maten
everyday
This page covers Haitian Creole (Kreyòl ayisyen), the most widely spoken creole. The word for "morning" is maten. To greet someone in the morning you say bonjou, which also works for the rest of the day until the afternoon.
Meaning: early part of the day (noun)
Ways to say it
| Creole | Note |
|---|---|
| maten | everyday |
| bonjou | greeting |
Maten is the time of day: jou maten is "in the morning" and chak maten is "every morning".
Which one should you use?
Bonjou is a greeting and maten is the time of day. In the afternoon people switch to bonswa.
Did you know?
- Bonjou is built from the French bon jour, and Haitians use it to greet people until about midday.
Examples in context
- Mwen leve bonè chak maten.I get up early every morning.
- Bonjou, kijan ou ye?Good morning, how are you?
Example conversation
Neighbors Claudine and Pierre meet at the gate early in the day.
- PierreBonjou, Claudine.Good morning, Claudine.
- ClaudineBonjou, Pierre. Ou byen leve?Good morning, Pierre. Did you wake up well?
- PierreWi, mèsi.Yes, thanks.
