Speaking Haitian Creole in Haiti

Language is the heartbeat of any nation and culture.  You cannot know a language without understanding the culture.  Haiti in particular has a plurality of cultures, so numerous languages are spoken and essential depending on with whom and where you are working.  We won't even get into the creole dialects within Haiti that vary in sound, grammar and local vocabulary.  Those things too have an impact and identify you as being from a certain area and hence of a certain quality or character of that region.  (don't we do the same thing in our country)

Here's the broader language spectrum I believe we are addressing in this post.  If you're working in business in Petionville or with the bourgeois then the French is very important.  It's a qualifier as to whether or not your education is up to par.  Many of these families only speak French at home knowing their children will pick up Creole in the streets. 

Those working in the countryside or with the poor in Haiti have to learn Creole (or at least attempt to speak it) in order to reach the people.  Depending on your end goal the more you know the further you can personally bring someone along.  If you are working with Haitian intermediaries it is still important to know Creole, but you don't need to be as in depth as they probably have multi-lingual skills. 

In closing there are other languages that are very helpful for some working in Haiti.  If you're working with an organisation originating from a country other than your own (USA, China, Brazil, Germany, Spain, Holland, etc...) that language is important.  If you're working in a region near the Dominican border, Spanish is important as there is constant flux between the nations.  All of these things come into play when you want to communicate effectively.  Determine your directive and you will know what language skills you need.  This is why the Haitians have to learn 4 languages as they go through school.  God bless them, I sure would like a couple more under my belt!  Did I get off track? loll

Aa

koman ou ye

@hakeemD31 >  can you translate please? Thank you

it means how are you ?

Hi HakeemD31,

Priscilla and Christine are both members of the Expat.Com Team. If you have any info on the initial topic posted, feel free to share your inputs on this thread.

Thanks in advance,
Bhavna

I was born in Haiti and am fluent in English, French and Creole and find that communicating with most is best done in Creole as even the educated few lack the in depth mastery of French to ensure clarity and understanding.  Few in Haiti actually master spoken French, writing is different as some may write it well but the fact is that life is mostly conducted orally and in Creole.

I insist on conducting all meetings and or training in Creole with translation provided for non creole speakers in order to ensure understanding. However, in everyday interaction, people in hotels and supermarkets will speak a few routines french phrases but do not think they can conduct a conversation. Spanish is fairly wide spread as it is offered in many secondary schools, English is more and more common.  Haitians are very friendly and make an effort to communicate in routine maters but for business it is best to use Creole except in the very rarified upper echelon of society.