Yaady Dictionary

◊Yaady Dictionary
/yaa-di  dic-tion-ery/
A vocabulary of Jamaican terms or Patois, used on my blog, translated into English.

◊Patois
/pat-wa/
A language spoken in Jamaica, it is not recognized officially as a language but as an English Creole.

◊A
/a/
Used in place of “is/are” in the present tense.

◊Bawl
/baw-luh/
Cry, especially in an excessive manner.

◊Big up yuhself/unnu self.
/big up yuh-self/ unn-u/
Give props to yourself or congrats. Unnu=You(plural)

◊Bredrin
/bre-drin/
Bredrin comes from bredda which is brother, so it is a similar term; a male that is a close friend.
The term may also be used for strangers in some cases.

◊Bere
/bare/
A lot, plenty.

◊Buddy/Cocky
/bud-dy/coc-ky/
Penis.

◊Cya
/ki-yaa/
Cannot, Can’t.

◊Dem
/de-em/
Them.

◊Dead Wid Laugh/DWL
/ded wid laaf/
Dying with laughter, the Jamaican equivalent to “lmao” or “laugh my ass off.”

◊Di
/di/
The.

◊Do Road
/do road/
To go out.

◊Dung
/duh-ngh/
Down.

◊Fi
/fi/
Should.

◊Fulljoy
/full-joy/
To enjoy.

◊Fyah
/fi-yah/
Fire.

◊Give Thanks
/gi-ve tha-nks/
To be thankful of a situation or event that occurred.(also used in place of thank you.)

◊Grabba
/grab-ba/
Tobacco, also called Hot Grabba.

◊Juss
/jus/
Just.

◊Mek
/mek/
Make.

◊Mi
/mi/
I, mine, my, me.

◊Nah/Naa
/Nah/
No, not.

◊Neva
/neh-vah/
Never.

◊Nuff
/nuff/
A lot, plenty.

◊Nuh
/nuh/
Don’t, Does not.

◊Pree
/pre-ee/
To look at.

◊Pum Pum/Punani
/p-uh-m p-uh-m/p-uh-na-ni/
Vagina. (also called pussy)

◊Ram
/ram/
Full. (or a male goat 😛 )

◊Riddim
/rid-dim/
Rhythm.

◊Seh
/se-eh/
Say or said.

◊Shell/Shot
/she-ell/shot
Went well, amazing, fun.
e.g. The day did shell.

◊Sistrin
/sis-trin/
The feminine version of Bredrin, a female that is a close friend.
This term isn’t usually used with strangers.

◊Spliff
/spliff/
Marijuana finely cut or ground up and rolled in paper for smoking, usually cone shaped.(a joint.) May contain grabba.

◊Suh
/so-oh/
So.

◊Tek
/tek/
Take.

◊Tek weh
/tek weh/
To take away/up something.

◊Tups
/tuu-ps/
A small amount, a little bit.

◊Wah Gwan?
/waaah gwaan/
What’s up?

◊Wanga
/wang-ga/
Greedy.

◊Rassclaat, Pussyclaat, Bomboclaat, Bloodclaat
Curse words, they may be shortened and used as: bombo, rass, claat, pussy.

*Some meanings may vary.