Dictionary of Louisiana Creole

The contents of this website remain the intellectual property of the following authors: Albert Valdman, Thomas A. Klingler, Margaret M. Marshall, Kevin J. Rottet

• Warning: There has been no censoring of the data, including offensive language or racial slurs.
• Orthography: Entries use the modern Kouri-Vini Orthography; however, the examples retain their original orthography based on Haitian Creole from the book. There are also several examples written in a French Orthography; these have also been left as is in the book. Additionally, the acute (à) and circumflex (â) when used for stress, preterit, or disambiguation, have not been included separately (i.e., aren't used).
• There are several variants for certain sounds that have not been included in the variants for entries. Please use the variants in quotations in place of the others when searching for words with the following sounds:
  • use "s" for /s/ ← s, ç
  • use "è" for /æ/ ← æ, è
  • use "i" for /ɪ/ ← ì, i
  • use "an" for /ã/ ← an, am, en, em
  • use "on" for /ɔ̃/ ← on, om
  • use "in" for /ɛ̃/ ← in, im
• Parts of Speech abbreviation correspondences:
  • adj. = Adjective
  • adv. = Adverb
  • adv.phr. = Adverbial Phrase
  • art.def. = Definite Article
  • art.indef. = Indefinite Article
  • conj. = Conjunction
  • dem. = Demonstrative
  • det. = Determiner
  • det.poss. = Possessive Determiner
  • f. = Feminine
  • int. = Interjection
  • interr.phr. = Interrogative Phrase
  • m. = Masculine
  • n. = Noun
  • n.phr. = Noun Phrase
  • num.card. = Cardinal Number
  • num.ord. = Ordinal Number
  • onom. = Onomatopoeia
  • pl. = Plural
  • place n. = Place Name
  • prep. = Preposition
  • pron. = Pronoun
  • pron.indef. = Indefinite Pronoun
  • pron.refl. = Reflexive Pronoun
  • pron.rel. = Relative Pronoun
  • prop.n. = Proper Noun
  • ptcl. = Preverbal Particle
  • sg. = Singular
  • v. = Verb
  • v.aux. = Auxiliary Verb
  • v.cop. = Copular Verb
  • v.intr. = Intransitive Verb
  • v.mod. = Modal Verb
  • v.phr. = Verb Phrase
  • v.refl. = Reflexive Verb
  • v.tr. = Transitive Verb
• Sources abbreviation correspondences (post-1960):
  • gen = (BT + CA + NE + PC + ST)
  • AN = Ancelet 1994
  • BT = Bayou Teche, field data
  • CA = Côte des Allemands, field data
  • DC = Clifton 1980
  • DT 77 = Tentchoff 1977
  • GY = Guidry, Richard
  • HW = Hebert Wiltz
  • MO 60 = Morgan 1960
  • MO 69 = Morgan 1969
  • MO 72 = Morgan 1972
  • NE = Neumann 1985
  • PC = Pointe Coupee, field data
  • ST = Saint Tammany, field data
  Sources abbreviation correspondences (pre-1960):
  • BD = Broussard 1942
  • BI = Bienvenu 1933
  • BO = Bourgeois 1927
  • DU = Durand 1930
  • FO T# = Fortier 1895
  • FO 1887 = Fortier 1887
  • GC1 = Cable 1886a
  • GC2 = Cable 1886b
  • JR = Jarreau 1931
  • KB = Krehbiel 1962
  • LA = Lavergne 1930
  • ME = Mercier 1881
  • ME 90 = Mercier 1890
  • ME 91 = Mercier 1891
  • PE = Perret 1933
  • T# = Neumann 1987 Text # (T12–T17 are satirized Creole, use with caution)
  • TM = Marie Augustin
  • TN = Tinker 1935
  • TP = Trappey 1916
  • WO = Marguerite Wogan

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5139 entries found

• profon No sources ( adj. )
  1. Deep; profond.
     ♦ Heureusement pou li ça té pas profond enbas lamaison. Lucky for him it wasn’t very deep under the house. (T40) See examples
• profondèr NE ( n. ) profondé PC
  1. Depth; profondeur.
     Mo vini ondon dolo apepre sèz o ven pye de profondèr. I got into the water at a depth of about sixteen or twenty feet. (NE) See examples
• profèsyon No sources ( n. )
  1. Profession; profession.
     Li etidye ase pou gen en profèsyon. He studied enough to have a profession. (CA) ♦»A ben!» li di a so manman. «Mo fini apran mo lo-d-grosès. « «Sa ki to profesjon ? so manman mannde li. «Well!» he told his mother. «I have finished learning my trade.» «What is your profession?» his mother asked him. (JR) See examples
• profésè PC ( n. ) profèsè PC profèsèr CA
  1. Teacher, professor; instituteur, professeur.
     Bildin-sa-la te gen en plas pou profèsè-la pou rète la. The building had an apartment for the professor to live in. (PC) See examples
• projé No sources ( n. )
  1. Project, plan; plan, projet.
     Mais Cocodrie, li gain ein bonne chance. Et comme ça so projet l'avance. But Alligator, he was lucky, and so his project made progress. (DC) ♦ Pas dit nous projet aucun milate, yé pas l'ainmain nous l'égalité. Don’t tell our plans to any mulatto, they don’t like our equality. (T33) See examples
• promi CA ( n. )
  1. Fiancé; fiancé.
     M ap ale marye. Se mo promi e li sra mo mari dan jen. I'm going to get married. He’s my fiancé and he’ll be my husband in June. (CA) See examples
• promi PC ( adj. )
  1. Engaged; fiancé.
     Angaje se promt Engaged to be married is [promi]. (PC) See examples
• promès CA ( n. )
  1. Promise; promesse.
     Kan li marye, li fe en promès pou rèste ansanm juska lamòr. When he married, he made a promise to stay together until death. (CA) ♦ Ça fait, ouaouaron parti haler desrats-la et li minnin li dans fond dolo-la, apré tou ‘ promesses-yé li té fait li. So the frog went to drag all of the rats and lead them into deep water, after all of the promises he had made them. (BD) See examples
• promété No sources ( v.tr. ) promèt CA promi ST
  1. To promise; promettre.
     Li promèt pou èt avek man tou le jour de lavi. He promised to be with me all the days of my life. (CA) ♦ Mais faut to promené moin to va fai tou ça mo va di toi. But you have to promise me that you will do everything I tell you. (T30) See examples
• propozisyòné No sources ( v.tr. )
  1. To propose; proposer.
     ♦ Li di: Michié Willy son propozicionné ein bile pou nouârci tou blan dan Sid ki s’rai gaigné bon santiman radiko. He said, ‘Mr. Willyson proposed a bill to turn all of the Southern whites black who have good radical sentiments.’ (T17) See examples
• propozé No sources ( v. )
  1. To suggest, propose; suggérer, proposer.
     ♦ Mo proposé pou boi ein filé la santé 4 Jiyet. I proposed a drink to the health of the Fourth of July. (T13) See examples
• proshin CA, PC ( adj. )
  1. Next; prochain.
     Li gen komanse lekòl lennen prochen. She’ll start school next year. (PC) ♦ So Majesté Roi Carnaval apé rivé Mardi prochain. His Majesty King Carnaval is arriving next Tuesday. (T33) See examples
• proshé BT, CA ( v. ) pròsh PC
  1. To approach; s’approcher (de).
     La to pe proche di li dròl ora li pour senye li dan so gargoton. Then you can come right up next to him to bleed him from the throat. (BT) ♦ Tan li proché la mison, li ouâ vié Madamme assitte divan so la porte. When he approached the house, he saw the old lady seated in front of her door. (T6) See examples
• prosé CA, MO 60 ( n. ) pròsè MO 60
  1. Trial; procès.
     Mo i souasant-si pròsè. I have had sixty-six trials. (MO 60); Enave en prose avèk en juri e moun-la di sete li ki te fe krim-la. There was a trial with a jury and people said it was he who did the crime. (CA) ♦ Si mo parlé avec li bien, pététe mo gagnin la chance gagnin mo procès. If I speak well with him I stand a chance of winning my trial. (FO T3) •ron prose v.phr. To have a trial; tenir un procès, cf. rann See examples
• prosédé No sources ( n. )
  1. Procedure; procédé, procédure.
     ♦ Ce in procédé ça? Is that any way to act? (T34) See examples
• prosédé CA ( v.intr. )
  1. To proceed; procéder.
     Ye pa fini jodi. Ye gen pou prosede pli tar. They didn’t finish today. They have to proceed later. (CA) See examples
• protèksyon No sources ( n. )
  1. Protection; protection.
     ♦ E pi si yé trapé moin ma toujou trouvé protection fie lé roi. Besides, if they do catch me, I shall always have the daughter of the king to protect me. (FO 1887) See examples
• protèstan CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Protestant; protestant.
     Mè to vye popa te en protèstan. But your grandfather was a Protestant. (PC) See examples
• protéjé CA, PC, ST ( v.tr. ) pròtèjé PC
  1. To protect; protéger.
     Sa a proteje to lamezon. That’ll protect your house. (PC); Alòs mo pran mo parasol pou marche, pou proteje man de soley-la. So I take my parasol to walk, to protect me from the sun. (CA) ♦ Tant ta comporté bien ma va protégé toi. As long as you behave well I will protect you. (FO T15) See examples
  2. To defend; défendre.
     Li tou tan proteje so famiy. He always defends his family. (PC) See examples
• prouvé CA ( v.tr. )
  1. To prove; prouver.
     ♦ Si mo pas prouvé vous tout ça mo dit vous c 'est la vérité, alors va renvoyé moin. If I don’t prove that all that I told you is the truth, then you will fire me. (FO T2) See examples
  2. To distinguish,, notice, discern; remarquer, distinguer.
     Ena ki di en mòyèr me man mo pa kapab prouve diferans. There are people who say it’s one way but I can’t tell the difference. (CA) See examples
• provizyon No sources ( n. )
  1. Supplies; provisions.
     ♦Avé l'argent là li acheté in charrette et pis trois milets et in gros tas provisions. With the money he bought a cart, three mules, and a lot of supplies. (T9) See examples
• prunyé PC ( n. ) prumyin PC pruñin PC pruyin PC priyin PC
  1. Plum tree; prunier.
     E i gen trwa pye prunye on edlenn-la laba-la. And he had three plum trees on the headland down there. (PC) ♦ Si lagrêle tombé, adjé prinier, adjé pêché! If hail falls, goodbye plum trees, goodbye peach trees! (T27) See examples
• prèmyèrman MO 60 ( adv. )
  1. At first; au début.
• prèmyé CA, MO 60 ( num.ord., pron., adv. ) prinmyinr PC prèmyè PC prœmyè PC primyè PC prèmyè MO 60 prémyé NE
  1. First; premier.
     Se premye jwa mo ton en mile koze! That’s the first time I’ve heard a mule speak! (NE); Kan se prèmye avri e mo di twa kèken ap pele twa me mo manti. Mo jwe en fars. When it’s April first and I tell you someone’s calling you but I lied. I played a trick. (CA) ♦ Compair Lapin parti couri encore et li resté plis longtemps qué premier fois. Brer Rabbit took off running again and he stayed longer than the first time. (FO T13)The first; le premier. Prenmyè-la vole li, li ich pran. The first one robbed him, he just took everything. (PC); Don prèmiyèr avri. On April first. (PC)At first; au début. Aben li vyen don sa-a prèmyen. Aben li bwi li la ouska en sèten degre. It comes into this machine first, and that boils it until it reaches a certain temperature. (PC); Kan mo prèmyè kou lekòl. When I started school. (PC) ♦ En primié té fé noua... épi mo ouar comme si yé té guignin ein la chandelle qui tapé clairé. At first it was very dark, and then I saw something as if there were a candle that was shining. (TM) See examples
• prèsk CA ( adv. ) préshké PC prèski PC prèské NE pròshké NE prèskè MO 60
  1. Almost; presque.
     Tann ichka to prechke pare, pou TURN to gòmbo OFF anvon to met to chevret anndan. Wait until you’re almost ready to turn off the fire under your gumbo before adding your shrimp. (PC); Mo t ape nètwaye mo lamezon. Mo prèsk fini. I was cleaning my house. I’m almost finished. (CA) ♦ Mo quitté li presse en pleurant pasqué resté té fait moin triste. I left him almost crying, because to stay would have made me sad. (T37) See examples
• prèsyon CA ( n. ) prèshyon BT
  1. Pressure; pression.
     Kan ti tir, laprèchyon de èksplozyon dan lakartouch, li frap leu MAGAZINE, e li tir lakartouch deyòr. When you shoot, the pressure of the explosion in the cartridge comes out, and it hits the magazine and shoots the cartridge out. (BT); Li ape mèt prèsyon desi man pou mo vann li mo lamezon. He’s putting pressure on me to sell him my house. (CA) See examples
• prèsé CA ( adj. )
  1. In a hurry; pressé.
     Mo prèse. Mo pa gen tan pou parle. I’m in a hurry. I haven’t got time to talk. (CA) ♦ Ma té si pressé pou sorti qué mo fou latable par terre. I was in such a hurry to leave that I knocked the table over. (T39); Sa te sanm ke li te plen prese pou chèche pip-sa-la. He seemed like he was in a real hurry to search for that pipe. (JR) See examples
• prèsé No sources ( v.tr., v.intr. )
  1. To press, squeeze; presser.
     Ye prèse li d enn bal. They press it into a ball. (PC); Mo prèse juju FROM joranj-la. I squeezed the juice from the orange. (PC) ♦ La prese fey ye si plas la ki fe mal. Then press the leaves onto the place that hurts. (BI)To press on; appuyer sur. Li prese an bouton-la. She pressed the button. (PC) See examples
• prèt No sources ( adj. )
  1. Ready; prêt.
     ♦ Dmain té djà tout prête dans plat qui té tout plate. The dinner was already ready in the flat plate. (T20) See examples
• prèt BT, CA, PC, ST ( n. ) prêt PC, NE
  1. Priest; prêtre.
     E la le prèt toujour pardon twa. And the priest always forgives you. (NE); Prèt-la béni fòs dan simtyèr pou la Tousen. The priest blessed the graves in the cemetery for All Saints’ Day. (CA) ♦ Sir la table té ein pot dol’eau. qui tombé en haut mo la tête. Li brisé en mille morceaux et baptisé moin mié qué prête. On the table there was a pitcher of water which fell on my head. It broke in a thousand pieces and baptised me better than a priest. (T39) See examples
  2. Priesthood; prêtrise. • kouri dan pret
     v.phr. (PC). To go into the priesthood; devenir prêtre. Ye gen plen boug ki kouri dan pret. There are a lot of people who go into the priesthood. (PC) See examples
• prèté CA, PC ( v.tr. ) prèt CA prèt PC prètè PC prété CA, NE, PC
  1. To loan; prêter.
     Mo prête larjan-la li, e li dòn mwen li bèk. I loaned her the money, and she gave it back to me. (PC) ♦ Compair Bouki, mo blié porté dézef mo vié moman. To té doi ben prêté mouen ein douzène. Brer Bouki, I forgot to carry eggs to my old Mama. You should have loaned me a dozen. (T4) See examples
  2. To borrow; emprunter.
     Moun ki dan lavwazinaj, y ole prète zouti de fwa. The people in the neighborhood, sometimes they want to borrow tools. (PC); Mo prète larjan e mo gen p peye lentère. I borrowed money and I have to pay interest. (CA) ♦ M’a peye manman sen san pyas mo te prete avek li la. I will pay Mama the five hundred dollars I borrowed from her. (JR) See examples
• prèzum PC ( v. ) présim PC
  1. To suppose, think; supposer, penser.
     Ye prèzum sète a plèn ki te è SPRAY ki te fe sa. They think it was an airplane spraying [insecticides] that caused that. (PC) See examples
• pré CA, NE, PC ( adv., prep. ) prè MO 60
  1. Near, close; près.
     To va glimse chèvrey-la e marche en ti peu pli pre me li va pa galope. Li va rèste trankin. You shine your light on the deer and walk a little closer. It won’t run off but will remain still. (CA) •o pre adv. Nearby, close by; près. Li t ale pli o larj ke o pre. He went farther out (rather) than close by. (CA)1. Near, close to; près de. Sila k arive primye, mo plu pre laling, se sila k a tire leu primye. The one who arrives first, who is closest to the line, that’s the one who will get to shoot next. (BT) ♦ Alors blancs, yé prans ein canon et marré Zo près so ladjole, yé limé li avec charbon, et Barber té fini so role. So the whites took a cannon and tied Zo to it near its mouth, they lit it with coal, and Barber finished his role. (T38) 2. About, nearly, almost, approximately; presque. Ena pre diz an li mouri. She has been dead about ten years. (PC) See examples
• préféré NE ( v.tr. ) préfèr CA
  1. To prefer; préférer.
     L enkèt pa tro so paran kote so pèr. Li prefèr so paran kote so mèr. He doesn’t care much for his relatives on his father’s side. He prefers his relatives on his mother’s side. (CA) ♦ Mo préféré gagnin zajfair avec blancs. I prefer to conduct business with white people. (T35) See examples
• préjujé No sources ( n. )
  1. Prejudice; préjugé.
     ♦ To di qué préjugé mouri, qué l'égalité remplacé li! Faut to bien bête pour croi ça! You say that prejudice is dead, and that equality has replaced it! You have to be really stupid to believe that! (T35) See examples
• prékosyon CA ( n. )
  1. Precaution; précaution.
     Li pran prekosyon avek tou sa li fe. He takes precaution with everything he does. (CA) ♦ Li té pran si ben so précaution ké la gard yé té metté tou lé soir au ras pi té jamin oua arien. He took such good precautions that the guard, which they put every evening near the well, saw nothing. (FO 1887) See examples
• préparasyon MO 60 ( n. )
  1. Preparation; preparation.
• préparé gen ( v.intr. ) prèparé PC péparé PC pléparé DT
  1. To prepare, get ready; préparer.
     Egliz-la gen en BAZAAR dan mwa ki e vyen astè-la. E nou gen prèpare pou tou kichoj konm sa. The church is having a bazaar next month, and we have to get everything ready. (PC) ♦ Konm fiy-la te ben joli, tou jennonm-ye prepare pou kouri bal. Since all the girls were very pretty, all the young men were getting ready to go to the dance. (JR) •vyen pare v.phr. (PC). To get ready; se préparer. Ye vyen pare. They get ready. (PC) See examples
• préshé CA ( v.intr. ) prèsh CA
  1. To preach; prêcher.
     Prèt-la fe en bon sèrmon. Li prèch byen. The priest gave a good sermon. He preaches well. (CA) ♦ Antouène, si nous pas bien veillé, milates va mené nous en dedans; pour nous yé di ya pé prêché. Antoine, if we are not careful the mulattoes will trick us. For us, they say they will preach. (T35) See examples
• préskripsyon ST ( n. ) préskripsyan PC préskrisyon CA
  1. Prescription; ordonnance.
     Mo bezonn medikaman. Fòrmasyen-la te p ole don man sa san preskrisyon . Mo gen pou wa doktèr. I need medecine. The pharmacist didn’t want to give it to me without a prescription. I have to see a doctor. (CA); Mo gen pour ranpli mo preskripsyon a lapotikèr. I have to fill my prescription at the druggist’s. (ST) See examples
• prétan CA, PC ( v. )
  1. To claim; prétendre.
     Ye pretan ye achte nouzòt. They claimed they had bought us. (PC); Ye pretan lari-la toujou gen trafik. They claim the street always has traffic. (CA) See examples
• prétèks No sources ( n. )
  1. Pretext, reason, excuse; prétexte, excuse.
     ♦A chaque fois des michiés té vini fé li lamour, li té toujou gagnin prétexes. Ein té tro piti, lote té tro grand, ci la, so chivé té tro rouge. Each time a gentleman came to court her, she always had excuses. This one was too short, that one was too tall, that one’s hair was too red. (FO T19) See examples
• prézan No sources ( adj. )
  1. Present (of time); présent (en parlant du temps).
     ♦ Ton prezon genyen ase ek so kenn . The present has enough to do to mind its own affairs. [ ‘temp.présent’ ] (DU) •a prezan adv.phr. (CA; PC). At present, nowadays; à présent, actuellement, de nos jours. Mo pa pare a prezan. To sa gen p atan en monman. I'm not ready now. You’ll have to wait a moment. (CA) See examples
• prézan CA, PC ( n. ) prèzon BT
  1. Present, gift; cadeau.
     Ye tou vini e prezan, e gen gro BIRTHDAY PARTY pou mwen. They all came with presents and had a big birthday party for me. (PC); Mo donn li en prezan. Sa fe li kantan. I gave him a present. That made him happy. (CA) See examples
• prézanté CA ( v.tr. )
  1. To introduce, present; présenter.
     Lès-man prezante mo kouzin a twa. Li pèl li BULAN DUMAS . Let me introduce my cousin to you. Her name is Bulan Dumas. (CA) ♦ Li présenté zoficié yé à zeine sarpantié. He presented the officers to the young carpenter. (T7) See examples
• prézidan CA, PC ( n. ) prézidan PC
  1. President; président.
     GRANT vini prèzidan an diz-uit san swasant-uit. I rèste yuit an prezidan. Grant became president in 1868. He remained president for eight years. (PC); Mo nonmen li pou èt prezidan no klòb. I nominated him to be president of our club. (CA) ♦ Cé on 4 jiyet présidan Likome, pli gran nom Bon Djié zamé fé, done nou zot liberté. It was a Fourth of July that President Lincoln, the greatest man that God ever made, gave us our liberty. (T13) See examples
• pròmnad CA ( n. )
  1. Walk; promenade.
     Li ale anlè en pròmnad. Li ale marche juska o magazen o kwen. He went for a walk. He went walking up to the corner store. (CA) ♦ Chez Dirrell, qui té toujours tchac, mo resté dans mo promenade. At Dirrell ‘ s place, who was always drunk, I stopped on my walk. (T37) See examples
• pròmné* No sources ( v.intr. ) pròmnin CA, MO 60 pranmnin PC pranmné ST
  1. To go for a walk or a ride (in a car, on a horse, etc.); se promener (à pied, à cheval, etc.).
     Mo sè te gen en bon cha , nou te va pranmnen, kouri DIFFERENT PLACE. My sister had a good car, we took rides to different places. (PC); Li pranmne tou-l-ton. He walks around all the time. (ST) ♦ Dè n’hommes t apé promnain, ain jou, au bord lamer. Two men were walking, one day, by the sea. (T24) See examples
• prònons PC ( v.tr. )
  1. To pronouce; prononcer.
     Lo jou kon mo te isit nou te parle pou lamanyenr le moun-ye an lòt kote prònons kèk èksprèsyon. The other day when I was here we were talking about the way people across the river pronounce certain expressions. (PC) See examples
• pròp gen, MO 60 ( adj. ) prop CA, PC
  1. Clean; propre.
     Me e lave, mo ka gen lenj pròp dèmen. F m doing the wash so I’ll have some clean clothes to wear tomorrow. (PC); Nè twaye li prop prop. To clean it very clean. (PC); Li tchèn so lelye prop. He keeps his outhouse clean. (CA) ♦ Asteur to propre é bel comme ain rayon soleil. Now you are as clean and beautiful as a ray of sunlight. (ME) •vini prop v.phr. (CA). To get potty-trained; devenir propre. M ap mèt li an po-d-chanm-la. Li mann pou ale. Astè, li vini prop. I’m putting him on the potty. He asks me to go. Now, he’s getting potty-trained. (CA) See examples
  2. Cleaned out, cleared out (of a field); défriché, nettoyé (en parlant d’un champ).
     Ka ou fini gen tou kicho pròp, to dòn li de kou d chari. When you’ve got everything stripped, everything cleared out [of the field], you go over it with the plow. (PC) •nètwaye pròp v.phr. (BT). To clean a place out (of its game animals); balayer (tout le gibier), nettoyer un endroit (de son gibier). Le vilajye, kan ye vyen la leu, ye trouve enn bonn plas, y arèt pa avan li nètwaye li pròp. City folks, when they come to the country, they find a good place to hunt and they don’t stop until they’ve cleaned it out. (BT) See examples
  3. Bald, clean shaved; chauve.
     Latet prop. Bald head; tête chauve. cf. tèt , nu Li gen pou koupe so chve-ye prop a fors se krote. He’s got to shave his hair off because it’s kinky. (CA) See examples
  4. Cloudless, clear; sans nuages, clair, dégagé.
     Syèl-la pròp pròp. The sky is clear. (PC) See examples