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Patois
is a unique Jamaican Creole dialect. Jamaican Patois resembles the
english language in many ways, but has a slightly different grammar
and some different vocabulary.
It
is a melodic, rythmic language in its own right that follows its
own grammatical rules and logic, which preserves the ethnic and
cultural identity of Jamaica.
Lets'
talk Patois...
Below
is a brief guide to Patois words and phrases.
Send
us your Patois jokes...
Do
you have any Patois jokes, words or phrases? Send them to us by
email birmingham@bbc.co.uk
and we will publish them on the website. Keep dem clean!!!
| A |
 |
| A
GO |
Going
to do, as in "Me a go tell him" |
| A
DOOR |
Outdoors.
|
| B
|
|
| BATTY |
Bottom;
backside |
| BEX |
vex |
| BIZNIZ |
Business |
| BODDA |
Brother |
| BOASIE |
proud,
|
| BREDRIN |
friend |
| BWOY |
Boy |
| BLY |
Chance
(must get a bly, must get a chance) |
| BOX |
To
smack or hit |
| BUD |
Bird |
| C |
|
| COO
YAH |
Look
here! |
| COOL
RUNNINGS |
Things
are going smoothly |
| CORK
UP |
Jammed,
filled, |
| CUSS |
Curse |
| CRAVEN |
Greedy |
| CRIS |
Crisp,
brand-new, slick-looking. |
| D |
|
| DADA |
Father |
| DAN |
Than |
| DEH |
There |
| DI |
The |
| DAT |
That |
| DEH |
There |
| DEM |
Them |
| DIS |
This |
| DARTA |
Daughter
or Rasta sister |
| DUPPY |
A
ghost |
| E |
|
| EASE-UP |
Lighten
up |
| EVERYTING
COOK & CURRY |
All
is taken care of |
| ENIT |
Isn't
it |
| F |
|
| FEEL
NO WAY |
Don't
take offense, |
| FE |
To
or For |
| G |
|
| GALANG |
Go
along |
| GRAVALICIOUS |
Greedy |
| GU |
Go |
| GWAN |
Go
on |
| GYAL |
Girl |
| H |
|
| HAPPM |
Happen |
| HAFFI |
To
have to |
| HIEZ |
Ears |
| I |
|
| I
and I |
We |
| INNA |
In
the |
| IRIE |
Good |
| J |
|
| JAH |
God |
| JUGGLIN |
Making
money |
| JAMMIN |
To
be having a good time |
| JUDGIN |
Everyday or ordinary clothes |
| K |
|
| KISS
TEET |
To
kiss your teeth or to suck your teeth |
| KU
YA |
look
here |
| L |
|
| LOAFIN |
Lazy
or Messing around |
| LABA-LABA |
To
chat or gossip |
| LARGE
UP |
Respected
|
| LEF
MI Nuh |
Leave
me alone |
| LICK |
To
hit |
| LITTLE
MORE |
See
you later |
| M |
|
| MADDA
|
Mother |
| MAGA |
Thin |
| MAMPI |
Fat
or overweight |
| Mek |
Make |
| MANNERS |
Under
heavy discipline |
| MASH
UP |
Destroy |
| MONKS |
Amongst |
| N |
|
| Nuff |
Enough
or a lot |
| Nu |
Know
or No |
| Nuttn |
Nothing |
| NATTY
DREAD |
Dreadlocks |
| NYAM |
To
eat- "Stop nyam food" |
| O |
|
| OONOO |
All
of you/ More than one |
| ONE
LOVE |
A
parting phrase, expression of unity |
| P |
|
| PON |
On |
| POOPA |
Father |
| PEEL-HEAD |
Bald-headed
|
| R |
|
| RED
EYE |
To
want another persons belonging, envious |
| RENK |
Foul-smelling
|
| S |
|
| Seh |
Say |
| Sekkle |
Settle-"Sekkle
yourself" |
| Seen |
Yes |
| SIDUNG |
Sit
down - "Gu Sidung" |
| SINTING |
Something |
| SISTREN
|
A
woman, a friend, woman Rastafarians |
| SKIN
YOUR TEETH |
Smile |
| SMADI |
Somebody
|
| T |
|
| TING |
Thing |
| TROUZIZ |
Trousers/Pants |
| U |
|
| UNO/UNU
|
You-all |
| V |
|
| VEX |
To
get angry |
| W |
|
| WH'APPEN? |
What's
happening? |
| WA
MEK? |
Why?
|
| Weh |
Where |
| WID |
With |
| WHOLE
HEAP |
A
lot |
| Y |
|
| YAHSO |
Here
(place) |
| Yard |
Home
or House |
| YA
NO SEE IT? |
You
know? |
| YAI |
Eye |
| Yu |
You |
| |
|
"Lef
mi Nuh"- "Leave me alone."
"How
yuh nyam so much" - "How do you eat so much."
"Tek
you time an mine it bruk"- "Take your time, you might
break it."
"A
fe me cyar" - "It's my car."
"Did
deh deh"
- "I was there"
"Im
sey dat yuh was to bring ting" - "He or She said you
were to bring the thing"
"Unnu
can come wid mi" - You all can come with me."
"Tan
deh!" or "yu tan deh!" - Just you wait!
"Ya
no see it?" - You know?
"No
one cyaan test"- "No one can compete with me."
"Dat
is fe mi bredda"- "That is my brother"
"Yuh
no dun yet?" - "You have not finished yet?"
"Galang
bout yuh business".- "Go along about you business"
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