Lesson 4: When is your birthday? How old are you?
Dialogue 1
Lesson 04 - Dialogue 1.m4aA: Bon fèt, Paul! Kombyin zan to fé?
B: Mo fé kinz zan. Kèl laj to gin, Nonk Jim?
A: Mo pli vyé ke twa; mo gin swasant zan.
B: To byin vyé! Mo pli jœn ke twa. Kèl jour tô fèt?
A: Mô fèt çé vint-wit mars.
B: M’a fé twa in gato pou tô fèt, Nonk Jim!
A: Happy birthday, Paul! How old are you turning?
B: I’m turning fifteen. How old are you, Uncle Jim?
A: I’m older than you; I’m sixty years old.
B: You’re real old! I’m younger than you. What day is your birthday?
A: My birthday is the 28th of March.
B: I’m going to make a cake for your birthday, Uncle Jim!
Dialogue 2
Lesson 04 - Dialogue 2.m4aC: Moman, dan ki lanné to té né?
D: Mo té né dan mil-nèf-sen-sinkant.
C: Dan ki mwa?
D: Dan mwa avril.
C: Épi ki jour?
D: Sèt-la.
C: Alòr, tô fèt çé sèt avril-la?
D: Wé, é bliy pa ça!
C: Mom, what year were you born?
D: I was born in 1950.
C: In what month?
D: In the month of April.
C: And what day?
D: The 7th.
C: So, your birthday is the 7th of April?
D: Yes, and don’t forget it!
Lagniappe
The word (l)aj is a little special. We’ve written the L in parentheses, because it may or may not appear, and may sometimes appear as another letter. No sweat: this all depends on who you’re speaking to, and using any form is acceptable! You might hear laj, aj, or naj! Capturing this incredible diversity in this book is tricky, so in the Glossary you can see these words written with parentheses to show that those parts may or may not appear.
Vocabulary
Éyou to sòr? Where are you from?
Ki péyi to sòr? What country do you come from?
Dan mô famiy yé gin… In my family they have...
Ki léta to sòr? Which state are you from?
Ki vilaj to sòr? Which town are you from?
Lavil city; New Orleans
Mo sòr… I'm from...
Éyou to rès astoer? Where do you live now?
Mo rès… I live...
résté, rès to live
sòrti, sòr to be from
dan lakamponñ in the country
dan lavil in town
a ... in ...
obòr isit around here
o vilaj in the town
endéyòr lavil outside of the city
Ça to fé pou louvraj? What do you do for work?
Ki djòb to gin/fé? What job do you have/do?
Éyou to travay? Where do you work?
Mo travay pa. I don't work.
Mo travay pli. I don't work anymore.
Mo çé étidyan. I am a student.
Mo fé rékòlt. I'm a farmer.
Mo çé moun lwil. I'm a worker in the oil industry.
Mo travay dan klo lwil. I work in the oilfield.
Mo çé péshoer. I am a fisher.
Mo pèsh dê krab, dê shevrèt, dê pwason… I fish crabs, shrimp, fish...