Popular Phrases Translated to Jamaican Patwa Part 1
I’m starting a new series to teach you Jamaican Patwa, Jamaican slang, or whatever you want to call it. There are about 900 popular English phrases and I’ve gone ahead and translated them to Jamaican Patwa. Stay tuned for more and be sure to share and comment if you liked this post or found it useful.
Jamaican Patwa Translations
A few – Wah likkle bit
A little – Wah likkle
A long time ago – Wah Lang time
A one way ticket – Wah one way tiket
A round trip ticket – Wah Roun Chip
About 300 kilometers – Bout tree hunred kilometa
Across from the post office – crass fram di pos affice
Am I pronouncing it correctly? Mi she it right?
Amy is John’s girlfriend – amy a jahn uhman
And you? – awhh yu?
Anything else? – anyting else?
Are there any concerts? – nuh cancert deh bout?
Are they coming this evening? – y’ah com dis weeken?
Are they the same? – dem a di same?
Are you afraid? – yu fraid?
Are you allergic to anything? – weh u allergic to?
Are you American? – y’ah yankie?
Are you busy? – yu busy?
Are you comfortable? – yu comfatable?
Are you coming this evening? – Y’ah com dis evenin?
Are you free tonight? – Yu free t’inight?
Are you going to attend their wedding? – y’ah gaw dem wedding?
Are you going to help her? – Y’ah go help ar?
Are you going to take a plane or train? Y’ah go tek di plane ar di chain?
Are you here alone? – y’ah go deh by uself?
Are you hungry? – yu hungry?
Are you married? – yu marrid?
Are you okay? – yu alright?
Are you ready? – yu ready?
Are you sick? – yu sick?
Are you sure? – yu sure?
Are you waiting for someone? – yu a wait fi summady?
Are you working today? – yu wuk tiday?
Are you working Tomorrow? – yu a wuk tomarrow?
Are your children with you? – yu pickney dem deh wid u?
As soon as possible – soon as passible
At 3 o’clock in the afternoon – ah tree a clack inna di aftanoon
At 3 o’clock – ah tree a clack.
At 5th street – ah fif street.
At 7 o’clock at night – ah seven a clack a night
At 7 o’clock in the morning – ah seven a clack inna di mawning
At what time did it happen? – ah wah time ih happen?
At what time? – ah wah time?
Be careful driving – careful wen u jive
Be quiet – tappi nize
Behind the bank – bakka di bank
Bring me my shirt please – gimme yu shirt
Business is good – bizniz good
Call me – link mi nuh
Call the police – call babylon
Can I access the Internet here? – mi cya’ get intanet yasso?
Can I borrow some money? – mi cya’ barrow soo money?
Can I bring my friend? – mi cya’ bring mi brejin?
Can I have a glass of water please? – mi cya’ hav a glass a wata?
Can I have a receipt please? – gimme di receipt nuh?
Can I have the bill please? – gimme di bill nuh?
Can I help you? – mi cya’ help yuh?
Can I make an appointment for next Wednesday? – mi cya’ mek wah appointment if nex wensday?
Can I see your passport please? – mek mi sih yu passport
Can I take a message? – mek mi tek wah message
Can I try it on? – mek mi chi it on
Can I use your phone? – mek mi use yuh phone
Can it be cheaper? – mek ih bi cheapa?
Can we have a menu please – mek wih sih di menu nuh?
Can we have some more bread please? – mek wih get more bread nuh?
Can we sit over there? – mek wih siddun ova yasso?
Can you call back later? – yuh cya’ back lata
Can you carry this for me? – carry dis fimi nuh?
Can you do me a favor? – do sumting fimi nuh?
Can you fix this? – yu cya’ fix dis?
Can you give me an example? – yu gimme wa’ example?
Can you help me? – yu cya’ help me?
Can you hold this for me? – yu cya’ hole dis fimmi?
Can you please say that again? – yu cya’ seh dat again?
Can you recommend a good restaurant? – yu cya’ tell me wah good restarant?
Can you repeat that please? – seh data again nuh?
Can you show me? – yu cya’ show me?
Can you speak louder please? – talk louda nuh?
Can you swim? – yu cya’ swim?
Can you throw that away for me? – dash dis weh fimmi nuh?
Can you translate this for me? – translate dis fimmi?
Certainly! – yeah mon
Cheers! – respek
Chicago is very different from Boston – chicago different frah bastin
Come here – come ya
Did you come with your family? – yu come wid yuh family?
Did you get my email? – yu get mi email?
Did you send me flowers? – yu sen mi flowas?
Did you take your medicine? – yu tek yuh medicine?
Do you believe that? – yu believe dat?
Do you feel better? – yu feel betta?
Hopefully, you found this list helpful. You can check out the other Jamaican Patwa translations in the series if you didn’t find the phrase you are looking for.
