In Patois you state a feeling directly, with no "am": Mi vex (I'm angry), Mi fraid (I'm scared), Mi tired (I'm tired). To make it stronger, add bad afterwards (Mi tired bad, "I'm really tired"), and to ask how someone is, say How yuh a feel? This guide covers the everyday words for good and bad moods, how to apologise and reassure, and the tone that goes with them.
The first dialogue is adapted from Granny Bush Tea Clinic, a Story Mode scenario in the Patois Pal app, where Granny Ida catches you sneezing and won't rest until you've had your cerasee tea. The second uses lines from the Dating & Linkups lesson.
Dialogue 1: Granny wants the truth
Granny Ida: Eh-eh — a sneeze dat mi hear? Come yah, come yah. Mek mi look pon yuh. Talk di truth — how yuh a feel? Was that a sneeze I heard? Come here, come here. Let me look at you. Tell the truth — how are you feeling?
You: Yes, Granny, mi feel likkle sick from mawnin. Yes, Granny, I've felt a little sick since this morning.
Granny Ida: Mi did know it! Aright — cerasee tea. Nuh screw up yuh face, a di bitterness a di medicine. I knew it! Alright — cerasee tea. Don't screw up your face, the bitterness is the medicine.
You: Aright, Granny, mi wi drink it — even if it bitter. Alright, Granny, I'll drink it — even if it's bitter.
Granny Ida: Drink up, every drop! Ha! Look pon yuh face! Suh — tell mi how it taste. Drink up, every drop! Ha! Look at your face! So — tell me how it tastes.
You: It bitter bad, Granny — but mi feel it a work aready! It's really bitter, Granny — but I can feel it working already!
Granny Ida: Look pon yuh dis mawnin! Eye dem bright, nose clear. Wah mi did tell yuh? Granny know best, eeh? Look at you this morning! Eyes bright, nose clear. What did I tell you? Granny knows best, eh?
You: Granny, yuh did right — mi feel brand new! Thank yuh, mi love yuh. Granny, you were right — I feel brand new! Thank you, I love you.
Dialogue 2: Making up
You forgot to call Shanice last night, and she's gone quiet.
You: Yuh vex wid mi? Are you upset with me?
Shanice: Mi nuh vex… mi jus did a wonda weh yuh did deh. I'm not angry… I was just wondering where you were.
You: Mi sorry, nuh get vex. Mi did tired bad an mi figet. I'm sorry, don't be angry. I was really tired and I forgot.
Shanice: Aright. But nuh ramp wid mi feelings, yuh hear? Alright. But don't play with my feelings, you hear?
You: Mi serious enuh. Mi miss yuh. I'm serious, you know. I miss you.
Shanice: Mi miss yuh too. Everyting irie now. I miss you too. Everything's fine now.
Key phrases
Asking and answering
- How yuh a feel? — "how are you feeling?" The a marks something happening now. Yuh alright? is the lighter version.
- Mi feel likkle sick — "I feel a bit sick". From mawnin means "since this morning".
- Mi feel brand new — "I feel brand new", fully recovered.
Good feelings
- Irie — feeling good, everything fine: Everyting irie. Popularised by Rasta culture and now used by everybody.
- Sweet — enjoyable, delightful: Di party did sweet.
- Mi proud a yuh — "I'm proud of you".
- Mi love yuh and Mi miss yuh — "I love you", "I miss you". Said to partners, but also to family, as in the Granny dialogue.
Hard feelings
- Vex — angry, annoyed: Him vex bad ("he's really angry"). Nuh get vex = "don't get angry". Vex wid = angry with.
- Fraid — scared, from "afraid": Mi fraid. You'll also hear frighten used to mean "scared".
- Tired bad — very tired. For even more weight, Patois can repeat the word with a in front: A tired mi tired! ("I'm really, really tired").
- Bawl — to cry, loudly; happy tears count too.
- Fret — to worry. Nuh fret = "don't worry".
- Badmind — spiteful envy, begrudging someone their success. Red eye is similar: envious, always wanting what others have.
- Crosses — trouble or misfortune, when things keep going wrong.
Sorry and reassurance
- Mi sorry — "I'm sorry". Simple and sincere.
- Nuh worry yuhself — "don't worry about it", gentle reassurance.
- Nuh ramp wid mi feelings — "don't play with my feelings". Ramp means to play or joke around; here it's a serious warning.
- Mi serious enuh — "I'm serious, you know". Enuh adds emphasis.
- Mi feel seh… — "I feel that…": Mi feel seh rain a go fall. Seh introduces what you think or sense.
Usage and etiquette
- Bad is your intensifier. Good bad, bitter bad, tired bad: it means "very", whether the feeling is good or bad.
- Understatement is normal. Many people answer Mi deh yah ("I'm holding on") even on a good day. Don't read it as gloom.
- With elders, tell the truth and stay respectful. Granny asks for the truth, and the story rewards you for giving it. Arguing back or sulking at an elder goes down badly.
- Sounds carry feelings too. Kiss teet (sucking your teeth) signals annoyance or contempt, and doing it at an elder or someone serving you is rude. Cho! is a mild "ugh, come on!".
- Careful with accusations. Calling someone badmind is a real charge, not banter. Say it about a situation before you say it about a person.
- Anger and strong language. People do swear when they're vex, but the "klaat" words are genuinely offensive. Learn what they mean in Jamaican curse words explained, and use milder options like rahtid or blouse an skirt if you need an exclamation.
Try it
- A friend asks How yuh a feel? Tell them you're very tired but okay.
- Your friend looks upset after you were late. Ask if they're angry with you, then apologise.
- Someone is worrying about an exam. What two short phrases could you say to calm them?
Browse more mood words in the emotions and feelings section of the dictionary.
Questions people ask
Does 'bad' always mean something negative in Patois?
No. After an adjective or verb, bad usually means 'very' or 'a lot': di food smell good bad means the food smells really good, and mi tired bad means I'm very tired. Context tells you whether the feeling itself is good or bad.
Is vex a rude word?
No, vex is ordinary everyday Patois for angry or annoyed. What can be rude is telling someone how they feel, or saying it in a sharp tone. Yuh vex wid mi? is a gentle, caring question.