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NOU LALANG · our language
The Kreol corner
Kreol Seselwa is one of our three national languages and the one that carries the soul. A diaspora loses its language in a single quiet generation. Not ours.
These are the core phrases, spelled in standard Kreol Seselwa orthography with rough pronunciation for anyone who grew up hearing it but never writing it. Start with the greetings. Say them at home tonight.
Greetings
BonzourHello, good day · bon-ZOOR
BonswarGood evening · bon-SWAHR
Ki mannyer?How are you? · kee man-YEHR
Mon byen, mersiI am well, thanks · mon BYEN mer-SEE
OrevwarGoodbye · oh-rev-WAHR
A byentoSee you soon · ah byen-TOH
Essentials
Wi / NonYes / No · wee / noh
Mersi bokouThank you very much · mer-SEE boh-KOO
SilvouplePlease · seel-voo-PLEH
Eskiz mwanExcuse me · es-KEEZ mwahn
Mon pa konpranI do not understand · mon pah kon-PRAHN
Mon apel …My name is … · mon ah-PEL
Home and family
LakazHome, house · lah-KAHZ
FanmiyFamily · fahn-MEE
Manman / PapaMother / Father · mahn-MAHN / pah-PAH
ZanfanChild, children · zahn-FAHN
ZanmiFriend · zahn-MEE
Mon kontan ouI love you · mon kon-TAHN oo
Island life
ZilIsland · zeel
LanmerThe sea · lahn-MEHR
SoleySun · so-LAY
LapliRain · lah-PLEE
PwasonFish · pwah-SOHN
BatoBoat · bah-TOH
Numbers
enn, de, trwaone, two, three · en, deh, trwah
kat, senk, sisfour, five, six · kaht, senk, sees
set, wit, nef, disseven, eight, nine, ten · set, weet, nef, dees
Raising kids away from the islands? Read Kreol with kids, our guide to keeping the language alive abroad. Lenstiti Kreol Sesel is the language's home institution and publishes learning materials around Festival Kreol each year.