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, |
Notre Père qui est aux cieux, Que ton Nom soit sanctifié, |
Nous Papa qui dans le-ciel, Faire reconnait(re) que ton nom saint, |
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. |
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