Jamaican Slang Words and Phrases

I came up with a long list of popular Jamaican slang words and phrases used in everyday conversations.

The list includes greetings, street slangs, female slangs, pickup lines, proverbs, and more. A standard English translation is also provided with each.

Without too much unnecessary talking, lets get into it.

Jamaican Greeting Phrases

Below is a list of common lines Jamaicans use when greeting another person.

Waa gwaan?
- What is going on? / What’s up?

Weh yah deal wid?
- What are you dealing with?

How yuh do? / How dee do?
- How are you doing?

Wah di pree?
- What’s the motive?

Everything bless?
- Is everything ‘great’ with you?

Waa guh dung?
- What’s going down with you?

Weh yuh upto?
- What you up to?

Greeting Responses

Here are some popular and common Jamaican greeting responses:

Mi deh yah
- Am here

Mi nah deal wid
- Am not dealing with anything really

Everything criss man
- Everything is ‘good’

Nutn really, just a gwaan tek it easy enuh
- Nothing really, just chilling

Yeah man, everything is everything
- Yes, all is well

Nutn really, just a wul a medz
- Nothing really, just holding a meditation

Deh yah enuh, a gwan maths up some food
- Am here, just cocking some food

Jamaican Goodbye Phrases

There are a number of ways to say goodbye in patois. Here are a few:

Inna di marrows enuh
- See you tomorrow

Likle more / Lata (late-a)
- Later

Inna di lights
- See you in the morning

Mi gaan
- Am gone

Mi agu lef yah now
- Am leaving right now

Mi a come guope a yard now
- Am going home now

Mi wi si yuh lata
- I will see you later

Jamaican Street Slang Phrases

Lets take you to the streets! Below is a list of slangs used mostly by the inner city youths of Jamaica.

Mad up yuh ting bro gad
- Do your thing bro

Man a gyalist ina di street
- Am a ladies man out here

Up enuh mi g
- Much respect bredrin

Nahmal a lie / Nawmal a lie (Normal, a lie?)
- This is normal, am I lying?

Stop bait up yuhself, fassy
- Stop exposing yourself, punk

Yuh done know di badness guh enuh
- You already know we are real gangsters

A who yuh man?
- Who are you suppose to be?

Mi nuh play wid bwoy a road
- I do not play around with people

Pon a big man level
- On a higher note

Big woman ting
- Real talk

How yah pree mi suh?
- Why are you looking at me like that?

Wah di pree? / y pre?
- What’s the motive? / what’s on your agenda?

Stop loud up mi ting dawg
- Stop letting everyone know my business bro

Waa gwaan daadi?
- What’s up gangster?

We a beat dem bad
- We are beating them bad

Di ting shot!
- The thing is lit!

Di ting crawb up
- The thing is grimy

Dawg yah waste man enuh
- You are a useless man

If you need a vocal sample pack of some Jamaican street slangs words and phrases, you can get it here: Jamaican Street Slang Vocal Sample Pack

Jamaican Female Sayings

Here are a few lines used mostly by young Jamaican females:

A yah suh nice!
- I like the vibe, it’s exciting

Wah gwaan goodie?
- What’s up girl?

A dat wid you now
- That’s what I can’t stand with you

Yeah you
- Yes

Yuh know mi got di good good
- You know I have a honeypot / good vagina

Mi iggy fi har
- I want to fight her (Iggy means ignorant)

Doh mek mi done yuh
- Don’t let me curse you out

Jamaican Pickup Lines and Lust Phrases

You should know by now that Jamaican men have the sweetest mouth and wittiest pickup lines. A real ‘yaad man’ also fantasize a lot about women.

Here is a list of lustful phrases and pickup lines commonly used by Jamaican men:

Jah know da gyal deh thick
- Damn that girl is thick

Baby yuh skin clean like Jesus police record
- Girl you have beautiful skin

Baby yuh body set gud like ice inna mi freeza
- Girl you’re so sexy

Babes da smile deh coming like it waa gimi diabetes
- You have a very sweet smile

Is a man like me fi a stomp out da supn deh enuh b. Mi can seet inna yuh yiy seh yuh man nah strike it right
- I should be the man for you. I can see it in your eyes that your man is not giving you pleasure

Pssst browning, beg yah minute a yuh time nuh
- Hey pretty lady, can I get a minute of your time

Mi woulda put one pon yuh enuh
- I would make love to you

Mi nah lie enuh, mi really like yuh enuh b
- No lies, I really like you girl

From wa day mi notice mi jus cyah stop think boh yuh
- From the other day I noticed I just cant stop thinking about you

Baby yuh ting fat till e buff up inna yuh jeans
- Your kitty is printing out in your jeans

Da bwoy deh a clown b, a me fi a deh wid yuh
- Your man is not right for you, I should be the one to bring you pleasure

Beg yah taste off yuh lips dem nuh, the economy a gwaan a way all sweety a get expensive
- Can I get a kiss

Jamaican Proverbs

Here’s a list of some thoughtful Jamaican proverbs:

Wa nuh kill yuh, fatten yuh
- What doesn’t break you, makes you stronger.

Cowad man kip soun bone
- Its better to be a coward stay alive than to lose your life by being impulsive.

Old fire stick easy fi ketch
- Old relationships are easily re-kindled.

When trouble tek yuh pickney shut fit yuh
- When you are in trouble you will do unimaginable things to try and get yourself out of it.

Wa gaan bad a mawnin cyah come good a night
- Things that went bad from the start wont magically become good in the end.

Mi come fi drink milk, mi nuh come fi count cow
- I came to do my job, not to watch or gossip about what doesn’t concern me.

Yuh cyah ketch quako, yuh ketch him shout
- If you cannot find him, get someone close to him.

Wanti wanti cyah get it, but getty getty nuh want it
- Those who want it cant have it, but it comes easily to those who do not care to have it.

Poun a fret cyah buy ounce a debt
- Sitting and worry wont pay the bills.

Long run, short ketch
- No matter how long you run from your punishment, you will be caught one day.

Taam drunk but taam nuh fool
- Tom might appear drunk, but he is aware of what is going on.

Sorry fi mawga dawg, him tun roun bite yuh
- Sorry for the unfortunate, they turn around and disrespect you when things get better.

Good fren betta dan pocket money
- Its better to have good friends around than to have a lot of money but no one to enjoy it with.

Bush have eyes and wall have ears
- You would be shocked to know who knows your deepest secrets.