A
A Go - going to do, as in "Me a go tell him"
A Door - outdoors
Ackee - African food tree introduced about 1778. From Twi "ankye" or Kru "akee"
Agony - the sensations felt during sex
An - and
B
Babylon - the corrupt establishment, the "system" or an officer of the law
Baby Mother - a young woman with a child; your child's mother
Bald-Head - a straight person; one without dreadlocks; one who works for Babylon
Bammy - a pancake made out of cassava, after it has been grated and squeezed to remove the bitter juice
Bandulu - bandit, criminal, one living by guile; a "Bandulu Bizness" is a racket, a swindle
Batty - bottom; backside; anus
Batty Boy - a gay person
Beenie - small
Bex - vex (verb), or vexed (adjective)
Bissy - cola nut
Bly - chance, "must get a bly", "must get a chance"
Braata - a little extra; like the 13th cookie in a baker's dozen; or an extra helping of food
Bredren - one's fellow male Rastas
Brindle - to be angry
Browning - a light-complexioned woman
Bubu - fool
Bulla - a common sugar and flour cookie or small round cake
To get Bun - to have one's spouse or girl/boyfriend cheat on oneself
Bumba Clot - curse words
Ras Clot - curse words
Blood clot - curse words
Bumbo - bottom; backside. A common curse word, especially in combination with CLOT (cloth)
C
Cards - to fool someone
Cho - very common, mild explanation expressing impatience, vexation or disappointment
Clot - cloth, an essential part of most Jamaican bad words, such as bumbo clot, rass clot, blood clot
Come Een Like - to seem as if; to resemble
Coo Pon - (origin unclear) Look upon!
Cyaan - cannot, can't
D
Dawta - a girl, woman, "sister," girlfriend
Deh - there (place)
Di - the
Dis or Dis ya - this
Diss - to show disrespect
To Draw Card - the act of fooling someone
Dungle - legendary West Kingston slum surrounding a garbage dump, now cleared. From English "dunghill"
Duppy - a ghost
E
Ease-Up - to forgive, to lighten up
F
Fas - to meddle with somebody's business, to be forward, etc.
Fayva - to favour, resemble, or look like; "fayva like" also means "it seems as if"
Fe - The infinitive "to," as in "Have fe go" (have to go).
Feel no way - Don't take offense, don't be sorry, don't worry.
Fi -
Possessive, as in "fi me" (mine).
Forward - To go, move on, set out to; in the future.
G
Ganja, Weed - Herb, marijuana.
To Get Salt - To encounter misfortune.
Gates - Home, yard.
H
Haffi - To have to.;
I
I-Man - I, me, mine.
I-Tal - Natural, wholesome; refers to a way of cooking and way of life.
I - Replaces "me," "you," "my"; also replaces the first syllable of selected words. "I and I," "I&I" mean I, me, you and me, we.
Inna - In the.;
Irie - Pleasing.
J
J A, - Jam-down, the Rock: Jamaica.
Jah Know - Lord knows.
Jah - God; Jah Ras Tafari, Haile Selassie, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, conquering Lion of Judah. Rastas revere Haile Selassie as the personification of the Almighty.
Jamdung - Jamaica; "Jam" to press down, "dung" down. An ironic reference to the social and economic conditions of the masses.
Jelly - A young coconut, full of jelly.
K
Ku Deh! - Look there!
Ku Pan - Look at.
Ku Ya! - Look here!
Ku - Look!
KYaan - Can't.
Kyai - To carry.
Kyan - Can.
M
Madda - Mother.
Maga - Thin.
More Time - See you later.;
N
Nah - Will not, as in "Me nah do that" (I will not do that).
Nyam - To eat.
O
Obeah - Traditional African "science" relating to matters of the spirit and spirits, spells, divinations, omens, extra-sensory knowledge, etc.
Ongle - Only.
P
Pawpaw - Papaya.
Peer - Avocado pear.
Pickney - A child; pickaninny. Children.
R
Ras or Rass - Backside, rump. A common curse is "to rass!" or "rass clot!" A title used by Rastafarians meaning "lord" or "head.";
Roti - Flat Indian pan breads
Run-Dung - Food cooked in coconut juice, obtained after grating the dry coconut meat and squeezing it in water to extract the coconut cream.
Y
Yard - Home.
Yardie - Applied to anyone from Jamaica.
