Patwa
Jamaican Patois
English-based creole
Jamaican Patois (Patwa, Jamaican Creole) is spoken by ~3M in Jamaica plus ~1M+ in the UK/USA/Canada diaspora. It is an English-lexifier creole with substantial West African (Akan, Igbo) substrate, emerged on 17th-19th c. Jamaican sugar plantations; the Maroon communities preserved Akan-influenced varieties (Trelawny Town, Accompong) into the 20th c. Globally recognized through reggae (Bob Marley), dancehall, Rastafarian culture, and Jamaican literature (Louise Bennett-Coverley); the Cassidy-JLU orthography (1961, refined 2003) provides a phonemic Latin spelling distinct from English. Constitutionally protected from discrimination since 2002 but English remains sole official language.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Jamaican Patois
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: English-based creole
| Meaning | Jamaican Patois | Belize Kriol | Bahamian Creole | Nigerian English | Jamaican English | Ghanaian English | Singapore English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | waata /waːta/ | waata /wɑːtɑ/ | watah /wɑːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ |
| Fire | faiya /faja/ | faiya /fajə/ | fyah /fajə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /fajə/ |
| Sun | son /sɔn/ | son /sɔn/ | son /sɔn/ | sun /sɔn/ | sun /sɵn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /san/ |
| Moon | muun /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ |
| Star | staar /staː/ | staar /staːr/ | star /stɑː/ | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /staː/ |
| Night | nait /nait/ | nait /nait/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ |
| Rain | rien /rien/ | rayn /reːn/ | rain /reɪn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /reːn/ |
| Snow | sunuo /sunuo/ | snoa /snoː/ | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoʊ/ |
| Wind | briiz /briːz/ | breez /briːz/ | wind /wɪn/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ |
| Earth | grung /ɡrʌŋ/ | groun /ɡroun/ | — | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːt/ |
| Stone | stuon /stuon/ | stoan /stoːn/ | stone /stoʊn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ |
| Mountain | mountn /mountn/ | mongtin /mɔŋtɪn/ | — | mountain /ˈmaʊntɛn/ | mountain /ˈmɵʊntn̩/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ |
| Sea | sii /siː/ | see /siː/ | — | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ |
| Mother | mada /mɑdə/ | mada /mɑdə/ | mama /mama/ | mother /ˈmɔðə/ | mother /ˈmɵðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmadə/ |
| Father | faada /faːda/ | faada /faːdə/ | daddy /dadi/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfaːðə/ | father /ˈfaːðə/ | father /ˈfadə/ |
| Daughter | daata /dɑːtə/ | daata /dɑːtə/ | daughter /dɑːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ |
| I | mi /mi/ | ai /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ |
| You | yu /ju/ | yu /ju/ | you /juː/ | you /ju/ | you /juː/ | you /juː/ | you /ju/ |
| We | wi /wi/ | wi /wi/ | we /wiː/ | we /wi/ | we /wiː/ | we /wiː/ | we /wi/ |
| Name | niem /niem/ | naym /neːm/ | name /neɪm/ | name /nem/ | name /neːm/ | name /neːm/ | name /nem/ |
| Person | sumadi /sumadi/ | persn /pɛrsn̩/ | — | person /ˈpɜːsɔn/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ |
| Head | ed /ɛd/ | hed /hɛd/ | — | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ |
| Eye | yai /jaɪ/ | aiy /aj/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ |
| Ear | iez /iez/ | ayz /eːz/ | ear /ɛə/ | ear /ia/ | ear /iːa/ | ear /ia/ | ear /iə/ |
| Nose | nuoz /nuoz/ | nuoz /nuoz/ | nose /noːz/ | nose /noːs/ | nose /noːz/ | nose /noːs/ | nose /noʊs/ |
| Mouth | mout /mout/ | mowt /mout/ | — | mouth /maʊt/ | — | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊt/ |
| Tooth | tiit /tiːt/ | teet /tiːt/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːt/ |
| Tongue | tong /tɔŋ/ | tong /toŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tɔŋ/ | tongue /tɵŋ/ | tongue /tɔŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ |
| Hand | an /an/ | han /an/ | han /han/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hand/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hɛn/ |
| Foot | fut /fʊt/ | fut /fʊt/ | — | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ |
| Heart | aat /aːt/ | haat /aːt/ | hart /hɑːt/ | heart /hɑːt/ | heart /haːt/ | heart /haːt/ | heart /hat/ |
| Bone | buon /bʊɔn/ | boan /boan/ | bone /boʊn/ | bone /bon/ | bone /boːn/ | bone /bon/ | bone /boːn/ |
| Blood | blod /blʌd/ | blod /blod/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blɔd/ | blood /blɵd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ |
| Poop | kaka /kaka/ | — | — | poop /puːp/ | poo /puː/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ |
| Love | lov /lɔv/ | lov /lɔv/ | love /lɔv/ | love /lɔv/ | love /lɵv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /laf/ |
| Tree | chrii /tʃɹiː/ | chree /tʃɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ |
| Dog | daag /daːɡ/ | daag /daːɡ/ | dawg /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔk/ |
| Cat | puss /pʊs/ | kyat /kʲat/ | cat /kat/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kʰat ~ kjaːt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kɛt/ |
| Fish | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | bod /bɔd/ | berd /bɛrd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ |
| Butterfly | botaflai /bɔtaflai/ | botaflai /bɔtaflai/ | — | butterfly /ˈbɔtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbɵtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbatəflaɪ/ |
| Egg | eg /ɛɡ/ | eg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ |
| Bear | bier /biɛr/ | byaa /bjaː/ | — | bear /bɛə/ | bear /beːɹ/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ |
| Horse | aas /aːs/ | haas /haːs/ | — | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔs/ |
| House | ous /ɔus/ | hows /aʊs/ | house /haus/ | house /haʊs/ | house /hɵʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ |
| Milk | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ |
| Honey | oni /ɔni/ | honi /hɔni/ | — | honey /ˈhɔni/ | honey /ˈhɵni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ |
| Salt | saalt /saːlt/ | saalt /sɑːlt/ | salt /sɑːlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ |
| Wine | wain /wain/ | wain /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ |
| Rice | rais /rais/ | rais /rais/ | — | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ |
| Chocolate | chaklit /tʃaklɪt/ | — | — | — | — | — | chocolate /ˈtʃɔklət/ |
| Iron | aiyan /aijan/ | aiyan /ajan/ | — | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈajən/ |
| Wheel | wiil /wiːl/ | wiil /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ |
| Silk | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | — | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ |
| Book | buk /bʊk/ | buk /bʊk/ | — | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ |
| Eat | nyam /ɲam/ | eet /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ |
| Drink | jringk /dʒrɪŋk/ | jrink /dʒɾɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ |
| Sleep | sliip /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sliip /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ |
| One | wan /wan/ | wan /wan/ | one /wan/ | one /wɔn/ | one /wɵn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wan/ |
| Two | tuu /tuː/ | too /tuː/ | two /tuː/ | two /tu/ | two /tuː/ | two /tuː/ | two /tu/ |
| Three | chrii /tʃɹiː/ | chree /tʃɹiː/ | three /tɹiː/ | three /tɹi/ | three /tɹiː/ | three /tɹi/ | three /tɹiː/ |
| Four | fuo /fuo/ | foa /foa/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /foː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ |
| Five | faiv /faiv/ | faiv /faiv/ | faiv /faiv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ |
| Hundred | onjrid /ɔndʒrɪd/ | honjrid /hɔndʒɾɪd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhɔndɹɛd/ | hundred /ˈhɵndɹɛd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ |
| Hello | wah gwaan /wɑ ɡwɑːn/ | heloh /hɛlo/ | wuhz hapnin /wʊz hapnɪn/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello lah /hɛlo lɑː/ |
| Thank you | tanks /taŋks/ | tanks /taŋks/ | tank ya /taŋk jə/ | thanks /taŋks/ | thank you /taŋk juː/ | thanks /taŋks/ | thanks /tɛŋks/ |
| Good | gud /ɡʊd/ | gud /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊt/ |
| New | nyuu /ɲuː/ | nyoo /njuː/ | — | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /nju/ |
| Red | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ |
| White | wait /wait/ | wait /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ |
| Black | blak /blak/ | blak /blak/ | black /blak/ | black /blæk/ | black /blak/ | black /blæk/ | black /blɛk/ |
| Green | griin /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡriːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ |
| Blue | blu /blu/ | bloo /bluː/ | — | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /blu/ |
| Computer | kompyuuta /komˈpjuːta/ | kompyoota /kompjuːta/ | — | computer /kɔmˈpjuːta/ | computer /komˈpjuːta/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ | computer /kɔmˈpjutə/ |
| Tea | tii /tiː/ | tee /tiː/ | — | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ |
| Coffee | kaafi /kaːfi/ | kaafi /kaːfi/ | — | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ |
| Sugar | shuga /ʃuɡa/ | shuga /ʃuɡa/ | — | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ |
| Orange | arinj /ˈarɪndʒ/ | — | — | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔrɪndʒ/ |
| Ninety-nine | nainti-nain /nainti nain/ | nainti-nain /nainti nain/ | — | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ |
| Internet laughter | dwl | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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Word order compared
Compare with major world languages
Jamaican Patois
Mi
waan
try on
di suit
weh
mi
did si
inna
di shop
cross from
di hotel
I
want to
try on
a suit
I
saw
in
a shop
across from
the hotel
Ich
möchte
einen Anzug
anprobieren
den
ich
in einem
Geschäft
gegenüber vom
Hotel
gesehen habe
मैं
होटल
के सामने
एक दुकान
में
देखा
सूट को
पहनकर देखना
चाहता हूँ
私は
ホテルの
向かいの
お店
で
見た
スーツを
試着
したいです
我
想
试穿
酒店
对面的
商店
里
看到的
那套西装
أنا
أريد
أن أجرب
بدلة
رأيتها
في
محل
مقابل
الفندق
Я
хочу
примерить
костюм
который
я увидел
в
магазине
напротив
отеля
Jamaican Patois
Mi
niem
a
Tanaka
My
name
is
Tanaka
Mein
Name
ist
Tanaka
मेरा
नाम
तनाका
है
私の
名前は
田中
です
我的
名字
是
田中
اسمي
هو
تاناكا
Моё
имя
—
Танака
Jamaican Patois
Mi
nyam
brekfas
evri maanin
a sevn a klak
I
eat
breakfast
every morning
at 7 o'clock
Ich
frühstücke
jeden Morgen
um 7 Uhr
मैं
हर सुबह
7 बजे
नाश्ता
करता हूँ
毎朝
7時に
朝ごはんを
食べます
我
每天早上
七点
吃
早饭
أتناول
أنا
الإفطار
كل صباح
الساعة السابعة
Я
завтракаю
каждое утро
в 7 часов
Jamaican Patois
We
di
niiris
stieshan deh
Where
is
the nearest
station
Wo
ist
der nächste
Bahnhof
सबसे नज़दीकी
स्टेशन
कहाँ
है
一番近い
駅は
どこ
です
か
最近的
车站
在
哪里
أين
تقع
أقرب
محطة
Где
находится
ближайшая
станция
Jamaican Patois
Dis
kafi
well well
nice
This
coffee
is
very
delicious
Dieser
Kaffee
ist
sehr
lecker
यह
कॉफ़ी
बहुत
स्वादिष्ट है
この
コーヒーは
とても
おいしいです
这
咖啡
很
好喝
هذه
القهوة
لذيذة
جداً
Этот
кофе
очень
вкусный
Jamaican Patois
Mi
stodi
Japaniiz
a yuniversiti
I
study
Japanese
at university
Ich
studiere
Japanisch
an der Universität
मैं
विश्वविद्यालय में
जापानी
पढ़ता हूँ
私は
大学で
日本語を
勉強しています
我
在大学
学
日语
أنا
أدرس
اللغة اليابانية
في الجامعة
Я
изучаю
японский язык
в университете
Jamaican Patois
Tumaro
weda
a go
soni
Tomorrow's
weather
will be
sunny
Morgen
wird
das Wetter
sonnig
sein
कल
मौसम
धूप वाला
होगा
明日の
天気は
晴れ
でしょう
明天
天气
会
晴天
سيكون
الطقس
غداً
مشمساً
Завтра
погода
будет
солнечной
Jamaican Patois
Mi mada
kuk
dina
evri die
My mother
cooks
dinner
every day
Meine Mutter
kocht
jeden Tag
Abendessen
मेरी माँ
हर रोज़
रात का खाना
बनाती है
お母さんは
毎日
夕食を
作ります
我妈妈
每天
做
晚饭
تطبخ
أمي
العشاء
كل يوم
Моя мама
готовит
ужин
каждый день
Jamaican Patois
Mi
waan
go
a
Japan
nex
year
I
want to
go
to
Japan
next
year
Ich
möchte
nächstes
Jahr
nach
Japan
fahren
मैं
अगले
साल
जापान
जाना
चाहता हूँ
私は
来
年
日本
に
行き
たいです
我
明
年
想
去
日本
أنا
أريد
أن أذهب
إلى
اليابان
العام
القادم
Я
хочу
поехать
в
Японию
в следующем
году
Jamaican Patois
Yu
kyan
chat
Inglish
Can
you
speak
English
Können
Sie
Englisch
sprechen
आप
अंग्रेज़ी
बोल
सकते हैं
あなたは
英語が
話せ
ます
か
你
会
说
英语
吗
هل
تستطيع
التحدث
باللغة الإنجليزية
Вы
умеете
говорить
по-английски
Compare with languages in the same classification
I
like
try on
da suit
I
wen see
inside
da shop
across from
da hotel
Jamaican Patois
Mi
waan
try on
di suit
weh
mi
did si
inna
di shop
cross from
di hotel
I
wan
try
di suit
wey
I
see
for
di shop
for front of
di hotel
Mi
laik
traim
dispela sut
mi
lukim
long
stua
long het bilong
hotel
My
name
stay
Tanaka
Jamaican Patois
Mi
niem
a
Tanaka
My
name
na
Tanaka
Nem
bilong mi
Tanaka
I
eat
breakfast
every morning
at seven o'clock
Jamaican Patois
Mi
nyam
brekfas
evri maanin
a sevn a klak
I
dey chop
breakfast
every morning
for seven o'clock
Mi
kaikai
brekfas
olgeta moning
long seven kilok
Wea
stay
da closest
station
Jamaican Patois
We
di
niiris
stieshan deh
Wetin
be
the nearest
station
Klosap
stesen
i stap
we
Dis
coffee
real
ono
Jamaican Patois
Dis
kafi
well well
nice
Dis
coffee
sweet
well well
Dispela
kopi
i gutpela
tru
I
stay study
Japanese
at da university
Jamaican Patois
Mi
stodi
Japaniiz
a yuniversiti
I
dey study
Japanese
for university
Mi
stadi
tok Japan
long yunivesiti
Tomorrow
da wedda
gon be
sunny
Jamaican Patois
Tumaro
weda
a go
soni
Tomorrow
weather
go
shine
Tumora
weda
bai
san i kam
My madda
cook
dinna
every day
Jamaican Patois
Mi mada
kuk
dina
evri die
My mama
dey cook
dinner
every day
Mama bilong mi
kukim
kaikai bilong nait
olgeta de
I
like
go
to
Japan
next
year
Jamaican Patois
Mi
waan
go
a
Japan
nex
year
I
wan
go
to
Japan
next
year
Mi
laik
go
long
Japan
long yia
bihain
You
can
talk
English
Jamaican Patois
Yu
kyan
chat
Inglish
You
fit
tok
English
Yu
save
toktok
Inglis
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