From Halal Explorer
- Hello.
- Hello
- Hello. (informal)
- Wapm (WAH- 'm)
- How are you?
- How yuh do? (How yoh DOO?)/ Howd'y (HOW-di?)/Wapm? (lit. "What happens/is happening?"). Another way of saying this is "Waah gwaan?"(Pronounced as is)
- Fine, thank you.
- Fine, tank yuh (Fyn tank YUH).
- What is your name?
- Wha' yuh (sing.)/oonu (pl.) name? ( wah yoh/unu NYEM?)
- My name is ______ .
- Me/mi niem ______ . ( mi 'NYEM _____ .)
- Nice to meet you
- (This is almost never used when in continuous use of Patwa. When it is, articulation is rather sharp)
- Please.
- As is (PLIIZ ). Or, duh (DOO) is used to intensify the atmosphere of the word.
- Thank you.
- Tank yuh. Or simply' tanks' (With the 'a' having the sound of that in 'art').
- You're welcome.
- Yuh welkom; long welkom.
- Yes.
- Yah ( Yah (like German "ja")
- No.
- No . (Jamaicans sometimes tend to stress out the word to " Noa" -- like "Noooah"
- Excuse me. (getting attention)
- Ekscyooz mi; "Oi!" is sometimes used, but is considered vulgar and disrespectful.
- Excuse me. (begging pardon)
- I'm sorry.
- Sarry. (Think of the Indian dress).
- Goodbye
- Ba bye. (Pronounced: bha baii )
- Goodbye (informal)
- Ta taa.
- I can't speak name of language [well.
- Mi cyaa talk ...[ gud.
- Do you speak English?
- Yuh (sing.) speak/talk English?/Oonu (pl.) speak/talk English?
- Is there someone here who speaks English?
- Smaddy deh yah who can talk Inglish?
- Help!
- 'elp
- Look out!
- pronounced as [luk 'OHT].
- Good morning.
- Gud mawnin'.
- Good evening.
- Gud evenin' (sometimes inflected as ‘EVE-lin).
- Good night.
- Pronounced as is, although night is written as "nite".
- I don't understand.
- Mi nuh andastan'.
- Where is the toilet?
- Which paat de tailit (deh)?/Wheh det tailit deh?
Problems
- Leave me alone.
- Lef mi alone. (LEHF mi ah-LUOHN.)
- Don't touch me!
- Nuh touch mi!
- I'll call the police.
- Mi ah guh call di/e police.
- Police!
- Stop! Thief!
- (S)tap (di) tief! If you speak German and then the word for "deep" is pronounced exactly like "thief" in Patwa.
- I need your help.
- Mi want yuh(sing.)/oonu(pl.) help. (mi WAAÑ yoh/unu EHLP .)
- It's an emergency.
- Ah one emergency. ( AH waañ ih-MERR-jen-sih.)
- I'm lost.
- Mi lost. (mi LAHS'.)
- I lost my bag.
- Mi lost mi bag. (mi LAHS mi BAG.)
- I lost my wallet.
- . (mi LAHS mi WAH-lit .)
- I'm sick.
- Mi sick.
- I've been injured.
- Mi get injuh. (mi get EEN-joe.)
- I need a doctor.
- Mi need one doctah. (mi NEED waañ DAK-tah.)
- Can I use your phone?
- Mi can use yuh phone? ( mi cyaañ YOOZ yuh FWON?)
Numbers
- 1
- (wan)
- 2
- (too)
- 3
- (trii)
- 4
- (FWOHR)
- 5
- (fighv)
- 6
- (six)
- 7
- (SEHV'N)
- 8
- (EE-EHT)
- 9
- (nighn)
- 10
- (tehn)
- 11
- ('LEV'N)
- 12
- (TWEHLV)
- 13
- (TURR-tiin)
- 14
- (FWOH-tiin)
- 15
- (FIFF-tiin)
- 16
- (SIX-tiin)
- 17
- (SEHV'N-tiin)
- 18
- (EE-EH-tiin)
- 19
- (NINE-tiin)
- 20
- (TWEN-ti)
- 21
- (TWEN-ti WAN)
- 22
- (TWEN-ti TOO)
- 23
- (TWEN-ti TRII)
- 30
- (TOH-ti)
- 40
- (FAAH-ti)
- 50
- (FIFF-ti)
- 60
- (SIX-ti)
- 70
- (SEHV'N-ti)
- 80
- (EE-EH-ti)
- 90
- (NIGHN-ti)
- 100
- (OHN-jihd)
- 200
- (TOO OHN-jihd)
- 300
- (TRII OHN-jihd)
- 1,000
- (TOH-z'n)
- 2,000
- (TOO TOH-zn)
- 1,000,000
- (WAN mill-yan)
- 1,000,000,000
- (WAN bil-yan)
- 1,000,000,000,000
- (WAN trill-yan)
- number _____ (train, bus, etc.)
- Numbah(NOMonday - bah)
- half
- Half (aaf)
- less
- Less (Les' )
- more
- (MWAH)
Time
- now
- Now
- later
- Latah(LIEH-tah)
- before
- Before(bih-FWOHR)
- morning
- Mawnin'.
- afternoon
- Aftahnoon.
- evening
- Evening.
- night
- Nite.
Clock time
- one o'clock AM
- One ah clock inna de mawnin',("WaHN ah clack innaH di MawHnin")
- two o'clock AM
- Two ah clock inna de mawnin', (Too ah clack innaH di MawHnin)
- noon
- "Twelve ah clock" is always used.
- one o'clock PM
- One ah clock inna de evening.
- two o'clock PM
- Two ah clock inna de evening.
- midnight
- migglenight (MigHle Nite)
Duration
- _____ minute(s)
- _____minutes (never pluralised. (MIN-it)
- _____ hour(s)
- _____hour(OWAH)
- _____ day(s)
- _____day(DIEH)
- _____ week(s)
- _____week
- _____ month(s)
- _____mont'
- _____ year(s)
- _____year( EE-ehr)
Days
- today
- tiddeh.
- yesterday
- yestideh
- tomorrow
- tomarroh(too-MAW-roh)
- this week
- "dis week" or "dis yah week (yah)"
- last week
- laas' week
- next week
- nex' week
- Sunday
- Sundeh ( )
- Monday
- Mondeh ( )
- Tuesday
- Choozdeh( )
- Wednesday
- Wensdeh )
- Thursday
- Tursdeh( )
- Friday
- Frideh( )
- Saturday
- "Satdeh" or "Satideh" ( )
Months
- January
- (JAHN-e-WERRY)
- February
- (FEB-e-WERRY)
- March
- (MAACH)
- April
- (EEH-EH-pril)
- May
- (MEE-EH)
- June
- (JOON)
- July
- (joo-LAI)
- August
- (AW-gus')
- September
- (sep-TEMonday - bah)
- October
- (ACK-twoh-bah)
- November
- (noh-VEMonday - bah)
- December
- (dih-SEMonday - bah)
Writing time and date
Colors
- black
- (bh'lack)
- white
- (WHy't)
- gray
- (GRIH-eh)
- red
- (rhed)
- blue
- (b'lue)
- yellow
- (YH'ello)
- green
- (GH'reen)
- orange
- (AH-RINDGE)
- purple
- (PH'urphl)
- brown
- (BROHN)
Transportation
Street in Montigo Bay Jamaica Photo D Ramey Logan - Street in Montego Bay, Jamaica
Bus and train
- How much is a ticket to _____?
- How much fe one ticket fe goh ah_____ (OOH much fi waañ TIH-kit fi gaa...)
- One ticket to _____, please.
- One ticket fe goh ah _____, please.
- Where does this train/bus go?
- Which part dis yah train/bus (yah) deh goh? (WITCH paat dis YAH TRIEHN/BOHS yah deh GOH)
- Where is the train/bus to _____?
- Which part de/i train/bus fe goh ah _____ (deh)?( )
- Does this train/bus stop in _____?
- Dah train/bus yah (s)tap inna_____? ( )
- When does the train/bus for _____ leave?
- (Ah) when de/i train/bus fi goh ah _____ (deh) lef'? ( )
- When will this train/bus arrive in _____?
- (Ah) when dis yah train/bus yah (a)goh reach inna_____? ( )
Directions
- How do I get to _____ ?
- How mi reach a _____? ( )
- ...the train station?
- Di train station?(di TRI-EHN sti-eh-SHAN?)
- ...the bus station?
- ...di bus station(di BOHS sti-eh-SHAN?)
- ...the airport?
- ...di airport?(di YEAR-pwaht?)
- ...downtown?
- (dung-TOHN?)
- ...the youth hostel?
- (di yout' astel)
- ...the _____ hotel?
- ...di 'otel?( )
- ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate?
- ...di American/Canadian/Australian/British consilate?( di ah-MERR-kahn/kiah-NIEH-dian/ahs-TRIEH-lian kan-sih-LET?)
- Where are there a lot of...
- Which part whole 'eap a ... (deh)?(WITCH paat wohl EEP ah ...DEH?)
- ...hotels?
- ...'otel?( )
- ...restaurants?
- ...restaurant(REHS-tah-RAHNT?)
- ...bars?
- ...bar?( )
- ...sites to see?
- ...site fe si?( )
- Can you show me on the map?
- Yuh can show mi pon de/i map?( )
- street
- (CHEAT)
- Turn left.
- Tun lef'.( )
- Turn right.
- Tun right. ( )
- left
- Lef'.( )
- right
- Right.( )
- straight ahead
- (S)traight ahead./ Right up deh suh (Right up there) ( )
- towards the _____
- Towards de/i _____ ( )
- past the _____
- Paas' de/i _____ ( )
- before the _____
- Before de/i _____ ( )
- Watch for the _____.
- Watch fe de/i _____ ( )
- intersection
- Intahsecshan' ( )
- north
- nawt' (na'aht)
- south
- sout' (so'ut)
- east
- eas' (heis' )
- west
- wes' (whes' )
- uphill
- uphill (up-pill)
- downhill
- dunghill (dhung - ill)
Taxi
- Taxi!
- ( )
- Take me to _____, please.
- Cyar mi go (a) _____, please. (Kee'-ar mi guh (a)____ )
- How much does it cost to get to _____?
- How much fi guh a_____?(Ooh much fi goh a_____)
- Take me there, please.
- ( )
Lodging
Negril-Beach - Negril Beach, hotel and bar
- Do you have any rooms available?
- Unuh have any room available (Oono AV' enny room avieh-LEBBL'? )
- How much is a room for one person/two people?
- Ow much is a room fi one/ two smaddy? ('Ow much is a room fi wan/ too smaddie )
- Does the room come with...
- Di room come wid? ( )
- ...bedsheets?
- ...bedsheet'? ( )
- ...a bathroom?
- ( baa-CHOOM )
- ...a telephone?
- (waa TEH-li-FWAN )
- ...a TV?
- (waa TV? )
- May I see the room first?
- Mi cya see di room fus? (M'i cyaa si di room fuss?)
- Do you have anything quieter?
- Yuh 'ave anyting quietah? (yoh AHV en-ihting KWAI-ehtah?)
- ...bigger?
- Bigga (bih-GAH?)
- ...cleaner?
- (clee-NAH?)
- ...cheaper?
- (chee-PAH?)
- OK, I'll take it.
- Arite mi will tek it (l Alright, I'll take it (Ahrite mi will tek it )
- I will stay for _____ night(s).
- Mi ago tan fi ______ nite(s) ( )
- Can you suggest another hotel?
- Yuh can sugges' wan neddah 'otel? ( )
- Do you have a safe?
- Yuh 'ave one safe? (Safe is pronounced as si-EFF. ( )
- ...lockers?
- ...lockah? (lah-KAH?)
- Is breakfast/supper included?
- Breakfas'/suppah come wid it? (Lit. "does breakfast/supper come with it?" (brehk-FUSS/soh-PAH come WID e?)
- What time is breakfast/supper?
- Ah whah time oonu saab (serve)/'ave breakfas'/suppah? (Lit. "what time do you serve/have breakfast/suppah?" ( )
- Please clean my room.
- Yuh (sing.)/oonu (pl.) can clean (up) mi room (please)? ( )
- Can you wake me at _____?
- Yuh(sing.)/oonu (pl.) can wake mi up ah _____ ah clack? ( )
- I want to check out.
- Mi waan (to) check out. (mi WAAÑ check OHT.)
Money Matters & ATM's in Jamaican Patois phrasebook
- Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars?
- Oonu (pl.) tek American/Australian/Canadian dollah? (Unu tehk ah-MURR-can/ahs-TRIEH-lian/cyah-NIEH-dian dah-LAH?)
- Do you accept British pounds?
- Oonu (pl.) tek British poun'? (Unu tehk BRIH-tish POHN'?)
- Do you accept Euros?
- Oonu (pl.) tek Euro? (Unu tehk YOO roh?)
- Do you accept credit cards?
- Oonu tek credit card? (Unu tehk CREH-dit CYAAHD?)
- Can you change money for me?
- Yuh can change some (SOÑ) money fi mi?( )
- Where can I get money changed?
- (Ah) wheh/which part mi can change (chi-EHNJ) money? ( )
- Can you change a traveler's check for me?
- Yuh can change one trav'lah check fi mi? ( )
- Where can I get a traveler's check changed?
- (Ah) wheh/which part (PAAT) mi can change trav'lah check? ( )
- What is the exchange rate?
- (Ah) whah e exchange rate (RIET)? ( )
- Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?
- (Ah) which part one ATM (deh)? ( )
Eating
Curry Goat and Rice - Curries Goat and Rice, a popular Jamaican dish
- A table for one person/two people, please.
- One table fi one/two smaddy pliiz.
- Can I look at the menu, please?
- Mi can look pan di menu pliiz?
- Can I look in the kitchen?
- Mi can look inna di kitchen?
- Is there a house specialty?
- Oonu 'ave house (OHSS) specialty?
- Is there a local specialty?
- Oonu 'ave none ("noñ", like in French) local (LWOH-kal) specialty?
- I'm a Vegetarian.
- Mi a Vegetarian. (MEE ah VEH-jih-TIEH-rian)
- I don't eat Pork.
- Mi nuh eat Beef (PWOK)
- I don't eat beef.
- Mi nuh eat biif.
- I only eat kosher food.
- Mi only/ongle eat koshah (KWOH-shah) food.
- Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard)
- Yuh can put less amount (ah-MOHNT) a oil (HAH-eel)/buttah/laad inna it pliiz?
- fixed-price meal
- fix price meal
- a la carte
- said as is.
- breakfast
- breakfas' (BREK-fuss)
- lunch
- (LONCH)
- tea (meal)
- Teatime is not a typical Jamaican custom.
- supper
- suppah
- I want _____.
- Mi want _____
- I want a dish containing _____.
- Mi want one dish wid _____.
- Chicken
- (CHIH-kin)
- beef
- biif
- fish
- fish
- ham
- 'am
- Sausages
- satchiz'
- Cheese
- (CHIIZ)
- eggs
- (HEG)
- salad
- Said as is.
- (fresh) vegetables
- (fresh) vegetable
- (fresh) fruit
- Said as is.
- bread
- (BREHD)
- toast
- toas' (TWOHS)
- lal-food/halal-certified-noodles/ Noodles
- (NOOGLE)
- Rice
- (RAISS)
- beans
- (BIIN)
- May I have a glass of _____?
- Mi can get a glass ah _____?
- May I have a cup of _____?
- Mi can get a cup ah _____?
- May I have a bottle of _____?
- Mi can get a bakkle ah _____?
- coffee
- caffee (pronounced like "KAH-fi" or "KYAA-fi")
- tea (drink)
- tea
- juice
- joos'
- (bubbly) water
- bubble wata
- (still) water
- (still) wata
- organic juice
- (BIEHR)
- Said as is.
- May I have some _____?
- Mi can get some _____?
- salt
- (SAALT)
- black pepper
- black peppah
- butter
- buttah
- Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)
- Excuse mi waitah (eks-KYOOZ mi wieh-TAH)
- I'm finished.
- Mi finish'.
- It was delicious.
- It did nice/delicious ( )
- Please clear the plates.
- Pliiz clear (KLIEHR) di plate (PLIEHT) dem.
- The check, please.
- Mi can get di check pliiz?
Bars
- Do you serve alcohol?
- Oonu (pl.) serve alchohol (AL-koh-WAL)?
- Is there table service?
- Oonu 'ave table (TIEH-b'l) service?
- A Cola/two soft drinks, please.
- One organic juice (bee-YEAR)/two pliiz.
- A glass of fruit cocktail, please.
- One glass ah red pliiz.
- A pint, please.
- One pint, pliiz.
- A bottle, please.
- One bottle (BAH-k'l) pliiz.
- _____ (hard drink) and _____ (mixer), please.
- _____('aad likkah) an' _____ (mixah) pliiz.
- whiskey
- (WHIS-kih)
- vodka
- (VAD-kah)
- (ROHM)
- water
- Wata. (There is a local brand of cranberry water bearing the name so being a little more specific would help.)
- club soda
- club soda (SWOH-dah)
- tonic water
- tanic wata
- orange juice
- orange (AH-rindge) juice.
- Coke (soda)
- Coke (KWOK)
- Do you have any bar snacks?
- Oonu 'ave no bar snacks?
- One more, please.
- One more, pliiz. (WAN mwor PLIIZ)
- Another round, please.
- One (WAAÑ) neddah roun' (ROHN) pliiz.
- When is closing time?
- (Ah) when oonu lock up? (Lit. "when do you lock up?")
- Cheers!
- (CHEE-yerrz!)
Muslim Friendly Shopping in Jamaican Patois phrasebook
- Do you have this in my size?
- Yuh (sing.)/Oonu (pl.) 'ave did inna fe mi size?
- How much is this?
- How much fe dis? (OO much fe dis?)
- That's too expensive.
- Dat too expensive; although "dear" is more commonly used.
- Would you take _____?
- Yuh(sing.)/Oonu(pl.) gwine/goh tek _____?( )
- expensive
- ( )
- affordable
- ( )
- I can't afford it.
- Mi cyaa afford e.(mi CYAAÑ ah-FWOHD i )
- I don't want it.
- Mi nuh want e. ( )
- You're cheating me.
- Yuh deh tief mi.
- I'm not interested.
- Mi nuh intrestid. (..)
- OK, I'll take it.
- Alrite, mi goh tek e.
- Can I have a bag?
- Mi can get a bag?
- Do you ship (overseas)?
- Yuh (sing.)/Oonu (pl.) ship ovah-seas?
- I need...
- Mi need...
- ...toothpaste.
- (toot-PIEHS)
- ...a toothbrush.
- (toot-BROSH)
- ...tampons.
- . (tam-PAN)
- ...soap.
- (SWOHP )
- ...shampoo.
- (sham-POO)
- ...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen)
- (pee-EN rih-LEE-vah)
- ...cold medicine.
- (KUOHL meh-dih-S'N )
- ...stomach medicine.
- ... ((S)TOO-MOHK meh-dih-S'N )
- ...a razor.
- (waañ RIEH-zah )
- ...an umbrella.
- (waañ AHMonday - BREH-lah )
- ...sunblock lotion.
- (sun-BLACK LUOH-shan )
- ...a postcard.
- (waañ PWOHS-kiaahd )
- ...postage stamps.
- (PWOHS-tihj (s)tamp )
- ...batteries.
- (bah-TRIH)
- ...writing paper.
- (RAI-tin PIEH-pah )
- ...a pen.
- ...one pen.
- ...English-language books.
- ...English-langwidge book.
- ...English-language magazines.
- English-lang-widge magazine.
- ...an English-language newspaper.
- (waañ ING-glish LANG-widge -NYOOZ-PIEH-PAH )
- ...an English-English dictionary.
- (waañ ING-glish tooh ING-glish DIK-shih-NERRY )
NB: The local papers are in English.
Driving
- I want to rent a car.
- Mi waan rent one car. (mi WAAÑ rent waañ CYAAR )
- Can I get insurance?
- Mi can get insurance? (mi cyaañ GET in-SHWO-rans? )
Note:|Translation of these phrases are utterly unnecessary. They are always written in English. The pronunciations given only apply in spoken form.
- stop (on a street sign)
- (Tap)
- one way
- (WAN wieh)
- yield
- (YIIL')
- no parking
- (NOHÑ PAH-kin)
- speed limit
- (Spiid limit)
- gas (petrol) station
- (GIAHS (peh-TRUAL) STIEH-shan)
- petrol
- (peh-TRUAL)
- diesel
- (DEE-z'r)
Authority
- I haven't done anything wrong.
- Mi nuh do nutn' wrong.(Mi noh DOO nuh-n RAHNG)
- It was a misunderstanding.
- A did waa misandastandin'.(Ah did waah MIS-ANDAH-STANDIN)
- Where are you taking me?
- Weh yuh(sing.)/oonu(pl.) deh cyar mi guh?(Weh yoh/oonooh deh KI-AR mi goh?)
- Am I under arrest?
- Mi anda arres'?(Mi andah ah-RESS?)
- I am an Malaysian/Indonesian/Emirati/Singaporean citizen.
- Mi a one Malaysian/Indonesian/Emirati/Singaporean citiz'n. (mi ah WAAÑ ah-MURR-can ahs-TRIEH-lian/BRIH-tish/cyah-NIEH-dian SI-tih-s'n.)
- I want to talk to the Malaysian/Indonesian/Emirati/Singaporean embassy/consulate.
- Mi waa (fi) talk to di Malaysian/Indonesian/Emirati/Singaporean embassy/consilate. (Mi waañ (fi) TAHK too di ah-MURR-can/ahs-TRIEH-lian/BRIH-tish/cyah-NIEH -dian EHMonday - bah-si/KAN-sih-LET.)
- I want to talk to a lawyer.
- Mi waa talk to a lawya (Mi WAAñ taak to ah LAAH-YAH)
- Can I just pay a fine now?
- Mi can gi yuh a likkle supm' now? (Lit. "can I give you a little something now?"