Belizean Creole/Grammar

Regular Plurals

Plurals are formed by preceding or following the noun with a determiner.

• Nouns that refer to a specific limited set are pluralized by adding the word "dehn" after:
  • prafit<n><pl> ↔ prafit dehn
  • disaipl<n><pl> ↔ disaipl dehn
  • lai<n><pl> ↔ lai dehn
• Nouns that refer to a set of two are preceded by the word "too":
  • man<n><pl> ↔ too man
  • son<n><pl> ↔ too son
  • boy<n><pl> ↔ too fish
• Nouns that refer to one set rather than another set are preceded by the word "dehn":
  • peepl<n><pl> ↔ dehn peepl
  • bred<n><pl> ↔ dehn bred
• Nouns that retain the English plural form are pluralized with a "z":
  • day<n><pl> ↔ dayz
  • werd<n><pl> ↔ werdz
  • ting<n><pl> ↔ tingz

Verb Tenses

Tenses are distinguished by use of an auxiliary added to the main verb.

• Past tense is formed by preceding the verb with the word "mi":
  • tel<v><past> ↔ mi tel
  • seh<v><past> ↔ mi seh
  • chreet<v><past> ↔ mi chreet
• Future tense is formed by preceding the verb with the word "wahn":
  • sayv<v><future> ↔ wahn sayv
  • shoa<v><future> ↔ wahn shoa
  • si<n><pl> ↔ wahn si
• Past future tense is formed by preceding the verb with the words "mi wahn":
  • geh<v><pf> ↔ mi wahn geh
  • hapm<v><pf> ↔ mi wahn hapm
• Past perfect tense is formed by preceding the verb with the word "don":
  • seh<v><pp> ↔ don seh
  • tel<v><pp> ↔ don tel
  • rayz<n><pl> ↔ don rayz

Pronouns

Pronouns are distinguished by person (1st, 2nd, 3rd), number (singular, plural), and gender in third person (masculine, feminine, neuter).

• Reflexive pronouns are formed by adding the suffix "self" to the object pronoun:
  • mi<prn><p1><sg> ↔ miself
  • wi<prn><p1><pl> ↔ wiself
  • yu<prn><p2><sg> ↔ yuself
• Emphasis or clarification of pronouns is achieved by lengthening the final vowel:
  • mi<prn><p1><sg> ↔ mee
  • wi<prn><p1><pl> ↔ wee
  • yu<prn><p2><sg> ↔ yoo

Demonstrative Adjectives

Demonstrative adjectives are differentiated by proximity (proximal, distal) and number (singular, plural). Unlike demonstrative pronouns, demonstrative adjectives precede a noun.

• dis<adj><dem><sg> ↔ dis
• da<adj><dem><sg> ↔ da
• dis<adj><dem><pl> ↔ dehn
• da<adj><dem><pl> ↔ dehn

Reduplication

Adjectives can be duplicated for emphasis.

• • kwik<adj><advl> ↔ kwik kwik
  • big<adj><advl> ↔ big big
  • fool<adj><advl> ↔ fool fool