Jamaican Patois phrasebook

Pronouns

• I mi
• you (singular) yuh
• he ‘im
• she shi (changes to "im" on the western side of the island)
• it i
• we wi
• you (plural) oonu
• they dem (pronounced "DAYÑ")
• Possessive pronouns are made by placing a "fi" before the pronouns listed above, eg., fi mi can be transliterated as for me or mine, and so on.

Present tense

There is no conjugation whatsoever, as given in the following example:

• Mi wash - I wash. For the present progressive, or the gerund, ah or deh is placed after the pronoun. For example, mi deh wash or mi ah wash would mean I am washing.

Past tense

The same layout for the present tense can be used for the past, so mi wash can mean I wash or I washed. For the past progressive, however, wendeh (pronounced WAYNE-deh) or did ah is used, like this:

• Mi did a wash yuh clothes (mi DIDDAH wash you CLUE-ahz) - I was washing your clothes.
• Marilyn wendeh talk an' Juniah come intarrup’ - Marilyn was talking when Junior came and interrupted.

Future Tense

Stating intentions and prospective action can be done as follows:

• Using guh/aguh after a pronoun, eg., Mi aguh tell ’im fi lef’ mi alone. (MEE-agoh TELLIM fi LEF mi al-WOHN) - I'm going to tell him to leave me alone.

Just a few more tips

The definite article is di (also spelled de). Indefinite articles are written as they are in English, but most times are pronounced with a nasal tone. Some would be pronounced SOÑ, one would be pronounced WAAÑ, etc. To pluralise nouns, dem is added. For example, shoes would be "shoes dem", and fingers would be "fingah dem". Exclusively, breaking common English grammar rules, foot is not pluralised to feet, but "foot dem", and tooth is never used. Teet’ (dem) sounds appropriate to a native patois speaker.

Vowels

• A (a) as in father

• E (e) as in ten

• I (i) as in machine

• O (o) as in open

• U (u) as in rule

Consonants

• b

like 'b' in "bed"

• c

like 's' in "supper", 'k' in "kid"

• d

like 'd' in "dog"

• f

like 'ph' in "phone"

• g

like 'g' in "go", 'j' in "jello"

• h

like 'h' in "help" (often silent in the UK and other Commonwealth countries)

• j

like 'dg' in "edge"

• k

like 'c' in "cat"

• l

like 'l' in "love"

• m

like 'm' in "mother"

• n

like 'n' in "nice". Jamaicans have a tendency of nasalizing "n" in many cases, as in one (WAAÑ) or want (WAAÑ).

• p

like 'p' in "pig"

• q

like 'q' in "quest" (with "u", almost always)

• r

like 'r' in "row", like 'r' in "feather" (often silent in the UK and other Commonwealth countries at end of word)

• s

like 'ss' in "hiss", like 'z' in "haze"

• t

like 't' in "top"

• v

like 'v' in "victory"

• w

like 'w' in "weight"

• x

like 'cks' in "kicks", like 'z' in "haze" (at beginning of a word)

• y

like 'y' in "yes", like 'ie' in "pie", like 'ee' in "flee"

• z

like 'z' in "haze"

Common diphthongs

Jamaicans tend to stress their "Th" sounds by placing a "d" in front of words.
For example: the word The, is pronounced "di" instead of "The".
The voiced dental fricative /ð/ (as in this) is replaced with 'd', and the voiceless dental fricative /θ/ (thing) is replaced with 't'.
Jamaicans pronounce the number 3 (three), like 🌳 (tree).

Basics

; Hello. : Hello
; Hello. (informal) : Wapm (WAH- 'm)
; How are you? : How yuh do? (How yoh DOO?)/ Howd'y (HOW-di?)/Wapm? (lit. "What happens/is happening?"). Another way of saying this is "Waah gwaan?"(Pronounced as is)
; Fine, thank you. : Fine, tank yuh (Fyn tank YUH).
; What is your name? : Wha' yuh (sing.)/oonu (pl.) name? ( wah yoh/unu NYEM?)
; My name is ______ . : Me/mi niem ______ . ( mi 'NYEM _____ .)
; Nice to meet you: (This is almost never used when in continuous use of Patwa. When it is, articulation is rather sharp)
; Please. : As is (PLIIZ ). Or, duh (DOO) is used to intensify the atmosphere of the word.
; Thank you. : Tank yuh. Or simply' tanks' (With the 'a' having the sound of that in 'art').
; You're welcome. : Yuh welkom; long welkom.
; Yes. : Yah ( Yah (like German "ja")
; No. : No . (Jamaicans sometimes tend to stress out the word to " Noa" like "Noooah"
; Excuse me. (getting attention) : Ekscyooz mi; "Oi!" is sometimes used, but is considered vulgar and disrespectful.
; Excuse me. (begging pardon) :
; I'm sorry. : Sarry. (Think of the Indian dress).
; Goodbye : Ba bye. (Pronounced: bha baii )
; Goodbye (informal) : Ta taa.
; I can't speak name of language . : Mi cyaa talk ....
; Do you speak English? : Yuh (sing.) speak/talk English?/Oonu (pl.) speak/talk English?
; Is there someone here who speaks English? : Smaddy deh yah who can talk Inglish?
; Help! : 'elp
; Look out! : pronounced as .
; Good morning. : Gud mawnin'.
; Good evening. : Gud evenin' (sometimes inflected as ‘EVE-lin).
; Good night. : Pronounced as is, although night is written as "nite".
; I don't understand. : Mi nuh andastan'.
; Where is the toilet? : Which paat de tailit (deh)?/Wheh det tailit deh?

Problems

; Leave me alone. : Lef mi alone. (LEHF mi ah-LUOHN.)
; Don't touch me! : Nuh touch mi!
; I'll call the police. : Mi ah guh call di/e police.
; Police!
; Stop! Thief! : (S)tap (di) tief! If you speak German, then the word for "deep" is pronounced exactly like "thief" in Patwa.
; I need your help. : Mi want yuh(sing.)/oonu(pl.) help. (mi WAAÑ yoh/unu EHLP .)
; It's an emergency. : Ah one emergency. ( AH waañ ih-MERR-jen-sih.)
; I'm lost. : Mi lost. (mi LAHS'.)
; I lost my bag. : Mi lost mi bag. (mi LAHS mi BAG.)
; I lost my wallet. : . (mi LAHS mi WAH-lit .)
; I'm sick. : Mi sick.
; I've been injured. : Mi get injuh. . (mi get EEN-joe.)
; I need a doctor. : Mi need one doctah. (mi NEED waañ DAK-tah.)
; Can I use your phone? : Mi can use yuh phone? ( mi cyaañ YOOZ yuh FWON?)

Numbers

; 1 : (wan)
; 2 : (too)
; 3 : (trii)
; 4 : (FWOHR)
; 5 : (fighv)
; 6 : (six)
; 7 : (SEHV'N)
; 8 : (EE-EHT)
; 9 : (nighn)
; 10 : (tehn)
; 11 : ('LEV'N)
; 12 : (TWEHLV)
; 13 : (TURR-tiin)
; 14 : (FWOH-tiin)
; 15 : (FIFF-tiin)
; 16 : (SIX-tiin)
; 17 : (SEHV'N-tiin)
; 18 : (EE-EH-tiin)
; 19 : (NINE-tiin)
; 20 : (TWEN-ti)
; 21 : (TWEN-ti WAN)
; 22 : (TWEN-ti TOO)
; 23 : (TWEN-ti TRII)
; 30 : (TOH-ti)
; 40 : (FAAH-ti)
; 50 : (FIFF-ti)
; 60 : (SIX-ti)
; 70 : (SEHV'N-ti)
; 80 : (EE-EH-ti)
; 90 : (NIGHN-ti)
; 100 : (OHN-jihd)
; 200 : (TOO OHN-jihd)
; 300 : (TRII OHN-jihd)
; 1,000 : (TOH-z'n)
; 2,000 : (TOO TOH-zn)
; 1,000,000 : (WAN mill-yan)
; 1,000,000,000 : (WAN bil-yan)
; 1,000,000,000,000 : (WAN trill-yan)
; number _____ (train, bus, etc.) : Numbah(NOM-bah)
; half : Half (aaf)
; less :Less (Les' )
; more : (MWAH)

Time

; now : Now
; later : Latah(LIEH-tah)
; before : Before(bih-FWOHR)
; morning : Mawnin'.
; afternoon : Aftahnoon.
; evening : Evening.
; night : Nite.

Clock time

; one o'clock AM : One ah clock inna de mawnin',("WaHN ah clack innaH di MawHnin")
; two o'clock AM : Two ah clock inna de mawnin', (Too ah clack innaH di MawHnin)
; noon : "Twelve ah clock" is always used.
; one o'clock PM : One ah clock inna de evening.
; two o'clock PM : Two ah clock inna de evening.
; midnight : migglenight (MigHle Nite)

Duration

; _____ minute(s) : _____minute (never pluralised. (MIN-it)
; _____ hour(s) : _____hour(OWAH)
; _____ day(s) : _____day(DIEH)
; _____ week(s) : _____week
; _____ month(s) : _____mont'
; _____ year(s) : _____year( EE-ehr)

Days

; today : tiddeh.
; yesterday : yestideh
; tomorrow : tomarroh(too-MAW-roh)
; this week : "dis week" or "dis yah week (yah)"
; last week : laas' week
; next week : nex' week
; Sunday : Sundeh ( )
; Monday : Mondeh ( )
; Tuesday : Choozdeh( )
; Wednesday : Wensdeh )
; Thursday : Tursdeh( )
; Friday : Frideh( )
; Saturday : "Satdeh" or "Satideh" ( )

Months

; January : (JAHN-e-WERRY)
; February : (FEB-e-WERRY)
; March : (MAACH)
; April : (EEH-EH-pril)
; May : (MEE-EH)
; June : (JOON)
; July : (joo-LAI)
; August : (AW-gus')
; September : (sep-TEM-bah)
; October : (ACK-twoh-bah)
; November : (noh-VEM-bah)
; December : (dih-SEM-bah)

Writing time and date

Colors

; black : (bh'lack)
; white : (WHy't)
; gray : (GRIH-eh)
; red : (rhed)
; blue : (b'lue)
; yellow : (YH'ello)
; green : (GH'reen)
; orange : (AH-RINDGE)
; purple : (PH'urphl)
; brown : (BROHN)

Transportation

Bus and train

; How much is a ticket to _____? : How much fe one ticket fe goh ah_____ (OOH much fi waañ TIH-kit fi gaa...)
; One ticket to _____, please. : One ticket fe goh ah _____, please.
; Where does this train/bus go? : Which part dis yah train/bus (yah) deh goh? (WITCH paat dis YAH TRIEHN/BOHS yah deh GOH)
; Where is the train/bus to _____? : Which part de/i train/bus fe goh ah _____ (deh)?( )
; Does this train/bus stop in _____? : Dah train/bus yah (s)tap inna_____? ( )
; When does the train/bus for _____ leave? : (Ah) when de/i train/bus fi goh ah _____ (deh) lef'? ( )
; When will this train/bus arrive in _____? : (Ah) when dis yah train/bus yah (a)goh reach inna_____? ( )

Directions

; How do I get to _____ ? : How mi reach a _____? ( )
; ...the train station? : Di train station?(di TRI-EHN sti-eh-SHAN?)
; ...the bus station? : ...di bus station(di BOHS sti-eh-SHAN?)
; ...the airport? : ...di airport?(di YEAR-pwaht?)
; ...downtown? : (dung-TOHN?)
; ...the youth hostel? : (di yout' astel)
; ...the _____ hotel? : ...di 'otel?( )
; ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? : ...di American/Canadian/Australian/British consilate?( di ah-MERR-kahn/kiah-NIEH-dian/ahs-TRIEH-lian kan-sih-LET?)
; Where are there a lot of... : Which part whole 'eap a ... (deh)?(WITCH paat wohl EEP ah ...DEH?)
; ...hotels? : ...'otel?( )
; ...restaurants? : ...restaurant(REHS-tah-RAHNT?)
; ...bars? : ...bar?( )
; ...sites to see? : ...site fe si?( )
; Can you show me on the map? : Yuh can show mi pon de/i map?( )
; street : (CHEAT)
; Turn left. : Tun lef'.( )
; Turn right. : Tun right. ( )
; left : Lef'.( )
; right : Right.( )
; straight ahead : (S)traight ahead./ Right up deh suh (Right up there) ( )
; towards the _____ : Towards de/i _____ ( )
; past the _____ : Paas' de/i _____ ( )
; before the _____ : Before de/i _____ ( )
; Watch for the _____. : Watch fe de/i _____ ( )
; intersection : Intahsecshan' ( )
; north : nawt' (na'aht)
; south : sout' (so'ut)
; east : eas' (heis' )
; west : wes' (whes' )
; uphill : uphill (up-pill)
; downhill : dunghill (dhung - ill)

Taxi

; Taxi! : ( )
; Take me to _____, please. : Cyar mi go (a) _____, please. (Kee'-ar mi guh (a)____ )
; How much does it cost to get to _____? : How much fi guh a_____?(Ooh much fi goh a_____)
; Take me there, please. : ( )

Lodging

; Do you have any rooms available? : Unuh have any room available (Oono AV' enny room avieh-LEBBL'? )
; How much is a room for one person/two people? : Ow much is a room fi one/ two smaddy? ('Ow much is a room fi wan/ too smaddie )
; Does the room come with... : Di room come wid? ( )
; ...bedsheets? : ...bedsheet'? ( )
; ...a bathroom? : ( baa-CHOOM )
; ...a telephone? : (waa TEH-li-FWAN )
; ...a TV? : (waa TV? )
; May I see the room first? : Mi cya see di room fus? (M'i cyaa si di room fuss?)
; Do you have anything quieter? : Yuh 'ave anyting quietah? (yoh AHV en-ihting KWAI-ehtah?)
; ...bigger? : Bigga (bih-GAH?)
; ...cleaner? : (clee-NAH?)
; ...cheaper? : (chee-PAH?)
; OK, I'll take it. : Arite mi will tek it (lit: Alright, I'll take it (Ahrite mi will tek it )
; I will stay for _____ night(s). : Mi ago tan fi ______ nite(s) ( )
; Can you suggest another hotel? : Yuh can sugges' wan neddah 'otel? ( )
; Do you have a safe? : Yuh 'ave one safe? (Safe is pronounced as si-EFF. ( )
; ...lockers? : ...lockah? (lah-KAH?)
; Is breakfast/supper included? : Breakfas'/suppah come wid it? (Lit. "does breakfast/supper come with it?" (brehk-FUSS/soh-PAH come WID e?)
; What time is breakfast/supper? : Ah whah time oonu saab (serve)/'ave breakfas'/suppah? (Lit. "what time do you serve/have breakfast/suppah?" ( )
; Please clean my room. : Yuh (sing.)/oonu (pl.) can clean (up) mi room (please)? ( )
; Can you wake me at _____? : Yuh(sing.)/oonu (pl.) can wake mi up ah _____ ah clack? ( )
; I want to check out. : Mi waan (to) check out. (mi WAAÑ check OHT.)

Money

; Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? : Oonu (pl.) tek American/Australian/Canadian dollah? (Unu tehk ah-MURR-can/ahs-TRIEH-lian/cyah-NIEH-dian dah-LAH?)
; Do you accept British pounds? : Oonu (pl.) tek British poun'? (Unu tehk BRIH-tish POHN'?)
; Do you accept Euros? : Oonu (pl.) tek Euro? (Unu tehk YOO roh?)
; Do you accept credit cards? : Oonu tek credit card? (Unu tehk CREH-dit CYAAHD?)
; Can you change money for me? : Yuh can change some (SOÑ) money fi mi?( )
; Where can I get money changed? : (Ah) wheh/which part mi can change (chi-EHNJ) money? ( )
; Can you change a traveler's check for me? : Yuh can change one trav'lah check fi mi? ( )
; Where can I get a traveler's check changed? : (Ah) wheh/which part (PAAT) mi can change trav'lah check? ( )
; What is the exchange rate? : (Ah) whah e exchange rate (RIET)? ( )
; Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? : (Ah) which part one ATM (deh)? ( )

Eating

; A table for one person/two people, please. : One table fi one/two smaddy pliiz.
; Can I look at the menu, please? : Mi can look pan di menu pliiz?
; Can I look in the kitchen? : Mi can look inna di kitchen?
; Is there a house specialty? : Oonu 'ave house (OHSS) specialty?
; Is there a local specialty? : Oonu 'ave none ("noñ", like in French) local (LWOH-kal) specialty?
; I'm a vegetarian. : Mi a vegetarian. (MEE ah VEH-jih-TIEH-rian)
; I don't eat pork. : Mi nuh eat pork (PWOK)
; I don't eat beef. : Mi nuh eat biif.
; I only eat kosher food. : Mi only/ongle eat koshah (KWOH-shah) food.
; Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard) : Yuh can put less amount (ah-MOHNT) a oil (HAH-eel)/buttah/laad inna it pliiz?
; fixed-price meal : fix price meal
; a la carte : said as is. ; breakfast : breakfas' (BREK-fuss)
; lunch : (LONCH)
; tea (meal) : Teatime is not a typical Jamaican custom. ; supper : suppah
; I want _____. : Mi want _____
; I want a dish containing _____. : Mi want one dish wid _____.
; chicken : (CHIH-kin)
; beef : biif
; fish : fish
; ham : 'am
; sausage : satchiz'
; cheese : (CHIIZ)
; eggs : (HEG)
; salad : Said as is. ; (fresh) vegetables : (fresh) vegetable
; (fresh) fruit : Said as is. ; bread : (BREHD)
; toast : toas' (TWOHS)
; noodles : (NOOGLE)
; rice : (RAISS)
; beans : (BIIN)
; May I have a glass of _____? : Mi can get a glass ah _____?
; May I have a cup of _____? : Mi can get a cup ah _____?
; May I have a bottle of _____? : Mi can get a bakkle ah _____?
; coffee : caffee (pronounced like "KAH-fi" or "KYAA-fi")
; tea (drink) : tea
; juice : joos'
; (bubbly) water : bubble wata
; (still) water : (still) wata
; beer : (BIEHR)
; red/white wine : Said as is. ; May I have some _____? : Mi can get some _____?
; salt : (SAALT)
; black pepper : black peppah
; butter : buttah
; Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server): Excuse mi waitah (eks-KYOOZ mi wieh-TAH)
; I'm finished. : Mi finish'.
; It was delicious. : It did nice/delicious ( )
; Please clear the plates. : Pliiz clear (KLIEHR) di plate (PLIEHT) dem.
; The check, please. : Mi can get di check pliiz?

Bars

; Do you serve alcohol? : Oonu (pl.) serve alchohol (AL-koh-WAL)?
; Is there table service? : Oonu 'ave table (TIEH-b'l) service?
; A beer/two beers, please. : One beer (bee-YEAR)/two beer, pliiz.
; A glass of red/white wine, please. : One glass ah red wine pliiz.
; A pint, please. : One pint, pliiz.
; A bottle, please. : One bottle (BAH-k'l) pliiz.
; _____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please. : _____('aad likkah) an' _____ (mixah) pliiz.
; whiskey : (WHIS-kih)
; vodka : (VAD-kah)
; rum : (ROHM)
; water : Wata. (There is a local brand of cranberry water bearing the name so being a little more specific would help.)
; club soda : club soda (SWOH-dah)
; tonic water : tanic wata
; orange juice : orange (AH-rindge) juice.
; Coke (soda) : Coke (KWOK)
; Do you have any bar snacks? : Oonu 'ave no bar snacks?
; One more, please. : One more, pliiz. (WAN mwor PLIIZ)
; Another round, please. : One (WAAÑ) neddah roun' (ROHN) pliiz.
; When is closing time? : (Ah) when oonu lock up? (Lit. "when do you lock up?")
; Cheers! : (CHEE-yerrz!)

Shopping

; Do you have this in my size? : Yuh (sing.)/Oonu (pl.) 'ave did inna fe mi size?
; How much is this? : How much fe dis? (OO much fe dis?)
; That's too expensive. : Dat too expensive; although "dear" is more commonly used.
; Would you take _____? : Yuh(sing.)/Oonu(pl.) gwine/goh tek _____?( )
; expensive : ( )
; cheap : ( )
; I can't afford it. : Mi cyaa afford e.(mi CYAAÑ ah-FWOHD i )
; I don't want it. : Mi nuh want e. ( )
; You're cheating me. : Yuh deh tief mi.
; I'm not interested. : Mi nuh intrestid. (..)
; OK, I'll take it. : Alrite, mi goh tek e.
; Can I have a bag? : Mi can get a bag?
; Do you ship (overseas)? : Yuh (sing.)/Oonu (pl.) ship ovah-seas?
; I need... : Mi need...
; ...toothpaste. : (toot-PIEHS)
; ...a toothbrush. : (toot-BROSH)
; ...tampons. : . (tam-PAN)
; ...soap. : (SWOHP )
; ...shampoo. : (sham-POO)
; ...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen) : (pee-EN rih-LEE-vah)
; ...cold medicine. : (KUOHL meh-dih-S'N )
; ...stomach medicine. : ... ((S)TOO-MOHK meh-dih-S'N )
; ...a razor. : (waañ RIEH-zah )
; ...an umbrella. : (waañ AHM-BREH-lah )
; ...sunblock lotion. : (sun-BLACK LUOH-shan )
; ...a postcard. : (waañ PWOHS-kiaahd )
; ...postage stamps. : (PWOHS-tihj (s)tamp )
; ...batteries. : (bah-TRIH)
; ...writing paper. : (RAI-tin PIEH-pah )
; ...a pen. : ...one pen.
; ...English-language books. : ...English-langwidge book.
; ...English-language magazines. : English-lang-widge magazine.
; ...an English-language newspaper. : (waañ ING-glish LANG-widge -NYOOZ-PIEH-PAH )
; ...an English-English dictionary. : (waañ ING-glish tooh ING-glish DIK-shih-NERRY )
NB: The local papers are in English.

Driving

; I want to rent a car. : Mi waan rent one car. (mi WAAÑ rent waañ CYAAR )
; Can I get insurance? : Mi can get insurance? (mi cyaañ GET in-SHWO-rans? )
; stop (on a street sign) : (Tap)
; one way : (WAN wieh)
; yield : (YIIL')
; no parking : (NOHÑ PAH-kin)
; speed limit : (Spiid limit)
; gas (petrol) station : (GIAHS (peh-TRUAL) STIEH-shan)
; petrol : (peh-TRUAL)
; diesel : (DEE-z'r)

Authority

; I haven't done anything wrong. : Mi nuh do nutn' wrong.(Mi noh DOO nuh-n RAHNG)
; It was a misunderstanding. : A did waa misandastandin'.(Ah did waah MIS-ANDAH-STANDIN)
; Where are you taking me? : Weh yuh(sing.)/oonu(pl.) deh cyar mi guh?(Weh yoh/oonooh deh KI-AR mi goh?)
; Am I under arrest? : Mi anda arres'?(Mi andah ah-RESS?)
; I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. : Mi a one American/Australian/British/Canadian citiz'n. (mi ah WAAÑ ah-MURR-can ahs-TRIEH-lian/BRIH-tish/cyah-NIEH-dian SI-tih-s'n.)
; I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. : Mi waa (fi) talk to di American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consilate. (Mi waañ (fi) TAHK too di ah-MURR-can/ahs-TRIEH-lian/BRIH-tish/cyah-NIEH -dian EHM-bah-si/KAN-sih-LET.)
; I want to talk to a lawyer. : Mi waa talk to a lawya (Mi WAAñ taak to ah LAAH-YAH)
; Can I just pay a fine now? : Mi can gi yuh a likkle supm' now? (Lit. "can I give you a little something now?"