Patois Dictionary

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Patois Dictionary Fiilter

A dat

That’s it; Exactly

A fi

It is for / It belongs to

A lie

That’s a lie; Expression of disbelief

A so

That’s how it is; So it is

A-go

Going to

Ackee

Jamaica’s national fruit.

Afta

After

Aks

Ask

All fruits ripe

Everything is fine; The situation is good

Aneda

Another

Aright or Awrite

Alright; Okay

At steppa or Hot steppa

To be trendy, fashionable, up-to-date.

Baad

Bad (can mean good or cool)

Babylon

Police; The corrupt system

Back-a-bush

A very rural, undeveloped area; the countryside.

Badmind

To be envious of others’ success; a malicious mindset.

Bafan

Clumsy; awkward in movement.

Bandulu

A scam, fraud, or illicit activity

Bangarang

A commotion, uproar, mess, or disturbance

Bashment

A large party or dance

Bawl

To cry loudly; to weep or sob.

Beggy-beggy

The act of begging persistently; being a freeloader

Ben’

Bent; crooked. Often used to describe a corrupt official.

Bex

Annoyed, irritated (a variation of vex)

Big up

To greet or show respect

Bissy

Kola nut, often grated and used as a home remedy for poison or upset stomach.

Bly

A chance or opportunity

Boonoonoonoos

Lovely; Nice; Wonderful (often for a person)

Boops

A man who financially supports a woman (similar to Brinks).

Box

To slap or hit, usually on the face or head.

Brawta

A little extra; a bonus

Bredda

Brother; a close male friend

Brinks

A man who provides financially for a partner; a sugar daddy.

Bruck out

To break out in dance or celebration, often with great energy.

Buck up

To meet or run into someone unexpectedly

Bun

To burn; also, to cheat on a romantic partner.

Butoo or Butuh

An uncouth, unrefined, or low-class person.

Bwoy

Boy

Cah

Because; Can’t

Callaloo

A green leafy vegetable, like spinach.

Carry-go-bring-come

A person who gossips, carrying tales back and forth.

Chakka-chakka

Disorderly; messy; untidy

Chi-chi

While it literally means termite, this term is also commonly used as a derogatory slur for a gay man.

Cho! or Chro!

An exclamation of annoyance or disbelief

Chuh / Tchuh

The sound made by sucking one’s teeth, indicating annoyance or disdain.

Claat / Claawt

Cloth; A very strong expletive, similar to the F-word, often used for emphasis.

Coo yah!

Look here! (to draw attention)

Countryman

A person from a rural area (can be slightly derogatory, implying naivety).

Craven

Greedy

Crawny

Scrawny; very thin or skinny in an unhealthy way. Can also mean unclean.

Criss

Crisp; Fine; Okay

Crosses

Problems, misfortunes, troubles.

Cuss

To curse or swear at someone

Cut yeye

To give a dirty look; showing contempt with one’s eyes.

Cyaan

Can’t; Cannot

Cyaan done

Can’t be finished; inexhaustible; amazing.

Dally

To ride on the back of a bicycle; to move in a zigzag

Darkers

Sunglasses

Dash out

To faint; to show off extravagantly.

Dash weh

To throw away; discard

Dawta

Daughter; a term of endearment for a young woman

Dead lef’

An inheritance; possessions left by someone who has died.

Deadaz

Dead serious; used for emphasis

Deh

To be; Is/Am/Are (location/state)

Deh-deh

Right there; specifically at that spot.

Dehso

There; Over there (at that place)

Dem

They; Them; Those (plural indicator)

Dibby-dibby

Of poor quality; worthless; insignificant.

Do road

To go out, to leave, to hit the road.

Dogheart

Cruel, unkind, merciless

Don

A respected community leader, often with wealth and power (can have underworld connotations).

Dread

A person with dreadlocks; can also mean “serious” or “terrible”.

Dry-land tourist

A Jamaican who has never traveled abroad but acts worldly or knowledgeable about foreign places.

Dun

Done; Finished

Duppy

Ghost or spirit

Dutty

Dirty; Earth

Ease up

To relax, calm down, or take it easy.

Easy

Be careful; Take it easy

Een

In

Everything cook and curry

Everything is fine; all is well; the situation is handled.

Everyting

Everything

Fall-off

To lose weight, status, or relevance.

Fambily

Family

Farrin

Foreign

Fass

To be nosy or meddlesome

Fava

To resemble or look like

Fenkeh-fenkeh

Weak, flimsy, easily broken.

Fish tea

A spicy broth made with fish and vegetables, often considered an aphrodisiac.

Fiyah

Fire (can also mean excellent or intense)

Flex

To hang out, relax, or be in a particular state

Fluffy

A term for a plus-sized, attractive woman

Force-ripe

Precocious; a child acting older than their age. Also, fruit ripened artificially.

Forward

To go; To head towards

Fram

From

Fret

To worry; to be annoyed or vexed.

Fulljoy

To enjoy fully and completely.

Galang

Go on; Go along

Gallis or Gyalis

A player; a womanizer.

Gates

Home; yard; residence.

Gaza

A term for a crew/area in Waterford, Portmore, St. Catherine, popularized by Vybz Kartel

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