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

Website created by William S. Morales.

5139 entries found

• swonyé NE ( v.tr. ) swonñin CA, ST sonnyin PC sanñè PC sannyin PC sonyin PC sonyè PC sòñin MO 60
  1. To care for, nurse; soigner.
     Li sangnè li iska li vini myè. She nursed him back to health. (PC); Mo pa kapab ale parskè mo gen p swongnen piti-la. I can’t go because I have to take care of the child. (ST) ♦ Popa la voyé cherché ein médecin qui commencé soignin li et qui dit li sré bientot vive encore. The father sent for a doctor who began to care for her and who said that she would be lively again soon. (FO T20) See examples
  2. To take care of, feed; soigner, nourrir.
     E li te gen de grèn mai pou dòn ye, pou dòn le poul e swonye ye. And he had corn seed to give the chickens and feed them. (PC) See examples
• swèr NE ( n. ) swè BT swé CA laswèr CA
  1. Sweat; sueur.
     E li joue li kom-sa-la, jichka ye te tou tronp de swèr e ye te pi kapab donse. And he played like that until they were all soaked with sweat and could no longer dance. (NE); Mo te ale marche e mo gen en bon swe. I went walking and I had a good sweat. (CA); Li te tronp avèk laswèr. He was soaking wet with sweat. (ST) ♦ Yapé fait chaud toujou; lasouère apé coulé. It’s still hot, sweat is flowing. (T27) See examples
• swèra No sources ( n. )
  1. Sweater; pullover, chandail. (HW)
• swèt BT ( n. )
  1. Curse; malédiction.
     La vyeiy gas seye fou en swèt on mon! That bitch tried to put a curse on me! (BT) See examples
• swété NE ( v. ) swaté CA, MO 60, NE swat CA, MO 60, PC, ST swatré PC swèt BT, NE
  1. To wish; souhaiter.
     Mo swat ye byen nouvo lannen. I wish them a Happy New Year. (PC); Mo swat ke tou sra mey èr èstonen ke tou te lane pase . I hope that everything will be better this year than it was last year. (ST) See examples
  2. To hope; espérer.
     Mo jame si ♦ èn INCIDENT-sa-la avèk Kòchmar e mo swèt mo trap pa sa nonpli. I’ve never had an incident like that with Cauchemar, and I hope I never do, either. (NE); Mo swèt mo pe trouve en nòt djob kon sa-lœ va fini. I hope I can find another job when this one ends. (BT) See examples
• syo CA, PC, ST ( n. ) siyo CA
  1. Bucket; seau.
     No te trape no dolo avèk en syo pou mennen andan lamezon. We would get water with a bucket to bring into the house. (CA) ♦ Ein jou’ Maîte vauyé yé dé chéché ein sceau di bè côté magasin. One day the Master sent both of them to get a bucket of butter at the store. (BT) See examples
• syè-lit CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Canopy; ciel de lit.
     En syèl-lit. To me sa on lit-la. La ye gen en bèr, to mi bè-la kon èna marangwon. A canopy. You put that on the bed, a canopy. Then they have mosquito netting, you put that on for when there are mosquitoes. (PC) See examples
• syèk BT ( n. )
  1. Long time; longtemps, longue période.
     Ye garde li le syèk e le syèk. They kept him there for years and years. (BT) See examples
• syèl CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Sky; ciel.
     Syèl-la tou blœ jodi-la. The sky is very blue today. (PC) See examples
  2. Heaven; ciel, cieux, paradis.
     Lanj-ye rès dan syèl-la. Angels live in heaven. (CA) ♦ Enfin, volonté du ciel soit faite! Well, may Heaven’s will be done. (T34) See examples
• syèrj CA ( n. )
  1. (Votive) candle; cierge.
     Kan no fe no premyèr kòmiyon, ye tache en syèrj desi nou. Sete kòm en skapilèt. When we made our first communion, they attached a candle to us. It was like a scapular. (CA) ♦ Piti, couri l'église, couri limain vo cierge! Children, go to church, go and light your votive candles! (T27) See examples
• sèk CA, NE ( adj. ) ék PC
  1. Dry, dried; sec.
     Mo mè mo le zwit, mo mè mo le chevrèt, zon-de-fwa mo mè chevrèt vèr e chevrèt sèk. I put in my oysters and my shrimp, sometimes I put in my fresh shrimp and dried shrimp. (NE); Mo fe mwen en rou sèk. I make a dry roux. (PC) ♦ Compair Bouki couri dan diboi ramassé ein gro ta branchaille sec li limé difé. Brer Bouki went into the woods to gather a big pile of dry branches and he lit a fire. (T2) •fe sek v.phr. (PC). To be dry, have a drought; faire sec. L e f e sek. It is dry. (PC) See examples
• sèk CA ( adv. )
  1. Suddenly; tout d’un coup.
     Oto-la t ape ale si vit e l arete sèk. The car was going fast and then it stopped suddenly. (CA) See examples
• sèkrétèz CA ( n. )
  1. Secretary; secrétaire.
     Mo gen mo lot fiy-la ke sèkretèz. I have my other daughter who is a secretary. (CA) See examples
• sèksyon PC ( n. )
  1. Section; section.
• sèléték PC ( n. )
  1. Celotex; Célotex.
     Bagay dekann. Ye kònen fe sèletek ave sa. Waste product from sugar cane. They used to make Celotex out of that. (PC) See examples
• sènnin PC ( v.intr. ) sèrnin CA
  1. To fish with a seine; seiner, pêcher à la seine.
     Mo te konne sennen, wi. I used to fish with a seine net. (PC); Li t ap voye so lasen dan dolo pou trape pwason. L ape sèmen. He was throwing his net into the water to catch fish. He was fishing with a net. (CA) See examples
• Sènyœr CA, NE ( n. ) Sènyèr NE
  1. Lord; Seigneur.
     Jeudi Sen sete dèryen soupe a no Sègnèr Jezi Kri. Holy Thursday was the Last Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ. (CA) •Bondyeu Sènyœr! exp. Good Lord, Dear Lord! Mon Dieu! cf. dyeu See examples
• sèptanm CA, PC ( n. ) séptanm PC
  1. September; septembre.
     To kas le feyaj-la dan mwa d sèptanm e la to moul sa. You break off the leaves in the month of September and then you grind them. (CA); Gro labitasyon-ye kanmans dan aout ave septanm. Big plantations begin planting sugar cane in August and September. (PC) ♦ Li ta pé sauté com chevreuil, qué mouches piqué en Septembre. He was jumping like a deer that flies sting in the month of September. (T39) See examples
• sèrbakàn No sources ( n. )
  1. Blowgun; serbacane.
     ♦ »Cé toi ki souflé, avec ein serbacane, di poive é piman dan zié Lagniape, pou volé ain lette dan so poche. ‘‘ You’re the one who blew pepper in Lagniape’s eyes with a blow gun in order to be able to steal a letter from his pocket. (ME) See examples
• sèrjan PC ( n. )
  1. Sergent; sergeant.
• sèrklé PC, ST ( v.tr. )
  1. To surround; entourer.
     Nou sèrkle par dolo. We are surrounded by water. (PC); Chasœr-le sèrkle chèvrey pou tchwe li. The hunters surrounded the deer to kill it. (ST) See examples
  2. To draw a circle around, circle; encercler, cerner.
     ♦ [Pou] rezipel, koup en ti bout lake cha nwar, la sèrk rezipel-la avek so di son. For erysipelas, cut a little piece off the tail of a black cat, and then draw circles around the erysipelas with the blood. (BI) See examples
• sèrkœy CA, ST ( n. ) sèrkéy CA sèrkeiy PC
  1. Casket, coffin; cercueil, bière.
     Mwen e mo vye bo-pè deja fouye de lafòs kote moun, nou te bije pouse ye dezo en kote pou ka mèt sèrkey-li anndan lan. My old father-in-law and I dug graves for people (where) we had to push their bones to one side in order to be able to put the coffin in there. (PC); Vye tan pase, ye te mèt moun mouri desi en katafal avon ye mèt li dan so sèrkœy: A long time ago, they would put a dead person on a cooling board before they put him in his casket. (CA) ♦ Li met sèrkey-la dan lafòs-la e klouwe so kouvè. He put the coffin in the grave and nailed its lid shut. (JR) See examples
• sèrmon CA ( n. )
  1. Sermon; sermon.
     Prèt-la fe en bon sèrmon. Li prèch byen. Li te byen konprenab. The priest gave a good sermon. He preaches well. He was very understandable. (CA) See examples
  2. Lesson; leçon.
     Mo asit ap lir en sèrmon dan mo labib. I’m sitting reading a lesson in my Bible. (CA) See examples
• sèrmon CA ( n. ) sèmon BT
  1. Oath; serment.
     Li te gen pou leve so lamen drwat pou prann en sèrmon. He had to raise his right hand to take an oath. (CA) •fe sèrmon v.phr. (BT; NE). To swear, take an oath; prêter serment. Li fe sèmon ke li pa pronn to WALLET. He swears that he didn’t take your wallet. (BT) ♦ Mo fait serment même soir là quand mo tendé guelé Françoése, qué jamais après mo repas mo té va dodo sur la chaise. I swore an oath that same evening after I heard Frances shouting, that never after my meal would I go to sleep in the chair. (T39) See examples
• sèrmonté CA ( v.tr. )
  1. To lecture; sermonner.
     ♦ Sa fe mwen en ta di byen lòt jou kon mo tonnde Monmzel Sali sèmonte twa on piti favè ye. It did me a world of good the other day when I heard Miss Sally lecturing you on the little Favet girls. (DU) See examples
  2. To swear, take an oath; prêter serment.
     Mo sir mo kapab mèt mo lamen desi labib e sèrmonte. I'm sure I can put my hand on the Bible and swear. (CA) See examples
• sèrpan CA, MO 60, PC, ST ( n. ) sèpan NE, PC, ST sèrpon NE, PC, ST sarpan CA
  1. Snake; serpent.
     Sèrpan-la file anndan lèb-la. The snake slithered through the grass. (PC); Kan mo wa en sèrpan , mo pran lakours. When I see a snake, I take off. (ST) ♦ Bras yé avec jambes yé et pi so corps prend tortillé comme ein serpent dans difé. The arms and the legs and the whole body began writhing like a snake in a fire. (FO T2) •sèrpan dezèf n.phr. (CA; PC); sèpan dézef, sèpon dezœf (PC). King snake, yellow chicken snake; espèce de serpent, «serpent mangeur d’oeufs». ( Cluber obsoletus ). Sèrpan dezef li manj dezef Gro vye sèrpan nwarad li gro. A king snake eats eggs. That’s a big blackish snake. (PC) •sèrpan dolo n.phr. (CA; PC). Water mocassin; mocassin (espèce de serpent venimeux). ( Ancistrodon piscivorus). •sèrpan fwèt n.phr. (CA; PC); sèpan fwèt (PC). Blue mnner snake or coach whip snake; espèce de serpent. ( Caranx crisos, or Zamenis flagelliformis). En BLUE RUNNER nou pèl sen en sèrpan fwet. A blue mnner, we call that a [sèrpan fwet]. (PC) •sèrpan koulèv n.phr. Grass snake; couleuvre, cf. koulœv •sèrpan sonèt n.phr. (CA; PC); sarpan sonèt (CA). Rattlesnake; serpent à sonnettes. ♦ Pou rhimatis frottez avec la graisse serpent sonnette. For rhumatism mb yourself with rattle snake grease. (BD); 'serpent sonnettes' (T23) See examples
• sèrsèl CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Blue-winged teal or green-winged teal; espèce de sarcelle. (Querquedula discors, or Nettion Carolinens).
     Enna en lòt kana, se en kana mè ye pel sa en sèrsèl. Se en vyè ti kana. There is another duck, it’s a duck but they call it a teal. It’s a little old duck. (PC) See examples
• sèrtin CA, PC ( adj. ) sètin PC sartin MO 60
  1. Certain; certain.
     Anon di, en zafè sipoze kou ton degre. Aben li vyen don sa prèmyen. Aben li bwi li la ouska en sèten degre. Let’s say something is supposed to reach a certain temperature. Well, it goes into this machine first, and that boils it until it reaches a certain temperature. (PC); Ye atann jichka ye gen en sèrten pisans dolo e apre sa, ye se ouvri Boue Kare SPILLWAY. They wait until they have a certain water pressure and then, they would open the Bonnet Carré Spillway. (CA) ♦ Ye parti kote ye, ben anmize apre labetasri, maigre lariches, de sèrten moun. They left for home, quite amused by the foolishness of some people, in spite of their wealth. (JR) See examples
• sèrtènman CA ( adv. ) sèrtènmon NE
  1. Certainly; certainement.
     Sa fe nom blan te la-ba dan gro lamezon-la, mon mande li. Li di, 'sèrtènman. Man kantan byen parskè ouzòt bon moun. ' So, the white man was there in the big house, and I asked him. He said, ‘Certainly. I’m very happy to because you are good people.’ (CA) See examples
• sèrur No sources ( n. ) laséri CA
  1. Lock; serrure.
     Ye kase laseri-la pou rantre dan lamezon. They broke the lock to get into the house. (CA) ♦ Compair Dahomey ramassé ein morceau laterre gras, couri pran gabari serrure là et avan dix hères soné li dijà bâclé ein vagnan laclé. Brer Dahomey gathered a clump of clay, and went to take a mold of the lock; before ten o’clock he had fashioned a beautiful key. (T6) (BI) See examples
• sèruriyé No sources ( n. )
  1. Locksmith; serrurier.
     ♦ Comère Lablette entré dan ain boutic serrurié, é comancé lécher ain la lime ki té là. Mrs. Weasel entered a locksmith’s shop and began to lick a file that was there. (ME 90) See examples
• sèrvan PC ( n. ) sèrvont PC
  1. Servant; serviteur.
• sèrvi gen ( v., v.tr. ) sèrv BT, NE, PC sèr CA, MO 60, PC sèrv NE
  1. To serve; servir.
     Lafonm se vini sèrvi nouzòt en lontch pour nouzòt dine. The woman would come serve us a plate for lunch. (BT) ♦ Li toujou sarvi dan lamézon gro zabitan, cé kofair li pli smate pacé nou zot. He has always served in the homes of plantation owners, that is why he is smarter than we. (T17) 2. To help oneself, serve oneself; se servir. Sèrvi to-mèm! Help yourself! (PC); Tou ti moman li vyen prete. Mo pi gen. Tricha sèrvi tou sa mo te gen. At every moment she would come to borrow. I have no more left. Trisha helped herself to all that I had. (CA) 3. To use, make use of; se servir de. Lafarin fromon. Sila, to pe sèrvi li pou fe gato avèk. Wheat flour. You can use that to make a cake. (NE); Bòraks se pou nètwoye. Mo sèr pa li parskè li tro fòr. Borax is for cleaning. I don’t use it because it’s too strong. (CA) ♦ Li taché patte desrat-la à soquenne lapatte. Li servit ein boutte desliane pou' ça. He tied the rat’s paws to his own paws. He used a piece of vine for that. (BD) —v. intr. 1. To be useful; servir à. Si chiko-la pa gen chikro, sa sèr pa vou kou kite lasèv-la . If the stubble has no sugar content it’s no good, you leave the sap in it. (PC) 2. To serve (in war); servir, faire son service militaire. Yenki-ye vini isi, di mo popa, yi di 'to sèrvi o mon . ‘ The Yankees came and they told my father, ‘You are serving with us.’ (PC) See examples
• sèrvis CA, MO 60 ( n. )
  1. Service; service.
     ♦ Yé trouvé ein bourreau bon volonté pou exéquité toi, mè avan, yé gagnin pou coupé to zoreille, cé Bourriquet ki offri so service pou voyé toi dan lote moune. They have found an executioner willing to execute you, but before that, they must cut off your ears; it is Bourriquet who has offered his services to send you in the other world. (FO 1887) •’hors service ‘ prep.phr. Out of service; hors service. ♦ Li té sali so répitation hors service ké yénavé pas ein prince ki té oulé mamzelle Léonine. He had so sullied the reputation of the King’s daughter out of service, that there was not a great prince who wanted to marry Miss Léonine. (FO 1887) See examples
  2. Favor; petit service.
     Depi mo la , mo en koz . Sa se mo a ran moun sèrvis. Since I’ve been around I’ve had a cause, which is I will do people favors. (CA) ♦ Docter Cigogne té mandé li l'argent pou grand service li té baye li. Dr. Stork asked him for money for the big favor he had done him. (T19) •rann en sèrvis v.phr. To do a favor; rendre un petit service, cf. rann See examples
  3. (Military) service; service (militaire).
     Li te rèste dan sèrvis dèz an e dmi . He stayed in the service for two and a half years. (CA) See examples
  4. Church service; office, culte.
     Ye gen sèrvis pli souvan dan Karèm. They have services more often during Lent. (ST) See examples
• sèrvyèt CA ( n. ) sèrvyét PC
  1. Towel; serviette.
     Sèrvyet se pou dan kabinèt, e lavet lakuzin. A towel is to use in the bathroom, and a dishrag in the kitchen. (PC); Mo mete en sèrvyèt e vinèg an so lafron e sa koupe so lafyèv. I put a towel with vinegar on his forehead and it broke his fever. (CA) ♦[Pou] mal de gòrj, mouy en sèrvyèt avek di vineg. Chòf li e met li si lagòrj. For a sore throat, wet a towel with vinegar. Heat it and put it on your throat. (BI) See examples
• sèrvèl BT, PC ( n. ) lasèrvèl CA lasarvél PC lasèlvèl PC sèrviyèil PC lasèrvél PC
  1. Brain; cerveau.
     Ao to lasèrvel ye dan to latet? Where is your brain in your head? (PC); I f o to sèrvi to lasèrvèl. M ole en tre, pa en garde-zyeu. You need to use your brain. I want a trace strap, not a blinder. (CA) ♦ Mo janmen wa kichòz krache Iwon e fo konm sa. Li krache dan mo fron e mo lasèrvel ape sorti. I've never seen anything spit so hard and so far. He spat on my forehead and my brains came out. (JR); 'pendant mo cervaux chaud' While I’m on the subject. (DU) •bon lasèrvel n.phr. (PC). Good head; bonne tête. See examples
  2. Head; tête.
     Konye dan lasèrvèl sa me li sondkonnèsons. Strike him (i.e. the pig) in the head, that will knock him unconscious. (BT) See examples
• sèrye PC ( adj. ) siryé CA
  1. Serious; sérieux.
     Èn movez maladi. Sèryeu. A serious disease. (PC); Li byen parle avèk mwa. Li te sirye. He spoke to me well. He was serious. (CA) ♦ Pandan li te avek sovaj ye li te ben sèryè. Men kan li te konte sa a so fanm li te blije ri apre moun sa ye ki te si senp. When he was with the Indians he was very serious. But when he was telling that to his wife he was forced to laugh at people who were so simple. (JR) See examples
• sès No sources ( n., adv.phr. ) san sès CA
  1. Incessantly, endlessly; sans cesse.
     Alòr, ye gen p mèt li andan lekol a trwaz an pou ye, ye fe li parle e ye fe li parle e astœr, li parl san sès. So, they had to put him in school when he was three to make him talk, and they made him talk and now he talks incessantly. (CA) See examples
• sèshrès NE, PC ( n. ) lashéshsrés PC shèshrès NE lashèshrès CA lashéshrès CA séshrès ST
  1. Drought, dry spell; sécheresse.
     No te pa gen lapli. No te gen en gran lachèchrès. We didn’t have any rain. We had a long dry spell. (CA); Life sechrès. It ‘s a dry spell. (ST) See examples
• sèt CA, MO 60, PC ( num.card. )
  1. Seven; sept.
     Se pròch sèt sèmenn astè-la. It’s been almost seven weeks now. (PC); Ena sèt jou dan lasmèn. There are seven days in the week. (CA) ♦ Si to kas en mirwa sa donn twa set on bèd lòk. If you break a mirror that brings you seven years of bad luck. (LA) •sèt-èr n.phr. (CA). Seven o’clock; sept heures. Il e sen minit pase sèt èr. It’s five after seven. (CA) See examples
• sètyèm MO 60 ( num.ord. )
  1. Seventh; septième.
• sèvré PC ( v.tr. ) sévré CA
  1. To wean, deprive of pleasure; sevrer.
     Ti vo-la ase gro pou sevre li. The little calf is big enough to wean him. (CA) See examples
• sèz PC ( num.card. ) séz NE, PC
  1. Sixteen; seize.
     Nou te sèz ti chinè ansanm. Sez an son pyas. There were sixteen of us who won together, sixteen of us to split a hundred dollars. (PC) See examples
• sèzi PC, ST ( adj. ) sézi CA, PC
  1. Wilted; fané.
     Kon li sèzi, se, si fre frape li. When the flower wilts it’s because the cold has gotten to it. (PC); Ye tou sezi. They (the flowers) are all wilted. (PC) See examples
• sèzi PC ( v.tr. ) sézi CA
  1. To chill, cause to have chills; faire frissonner.
     Sèzi sa se kon l fre, kan to fre, fre-la sèzi twa. Chilled is when you are cold, when the cold chills you. (PC); Divan-la vini fre tou-d-en-kou. Li sezi man. The wind got cold all of a sudden. It gave me the chills. (CA) See examples
  2. To fry quickly, cook (beans) in hot water; faire frire rapidement. (PC)
• sé PC ( dem. )
  1. These, those; ces.
     Safe se boug-sa-la, ye pel vou pou sa. So these guys call you for that. (PC) See examples
• sé NE ( det.poss. )
  1. His, her, its; ses.
     Fronswa mènè se vach ondon en magazen. François led his cows into a bam. (NE) ♦ Lœ kriminèl frenmen se zye li te si sir li te kouri manje li. The criminal shut his eyes, he was so sure the lion would eat him. (JR) See examples
• sé BT, CA, NE, PC ( ptcl. ) sré NE, PC suré PC sè MO 60 srè MO 60
  1. [Present conditional].
     Mo se kouri o Chmen Neuf si mo se gen l tan. I would go to New Roads if I had the time. (PC); Ekan sa sre? When would that be? (PC); Si li se koute man, li se pa dan traka-sa-la. If he would have listened to me, he wouldn’t be in all this trouble. (CA) ♦ Si mo té pas per li, mo srait donne li gombo. If I weren’t afraid of him, F d give him some gumbo. (T27); -Sacré menteurs, dit l'Irlandais la, -vous dit moin do l'eau la sré vini jisqua mo ginoux et li jisqua mo cou. ‘Damned liars,’ said the Irishman. ‘You told me the water would come up to my knees, and it’s up to my neck.’ (FO T5) •se du v.phr. Should (have), ought to (have); devr(ais), aur(ais) dû. cf. dwa See examples
  2. [Past conditional].
     Si mo te konnen li te la, mo se pa vini. If I had known he was there, I would not have come. (PC) ♦ Mo trouvé moin tout seul dans in pitit la chambre où mo sré bien oulé gagnin in peu lacide carbolic. I found myself alone in a small room where I would like to have had some hydrochloric acid. (T34) See examples
  3. [Past habitual].
     Tou le smenn ye se tchwe en kochon, e nou se gen frich, e ye se sale en parti. Every week they slaughtered a pig, and we would have some fresh, and then they would salt a part of it. (PC) ♦ Le swa Kokodri se kouche dan kanal ora en lamezon. At night Alligator would go to bed in a canal near the house. (JR) See examples
• sé PC ( v. ) sè MO 60
  1. To know; savoir.
     Mo se pa si mo te deja mariye. I don’t know if I was already married. (PC); Men mo se pa sa l e anni pou . I don’t know why it’s braying. (PC); Bouki sè sa k to fè. Bouki knows what you’re doing. (MO 60) REM: The usual Creole verb to know is konen. The form se may best be regarded as due to French influence. ♦ Heureusement pou li ça té pas profond enbas lamaison où Dié sé comment li sré sorti? Lucky for him it was not very deep under the house, or God only knows how he would have gotten out. (T40) Conjug: si v.past To have found out; avoir su. Mo jis si keu li te parti. Mo te pa konen li te rès pi isit dan la Vachri. I just found out that he had left. I didn’t know he wasn’t living in Vacherie anymore. (CA) See examples
• sé CA, NE, PC, ST ( v.cop. ) sa PC sèt CA, NE sété CA sté PC sétèt NE s NE sè MO 60
  1. He, she, it is; c’est, il est, elle est.
     Mo frèr se en louvriye. My brother is a carpenter. (NE); Se posib ke laplu va tonbe jòrdi. It is possible that it will rain today. (NE); Se pa vre l ape vini. It is not true that he is coming. (NE); Sè kèkchoz li tè jamen oua. That was something he had never seen before. (MO 60); Sè li. It is him. (MO 60); Se pa nenpòt ki kalite moun. They aren’t just any kind of people. (PC); Mari, se mo meyœr zami. Marie is my best friend. (ST) •se lavi exp. (PC). That’s life; C’est la vie. •se mye exp. (PC). It’s better to; C’est mieux. Se se mye to fe li an kreyòl. It would be better for you to do it in Creole. (PC) •se pa aryen exp. (PC). Don’t mention it, you’re welcome; de rien. ‘Mèrsi.9 ‘Se pa aryen.' ‘Thank you.’ ‘Don’t mention it.’ (PC) •se pa plu mal exp. (PC). Not bad (answer to the question ‘How are you?’); Pas mal. •se pare konm exp. (PC). It’s (just) like...; c’est tout comme... Se pare konm mo kouzen ki e travay pou en nonm soti MISSISSIPPI li marye ave en fanm isit. That’s like my cousin who works for a man from Mississippi who married a woman from here. (PC) •se pli tan exp. (PC). Most of the time; la plupart du temps. Se pli tan ye te jwe poka. Most of the time they played poker. (PC) •se pou exp. (PC). The problem is/ It’s a question of...; il s’agit de... Si to gen trouve enn ki parle kreyòl, y a parle. Men se pou trouve yè. If you find someone who speaks Creole, they will speak it to you. But the problem is finding them! (PC) •se pou sa exp. (NE; PC); sè p sa (BT). That is why; c’est pour ça que. Li t fe bon kichoj pou moun-ye, mon te ole fe menm zafè sa li li te e fe. E mon pons se pou sa mo rète dan SEMINARY. E mon fini. He used to do good things for people, I wanted to do the same things he was doing. And I think that’s why I stayed in seminary and I finished it. (PC); Se pou sa nou lès pa le ti POSITION-sa-la rontre don nou latèt. That is why we don’t let the little jobs that we have go to our heads. (NE); Sè p sa èl voye mon en lèt. That is why she sent me a letter. (BT) •se sa ki fe... exp. (PC). That’s why, that’s the reason; c’est pourquoi, c’est pour ça que. Mo moman, popa , tou te rete la isit, se sa ki fe mo isi. My mother, my father, they all lived here, that’s why I’m here. (PC) •se sè pa exp. (PC). There is no point in; ce n’est pas la peine de. Se sè pa mon monde li. Paski mo te e pèd mon ton. There is no point in my asking him, because I would just be wasting my time. (PC)It is; c’est. Se èl ki travay don lakour. She is the one who works in the yard. (NE); Mo moman, popa, tou te rete la isit, se sa ki fe mo isi. My mother, my father, they’ve all lived here, that’s why I’m here. (PC) ♦ Froumi-la laime pas prêter: C'est so sél défaut. The ant does not like to lend: that is his only flaw. (BD)To be; être. Tou kichò se achte astè-la. Tou kichò se dan boutik. Everything can be bought nowadays. Everything is in the stores. (PC) Conjug: sete imparf. (CA); setè (MO 60); ste, sètè, sète, sèt +vowel (PC); sèt, setèt (NE). It was; c’était. Mo kouche e piti-ye. Ste konm si ste mo-kenn piti. I slept with the children. It was as if they were my own children. (PC); Setè mouen. It was me. (MO 60); To te bwa wiski, sète pare kòm en bon medikaman. If you drank whiskey it was just like a good medicine. (PC); No pa konprann koman sete. Sete en mistèr. We don’t understand how it happened. It was a mystery. (CA) REM: NE attributes this form to Cajun influence. ♦ Et prémié qui chose li oua en arrivant, c'était so moman qui té rendi avant li. And the first thing he saw upon arriving was his mother who had arrived before him. (T9) See examples