Why learn Creole?
French-based Creoles are spoken by 10 to 15 million people across Haiti, the French Caribbean, Réunion, Mauritius and the Seychelles. Learning Creole means honoring a language born from resistance and resilience — and reconnecting with rich, deeply musical cultures.
Whether you are part of the diaspora or simply passionate about world languages, Dialect gives you the tools to progress quickly.
The Dialect Method
Our app combines playful learning with linguistic rigor:
- Essential vocabulary: learn the words most used in everyday life.
- Native audio: hear the exact pronunciation recorded by native speakers.
- Interactive quizzes: test your knowledge and track your progress.
- Review mode: never lose what you've already learned.
The Science Behind Dialect
To be among the best educational resources, Dialect builds on cognitive neuroscience principles:
- Spaced Repetition System (SRS): our algorithm calculates the optimal time to review each word, right before you would forget it.
- Pure auditory immersion: no synthetic voices. Every word is recorded by native speakers.
- Granular learning: we break dialects into manageable units to prevent cognitive overload.
Creole in a few facts
- Language family: French-based Creole language.
- Speakers: 10 to 15 million speakers across all varieties.
- Main regions: French Caribbean (Martinique, Guadeloupe), Haiti (10-12 million, the largest community), Réunion, Mauritius, Seychelles, Louisiana and French Guiana.
- Writing systems: Latin alphabet with normalized orthographies that vary by island.
Haitian Creole has been officially recognized as a language of Haiti since 1987. Dialect teaches Guadeloupean Creole, recorded by a native speaker, and part of Martinican Creole. It has no audio for Haitian or Réunion Creole, which share much vocabulary and grammar with them but keep their own sounds and words.
10 everyday Guadeloupean Creole words
The vocabulary people actually use at home or at the market. The right-hand column gives the full sentence in Guadeloupean Creole, exactly as it appears in the app.
| English | Guadeloupean Creole | Example |
|---|---|---|
| water | Dlo | Mwen ka bwè dlo |
| to eat | Manjé | Nou manjé |
| to drink | Bwè | Mwen ka bwè dlo |
| home | Kaz | Mwen an kaz |
| mother | Manman | Manman an mwen ka kwi/cuisiné |
| father | Papa | Papa an mwen ka travay |
| child | Timoun | Timoun-la ka jwé |
| market | Mawché | An nou alé o mawché |
| tomorrow | Dèmen | Nou ké alé dèmen |
| a lot | An chay | Mèsi an chay |
Guadeloupean Creole does not conjugate: tense and aspect come from particles placed before the verb — ka for ongoing action, té for past, ké for future.
How Dialect makes learning Creole easier
Learning a heritage language when you live in the diaspora has unique challenges: few structured resources, materials often aimed at linguists rather than daily learners, and a critical shortage of reliable audio recordings. Dialect was built to address these obstacles.
Specifically for Creole, the app provides:
- Progress by frequency of use: you first learn words and phrases you will actually hear.
- 100% native recordings: authentic accent from session one.
- Short sessions (5 cards a day): consistency beats intensity.
- Smart review: the spaced repetition algorithm presents each word right before you would forget it.
Hello, thank you and essential phrases in Creole
Looking to say hello in Creole, thank you or how are you? Here are the must-know greetings and polite phrases. Tap Listen to hear each one spoken by a native speaker:
| English | Creole | Listen |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjou | |
| Hi | Salut | |
| Thank you | Mèsi | |
| Yes | Wi | |
| No | Non | |
| Goodbye | Orvwa | |
| Sorry | Padon | |
| How are you | Ka ou fè? |
Audio recorded by native speakers. For full pronunciation, offline access and hundreds of words, download the Dialect app or open the web app on desktop.
Frequently asked questions about learning Creole
How do you say hello in Creole?
In Creole, "hello" is "Bonjou". In casual settings you can also say "Salut". Hear the exact native pronunciation in the Dialect app.
How long does it take to learn the basics of Creole?
With Dialect, practicing 5 to 10 minutes a day, you can master essential Creole vocabulary in 4 to 6 weeks.
Is the Dialect app free?
Dialect is free to start: every day you get one session, one quiz and the Greetings lesson of the Path. Premium unlocks everything.
Is the Creole audio recorded by native speakers?
For Guadeloupean Creole, yes: every word is recorded by a native speaker. Martinican Creole is only partly recorded, and there is no audio for Haitian or Réunion Creole.
Which Creole varieties does Dialect cover?
Guadeloupean Creole, with every word recorded by a native speaker, and part of Martinican Creole. Dialect has no audio for Haitian or Réunion Creole: Haitian is a related but distinct language.
Is Dialect available on Android?
Yes. The app is on Google Play. On desktop, Dialect runs directly in your browser through the web app (mydialect.io/app): same languages, same native audio, same account. The native app is available on iPhone and iPad from the App Store.
Learning Guadeloupean Creole: the essentials
No major platform offers a Guadeloupean Creole course: not Duolingo, not Babbel, not Memrise, not even uTalk, which covers more than 150 languages. Anyone wanting to learn it falls back on dictionaries, YouTube channels or private tutors. Dialect covers Guadeloupean Creole with 308 words and phrases and 610 audio files in a native speaker's voice, grouped by theme and reviewed with spaced repetition. The app is free for one session per day per language, on iPhone, iPad, Android and the browser.
Discover other languages on Dialect
Dialect offers 19 heritage languages to reconnect with your roots:
Start for free, today
Free daily session. On iPhone via the App Store, on Android via Google Play, or straight in the browser on desktop.
Scan with your phone · iPhone or Android
On a computer?
Open the web application