Everyday Conversations
Question-and-answer patterns for introducing yourself, talking about work and weather, inviting someone to join, and expressing preferences. The ellipses (…) are blanks for you to fill in — substitute a place, time, name, or activity as the moment calls for.
Introductions & Origin
Opening questions you'll hear when meeting someone new.
Éyou to sòr?
Where are you from?
Ki péyi to sòr?
What country do you come from?
Ki léta to sòr?
Which state are you from?
Ki vilaj to sòr?
Which town are you from?
Mo sòr…
I'm from…
Éyou to rès astoer?
Where do you live now?
Mo rès…
I live…
a …
in …
A prepositional fill-in — pair with a place name.
Dan mô famiy yé gin…
In my family they have…
Work & Occupation
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…
Weather
Komen tem-la yê?
How's the weather?
Soléy-la apé briyé.
The sun is shining.
Lapli apé tombé.
The rain is falling.
Ç'apé mouyé.
It's raining.
Diven-la apé souflé.
The wind is blowing.
Tònær apé gronyin.
Thunder is rumbling.
Ina mové tem / gro tem.
There is bad weather.
Li fé fré / frèt.
It's cold.
Li fé sho.
It's hot.
Li fé bo; Çé bo; Gin bo tem.
The weather is good.
Si tem-la jlé, yé va gin laglas.
If it's freezing, there will be ice.
Ina in ta nwaj dan syèl-la.
There's a lot of clouds in the sky.
Time & Days
Kèl / Ki lœr li yê?
What time is it?
Ki / kèl lœr?
What time?
a … œr
at … o'clock
Ki / kèl jour?
What day?
(É)kan?
When?
Likes & Feelings
Ça to linm fé?
What do you like to do?
Mo linm…
I like…
Mo linm pa…
I don't like…
Asit prenn lafrèsh enn lagalri.
Taking the air on the porch.
A classic Creole leisure expression.
Mo mèt…
I put on…
Mo sen mò(-minm)…
I feel…
Health
Ki fé mal?
What hurts?
Mô … fé mal
My … hurts.
Mo gin mal…
I have a … ache
Invitations & Going Places
Vyin…
Come…
T'olé vini…?
Do you want to come…?
Éyou t'apé kouri?
Where are you going?
Mo va…
I'm going…
M'alé…
I'm going…
Contracted form of "mo alé".
Bon vwayaj!
Have a good trip!
Polite Responses
Kofær?
Why?
Mo sé linmé, mé…
I'd like to, but…
Mo pa kapab parské…
I can't because…
Mo pe pa parské…
I can't because…
Alternative phrasing using "pe" ("can").
Ça senm / gin lè…
It seems like…
Conditional "If…" Statements
Louisiana Creole expresses conditionals with "si" plus a tense marker — "sé" for hypothetical/would, "sa" for future/will.
Si to…, to sé…
If you…, you would…
Si to…, to sa…
If you…, you will…
Si to travay tro, to sé / sa las.
If you work too much, you would be / will be tired.
Si yé vyin aswa, li sé kwi soupé pou yé.
If they come this evening, he will cook dinner for them.
Si mo té gin asé larjen, mo sé fé li ranjé shar-la.
If I had had enough money, I would have had him fix the car.
Past-perfect conditional — "té" marks the hypothetical past.
Expressions & Celebrations
gin in bon tem
to have a good time
Bonn Anné!
Happy New Year!
Mærkrédi dê Sann
Ash Wednesday
Usage note
Many of these patterns pair a question with a parallel answer (e.g. Éyou to sòr? / Mo sòr…). Practicing the pair together builds fluency faster than either in isolation. Spelling varies regionally — sòr and sòrti, kèl and ki,fré and frèt are all valid alternants you'll encounter.