How to speak Jamaican "Patois"
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The following phrases and wording is taken from the books
"How To Speak Jamaican by Ken Maxwell & Livingston McLaren"
"The Jamaican Dictionary by Roger Chen"
which are sold at All Nicey's Food Mart Stores |
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Here are some of the phrases you
may hear at Nicey's. |
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Whaa gwaan? |
What's going on? |
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Ello can I help yuh wid someting? |
Hello can I help you with something? |
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Mawnin sah, yuh ove any calaloo bush? |
Morning sir, do you have and callaloo bush? |
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Put de sinting inna de bag. |
Put the things in the bag. |
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De nex time I will buy it. |
The next time, I will buy
it. |
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Sumody sey Nicey ove mango pon sale |
Somebody say, Nicey's have
mango on sale. |
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Mi cyan help yuh wit dat |
I can help you with that |
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Yuh too faas |
You're too nosey |
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A who dat? |
Who is that? |
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Nicey is a irie likkle place fi shoppe. |
Nicey's is a nice place to
shop. |
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Mi di dedeh yah satcherday. |
I was here Saturday. |
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Mi would rada you talk to mi |
I would rather you
speak/talk to me. |
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A lang time mi deh inna dis lang line |
I've been in this line for
a long time. |
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How much fi dis yah sinting, missa/miss Chin? |
How much for that thing,
Mister/Miss Chin? |
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A lang time mi deh inna dis lang line |
I've been in this line for
a long time. |
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Mi madda sen mi fi buy
two poun a hoxtail. |
My mother send me to buy two pound of
oxtail. |
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Whey mek unno move up the ting? |
Why did you move the thing? |
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How much fi wan a dis? |
How much for one of these? |
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A whey di flya deh? |
Where is the flyer? |
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A weh yuh deh? |
Where are you? |
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Yuh no dun yet? |
Have you finished yet? |
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Im sey dat yuh was to
bring di ting. |
He said you were to bring
the thing. |
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How yuh do? |
How are you? |
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Which pawt it deh? |
Where is it? |
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A weh yuh seh? |
What did you say? |
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All a dem a me fambly |
They are all my family |
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Jesum piece, a cyan fine mi money |
My goodness, I can't find my money. |
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Witch aile yuh fine di hile? |
Which aisle can I find the
oil? |
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Jamaican words to describe food
items: |
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Aloe Vera -
Known in
Jamaica as "Sinkle bible"
Bammy -
Deep-fried
cassava bread
Bissy -
Cola Nut
Bulla -
A small round bun
made with,
sugar and flour
Bully Beef -
Corned Beef
Callaloo -
Leafy green
vegetable (like spinach)
Ceracee -
A plant used
to make herbal tea
Cho Cho -
An edible root
vegetable
which is similar to a potato
Cocobread -
A bread bun
baked with shortening in the folds, eaten with patties
Dasheen -
A yam like
root
Erated water -
Carbonated
drink, soda pop
Festival -
Fried soda
dough
Food -
Starchy
provisions; yam, potatoes, banana and coco
Frittas -
Usually Salt
Fish or Banana fritters
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Gizada -
Grated coconut
tart
Grata cake -
Grated coconut
in a sugar glaze
Guava -
A Caribbean fruit
which is eaten raw or used to make Jam/Jelly
Gungo -
Pigeon peas
Hegg -
Egg
Herb Tea -
A herbal tea
laxative
Hile -
Oil
Irish Moss -
A healthy
drink made from a seaweed extract
Jackass corn -
A hard coconut
cookie
Jew Plum -
A sour plum
with a very prickly seed (june-plum)
Johnny cake -
Fried soda
dumpling
Leggins -
Herbs and
provisions used for making soup.
Mango -
Blacky,
Bombay, Julie, East Indian, Common
Ochro -
Okra, gumbo
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