CULTURE

The Travellers'
Guide to Essential
Jamaican Sayings &
Phrases
By Kylie Morrow | May 6th 2021

When planning a holiday in Jamaica, it’s a good

idea to learn some of the phrases and sayings
Jamaican people use in their daily conversations.

Ideally, you should always do this whenever you’re

traveling to a destination where the locals speak
di!erently than you. Learning a few Jamaican
sayings will help you interact with local people and
have more positive experiences as you travel. Even
if you learn the customary way to talk about simple
things, like ordering from a menu, it can go a long
way.

The idea is not to master the local language so you

can speak it fluently. The e!ort you put into
respecting the local way of speaking can come
across as courteous to the local people you meet
and interact with during your trip.

The fact that Jamaica’s o!cial language is English

means that English speaking visitors won’t have
problems communicating with the local people
entirely. However, learning a bit of the Jamaican
Patois will help you interact with and relate to
the locals. And lastly, whichever time of year you
choose to visit, you can discover the best o!ers for
each season on our specials pages.

These are the top

Jamaican sayings and
phrases to use when you
visit Jamaica:

‘Weh Yuh Ah Seh’

The literal translation of this Jamaican saying is,

“What are you saying?”. The English translation of
the phrase is “How are you doing?” At times the
phrase can be shortened to “weh yaw seh.”

Picture: Heart shaped Over-The-Water

Bungalows at Sandals Royal Caribbean in
Montego Bay, Jamaica.

‘Boonoonoonoos’

Boonoonoonoos is a Jamaican saying to express

love. In plain English, it translates to "special
person". When you have a loved one with you on
holiday, you might want to refer to him or her as a
"boonoonoonoos friend" to express your feelings. It
is often used to refer to things or objects that are
nice as well.

‘Small Up Yuhself’

When moving around and visiting di!erent sites in

Jamaica, you may need to board a bus or taxi.
However, there are times when the buses and taxis
are crowded and there’s inadequate space. This is
where this Jamaican expression becomes useful.
"Make room" is what the phrase means, and when
you want to have some space so you can pass, it’s
what you might want to say: “Small up yourself!”

‘Wah Gwaan’

If you listened to Former U.S.President Barack

Obama’s speech when he visited Jamaica before the
end of his second term, you may have heard him
greet his audience using the expression. It’s a
casual greeting which means “What’s up?” or “How
are you?”

‘Irie’

The Jamaican saying "irie" is often used to mean

"everything is alright and fine." Note that Jamaica
has numerous variations when it comes to greeting
someone. When someone asks “How are you
feeling?” or “How yuh stay?” an appropriate
response would be, “Mi irie.”

‘Mi Deh Yah, Yuh Know’

If you’re going to use this phrase, you have to

pronounce it properly and say it fast. That’s where
the trick lies. You have to say it almost as one
complete word. The expression is often used as a
response to "wah gwaan, and it means "Everything
is okay." It may also mean "I’m doing well."

Picture: Colour party at Sandals Ochi - a

vibrant all-inclusive resort in Ocho Rios,
Jamaica.

'Weh Yuh Deh Pon'

Impress locals with this Jamaican expression that is

often used when greeting a friend. “What are you
up to?” is what the phrase means, and when you
meet a local relaxing in the same all-inclusive
resort you’re in, it’s what you might want to say.

‘Ya Mon’

"Mon" is a Jamaican word that’s particularly

important to the locals and is often used when
talking to anyone, whether it's a child or adult. The
English translation for the Jamaican saying "ya mon"
is “no problem” or “okay.” When someone o!ers
you a rum runner, for example, it's what you might
want to say: “Ya mon!”

‘Dead Wid Laugh’

During your holiday in Jamaica, you’re going to

meet funny people who will make you laugh
uncontrollably. Dying with laughter is what this
Jamaican phrase means, and when you come
across something funny, you’d want to say, mi dead
wid laugh.

‘Inna Di Morrows’

This is what you should say every time you part

with your local tour guide and you still have to see
each other the next day. The Jamaican expression
means see you tomorrow. Whenever you’re leaving,
consider telling the other person, "Mi a le!, inna di
morrows."

Picture: Guests can enjoy unlimited free

drinks at the Over-The-Water Bar at
Sandals South Coast in Jamaica.

‘Inner Luv’

After having a great time with the locals at the

beach or any other place, it’s a good idea to
appreciate them for their time. To appreciate is
what the phrase "inner luv" means, and when
you’re happy about a particular service or moment,
saying, “mi have inner luv fi your time” will leave
them impressed.

Add in some funny Jamaican

sayings

While we're here, why not learn a few funny

Jamaican phrases and sayings as well?
"Blabba mout" is an expression that’s often used
to describe someone who talks too much.
Chatterbox is the English translation of the phrase.
“Talk and taste your tongue” is a funny Jamaica
expression often used to mean “think before you
speak.” “Every hoe have dem stik a bush” is the
equivalent of “there’s someone out there for every
person,” while “de olda de moon, de brighter it
shines” is often used to mean “the older the
person, the wiser he or she is.”

In conclusion, it’s important to note that Jamaican

sayings are mainly based on the English language.
The only di!erence lies in the use of grammar and
pronunciation.
Now that you’ve learned and know some of the
more common Jamaican phrases, it’s time you
started meeting and interacting with the locals.
You’ll get to learn more from the locals themselves
as you have first-hand conversations.

If you're keen to put what you have learnt into

practice, book your next holiday to Jamaica now by
clicking here.

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About Kylie Morrow

Born on the tropical island that is Saint Lucia

a!ords a never-ending source of inspiration. In the
past 13 years, Kylie loved to work with various
newspapers, magazines and blogs in the Caribbean.

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