- JLU spelling
- Wa gwaan
- Also written
- Wha gwaan, Wagwan, Wa gwaan
What “Wah gwaan” means
Wah gwaan is the classic Jamaican greeting. Literally it asks "what's going on?", but most of the time it works like "hello" or "how are you?". You can use it on its own or follow it with a name or a word like bredda or fren.
Examples
Wah gwaan, mi bredda?
What's up, my brother?
Wha gwaan everybody? Nice fi finally meet unnu
What's up everybody? Nice to finally meet you all
How to use it
Said all day, to friends, family, neighbours and people you've just met. It's relaxed and friendly; a common reply is "Mi deh yah" (I'm good).
Where usage varies
Spellings vary a lot because people write it how it sounds: wah gwaan, wha gwaan and wagwan are all common. In London and Toronto, "wagwan" has spread into general youth slang well beyond the Jamaican community.
Cultural context
Jamaican speech carried this greeting into Multicultural London English, where "wagwan" is now heard from young people of every background.