These are the Jamaican expressions you'll hear every day, the ones that fill a normal conversation rather than a souvenir T-shirt. Most of them come with a usual reply, so they're given in pairs where that's how they work. All the example sentences use the spellings most people type.
Greetings and check-ins
| Expression | Meaning | Typical reply |
|---|---|---|
| Wah gwaan? | What's going on? / Hello | Mi deh yah. / Nutten nuh gwaan. |
| Wha appen? | What's happening? (Depending on tone, also "what's wrong?") | Mi deh yah. / Mi good. |
| Wah yuh a seh? | Literally "what are you saying?"; a casual hello | Nutten much. |
| Everyting criss? | Is everything good? | Yeah man, mi good. |
| Weh yuh deh pon? | What are you up to? What are your plans? | Mi deh pon a work ting. (I'm busy with work.) |
| Long time mi nuh see yuh! | I haven't seen you in ages! | Mi did deh bout! |
| Bless up / Blessings | A warm hello (or goodbye) wishing someone well | The same back |
| Yes I | Hello / yes, from Rasta-influenced speech | Yes I. |
Wah gwaan, mi bredda?
What's up, my brother?
Mi deh yah.
I'm here (I'm doing okay).
In more formal or older company, and when you walk into a shop, start with mawnin or evenin instead. More in how to say hello in Jamaican.
Agreeing, understanding and showing respect
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Seen / Zeen | Got it, understood, agreed |
| Yeah man | Yes, of course (used to anyone, not just men) |
| Ya mon | Yes, for sure; real, but used less than tourists think |
| Dun know | Of course, you already know |
| Fi true? | Really? For real? (as a statement: truly) |
| Yuh zimi? | Do you get me? (from yuh see mi) |
| Big up | Respect, a shout-out (Big up yuhself!) |
| Respect | Acknowledgement, thanks or greeting between equals |
"Wi link up a six." "Seen."
"We'll meet at six." "Got it."
Saying goodbye
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Mi gone | I'm off, I'm leaving |
| Walk good | Take care, travel safely |
| Likkle more | See you later (literally, in a little while) |
| More time | See you later, between friends |
| Inna di morrows | See you tomorrow |
| One love | A warm farewell wishing unity and peace |
| Soon come | I'll be back, I'm on my way (timing flexible) |
Mi gone, inna di morrows!
I'm off, see you tomorrow!
See how to say goodbye in Jamaican for when each one fits.
Questions you'll hear a lot
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Weh yuh deh? | Where are you? |
| A wah? | What is it? What's the matter? |
| Fi wah? | What for? Why? |
| Wah do yuh? | What's wrong with you? |
| A who tell yuh dat? | Who told you that? |
| Wah time now? | What time is it? |
More in negation and questions.
Everyday reactions
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A suh it go | That's how it goes, that's life |
| Nuh badda | Don't bother; don't even start |
| Nuh worry yuhself | Don't worry about it |
| It nuh matta | It doesn't matter |
| Mussi | Must be, probably (Yuh mussi mad! You must be crazy!) |
| Cool runnings | All smooth, no trouble |
| Ease up | Take it easy, calm down, ease off |
| Nice up | Liven up, make it festive (Nice up di dance!) |
| Kiss teet | The sharp "chuups" sound of sucking your teeth: annoyance, without a word |
Polite requests and thanks
- Beg yuh is how you say please when asking for something: Beg yuh pass di salt.
- Beg pardon means excuse me, to get attention or apologise.
- Give tanks (give thanks) means thank you, and is used widely beyond church.
- Tek yuh time means take your time, no rush.
- Mek haste! is the opposite: hurry up.
- Small up yuhself means squeeze in, make room, as on a crowded route taxi.
More in how to say thank you in Jamaican.
Exclamations, from mild to strong
Jamaicans have a full scale of exclamations. The mild ones are fine almost anywhere:
- Cho! Irritation or dismissal: Cho, nuh badda mi.
- Rahtid! Surprise, a softened exclamation: Rahtid, it hot today!
- Blouse an skirt! Good grief! A clean stand-in for a cuss word.
- Bwoy! Surprise or weariness: Bwoy, dat dear! (Wow, that's expensive!)
The "klaat" words are a different matter: they're genuinely offensive. Jamaican curse words explained covers how strong each is and what to say instead.
Small words that change the tone
Many expressions get their flavour from tags such as enuh (you know), eeh and nuh true? (isn't it?). Mi serious enuh is more insistent than mi serious. See how to speak Patois naturally for how these work, and Jamaican proverbs for the older sayings behind a lot of everyday talk.
Questions people ask
What is the most common Jamaican expression?
Wah gwaan (what's going on?) is the best-known greeting and is used constantly, in Jamaica and in diaspora slang. Its usual reply is mi deh yah (I'm here, meaning I'm fine), though plenty of people simply say yeah man or nutten nuh gwaan.
Does soon come really mean soon?
Not always. Mi soon come means I'll be back or I'm on my way, but it's famously flexible: it might mean five minutes or a good deal longer. It's said warmly and isn't meant as a promise of exact timing.
What does seen mean in Jamaican?
Seen means I understand or agreed, like got it. It's a reply, not a question: Wi link up a six. Seen. Zeen is a common variant with the same meaning.