Phrases › Jamaican Patois
Phrases
Early draft: There was little reliable source material for this language, so some lines may be wrong. Check with a speaker before relying on them.
In Jamaican Patois, hello is Wah gwaan (Wa gwaan) and thank you is Tank yuh (Tangk yu). Here are 17 everyday Jamaican Patois phrases with pronunciation, for travel and a first conversation.
How to say hello in Jamaican Patois · How to say thank you in Jamaican Patois · How to say goodbye in Jamaican Patois · How to say please in Jamaican Patois · How to say sorry in Jamaican Patois
| English | Jamaican Patois | Say It Like |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Wah gwaan Casual 'what's going on?'; answer 'Mi deh yah' or 'Respect'. Polite openers: 'Gud mawnin'', 'Elo'. | Wa gwaan |
| Goodbye | Walk good Wishes a safe trip. Also 'Tek kier', 'Likkle more' (see you later), 'Bai'. | Waak gud |
| Please | Please 'Du' (JLU) is the stronger Patois 'please': 'Du, no go uova deso.' | Pliiz |
| Thank you | Tank yuh Also 'tanks'. | Tangk yu |
| Yes | Yes Also 'yah' or 'ye'. | |
| No | No Stressed 'noa'; 'nuh' = not/don't. | Nuo |
| Excuse me / Sorry | Excuse mi 'Sorry' is 'sari'. 'Oi!' to get attention is rude. | Eksyuuz mi |
| Do you speak English? | Yuh speak English? Also 'Yuh can talk English?'; plural 'Unu speak English?'. | Yu kyaan chat Inglish? |
| I don't understand | Mi nuh andastan | Mi no andastan |
| How much is it? | How much fi dis? Also 'How much fe dis?'. | Ou moch fi dis? |
| Where is the bathroom? | Weh di tailit deh? 'Tailit' = toilet; also 'Which part di tailit deh?'. | We di baachruum de? |
| The bill, please | Mi can get di check, please? Literally 'can I get the check'. | Mi kyan get di chek, pliiz? |
| Where is …? | Weh … deh? Put the place in the gap: 'Weh di bus station deh?'. Also 'Which part … deh?'. | We … de? |
| Help! | Help! Also 'Elp!' as written in the phrasebook. | Elp! |
| I need a doctor | Mi need one doctah 'One' is used for 'a'. | Mi niid wan dakta |
| English | Jamaican Patois | Say It Like |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the nearest grocery store? | Weh di nierist shap deh? | We di niirist shap de? |
| How do you say this in Patois? | Ou yu se dis inna Patwa? | Ou yu se dis ina Patwa? |
Flashcards, verb tables and a textbook for four levels, from Basic to Advanced. Free, no account needed, no ads.