Another great reader question today from our ask anything page:
How do you say something like “cheese” in Haitian Creole when taking pictures?
The short answer is simply souri, which means smile. Here are two examples phrases of how you might use the word.
Souri pou ou fè foto
Smile for your photo
Ri pou w ka fè foto
Laugh so you can take a photo
Fwomaj, the Creole word for cheese is always an option, but it doesn’t work for pictures in Haiti so you’ll probably just get a confused look.
Here’s another phrase that might help with asking permission to take pictures in Haiti.
ekse mwen ka pran foto ou?
may I take your picture
As always, people love to see their pictures. So make a point to show them the results after you snap the photo. This is a great way to make new friends. Some mission groups even have brought a battery powered photo printer along on their visits to make family pictures in rural Haiti.
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