How to Spell English Words for Haitian Creole Speakers

What You Will Learn

Picture spelling for Haitian Creole speakers is very useful when you are spelling over the phone, video or any other situation where sound quality is poor.

The reason is because the audio can get muffled, which makes it more likely to accidentally confuse letters that sound similar.

How to Picture Spell in Creole Step by Step

1. Pronounce the English letter in French or Haitian Creole.
2. Say tankou.
3. Say the Creole word, concept or name Haitians are likely to be familiar with.

A to Z picture spelling in Haitian Creole

Say tankou and then say corresponding word or concept Haitians are used to from this list above.

Example - Spelling the Name Kelly

K...tankou kay

e...tankou elefan

l...tankou lalo

y...tankou yoyo

How to Spell English Words with I and U

Use any of the following methods below to spell words with the letter i
This is especially important because these two letters sound very similar. Thus, using the methods below makes it easier to clarify which letter you or the other person is referring to.

Picture Spelling for the letter i and u in Haitian Creole.

Picture spelling techniques for the letter i and u.

Example - Spelling the word Utopia

U...de janm

t...tankou tonton

o...tankou orijinal

p...tankou papa

i...tankou imajine

a...tankou anana

The Problem with I and U

Like other letters, i and u sound very similar, especially over video or phone.
As such, it's all too easy to accidentally confuse one for the other as you are spelling.
This is especially the case if a Haitian client or customer is trying to spell for you. It is not uncommon for them to mistakenly pronouncei as u.

How to Spell English Words with Q and X

Since the letters q and x don't exist in Haitian Creole, do this instead:

1. Simply pronounce the letter as it is in French.
Haitians are very familiar with French, so they'll likely know what letter you are referring to.
2. Try using one of the following techniques (see list below).

While the lettes q and x don't exist in Creole, you can also try this technique.

Example - Spelling the word Equinox

E...tankou elefan

q...tankou mo question an Fransè

u...de janm

i...tankou imajine

n...tankou Novanm

o...tankou orijinal

x...tankou siy miltiplikasyon x

The Problem With Q and X

The letters q and x don't exist in Haitian Creole. As such, no word starts with them, unless it is an untranslated word or noun from another language (e.g. Xerox).
Thefore, in situations where you have to spell a word with the letters q or x, it's okay to say them in French. After all, Haitians are quite familiar with the standard French alphabet.
Of course, as an alternative, you can use the picture spelling method shown in the image above.

Don't Overdo it

If the audio is clear and the person you are spelling for does not seem to be struggling, it may not be necessary to picture-spell.

Carefully consider the situation and the other person's need. For some people, picture-spelling may seem redundant, while others find picture-spelling incredibly useful to them.

Yes! Picture-spelling in Creole correctly and at the right time makes you more effective in communicating and interpreting.