Mauritian Creole - Grammar

Grammar

Mauritian Creole nouns do not change their form when they are pluralized. Thus, whether a noun is singular or plural can usually only be determined by context. If an unambiguous marker is needed, the particle "ban" (from "bande") is often placed before the noun. French "un/une" corresponds to Mauritian "ene," though the rules for its use are slightly different. Mauritian has an article, "la," but this is placed after the noun it modifies: compare Fr. "un rat," "ce rat" or "le rat," "les rats," Mauritian "en lera," "lera-la," "ban-lera."

In Mauritian Creole there is only one form for each pronoun, regardless of whether it is the subject, object, or possessive, regardless of gender. Mauritian Creole "li" can thus be translated as he, she, it, him, his, her, or hers, depending upon how it is used in any particular instance.

Like nouns, Mauritian creole verbs do not change their form according to tense or person. Instead, the accompanying noun or pronoun is used to determine who is engaging in the action, and several preverbal particles are used alone or in combination to indicate the tense. Thus "ti" (from Fr. "étais") marks past tense, "pe" (from "après" as Québec french) marks progressive, "(f)in" (from Fr. "fin") marks completive or perfect, and "a" (from Fr. "va") marks future. Example: "li fin gayh" (he/she/it had), which can also be shortened to "li n gayh" and pronounced as if it were one word. Réunion version is li té fine gagne for past, li té i gagne for past progressif but li sava gagne marks present progressif or a close future.

Lord's Prayer

Mauritian Creole graphie French Gallicized graphie English
Nou Papa ki dan lesyel

Fer rekonet ki to nom sin,
Fer ki to reigne vini,
Fer to volonte acompli,
Lor later kuma dan lesyel.
Donn nou azordi dipin ki nou bizin.
Pardone-nou nou ban ofans,
Kuma nou osi pardone lezot ki fine ofans nou.
Pa less nou tom dan tentation
Me tir-nu depi lemal.

 Notre Père qui est aux cieux,

Que ton Nom soit sanctifié,
Que ton règne vienne,
Que ta volonté soit faite
Sur la terre comme au ciel.
Donne-nous aujourd'hui notre pain de ce jour.
Pardonne-nous nos offenses,
Comme nous pardonnons aussi à ceux qui nous ont offensés.
Et ne nous soumet pas à la tentation,
Mais délivre-nous du mal.

 Nous Papa qui dans le-ciel,

Faire reconnait(re) que ton nom saint,
Faire que ton règne veine,
Faire ta volonté accompli
Sur la-terre comment dans le-ciel.
Donne-nous aujourd'hui du pain que nous besoin.
Pardonne-nous nous nos offenses,
Comment nous aussi pardonne les-aut(res) qui a offense nous.
Pas laisse nous tom(be) dans tentation,
Mais tire-nous depuis le-mal.

 Our Father, who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.

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