Trending Words on Jamaican Patwah

What's going on

Patois: Wah gwaan wid yuh todeh?
English: What's going on with you today?

Through

Patois: Guh tru now
English: Go through now

What’s that for?

Patois: Weh dat fah? Mi nuh sure wah it use fah
English: What’s that for? I’m not sure what it is use for

Mentally challenged

A person who has a learning disability. Literal translation; his head is gathering water.

Patois: Cuse mi sah,yuh pickney head a gadda wata.
English: Excuse me sir, your child has a learning disability.

all talk but no action

Slang expression used to refer to a person who is all talk but no action. The literal translation is “a lot of mouth”

Patois: Nuh pay him nuh mind, him a bagga mouth
English: Don’t pay him any mind, he’s all talk but no action

Girlfriend

Rastafarian expression used to refer to ones significant other

Patois: Mi nah go a road todeh, mi agi spend some time wid mi empress
English: I’m not going out today, I’m going to spend some time with my girlfriend

See you later

Patois: Mi deh guh home, inna di lataz
English: I'm going home, see you later

fool, idiot, mentally ill etc

Patois: Yuh nuh si di bwoy a mengkeh, look how him mek di gyal a tun him inna clown
English: Don't you see that the boy is a fool, look how he made the girl turn him into a clown

Masturbate

Slang expression used to refer to when a male plays with himself(masturbates)

Patois: Yuh need fi guh find a gyal and tap fram back yuh fist everyday
English: You need to go find a girl and stop masturbating everyday

Challenge or Confront Them

A phrase used to express readiness to face or engage in conflict with adversaries or rivals, often used in competitive situations or to assert dominance

Patois: The artist said, "War dem!" and showed no fear on stage
English: The artist said, "Challenge them!" and showed no fear on stage

Teeth

(patois) One a mi teeth feel loose
(english) One of my teeth feels loose

Slang term used as an expression of extreme surprise