Q&A for How to Speak Jamaican

Patois is surprisingly easy to pick up. I advise you to listen to audiotapes of Miss Lou, a famous Jamaican poet. Also, listen to music in patois, and practice reading Jamaican patois. Focus on your accent and over time, your vocabulary will enhance itself.

In Jamaican Patois, if you mean the gluteal region, you might say 'batty' or 'backside.' If you mean the lowest part, you generally use 'bottom,' often pronounced closer to 'bat-um.'

People in Jamaica primarily speak Patois, a dialect blending English, Spanish, and various African languages. To express your attraction, you might say to a girl, "Eh gal! You did know seh dat mi did like you, right?"

To develop a Jamaican accent, immerse yourself in Patois music and listen to recordings of figures like Miss Lou. Practice by speaking your lines aloud, recording yourself, and then critically reviewing your performance. When pronouncing "Oh, you're gonna be so proud!" with a Jamaican accent, focus on the distinct rhythm and intonation. A Patois equivalent, "Oh, yuh gwaan be so proud, mi sey!", pronounced roughly as "Oh yuuu gwahn be so proud mee say," can guide your delivery.

To express 'I don't like you,' you can say 'Mi nuh like yuh.' While often called 'Jamaican,' the language spoken is more accurately termed Patois.

Jamaicans speak English, so to say hello, they simply say, "Hello" or "Hi." However, because of their thick accents, the way they say it can make it sound like they're speaking another language. For example, if a Jamaican tells you "Waa Gwaan?" What they're saying is "What's going on?" Similarly, if they say "Ello" they're just saying "Hello."

"Mi deh yah" is a common response to the question, "Wah Gwaan?" Which means essentially "How are you doing?" It translates literally as "I am here" and is similar to saying, "I'm good" or "I'm fine." It's an informal response used to reply that everything is okay with you.

When Jamaicans are parting ways, they'll often say "mi gaan" to each other, which translates to, "I'm gone." It's a common way to say goodbye. You can also say "likkle more" or "likkle more den," which translates roughly to, "I'll see you later."

Patois refers to a dialect of a language, originating from the mid-17th-century French term meaning ‘rough speech’ and may derive from the Old French word 'patoier', which means ‘treat roughly’, linked to "patte" for ‘paw’.