Jamaicans count in English-derived numbers, said with Patois pronunciation. There is no separate set of Patois numbers to memorize. If you can count in English, you can count in Patois once you know how the sounds shift. Three loses its "th" and sounds like tree, and thirty becomes tirty. The useful skills are hearing numbers at speed, asking prices, and talking about time.
How the numbers sound
We only list forms we're confident of. The general pronunciation rules explain the rest.
| Number | How it often sounds | Why |
|---|---|---|
| one | wan | JLU spelling wan |
| two | tuu | JLU-style spelling; sounds like English "two" |
| three | tree, chrii | "th" becomes t; the tr often sounds like "chr" |
| thirteen, thirty | tirteen, tirty | "th" becomes t |
| thousand | tousan | "th" becomes t, and the final d often drops |
Most other numbers (four, five, six, seven and so on) sound close to English, carried by Patois vowels and rhythm. Be ready for the "th" numbers in particular. "Three" and "tree" are the same word in speech, and context does the rest.
Counting things
When a number is present, Patois usually doesn't need the plural -s or dem, because the number already says there's more than one:
Gi mi two ripe mango.
Give me two ripe mangoes.
Tek two bag.
Take two bags.
You will also hear English-style plurals (two hours). Both are normal.
One often works as "a" or "an": Mi know one patty shop pon di way ("I know a patty shop on the way"). And for rough amounts, Patois has its own words: likkle or likkle bit (a little), nuff (plenty), and bare (lots of, nothing but). In London slang, bare also means "very".
Money and prices
Prices in Jamaica are in Jamaican dollars. Because of the exchange rate, everyday prices often run into the hundreds or thousands. In tourist areas you'll sometimes hear prices in US dollars, so it's fair to ask which currency is meant.
How much dis?
How much is this?
How much fi guh a beach?
How much to go to the beach?
Bwoy, dat dear!
Wow, that's expensive!
Dat price too high, come dung likkle.
That price is too high, come down a little.
Keep di change, man.
Keep the change.
Dear means "expensive". In the app's story Route to Negril, the driver jokes "Five hundred, special price!" before admitting it's four hundred like everybody else. Agreeing on the fare before you get in is the point of the exchange. For more phrases, see Jamaican phrases for travelers.
Time
Use a for "at" with a time, or simply say the number:
Wah time now?
What time is it?
Di meeting start a nine.
The meeting starts at nine.
Mi a come fi yuh a seven.
I'm coming for you at seven.
Useful time words from the app's lessons:
- mawnin (morning), evenin (evening), las night (last night).
- inna di morrows (tomorrow, and "see you tomorrow").
- jus now (just now), lata (later), long time (for a long time, a long time ago).
- whole day, whole night (all day, all night): Wi did a dance whole night.
- dem time deh (back then).
Numbers in games: dominoes
Dominoes is a serious pastime in Jamaica, and its scoring talk is full of numbers. In the app's Dominoes Night story you'll hear one-one (one game each), double six (the top tile), and six love, the boast of winning six games while your opponent wins none. Patois Pal's Jamaican Dominoes mode lets you practice against AI opponents who talk trash in Patois.
Questions people ask
Does Jamaican Patois have its own words for numbers?
Not in everyday use. Jamaicans count with English-derived numbers, pronounced the Patois way. The academic Cassidy/JLU spelling writes some of them differently, for example wan for one, but they're the same words.
How do you ask the price in Patois?
How much dis? ('How much is this?') is the everyday question. For a fare, ask How much fi guh a [place]? ('How much to go to…?') before you get in.
How do you say 'at nine o'clock'?
Use a for 'at': Di meeting start a nine ('The meeting starts at nine'). O'clock is fine too: seven o'clock sharp.