SPEAK HAITIAN CREOLE FLUENTLY: 12 WAYS TO MAINTAIN YOUR LANGUAGE SKILLS (+40 LINKS INCLUDED)

We have all heard at least once in our life the expression "practice makes perfect ", because practice is the most effective method to master a subject, a sport or even a skill. It becomes necessary when one wants to learn a foreign language, such as Haitian Creole. Indeed, it is easy to lose a language when you are not around it and practicing it on a daily basis. This is why Centre Toussaint wants to provide you with techniques that will help you maintain a close connection with this language and speak it fluently. We're talking about dictionaries, websites, radio shows, and more!

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Here are the tips we recommend:

1. CONSULT DICTIONARIES.

Diksyonè Kreyòl Vilsen, 3yem edisyon, 2009: https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00010738/00001/1j
Dictionnaire Haïtien-Français – Prophète Joseph, 2012: https://www.leslibraires.ca/livres/dictionnaire-haitien-francais-francais-haitien-prophete-joseph-9782980659270.html
Dictionnaire Anglais-Créole haïtien, 2005: https://books.google.ca/books?id=rXWccuVj6igC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
Diksyonè Angle Kreyòl (English-Kreyòl Dictionary) by Vilsaint and Fequiere, 1991: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED401713.pdf
J’apprends le créole haïtien by Robert Damoiseau and Gesner Jean-Paul: https://www.amazon.ca/Japprends-Creole-Haitien-Damoiseau/dp/2845863012/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=J%27apprends+le+creole+haitien+DAMOISEAU+R.+%26+GESNER+J.-P.&qid=1599415390&sr=8-1
Dictionnaire créole haïtien Lexilogos: https://www.lexilogos.com/creole_haitien_dictionnaire.htm
Haïti-Référence, le guide référence d’Haïti : https://www.haiti-reference.com/pages/creole/diction/index.php
English-Haitian Creole Dictionary Creole Link: https://creolelink.com/

2. CONSULT GRAMMAR AND GLOSSARY BOOKS.

Éléments de grammaire comparée Français-Créole-haïtien by Robert Damoiseau (digital book): https://www.renaud-bray.com/Livre_Numerique_Produit.aspx?id=1616714&def=El%c3%a9ments+de+grammaire+compar%c3%a9e+fran%c3%a7ais-Cr%c3%a9ole+ha%c3%aftien%2cDAMOISEAU+%2c+ROBERT%2c9782844506955
Petit lexique du créole haïtien, 2e édition by Emmanuel W. Védrine : http://www.potomitan.info/vedrine/lexique.pdf
Leksik kreyòl: ekzanp devlopman kèk mo ak fraz a pati 1986 by Emmanuel W. Védrine, ete 2000 : http://www.potomitan.info/vedrine/leksik.pdf

3. DISCOVER BOOKS, NOVELS AND SHORTS.

Dyaspora Lakay, Carmel-Antoine Bessard, Montréal 2017-2020: https://www.facebook.com/Dyaspora-Lakay-109151870884233/
Lanmou se flè sezon: ak lòt koze: https://www.amazon.com/Lanmou-fl%C3%A8-sezon-lot-koze/dp/9997049225?#detailBullets_feature_div
Tezen : you kont ayisyen. Elodie and Mimi Barthélemy: https://www.amazon.fr/T%C3%A9zin-Conte-tradition-h%C3%A4itienne-ayisyen/dp/2738435807/
L’histoire d’Haïti racontée aux enfants (French and Haitian creole) Mimi Barthélemy: https://www.amazon.fr/Lhistoire-dHa%C3%AFti-racont%C3%A9e-aux-enfants/dp/2923713028/
Cric? Crac!: Fables de La Fontaine. Georges Sylvain: https://www.amazon.fr/Fontaine-Racontees-Montagnard-Haitien-Transcrites/dp/2296544851/
Mwen damou pou Vava, Dany Laferrière: https://www.amazon.fr/Softvocer-Haitian-CreoleEdition-Laferri%C3%83%C2%A8re-2014-06-17/dp/B01A0CSL7Q/
Je suis petite, moi ? Eske mwen piti? Philipp Winterberg: https://www.amazon.fr/suis-petite-Eske-mwen-piti/dp/1495995275/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=creole+haitien&qid=1599626779&s=books&sr=1-4
Egbert rougit. Egbert vin tou wouj. Philipp Winterberg: https://www.amazon.fr/Egbert-rougit-vin-wouj-fran%C3%A7ais-cr%C3%A9ole/dp/B08GLR2HRM/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=creole+haitien&qid=1599626779&s=books&sr=1-12
Manman Tanbou : https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1012806704/manman-tanbou
Tant Ririn : www.etsy.com/ca/listing/980149806/tant-ririn
Lòt liv Edisyon 2 Kreyòl Yo : https://www.etsy.com/shop/Edisyon2KreyolYo

4. WATCH MOVIES, COMICS OR SHORT FILMS.

Zenglen rèv: Atis pent nan Nò peyi Dayiti : http://www.bukante.net/fr/zenglen.htm
Gason Makoklen #1 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEt-Q4snXAc
Move Zanmi : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2CJtqlmNP4
Tonton Dezirab – Bri Sapat #1 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56TfD2BDMns
Carline Haitian Animation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8agvUS_fJU
Lakou Kajou: https://lakoukajou.ht/2018/03/07/epizod-5-dlo/
La vengeance d’Emila, episode 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NBNtGi79yk

5. LISTEN TO MUSIC.

6. LISTEN TO THE RADIO.

Alter Radio: https://www.alterradio.org/ (Click on the red link at the top left. The schedule is displayed further down the page)
Radio Caraibes FM: https://radio.ht/caraibes-fm/
Radio LeveKanpe : https://radio.ht/levekanpe/

7. HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF AUDIOBOOKS AND PODCASTS?

Ekonomi an Kreyol by Frantz Vilsenat: https://open.spotify.com/show/2TVv4gjJpLcIcYKodD0Z6G?si=fbnPpfSQRzWLAagsmv5KIg
Koze Kilti by RFI : https://open.spotify.com/show/66NWYaEIFFWrIPmwZ6TRHh?si=bNS4mFzwR5qkx1KA6mIr_w
Metye Vokasyon ak Travay by Ara Vanessa Sonia Casseus: https://open.spotify.com/show/6GGfZacQfJP5PqRkfbfc4p?si=X4zeZts6QYWrK5SpxAwzyg
Podcast Pam: https://open.spotify.com/show/5b4OBa7RxIyzDtr6ycHyBx
Plezi moune fou : https://soundcloud.com/edisyon-kreyol-yo/plezi-moun-fou
Madan Jules : https://soundcloud.com/edisyon-kreyol-yo/madan-jules
Pale moun nan Nò : https://soundcloud.com/edisyon-kreyol-yo/pale-moun-nan-no

8. READ NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES AND OTHER WRITTEN PUBLICATIONS.

Alter Presse : www.alterpresse.org (Click on the Haitian flag to change the language)
Kreyòl Enfo : www.kreyolenfo.com
VOA Nouvel : www.voanouvel.com

9. USE YOUTUBE.

Centre Toussaint : https://tinyurl.com/youtube-centretoussaint
Pi Lwen Ke Zye : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa-b7TL4lyximdGc6leMSRA
Gaby ShowHT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHwuhDy4-sxswNwEi9sDlVA
Tonton Bicha : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAo_dycWCeQlsWKZzvHBAHQ

10. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES.

Centre Toussaint:
- Website: centretoussaint.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/centretoussaint
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/centretoussaint
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/centretoussaint
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/centretoussaint
Zoukoutap : https://www.instagram.com/zoukoutapht/
Lakou Kajou: https://www.instagram.com/lakoukajou/

11. CONSULT WEBSITES.

Quelques plantes créoles et leurs noms en latin, Emmanuel W. Védrine, 2003 : http://www.potomitan.info/vedrine/kek_plant.php
Haitian Creole for Health Care Kreyòl Ayisyen pou Swen Sante by Marc Prou & Mel Schorin, 2007 : https://web.archive.org/web/20120417085803/http://www.educavision.com:80/downloads/haitiancreoleforhealthcare.pdf

12. COME AND LAUGH WITH THESE COMEDIANS.

Marie-Claude Bebi by Steven Baboun: https://www.instagram.com/marie.claude.bebi/?hl=en&fbclid=IwAR14TsqGAU1shbRJpSz53UxHswH_wm3M9LpyGZpOuELgK3hT8U1-Sa8-gas
Funny Joke by Tonton Bicha: http://www.haitifriends.org/friends-blog/2014/12/18/funny-friday-blague-comique-tonton-bicha?fbclid=IwAR0dzFDXpYWwDaPJJ5SCQZ_oWtUrU6Pu4FK9H6TnuqAp7c3aA0JojZ0r0PM

In conclusion

We hope you enjoy these different methods and direct links that will help you become fluent in Haitian Creole. We have tried to vary the sources used so that you choose the ones that best suit your lifestyle. Do not hesitate to register to our Haitian Creole classes in order to deepen your knowledge. These classes are theoretical, practical and conversational. Do not forget that it is repetition that allows improvement...

We want to hear from you! Do you know of any other good tools that should be added to the list? Comment them out!

Authors: Latisha Dias-Senat & Sly Toussaint