou. You must not
mistreat your wife. (see also: mal

same as twa lann. I

twavay an magazen-an pou twazan.
He worked in the shop for three years.
[< Fr. trois ans]
N

222

twtman

Kwyl English

[< Fr. trop]

mennen) [< Fr. maltrater]

twtman

twp (var: tp)

N treatment. Yo bay nonmlan bon twtman an lopital-la. They

gave the man good treatment in the
hospital. [< Fr. traitement]

ADV too much,

excessively. Ou ka pal twp! You
talk too much! ADJ too much. Nonm
sala ni twp lajan. That man has too
much money. [< Fr. trop] twp pli
so much more. I ni twp pli val. It
has so much more value.

twz

ADJ thirteen. Nou ni twz dla

tousl. We have only thirteen dollars.
[< Fr. treize]

twou (var: tou)

twzan same as twz lann. [< Fr.

N hole. Nou f an ti
twou adan planch-lan. We made a
small hole in the board. [< Fr. trou]
twou dlo puddle. I mouy pyy an
twou dlo-a. He wet his foot in the
puddle. twou n nostril. Twou ny
bouch pi i pa sa byen pwan
lspiwasyon. His nostrils are blocked
and he cant breathe well.

treize ans]

twzy

N treasurer. Py kay
twzy-a. Peter will be treasurer.
[< Fr. trsorier]

twibilasyon

N tribulation. Nou tout

kay pas an twibilasyon. Well all
pass through tribulation. (religious; see
also: dzolasyon) [< Fr. tribulation]

twoubl (var: toubl)

V to trouble.
Sa gason-an f-a twoubl mwen an
chay. What the boy did troubled me a
lot. ADJ troubled. I t twoubl l i
vin sav s mawiy menm ki f bagay
sala. She was troubled when she found
out it was her own husband who did
this thing. (syn: twakas; see also:
distw, fach, sitway, kontway)

twip

N tripe. S moun-an ka manj

twip. The people are eating tripe.
[< Fr. tripes]

twipo

N flock (of sheep). I pd tout

twipo mouton-an. He lost the whole
flock of sheep. [< Fr. troupeau]

twis

ADJ sad. I vini twis k i

koumans plw. She became sad and
began to weep. (syn: an lapenn,
sonm; opp: dj, kontan) [< Fr. triste]

twouv (var: touv)

V 1) to find. I
twouv lajan-an adan bwt-la. He
found the money in the box. (syn:
jwenn, twap; opp: pd) 2) it came to
pass, you find, it so happened.
Twouv nonm-lan ki t avoka-a vini
on jij. It came to pass that the man
who was the lawyer became a judge.
(syn: twap) [< Fr. trouver] twouv
k same as twap k. Madanm-lan
twouv ky ansent. The woman
became pregnant. [< Fr. trouver
corps]

twisay

V to give chills, shivers. Las

jw k flo-a; i ka twisay mwen. Quit
playing with the styrofoam; it is giving
me the shivers.

twists

N sadness. An twists li i
koumans hl. In her sadness she
began to cry. (opp: lakontantman)
[< Fr. tristesse]

twizin variant of tjwizin.

tw (var: t)

intensifier: too. Yo
kouwi tw vit! They ran too fast!
ADV

ty

ty

N third. Yon ty an popyt

fanmi mwen ka vini pou mwen. One
third of my familys property is

223

tyd

Kwyl English

coming to me. (see also: twazyenm)

[< Fr. tiers]

vans

tyd

ADJ lukewarm. Dlo-a t tyd.

The water was lukewarm. (see also:
cho, fwt) [< Fr. tide]

Vv
va

N harpoon. Va wst an do
machwen-an. The harpoon stayed in
the dolphins back. (see also: vaw;
flch, pitjt f)

van

N 1) air. Taya-a t ka mantj

van. The tire was lacking air. 2) wind.
Van-an f an chay bonmaten-an.
The wind is strong this morning. (see
also: vant) 3) breath. I pwan an
gwo van. He took a deep breath. (syn:
lspiwasyon, lisouf) 4) intestinal gas.
Yo di biswi sl bon pou van. They
say saltines are good for gas. [< Fr.
vent] pwan van to take a break. S
twavay-a pwan an ti van. The
workers took a break. (see also: poz)
ti van breeze. Ti van sala ka di
dmi. This breeze is putting me to
sleep. (syn: fwch)

vag

ADJ disoriented. Anvyt mwen

las tlman mwen vag. To tell the
truth I am so tired I am disoriented.
(see also: bazoudi, gaw, kagou,
toudi) [< Fr. vague]

vakabon

N vagabond, loafer. Gason

sala s on vakabon. That boy is a
vagabond. (syn: dwivayz) ADJ
wayward. I gaspiy tout sa i t ni an
vy lavi vakabon. He wasted all he
had in a bad, wayward lifestyle. [< Fr.
vagabond]

vakans

N vacation. Mwen ka pwan

vakans mwen an Dsanm. I am
taking my vacation in December.
[< Fr. vacances]

Vandwdi N Friday. [< Fr. vendredi]

Vandwdi Sen Good Friday.
vann1

V 1) to sell. Konmen ou ka
vann s bwapen-an? How much are
you selling the breadfruit for? (opp:
acht) 2) to lose a game deliberately.
Yo py kaptenn-an pou vann jw-a.
They paid the captain to lose the game
deliberately. [< Fr. vendre]

val1

V to swallow. Ti manmay-la
val an zo pwson. The child
swallowed a fish bone. [< Fr. avaler]

val2

valet. Val louwa t ka dy.

The kings valet was helping him.
(rare) [< Fr. valet]
N

vann2

N van. Yo kay wanj vann-an.

Theyll repair the van. (see also:
machin, motoka, trk) [< Eng. van]

val

vann

valowab

vans

N value. Kay sala ni an chay

val. This house has a lot of value.
[< Fr. valeur]
ADJ valuable. Vl-a pwan
an chay bagay ki t valowab an kayla. The thief took a lot of valuable
things from the house.

V to winnow (rice, etc.). I ka

vann diwi-a. She is winnowing the
rice. [< Fr. vanner]

V to move over, to make room.

Vans pou mwen sa asid. Move over
so I can take a seat. (syn: f l, tjil)
[< Fr. avancer]

224

vant

Kwyl English

vant1

N belly, stomach. (see also:

bouden, pans) [< Fr. ventre] vant a
t face down, on ones stomach,
belly-down. Yo tonb vant a t. They
fell face down. (syn: fas a t, fas
anba, vant anba; opp: vant anl)
kouwi vant a t to run fast, to run
quickly. I t ka kouwi vant a t. He
was running quickly. (syn: f yan; see
also: kouwi, chap, mawon; bay py,
bwennen k, chap k, chap py, f
vit; fann kann, f djip, f lapousy,
f zkl, kouwi vant a t, pwan
lavl) vant anba same as vant a t.
vant anl on ones back, belly-up. I
kouch vant anl. He slept on his
back. (opp: vant a t, vant anba, fas a
t, fas anba) mal vant diarrhoea.
Mwen ni an mal vant. I have
diarrhoea. (syn: ladjidjit, wilachman;
see also: bouden ka mennen)

vap. The boy is moody. (syn: ni vous;

see also: avous; zimy)

vap

N steam, vapour. Vap ka sti

an pann-an. Steam is coming out of
the pot. [< Fr. vapeur]

vapon N speed, acceleration. bay

vapon to accelerate, to go fast.
Mwen bay vapon pou mwen wiv a
l. I accelerated in order to arrive on
time. (syn: f vapon) f vapon same
as bay vapon. L i w span-an i f
vapon. When he saw the snake he ran
away.

vaw

V to harpoon. Yo ka vaw
machwen. They harpoon porpoises.
(see also: va)

vayan

ADJ fat, robust. Mwen kontan

ww, ou vayan an pil. Im glad to
see you, youre looking quite robust.
[< Fr. vaillant]

vant2

N sale. s ou ja jwenn vant

pou kay-la? Have you already gotten
a sale for the house? (see also: lavant)
[< Fr. vente]

vaykivay

ADV carelessly. S pa pou

ou mt s liv-la vaykivay. You must
not put away the books carelessly. (see
also: tjkanblk)

vanta

N braggart, boaster. Mi nonm

vanta, i, misy. Look a man who likes
to boast. (syn: bava, bavadz) [< Fr.
vantard] pal vanta to boast, to
brag. Moun ka pal vanta about
tout bagay. People boast about
everything. (syn: bavad)

v1

N glass. V-a kas. The glass

broke. [< Fr. verre]

v2

ADJ green. Nou kontan kay v-a.

We like the green house. [< Fr. vert]

v3

N worm. Vyann-an gat; i benyen

v. The meat is spoiled; it is full of
worms. [< Fr. ver] v t worm,
earthworm. Ti manmay-la tjw v
t-a. The child killed the worm.

vant

V to blow. Van-an ka vant f

jdi-a. The wind is blowing strong
today. (see also: van) [< Fr. venter]

vap

N moodiness, bad mood. (syn:

vous; see also: zimy) vap anl in a
bad mood. Vap-la anl tifi-a jdi-a.
The girl is in a bad mood today. (see
also: avous, ni vous; zimy) ni vap
to be mercurial, temperamental,
habitually moody. Gason-an ni on

vglay

vbl

N pimple. Tifi sala ni an chay

vbl asou fidjiy. That girl has a lot
of pimples on her face.

vglay

N glare, blinding light. Vglay

sala ka anpch mwen ouv zy
mwen. That glare is keeping me from

225

vgl

Kwyl English

being able to open my eyes.

pi s moun sala. My mother always

used to warn me to not play with those
people. [< Fr. avertir] vti bay to
tell on. Mwen kay vti manmanw
baw. I am going to tell your mother
on you.

vgl

V to blind (temporarily), to
dazzle. Vglay sala ka vgl mwen.
That glare is blinding me. (see also:
avg) [< Fr. aveugler]

vmin

N vermin, pest. S vmin sala

pa ka kit jaden mwen an wipo.
These pests wont leave my garden
alone. [< Fr. vermine]

vtisman variant of avtisman. Sa s

dny vtisman mwen ka baw. This
is the last warning Im giving you.
[< Fr. avertisement]

ven ADJ twenty. [< Fr. vingt] ven kat

nditan black widow spider. Si on

vv

N widow. Madanm sala s on

vv. That woman is a widow. (rare)
[< Fr. veuve]

ven kat nditan mdw, ou pa ni

pou dmi pou yon jou. If a black
widow spider bites you, you must not
sleep for one day. (syn: katin)

vwi

N wart. I ni vwi asou

lanmeny. He has warts on his hands.
[< Fr. verrue] pikan vwi type of
grass used as bush medicine, remedy
for pwidan. (syn: nonm douvan
nonm)

vn

N game of tag. L nou t piti nou

t ka jw vn an chay. When we were
little we used to play tag a lot.

venn

N vein. An tj bouty koup

venn pyy pi i senyen an chay. A
piece of bottle cut the vein in his foot
and he bled a lot. [< Fr. veine]

venni

varnish. Atjwlman vennian ka sk. Now the varnish is drying.

V to varnish. Nou ja venni s chzla. We have varnished the chairs.
[< Fr. vernis]
N

vwitabman

ADV truly, really. (syn:

vwman; see also: wylman) [< Fr.
vritablement]

vws

N verse. S ti manmay-la
apwann tout s vws-a. The children
learned all the verses. [< Fr. vers]

vwtiv

N crosscut grass, vetiver grass

(Vetiveria zazanoides). Yo svi
vwtiv pou f soupy. They used
vetiver grass to make floormats.

ventan

N same as ven lann. [< Fr.

vingt ans]

vsl

dishes, tableware, vessel. Ay

lav s vsl-la! Go wash the dishes!
(see also: pla, zasyt)
N

vy variant of lavy.
vy

V to watch. Lapen ka vy ki sa
yo ka f Tig. Rabbit is watching what
they are doing to Tiger. (see also:
otjip) [< Fr. veiller]

vt

ADJ green, unripe, not ready to eat.

Mango-a vt toujou, i pk mi. The
mangos still green, its not ripe yet.
(opp: mi; see also: matwit, olt)
[< Fr. vert]

vti

vid

vyen

N grouper (Epinephelus
inermis).

vid

ADJ empty. Nou pa ni tizing dlo

lakay nou; tout bonm vid. We dont
have any water at our house; all the

to warn. Manman mwen

toujou t ka vti mwen pou pa jw
V

226

vidajan

Kwyl English

vis2

buckets are empty. (opp: plen) [< Fr.

vide]

N vice, immorality. La ni tout st

kalt vis an vil sala. There is all kinds
of vice in this town. (syn: vy lavi,
mal pwpt; see also: mchanst,
kwiyot, movzt) [< Fr. vice] f vis
to copulate, to have sex. Yo bouch
d jenn manmay ka f vis an wazya. They caught two young people
having sex in the bushes. (crude; syn:
kouch, fwkant, pwan)

vidajan

N mercury, quicksilver.
Nonm sala mout pi vidajan;
pysonn pa sa fy mal. That man put
mercury under his skin; nobody can
harm him. (see also: tjenbwa, zb)
[< Fr. vif-argent]

vid

V to pour. Vid dlo-a an bsinan. Pour the water into the basin.
[< Fr. vider]

vis3

N trick. Nonm sala pa gady; i

benyen vis. You wouldnt know from
looking at that man that he is full of
tricks. (see also: js)

vif

ADJ quick. Nou w ki otan vif

chat-la t vif! We saw how quick the
cat was! (see also: vit) [< Fr. vif]

vil

vis

V to screw. I visy sw. He

screwed it tight. [< Fr. visser]

town. Tan sala vil-la t piti. At

that time the town was small. [< Fr.
ville]
N

visy

ADJ clever, shrewd. Nonm sala

visy pas ki; ou pa sa kwenneny.
That man is extremely shrewd; you
cant fool him. (syn: ni lspwi) [< Fr.
vicieux]

vilaj

N village. Tifi-a ka wt adan

vilaj-la. The girl lives in the village.
[< Fr. village]

vin variant of vini. Madanm-lan vin

visyz

N tattler, talebearer, gossip (in

reference to a woman). Fanm sala
tw visyz, mwen pa vl i vin lakay
mwen. That woman is too much of a
gossip, I dont want her to come to my
home. [< Fr. vicieuse]

m. The woman came to die.

ving

N vinegar. Yo ka svi ving

pou pwzv konkonm. They use
vinegar to preserve cucumbers. [< Fr.
vinaigre]

vini (var: vin)

vit

ADV fast, quickly. Py mango-a

kay lv vit. The mango tree will
grow quickly. (syn: vitman; opp:
dous) [< Fr. vite] f vit to hurry up,
to get moving, to move quickly. Al
an boutik-la k f vit! Go to the store
and hurry it up! (syn: bay py,
bwennen k, chap k, chap py, f
py; see also: kouwi; fann kann, f
djip, f lapousy, f yan, f zkl,
kouwi vant a t, pwan lavl)

1) to come. Papa
mwen kay vini denmen. My father
will come tomorrow. (syn: chap)
2) to become. I vini on pch menm
kon papay. He became a fisherman
just like his father. (syn: twap k,
twouv k) [< Fr. venir] ka vini
next. Lann ka vini nou kay f sa.
Next year well do that. (syn:
pwochen, lt)

vis1

vitman

N screw. Nou pd ti vis sala. We

lost that little screw. (see also: boulon)
[< Fr. vis]

vitman

227

ADV fast, quickly. L i w sa,

i dsann vitman. When he saw that,
he went down quickly. (syn: vit; opp:

viv

Kwyl English

you get in line with the house, look

straight; you will see my car. (see also:
alapt, alimans, a kot, b, bdaj,
pw) Sa mwen f-a pa anyen l ou
mty vizavi sa ou menm ja f.
What I have done is nothing when you
compare it with what you have done.
[< Fr. vis vis]

dousman; see also: bay py,

bwennen, chap k, f py, f zkl,
kouwi vant a t)

viv

V to live. Kwapon ka viv lontan.

Cowards live a long time. (opp: m,
pwi; see also: lavi) N interpersonal
relationship, friendship. Sa ou vl fa s kwaz ou vl kwaz viv nou.
What you intend to do is destroy our
relationship. [< Fr. vivre]

viz1

V to aim at. I viz jiby-a m i

mantjy. He aimed at the bird but he
missed it. [< Fr. viser]

vivan

ADJ alive, living. Span-an

vivan toujou; i pk m. The snake
is still alive; it is not yet dead. (opp:
m) [< Fr. vivant]

vivi

ADJ envious. Nonm sala vivi

tlman; tout sa i w i vl. That man is
so envious; he wants everything he
sees. (syn: anvyj; see also: jalou,
vowas)

vivt

viz2

N visa. Ou bizwen on viz pou

antw Lanmwik. You need a visa to
get into the United States. [< Fr. visa]

vizit

V to visit. Toul Dimanch yo

ka vizit moun ki adan lopital-la.
Every Sunday they visit people in the
hospital. [< Fr. visiter]

vizou

N cane juice. Tan lontan pito

sik, moun t ka svi vizou pou dousi
dit yo. Long ago, rather than sugar,
people used cane juice to sweeten their
tea. (see also: kann)

ground provision. I ban

mwen an ti mso an chak vivt. She
gave me a piece of each ground
provision. (syn: gwo manj)
N

viwan variant of dviwan.

vizyon

N vision. Tout gouvdman

sipoz ni on vizyon bay pyi-a yo ka
kondwi-a. Every government should
have a vision for the country it is
leading. (see also: wvlasyon) [< Fr.
vision]

viw (var: viy, dviw, dviy)

V to
return, to go back. Yo al jdi pou
viw denmen. They went today to
return tomorrow. (syn: witounen; opp:
kit, pati) ADV back. Tout s bagayla mwen ba li-a, i ban mweny viw.
All of the things I gave him, he gave
them back to me. [< Fr. virer] viw
ank to repeat (an action), to do
(something) again. Ki tan ou kay
viw mout ank? When will you go
up again?

viy variant of viw.

vlen

vl

V 1) to want. Mwen vl tak kaf,

soupl. I want some coffee, please.
(syn: anvi) 2) to intend, to mean to.
Sa s sa mwen t vl f. This is what I
intended to do. (see also: antansyon)
[< Fr. voulez] vl di to mean. Ki sa
sa vl di? What does that mean?

vlen

N venom. Vlen span sala

danjw an chay. That snakes
venom is very dangerous. (see also:
span, pwzon) [< Fr. venin]

vizavi

PREP in line with, with respect

to. L ou wiv vizavi kay-la, gad
dwt; ou kay w motoka-a. When

228

vlop

Kwyl English

vlop variant of vopl. [< Fr.

womans money. (syn: f vl) [< Fr.

voleur]

envelopper]

vo

vlkan

V to be worth. Sa pa vo anyen.
Thats not worth anything. (syn: vo
val) [< Fr. vaut] vo val same as
vo. Sa mwen-an vo pli val pas s
lzt-la. Mine is worth more than all
the others.

N volcano. La ni on vlkan
Soufwiy. There is a volcano in
Soufriere. [< Fr. volcan] lv
vlkan to lose ones temper. L ou
lv vlkanw, pa pas waj ou-a anl
mwen! When you lose your temper,
dont let your anger spill over on me!
(see also: fach, waj, kl)

vl1

N theft, robbery, stealing. [< Fr.

vol] f vl to steal. I f an vl; s sa
ki f i ni tout s bagay sala. He made
a theft; that is how he has all these
things. (syn: vl)

volont

N will. Mwen kay mand

Bondy si s volonty pou f sa ban
mwen. I will ask God if it is his will to
do that for me. (syn: divwa; see also:
antansyon) V to volunteer. S mwen
ki volont pou f sa bay madanmlan. I was the one who volunteered to
do that for the woman. [< Fr. volont]

vl2

N flock (of birds). Mwen pt d

bal simen dy vl jiby-a. I fired
two scatter shots at the flock of birds.
[< Fr. vol]

volan
vol

flying fish. [< Fr. volant]

vltij

V to go flying. L mwen
tonb, pawsl-la vltij! When I
fell, the umbrella went flying! (syn:
pwan lavl; see also: vol) [< Fr.
voltiger]

1) to fly. Zl jiby-a kas pi i

pa t sa menm vol. The birds wing
broke and it couldnt even fly. (see
also: pwan lavl, vltij) 2) to blow
away. Van-an vol tout s fy sk-la.
The wind blew away all the dry
leaves. 3) to cut off. I ba li yon koul
sab k i vol zwy li. He struck him
with the sword and cut off his ear. (see
also: koup, stpy, sp, sot)
[< Fr. voler] bay vol to beat, to
give a beating, to spank. Papay ba li
on vol! His father gave him a
beating! (syn: bat, bay kou, lapid,
bay plich, plich, koup fs, koup
latj, pt k, wiz)

vl

vonvonn

vonmi

V to vomit. Ti manmay-la
vonmi asou zpl manmany. The
child vomited on his mothers
shoulder. (see also: malotj) [< Fr.
vomir]

vonmy

ADV it is better, preferable.

Anvwit, vonmy nou t wst la
pito. In truth, it would have been
better for us to have stayed there
instead. (syn: simy; see also: andji,
oly, pito) [< Fr. il vaut mieux]

N 1) thief. Doubout la! Vl!

Stop there! Thief! (see also: pikpch)
2) unproductive, harmful vine. Nou
ka tiy s vl-a. Were removing the
unproductive vines. V to steal, to rob.
Vl-a vl tout lajan vy madanmlan. The thief stole all of the old

vonvon

N bee. Vonvon-an pitj

mwen an do mwen. The bee stung me
on my back. (syn: myl, vonvon
myl; see also: dsyen, kasav myl)
vonvon myl same as vonvon.

vonvonn

229

V to buzz. Vonvon-an t
ka vonvonn tout oliwon fl-a. The

vopl

Kwyl English

bee was buzzing all around the flower.

voy (var: vow, vwy)

V 1) to send.
Pl voy d bwapen ban mwen. Paul
sent me two breadfruits. 2) to throw.
Yo voy wch dyy. They threw
stones at him. (see also: flch, jt)
[< Fr. envoyer] voy al to send
away. Yo voyy al d lanmen vid.
They sent him away empty-handed.

vopl (var: vlop)

V 1) to wrap. Yo
ka vopl s fig-la pou pwotkt yo.
They wrap the bananas to protect
them. 2) to roll, to coil. I viy vopl
kd-la. He rolled up the rope again.
(opp: dvopl) [< Fr. envelopper]

vot

V to vote. Lann sala tout moun

kay sa vot. This year everyone will
be able to vote. [< Fr. voter]

voudw variant of avoudw.

vous

moodiness, bad mood, bad

temperament. Madanm sala benyen
vous. That woman has a bad
temperament. (syn: vap; see also:
zimy) ni vous to be mercurial,
moody, temperamental. Tifi-a ni
vous. The girl is moody. (syn: ni vap;
see also: avous; zimy)

vwa

N voice. Nonm sala ni on gwo

vwa. That man has a loud voice. (see
also: pwan vwa, lapawl) [< Fr. voix]

vwazinaj variant of vwzinaj. [< Fr.

voisinage]

vw

ADJ true. I pa di anyen ki pa

vw. He didnt say anything thats not
true. (opp: fo) [< Fr. vrai]

vwjinaj variant of vwzinaj.

vwl

N 1) veil. Jenn tifi-a mt on

vwl blan l i t ka may. The young
lady put on a white veil when she got
married. 2) sail. Kannt-la pa ni
vwl. The boat has no sail. [< Fr.
voile]

vout

N undercurrent, undertow. Pa al
b vout-la avan i hdiw antw anba
kay-a. Dont go near the whirlpool or
it will pull you under the rock.

vowas

vwman

vowasit

vwyaj variant of voyaj.

ADJ greedy. Gason! Ou tw

vowas! Boy, youre too greedy! (syn:
kochon; see also: jalou, anvyj, vivi)
[< Fr. vorace]

N greed. Yo f sa a kz di
vowasit yo. They did that because of
their greed. [< Fr. voracit]

vow variant of voy.

ADV really, truly. Vwman,

s kon sa i y. Really, thats the way it
is. (syn: vwitabman; see also:
wylman) [< Fr. vraiment]

vwy variant of voy.

vwzinaj (var: vwjinaj, vwazinaj)

N trip. I ni on
lonng voyaj pou f. He has a long trip
to make. [< Fr. voyage]

V to travel. Yo
t ka voyaj toupatou. They used to
travel everywhere. [< Fr. voyager]

neighbour. S pou ou f bon bay

vwzinaj ou. You must do good to
your neighbours. (syn: pwochen)
[< Fr. voisinage]

voyaj (var: voyay)

voyaj (var: vwyaj)

vyann

vyann

N meat. Konmen pou vyannan? How much for the meat? (see
also: lach) [< Fr. viande] vyann
san zo slug. Vyann san zo ka
manj jaden-an. Slugs are eating the

voyay variant of voyaj.

230

vy

Kwyl English

garden. (syn: bt san zo)

la. Joseph married the virgin. (relig.)

[< Fr. vierge]

vy

ADJ 1) old. Vy nonm sala ka

tiw an chay listwa. That old man
tells lots of stories. (syn: gwan; opp:
jenn, nf) 2) bad. Sa s on vy
pawl! Thats a bad word! (syn:
mov; opp: bon; see also: mchan,
modi, slwa) [< Fr. vieille] Vy F
the town of Vieux Fort. Nou kay
mach jis Vy F. We will walk as far
as Vieux Fort. [< Fr. Vieil Fort]

vyj1

waj

vyj2

jewfish.

vylon

N violin. Nonm sala ka jw

vylon byen. That man plays the
violin well. (syn: anba gj) [< Fr.
violon]

vyys

N old age. An vyys nou,

nou ka obliy an chay bagay. In our
old age, we forget many things. (opp:
jenns, pitits) [< Fr. vieillesse]

virgin. Jozf may pi vyj-

Ww
w variant of ou. Sa ki wivw? Ou

(tooth). I al oti dantis-la k yo

wach dany. He went to the dentist
and they extracted his tooth. [< Fr.
arracher]

pd lajanw? What happened to you?

Did you lose your money?

wa1

N 1) king. Tout tan yo pk

kouwonnenw, ou pk wa. Unless
theyve crowned you youre not the
king yet. (see also: louwa, wenn)
2) king (in draughts or cards). Mwen
genyen jw danm-lan paski mwen t
ni pli wa pasy. I won the game of
draughts because I had more kings
than he had. (see also: danm) [< Fr.
roi]

wach2 variant of hach.

wad variant of had.
wadenn

N guinea pig. Pa ni anyen ki

ka f piti vit kon wadenn. Theres
nothing that has babies quickly like
guinea pigs.

wafl

V to raffle. Nou ka wafl on

bf sw-a. We are raffling a cow
tonight. (see also: jw)

wa2

ADV rarely, seldom. Byen wa nou

ka jwenn dlo an sitenn s jou sala.
Very seldom do we get water these
days. (opp: souvan, dwi) [< Fr. rare]

wabt

a tool for stirring fawin. Yo

ka wimen fawin k wabt. They stir
cassava flour with a wabt. (see also:
kawt)
N

wagon

(see also: twen, loko) [< Fr.

wagon]

waj

N anger, wrath, rage. S pa asou

mwen pou ou pas waj ou-a. Dont
pass your rage onto me. (see also:
anwaj; kl, lv vlkan, fach)
Nonm sala ni an waj ka pweny.
That man was overtaken with rage.
[< Fr. rage] ni an waj pou to covet.
I ni an waj pou motoka-a. He covets
the car. (syn: anwaj pou)

wach variant of hach.

wach1

V 1) to uproot. S nonm sala

wach s py bwa-a. Those men
uprooted the trees. 2) to extract

231

wajy

Kwyl English

wajy variant of wazy.

pyy lajany, m wannman i

mand mwen toujou. Ive paid him
his money, yet is still asking me for
money. (see also: kanmenm) [< Fr.
rendement]

wak

ADJ tasteless. (see also: diven

wak, koko wak) [< Fr. cre]

wakont

V to tell, to recount. Mwen

t la k mwen vin wakont sa baw. I
was there and I came to tell you that.
(see also: di) [< Fr. raconter]

wap

V to grate something improperly,

in big chunks. Gwaj koko-a pa bon
i ka wap koko-a. That grater isnt
good its grating the coconut in big
chunks. (see also: gwaj) [< Fr. rper]

wan

N row. I plant tout s

chouponm-lan an wan. He planted all
the cucumbers in rows. [< Fr. rang]

wanj

to repair, to fix. Nonm-lan

wanj tt kay li. The man repaired his
roof. Mwen kay wanjw! Ill deal
with you! [< Fr. arranger]

wap

N report, news report. Chak

gwoup kay bay wap yo. Each group
will give their report. (see also:
nouvl) [< Fr. rapport]

wanjman

was

N 1) race. Was s moun sala sti

an Afwik. This race of people comes
from Africa. 2) family, kind of
people. Was s moun sala ka bw an
chay wonm. That family drinks a lot
of rum. (usually derogatory) [< Fr.
race]

arrangement, deal. Pou

yo pa t al lodyans, yo pwan
wanjman. In order to avoid going to
court, they made an arrangement.
[< Fr. arrangement]
N

wanm

N a pole for plants to climb on.

s ou ja mt wanm bay yanm-lan?
Have you put a pole for the yams to
climb on? [< Fr. rame]

wasi

ADJ stale, mouldy. Pen-an yo

pwen pi yo-a t ja wasi. The bread
they brought with them was stale.
(opp: fw; see also: chanpiyon,
mwzi) [< Fr. rassis]

wanm

V to cling, to twine, to wrap

around (in reference to vines). Senmlan wanm anl tonnl-la. The snow
peas twined around the trellis. (see
also: pann, sispann) [< Fr. ramer]

wasin

N root. Yo ja koup wasin py

bwa-a. They have cut the trees roots.
[< Fr. racine] f wasin to take root.
Py bwa-a ka pwan tan pou f
wasin. The tree takes time to take root.
(syn: pwi)

wanmo

N palm tree. Py wanmo sala

sa ho. This palm tree is really tall. (see
also: palmis) [< Fr. rameau]

wanmy

wood pigeon. (see also:

pijon) [< Fr. ramier]
N

wasin

ADJ rooted, well-grounded. Yo

wasin an lafwa; anyen pa sa
soukw yo. They are rooted in the
faith; nothing can shake them.
(religious) [< Fr. enraciner]

wann

V to make, to render. Bagay

sala ka wann mwen malad. That
thing makes me sick. (see also: f)
[< Fr. rendre]

wat

wat

N rat. Wat pi Souwi t vl

kwennen Chat. Rat and Mouse
wanted to fool Cat. (see also: souwi)
[< Fr. rat]

wannman (var: wonnman)

ADV yet
still, nevertheless, however. Mwen ja

232

watjt

Kwyl English

watjt

N a type of cactus. Py watjt

pa ni pys lonbwaj. Cactus trees
dont have any shade. (see also: siyz)

voir]

wbl

N rebel. Nonm sala s an

wbl. That man is a rebel. (see also:
wvt, wivlt) V to rebel. Ti
manmay sala ka wbl kont papay.
That child is rebelling against his
father. (see also: lv, wivlt) [< Fr.
rebelle]

wavt

N cockroach. Wavt pa ni
padon douvan poul. Cockroaches get
no mercy from chickens.

wavin

N stream. I ka benyen an
wavin-an. He is bathing in the stream.
(see also: lawivy) [< Fr. ravine]

wd

ADJ 1) hard. Bwa sala wd an

chay. That wood is very hard. (opp:
ml) 2) difficult. Ma sa f twavay
sala; i tw wd. I cant do that work;
it is too difficult. (syn: difisil; opp:
z, fasil) 3) strict. Papa mwen t
tw wd. My father was too strict.
ADV hard. I ka twavay wd toul jou
san poz. I works hard every day
without resting. V to fill (ones belly).
Nonm-lan wd boudeny k fig mi.
The man filled his belly with ripe
bananas. (see also: plen) [< Fr. raide]
tt wd stupid, mentally challenged.
Ki manny tt ou wd kon sa? How
can you be so stupid? (see also:
dkdk, ttenm, enfim an tt, goch
an tt) Tifi sala ni tt wd; i pa ka
apwann anyen. This girl is mentally
challenged; she isnt learning
anything. Tjb wd. Hold firm.
Stick with it. (see also: pwan tj,
tjb f)

wawt

N seaweed. Lanm-a ni an
chay wawt bonmaten-an. The sea
has a lot of seaweed in it this morning.

waya

N wire. Yo f pak-la pi waya.

They made the fence with wire.
[< Eng. wire]

waz

ADJ to the brim. Yo plen j-a

waz. They filled the jar to the brim.
(syn: owa)

waz

V to shave. Mwen lv ta k
mk waz. I got up late and I
havent shaved yet. [< Fr. raser]

wazw

N razor blade. I pd wazwy

kon sa i pa t sa waz. He lost his
razor so he couldnt shave. [< Fr.
rasoir]

wazy (var: wajy)

N grass, brush,
bush, tree. Yo sp tout s wazy-a.
They cut all the bushes. (see also: py,
zb) al an wazy to defecate
(outside). I al an wazy. He went to
defecate. (euphemism; see also: chy,
kaka, f bizwen)

wdi variant of hdi.

wflchi

V to reflect. Kit lidw

wflchi asou sa mwen diw-la. Let
your mind reflect on what I told you.
(see also: chonj, katjil) [< Fr.
rflchir]

N ray, skate. La ni an chay w

Lanslaw. There are many rays in
Anse La Raye. [< Fr. raie]

to see. Nou mach anba-a la m

nou pa w lfan-an. We walked down
there but we didnt see the elephant.
(see also: apsivw, wyaliz) [< Fr.
V

wgad

wfwchi variant of afwchi. [< Fr.

rafrachir]

wgad

233

V to regard, to consider to be,

to treat as. Zt pa ka wgad mwen

wgl

Kwyl English

kon manman zt. You dont regard

me as your mother. (see also:
konsidiw) [< Fr. regarder]

kouwonn-an. The queen is wearing

the crown. (see also: wa, danm) [< Fr.
reine]

wgl

wpanti

wjim1

wpantisman

wjim2

wpt

ADV regularly. S pouw tjiw

danw wgl. You must brush your
teeth regularly. (see also: dwi, souvan,
an chay di l) [< Fr. rgulier]

N bunch, stalk (of bananas,

plantain, etc). I mennen senk wjim
fig ba yo. He took them five bunches
of bananas. [< Fr. rgime]
N diet, regimen. Yo ka f
wjim. Theyre on a diet. [< Fr.
rgime]

V to repent. S pouw
wpanti avan ou pwi. You must
repent before you perish. [< Fr.
repentir]

N repentance. Lapenn
san wpantisman pa vo anyen.
Sorrow without repentance is not
worth anything. (religious)
V to repeat. Wpt sa ou dia ban mwen ank soupl. Repeat
what you said to me again please.
[< Fr. rpter]

wjistwasyon

N registration.
Wjistwasyon-an pou lgzanm-a s
denmen. The registration for the exam
is tomorrow. [< Fr. rgistration]

wponn

V to answer, to respond.
Lapen kwiyy m bolonm-lan pa
wponn. Rabbit called to it but the
tarbaby didnt respond. (opp: mand)
[< Fr. rpondre] wponn tt to
argue, to plead ones case, to go to
ones defence. I pa t ni pysonn
pou wponn tt li. He had nobody to
plead his case. (syn: f dfans)

wjistw

V to register. s ou ja
wjistw pou vot? Have you already
registered to vote? [< Fr. enregistrer]

wjwi

V to rejoice. Wjwi paski

nonw matj an syl. Rejoice that
your name is registered in heaven.
(syn: widjwt; see also: lajwa,
djwt) [< Fr. se rjouir]

wpons

N answer, response. L
mwen konyen asou lapt-la ma
jwenn pys wpons. When I knocked
on the door there was no response.
(opp: kwsyon) [< Fr. rponse]

wklt

V to reap, to harvest. Sa ou
plant s sa ou kay wklt. What
you plant is what you will reap. (opp:
plant) [< Fr. rcolter]

wpwzant

V to represent. Kils
avoka ki ka wpwzantw? Which
lawyer is representing you? [< Fr.
reprsenter] mal wpwzant to
misrepresent. Avoka-a mal
wpwzant mwen; s sa ki f mwen
pd lodyans-lan. The lawyer
misrepresented me; that is why I lost
the case.

wkt

N harvest, crop. Yo t ni on
bon wkt lann sala. They had a big
harvest this year. (see also: zam)
[< Fr. rcolte]

wen

N waist, lower back. Weny ka

fy mal. His waist is hurting him.
[< Fr. reins]

wend variant of d.
wenn

wsisit

wsisit

V to resurrect, rise (from

death). Asou jou jijman-an tout
moun kay wsisit hd lanm. On

queen. Wenn-an ka pt
234

wskonsab

Kwyl English

wt variant of wst.

the day of judgement all people will

rise from death. (see also:
wzwksyon) [< Fr. ressusciter]

wtjen N shark. [< Fr. requin]

wtjen blan white shark. Wtjen

wskonsab

ADJ responsible. Nou pa

t wskonsab pou sa ki ft. We
werent responsible for what
happened. [< Fr. responsable]

blan-an danjw an chay. The white

shark is very dangerous. wtjen sab
sand shark. Lapo wtjen sab-la wid
an pil. The sand sharks skin is very
rough.

wskonsabilit

N responsibility. S
jenn moun-an pa ni pys
wskonsabilit jdi jou. The young
people have no responsibilities these
days. [< Fr. responsabilit]

wsp

wv

N dream. Adan wv-la mwen t

on wa. In the dream I was a king.
[< Fr. rve]

wv

V to dream. Paditan i t ka
wv i koumans hl. While she was
dreaming she began to yell. [< Fr.
rver]

respect. Mwen ni an chay

wsp pou nonm sala. I have a lot of
respect for that man. (see also: lonn)
[< Fr. respect]
N

wspkt

wvlasyon

N revelation. Bondy
ban nou wvlasyon sala. God gave
us that revelation. (see also: vizyon)
[< Fr. rvlation]

to respect. S pou nou

wspkt dwa lt moun. We must
respect other peoples rights. (see also:
onnow) [< Fr. respecter]
V

wst (var: wt)

wvt

wvl

1) to remain, to
stay. Wst la jis tan mwen vini.
Stay there until I come. Wst la!
Stay there! 2) to live, to reside. Yo
ka wst Kastwi. They live in
Castries. (syn: wzidan) 3) to be left,
to remain. Yo manj tout s ti msoa ki wst-a. They ate all the little
pieces that were left. 4) to have left, to
have remaining. Mwen wst d dla
tousl. I have only two dollars left.
[< Fr. rester] wst byen to behave
oneself. Ti manmay-la wst byen
pi mwen. The child behaved himself
with me. wst san manj to fast.
S moun-an t ka wst san manj
k pwdy l Bondy wponn
lapwiy yo. The people were fasting
and praying when God answered their
prayer. (syn: fas, f ajen) wst
tjantjil same as wst byen.

V to reveal. Bondy kay

wvl sa ban nou. God will reveal
that for us. (see also: moutw) [< Fr.
rvler]

wvy

N alarm clock. Mwen t las

tlman mwen pa menm tann l
wvy-la sonnen. I was so tired I
didnt even hear when the alarm clock
went off. [< Fr. rveil]

wvl variant of wvt.

wvolisyon (var: wvolousyon)

revolution. Adan moun ka spy on

wvolisyon. Some people are waiting
for a revolution. [< Fr. rvolution]

wvolousyon variant of wvolisyon.

wivlva

N revolver, pistol. I ni
wivlvay a koty. He has his
revolver on his side. (see also: fizi)
[< Eng. revolver]

wvt (var: wivt, wvl)

235

revolt,

wyaliz

Kwyl English

rebellion. [< Fr. rvolte] lv wvt

to rebel, to revolt. S plant-a lv
wvt kont gouvdman-an. The
farmers revolted against the
government. (see also: wbl, wivlt)

kannawi dlo, dat, lota) [< Fr.

erysiple]

wzon

N reason. Ou pa ni pys
wzon pou f sa. You dont have any
reason to do that. [< Fr. raison] bay
wzon to believe (someone) is right,
to take (someones) side. Manmanw
toujou ka baw wzon; s sa ki f ou
mov kon sa. Your mother always
takes your side; that is why you are so
bad. (see also: sipt, pwan pou, bay
py, bay lchanlib) ni wzon to be
right. S mwen ki ni wzon. Im the
one who is right. (opp: ni t; see also:
byen ft) vl wzon to be unfair or
unjust. S pouw dwt an tout sa ou
ka f, s pa pouw vl wzon yonn
bay lt. You must be fair in all you
do, you mustnt be unfair with each
other.

wyaliz

V to realize. Mwen pa t
wyaliz s ou ki la. I didnt realize it
was you there. (see also: apsivw,
konpwann, sav, w) [< Fr. raliser]

wyl

ADJ real. Aliyans sala pa

wyl; i pa l. That wedding ring is
not real; it is not gold. [< Fr. rel]

wylman

ADV really, truly. Sa

wylman s btiz. That is really
nonsense. (see also: vwitabman,
vwman) [< Fr. rellement]

wym

N realm, kingdom. (religious)

[< Fr. royaume] wym Bondy
kingdom of God, heaven. I pa kay
antw an wym Bondy. He wont
enter into heaven. (syn: syl)

wzonnab

ADJ reasonable. Nonm-lan

entlijan, m i pa wzonnab. The
man is intelligent but he is not
reasonable. [< Fr. raisonnable]

wzen

N grape, seagrape. Py wzen

sala kouv k wzen. That seagrape
tree is full of seagrapes. [< Fr. raisin]

wzonnen

V to reason. Yo sy
wzonnen pi nonm-lan m i pa t
vl kout. They tried to reason with
the man but he wouldnt listen. [< Fr.
raisonner]

wzwksyon

N resurrection. S
disip-la t ka spw wzwksyonan. The disciples were awaiting the
resurrection. (see also: wsisit) [< Fr.
rsurrection]

wi1

ADV 1) yes. Mwen di, Wi, mwen

vl on pen. I said, Yes, I want a
bread. (opp: non, awa; see also: ti)
2) affirmative sentence tag. Mwen la,
wi. Im fine indeed. (see also: on)
[< Fr. oui]

wzidan

N resident. Mwen s on
wzidan Sent Lisi. I am a resident of
St. Lucia V to reside, to live. Tout s
moun-an ka wzidan Vy F. All
those people reside in Vieux Fort.
(syn: wst) [< Fr. rsident]

wi

wi2

V 1) to laugh. I wi tlman zyy

jik plw. He laughed so much he
even cried. 2) to laugh at. L mwen
di sa i wi mwen. When I said that he
laughed at me. (see also: motj) [< Fr.
rire]

wzipl

N erysipelas: skin disease

caused by streptococcus, characterized
by inflammation. Ti manmay mwenan malad; i ni wzipl. My child is
sick; she has erysipelas. (see also:

236

wiban

Kwyl English

wiban

[< Fr. rjouir]

N ribbon. Gad si wibanw

maw. See if your ribbon is tied.
[< Fr. ruban]

wido

N curtain. Mwen mt wido nf

pou Nwl. I put up new curtains for
Christmas. [< Fr. rideau]

wibot

V to celebrate. Yo tjenn on
gwo ft k yo tout koumans wibot.
They held a big party and they all
began to celebrate. (rare; syn: slbw,
f laft, bwiy)

wich

wifiz

V to refuse. I wifiz f anyen.

He refused to do anything. [< Fr.
refuser]

wigwt (var: igwt)

V to regret.
Mwen wigwt mwen vini isi-a. I
regret that I came here. [< Fr.
regretter]

rich. Nonm sala t si

tlman wich. That man was so rich.
(syn: alz, byennw, w, ja fy, ja
wiv; opp: mal, malw, pv, fonn)
[< Fr. riche]
ADJ

wilachman

N diarrhoea. Mwen ni
wilachman. I have diarrhoea. (syn:
ladjidjit, mal vant; see also: chy,
kaka, bouden ka mennen)

wicha

N rich person. Jan wicha

tousl i vl pou kanmawad li. He
only wants rich people as his friends.
(opp: malw; see also: l wich) [< Fr.
richard]

wilasyon

N relations. S yo ki tabli
wilasyon pi nou. Its they who
established relations with us. [< Fr.
relation]

wichs

N riches, wealth. S Bondy

ki ba yo tout wichs yo. Its God who
gave them all their wealth. (see also:
byen, popyt) [< Fr. richesse]

wilizyz

ADJ religious. S on nonm

ki wilizyz an chay. He is a very
religious man. [< Fr. religieuse]

wichton

N sprout. S zannimo-a
manj tout wichton patat-la. The
animals are eating all of the potato
sprouts. (see also: flch, jm, koko;
pous) [< Fr. rejeton]

wid

wilizyon

N religion, denomination.
La ni tout st kalt wilizyon an lat
sala. There are all kinds of religions in
this world. [< Fr. religion]

ADJ rough. Masonn-an wid, i kay

plich lapow. The wall is rough, itll
scrape your skin. (opp: lis) [< Fr. rude]

wim

N 1) cold, grippe. Bonmaten-an

mwen lv pi on gwo wim. This
morning I woke up with a bad cold.
2) nasal mucus. Wim ka koul an
ny. His nose is running. [< Fr.
rhume]

widitjil

N ridicule. (syn: wizib,

papicho) [< Fr. ridicule] pwan svi
widitjil same as pwan svi papicho.

widjkt

to reject. Fanmiy menm

widjkty. His own family rejected
him. [< Fr. rejeter]
V

wimd

wimaj variant of imaj.

wimd

N medicine. Dkt-a ba li
tout kalt wimd. The doctor gave
him all kinds of medicine. (syn:
mdikanman) [< Fr. remde] wimd
wazy bush medicine. Vy madanm
sala konnt tout wimd wazy. That

widjwt

V to rejoice. Mwen
widjwt l mwen w gason mwenan. I rejoiced when I saw my son.
(syn: wjwi; see also: djwt, lajwa)

237

wimen

Kwyl English

Your mother is tired; leave her in

peace.

old woman is familiar with all kinds of

bush medicine.

wimen

wipwch

wimsy

wipwoch

wimt

wis

V 1) to stir. Wimen bouyonan. Stir the soup. 2) to wind, to dance.

Mwen wimen tout k mwen. I
danced with all my body. [< Fr.
remuer]

V to thank. Nou wimsyy

pou bagay-la i ban nou-an. We
thanked him for the thing he gave us.
(see also: msi) [< Fr. remercier]

V to avenge, to get back at, to

get even with. I kouwi dy nonmlan jis tan i jwenn li pou wimt li. He
ran after the man until he found him to
take revenge on him. (see also:
wivanj, wonpi) [< Fr. remettre]

wipa

N meal. Sa s on bon wipa.

Thats a good meal. (see also: dit,
djnen, dinen) [< Fr. repas]

N reproach. Sa tibway-la
f-a pt wipwch asou non fanmiy.
What the boy did brought reproach on
his family. (see also: blanm) [< Fr.
reproche]

V to reproach. Ou enmen
wipwoch moun. You like to
reproach people. (see also: akiz,
blanm) [< Fr. reprocher]
N risk. Yo ka pwen wis k lavi
yo. They risk their lives. [< Fr. risque]

wisi

N receipt. Mi wisi-a pou s

bagay-la mwen acht ba ou-a. Here
is the receipt for the things I bought
for you. [< Fr. reu]

wisivw (var: wisouvw)

V to receive.
Simenn pas nou wisivw lajan-an.
Last week we received the money.
(see also: akspt, twap, jwenn)
[< Fr. recevoir]

wipas

V to chew a cud. Bf-la ka

wipas tousl. The cow is only
chewing its cud. [< Fr. repasser]

wipiny

to satisfy without filling

when eating. Manj-a ka wipiny
mwen. The food satisfies me. (see
also: satisf)

wiski

N whisky. Nonm sala ka bw

twp wiski. That man drinks too much
whiskey. (see also: bwason, gg,
wonm) [< Fr. whisky]

wisoufl

V to gasp for air. L i fin

mout mn-an i t ka wisoufl an
chay. When he finished climbing the
hill he was really gasping for air.
[< Fr. essouffler]

wipinyon variant of lopinyon.

wiplas variant of anplas.
wiplen

V to refill. I wiplen bouty-la

dlo. He refilled the bottle with water.

wipo

rest. I pa ni pys wipo. He

has no rest. [< Fr. repos] bay wipo
to leave in peace, to leave alone. Bay
madanm-lan wipoy; i anbawas.
Leave the woman alone; she is busy.
(syn: kit an wipo, kit bat miz)
kit an wipo same as bay wipo.
Manmanw las; kity an wipoy.
N

witjil

wisouvw variant of wisivw.

witiw

V to remove. Tout sa yo ka
di-a vw, anyen a witiw. All that
they say is true, not taking anything
away. [< Fr. retirer]

witjil

V to pull away, to withdraw.

Mwen witjil paski mwen pa kontan
konmzasyon s moun sala. I

238

witounen

Kwyl English

withdrew because I didnt like those

peoples conversation. (syn: hal k,
hdi k; see also: tjil) [< Fr. reculer]

wiy

V to rust. Si ou kit koutla-a

dw-a i kay wiy. If you leave the
cutlass outside it will rust. (see also:
lawouj) ADJ rusty. Bonm-lan wiy
an chay. The bucket is very rusty.
[< Fr. rouiller]

witounen

V 1) to return, to give back.

Jdi-a i sipoz witounen liv-la.
Today he is supposed to return the
book. 2) to return, to come back, to go
back. Mwen kay witounen b l kon
sa lann pwochen. I will return about
this time next year. (syn: viw; opp:
al) [< Fr. retourner]

witwt

N retreat. Mwa pas nou t

an witwt-la bay tout s nonm lglizla. Last month we were at the retreat
for all of the men in the church. [< Fr.
retraite]

wivandz

vendor. Tantant mwen

s on wivandz b laplas Kastwi. My
aunt is a vendor in the Castries market.
(see also: machann, vann)
N

wiz

N guile, trickery, deceit. Pa kit

nonm sala kwennenw pi wiz li.
Dont let that man trick you with his
trickery. (see also: js, vis, malen)
[< Fr. ruse]

wiz variant of iz.

wizib

N ridicule. (syn: widitjil,

papicho) [< Fr. risible] pwan svi
wizib same as pwan svi papicho.

wb

N dress. Ou mt wb ou lanv.
You put your dress on backwards. (see
also: dwiyt) [< Fr. robe]

wch

N rock, stone. Gason, las vow

wch! Boy, stop throwing stones! (see
also: kay) [< Fr. roche]

wivanj

N revenge. I vl pwan wivanj

li asou nou. He wants to take revenge
on us. [< Fr. revanche]

wf

N wharf. Yo naj jik tan yo wiv

asou wf-la. They swam until the got
to the wharf. (see also: tj, kst)
[< Eng. wharf]

wivann

V to resell. Mwen ka acht

chbon pou wivann. I am buying
charcoal to resell. (see also: vann)
[< Fr. revendre]

won

ADJ round. Tt ou pa won, i

bsko! Your heads not round, its
lopsided! N circle. (see also: sk)
[< Fr. rond] f won to go around, to
walk, drive, etc. in circles. F on
won, paski manj-a pk paw.
Walk around, because the food is not
yet ready. lanmen won clumsy
driver. Nonm sala twap ky adan
aksidan paski i s an lanmen won.
That man finds himself in a lot of
accidents because he is a clumsy
driver.

wiv (var: iv, ouv)

V 1) to arrive, to
reach. Batiman-an sipoz wiv
sw-a. The boat is supposed to arrive
tonight. (opp: kit, pati) 2) to happen
(to). Ki sa ki wivw? What
happened to you? (see also: ft) [< Fr.
arriver]

wivlt

V to revolt, to rebel. S
manmay sala wivlt kont lwa lklla. Those children revolted against the
school rules. (see also: wbl, lv
wvt) [< Fr. se rvolter]

wivt variant of wvt.

wonfl

wondl
wonfl
239

N
V

a type of bird.
to snore. Tijan ka wonfl

wonm

Kwyl English

m i pa ka dmi. Ti Jean is snoring

but hes not sleeping. [< Fr. ronfler]

wonm

roasted saltfish. [< Fr. rotir]

wouj

ADJ red. Nonm-lan ka pt on

chimiz wouj. The mans wearing a red
shirt. [< Fr. rouge] bt wouj (var:
btouj) mite, chigger. Tout zwy
mouton-an ni bt wouj. Both of the
sheeps ears have mites.

rum. I ka bw wonm toul

jou. He drinks rum every day. (see
also: bwason, bw, gg, gg, ng
wonm, sou, wiski, wonmy) [< Fr.
rhum]
N

wonmy

wonkl

wonn

woul

N drunkard, sot. Nonm sala

s on wonmy. That man is a
drunkard. (syn: ng wonm, gg; see
also: wonm)
N same as wonn poul. [< Fr.
rond] wonn poul cockpit, arena for
cockfights. S kk-la t adan wonn
poul-la. The cocks were inside the
arena.

V to bellow, to wail. L nou

tann towo-a koumans wonkl nou
pitj kouwi! When we heard the bull
begin to bellow we took off!

N wheel. Woul motoka-a vol.

The wheel of the car flew off. [< Fr.
roue]

woul1

V 1) to roll. Ti manmay-la ka
woul a t. The child is rolling on the
ground. 2) to roll, to roar, to crack, to
sound (in reference to thunder).
Loway woul tout lajoun. The
thunder rolled all day long. [< Fr.
rouler]

wonnman variant of wannman.

wonpi

V to avenge, to get back at, to

get even with, to defeat. Mwen kay
wonpiw! Ill get even with you! (see
also: dont, wivanj, wimt)

wonyen

crumb, scrap. Yo manj

tout s wonyen-an. They ate all the
crumbs. (see also: miyt) V to
browse, to nibble at, to pick at.
Mouton-an pa ka manj zb-la m i
ka annk wonyeny. The sheep isnt
eating the grass but is just nibbling at
it.
N

woul2

N hem. Woul had li ka

twennen a t-a. The hem of her
clothes is dragging on the ground. (see
also: dwoul) V to hem. Mwen vl
ou woul jip-la avan ou mty. I
want you to hem the skirt before you
put it on. (opp: dwoul) [< Fr. ourlet]

woulo

N roll, spool. I al genyen an

woulo kd. He went to buy a roll of
rope. [< Fr. rouleau]

wonz

ADJ eleven. Ti manmay-la ni

wonz lann. The child is eleven years
old. [< Fr. onze]

wonz

wousi

V to saut, to stew. Mwen ka

wousi vyann bf. I am stewing beef.
ADJ stewed. Poul wousi bon pi
dachin. Stewed chicken is good with
dasheen. [< Fr. roussir]

eleven oclock. [< Fr. onze

heures]

woti (var: oti)

V to roast. Yo woti
vyann-an asou tson-an. They
roasted the meat on the coalpot. (see
also: tjwit) ADJ roasted. Yo ka
manj lanmowi woti. They eat

wouz

wouz

V to sprinkle water on, to water.

Mwen obliy wouz s fl-a. I forgot
to water the flowers.

240

Kwyl English

ywit

Yy
y variant of i. Manmany boy asou

yis (var: is)

N yeast, leavening. Pen

sala ft san yis. That bread was made
without yeast. (syn: llven) [< Eng.
yeast]

fidjiy. Her mother kissed her on the

face.

yan1

N quick exit. f yan to run

away, to run fast. L chyen-an w
mwen i f yan. When the dog saw me
it ran away. (syn: kouwi vant a t; see
also: kouwi, chap, mawon; bay py,
bwennen k, chap k, chap py, f
vit; fann kann, f djip, f lapousy,
f zkl, pwan lavl)

yo

PRO they, them, their. Yo ban nou

gwo chat yo. They gave us their big
cat. [< Fr. eux]

yon variant of an.

yonn

PRO one. Mi koko-a! s ou vl

yonn? Look at the coconuts! Do you
want one? (see also: an) ADJ alone,
only, by oneself. Mwen yonn ki ka
twavay. I am the only one working.
(syn: tousl, slman; see also: pa k)
yonn pa yonn one by one. S
moun-an vini yonn pa yonn. The
people came one by one. yonn d
some, a few. Mwen kay genyen yonn
d ti bagay. Ill get a few little things.
(see also: d, adan, dotwa, tjk)

yan2 variant of an.

yanm

N yam. yanm a tou tan

yellow yam. yanm blan white yam.
yanm pikan a kind of yam that has
prickles on its vine. yanm ptidj
(var: yanm ptidy) Portuguese yam.
yanm ptidy variant of yanm
ptidj.

V variant of s. Kouman ou y?
How are you? (form of to be used at
the end of a sentence)

ADV yesterday. Y mwen manj

douz tig. Yesterday I ate twelve tigers.
(opp: denmen) [< Fr. hier]

yonn

ADJ eight. Mwen ni ywit dla

tousl. I have only eight dollars.
[< Fr. huit] ywit jou wake held 8
days after death. Simenn ka vini la
kay ni on ywit jou. Next week there
will be a wake. (see also: lavy)

N fruit fly. La ni an chay

yenyen an fig mi-an. There are a lot
of fruit flies on the ripe bananas.

to whine. Gason-an
enmen yenyen. The boy likes to
whine.
V

one oclock. [< Fr. une

ywit

yenyen1

yenyen2

heure]

ywit

heures]

241

eight oclock. [< Fr. huit

za

Kwyl English

zatwap

Zz
za variant of ja.
zabka

avocado.

zaf

N affair, business. I konnt tout

zafw. He knows all your affairs.
Gad zafw. Be careful; pay
attention to what you are doing. Ay
vy zafw! Go tend to your
business! [< Fr. les affaires]

zagaya

Tout ti manmay kontan zanmann.

Every child likes almond. [< Fr. les
amandes]

zanndoli N tree lizard. [< Fr. les

anolis] zanndoli t ground lizard,
skink.

zannimo

N animal. Tout s
zannimo-a t ka pal. All the animals
used to talk. (syn: bt) [< Fr. les
animaux]

a type of crab.

zagwiyen

N spider. Nou tjw gwo

zagwiyen sala. We killed that big
spider.

zakasya

N acacia: a kind of tree with

prickles. (see also: lpini) [< Fr. les
acacias]

zanno

N earring. Fanm-lan ni d gwo

zanno. The woman has two big
earrings. [< Fr. les anneaus]

zanpoul

N blister. I ni zanpoul an
lanmeny. He has blisters on his
hands. (see also: chbon, klou,
latwas, plk) [< Fr. les ampoules]

zalimt

N match. Nou t fen, m nou

pa t ni pys zalimt pou pwi dif.
We were hungry but we didnt have
any matches to light a fire. [< Fr. les
allumettes]

zam1

N crop. T-a bon; i ka f tout

kalit zam. The soil is good; it
produces all kinds of crops. (see also:
wkt)

zapt (var: apt)

N apostle. S
zapt-la t ka djwi tout kalt
maladi. The apostles healed all kinds
of sickness. [< Fr. les aptres]

zasyt

N china, dishes, tableware.

Madanm-lan mt tout zasyt li
adan bwt-la. The woman put all her
china in the box. (see also: pla, vsl)
[< Fr. les assiettes] lajan zasyt
broken ceramic plates, clay pots, etc.,
that children collect and play with. L
mwen t piti nou t ka toujou jw k
lajan zasyt. When I was little we
used to always play with broken plates
and pots.

zam2

N arms, firearms, weapons. S

nonm sala ni tout kalt zam. Those
men have all kinds of weapons. (see
also: fman) [< Fr. les armes]

zandji (var: jandji)

N fresh water eel.

(see also: konng) [< Fr. les anguilles]
zandji blan type of eel that is white.
zandji nw type of eel that is black.

zanfan

zatolan

N Common ground dove

(Columbina passerina). (see also:
pdwi, toutwl)

same as manmay. [< Fr. les

enfents]

zanmann

almond, almond tree.

zatwap
242

trap. Ngay tann an

Kwyl English

zatwap pou tjb souwi-a. Ill set a

trap to catch the mouse. [< Fr. les
attrappes]

zkl

N lightning. Y sw t benyen
loway pi zkl. Last night there was
plenty of thunder and lightning. [< Fr.
les clairs] f zkl to run quickly,
to run away, to flee. Yo f zkl l yo
w span-an. They ran away quickly
when they saw the snake. (syn: fann
kann, f djip, f lapousy, kwaz
bwa, kwaz wazy, pwan an bwa,
pwan lavl; see also: kouwi, chap,
mawon; bay py, bwennen k, chap
k, f py, f yan, kouwi vant a t)

N egg. Kot poul-la ki ka ponn s

z sala? Where is the hen that laid
these eggs? [< Fr. les oeufs]

zb1

N grass. Mwen t ka skl zbla l lapli-a kwv. I was cutting the

grass when the rain started. (see also:
py, wazy, gliglinglas) [< Fr. les
herbes] sisi zb Black-faced
Grassquit (Tiaris bicolor). zb a
kouto a type of long grass that is
very sharp. (syn: pay a kouto) zb
akouws a kind of grass used as
bush medicine for cooling. (see also:
fy kas) zb avach a type of grass.
zb djin a type of grass.

zl

N 1) wing. Zl jiby-a kas. The

birds wing is broken. 2) fin (of a
fish). Zl pwson-an t lonng. The
fishs fin was long. [< Fr. les ailes]

zl

ADJ zealous. S moun sala t tw

zl. Those people were too zealous.
(see also: cho) [< Fr. zl]

zb2

N obeah, witchcraft. Zb pa kay

sinifyw anyen. Obeah wont gain
you anything. (syn: tjenbwa; see also:
gaj, vidajan, maji nw) f zb to
prophesy, to practice witchcraft or
obeah. Nonm sala ka f zb pou i sa
jwenn madanm. That man is
practicing obeah in order to get
women. (see also: divin, f js, f
tjenbwa, gaj, pyay)

zdjwi

needle. Gason-an pitj

mwen k zdjwi-a. The boy pricked
me with the needle. (see also:
zpenng) [< Fr. les aiguilles]
N

zen

N fish hook. Pch-a pa t ni

pys zen. The fisherman had no
hooks.

zenk

ADJ galvanized. Tibway-la ka

chay dlo pi an bonm zenk. The boy
is carrying water with a galvanized
bucket. (see also: galvanniz) [< Fr.
zinc]

zpenng

N safety pin. Tach had ou

pi zpenng-lan. Pin your clothes
with the safety pin. (see also: zdjwi)
[< Fr. les pingles] zpenng ti tt
straight pin. Mt on zpenng ti tt
asou wb-la. Put a straight pin on the
dress.

zgo

N ankle, hoof. Mwen plich

zgo mwen asou masonn-an. I
bruised my ankle on the concrete.
(syn: chivi)

zpina

N spinach. Yo ka svi zpina

menm kon kalalou. They use spinach
just like calalou. [< Fr. les pinards]

zkal

N shell (of a coconut, almond,

etc.). Yo tiw koko-a an zkal. They
removed the coconut meat from its
shell. (see also: kokiyaj) [< Fr. les
cailles]

zpis

zpis

N spice. Yo ka vann tout st

kalt zpis b laplas-la. They sell all
kinds of spices at the market. [< Fr.
les pices]

243

zpl

Kwyl English

zpl

zons

N shoulder. I ka pt ti
manmay-la asou zpl li. He is
carrying the child on his shoulders.
(see also: do) [< Fr. les paules]

zpon

N ounce. Mso l sala ni laval

yon zons. That piece of gold is about
an ounce. [< Fr. les onces]

zopi

N cob. I ka lav soulyy pi an

zopi mi. She is cleaning her shoes
with a corn cob. (see also: mi) [< Fr.
les pis]

spur. Zpon kk sala tw

lonng. That roosters spur is too long.
N

zsant

N wooden shingle. Adan

moun ni kay zsant toujou. Some
people still have shingle houses.

zt (var: z, ht, h)

PRO you, your

(pl). Si zt vini denmen mwen kay
bay zt lajan-an. If you come
tomorrow Ill give you the money.
[< Fr. vous autres]

zikak

N a type of fruit (Chrysobalamus

icaco). (syn: fatpk)

zimy

N mood. I pa an bon zimy.

Hes not in a good mood. (see also:
vap, avous, vous) [< Fr. les humeurs]

zing

to play marbles. S gason-an

ka zing tousl. The boys are only
playing marbles. (syn: tk; see also:
mab)

zo

1) bone. Zo bf-la gwo an chay.

The cows bone is very big. 2) dice.
S nonm sala ka jw zo dpi
bonmaten. Those men have been
playing dice since this morning.
(slang; syn: gwennd) [< Fr. les os]

zty

N toe. Mwen kas zty mwen.

I broke my toe. [< Fr. les orteils]

zouti

N tool. Chapanty-a pd tout

zoutiy. The carpenter lost all his
tools. [< Fr. les outils]

zowanj (var: jowanj, jowany,

zowany)
oranges]

N ear. Zwy li ka fy mal.

His ear is hurting him. [< Fr. les
oreilles] di an zwy to whisper.
S l sala nou vin konnt sa s
moun-an t ka di an zwy konsn
nonm sala. Then we came to know
what the people were saying about that
man. (syn: pal an zwy, chwichwi,
soufl) pal an zwy same as di
an zwy. Tout moun t ka pal an
zwy konsn nonm sala. Everyone
was whispering about that man.

N garbage, rubbish, trash, litter.

Denmen yo kay jt zdi-a.
Tomorrow theyll throw away the
garbage. (syn: kochonni) [< Fr. les
ordures]

garfish, needlefish.

zondif

N ember, hot coals. I f

chyen-an paw an zondif. He made
the dog catch an ember. (see also:
dif) [< Fr. cendre de feu]

zwy

N pillow. Zwy-a ft pi
koton. The pillow was made of cotton.
[< Fr. les oreillers] tt zwy
pillowcase. I ka lav s tt zwy-a.
Shes washing the pillowcases.

zonng

N fingernail, toenail. Yo t ni
pou tiy zonng li. They had to remove
his fingernail. [< Fr. les ongles]
zonng makak type of plant.

orange. [< Fr. les

zwy

zdi

zowany variant of zowanj.

z variant of zt.

zfi

zy

zy

N peck. (see also: bk) bat zy

to fight by pecking. S pipirit-la ka

244

zwi

Kwyl English

zy

blink. Lafim-a fy bat zyy. The

smoke made him blink. f zy dou
to wink. I f zy dou bay tifi-a. He
winked at the girl. gwo zy 1) an
angry look with the eyes. Pou otan
gwo zy ou ja gad mwen, si gwo zy
t ka tjw, ou t ja fin tjw mwen.
For all the angry looks youre giving
me, if looks could kill, you would
have already killed me. 2) term used
for the windpipe when something is
stuck in it. Diwi-a pas an gwo
zyy. The rice passed into his
windpipe. zy kklay cross-eyed. I
ni zy kklay. He is cross-eyed.

bat zy. The kingbirds are pecking

each other. (see also: bkt) Pa bat
zy anl topi mwen avan ou gby.
Dont hit my top or youll chip it.

zwi

N cricket. Lannwit zwi ka hl.

At night crickets sing.

zwit

N barnacle. I ni an chay zwit

kol anba kannt-la. There are a lot
of barnacles stuck on the bottom of the
canoe.

zy (var: jy)

N eye. Yo kouv zyy

kon sa i pa t sa w anyen. They
covered his eyes so he couldnt see
anything. [< Fr. les yeux] bat zy to

245

English Kwyl
Aa
a

an1.

ART

abandon
abate

abattoir
abet

accident

soutiw.

ability
able

accessory

laps.

abilit.

kapab. able to p , sa .

ADJ

aboard

PREP

abolish

abort

avt.

about

ADV

abroad

ADV

absolutely

abusive

accomplish

akonpli.

ADV

bay kont.

accuse

acre

action

abitw.

atjiv.

acquaintance

add

mal twt, abiz, mal mennen.

aksyon.

246

gjt.

jt.

address
adhere

konnsans.

kaw t.

Adams apple

an abondans.

abizan.

akizasyon.

accustomed

absoliman.

kont2.

akiz.

achieve

aplon.

ADJ

accusation

lt pyi.

INTERJ

ADJ

akonplis, soutiwz.

accurate

abundance N abondans. in
abundance an abondans, benyen.
abuse

account

1) plich. 2) gwiji.

abundantly

accomplice

ab.

anho.

abrade

aksidan.

V akd. according to
akdans, dapw, silon. in
accordance with akdans.

aboli.

PREP

soutiwz.

accord

apipw, laval, owon,

alafen di. PREP konsn, asou, kont1.
at about b, avwdi.

above

bay vapon, f vapon.

accept akspt.

labatwa.

zakasya.

accelerate

abandonnen.

bs.

abscess

acacia

V
V

adws.
kol1.

adjoin

English Kwyl

adjoin

adjourn
admire

agreement

bn.

anvoy.

aim

admiw.

air

V
V

adolescence

jenns.

viz .

1) lz. 2) van.

airplane

adpt.

akee

adore

adow.

albino

adulthood

advance

avans. in advance

gwand.

andavans.

advancement

avansman.

advantage N lavantaj. unfair

advantage pasyalit. take
advantage of manstip, mach asou,
N

konsy, endik.

bw, gg.

poz.

vivan.

ADJ

all ADJ 1) tout. 2) dny. All Saints

Day Ft L M. at all ntaman.
alleviate

soulaj.

alligator

kayman.

allow

pwan lavantaj.

advice

alive

btj Kwyl.

alight

pln.

chennt.

alcohol

adilt.

agwman.

adopt

adultery

amazed

ba1, kit, pwmit.

all-powerful

ADJ

affair

zaf.

almond

affect

afkt.

almost

ADV

afflict

dklaw asou.

alms

lachawit.

afraid

ADJ

Africa

African
after

aloe

p .

Afwitjen.

PREP

afterward

ADV

again

ank.

ADV

against
age

PREP

agree

apw sa.

kont .

sitway.

dak.

agreeable
agreed

ADJ

ADJ

ADJ

alongside
also

agwyab.

pwsk, mantj.

yonn, pa k.
PREP

b, bdaj.

ja, dja.

ADV

osi, osi byen; tou2.

ADV

altar
1

1) laj1. 2) gwand.

aggravated

ADJ

already

apw.

zanmann.

lalw. aloe lotion lalwas.

alone

Afwik.
ADJ

toupisan.

lotl.

although

magw, dw3.

CONJ

aluminium

always

ADV

toujou, tout l, tout tan.

amaze

amazed
szi.

dak.
247

f blan.

sipwi.
ADJ

sipwi, tonnen, bdji,

amberjack

English Kwyl

amberjack

ambivalent

ADJ

amen

American
among
amuse

anpami.

kantit, mizi.

anmiz.

amusement
an

anvil

Mwitjen.

PREP

amount

anmizman.

anaesthesia
ancestor

ladmi.

ayl.

ancient

ADJ

nanj.

anger

kl, waj, kwiz.

angry

ADJ

fach, anwaj. be angry

bouwi. angry look gwo zy.

anis

zannimo, bt1.

anniversary
annoy

annoyed

annivws.

distw, fach, sitway.

ADJ

annoying

ADJ

anbtan, dzagwyab,

anmwdan.
ADJ

an lt.

Anse La Raye
answer

ank.

anything

PRO

anyen, ting.

Lanslaw.

wponn.

wpons.

nonplis.

ADV

apart ADV apa. apart from apa di.

take apart dmout.
zapt.

abiman.

appear

1) pawt. 2) sanm.

appoint

lapti1.

aplikasyon.

apwent.

appointment

appreciate

apwsy.

apprentice

apwenti.

apwentman.

apwoch, bd.

apwouv.

approximately

ADV owon, alafen di,

apipw, laval. at approximately
b, avwdi.

anbt, distw, anmwd.

another

ADV

approve

chivi, zgo.

anymore

approach

lanni.

ankle

pysonn.

application

angel

animal

PRO

appetite

vk, pi, .

CONJ

anybody

apparel

ansyen. ancient times

ansyen dat.

and

any ADJ npt, pwmy vini. hardly

any dj.

apostle

lank2.

anchor

lanklim.

anyway

an1.

ART

N fonmi. types of ant: fonmi

ada, fonmi f, fonmi flanman, fonmi
fou, fonmi kaka, fonmi mdan, fonmi
wouj.

d lid.

Anmwik.

ant

ensiswatil, amn.

INTERJ

America

kawanng.

arm

April

Avwi.

apron

tabliy.

argue

chikannen, tst.

argument
arm1
248

bwa1.

chikann, libenn.

arm

English Kwyl

arm2

armed

ADJ

armpit

arms

assure

am.

anba bwa.

around

ADV apipw, alafen di. PREP

owon. at around b, avwdi.
around here, around there owonan.

arrangement

arrest

awt.

arrive

wiv.

arrow

flch.

arse

artifice
as

kon. as a matter of fact

okontw. as if, as though akwdi,
konmkwki. as usual kon labitid,
kon lakoutim. as well as ni...ni.
just as menm kon.

ashen

ADJ

ashes

aside

ADV

blenm.

sann.
asou kot.

ask, ask for

asleep
ass

mand.

angoudi.

ADJ

1) asanbl. 2) mout.

asist2, lonj lanmen.

assistance N asistans. some

assistance an lanmen.
assurance

sipwi.

asiwans.

tonnen, szi, bdji.

ADJ

at

PREP b. at your service

avtsvis.

dbat.

attentive

ADJ

annkout.

galta.

attitude

atitid.

attorney

attract

anmennen.

Augier

Oj.

August

Awou.

aunt

tantant.

author

kou3.

antansyon2.

asist1, atand2.

attention
attic

chofi.

atak, bouw anl, sot anl.

attend

asou.

PREP

attempt

avoka.

kwiven.

authority

N 1) lotowit, pouvwa.
2) lalwa. under (someones)
authority asou kont.

bouwik.

assemble
assist

hont, afon.

ADJ

tonnen, szi, bdji.

ADJ

astounded

attack

toloman.

astound

atop

CONJ

ashamed

sipwi.

athletes foot

bbl.

astonish

wanjman.

fs, bonda, tjou.

loposyon.

astonished

zam .

arrowroot

asiw.

asthma

am.
2

await

authorization

automobile

motoka.

avenge

avocado
await
249

otowizasyon.

wimt, wonpi.
N

zabka.

spw, atand1.

awaken

English Kwyl

awaken

axe

lv.

barrier

hach.

Bb
babbler
back

palapata, lanng kaka.

N do. on ones back vant

anl. lower back wen.

back2 ADV viw. back off hdi dy.

back up bak3. draw back hdi
dy. give back witounen. laid
back lou.
backbite

backer

baka.

mal pal.

backhand
backside

do lanmen.

fs, bonda, tjou.

backwards

ADV

lanv.

bad ADJ 1) mal2. 2) mov, vy. bad

feelings lahenn. bad person
dvagond, mov lam, vy lam,.

bad-talk

mal pal.

bad-talker
bag

malpalan.

band1

sk2.

band2

bann.

bandage
N

banndjo .

bank1

bank.

bdaj.

bank

kosyon.

bait

lak. cut bait f fw.

bk.

balance

balan.

balcony

balkon.

bald

ADJ

ball1

bol.

ball2

bal1.

ballad

balloon

chb.

kont3.
N

blad.

band.

bankrupt

ADJ

banyan

fwidj.

fonn.

baptism N batenm. baptismal

cosponsor konp, makoum.
baptize

batiz.

kabaw.

bawo1. bar used for digging

balanmin.

bail

plasta.

banjo

bake

banbou.

banana N fig, gwenn fig. types of

banana: fig kochon, fig sikwiy, fig
wouj. green banana fig vt.
banana shed chd fig.

bar1

sak.

bamboo

balans.

bar

bare

ADJ

ni2.

barefoot

ADJ

bark1
bark

lapo.

hap1.

barnacle

barracuda
barrel

zwit.
N

btjin.

1) bawi. 2) bouko, kas.

barren

ADJ

barrier

250

ni py.

bwanhany.

bawad.

basin

English Kwyl

basin1
basin

basen.

bsin.

basket

panyen.

bastard

baste

fofil.

bata, ich dw.

bat1

slsouwi.

bat2

bas2.

batch

pwl1.

bath N ben. leaf bath ben fyay.

sea bath ben lanm.
bathe

1) benyen. 2) bw.

bathroom N pwvit. go to the

bathroom al an pwvit.
battle

batay.

battler

bawl

kwiz pwan.

bay1

batay.

lans1.

bell

koup latj, pt k. beat up

asasin.

beating

chal, plich.

beautiful

ADJ

beauty

blt.

bl, joli.

because CONJ paski, davwa. because

of pou lapti, a kz di, gwanmsi,
kont1, pou1.

become
bed

vini, twouv k.

kouch, kabann.

bedbug

pinz.

bedrock

kay.

bedroom

chanm.

bedsheet

dwa2.

bedwetter
bee

myl, vonvon.

beer

pisannit.

laby.

bay2 N bwadenn. bay leaf bwadenn.

bay leaf tea dit bwadenn.

before

bazaar

begin, begin to

be

baza.

lans1. beach party

mawonn.

beak

beam

bk.
sonmy.

bear

V 1) pt. 2) sipt. bear fruit

mennen fwi. bear tales chay
pawl, pt pawl.

beard
beat

N
N

bab.
bt1.

1) bat. 2) plich, dkal, bay

kou, bay vol, kas wen, koup fs,
V

PREP

douvan.

f jan.

koumans, mt,

pitj, pwan.

s , y.

beach

beast

befriend

avan.

CONJ

beginning

koumansman.

behave

1) konpt. 2) wst byen.

behead

koup kou.

behind

PREP

belch
belfry

V
N

dy.

ot.
kloch.

believe V kw1, ni lid. believe

someone is right bay wzon.
believer
bell
251

kwayan.

klch.

bellow

English Kwyl

bellow
belly

belly-up

ADV

vant anl.

ADV
N

below

anba1.

PREP

byen.

bench
benefit

1) bennfis. 2) sinify.
1) bennfis. 2) pwofi.
V

benevolence
bent

beside
best

lachawit.

b, a kot, alimans, bdaj.

PREP

besides

kochi, koub.

ADJ

PREP

apa di.

pli my.

ADJ

bet

V pay.
dpay2.

betray

better

ADJ

pawi. cancel bet

twayi.
my1. it is better simy,

vonmy.

between

PREP

bewitch

Bexon
Bible

ant.

mafwz.

Bson.

Bib, Labib.

big ADJ gwan, gwo, laj2, manman. big

shot gwo pitja, gwo tj, gwo pp,
gwozm.

bile

bird

bishop

lvk, monseny.

mso, dny kwas.

m2.

md.

bite
blab

anm.

ADJ

bavad.

black ADJ nw. black widow

spider katin, ven kat nditan. black
magic black magic. practitioner
of black magic vy lam, mov lam.
ml1.

blackbird

blacken

nwsi.

blacksmith

bladder

blade

lanm1.

blame

bland

ADJ

bleed
bless

blad.

blanm, bay t.

blanket
bleach

fjon.

N
V

lonvi.

blanchi, lablanni.

senyen.

benni.

ADJ

blessing

N jiby. types of bird: jiby

lapli, sisi zb, mwennson, sikwiy,

blister
252

blanm.

lenn1.

blessed

blink

fad.

benni.
benndiksyon.

blind ADJ avg.

person avg.

fyl.

binoculars

biswi.

bitter

panch, pliy.

bit

ban1. work bench ltabli.

biscuit
bit1

sanng.

V akouch. N pt. give birth

1) akouch. 2) mtba.

vant a t, vant anba.

belongings

bend

birth

bouden , pans; vant .

belly-down

belt

wondl.

wonkl.

blister

vgl. blind

bat zy.
N

plk, zanpoul.

loup.

bloated

English Kwyl

bloated

bone

boufi.

ADJ

block V 1) baw . 2) paw .

chopping block biyo.
blocked
blood

ADJ

baw .

san . shed blood mt san

koul, koul pwen, kalt.

blow2 V 1) soufl1, vant. 2) kn1.

blow away vol. blow nose
mouch.

blowfish
blue

pwson am.

kou4.

boast

planch.

batj.

tt chyen.

bava, vanta.

ADJ

bava.

N 1) k. 2) ganm. whole body

lattopy.
V

bouwi.

chbon2, klou2, latwas, plk.

boiler

boisterous
bold
bolt

bolt2
bond

ADJ

ft .

borrow

pwt.

bosom

boss

chf, jw.

both

boyo.

blotj.

toul d. both...and ni...ni.

ADJ

ADJ

N bouty. bottle cap

bouchon. flattened bottle cap
plak.

bwav, fouben.

fon. at the bottom of

ofon.

boundary
bouquet
bow1

bn.

boutj.

boutique
bow

bwigan.

annwv, distw.

ADJ

bottle

boulw.

annwi.

ADJ

bottom

body

boil2

bored

bavad, pal vanta.

boastful

boil

bn.

bothered

boaster

border

V anbt, chagwinen, distw,

twakas, anmwd, annwv.

boa constrictor
board

boukan dif.

bother

bl.

liv1.

bl.

ADJ

board1

book

botch
N

bluing

born

k had.

blows

bonfire

dw.

blow1

zo.

blouse

brace

boutik.

bs.

lavan.

bow-legged

ADJ

kanmad.

bowl N bl. iron bowl platin.

kneading bowl ptwen.
box

bwt.

boulon.

boxfish

bouw1.

boy N gason, bway2, tibway.

mischievous boy ti ng.

kosyon.

brace
253

kf.

djt.

akow.

bracelet

English Kwyl

bracelet

bridge

bwasl.

brag

bavad, pal vanta.

bwitl.

braggart

bava, vanta.

nat.

brain

svl.

bright

ADJ

bwid.

brilliant

brain-damaged
branch

brass

tjwiv.

brave

ADJ

ADJ

ttenm.

bwanch.

bwav, fouben. be brave

ni tj.

bravery

brawl

mlimlanj, ansazinay.

bray

bridle

bwavt.

bwiyans.

ADJ

bwiyan.

bring V mennen. bring in antw.

bring together ajout. bring up
poorly mal lv. bring up
properly byen lv.
broke

ADJ

broom

brother

fonn.
baly.
fw.

brother-in-law
brown

ADJ

bread N pen. daily bread ntwipen.

East Indian bread dalpouri. fried
bread goulgoula. unleavened
bread pennpis.

browse

breadfruit

brush1

hanni.

breadnut
breadth
break

bwapen.

kas, pt. break in line

koup douvan. break into kas.
take a break pwan van. break
wind pt, lach van.
V

breakfast

dit.

breast

tt.

breath

lspiwasyon, lisouf, van.

breathe
breeze

bruise

pwan lspiwasyon.

ti van, fwch.

brer

konp.

brick

bwik.

bofw.

kako1.

wonyen.

ADJ

pij.

N bs.
tjiw dan.

brush2

brutal

ADJ

buck

san m.

bruised

chatany.

laj.

bwid.

bwiyan.

brilliance

braid

pon1. bridge of nose

koub.

braces
V

build

bos. brush teeth

wazy.
bwital.

mat.

bucket

bonm.

buckle

boukl, sangl.

buckshot
bud

boujon.

buffet

bug

bt1.

buggy
build
254

bal simen.

N
V

boujonnen.

mal mennen.

kaws.
bati, f.

building

English Kwyl

building N kay2. building

materials matwiyo.
bull

wimd wazy. types of bush

medicine: boujon gwiyav, chadon
benni, dit pyi, fy kas, kaka btj,
nonm douvan nonm, pikan vwi,
djapanna, kanmanmi, katalzm,
planten, sentdjn, tiyl.

towo.

bullet

bal2.

bumps

bumpy

ADJ

bousl.

business

bousol.

buoy

bw.

burial
burn
burnt

but

blotj.

ADJ

m1.

CONJ

butcher N bouch2. V dbit.

butcher shop labatwa.
butter

bwil.

zaf.

ADJ 1) anbawas.
2) anbwennzenng.

lantman.

busy

bunch N dbann. bunch of

bananas or plantain wjim1.
bungle

camp

bwil.

burp

ot.

burr

pikan kouzen.

b.

butterfly

papiyt.

buttocks

fs, bonda, tjou.

button

bouton1.

buy

boutonnen.

acht, ganyen.

burst V pt, kwv, klat. burst

out laughing pt an wi.

buzz

bury

tw.

by PREP 1) b. 2) pa2. by ones own

wisdom dibonntt. by oneself pa

bush

py2, wazy. bush medicine

vonvonn.

k.

Cc
cabbage

chouponm.

cable

kab.

cacao

kako1.

cactus

cadaver
cage

caiman
cake

calalou

calf

kalalou.

gwatjanm. calf muscle jaw1.

calm

ADJ

calmly

anmiyonnen, flat.
V

V andjl, hl, kwiy. call upon

kwiy anl, kwiy asou.

kayman.

bonbon.

kalbas. calabash bowl

call

kadav.

kalj.

cajole

kwi2.

siyz, watjt.

calabash

kandi.

dous.

ADV

dousman.

camel

chanmo, kanml.

camp

kanp.

255

campche

English Kwyl

campche
campfire

camphor balls
can

V 1) chay, pt. 2) pwan.

3) mach pi.

kanf kaw.

cart

kanp.

chapanty.

carry

fouy .

camping

carpenter

kanpch.

caution

1) pt. 2) tin. large can

manmit.
N

kabow, kaws, wagon.

cartilage

kankroum.

cartridge

katouch.

candle N bouji, blan balenn. soft

candle chandl ml.

case N ks. in case antoulka. legal

case plent.

candy

cashew

switi, pasti.

N
N

chank.

cask

cannon

kannou.

cassava

capable

ADJ

capacity

kapital.

capsize

chaviw.

captive

ADJ

capture

motoka. toy car kabow.

2

kat2.

card2

pifw.

cardboard

chbon , klou , latwas.

card1

Carnival

ADV

vaykivay.

dolot, kaws, nich2.

N

castrate

chatw.

Castries

Kastwi.

cat

chat.

catapult

katapl.

dkouv.
kawton.

apw, pwan ka, otjip.

caress

maw.

catch V 1) tjenb, paw2. 2) bouch1.

catch fire pwi dif. catch sight of

care N ka3, otjipasyon. V ml. be

careful pwan pwokosyon. be
under the care of anba lanmen.
care for otjip, pwan ka. take care
f antansyon. take care of gad
carelessly

lwil gwenn makwisti.

lapwiz.

kas1.

castor oil plant N makwisti. castor

bean gwenn makwisti. castor oil

tjb lapwiz.

carbuncle

cast (a spell)

kapasit.

car

cassia

kapab.

capital

N manyk. cassava bread

kasav. cassava flour fawin.

kannt.

ponm.

kas2, bouko.

canker
canoe

Kannaval.

caterpillar

chini.

Catholic, Roman Catholic

ADJ, N

Katolik.

cattle

caught

bf.
ADJ

pwi2.

cause V annkz, f1. N kz. cause

to enter antw. cause to feel
sorrow f lapenn.
caution
256

pwokosyon.

cave

English Kwyl

cave

kav. cave in, caved in

anfondw.
N

las2.

cease

cedar

akajou. white cedar

pwy.

celebrate

slbw, ft, f laft,

bwiy, wibot.
V

celebration
cell

charge2 bouw anl.

chariot

kaws.

charity

lachawit.

charm

cement

slbwasyon.

siman.

cemetery

simant.

senmity.

tj.

centipede

btannipy.

certain1

ADJ

asiw.

certain2

ADJ

sten, adan2, tjk.

certificate N satifika. birth

certificate, baptismal certificate
batist.
N

chenn.

chair

chz.

change1

change2

anchenn.

chanj. N chanjman,
chanjmand. change mind ddi.

chapter

chapit.

character
charcoal

lanmonn, kapa.

chapl.

N
N

koz, bladj.

chatter

f kotjen.

check

sond.

cheek

ponm fidji.

kawakt.
chbon1. charcoal pit

fou chbon.

charge1 N chaj, plent. V kondann.

charge a lot of money pwan ch.
in charge an chaj. under
(someones) charge asou kont.

cherish

fwonmaj.
chwi.

cherry

koz, pal1.

bonmach.

ADJ

cheese

bavad.

cheat

chest

chain

chapel

chat

cheap

d sou.

centre

lowizon1, koupay.

chach2, bay lapouswiv. N

lapouswiv. chase away chach al,
kouwi dy, f fann kann, f kwaz
bwa, f kwaz wazy, f pwan an bwa,
f pwan lavl.

chase

kacho.

cent

chin

siwiz.

lstomak.

chicanery

bbl.

chicken

N poul. chicken hawk

gwigwi poul. chicken wire til.

chief

chigger

chf.
N

chilblains

bt wouj.
N

fwison.

child N ich, manmay, ti bolonm.

illegitimate child bata, ich dw.
legitimate child ljitim.
childbirth

akouchman.

childhood

pitits.

chill

fwison.

chin

maton.

257

china

English Kwyl

china
chip

zasyt.

gb , dgb.

chives

chockablock
Choiseul

ADV

choose

chop

hach1.

Christ

Jzi Kwi.
lonmen, bay non.

Christian

kwityen.

Christmas N Nwl. Christmas

celebration Swnal. Christmas
Eve Lavy Nwl.
church
cicada

lgliz.

kwitjt v.

cigarette N sigawt, lafim.

cigarette holder tib. cigarette
paper jb.
cinch

blibann.

cinema

tiyta.

cinnamon

kannl. cinnamon tea

dit kannl.

circle

sk2, won.

class

klas.

cirrhosis

malad an fwisi.

jan.

citronella
city

clam

sitonnl.

N t gwa. clay pot 1) kannawi.

2) twin.

clean

V
N

ADJ

savan.

klanm.
kokiyaj.

nt, pwp.

ADJ

ntway,

tjiw.

cleanliness
clear

cling

clock

mont. alarm clock wvy.

boul.

clogged
clot

fm.

boul.

clothes

abiman.

ADJ

maw.

clove

jiwf.

clove2

ks.

boutou.

cluster
N

kay1.

nwaj.

cloudy

had, lenj.

clothing
cloud

bouch1, tjok.

ADJ

coal

moukl.

wanm.

close

falz, kaskou, koudoum.

clod

gwap.

chbon1.

coalpot

coals

zondif.

258

dbawas.

visy.

ADJ

click beetle
cliff

1) a kl. 2) ntaman.

ADV

clever

pwpt.

kl.

ADJ

clearly

club

vil.

civilized
claim

clay

citizen

klw.

N 1) gwif. 2) mdan.
gwafiyen.

chwazi.

christen

tjkanblk.

Chwazy.

clarify
claw

1) twangl. 2) touf.

gb.

ti lonyon.

choke

coals

tson.

coax

English Kwyl

coax

anmiyonnen, flat.

cock

kk .

cockfight

cockpit

wonn poul.

cockroach

comfortable

ADJ

command

konmand.

commandment

batay kk.

commit

konftab.

konmandman.

konmi.

committed

wavt.

concrete

ddik.

ADJ

cocoa N kako . cocoa pod ks kako.

cocoa tea dit kako, chikola.

common ADJ konmen2. common

sense santiman.

coconut N koko1. dry coconut koko

sk. immature coconut koko wak.
jelly coconut koko an tjwiy.

communicate

cocoon
coffee

kaf. coffee maker

coil

vopl.

coin
cold1

senky.

ADJ

compel

fwt1. cold weather

cold

colic

collar

1) kol2. 2) koly.

anfondw.

colour

koul.

comb

dja.

peny.

soulaj.

plent.
konpltman, ntaman,

ADV

konplimant.

compose

konpoz.

compost

fimy.

comprehension
computer
penyen.

comrade

come V 1) vini. 2) chap. 3) annou.

come apart dkol. come back
witounen. come from sti. come
upon dklaw asou. come what
may kwa chyen kwa chat.
comfort

alakous.

soulajman.

konpliman.

dja.

collision
N

ADJ

compliment

collide

konpasyon, tj fb.

nt, toutaft.

collapse
N

competitive

kolik.

konpany.

completely

wim.

konminikasyon.

oblij.

complaint

fwdi.
2

konminyon.

compassion

pys1.

companion

konminik.

company N konpanni. keep

company tjenn konpany.

kafty.

coffin

communication
communion

sak chini.

konft,

N
N

conceited
concern

lakopwann.

konpyouta.
konp.

ADJ

fw.

konsn. be concerned

ml.

conch

lanbi.

concrete N masonn. lay concrete,

pour concrete masonnen.
259

concubine

English Kwyl

concubine
condemn

djabal.

kondann, dann.

condemnation

kondannasyon.

condemned

ADJ

condition

1) kondisyon. 2) lta.

conference
confess

konsit.

konfs, dpal.

confession
confide

dann.

confidence

konfyans.

conflict

chal.

confuse

ml.

confusion
conquer

hal kas.

ganyen a bout.

conscience

consider

konsidiw, wgad.

console

konsyans.

konsol.

constantly

ADV

constipate

consult

ADJ

konstip.

konsilt.

consume

contentment

kontant.

ADJ

continually

lakontantman.

ADV

kontinlman.

kontin.

continuously

ADV

contribution

control

convict
cook

konmzasyon.

kwiz.

tjwit, bouwi.

cookie
cool

kondann.

convulsion

biswi.

fw.

ADJ

afwchi. cool off

dfach.

coop

poulay, kalj.

cope

dbat, dbwiy.

copper

cord

kd.

cork

bouchon.

corn

mi1.

tjwiv.

cornbread

corncob

zopi.

corner

lachawit.

penmi.

kwen.

cornmeal

correct

kowij.

cost

timi.

ADV

byen ft.

kout1.

cotton N koton. wild cotton koton

flo. cotton bug bt koton.
coubaril

koubawi.

cough

V tous. whooping cough

lakoklich.

kontinlman.

kondwi, kontwol. N
kondwit. under control tjantjil.
V

conversation

correctly

konsonm.

contented

continue

konstanman.

konstip.

constipated

kouvan.

cooling N afwchi. types of

cooling: zb akouws, tizann.

konfy.

convent

konfsyon.

count

council

konsit.

counsel

konsy.

count

kont.

260

country

English Kwyl

country

countryside
courage

crayfish

pyi.

bitasyon, ht.

bwavt.

courageous ADJ bwav, fouben. be

courageous ni tj.
course

courthouse
cover

kouzen, kouzin.

kouv.

covering
covet

kay lodyans.

kouvti.

anvi, anwaj pou, ni an waj

pou.

cow

bf.

coward

kwapon.

cowardly

ADJ

kwapon.

crab N kwab. blue crab siwik.

fiddler crab kwab mal zwy.
hermit crab slda2. red sea crab
kwab hont. river crab bak1.
crack

tay.

cracked

ADJ

cracker

crackling
crafty
cram

ADJ

crammed

crawl

fann.

lakwenn.

malen.

N
V

ADJ

foul.

lakwanp.

craving
craw

fant.

foul.

cramp

biswi.
N

kwibich.

foli.

craziness

crazy

ADJ

fou1, fl.

cream

kwiz.

kwenm. whipped cream

kwenm.

court N lodyans, bawo2. take to

court mennen lodyans.
cousin

craze

kous.

crowd

foli.

crease

kan.

create

kwy.

creation

credit

kwdi.

creep

Creole

mach piti.
Kwyl, Patwa.

cricket

kwiyasyon.

zwi.

cricket2

krikt, bol.

crime

kwim.

crippled ADJ enfim. crippled

person enfimit.
crisis

kwiz.

criticize

crook

bblis.

crooked

ADJ

kochi.

wkt, zam1.

crop2

fal.

cross

kwa.

crop

kwititj.

cross V 1) twavs. 2) kwaz1. cross

over janb.
cross-eyed
crossroad
crotch

fal.

crow

hal kalpat, mach kalpat.

crowd
261

ADJ
N

zy kklay.

kat chimen.

fouk.

chant.
N

latily, ppilas.

konbl,

crown

English Kwyl

current

kwenst.

crown

kouwonn.

crucifix
crudely

miyt, wonyen.

crumple
crush
cry

1) kwaz2. 2) migannen.

crutch

chifonnen, plotonnen.

plw.

crybabyish
crystal

cucumber
culvert

cunning
cup

curds
cure

kwi1. cry out f kwi.

gwo mo sal.

curtain

wido.

curve

dtou.

malen.

ADJ

lspwi, lifon.

kay1.
N

koub.

kachiman.

labitid, lakoutim.
N

pwatik1.

1) koup. 2) stopy. 3) hach1.

4) sp. cut (bananas etc.) into
hands dpat. cut evenly tons.
cut in front koup douvan. cut off
sot, vol.

klvt.

ADJ

custard apple

konkonm.

djwi, koup.

cut

1) tas. 2) pt.
N

cursing

customer

kn2.
N

custom

chinya.

ADJ

kwistal.

cuckold

apwzan.

kri.

curved

bitji.

ADV

modi1, jiw. N modisyon,

djiyon, limy1. curse word mo.

curse

agspys.

ADV

crumb

curry

kwisify.

kouwan.

currently

kouwonn.

kwis.

crucify

dangle

cuticle

blm zonng.

cutlass

koutla.

cutting

plan1.

djwizon.

curious ADJ tjiwiyz. unduly

curious tjiki.

Dd
Dad, Daddy
dagger
damn

damned
damp

dance

Apa.

donmaj.

donmaj.

ADJ

1) dann. 2) sakw.

mik.

dandruff

danger

tipo. have dandruff f

danj.

dangerous
dangle
262

bal1, dans.

dans.

lapo.

dann.
ADJ

dans, wimen.

dancer

ponya.

damage

ADJ

danjw.

sispann.

dark

English Kwyl

dark

deceit

f nw.

darken

darkness

nws, f nw.

darling

N 1) chwi, doudou. 2) ch
doudou kkt.

dasheen N dachin, danma. types of

dasheen: danma alifm, danma blan,
danma nw, danma v.

date

daughter

daughter-in-law
dawdle

blfi.

f kakl, f klonng,

kalandj.

dawn

day

1) jou. 2) joun. 3) lajoun.

laba, jou ouv, ti f nw.

daybreak

daylight

daytime

laba, jou ouv, ti f nw.

jou. broad daylight

gwan lajoun, gwan midi.

dazed

ADJ

dazzle

dead

ADJ

deal

bazoudi, gaw, kagou.

soud. deaf person soud.

wanjman. deal with aji.

chwi, monch. my

lanm, dfini. unto death

olanm. personification of death:

Bazil.

debris

debt

dt.

deceased

boukan.

ADJ

dsid, f lid.

decipher
decision
1

dchifw.

disizyon.

lakal.

patj1.

declare

dklaw.

decorate

dkow.

dedicate

ddik.

dedicated
deep

ADJ

deer

ADJ

fon .

bich, sf.

defamation
defame
defeat

ddik.

mpwi.

nwsi non.

ganyen, bat, wonpi.

V chy, kaka, al an pwvit,

al an wazy, f bizwen.

m1. dead body kadav.

dear ADJ ch.

dear mach.
death

decide

Dsanm.

defecate

vgl.

ADJ

deaf

jou, lajoun.

kwennad.

December

deck2

tifi.

kwennen.

deceiver

deck

dat .

bbl.

deceive

nwsi.

deliver

dfen.

defect

dfo.

defend
defence

V
N

definitely
delay

1) f dfans. 2) wponn tt.

dfans.
ADV

ntaman.

tad, f klonng, miz, f

kakl.

delayed

ADJ

tad, anwita.

deliberately

ADV

deliberation

deliver
263

spw.

dlibwasyon.

dlivw.

deliverance

English Kwyl

deliverance
demon

dlivwans.

Dennery

denomination
dent

dew

Dennwi.

wilizyon.

dented

ADJ

deny

inyow.

depart
deport
deposit
depth

dice

fondj.

descendant

desecrate

dsakw.

deserve

mwit.

dsandan.

despite

CONJ

depression
destiny

develop

dtay, pwen2.

dvlop.

development
devil

lapatouch.

dvlpman.

N djab. the Devil Satan,

Denmou.

ADJ

difwan.

dimly

difikilt.

toub.

toub.

dinen.

sos.
V

directly
N

diminw, bs.

dinen.

direct
dirt

ADV

dinner
dip

difisil, wd.

ADJ

ADJ

dine

lapatouch.

difwans.

fouy1.

diminish

chagwen.

difficulty

dw3, magw.

s.

devastation

difficult

dim

destroy V dtwi, kwaz . destroy

completely kwaz bwiz.

wjim2.

dzolasyon.

detail

diet

dig

destruction

different

biwo.

desolation

gwennd, zo.

difference

desire V anvi. N dzi. desire

strongly anwaj pou.
desk

dyanman.

m1, tenn, twpas, foukan,

maw patj, tiw k. die of thirst
m swf.

die

dpoz.

pisa dou.

N mal vant, ladjidjit,

wilachman. have diarrhoea
bouden ka mennen.

dpan.

majl.

diarrhoea

dpt.

lawouz, swen.

diamond

kit, pati .

dvow.

dewlap

depend

anfons, kabos.

malis.

ADJ

diabetes

anfons, kabos.

devious
devour

nanj Satan.

disagreement

diwkt.
ADV

1) diwktiman. 2) djoup.

t.

dirty ADJ 1) sal, mal pwp. 2) salp.

dirty dishes bagay sal.
disagreement
264

dzagwman, chiz.

disappear

English Kwyl

disappear

dispawt, fini anyen.

disappoint

dzapwent.

disappointed

ADJ

disappointment
disarrange
disciple

dzapwent.
dzapwtman.

dwanj, plotonnen.

discourage

disoriented
displace
displease

kagou, vag.

ADJ

dplas.

dpl.

disrespect

dwspkt.

dissatisfied
dissolve

disip.

dock

ADJ

dsatisf.

fonn.

dissuade

dkonsy.

discouraged ADJ dkouwaj.

become discouraged dkonpt.

distance

distans. from a distance

discover

distaste

dgou.

distress

f lapenn.

discuss

dkouwaj.

dkouv.

dispit, diskit.

discussion

diskasyon.

N maladi. venereal disease

djn, kako2.

olwen.

distressed

disease

disembark
disgust

dbatj.

dishes

vsl, zasyt.

dishevel

plotonnen.

dishevelled
dishonest

ADJ

ADJ

ADJ

dishonour

kotjen.

dzonnow.

dgout1.

dismantle

dismiss

ladj.

dmout.

disobedience
disobedient
disobey

dbway.

kochi.

dishonesty
dislike

distrust

dfy.

disturb

distw, chagwinen,

annwv.

dgou. be disgusted

dgout1.

ADJ

dzobyisans.
dzobyisan.

dzobyi.

disorderly ADJ dbway. fall into

disorder dlabw.

kontway, anbawas,

ADJ

anbazoudi.

disturbed ADJ distw, twakas. be

disturbed otjip.
ditch
dive

kannal.

plonj.

diverse

ADJ

divs.

divide

spaw.

divine

divin.

divinity

divinit.

division

divizyon, hal kas.

divorce

dizzy

ADJ

do

docile

ADJ

dvos.
toudi.

V f . do as one likes pwan

chimen.

dock
265

tj.

dosil.
V

kst.

doctor

English Kwyl

doctor
doll

dress2

dkt.

dollar

domination

donminasyon.

domino

dmino.

donkey

bouwik.

lapt.

doorstep, doorway

pa lapt.

double

doubl.

d otan.

ADJ

ADJ

d lid.

dout.

dough

lapat.

down

anba1. down there anba-

ADV

drive

V kondwi, drayv. drive fast

bay vapon.

drivel

driver

chof.

fifin.

drizzle
drop1
drop

bav.

fifin.

ladj. drop off ladj, mt.

dgout2.
ny.

tanbou.

drumfish
drunk

lab2.

sou1, cho.

ADJ

drunkard

a la.

gg, wonmy, ng

wonm.

dozen
drag

bwason, bw, gg.

dgout .

drum

dove N toutwl. common ground

dove zatolan.

N
2

drown

doubt

bw.

double-minded

dont.

drip

dowad.

pans.

drink

dla, goud.

dolphin

door

drill

ppt, bolonm.

dye

twennen.

dragonfly
drain

sk1. V 1) chch, sk1.

2) swiy. dry clothes ouv.

dry

douzenn.

mawisos.

kannal, klvt.

draughts

danm. draughts player

tiw.

dreadlocks
dream

duck
dull

kanna.

N
ADJ

dumb

dfil1, m1.

nati .

wv.

dregs

kwas.

dress1

wb.

wv.

N
N

kacho.

duration

diwan.

lapousy.

asou.
V

abiy.

dye

266

dfil1, tjw.

donbw.

dungeon
dust

moumou.

ADJ

dumpling

danmy.

drawer

ADJ

tenn1.

swiy lapousy

each

English Kwyl

encourage

Ee
each

ADJ

eagle

lg.

egret

ear

zwy.

eight

ADJ

early

ADV

eighteen

zanno.

eighty

earth

lat.

bljenn.

kayal.

bonn.

earring
N

eggplant

chak.

ywit. eight oclock ywit.

dizwit.

ADJ

katwiven.

ADJ

either...or

CONJ

sik an dan.

sw...ben, ki...ki.

earthquake

twanblannt.

elated

ADJ

earthworm

v t.

elbow

koudbwa.

elders

gwan moun.

earwax
ease
east

soulaj. at ease alz.

easily

kaka zwy.

sly lvan, sly lv.

ovan.
Pak2.

z.

ADJ

easy-going

ADJ

fasil.

eat V manj, dvow, bouw1. eat

breakfast dit. eat dinner dinen.
echo

klat.

eddo

chou.

edge

bdaj.

educate

ADJ

education

eel

effort
egg

wonz. eleven oclock

ADJ

wonz.

else

ank.

ADV

embark

batj.

embarrassed
embers
endik.
endikasyon.

zandji. moray eel konng.

N

filzf, flanman.
lfan.

embarrass

endik.

educated

eleven

lou.

kouwan.

ADJ

elephant

ADV

ilksyon.

electricity
elegant

Easter
easy

ilkt.

election

alz.

ADV

ADJ

elect

f.

N z. egg on pitj. egg white

blan z. lay eggs ponn.

embezzle

V
V

emphasize
employ
empty

afon, hont.

f bbl.
anbwas.
V

pz f.

anploy.

ADJ

encourage
2) soutiw.
267

ADJ

zondif.

embrace

f hont, f afon, tjipi.

vid, flo1.
V

1) ankouwaj.

encouragement

English Kwyl

encouragement
end

envious bwil.

ankouwajman.

bout, finisman.

evil

epilepsy

fini.

ended

ADJ

bout.

equal

ADJ

enemy

llmi.

erase

energy

tenpwanman.

errand

engaged

ADJ

engine

machin.

fiyans.

error

gal.

fasi.
konmisyon.

lw.

erysipelas

ijenny.

escape

England

Langlit.

especially

Englishman

Angl.

enjoy

V jw, jwi. enjoy oneself

gawoul.

enlarge

gwandi.

enlighten

klw.

enlightened
enormous

ADJ

ADJ

klw.

bidim, manman,

estate

ADJ as. just enough

doukw, jis kont.

enslaved

ADJ

anwaj, dzol.
slav.

entangle V ttiy. get entangled

with or in antanm.
enter

antw.

enthusiastic
entire

ADJ

ADJ

entrails

envious

cho.

anty.

entitled

envelope

ADJ

antit.

fwisi.
N

ADJ

spwsman, sitou.

tabli.

bitasyon, plantasyon.

stim.

eternal ADJ twnl, diwant. eternal

life lavi diwant.
eternity
eve

ltwnit.

lavy.

1) jis2. 2) menm. get even

wonpi. even if, even though menm
si.

even

enough

ADJ

ADV
V

estimate

matenm.

enraged

establish

Angl.

wzipl.

chap, mawon, paw3.

engineer
English

malkadi.

ADV

evening N sw. in the evening

sw. this evening sw-a.
ever

janmen.

ADV

everlasting ADJ diwant. everlasting

life lavi diwant.
every ADJ chak, toul, tout. every
opportunity kont chans. every
other toul d.
everyone

everything
everywhere

anvlp.

evidence

anvyj, vivi. make

evil
268

ADJ

tout moun.
N

tout bagay.

ADV

toupatou.
2

pwv .

mchan.

evil

English Kwyl

evil N movzt, kwiyot, mchanst.

evil person mov lam, vy lam,
bouwo. evil spirit mov lam, vy

exercise
exist
exit

1) gzaktiman,
diwktiman. 2) jis2.
ADV

exaggeration
exalt

kalkati.

gzanmin.

example

gzanp. for example pa

gzanp.

except

PREP

dpas.

excessively
exchange

excuse

V
N

twp.

kaka, chy, bantj, lasl.

expose

spoz.

extend

lonj.

extension

extract

wach1.

eye

skiz. excuse me

padon.

spyans.

splik, spity, dchifw.

galwi.

ADJ

stdin.

zy.

eyeball

chy.
skiz.

spyans.

tenn, maw patj, tiw k.

explain

ch.

ADJ

extraordinary

boukant.

excrement
excrete

antiwan, kspt.
ADV

dpans.

experience
expire

examine

spw, atand1.

expensive

lgzanm. take exam pas

lgzanm.

exceed

yan1.

expense

gzibisyon.

gzist.

expect

magnify.

exam

lzksis.

exhibition

lspwi.

exactly

famine

gwenn zy, koko zy.

eyebrow

eyelid

lapo zy.

sousi zy.

Ff
1) fidji. 2) fas1. face down
fas a t, fas anba, vant a t, vant anba.
face to face fidji pou fidji. make
faces f js, f maji.

face

factory
fair

lizin, faktri.

faithfulness

fidlit.

fall

V 1) tonb, pwan so. 2) pwan (in

reference to evening). 3) lablanni a t,
plant bannann. N so, latjilbit.

false

baza.

ADJ

fo1. false witness fo

tmwen.

fairy

ayf.

familiar

ADJ

faith

lafwa.

family

fanmi.

faithful

ADJ

fidl.

famine
269

N
N

okouwan.

lafen.

fang

English Kwyl

fang

kk2.

far, far away

ADV

festival, fete N ft2, fsten. street

festival asou skw.

lwen. as far as

jis1.

fever

farewell
farmer
fart

fama.

fidget

sou2.

farthing

fast1

ADV

vit, vitman.

fast2

fat

gwa.

ADJ

fate

ajen.
gws.

father

father-in-law
faucet

favour

fav. in favour of an fav.

feel

Fvwiy.

1) nouwi. 2) swen.

santi. feel like anvi.

fellow

boug. fellow man

pwochen.
N

female
fence

fifty

ADJ

senkant.

ADJ

pak1.
3

batay.

ganm.

filings

mouli.

fill

V 1) plen. 2) wd (in reference to

belly).
N

mal pwpt.

zl.

find V twouv, twap, jwenn. find

oneself twap k. find out konnt.
finger

dwt1. little finger ti dwt.

fingernail
fingertip
finish

fiml.

zonng.

N
N

bout dwt.

fini.

finished

ADJ

bout.

finisman.

fend

paw .

fire

dif, boukan dif, fouy2.

fern

fwij.

fire2

ladj.

fertilizer

fimy, sl .

lim2.

fin

plim.

February
feed

senkyenm.

filth

fsten.

feather

ADJ

file

N lap, pwz, fwiy, kwentif.

p2. extreme fear kaka dlo.
N

fifth

figure

fear

feast

kenz.

ADJ

fighter

bop.

ft, annkz.

1) savann. 2) pys2.

V 1) goumen. 2) fons anl,

kouv a t-a, lv kankan, sot anl.
goumen, batay, mlimlanj.

tt sitenn.

bwennen.

fifteen

papa, Apa.

fiyans.

fight

s.

fault

field

f ajen, wst san manj, fas2.

fasting

ADJ

fiance

lach van.

lafyv.

p2. a few 1) yonn d,

dotwa. 2) tizing.

few

oplz.

INTERJ

firefly

firefly
270

btaf.

first

English Kwyl

first

pwmy.

ADJ

firstly

ADV

pwmyman.

pch1. fish pot

nas. flying fish volan. porcupine
fish pwson am. pot fish pwson
nas. other types of fish: akennsin,
balawou, banndjo2, djouk, kaka bawi,
kaka poul, kiliyou, tilapiya.

fish

pwson.

fisherman

pch1, nonm lanm.

fishermen jan lanm.

fist

pwen1.

fit1

kwiz.

fit

f .

five ADJ senk. five cents kat nw.

five dollar bill biy bank. five
oclock senk.
fix

1) wanj. 2) fiks. fix up

ganm.
V

flame

flashy

ADJ

flat

flanm.

plat.

ADJ

flatter

flatterer
flaw
flea

filzf, flanman.

flat.
N

flatz.

dfo.

V fann kann, f djip, f lapousy,

f zkl, kwaz bwa, kwaz wazy,
pwan an bwa, pwan lavl.

flex

N
V

float

1) lach1. 2) salzon.

pliy.

flight N lavl. in flight a lavl.

take flight pwan lavl.
flip-flop

flot.

cho.

ADJ

bw.

flock

N 1) twipo (in reference to

sheep). 2) vl2 (in reference to birds).

flood

dlij, gwo dlo, lawivy gwo.

floor

1) planch. 2) taj.

floormat

soupy.

flounder

sl.

flour

fawin fwans.

flow

kouwi.

flower N fl. V flwi1. flower of a

banana plant ppt. flower pot
pt a fl. type of flower: kaka poul.
flu

wim.

flush

ADJ

fly1

vol.

mouch.

fly

foam
fold

fold2

gal.

1) tjim. 2) lponj.

kalj, pak .

pliy.

foliage

tjim.

pli1.

pay.

follow V swiv. follow in footsteps

of tjenb py. following day li
denmen.

flee

flesh

flirtatious

pis1.

foot

katapl.

Fond Assor
food

Fon As.

manj.

fool

N kouyon, kounoumounou, ll,

papicho. V kwennen.

foolish

ADJ

foolishness

kouyon, st1, bt2.

N papicho, maji,
kouyontwi, btiz, kochonni.

foot
271

py1.

footpath

English Kwyl

footpath

footprint

ti chimen.

fourth

ADJ

mak py.

fowl

poul.

for PREP 1) pou1. 2) bay1, an fav.

for the present pou li pwzan.
forbid

dfann, enpoz.

f1, fs, oblij.

kouway.

force

forehead

fon2.

foreigner

twanj.

fs1,

foreman N kolonm. foreman of

roadworks chf twavo.
forest

lafow, bwa2, gwan bwa.

foretell

forge

lafj.

pawdonnen.

forgiveness

fracture
frank

ADJ

fraud

frayed

padon, pawdonnasyon,

form

fm.

fornication
fortunate
forty

ADJ

V
N

ADJ

fortunately

fm.
fnikasyon.
chans.

ADV

chans.

kawant.

forward

ADJ

foster

soutiw.

bbl.

minab.

freckled

ADJ

takt.

freedom

freeload

endiskw.

djt.
N

sizo2.

fw. fresh water dlo

ADJ

freshen

afwchi.

Friday

N Vandwdi. Good Friday

Vandwdi Sen.

fried

ADJ

fwi2.

friend N kanmawad, jan, konp.

make friends with byen.
friendship N viv. break
friendship, sever friendship kas
kanmawad.

frighten

fringe

chichi.

frog

ti tolin, gwat kwi.

fawouch.

1) adan1, andidan, anl,

asou, lanmen. 2) dpi. away from
hd.

four ADJ kat . four oclock katw.

four years katwan.

froth

fourteen

fruit

fondasyon.

katz.

mandyan.

dous.

ADJ

ansazinay.

PREP

lchanlib.

free-for-all

from

foundation

dfil2.

ADJ

ADJ

pawdonnab.

fork N 1) foucht. 2) fak. V fak.

fork for piercing witches flwi2.

katy.

fpl.

frazzled

fresh

f pousy.

Fregate bird

V obliy. Forget about it

tjw koz.
V

katyenm.

freeloader

divin.

forget

forgive

fruit

272

tjim.

tjim.

fwi1. fruit fly yenyen1.

frustrated

English Kwyl

types of fruit: koko Kouli, babadin,

fatpk, zikak.

frustrated

ADJ

minab.

fwi2.

fry

full

ADJ

plen.

fully

an plen.

ADV

fumigate

function

pafim.

mach.

fungus

1) chanpiyon. 2) dat2, lota.

funnel

lantounw.

fur

plen, owa, waz. in full an

giddy

pwl.

furnace

founo.

furnish

mbl.

furniture

furrow

fs2.

mb, founiti.

Gg
gable

gate

piyon.

gany2, pwofi.
sinify.

gain

gall

bennfis,

fyl. gall bladder fyl.

gallon

galon.

gallop

galop.

galvanized
gamble

ADJ

gany1.

gangrene
garbage

lakangwenn.

zdi, kochonni.

garden

1) jaden. 2) lakou.

garfish

zfi.

gargle

garlic

garnish
gas

gasp

gagawouz.
lay.
N

founiti.

van.
V

gay

anmas, sanbl.

boula.

gecko

mabwiya.

jennwal.

generation
zenk.

game N jw. gambling game kotji.

game played with tops lawonn.
gang

gather

general

jw, jw gwennd.

bay.

soufl, wisoufl.

generous
genitals
gentle

ADJ

ADJ

gentleman
germ

jennenwasyon.
donnan.

koko1.
janti.
N

jantiym.

jm.

gesticulate

f js, f maji.

get V jwenn, twap. get along aji.

get away from paw3. get bigger
gwosi. get by dbwiy. get off
dbatj. get out of the way
djennen. get rid dbawas. get
smaller mgwsi. get thinner
mgwsi. get up lv.
giblets
giddy
273

N
ADJ

fwisi.
bazoudi.

gift

English Kwyl

gift
gills

God

kado, don.

ginger

N jenjanm. ginger beer

jenjanby.

girl

girth
give
glad

ADJ

glare

vglay.

glass

v1.

glasses

glorify

glowify.

laglwa.

glove

gan.

gnash
go

goodness
goods

goat

goatee

pitj.

goatfish

bont.

byen.

govern

babawen, souwi .

fwison.

gouvn.

government
governor
grab

gouvdman.

gouvn.

hap2, kaponnen.

grace

lagwas.

grade

klas.
V

piti an piti, an mizi an

mizi.

graft
3

siwt.

V pal moun mal, pal

chwichwi. N visyz.

gradually

bab kabwit.
N

djn.

gossip

kabwit. billy goat bouk.

N

gonmy.

goosebumps

al, pwan. go ahead pwan

douvan. go around f won. go
away 1) foukan. 2) mach2, tiw kw
la. go back witounen. go down
dsann. go fast koup dlo, siy dlo.
go flying vltij. go in front pwan
douvan. go ones own way f
chimen. go out sti. go quickly
bay py, bwennen k, chap k, chap
py, f py, f vit. go together tl.
go up mout.
V

gooseberry

kwatj dan.

goad

lfb.

oplz, dd.

lakl.
V

ponmsit.

good ADJ bon, bl, krk. good

afternoon bonnapwmidi. good
deeds byennf. good evening,
good night bonsw. Good Lord
Bondy. good morning bonjou.
good works byennf. goodbye

pwson am.

glory

gonorrhoea

lint.

globefish

gommier

kontan.

l.

goldsmith

jij2.

nennenn.

golden apple

bay1.

gizzard

glue

gold

pawen.

godmother

blibann.

fiyl.

godfather

tifi, djal, manmzl, kabws.

Bondy. My God! Bondous.

godchild

bway .

grafted

grafted
274

magot.
ADJ

magot.

grandchild

English Kwyl

grandchild

ti ich, ich ich.

grandfather

grant

akd.

grape

wzen.

gwanmanman.

grate

kwitjt.

gwaj.

grated

ADJ

grater

gravely
grease

greatness
greedy

groan

gavw.

lenn2, koko1.

Gros Islet

ayl.

Gros Piton

1) pwofit, gwandi. 2) lv,

growl

gwond, bouwi.

grownups
grudge

grumble

Guadeloupe

ks kako.

guardian

grey

gwi, sann. grey kingbird

guide
plent.

grieve

grill

gwiy.

1) f lapenn. 2) pwan
chagwen.
V

grimace
grin

gwiyen, f js, f maji.

guile
guilty

N
V

gwiyav.
djid.

gun

djid.

wiz.

ADJ

gadyenn.

guinea pig
gums

Gwadloup.

gad .

guava

N
2

bougonnen.

grenade

lapenn. in grief an lapenn.

lahenn. having a grudge

guard

pipirit.

gwan moun.

henn.

nouvl.

grievance

vyen.

wasin.

ADJ

gany , gwoup, konpanni, pil.

greeting

grief

Gwo Piton.

grouper

vowas, kochon.

green ADJ 1) v2. 2) vt, bl. green

beans pwa salad.

ADJ

Gwozil.

plant.

vowasit.
ADJ

soupi.

grow

lagwand.

wim.

N
N

groin

gws.

bougonnen. gripe water dlo

group

1) gwaj. 2) gwat.

great grandparent
greed

gripe

moulen.

grounded

gwaj.

ADJ

grippe

grasshopper

grinder
gwip.

zb1, wazy. crosscut grass

vwtiv. other types of grass:
gliglinglas, kalim, latj wat, tibnad,
zb a kouto, zb avach, zb djin.

grass

pil1. grind teeth kwatj

dan.

gwanpapa.

grandmother

grind

gun

koupab.
N

wadenn.

sansiv.

N fizi. muzzle-loading gun

fizi bouw.

gwiyen.
275

guts

guts

English Kwyl

guy

boyo.

gutter

head

boug, bway2.

gouty.

Hh
habit
hair

labitid, lakoutim, ms.

1) chiv. 2) pwl.

hairbrush
hairy

bs.

half-dead

tou m.

half-pint
halter
ham

N
N

lanmwaty. half of

hard

ADJ

1) di4, mastif. 2) difisil,

ADV

wd.

hardy

dimi jipon.

harm

hat

hand

N lanmen. hand of bananas

pat. hand over livw.
N

ponyen.

handkerchief

ADJ
V

harvest

mato.

handle N manch, lans2. V manyen.

put a handle on manch.

ADJ

tt di.

sizonnen.

f mal.

dit, pasdwa.

va.

vaw.

wkt.

chapo. hard hat kast.

hatch

hatchet
hate

mouchw pch.

kandi.

harpoon

loukou .

lawad.

hard-headed

chopin.
2

hammer

hard

harden

janbon.

handful

wd.

half ADJ dimi.

a pair kot.
ADJ

ladj chalbawi dy.

harbour

pwlz.

ADJ

half-slip

harass

kl.
hacht.

hayi.

hatred
haunch

hayisans.

N
N

hanch.

handwriting

kwiti.

hang V 1) pann1. 2) sispann. hang

clothes ouv.
haphazardly
happen

ADV

tjkanblk.

wiv, ft. it so happened

twouv.

happiness

have V ni , posd. have left wst.

have sex f vis, fwkant, kouch.
have sex with pwan. have to s
pou.

haversack
hawk
haze

lakontantman.

happy ADJ kontan, dj. Happy New

Year Bon Lann.

he

N
N

PRO

abousak.

malfini.
lafim.
i, y. he who sa ki.

head N tt. heads bouden1. head

to toe lattopy.
276

headache

English Kwyl

headache

mal tt.

here

headlock

kakan.

hernia

head-to-head
heal

ADJ

health

N sant. in declining health

andklinan. health centre hlsenta.

healthy
heap

1) pil, lo. 2) fs2.

hear

byen ptan.

ADJ

bouw2.

tann .

hearse

kbiya.

heart

N tj. heart attack

batmanntj. soft heart, tender
heart tj fb.

heartache

penn.

chof. in heat an
foli. be in heat pwan mal, mand
mal.
chal.

heaven

syl.

heavy

ADJ

lou.

heckle

heed

matj.

heel

height

ht.

hawans.

hesitate

f klonng.

hesitation

hiccups

otjt.

hide

klonng.

sw1, mt ankacht.

INTERJ
N

her

PRO

hill
him

chimen.

mn.

li1.

PRO

hinder

jennen, chach kont.

hindrance

hinge

hip

hanch.

his

jennman.

panti.

pwlz.

ADJ
1

li .

PRO

sit.

listwa.

hoe
bonjou.

kast.

V d. N soukou. some help

an lanmen. help out lonj lanmen.

hen

highway

bat, fwap, fout, konyen1.

koul.

help

N, V

high ADJ ho. high court konsy.

high tide plen.

hit

lanf.

helmet

hem

history

jinis.

hello

herring

hiss

talon.
N

kwaby.

hirsute

ladj chalbawi dy.

heifer
hell

lwni.

heat

isi. right here isi-a.

ADV

heron

tt a tt.

djwi.

homosexual

hou.

hogshead

bouko.

hold

tjenn, tjenb.

hole

twou.

hollow

ADJ

flo1, kwz.

woul .

poul. young hen poult.

home

lakay.

homosexual

li1.
277

boula, mal manman.

honest

English Kwyl

honest

huge

onnt.

ADJ

honey

N siwo myl. honey bee

vonvon myl.

honeycomb

honourable

ADJ

honour
hoof

kasav myl.

lonn.

onnwab.
V

onnow.

pat, zgo.

hook

N 1) zen. 2) tjatjt.
2) tjatj.

hookworms

hoop

sk2.

hope

spwa.

horizon
horn

hospital

how

ni spwa.

lopital.

1) nditan. 2) l2.

N
N

ADV

kay2, mzon.
1) ki manny, kouman.

2) otan. how many, how much

konmen1, ki kantit, ki mizi, ki otan.

however
ADV

CONJ

wannman.

abs.

humiliate

kanmenm, okontw.

pas anba py.

hummingbird

hunchbacked

ADJ

kilibwi, sisi Bondy.

ADJ

koub.

hundred

ADJ

san2.

hunger

hungry

ADJ

lafen.
fen.

1) chas. 2) flanbot.

hunter

chas.

hunting

lachas.

flch.

hurried

siklonn.
pws.

ADJ

hurry

V f vit, f py, bay py,

bwennen k, chap k, chap py.

hurt

f mal.

husband
husk

mawi.

plich.

hutch

kalj.

hymn

sanngki.

hypocrisy

ipokwizi.

hypocrite

ipokwit.

Ii
I

PRO

ice

idea

mwen.

idiot

laglas.

idol

lid.

bosi.

hunched

hurricane

djp.

humble

hurl

cho. be hot f cho.

ADJ

house

manman, bidim, matenm.

ADJ

hunt

chouval.

hour

chik.

kn.

hornet

hot

1) kch.

lowizon2.

horse

if

if
278

N
N

CONJ

kouyon.
imaj.
si1, dpi, l2.

ignite

English Kwyl

ignite

including

limen.

ignorance

instead

inyowans, bouty nw.

increase

inyowan.

independence

gwosi, ogoumant.

ignorant

ADJ

ignore

inyow, kit bat miz.

independent

iguana

lza.

Indian

ill

ADJ

malad. ill will lahenn.

ill-mannered

ADJ

mal liv, mal

onnt.

illness

maladi.

ill-treat

mal twt, mal mennen.

illuminate

klw.

image N 1) imaj. 2) kwach. spit

and image of ones father papay
tjwa.

imagination
imagine
imitate

imajinasyon.

imajin.

tjenb py.

immature

ADJ

immediately

avt, koul3, olt.

ADV

imdytman, la

menm, alakous.

immorality N vis2, vy lavi, mal

pwpt. immoral or homosexual
life lavi Sodm. live immorally
kouwi vy lavi.

impolite

ADJ

mal onnt.

important

ADJ

enptan.

impossible

ADJ

enposib.

imprison

anpwizonnen.

in PREP 1) adan1, andidan. 2) ab. in

fact anfen. in front of douvan. in
spite of magw, dw3.
incense
inch

lansan.

pous.

anpami.

PREP

andpandans.

ADJ

andpandan.

Kouli.

indiscreet

endiskw.

ADJ

inexpensive

ADJ

bonmach.

infatuated

ADJ

infirm

enfim.

ADJ

inflamed

antwich.

anvlim.

ADJ

inflammation N laflanmasyon.
inflammation of the fingernails
kannawi dlo.

influenza

inform

f sav, enfm, soufl1.

wim.

information
ingredient
inherit

enfmasyon.

atik.

wity.

inheritance

injection

pitj.

injure

bls.

injustice
ink

byen.

pasdwa.

lank1.

inkfish

innocent

chs.
ADJ

inosan.

insect

N bt . type of insect:
kochon t.

inside

PREP

adan1, andidan.

nannan.

inspection
instead
279

CONJ

lgzanm.
pito. instead of andji,

instruct

English Kwyl

intestine ti fil bouden. large

intestine gwo fil bouden.

oly.

instruct

insult

ensilt, jt pawl.

insulting

enstwi.

ADJ

intelligence
intelligent
intend
intense

ensit.

ensiltan.

entlijans.

ADJ

entlijan.

intention
interested
interfere

ADJ

international

ADJ

envit.

f2.

interrupt

koup douvan.

pas.

it

dal.

ADJ

dzagwyab.
N

lilt.

i, y, li .

PRO

itch

fach.

ADJ

island, isle, islet

entnasyonnal.

dchifw.

envitasyon.

irritating

antwsan.

gwat.

itching

gwatl. itching peas pwa

gwat.

its

bannbouden, boyo. small

vansyon.

irritated

interpret
intestine

irrigation system

chach kont.

invention

iron

antws.

ADJ

interesting

f konnt.

invite

lentw.

invitation

antansyon1, divwa.

introduce

investigate fouy dy.

f.

ADJ

interest

vl.

join

li1.

PRO

ivory

pik lfan.

Jj
jab

jabber

jacket

jackfish
jagged
jail

jaw

N
N

bat bouch, bat djl, dpal.

jealousy

kanmizl.

Jeep

djip.

kdonny.

jelly

lajl.

dankl.

Jesus

ADJ

lajl, pwizon, kalabous.

January
jar

jealous bwil.

tjok.

Janvy.

j, fyl.
bazou, machw.

jealous

ADJ

jalou, jalouzi. make

Jew

jalouzi.

Jzi.

Jwif.

jewellery

jewfish

vyj2.

job
join
280

N
V

bijou, glanglan.

1) kv, djb. 2) lta.

1) ajout. 2) jwenn, manch.

joiner

English Kwyl

joiner

jump V 1) sot. 2) lans. N lansman.

jump back djanb. jump over
janb. jump the line koup douvan.

minizy.

joist

sonmy.

joke

blag.

jumpy

joker

joy

lajwa, djwt.

joyful

bladj.

judge

jij.

judgment
jug

juice

N
N

Jen. June bug jennton.

N
N

just1

ADJ

jis3.

just2

ADV

1) fini, djs. 2) annk.

jiwi.

jij .

jijman.

antjt.

ADJ

jury

justice

kawaf.

July

June

an djwt.

ADJ

knowledge

jistis. justice of the peace

jis di p.

justify

ji.

jistify.

Jwiyt.

Kk
keep

tjenn. keep an eye on jt

zy.

kingfish

kerchief

mouchw.

kerosene

kestrel

gwigwi poul.

key

kawozin.

lakl. bunch of keys patj

lakl. key ring bwanch lakl, koly
lakl, patj lakl.
N

kick

py.

kidney

bay koul py, bay koul pat, tiw

koul py, koul pat.
N

nwa2. kidney beans pwa

wouj.

kill

tjw, f dfini, senyen.

kind1

ADJ

kind2

king

kingdom

janti.

kalit, st2.
wa1, louwa.

kiss

kitchen
kite

bo.

tjwizin.

savolan.

knead
knee

baw2.

bo.

wym.

pentwi.

jounou.

kneel

ajounou, bs.

knife

kouto.

knit

tws.

knock
knot
know

N
V

konyen1.

n2.
1) sav. 2) konnt.

knowledge

281

nlaj.

La Rose

English Kwyl

leprous

Ll
La Rose
labour

lead

labouw.

las souly.

lwa.

lawyer

malad akouch.

labourer
lace

law

Lawz.

las1.

avoka.

plon.

lead2

V kondwi. take the lead pwan

douvan.

lack V mantj, mwit. lacking

nothing antit.

leader

ladder

leaf

lady

madanm.

leafy

lake

ltan.

leak

koul1.

lean

1) apiy. 2) panch.

leap

lansman.

lame

lchl.

enfim. lame person

ADJ

enfimit.

lamp

lanp.

lance

pitjt f.
1) pyi. 2) t.

land

f t, kst, poz.
N

large

leavening

afalay.

leaves

last

ADJ

diw.

left

1) dny. 2) pas.

lastly

ADV

latch

late

ADJ

lath

1) tad. 2) dfen.

ADJ

gch.

ADV

ta.

lsiv.

wi2.

dny kwas.

lim1.

lemon

lend

pwt.

lentil

londj.

lanti.

leprosy

leprous

ADJ

282

goch.

janm, katjt.

length

laugh, laugh at
N

sansi.

leftover
leg

tjatj.

lat.

laundry

dny.

dnyman.

tjatjt.

left-hander
ADV

llven, yis.

pay.

leech

gwan, gwo, laj2.

ADJ

tjwi.

V kit. leave alone bay wipo,

kit an wipo, kit bat miz.

janm.

apwann.

leave

language N langaj, lanng. foul

language gwo mo sal.
lap

founi.

ADJ

leather

landslide

fy.

learn

land

flch.

lad.
lad.

less

English Kwyl

less

ADJ mwens. and less an

dsandan.

lobster

lightning

zkl. lightning bolt

koul zkl.

lessen

bs.

like1

lesson

lison.

like2 CONJ konmsi. PREP kon. just

like menm kon, tl kon. just like
that toubonnman kon sa.

lessons
lest
let

lsisyon.

avan.

CONJ
V

lw.

letter

lt1.

lettuce

lti.

level

ADJ

lever

liar

gal, nivo1.

liberate

livy.

liberation

libw.

libt, lchanlib.

license

lchanlib, lisans.

lid
lie

limit.
ADJ

limp

bwt.

link

may.

lion

lyon.

light2

ADJ

kout2.

1) viv. 2) wst, wzidan.

lively

kouch. lie next to

ADJ

liver

klt, layt, limy1, vglay.

limen. light in colour pal.
lj.

ti lavi.

cho.

fwa2, fwisi wd.

ti lavi.

lizard

N zanndoli. house lizard

mabwiya.

manny, atitid.

lv. lift weights lv plon.

N

limit.

bw, gg.

living

light1

limit.

lv.

livelihood

lavi, lisouf.
N

limited

live

manti, tiw mansonj.

lifestyle
V

an mizi, piti an piti.

bn.

lift

limit

little ADJ piti. a little ti miyt. little

bit ti kwas. little by little an mizi

lacho.

kou4.

lie2, lie down

life

listen

nich1.

lime2

liquor

bouchon. put a lid on

bouchonnen.
1

sitwon.

lip

libwasyon.

liberty

licks

line N ling. line up aliy. fishing

line fisl pch.

nivo1.

mant.

lick

lime1

ba , kit. lets annou. let go

ladj. let off ladj.

let2

enmen, kontan.

load
V

loafer
loan

lobster
283

chay.
N

bat, batj, chaj.

vakabon.

pwt.
N

houma.

location

English Kwyl

location
lock

lakl, swi.

locked
locust

lakl.

1) klaklak. 2) kwitjt.

ljman.

loft

galta.

log

bi bwa.

loss

lost

ADJ

pdant.
pd. get lost pd.

lot N kaw. a lot 1) an lo. 2) tibwen.

a lot of an chay.

lj.

lodging

long

lakl.

ADJ
N

lodge

koul2. on the losing end an

pdant.

lokasyon.

Madam

lotah

dat2, lota.

loudly
louse

ADV

f.

mpyon, pou3.

ADJ lonng. as long as 1) tout

tan. 2) dpi. long ago lontan, tan
lontan, ansyen dat. long face fidji
lonng. long time lontan.

long2

loo

pwvit.

ADJ

loosen

ladj, slak. be loose loch.

1) ladj, ladj asou.

2) dfoul.
ADJ

joli.

ADJ

lovingkindness

lop-sided

N 1) lanmou. 2) lanmity. V
enmen, kontan. love apple ponm
danmou.

lovely

anvi.

look, look at V gad. Look! mi2.

look after gad apw, otjip. look
for gad pou, chach1. look into
fouy dy. look like sanm. look
directly gad an mitan zy. look in
the mirror miw.
loose

love

bsko.

Lord

N mt, Seny. our Lord

ntseny.

lose V pd. lose a game

deliberately vann1. lose ones
temper lv vlkan. lose sight

low

tj fb.

ba2. low tide bas1.

ADJ

1) bs. 2) fil2. and lower

an dsandan.

lower

luck

N chans. bad luck mal chans,

mal, djiyon. good luck bon chans.

lucky

chans.

ADJ

lukewarm

ADJ

tyd.

lump

1) boul. 2) loup.

lunch

djnen.

lung

lunula
lying

fwisi ml.
N

ADJ

lalin.
mantz.

Mm
machine

machin.

mackerel N makwyo. king

mackerel taza.

mad

ADJ

Madam
284

fou1, fl.
TITLE

Man.

madness

English Kwyl

madness

magic

maji.

magnet

lagwand.

mahogany

maho.

March
mark

svi papicho.

male ADJ mal1. N bway2. effeminate

male makoum.
malnourish
man

mal nouwi.

1) nonm, misy. 2) lzm.

manage

mennaj, dbwiy.

manager

jw.

manchineel
mange
mango

mtsiny.

gal.

manger

mango.

mangrove N manng. mangrove

cuckoo koukou manyk.
mania

mankind
manna

manner

lzm, lat, kwityen.

lanmann.

N
N

manny.

manners

mannish

ADJ

manure

marry

may.

ms.
nonm.

fimy, chy.

mwl.

Martinique
mask

mason
mass

Matnik.

mas .

mason.

lanms.

massage

fwot.

master

mt.

match1

zalimt.
tl.

materials
matter

mattress
mature

foli.

mawiyaj.

marrow

match

bay2.

kaya.

laplas1.

marriage

make V 1) f1. 2) annkz. make

fun f papicho. make fun of pwan

matj.

market

majwit.

Mas2.

marijuana

pst.

majority

mab. play marbles tk,

zing.

donmstik.

dgliz.

marbles

lman.

mail

mar

bawo2, majstwa.

magnitude
maid

many ADJ an chay, an pil, anbadjo, pa

d. so many konmen1, mizi, otan.

kwiz.

magistrate

meal

may

May2

ADV
N

maybe
me

PRO

meal
285

lasi.
N

ADJ

maturity

matwiyo.

matla.
matwit.
gwand.

p1, apl.

M2.
ADV

pitt.

mwen.
wipa.

mean

English Kwyl

mean

vl di. mean to vl.

meanwhile
measles

ADV

an menm di tan.

lawjl.

measure V miziw.
measure tp.
meat

mizi. tape

salzon, vyann.

meddle

soutiw. meddle with

antanm.

meddler

soutiwz.

meddling

ADJ

annaf.

medicine N wimd, mdikanman.

medicinal drink pt. type of
medicine: alkoupa.
meditate
meet

mdit.

asanbl, jwenn, kontw.

meeting

mle

mlimlanj.

melt

member

manm2.

pyst.

mention

merchandise
merchant

machandiz.

machann.

mercurial ADJ avous, ni vous. be

mercurial ni vap.
mercury

mercy

mizwikd.

merely

ADV

mermaid

vidajan.

annk.
manman dlo.

mess N konms. V babouy. mess

up dwanj, kwaz2, dkal.
message

Micoud

konmisyon.

konmisyonn.

Mikou.

middle of

PREP

midnight

midwife
might
mile

mennwit.

p1, apl.

ADV

anmitan.

fanmchay.

ly.

military

milit.

ADJ

milk N lt2. V tiw lt. condensed

milk lt konsv.
mill

moulen.

millionaire

millipede

kangowi.

mimosa

milyonn.

mayhont.

mind N 1) lid. 2) tj. in mind, on

ones mind asou lid.
fofil.

minister

N minis. Prime Minister

Pwmy Minis.

mint

mansyonnen.

messenger

mingle

fonn.

mend

konsit, mitin.

mistreat

lanmant.

minute

minit, monman.

miracle

miwak.

mirror

miw.

miscarriage
miserable
misery

miz.

mal wpwzant.

mantj.

mis-step
mistake
mistreat
286

mizwab.

ADJ

misrepresent
miss

fskouch.

N
N
V

fo pa.
fo pa, mistk.
mal twt, mal mennen.

Mistress

English Kwyl

Mistress

mistrust

misuse

mite

bt wouj.

mix

moon

dfy.

misunderstand

ni vous.

madanm, Man, Manz,

djabal.

TITLE

My2.

mixed

pli2. the more an mizi...an

mizi. more than pas, pli pas.

mal konpwann.

morrow

li denmen.

mortar

mty.

ml.

mortar2

pilon.

mlimlanj.

mosquito

moan

plenn2.

mock

V motj, f sin asou, pwan svi

papicho, pwan svi widitjil, pwan svi
wizib, tous n.

mockingbird
model

molasses
mole
Mom

moment

monsignor
month

moocher

majwit.

moth

papiyon.

mourn

blm.

wasi.

ADJ

fs2.

montany.

pt dy.

dy. in mourning an

dy.

mouse

souwi2.

moustache
mouth

makak.

moustach.

1) bouch. 2) djl.

move

V dplas. move over tjil,

vans. move quickly f vit, f py,
bay py, bwennen k, chap k, chap
py.

monseny.

mandyan.

mood

N zimy. bad mood vap,

vous. in a bad mood vap anl.

movement
movie

moodiness

moody

avous. be moody ni vap,

ADJ

chanpiyon.

mourning

Lendi.

mwa.
N

manman, Manm, Anman.

mountain

monman.

mound

money N lajan, on ti lanmonn. a

small amount of money lavi.
money bag patjit.
monkey

most

mouldy

Mommy Anman.
Monday

limou. moss rose kavaly2.

mould

gwo siwo.

manman, manm, Anman.

mother-in-law

sindich.

maygwen.

moss

mother

gwiv.

mdl.

bonmaten.

mixture
V

ADJ

morning

mal svi.

ADJ

lalin.

more

ml.

Mr.

vap, vous.

Mr.
287

TITLE

mouvman.

ptw.
misy.

Mrs.

Mrs.

English Kwyl

negligent

madanm, Man.

mumps

much ADJ an chay, an pil, anbadjo, pa

d. much less jijw. so much
1) konmen1, mizi, otan. 2) afs. so
much more twp pli.

murmur

mucus

musician

mud

labou.

TITLE

mulatto

wim, kaka n.

miyatws.

mule

mil1.

mullet

mil2.

multiply

1) miltipy. 2) plpl.

mumble

manmot.

mimiw.

manm1.

mizik.

musk

milat. female mulatto

muscle
music

lagroup.

mizisyen.

mis.

must

ADV

mute

ADJ, N

ni pou, oblij, dw, s pou.

moumou.

muzzle

my

mwen.

PRO

mystery

baboutjt.

mist.

Nn
nail1 N klou1. V klouw. horseshoe
nail gwon. remove nails
dklouw.

nail2
naive

naked

name N non1. V bay non, lonmen.

bad name vy tit. what name?
koumonnon.

narrow
nasty

ADJ

ADJ

nation

mal pwp, salp.

nasyon, pyi.

nationality
natural
nature

ADJ
N

nauseate

nss, s pou, fo2.

koly.

necktie

need

bizwen, mwit.

neglect

kwavat.

ADJ

boulvs.

288

bizwen.

zfi.

nglij. fall into neglect

negligence
negligent

zdjwi.

dlabw.

boulvs, sivotj.

nauseated, nauseous

needlefish

natiwl.

nati2.
V

ADJ

neck N kou1. base of neck py kou.

neck and neck tt a tt, bita. open
exposing the neck dklt.

needle

jan.

pw.

mantj.

ADV

necklace

twt.

ADV

pw.

ADV

necessary

tou ni, toupanni.

ADJ

pw, b, alapt.

PREP

nearly

inosan.

ADJ

near

lonbwi.

nearby

zonng.

navel

nglijans.

ADJ

nglijan.

Negress

English Kwyl

Negress N ngws. light-skinned

Negress chabin.
Negro

ng. light-skinned Negro

chaben.
N

neither...nor
nephew

nerve

nf3.

vwzinaj, pwochen.
CONJ

ni...ni.

niv.

net

nich.

1) filt. 2) kali. cast net

lpvy. seine net senn.
ADV

janmen.

nevertheless

ADV

wannman.

new ADJ nf1, nivo2. New Years

Day Joudlan. New Years Eve

nobs

pyon.

noise

1) son. 2) dzd, dibwi.

noon

nouvl, wap.

next ADJ pwochen, ka vini, lt. next

day li denmen. next to bdaj.
nibble
nice

kabwiya.

north

n.

nose

nickname

soudnon, ti non.

niece

nys.

night

lannwit, nwit.

n1.

nostril
nosy

twou n.

tjiki.

ADJ

pa1. not any, not at all

pys . not any more pa ank. not
a word mwenk. not yet pk.

not

ADV
3

notch

dankl.

notched

ADJ

dankl.

nothing

PRO

1) anyen. 2) mwenk,

ting.

notify

bl.

ADJ

midi.

N
N

wonyen.

maji, papicho, btiz,

noose

Lavy Joudlan.

news

pysonn.

PRO

kochonni.

never

No! awa. no longer pa ank. no

more pa ank.

nonsense

nervous ADJ annwv. make

nervous annwv, chagwinen.
N

non2.

ADV

nobody

neighbour

nest

no

numb

soufl1.

nourishment

November

Novanm.

nouwiti.

nightgown

had dmi.

now ADV apwzan, atjwlman. right

now apwzan sala, atjwlman sala.
for now pou li pwzan.

nightmare

kkma.

nowadays

ADV

apwzan, jdi, jdi

jou.

nine ADJ nf . nine oclock nv.

nine years nvan.

nowhere

ADV

nineteen

diznf.

nude

tou ni, toupanni.

katwiven dis.

numb

ninety

ADJ

ADJ

289

ADJ
ADJ

pys kot.

angoudi.

number

English Kwyl

number
nun

nut

limowo.

nurse1
2

nurse

nwa1.

nutmeg

danm, mw.

on

ns1.

1) tt. 2) bay tt.

miskad.

nutritious

ftifiyan.

ADJ

Oo
oar

off, off of

saviyon.

oath

sman.

offal

oats

lavwenn.

offend

obeah N tjenbwa, zb2, gaj. do

obeah on pyay. practitioner of
obeah jan gaj, tjenbwat.
obedience
obedient
obey

obyisan, koutan.

ADJ

obyi. refuse to obey kas

bwa an zwy.
V

obligate

oblij.

obligation

obliteration
observe

obstacle

occasion

obligasyon.

bzv.
1

occupation
ocean

octopus
of

ADV

ADJ

N
N

PREP

dl, tanzantan.

ADJ

anbawas.

ktb.
chatou.

ld.

di1. of course kouman.

ofwans.

ofwans.

ADJ

dzagwyab.

of.

offering

office

biwo, fis.

lofwann, latjt.

officer

ofisy.

official

lalwa.

offspring

often

souvan, an chay di l, dwi.

ADV

ich.

lwil.

ointment

fiksyon.

okay

ADJ 1) krk. 2) ti miyt, ti

mso, ti tak, tibwen, tizing. INTERJ
bon, dak.

lta.

lanm.

October
odour

fwa , kou , l .

occasionally

offence

oil

jennman.

occupied

lapatouch.

ofwans.

offended

offer

anl, asou.

fwisi.

offensive

obyisans.

PREP

okra

gonbo.

old ADJ vy, gwan. old age vyys.

old enough an laj. Old Years
Day Lavy Joudlan. older folk
gwan moun.

on PREP 1) anl, asou. 2) ab. on

target aplon. on top of anl, asou.
290

one

English Kwyl

an1. PRO yonn. one by one

yonn pa yonn. one hundred yan
san. one oclock yonn.

one

ADJ

onion N lonyon. green onion,

spring onion ti lonyon.
only

sl1.

ADJ

ADV

open

ADJ 1) ouv. 2) ovif. V 1) ouv.

2) dbaw. wide open gwan ouv.

openly

ADV

opinion

opossum

opposite
or

PREP

an fas.

order N ld. V konmand, bay ld.

in order annd. in order to pou1.
ordinary
organ

organ2

ADJ

nou.

PRO

out of PREP adan1, andidan. out of

shape bzki.
outhouse

pwvit.

fou2. put in oven anfoun.

dbd.

overindulged
overstay

miz.

mat, chaviw.

lg.

overwhelmed

orphan

ganniz.

gat.

ADV

organize

ADJ

overseas
overturn

gannizasyon.

bout. over

ganyen a bout.

fwisi.

ADJ

baw1, maw.

ADJ

organization
oriole

din.

zons.

overflow

zowanj.

dw, sipoz.

overcome

pa.

orange

ounce

overcast

1) ben. 2) avan. or not o

CONJ

ADV

lzt, lt.

over PREP anho.

here isi-a la.

lokazyon.

ought

oven

mannikou.

opportunity

ADJ

outside PREP dw, dw-a. outside

woman djabal.

alavidy.

lopinyon.

other

our

slman, tousl.

pail

lt pyi.

ADJ

sik an dan.

owe

own

ADJ

dw .
menm.

kawouj.

owner

mt, mtws.

flen.

oxbow

kakan.

saviyon.

Pp
pack

package
packed
pad

paddle

foul.

N
ADJ

tch.

patj .
foul.

padlock
page
pail
291

N
N

kadna.

fyt.
bonm.

naj saviyon.

pain

English Kwyl

pain

mal2.

paint

paintbrush
pair

bs.

had dmi.

palace

pal2.

palate

pal3.

palm tree
palmiste
pan

pants

wanmo.

palmis.

pann2. frying pan pann a fwi.

tjilt.

papaya
paper

parable
Paradise
parasite

parcel

parch

pardon

vl.

parasol

Pawadi.

konmisyon.
gwiy.

parrot
parsley
part

past

N
N

paw

patisip, pwan pa.

N

pasaj.

pas.
gwodja.

ADJ

pyst.

pyst.

twas, ti chimen.

pasyans.

pitj.

pat.

papay.

V py. N lapy. pay attention

matj, bay ganm.

payment

patisipasyon.

pyiman.

pea

pa3. take part pwan pa.

participation

pasaj.

pys2.

pawpaw

N pwa . black-eyed peas pwa

zy nw. pigeon peas pwa angl.
snow peas senm, boukousou. split
peas pwa kas. sweet peas pwa
dou.

psi.

patience

jako.

participate

pasab.

ADJ
N

ADJ

path

kannawi dlo.

patizan.

pay

paws.

paronychia

f laft.

passers-by l pasan.

ft2.

passenger

pave

pawasl.

padon, pawdonnab,
pawdonnasyon. V pawdonnen.

parish

patched

pawabl.

patikilman.

ADV

danm.

passage

patch

papy.

party2

pastry

papay.

passable

blenm, pal.

ADJ

partner

anpatikil.

pass V pas. pass away tenn. pass

by pas. pass gas pt, lach van.
it came to pass twouv.

konp.

ADV

particularly
party

p .

pale

pentiw.

pyjamas
pal

particular

penti.

peak

peace

1) lap. 2) mily.

peacock
peak
292

pan.

piton.

peanut

English Kwyl

peanut

peck

bkt, bat zy.

peel
peg

pistach.

pellet

bal simen.

pen

pen2

moun.
lasw.

bt , vmin.

manch pilon.

Piti Piton.

pharmacy

fonmasi.

kalj, pak .

photograph

plim.

pick V tjouwi. pick at wonyen.

pick up anmas, hdi.

penis

kwyon.

pickaxe

kk3, jak, kal, lolo, pati2,

penknife

picture

janbt.

go.

people

1) pp. 2) lzm.

pepper

perch

perfect

perfume
N

perish

apsivw.

ADJ
N

losyon.

permit

persecute

pwmi, pwmisyon.

ba , kit, pwmit.
V

persecution

pikpch.

psikit.
N

Pierrot
pig

kwv, ps.

Pywo.

kochon.
N

pile

pijon. wood pigeon

lo.
pilotwi, poto.

pillow

zwy.

pillowcase
pimple

pwi. perish the thought

tjw koz.
V

permission

pierce

pillar

pawf, antit.

danj.

wanmy.

pwi2.

tiw ptw.

ptw. take picture tiw

pigeon

pa2.
V

piece N mso, tj, miyt, bi. in

pieces anpany.

N piman. black pepper

pwv1. hot pepper piman f. types
of hot pepper: piman bwil, piman
gwiv, piman manjak, piman st
chdy.

perceive

ptw.

ptw.

penny

PREP

pikwa.

pickpocket

pennsil.

peril

person

Petit Piton

pencil

per

kontin.

pestle

plkan.

pwl.

pest

pelican
N

persist

perspiration

poto.

zy.

gwennen, kal.

pelt

pint

tt zwy.

vbl.

pin N zpenng ti tt.

pin zpenng.
pincer
pinch
pint

psikasyon.
293

N
V

mdan.
penchen.

panyt.

tach2. safety

pipe

English Kwyl

pipe

pistol

pluck

tiyo.

pitch N goudon.
pine bwadn.
pity

plug

wivlva.

goudonnen. pitch

place N plas. little place ti kt. in

place of laplas2. take place wiv,
ft, pwan plas, pwan kou. take place
of pwan plas.
plague

plg.

plain-spoken
plaint

fpl.

plent.

plait

nat.

plan

plan2.
gal.

gal2.

plant

py2.

plant.

plantain N bannann. a type of

plantain: makanbou.
bitasyon, plantasyon.

planter

plant.

plaster

plasta.

plate

pla.

plateau

pocket

pch.
N

poinsettia

flwi Nwl.

poke

djouk, tjok.

ADJ

plasta.

agwyab.

pleasantness

please

INTERJ

pleasure
plot

plough

pl.
N

dous.
soupl.

plzi.

konplo. plot of land twen.

N

pwzon.

chawi.

chawi.

pwzonnen.

1) glt. 2) wanm.

polite

kdgad, stchann.

byen liv.

ADJ

polluted

ADJ

mal pwp.

pollution

mal pwpt.

pomegranate
pond

pld.

pleasant

1) pwent. 2) pwen2.

gwinad.

ma.

poniard

ponya.

1) pv. 2) mal2, pdjab.

3) malw, malwz. poor person
malw. poor woman malwz.
poor people l malw, l pv.
poor devil, poor thing pdjab.

poor

ADJ

pope

V jw. play the fool simen

gwenn.
V

janbt.

poison

play

plead

plimaj.

pocket knife

plato.

pwin. hog plum mouben.

police station

bouch1, tjok.

ADJ

plumage

pole

plane

plantation

bouch1.

plugged

point

ADJ

plimen.

plum

pity.

porridge

lipap.

population

porpoise

machwen.

ppilasyon.

porridge N kwenm. porridge made

with cassava flour loukou1.
porridge made with cassava
flour and milk matt. porridge
made with white flour pap.
porridge made with white flour,
294

porter

English Kwyl

milk and spices malobi.

porter
portion

lo, psyon.

position

positively

ADV

possess

posd.

possessions
possibility
possible

pozitivman.

byen.

posibilit.

posib.

ADJ

post1

poto.

post2

pst. post office laps.

postpone

anvoy.

pot N chdy, kannawi. chamber

pot pt chanm.
potato

N ponm t. sweet potato

patat. sweet potato bug bt patat.

potion

cham. give a potion

patjit.

poultice
pound

kataplanm.

precaution

precipice

falz, kaskou, koudoum.

precisely

ADV

prefer

pwokosyon.
jis2.

simy.

preferably

ADV

preference

liv .

pound2

pon2.

pour

vid, dvid, kwv.

powder

powerful

pwfwans.

ADJ 1) gwo bouden, ansent,

gws. 2) plenn1.

preoccupied

ADJ

k.

prepare

pwpaw, f pwovizyon, f

prepared

poud.
ADJ

toupisan.

ADJ

paw1.

presence

N pwzans. be present at
asist1, atand2.

present

pwzant.

presently
preserve

ADV

president

pwzidan.

praise

presumptuous

glowify.

praline

pray

pwdy.
N

lapws.

pressure

chal.
ADJ

endiskw,

konpawzon.

pwalin.

lapwiy.

apwzan, pwzantman.

pwzv, konfi.

press

prayer

anbwennzenng.

preparation N pwpawasyon. make

preparation f ganm.
preparation of a corpse lavman di

practice N pwatik2. put into

practice mt an pwatik.

simy, vonmy.

pregnant

pwch, pwdik.

ganm.

chouval Bondy.

N pwchman,
pwdikasyon.

cham.

pouch

preaching

pozisyon.

praying mantis
preach

pt.

prevent

pretty

ADJ

prevent
295

bl.
anpch, enpoz.

price

English Kwyl

pumpkin

price

pwi1.

proprietress

prick

pitj.

prosper

pride

lgy, kwyans.
1

pwt, lab , p .

prime

sali2.

prince

prostitution

principal

mt lkl.

principle

pwensip.

prison

lajl, pwizon.

prisoner

pwizonny.

privilege

pwivilaj.

problem

pwblenm, pas1.

proclaim

pwoklanm.

produce

pwodwi.

profanity

profess

pwofs.

profession
profit

progress

prohibit

lta, pwofsyon.

dfann, enpoz.

koudmen.

promiscuous

ADJ

mal pwp.

promise

N, V

proof

pwv2, pwen2.

pwonmt.

property

popyt, t.

prophesy

divin.

prophet

proprietor

pwoft.
N

mt.

proud

djanmt.

pwotj, pwotkt.

fw. make proud lv

ADJ

n.

provide

potjiw.

provision N pwovizyon, potjiwasyon.

ground provision gwo manj,
vivt.

provoke

prune

dbwanch.

prying

pwovok.

tjiki.

ADJ

kabaw.

public

piblik.

publication
publicly

pwogw.

pwoj. work project

protect

pub

pwofi.

project

mo.

byennw, w, ja

N djanmt, fanm konmen,

fanm lawi, fanm vy lavi.

pwennss.

ADJ

fy, ja wiv.

prostitute

pwens.

princess

pwspw.

prosperous

priest

mtws.

puddle

puff up

puffy

pibliy.

pudding

piblikasyon.

alavidy.

ADV

publish

puffer

bouden2.

twou dlo.
gonfl.
pwson am.

N
ADJ

bousol.

pull

V hal, hdi. pull away hal k,

witjil.

pulse

pumice

pou2.
N

pumpkin
296

tif.
N

jmou.

punch

English Kwyl

punch (var: N) 1) koul pwen. 2) bay

koul pwen.
V

punish

pini.

kwv.

punishment
puppet

purchase
pure

pursuit

bay lapouswiv.
lapouswiv. in pursuit of

dy.

pus

N lim, maty. form pus

pstim.

push

pi1.

ADJ

patjit.

ganyen.

piwify.

pursue

pinisyon.

bwa bwa.

purify
purse

puncture

raise

purge N mtsin, tizann. types of

purge: jalap, lk.

pous, fouy1.

pustule

pousad.

plk.

put, put on

mt. put out tenn.

Qq
quadrille

quality

kalit.

quantity
quarrel

chikann.

quarrelling
quart

quick

dzd.

kt2.

ka , katy.

queasy

ADJ

malotj.

ADV

quicksilver
ADJ

quietly
quite

kwsyonnen.

lacho.
vit, vitman, alakous.
N

vidajan.

dous, tjantjil.
dousman.

ADV

ADV

vif.

ADJ

quickly
quiet

quarter
queen

baby.

kwsyon.

quicklime

kantit.

N
N

question

kdwil.

tou1, pa d.

1) wenn. 2) danm.

Rr
rabbit
1

race

lapen.

rag

hanyon.

kous.

rage

waj, kwiz.

race

was.

rain

lapli.

radio

radyo.

rainbow

raffle

wafl.

rainfly

rafter

chivon.

raise

lv, hos.

297

lakansyl.

fonmi azl.
N

hosman. raise

ram

English Kwyl

poorly mal lv. raise well byen

lv.

ram

bly.

rap
rape

rarely
rash
rat

wa2.

ADV

bouton2, gwatl.

rather

CONJ

pito. rather than andji,

oly.

ravine
raw
ray

1) kwi3. 2) ovif.

ADJ

razor

wazw.

reach

wiv.

read

real

ADJ

wyl.

ADJ

realize
really

wyaliz.

vwitabman, vwman,

ADV

wylman.

reap

reason

wzon.

reasonable
rebel

ADJ

wzonnen.

wzonnab.

lv, lv wvt, wbl,

wivlt.
V

rebellion

wvt.

rebuke lv dy, pwi dy, pwi an

pwi an k.

recall
recant

V
V

chonj.
ddi.

tal-a, tou fw.

rkd.

recount

red

wouj. red beans pwa wouj.

ADJ

wakont.

jon.

reef

bas1, kay4.

reel

twilbich.
wiplen.

reflect

wflchi.

afwchi.

ADJ

fw.
fridj.

refuse

wifiz.

refute

dmanti.

regard

wgad.

wjim2.

regimen

region

paws.

register

wjistw.

registration

wklt.

ADV

refrigerator

paw1. get ready f

ganm, f pwovizyon.

ready

twap, wisivw.

refreshed

li2.

refresh

w.

receive

refill

wavin.

wisi.

reed

wat.

record

anvyol, jwi.

receipt

recently

konyen1.

relative

wjistwasyon.

registry

regret

wigwt.

regularly
reign

reject

ADV

kondwit.

wjwi, widjwt.
N

wilasyon.

relationship

298

widjkt.

relations
relative

wgl.

kondwi.

rejoice

ogwf.

viv.

jennenwasyon.

relax

English Kwyl

relax

release
relief

soulajman.

resilient

ADJ

soulaj.

resound

religion

respect

wilizyon.

religious
remain

remainder
remedy

remember
remove

render V wann. render witch

powerless dgaj.
rent

lw.

wsp.

lajan kay.

wskonsab.

ADJ

rest1

V poz.
dkol.

rest2

tiw, witiw.

wpons.

responsible

chonj.

klat.

asou kont.

lwstan, dny kwas.

djwizon, mdikanman.

sizonnen.

responsibility N wskonsabilit.
under (someones) responsibility

wst.

wzidan.

wspkt.

response

wilizyz.

ADJ

dpan.

ljman.

resident

lach, ladj.

relieve

rely

residence

poz.

rib

pz, wipo. rest on

lwstan.

resurrect

wsisit.

resurrection

wzwksyon.

repair

wanj.

retarded enfim an tt, goch an tt.

retarded person dkdk.

repeat

wpt.

retreat

repent

wpanti.

return

viw, witounen.

reveal

wvl.

repentance
replace
report

wap.

represent
reproach

resell

wipwch.

miltipy.

oblij.

wivann.

resemble

sanm, gad kon.

reservoir

lzavwa.

reside

revenge

wivanj.

reverse

wst, wzidan.

dviwan.

wvlasyon.

klat.

bak .

revive

konpwann k.

revolt

wvt.

wivlt, lv, lv

wvt.

chap.

V
V

wipwoch.

revelation

reverberate

wpwzant.

reproduce
rescue

wpantisman.

anplas, pwan plas.

require

witwt.

revolution

revolver

wivlva.

rheumatism
rib

tich.
299

wvolisyon.

fwdi.

kt . rib of a coconut frond

ribbon

English Kwyl

ribbon
rice

wiban.

diwi. sweetened rice kirou.

rich

ADJ wich, byennw, ja fy, ja

wiv. rich people l wich. rich
person wicha.

riches

ride

mout.

ridicule

byen, wichs.

pwan svi papicho, pwan

svi widitjil, pwan svi wizib, f
papicho, ladj chalbawi dy,
fiyonnen. N widitjil, chalbawi, wizib.

rifle

ADJ

righteous

ADJ

dwt2.

righteousness
rightly

ADV

dwiv.

roast

woti.

roasted
rob

woti.

ADJ

vl.

robbery

vl1.

gl1, siltann.

robust

ADJ

rock

kay, wch.

rod

vayan.

va.

woul1. N woulo. roll dice

jw gwennd. roll up vopl.

dwt2, an dwa, ni wzon.

1
ADV dwt . N dwa , tit. just right
jis kont. right away la menm.
right side out landwt.

right

roll

fizi.

roam

robe

rub

ladwati.

byen ft.

roof N ftay, tt kay. ridge cap of

roof chapo kay. roof of mouth
pal3.

roofing

galvanniz.

room N 1) chanm. 2) l1. dining

room lasal. sitting room lasal.
make room f l, tjil, vans.

ring N 1) sk2. 2) bag. wedding

ring alyans.

root N wasin, djouk bwa. V labouw.

take root f wasin, pwi2.

ring2

rooted

ADJ

rip

dchiw.

rope

kab.

sonnen.

ripe ADJ mi3, matwit. over-ripe

state of dasheen tounen.
ripen
rise

fennen.

lv. rise from death

wsisit.
V

risk

wis.

rosary
rot

konbs.

river

lawivy.

road

chimen. main road gwan

chimen.
N

chapl.

pouwi.

rotten

ADJ

pouwi, fw.

rough

ADJ

wid. rough up bwitaliz,

bwiz.

round

rival

roadworks

wasin.

route
row
rub

ADJ
N

won.

lawout, kous.

wan.

V fwot. rub with ointment

fiksyonnen.

twavo.
300

rubbish

English Kwyl

rubbish
rudder
rude

V kouwi. run away mawon,

fann kann, f djip, f lapousy, f yan,
f zkl, kouwi vant a t, kwaz bwa,
kwaz wazy, pwan an bwa, pwan
lavl. run fast f yan, kouwi vant a
t.

gouvnay.

hadi.

ADJ

rudeness

hadys.

ruin

lapatouch.

rule

kondwi.

rum

wonm.

rumple

run

kochonni, zdi.

running
kondwit, lwa.

rushed
rust

plotonnen, chifonnen,

save

ADJ

alakous.

pws.

lawouj.

rusty

bouwi.

ADV

wiy.

wiy.

ADJ

Ss
sack

sacrifice
sad

sailor

sl.

navidj.

matlo.

sen. St. Josephs Day Ft

Sent Jozf. St. Lucia Sent Lisi. St.
Vincent Svsan.
N

sake

lapti2.

salad

salad. salad beans pwa

salad.

salary

sale

lavant, vant2.

saliva

salivate
salt

sal.

kwacha.
V

sl2.

saltfish

koul1.
V

sal.

ADJ

sal.

lanmowi.

salvasyon.

same

ADJ menm, gal. same to you

pawyman.

twists, mal tj, chagwen.

vwl.

salty

biswi sl.

salvation

sl4.

sadness

saint

sakwifis.

twis.

ADJ

saddle
sail

saltine

sak.

sand

sandal
sap

sab1. sand fly moustik.

sapat, katapl, djari.

N
2

lt , lagli.

sapodilla
sardine
Satan

sapoti.

sadin.

Satan.

satisfaction

satisfaksyon.

satisfied

ADJ

satisfy

satisf, wipiny.

Saturday
sauce

save
301

V
V

Sanmdi.

ss.

saucepan
saut

kontant, satisf.

pann2.

wousi.
sov.

saviour

English Kwyl

saviour

saw

sov.
1

N si . V siy . compass saw

paspatou. hand saw lgowin.

sawdust
say

palanma.

scriptures

lvanjil.

N lanm. sea egg, sea urchin

chadon. sea fan lbich.

seagrape

scald

chod.

scale

N kay .
kay pwson.

scaly

seal

gal.
3

kay . fish scale

scarcely

kouti.

seamstress

N szon. dry season

kawenm. rainy season livnaj.

kay .

season2

ADV

seasoned

dj.

sizonnen.

fawouch.

seaweed

scarf

mouchw.

second1

ADJ

scent

lkl. school of fish tach .

scissors

sizo1.

fiyonnen.

scold

md anl.
N

bouch lonng.

scrap

dny kwas.

scratch

scream
screen
screw

V
N

gwafiyen, gwat.

hl, f yon kwi.

paswa.

vis1.

second-rate

vis.

secretary

secretive

ADJ

see

seed
N

koul

seem
seer

pat mouch.

dzyenman.

ADV

pachpach.

sigwt.
swan.

ADV ankacht, an swan, an

sigw, anba fy.

gwif.

scrawl

kad.

secretly

gwat, plich.

dzyenm.

N sigw. in secret ankacht,

an sigw, an swan, anba fy.

skoupyon.

scowl
scrape

wawt.

secret

scoff

scorpion

secondly

ld.

school

second

simen, simwj.

sizonnen.

ADJ

scare

scatter

koutwiyz.

season1

mak.

wzen.

kacht.

seam
2

ADJ

tjiw.

sea

lakout.

scabies

scar

di3.

scab

screwpine
scrub

mouli bwa.

seldom

kwi1.

1) w. 2) oti2.
N
V
N

gwenn.
sanm.
gad, divin, jan gaj.

seine

sennen.

seize

szi.

seldom
302

ADV

wa2.

self

self

English Kwyl

k, menm.

selfish
sell

vann1.

send

gad pou k.

ADJ

shaddock

senile

ADJ

sense

chadt.

shade, shadow

lonbwaj.

shake

V 1) twanbl, twanblad pwan.

2) soukw. 3) loch. shake hands
soukw lanmen.

voy. send away voy al.

shiny

pd tt.

sans.

shaking

shallow

ADJ

twanblad.
plat.

senseless

ADJ

ennitil.

sensitive

ADJ

1) sansib. 2) sisptid.

sentence

kondann.

share

separate

spaw.

shark N wtjen. hammerhead

shark pantoufouy. sand shark
wtjen sab. white shark wtjen

September

sergeant

sjan.

serious

swiy.

ADJ

seriously

Sptanm.

ADV

bwital.

shame
N

f hont, jaw2, tjipi, f afon.

hont.
spaw.

sharp

waz, koup kwi.

shave

serpent

span.

shavings

servant

svant, donmstik.

she

serve

svi.

seven

seventeen

ADJ

dist.

seventh

ADJ

styenm.

seventy

ADJ

swasant dis.

several

ADJ

plizy.

severe
sew

sewing
shack

ADJ

bwital.

koud.
N
N

kouti.
kab.

PRO

shed

st. seven oclock st.

ADJ

fil1.

sharpen

pwdikasyon.

V 1) mt. 2) kouch. set a trap

tann2. set apart apa. set fire pwi
dif. set upright dchaviw.

fil1.

ADJ

set

lo, pa3.

blan.

sermon

sheep

N
N

mouli.

i, y.
chd.
mouton.

sheet

kouvti.

shelf

ltaj.

shell

N 1) kokiyaj, kn. 2) zkal.

3) katouch. V dkal, gwennen.

shelter

kab, chd. shelter from

paw3.

shepherd

shilling

chlen.

shine

klw. shine on bay asou.

shingle
shiny
303

ADJ

bwj, gadyenn mouton.

zsant.
anklwant.

ship

English Kwyl

ship

batiman, bato. cargo ship

patj2.

shirt
shoe

szisman.

souly.

shoelace

shoemaker
shoot1
2

shoot
shop

fw.

sigh

kdonny.

fiziw.

sign N sin1. V siy2. sign of the

cross sin a kwa.

boutik, magazen.
kout1.

bal simen.

should

ADV

shoulder

shovel

moutw.

shrewd

ADJ
V

shroud

visy.

sickness

similar

pawy1.

ADJ

simple

ADJ

1) senp. 2) inosan.

simultaneously
sin

an menm di tan.

pch2.

N, V

since

ADV

dpi.

CONJ, PREP

sink

anfondw, koul1, f fon.

fm. Shut up! P la!.

dajan.

singer

shut

sickle

ennitil. silly person ll.

ADJ

anslivi.

ADJ

swa.

sing

shuffle

ADJ

silk

twsi, mgwsi.

soukw zpl.

kwi1.

pl.

shrink

fwt1, silans.

ADJ

silver

zpl.

silans.

silent
silly

dw, sipoz.

shout V andjl, hl, kwiy.

shout at hl dy.

dkouv.

silence

lans1, lanm batan.

ADJ

sick

soupi.

short

shy

pas.

sight

shrug

sift

paswa.

flch, jm, koko2, wichton.

shore

show

sifter N paswa, tanmi. sifter for

cassava flour lbich.

las1.
N

sieve
V

favowi.

shot

mt bay, pwan pou.

sideburn
chimiz.

shock

sit

bat kat.

plon.

sinner

pch2.

sir

malad.

sisal

hanswa.

sister

maladi.

side N fasad, kot, b, sayd. side by

side alimans, yonn a lt. side with

chant, chantwl.

sinker

koutja.

chant.

misy.
N
N

lapit.
ss, s.

sister-in-law
sit
304

bls.

asiz. sit on kouv.

situation

English Kwyl

situation

slime

sitiwasyon.

six ADJ sis. six oclock siz. six

years sizan.
sixteen
sixty
size

skate

w.

skill

ladws.

skin

lapo.

skink

plich, gwiji, kch.

N jipon. slip ones mind pas

an lid.

slobber

slope

panchan, pant.

skirt

jip.

slug2

skull

kalt tt.

sly

sky

slug

ADJ

skullcap
slander

mpwiz.

slant

nwsi non, dkwiy,

N mpwi.

panchan, pant.

slanted

ADJ

slaughterhouse
slave

slavery

labatwa, hal.

dmi, kouch.

sleep2

lasi.
N

sleepy

ADJ

sleeve

malen.

anvi dmi.

manch.
N

glisad.

lifon.

piti.

ADJ
ADJ

lifon.

santi, pwan ld.

souwi , gwiyen.

smoke

entlijan, savan.

ld.

lafim.

1) pafim.

2) fimen.

smooth

lis.

kolasyon, soutni.

kalmason.

snake
sonmy.

ADJ

span. type of snake:

kouws.

snapper

dmz.

glis.

bay koul pwen.

smartness

snail
mas1.

sleep1

sleeper

snack

slavaj.

sledgehammer

slide

slav.

bt san zo, vyann san zo.

smart

smile

palaviw, soufl2, tap.

palaviw.

slap

dous, dousman.

ADJ

smell

an panchan.

an panchan.

ADV

small

lz, syl.

bav.

ADJ

slyness

koukou chapo.

sloping

skinny

mg.

glis.

ADJ

flandj.

slowly

zanndoli t.

slip

slit

mizi, gws, laj.

katapl.

slippery

swasant.

ADJ

limou.

slingshot

sz.

ADJ

snow

snare

kabwiya, pliyan.

sneeze

sb.

stenn.

snore

wonfl.

snow

lannj.

305

so

English Kwyl

so

CONJ kon sa, al. ADV afs, mizi,

tlman, si tlman. so and so entl.
so so tizing, pasab, pyanmpyanm.

soak

soaked
soaking
soap
sock

soft

ADJ

1) ml, mltwi. 2) mwzi.

soil

t.

mltwi, moli.
V

soiled

ADJ

solace

soldier
sombre

sali1.

sal.

soulajman.
slda1.

ADJ

sonm.

adan2, d2, yonn d, dotwa,

tak , ti miyt, ti tak, tibwen, tizing,
tjk.

some

ADJ

something

son

PRO

on bagay, kchz,

ADV

dl.

gason, tibway.

song

chanson, chant.

son-in-law
soon

bofis.

tal, touswit. as soon as

kon sa, dpi.
ADV

sorcery

tjenbwa.

sore N bobo, gad1, malenng. sore in

the mouth chank.
sorrel

sorrow

lozy.
N

gg, wonmy.

Soufriere
soul

sonnen.

si3.

ADJ

lapenn. in sorrow an

southpaw
sow

Soufwiy.

lam1.

sour

ksl.
goch.

simen.

space

l1. free space chan.

spade

pl.

span

1) bwas. 2) pous.

Spanish

Spanyl.

spank

V bat, plich, bay kou, koup

fs, koup latj, pt k.

spanking
spare

plich.

gwasy.

pal1. speak evil about

mal pal, bay dan. speak
foolishness pal btiz, pal ennitil,
pal kouyon, pal maji, pal papicho.

speak

spear

anyen.

sometimes

st2.

soursop

choson.

soften

sort

sound

natiwl.

ADJ

antwanp.

ADV

savon.

sober

twanp.

ADJ

lapenn.

sot

twanp.

spider

pitjt f.

speckled

ADJ

speech

1) pawl. 2) lapawl.

speechless
speed

takt.

ADJ

pawlab.

vapon.

1) dpans. 2) bobans.

f vapon, koup

dlo.

spend

3) pas.

spice

spider
306

zpis.
N

zagwiyen.

spike

English Kwyl

spike
spill

squash

djouk bwa, pitjt f.

dvid. spill blood mt san

squat

dw.
N

zpina.

spinster

vy fi.

lspwi. Holy Spirit

Lisentspwi, Lspwi Bondy. female
bewitching spirit ladjabls.

spit

kwach.

jmou.

akoupi.

squeak

spinach
spirit

startle

kwatj.

squeeze

squid

chs.

stab

pij.

kwv.

stable

ltjiwi.

stagger

twilbich.

splash

bouwi.

stain

tach1.

spleen

lawat.

stair

mach1.

split
N

V 1) fann. 2) dfouk.
fant.

spoil

spoiled

ADJ

spool

woulo.

sport

fann.

gat.

spoon

ADJ

gat.

sprain

sprained

ADJ

spread

1) simen. 2) plpl.

spring

sous.

sprinkle
sprout

wasi.

wjim1.

mach piti.

f kakl, f klonng.

stamp

stand2

staple

gaspiy.

square N skw. ADJ kaw.

carpentry square ltj. square
foot py kaw.

sipt.

sitenn.

gwon.

star N twal. falling star twal fil.

star apple bwi.
starch

fs py a t.

standpipe

zpon.

squander

bgy.

V doubout. good standing

bon doubout.

wouz.

flch, jm, koko2, wichton.

stand1

denmi.

pous.

spur

ADJ
1

pitjt.

stammer

denmi.

stale

stall

spotted ADJ takt. spotted

sandpiper pitjwit.

lskaly.

stalk2

sp.

tach1.

stake
stalk

tjwiy.

stairway

lanmidon, mouchas.

anpz.

stare

gob.

start V 1) koumans, pwan. 2) tabli.

start to pwan.
startle
307

f sot. be startled sot.

starve

English Kwyl

starve
state

storm

m lafen.

lta. state of being poor s.

story

struggle

mov tan.

listwa.

statue

stay

wst.

straddle

vl, f vl.

straight ADJ dwt2. ADV djoup.

straight ahead tou dwt.

steal

steam
stem

vap.

1) pa4. 2) mach1. step on

pil2.

step-father

bop.

step-mother
stethoscope
stew

blm.

N
N

sonn.

bouyon.

wousi.

stewed ADJ wousi. stewed green

papaya or christophene gwaten.
stick

sticky
still

baton.

toujou.

ADV

sting

pitj.

stinger
stingy
stink

kolan.

ADJ

pik.

chis.

ADJ

santi.

stinker

sant.

stir V 1) wimen, bouwi. 2) bwennen.

stirring tool kawt1, wabt.
stocking

ba3.

stomach

bouden1, pans, vant1.

stone

py. stone axe py loway.

stoop

bs, akoupi.

stop
store

V
N

tiw listwa.

janb.

straightforward

tak1.

step

storytelling

stati.

1) doubout, las2. 2) koup.

boutik, magazen.

strain1

koul4.

strain2

pyt.

strainer

strange

ADJ

ADJ

fpl.

paswa.

stranger

strangle

dwl, stdin, twanj.

twanj.

1) bay gjt. 2) twangl.

strap

bwitl. croup strap koupy.

street

lawi.

strength

fs1, kouway.

strengthening

ADJ

stress

tt cho.

stress

pz f.

ftifiyan.

stretch V 1) bay. 2) hdi k.

stretch out lonj.
strict

ADJ

strike

wd.

bat, fout, fwap, konyen1.

koul.

string

N fisl. stringed instrument

mizik kd. strip leaves dpay1.

strive

f fs k.

stroll

pwonmnen, dwiv.

strong

ADJ

f, maj.

strongbox

struggle

dbat, dbwiy, f so.

308

kf.

stubborn

English Kwyl

swear

ADJ

stuck

ADJ

pwi2.

suit coat

study

tidy.

sulphur

souf1.

fouy1.

summer

kawenm.

stuff

stumble

pwan latjilbit.

stump

stun

toudi.

chous , djouk bwa.

stunned

ADJ

stutter

sty1

kalj.

sty2

klou2.

styrofoam
submit

flo2.

substance

succeed

wisi.

success

successful
suck

sistans.

siks.

ADJ

ja fy, ja wiv.

1) sis. 2) tt. suck thumb

tt dwt.
V

suckle

tt.

suddenly
suds

suffer

ADV

sufficient

ADJ

suffocate

N Dimanch. Palm Sunday

Dimanch Dwanmo.

sundown, sunset

support
N

as.

touf.

sly kouch.

sly lv, laba.

boutik, magazen.

sipt, mt bay, pwan pou.

sip.

supporter

supposed

ADV

sure

surname
surpass

baka.
sipoz.

asiw.

ADJ

surprise

tit.

bat.

V
V

sipwi.

surprised ADJ sipwi, szi, tonnen,

bdji. be surprised sot.
apant.

surveyor

swallow

apant.
sispann.

suspenders

soufwans.

sik. sugar apple ponm

kannl. sugar cane kann. sugar
cane juice vizou.
N

Sunday

suspend

souf.

suffering

sugar

sly.

survey
sibit, sibitman, fap.

tjim.
V

asinasyon.

supermarket

abs, simt.

tt mn.

sunrise

filzf, flanman.

ADJ

kanmizl.

summons

bt2, tt wd.

bgy.

summit
sun

bazoudi, kagou.

ADJ

stupid

stylish

tt di, antt.

suitcase

mal3.

stubborn

bwitl.

val1.

gj.

swamp

lagon, manng.

swarm

dsyen.

swear1

swmant.

jiw.

swear
309

swearing

English Kwyl

swearing

swim

mo.

tattler

naj.

sweat

sw.

swindler

sweep

baly.

swing

sweet

ADJ

sweeten

dousi, soumach.

sweetheart
sweetness
swell

swirl

chwi, doudou.

swelling

bouwi.

swollen

dous.

anfl, boufi.

bblis.

V balans, pwan swing. N

swing. swing from branch to
branch bwanch.

dou.

ben lanm.

ADJ

anfl, boufi, bousol.

2

sword

sab .

syrup

siwo, filaylonm.

bousl.

Tt
table N tab. at table a tab. table
cloth tapi.
tableware
tag

vn.

tail

latj.

tailor
tails

zasyt.

visyz.

talan.

pal btiz, pal ennitil, pal kouyon,

pal maji, pal papicho, btiz, dpal.

talkative
ADJ

talon

ml, ttiy.

tar

ADJ

ADJ

ho.

bava.

ml, ttiy.

bak .

tanya

chou. wild tanya malanga.

goudon.

danma.

task

kv.
chichi.

N
V

goudonnen.

matoutou.

taro

taste

tanbouwen.

foul.

tassel

talk N pal1. talk back tst. talk

excessively bavad. talk nonsense

tall

tamp

tanmawen.

dosil, dous.

tarantula
listwa.

talebearer
talent

ADJ

tank

tiw.

tale

tame

tangled

take V pwan. take down dpann.

take in what a person is saying
bw. take note matj. take off

tambourine

tangle

tay.

do.

tamarind

gout.

gou.

tasteless

ADJ

wak.

tattered

ADJ

dfil2.

tattle
tattler

gwif.
310

oti1.
N

sous, visyz.

tavern

English Kwyl

tavern

kabaw.

tax

N lajan kay, taks. customs tax

ladwenn.

tea

dit. black tea dit chin.

teach

teacher

lsisyon.

team

tim.

tear1

lam2, dlo. tear drop lam dlo.

tear2

dchiw.

tease

f landji.

teasing

telescope

tlfn.

tlfn.

di3. tell on vti bay, oti1.

temperamental ADJ avous. be

temperamental ni vap, ni vous.
temple
tempt

tantasyon.

ten ADJ dis. ten oclock diz. ten

years dizan.
tent

tenth

vl1.

their

PRO

yo.

them

PRO

yo.

la. up there anl-a la.

ADV

thermos
these

s sala.

PRO

they

yo.

PRO

thick

flas.

p.

ADJ

vl.

tjwis.

d3.

thimble

thin

fin1, mg, mens.

ADJ

think

1) katjil. 2) ni lid.

tant.

third

ADJ

thirsty

dis.

terrible

ADJ

testify

theft

tiyta.

otjip, pans.

poulbwa.

sond.

testicle

bagay, chz.

theatre

termite
test

-a, -an, -la, -lan; li3.

thing

V
N

sa1.

pay. thatched-roof house

ART

thigh

tant.

PRO

kay pay.

thief

tanp.

temptation

tend

thatch

there
V

lonvi.

sala.

ADJ

then ADV la. CONJ 1) apw. 2) ben.

right then la menm.

landji.

telephone

that

the

titja.

teaching

tell

thank V wimsy. thank you msi.

thanks to gwanmsi.

enstwi, moutw, titj.

thorn

lgzanm.

tstify.

testimony

tmwenyaj.

ADJ

thirteen
thirty
this

ADJ

ADJ

ADJ

ty.

twz.

twant.

sala.

PRO

thong

katapl.

thorn

pikan.

311

swf.

si...sa.

gwenn.

N
V

twib.

twazyenm.

sa1. this or that

those

English Kwyl

those

s sala. those who s sa

PRO

ki.
dw3, magw.

CONJ

thought

katjil.

thousand
thrash

ADJ

tire

mil.

title

threaten

three ADJ twa. three oclock twaz.

three years twazan.
throat

throttle
through

PREP

pa2.

fout a t, fs.
N

gwiv.

thumb

gwo pous.
loway.

Thursday
thyme
tickle

maw, band.

tight

ADJ

jdi, jdi-a.

zty.
N

zonng.

pwvit.

tomato

tomb

tonm.

tanmadz.

makouchat.

ADV

denmen.

tongue

tonight

ADV

too

1) osi. 2) tw. too much

ADV

lanng.
sw-a.

zouti.

toolbox

sw2.

toot

koutja.

tabak.

ADV

twt, jis , sw .

menm di tan.

chapo djab, pawasl djab.

together ADV ansanm, anpagal, bita.

put together mout.

tool
4

time N 1) l2, tan1. 2) fwa1, kou2. on

time a l. at the same time an
timid

twp.

tig.

ADJ

tighten

tobacco

maw.

ADJ

tiger

toadstool

tomorrow

chatwiy, tjikilik.

pou1.
kwapo.

tomcat

Jdi.

diten.

tit.

toilet

thrush

las1.

ADJ

toenail

throw V voy, jt, flch. throw

away jt. throw down bay on so,

thunder

las2.

PREP

toe

bay gjt.

today

gj.

taya.

toad

mach anl.

to

mach piti.

tired

lapid.

tire1
2

thread N fil. V fil zdjwi. piece of

thread bwanch fil.

tied

pt, tin. large tin manmit.

tiptoe

though

tie

tin

torch

kn1.

tooth

top

topi.

torch
312

bwt zouti.

dan.

chal, flanbo.

torment

English Kwyl

torment
tortoise

torture

touch
tough

tmant.

treat

treatment

tmant.

tree

1) mastif. 2) sizonnen.

toward

PREP

towel

svyt.

tractor

trellis

tonnl.

tremble

asou.

twanbl, twanblad pwan.

trembler

trakta.

trembling

pasdwa.

boukant.

trespass

trade2

lta.

tribulation

tradition N twadisyon. keep

traditions of tjenb py.

trick

traditional

trickery

train

loko, twen, wagon.

trample

tranquil

ADJ

danm, foul, pilonnen.

dous, tjantjil.

transgression
transgressor
translate

trauma
travel

pch .

twansplant.

zatwap, pliyan, kabwiya.

trash

pch2.

dchifw.

transplant
trap

twadisyonnl.

traverse

trim

Trinidad
trip
trot

twt.

tread on

danm, foul.

treasure

j lajan.

treasurer

N
V

bbl.
N

bous.

founiti.

Trindad.

voyaj.

tripe

dol, tay.

trimmings

twip.

galop.

trouble

N twaka, chikann,
dzagwman, kankan, pas1. V
twoubl, twakas. look for trouble
ach twen.
ADJ twoubl, twakas,
kontway. be troubled otjip.

twavs.
ADJ

twibilasyon.

troubled

voyaj.

treacherous

triggerfish

bls.

twanblad.

V 1) kwennen. 2) pous plan.

vis3. supernatural trick js.

zdi, kochonni.
N

twanbl.

trade

ADJ

twtman.

py2, py bwa. fir tree py

onflen. other types of tree: awali,
kaka ml, latanny, savon nt, topi
tanbou.

sisptid.

ADJ

twt.

mlky.

ADJ

touch.

touchy

landji.

truck

twzy.

troublemaker
troublesome

ADJ

kankannz.
anbtan, anmwdan,

antt.

truce

mily.

truck

machin, trk.

313

true

English Kwyl

true

vw. Its true vw.

ADJ

truly

turnip

k py bwa.

trunk2

mal3.

trust

truth

try

sy, dbat, dbwiy.

twenty

kou3.

Madi.

mat.

tumult

roro.

tuna

ton. yellow fin tuna ti jn.

turkey

latjilbit.

turmeric

tjitjima.

jimo.

wanm.

kviy, td, tounen.

twisted
twitch

kodenn.

twin
twist

tumble

ADJ ven. twenty years

ventan. twenty-five cents yon
chlen d sou.

twine

touf.

pik lfan.

ADJ douz. twelve oclock

1) midi. 2) mennwit.

lavwit. in truth anvwit.

tti, agalo, kawt2, mlky.

twelve

konfy, api.

Tuesday
tuft

tusk

nav.

turtle

vwitabman, vwman,
wylman, anvwit.
ADV

trunk1

understanding

kviy, td.

ADJ
V

bwennen.

two ADJ d1. two oclock dz. two

years dzan.
type

kalit, st2.

turn V tounen. turn into tounen.

turn off tenn2. turn ones back
bay do. turn over livw.

Uu
udder

ugly

ADJ

ulcer

manml.

uncleanliness

ld. the ugly one lald.

uncover

umbilical cord
umbrella
unblock

N
V

unbutton
unchain
uncle

unclean

uncrowd

malenng.

lonbwi.

pawasl.

under

dboutonnen.

dchenn.

tonton.
ADJ

mal pwp.

mal pwpt.

dkouv.
dfoul.

undecided

d lid.

ADJ

PREP

anba1. and under an

dsandan.

dbaw.
V

undercurrent, undertow
underpants

kalson.

understand

konpwann.

understanding
314

vout.

lakopwann.

undress

English Kwyl

undress

dzabiy.

unexpectedly
unfair

ADV

vl wzon.

ADJ

unfortunately
ungrateful

ADV

ADJ

unhang

unite

manch.

engwa, mal onnt.

Anmwik.

unjust

ADJ

unlace

unlatch

vl wzon.

dtjatj.
anba2, kspt, tout

CONJ

tan...pa.

unload

unlock

unstick
untidy

dlakl.
annwv, chagwinen.

unroll

dfil2.
3

koul , olt.

dsl.

unsanitary
V

dzagwyab.

dvopl.

unsaddle
unseal

ADJ

ADJ
V

ADJ

dbouch.

unravelled
unripe

dml.

dbway.

ADJ

untie

until

PREP

dmaw.
jis1, jis l, jis tan.

untrained

ADJ

unwrap

dvopl.

upon

mal onnt.

djouk.

PREP
V

1) anl, asou. 2) an2.

dmat.

uproar

roro.

uproot

wach1.

upset

unpleasant
unplug

dkol.

untangle

V boulvs, sivotj. ADJ

1) boulvs. 2) malotj, fach,
kontway.

1) dbat, dchaj.
2) dbatj.

unnerve

dkoud.

upright

dlas.
V

unsew

unyoke

lilyon.

unless

mal chans.

dpann.

United States
unity

sibit.

vain

ADJ

mal pwp.

upstairs

ADV

upwind

ADV

urinate

urine

pisa.

us

PRO

anhogwiyen.
ovan.

pis, f bizwen, lach dlo.

nou.

use V svi. use makeup pentiw.

use the toilet al an pwvit. use
up, used up iz.
utterance
uvula

pawl.

lalwt.

dkacht.

Vv
vacation

vagabond

vakans.
N

vakabon.

vagina
vain
315

kkt.

ADV

anven.

valet

English Kwyl

valet

val2.

valley

fon1.

valuable
N

van

vann2.

village

vine

lyenn. unproductive vine

varnish

vegetable
veil

ldjim.

VIP

venn.

vendor

machann, wivandz.

venom

vlen.

verdant

ADJ

founi.

vermin

verse

vws.

vmin.

vest

ADV

vexed

ADJ

fach.

vyj1.

virgin

visa

viz2.

vision

visit

vizit, oti2.

vizyon.
dat2.

voice

N vwa. recognize a voice

pwan vwa.

volcano

volunteer
vomit

jily.

ving.

gwo pp, gwo tj, gwozm.

vitiligo

an chay, tou1, toubonnman,

pa d, joliman. very much
toubonnman, joliman.

very

violin N vylon, anba gj. violin

bow lach2.

venni.

vwl.

vein

vinegar

divs.

venni.

vilaj.

vl.

vanish fini anyen.

ADJ

laviktwa.

Vieux Fort Vy F.

val.

various

vis2.

victory
valowab.

ADJ

value
N

vice

wander

vote

vlkan.
V

volont.

vonmi.

vot.

vulture

kbo.

Ww
wager

wages

wagon
waist

pawi.

wake1

lapy.

wake

wagon.

walk V mach. walk by pas anl.

walk with mach pi.

wen.

waistcoat
wait

jily.

spw, atand1.

wall

lv. wake up lv.

lavy, ywit jou.

kwazon.

wander
316

dwiv, pwonmnen.

want

English Kwyl

want
war

weakness

vl, anvi.

wealth

ladj.

warm
warn

warning N avtisman. without

warning antwt.
warped

ADJ

warship

wart
was

wean

svw.

weapon

mannwa.

weary

wash

lav. wash up chw.

wasp

djp.

watch

V vy. watch out f

antansyon.

nat, tws.

wattle
wave

Wednesday

waver

wax

lasi.

way

pawsad.

f d lid.

WC
we

ADJ

pwvit.

PRO

nou.

weak

ADJ

fb.

Mkwdi.

skl.

week

simenn.

weep

plw.

weight

pz.

1) pwa2, plon. 2) api.

antw.

ADJ byen, krk, byen ptan.

byen, byenmsi.

well2

ADV

pi2.

well-mannered byen liv.

1) chimen, lawout. 2) atitid,

manny. on the way anwout.

wayward

weed

moulon.

lanm2.

ns2.

well

pawsad.

so.
N

tan2.

weave

welcome

watermelon

las2.

watercress
N

weather

weigh

kouson.

las1.

ADJ

water N dlo. V 1) koul1. 2) wouz.

water down mt dlo an bouch.
water fowl poul dlo.
N

fman.

wedding

waste V gaspiy, bobans. waste

time f klonng.

waterfall

w, byennw, ja fy,

V pt. wear down mal

mennen. wear out iz.

st.

ADJ

wear

td.

vwi.

byen.

ja wiv.

vti.

1) fbls. 2) dfo.

wealthy

chof dif.

what

vakabon.

well-matched
welt

west

ADJ

wet

ADJ

byen jwenn, tenk.

loup.
sly kouchan, sly kouch.

ADJ, V

mouy.

whale

balenn.

wharf

wf.

what ADJ ki, ki sa, ki sa ki. what

kind ki kalit.
317

wheel

English Kwyl

wheel

woul.

widow

whelk

bwigo.

width

when

ADV

ki tan, ki l.

whenever
where

wherever

kot.

wiles

CONJ

ki...ki.

which

ki, kils, kils ki.

whip

ml , py dous.
CONJ

ki.

yenyen2.

fwt , kavach, lyenn.

whisky

whisper

V chwichwi, soufl , di an
zwy, pal an zwy, pal chwichwi.
N chwichwi.

whistle

soufl1.

Whit Monday
white
who

whoever

souflt.

Lapankt.

blanchi, lablanni.

PRO

blan. white person btj.

ADJ

whiten

ki moun ki, kils ki, sa ki.

PRO

sa ki, s sa ki.

whole

ADJ

whom

PRO

ki moun.

whose

ADJ

sa ki, sa ki moun.

why
wick

ADV
N

anty.

wicked ADJ mchan, modi , slwa.

wicked person bouwo.

fennen.

win

ganyen, bat.

van.

1) wimen. 2) bay chenn.

windmill

moulavan.

N
N

windpipe

fint.
N

gwo zy.

windward ADV ovan. windward

side ovan.
wine

diven.

wing

zl.

wink

f zy dou.

winnow

vann.

winter

wire

waya.

fwdi.

lasajs. wisdom tooth

wise

ADJ

wish

savan.

1) swt. 2) avoudw.

witch jan gaj, vy lam.

2

wicket

dan sajs.

mch.

wilt

wisdom

pouki, ki manny ki f.

wickedness

divwa, volont.

window

wiski.

lspwi.

wind2

mawon, sovay, fawouch.

will

wind

padan.

lol.

ADJ

whine

madanm.

wiggle

whetstone

CONJ

gwand, laj.

wild

whether...or

while

wife

vv.

ki kot, ki b.
ADV

ADJ

l2, kon.

dpi.

CONJ

ADV

CONJ

withdraw

slwat.

witchcraft
with

PREP

withdraw

pitjt.
318

zb2, gaj.

pi, vk.
V

witjil, hal k.

wither

English Kwyl

wither

worship

fennen.

withered

yam
V

adow.

ADJ

pk.

worth

ADJ

vo.

without

PREP

san3.

worthless

ADJ

witness

tmwen.

wound

woman

fanm, madanm, manmzl.

wrap

womanish

ADJ

womanise

womaniser
womb

wonder

wool

pakouwi.

wreck

dja.

wrestle

ADJ

bwa . wood ant poulbwa.

wriggle

lol.

mizwab.

td.

pli1.

wrinkled

ADJ

wrinkle

lafow, gwan bwa.

bls.

lit, kouv a t-a.

wretched
wring

bl.

woods

waj.

szisman.

wonderful
wood

pakouw.

vopl.

wrath

matwis.

bobo.

fanm.

anyenditou.

ADJ

chifonnen.

gwiji, plis.

lenn .

wrist

ponyt.

mo pawl.

write

kwi, matj.

word

work

V, N

worker

twavay.

writer

twavay, labouw.

writing N kwiti. indecipherable

writing pat mouch.

world

lat.

worm

v3.

wrong

ADJ

kwiven.

ADJ

ni t. prove wrong

dmanti.

worn, worn out

worried

ADJ

iz.

wrongdoing

pasdwa.

annwv.

worry

V annwv, chagwinen, ml,

otjip, twakas.

Xx
x-ray

kstr.

Yy
yacht

chaloup.

yam
319

yanm. white yam yanm blan.

yard

English Kwyl

yellow yam yanm a tou tan. wild

yam bandja.
yard
yawn
year

yearn
yeast
yell

jouk.

yolk

jn z.

anvi.

you

PRO

llven, yis.

young

lann, an .
V

ADJ

jn. yellow warbler

ADV

your
youth

wi1.

Zz
zealous

ADJ

jouk.

1) ou, w. 2) zt.

ADJ

jenn, piti. young person

PRO

1) ou. 2) zt.

N jenns. fountain of youth

dlo ajenni.

tjiktjik.

yes

jenns.

andjl, hl, kwiy.

yellow

toujou. yet still wannman.

ADV

yoke

bay.

yesterday ADV y. day before

yesterday avanzy.
yet

lakou.

zealous

zl.

320

Appendix
K-a ........................... p. 322
Sent Lisi ..................... p. 323
S Limowo-a ............. p. 324
Ki L I Y? ................ p. 325

321

K-a
fon

chiv

fidji

sousi zy

tt

zy

zwy

n
dan
lanng

bouch
lv

zpl

kou
gj

maton

lstomak

koudbwa

bwa
bouden

ponyt

lanmen

dwt
zonng

gwo
pous

wen

janm

jounou
talon

chivi

do
zty

fs

py
322

Sent Lisi
Gwozil

Lanm-a
Kastwi

Babonno

Lanslaw

Bson

Kannawi

Dennwi

Soufwiy
Mikou

Piti Piton
Gwo Piton

Lanm-a

Chwazy
Labowi

Vy F
323

S Limowo-a
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

yonn
d
twa
kat
senk
sis
st
ywit
nf
dis
wonz
douz
twz
katz
kenz
sz
dist
dizwit
diznf
ven
ventenyen
vennd
venntwa
vennkat
vennsenk
vennsis
vennst
ventwit
ventnf
twant

31
32
40
41
42
50
51
52
60
61
62
70
71
72
80
81
82
90
91
92
100
101
102
1000
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
324

twantenyen
twant d
kawant
kawantenyen
kawant d
senkant
senkantenyen
senkant d
swasant
swasantenyen
swasant d
swasant dis
swasant wonz
swasant douz
katwiven
katwiven yonn
katwiven d
katwiven dis
katwiven wonz
katwiven douz
san
santenyen
san d
mil
pwmy
dzyenm
twazyenm
katyenm
senkyenm

Ki L I Y?

mennwit

yonn

dz

twaz

katw

senk

siz

st

ywit

nv

diz

wonz

midi

yon ka
apw yonn

yonn dimi

yon ka
pou dz

325