Language/Haitian/Vocabulary/Time-Expressions
As a Haitian language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I am excited to teach you how to tell time in Haitian and use time-related expressions. This lesson is part of the "Complete 0 to A1 Haitian Course". By the end of this lesson, you will confidently use time expressions in Haitian and understand how to tell time.
Time Expressions
In Haitian, time is important, and it's expressed in various ways. Here are a few essential time expressions and how to use them:
- Kijan lè a ye? - What time is it?
- Lè a - Now
- Maten an - In the morning
- Apremidi a - In the afternoon
- Sware a - In the evening
- Anvan midi - Before noon
- Apre midi - Afternoon
- Disè a - Ten o'clock
- Minwi - Midnight
- Katrèz e kèk minit - Quarter past three
- Disè a et kèk minit - Ten past/beyond
- Disè e ven minit - Twenty to
- De minit avan disè - Two minutes to ten
Note: Haitians often use the 24-hour clock format. When using the 12-hour clock format, the expressions "AM" and "PM" are rarely used.
Telling Time
As previously mentioned, Haitian uses the 24-hour clock format, although the 12-hour format can also be used.
To tell time in Haitian, you typically state the hour followed by "è" (o'clock) and then specify the number of minutes past the hour. For example, the time 3:15 would be expressed as "Twa è kenz minit."
Here is a table to help you understand how to tell time in Haitian:
| Haitian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Twa è | twee e | Three o'clock |
| Twa è kenz minit | twee e kenz min-it | Quarter past three |
| Twa è ven minit | twee e ven min-it | Twenty to four |
Haitians also indicate "morning", "afternoon", or "evening" after the hour, depending on the time of day.
For example, "one o'clock in the morning" is "Uno lè nan maten an", "two o'clock in the afternoon" is "Deu lè nan apremidi a", and "eight o'clock in the evening" is "Wit lè nan sware a".
Using Time Expressions in Sentences
Now that you understand how to tell time in Haitian, let's take a look at how to use these expressions in sentences.
Examples:
- Mwen mèt lève elatwa nan maten an. - I wake up at eight in the morning.
- Li pral al travay ape midi a. - He will go to work at noon.
- Li manje dinè li nan sis è paske li mèt lève byen bonè. - He eats his dinner at six because he wakes up early.
- Eske sevenizè è trant pase? - Is it twenty-thirty (7:30)?
Conclusion
In this lesson, I introduced you to important time expressions in Haitian and taught you how to tell time in Haitian. Practicing using these expressions in conversations with native speakers is crucial to help you become comfortable and confident in using them. Don't forget to review previous lessons and check out the next lessons on cardinal and ordinal numbers in Haitian.