A
A! – An expression of exasperation or indignation.
A-A – Expression denoting surprise, indignation, said quickly or very slowly for effect.
Ah – I, also A, as in A tree, A house. Usage:
- Ah Chut !- Expressing annoyance, being vex , e.g. ” Ah chut nah , man “
- Ah eh able- (I am not able), I cannot keep up with you
- Ah fine so– (I find so) I agree
- Ah ton load– A large amount of anything
- Ah-ha! – Caught you
- Ah neva see moe– Exclamation of surprise
- Ah Paya! – an exclamation of wonder or disbelief
Aiyo – Gone. kite buss way an
Aks (or Ax)– Ask
All – Usage:
- All fall dong– (Down) complete collapse of any arrangement
- All now so – Around the same time, e.g. Tomorrow all now so ah will be gone.
- All yuh– All of you
Aloo – Potato
All Foes (All Fours) – A popular card game in Trinidad and Tobago. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Fours
An – And, e.g. An yuh swallow dat? – And you believe that?
At All – Not at all, e.g. Ah cyah see him pass de exam at all, at all (saying things double for emphasis)
Awa – Or what. Used at the end of a sentence for emphasis e.g. “yuh want some sorrel awa?” Do you want some sorrel?
Aye-Yah-Yaye – An expression of anticipation or pain.(ouch!)
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B
Babash – see Mountain dew
Bacchanal – Large noisy happening, scandal, big party, confusion
Bachac – The leaf cutter ant http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leafcutter_ant
Back – Usage:
- Back Squeeze – To hold back, e.g. Ah back squeeze ah lil change. (I save some money)
- Back back – To reverse. E.g. Doh back back on me
- Back chat – Insolent response- usually from a subordinate to a superior or child toan elder
- Back, Belly and Side– To get it from all sides, usually criticism of some kind
- Backside – Posterior, your rear end, buttocks. {also boom boom, background, boomsie, behind
Bad – Usage:
- Bad Drive – Reckless driving
- Bad eye (or cut eye ) – To look at somebody with slitted eyes
- Bad-John – A worthless character- always ready to fight; a bully.
- Bad lucky – Unlucky
- Bad mine – Bad mind, evil thoughts
Bakra Johnnie – Fair skinned African with blond hair
Bambam, Bamsee – Posterior, your rear end- your derriere, buttocks.
Bam Bam Head – Somebody who has no common sense
Bamboozle – To con someone
Bamsee Lambe – A rather attractive posterior
Bath suit – Swim suit
Bazodee – Totally confused, drunk, light headed, half silly, e.g. De blow make he bazodee – The blow knocked him semi conscious
Bawl – Usage: To Bawl Dong De Place – To cry excessively; to be in a state of grief.
Beh beh – Stupid
Behin‘ – behind. Usage:
- Behin’ God Back – A very distance place. Such as the remotest part of the country.
- Behin’ Yuh Back– In your absence.
Bekaneg – An albino
Better Yuhself- (Better yourself) – To improve your financial and social condition.
Baigan – Eggplant or melongene
Big Gooms /Goomps – A large sized marble approx’ 3-4 cm
Bite up – To be in a quarrelsome mood, e.g: How yuh bite up so today?
Blank – To ignore somebody, e.g: How yuh blankin’ meh so?
Blight – A person who brings bad luck.
Blighted – Being bad lucky
Blofo – A very fat person, e.g.: Dat gyul eh fat, she blofo!
Blues – A Trinidad and Tobago $100 dollar note; also pornography.
Blood Eh Take – To instinctively dislike, or distrust someone.
Bloomin’ France – An expression of anger, substitution for foul language.
Bobolee – A person who is being taken advantage of
Boboloops – Grossly overweight, obese, or fat person.
Bodi – Long bean that grows on a vine
Bokee – The act of hitting someone’s knuckles hard by pitching a marble.
Bois Bande – Bark of a tree of same name, used to make a tea brew which is alleged to have aphrodisiac powers
Bol’ face – (Bold face) A pushy person, unreasonably demanding.
Boo Boo Man – A bogey man, A scary person e.g De boo boo man go come fuh yuh if you eh behave
Boof up – To insult somebody
Bounce – Usage: Bounce meh nah– Usually said when walking in front of a car in the road ( jaywalking and daring the driver).
Bowgee – (East Indian derivative) Sister-in-law
Bragadang – A sound…like a breadfruit falling on a galvanized roof.
Bram – Sound of something falling or something or someone getting hit; also, a rowdy fete, act of pressing clothes quickly
Break away – Dance wildly to a calypso tune
Bright – Intelligent, knowledgeable, smart
Brokes – Have no money, e.g. “Ah totally brokes today.
Brokofoot – A person walking with a limp or physically challenged person.
Broughtupsy – Upbringing, conduct, character
Brush – To have sexual intercourse
Brudder – Brother
Buh wait nah – Wait a minute, now hold it right there
Bush Bath – A mixture of the extract of certain bushes which is added to the bath water in order to stop a period of bad luck or to reverse a sickness
Buss – Usage:
- De business gone buss -To go broke
- He buss he brains studyin’ las’ night – To study hard
- Buss yuh tail – To fall down, or to get a beating.
- Buss d’ mark – Refers to when the “mark”(the number/symbol) is revealed in the local gambling game called whe whe (now commercialized and called Play Whe)
- Buss-Up-Shut – Synonymous for Paratha Roti because of the way the roti looks ripped up when done.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
C
Caca – Faeces. Usage:
- Cacahole – Insult, A$$hole e.g. You is ah cacahole ah what?
Cacada – Little bit of money
Caca roller – Scarab beetle, dung beetle
Calaboose – Jail
Call Dat George – Finished; the end of the matter
Calpet – Tap, To slap someone behind the head
Calypso – A musical and lyrical comment on any subject, usually composed for, but not limited to, the Carnival season
Calypsonian – One who sings calypsos
Calypso Tents – Small calypso concerts featuring calypsonians and comedians held during the Carnival season.
Carib – one of the major Amerindian tribes that inhabited Trinidad, local beer http://www.caribbeer.com/
Cargoo – Feelin’ very tired, a sickly person, not as active as they usually are e.g. how yuh lookin’ cargoo so..
Carnival – A two day pre-Lenten festival celebrated right before Ash Wednesday. In Trinidad and Tobago the carnival season kicks off with fetes and parties (W.A.S.A fete, Fire fete, etc) throughout the duration of the season there are also: Calypso tents, Steelband competitions, Calypso competitions, Carnival King and Queen, Extempo Competition, Soca Monarch, Groovy Soca Monarch, Chutney Soca Monarch, Groovy Chutney Soca Monarch Calypso Monarch, Kiddies carnival, Jouvert, Dimanche Gras. the list goes on all culminating to the parade of the carnival bands on Carnival Monday and Tuesday.
Catch – Usage:
- Catch one’s nenen– To suffer great hardships
- Catch one’s royal – To be in major trouble
- Catch one’s skin – To be in trouble
- Catch a malkadee – Epileptic fit
Chack – Any sort of cold or sickness
Channa – (East Indian origin) chick peas or garbanzo beans Chamkay – (East Indian origin) To walk with style. To twist and gyrate the body, especially the rear end when walking. E.g. She eh play she could chamkay nah!
Chap up – Cut up
Chek-a-chek or shek-a-shek – House lizard
Cheups– steups – Suck your teeth in disgust
Chickeechong – A small kite made with a page from your copy book (exercise book); also, refers to the small bubble made from a balloon.
Chile – Child e.g. Chile, when ah tell yuh ……. ”
Chili bibi – A children’s snack made from a mixture of ground parched corn and sugar
Chinee – Chinese Chinkee or Choonkie- Tiny portions of anything
Chinks – To give sparingly, e.g. “Man, yuh chinksin with the food yuh give meh ”
Chulha – (East Indian term) Open air stove, fireside
Clout – Slap e.g. Ah give him a good clout in he head. A heavy blow.
Congo sant – To be bad-mouthed or malicious
Chook – To stab with a pointed object. Choonks – Term of endearment [also Choonksin, Choonkaloonks, Choonksey]; like sweetheart.
Chupedee (chupid) – stupid- [also stupidie].
C0ckup -Used like ‘skinup‘ with parts of the anatomy, eg. He c0ckup he foot. [= he put his feet up].
Colgate – Any brand of toothpaste
Cokey-eye – Cross eyed
Corbeau ( Cobo) – Local Vulture
Usage:
- Corbeau pee on meh – bad lucky
- e.g. “Boy, like corbeau pee on meh, ah cyah get ah wuk at all.
Cuff – To punch someone
Cut eye – To look menacingly or disapprovingly at someone
Commess – Mix-up, confusion
Compere – Male godparent
Confuffle – Confuse, e.g. ” Doh confuffle meh mine wid dat story ”
Confuse meh mine – Confuse me
Conk out – Broken, stopped working, e.g. De washing machine conk out.
Coocoorachel (cocorachet) – A small local bird normally seen busily flitting in and out of houses, giving rise to the term…Yuh busy like a coocoorachel.
Coonoomoonoo (also Cunumunu) – A Stupid person, a gullible person – someone who is easily fooled
Cosin – Showing off e.g. look how she cosin wit she man”
Coskel – Outlandish taste in clothing, decor or style, overdressed
Country bookie – A person from the countryside who does not go to ‘Town’ (see Town) often.
Coz – cousin Craft – A girl, e.g. Dats ah nice lookin’ craft over dey.
Crapaud smoke he pipe – Things are pretty bad for him
Creole food – Local Trini foods, such as pelau, callaloo, peas n’ rice etc.
Cuff – Hitting with a clenched fist
Cush cush – A provision similar to yam and the size of a potato.
Cuss upside down – Getting a proper cursing Cutlass – Machete
Cujon (coo-yon) – Stupid Cut tail – To give or get a beating Cyah – Can’t
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
D
Da is you? – Is that you?
Dan Dan – Smart looking clothes
Dasheen – Taro plant (Colocasia esculenta)
Dasheen bush – The leaves of the taro plant used to make callaloo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taro
Dat – That
Usage:
- Dat good for yuh – Serves you right
- Dat don’ constitute– That does not matter- That is irrelevant
- Dat cyah work– That is impossible
Dead out – Very tired
Deck off – To wear one’s best clothes
Deputy – “Outside” woman or man, the girlfriend/boyfriend one has an affair with outside of one’s regular relationship (marriage).
Dimanche Gras ‘ The biggest show of the carnival season held on Carnival Sunday night. The eight top Kings and Queens of carnival bands, with their large magnificent costumes some with spectacular lighting effects and fireworks, vie for the crown of Carnival King and Queen. On this night also the eight top calypsonians compete for the crown of Calypso Monarch.
Dingolay – Calypso dancer making vibrant movements with hand and feet
Doh bodder wid dat– Forget that
Dodo – (a) A numbskull; e.g. You a dodo or what? (b)To sleep; e.g. Leh we dodo
Doh – Don’t
Dotish ‘ (English ‘Dolt) Silly, stupid, foolish and dumb
Doo Doo (or doux doux) – Darling; sweetheart e.g. “Don’t mind dat, doux-doux.”
Doods – Term of endearment (such as dear, honey, etc)
Doubles – East Indian delicacy made with flour and chick peas (garbanzo beans) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doubles_(food)
Douen– (Folklore figure) Spirit of a child who dies before being baptized- the feet point backwards
Dougla– A person with a mixture of East Indians and African parentage
Dred – Friend (see also hoss, padna); cool e.g. “Dat movie was dred, eh dred?”
Dropsy – Sleeping disorder (Narcolepsy).
Drevait (also dree-vay) To travel about knock about”.
Dry so– Without rhyme or reason; a sudden or unexpected action.
Dunce head- (pronounced dun-see) Someone who is not too intelligent.
Duss it (Dust it)- Leave quickly e.g. when I see trouble so ,I duss it one time
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E
Ease up – Give help
Eat meh out – Consuming all the food in the house-” Dey come and eat meh out“
Eat parrot bottom – Talkative; e.g. Like he eat parrot bottom?
Eh?– What did you say?
Eh-heh – Oh really? I understand, yes.
Eh eh – Exclamation of surprise – No way- not at all – “Eh eh, but how dat happen so?”
En’less – Endless, plenty. E.g.We went to de wedding yesterday an’ it had en’less food.
Evenin‘ – Any time after noon.
Elbow grease -Extra effort, to try harder
Ent? – Not so ? Isn’t that the truth? [=Ain’t?]
Every man jack– Everyone without exception
Eye Dong – To look intently at someone or something, i.e. Looking someone over from head to toe.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
F
Fada (or Faddah) – Father
Fainty – Usually used to describe a weak scent
Fall out – To stop speaking with someone or to terminate a friendship
Family way – Pregnant
Fas’ / Fase – Forward, inquisitive, e.g. “Yuh want to know all mih business? Yuh too dam’ fase, man. also “playin’ fas’ ” – being inquisitive and curious
Fasebook – Trini term for Facebook since everyone “playin fas’ and maco-ing dey friends“
Faseness (n) – State of being fas’ e.g ” faseness does pay ” there’s a price to pay for being too inquisitive at times.
Farting Pills – Chataigne, Breadnut (Artocarpus Camansi)
Fatigue – (see Picong) To give fatigue, to ridicule, to poke fun at someone’s shortcomings, e.g “Doh give meh fatigue man, or ah go buss yuh mout “
Fetch – Bring
Fete – A dance, party, jump up, loud music, lots to eat and drink, dancing until the wee hours of the morning.
Usage:
- Fete buss– The fete has been a financial loss
- Fete Match – A friendly game of football, cricket, hockey etc. where the accent is on having a good time with lots of accompanying food, drink and “fatigue”, the outcome of the match is purely for boasting rights
Fig – Banana
Fire one – To have a drink
Fishenin’ – Fishing (Tobago), e.g. e.g He went fishenin’
Flambeau – A lighted flame made by using a cloth as a wick, stuffed in a bottle of kerosene
Flim – film
Founkie (also, foong-key) – Foul-smelling, stink odour
Footy well – Come what may, e.g. “Yuh footy well have to pay meh back meh money“
Fowlbottom – Pouted, e.g. She mout’ like fowlbottom
Fraid– Afraid
Free gift– A gift yuh buy the fridge, yuh get ah free gift with It.
Friennin‘ – A couple who are seeing each other regularly or are living together, e.g. “Yuh know John friennin’ with Jean now ?”
Fresh Water Yankee– A Trini who, having visited the USA for a short time (usually two weeks), drops his Trini slang for an American accent
Fuh true/troot? – Yes that is true. Is that really so?
Fuh real– Is that true?
Fuh true – Yes it is true.
Full ah mouth – All talk and no action to back it up
Full ah heself/ sheself – Pompous, arrogant
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
G
Gadahar – Jackass
Galavant – Hanging around without doing anything constructive
Galvanize – Zinc sheets used to cover roofs
Galary – (Gallery) – Verandah or porch, Showing off, e.g. If yuh see how she galary sheself.
Gamecock – A breed of rooster(cockrel) bred for the sport of cockfighting.
Gams – The distance from your thumb to any finger. This was important when playing three hole marble pitch long time, especially if you had large hands.
Gayelle – A place, usually secretive, where cockfights occur (cockfighting is illegal in Trinidad and Tobago). Also, the name of a local television station (Gayelle TV).
Gazette paper – Newspaper
Get on – Misbehave, e.g. Man, why you gettin on so?- Why are you misbehaving?
Gilpin – Cutlass/machete
Goat mout’ – Bad luck, usually when somebody predicts the bad outcome (sometimes good outcome) of an event and it really happens; e.g. He put goat mout’ on meh;a cyah get a job
Gobar- Cattle dung
Go down – (Pertains to eating) Usage: Man, dat food go down good, it tasty too bad“The food was very delicious.
Goin’ of – Someone who appears to be going out of their mind, acting strangely
Gone tru – Gone through. Past it’s prime. No longer useful
Gouti – Agouti, e.g. Boy we ketch two gouti las night http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_agouti
Grancharge – To make threats about getting into a fight without the intention of carrying out the threat, a false threat; e.g. “He only granchargin’ man!”
Guana – Iguana
Gundy- Crab claws
Gun talk – Fighting words, to threaten verbally
Gyul – Girl
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
H
Hands up – To be held at gunpoint
Harden- Disobedient, stubborn, hard headed, someone who does listen or learn
Hambug (or Humbug) – To pester or bother someone
Happy like pappy – Overjoyed
Hard Back – Grown up and one who should know better
Hard Back Indian – Person of East Indian ethnicity, who grew up in the hard way of life, usually tough.
Harden- Disobedient.
Hasecara – Trouble or confusion, e.g.To make hasecara.
Hen – An effeminate man
Hi-Lo – Local supermarket chain
Hole strain – Wait a while, hold on a while, e.g. “Doh be so impatient, hole strain”
Horrors – Fretting, e.g Doh ketch no horrors, doh dig no horrors, don’t fret yourself.
Hoso – Anteater
Honest truth – The truth e.g. Well gyul, to tell yuh de hones’ truth, Ah eh buy de gif’ yet
Hototo (hotoetoe) – A very large amount of anything
How de la vie? – How is life? , how yuh goin’?
How yuh mean? – You don’t say?
Horn – Adultery, when the one you love has an affair with someone else. Usage:
Horner Man- Horner Woman– The person who does the horning
Head Hot – Very busy with things that have to be done immediately, plenty of worries and pressing matters, e.g. Doh talk to meh, meh head hot right now
Howdy or howdee – Hi, hello
Huggish ( Hoggish) – Rude, crude, mean behaviorABCDEFGIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
I
I eh payin’ tax fuh mih mout’ – I could say anything I want
Ignorant – Quarrelsome, annoying, lacking reason; e.g “Dat fella really get on ignorant, oui”
In de Bamboo- (Traditional meaning) To be in the doghouse, to be in trouble; (Modern Meaning) refers to the large number of used car part businesses in Bamboo Village near Valsayn. One can find nearly any car part in “De Bamboo” at reasonable prices than anywhere else.
In ting – To be involved in current activity
In truth – For sure
Irregardless – No matter what the circumstances are
Iron – The brake hub from an auto wheel used as a percussion instrument in steelband music.
Iron Man — A member of the “rhythm section” in a steelband. The person beats the rhythm on an automobile brake hub with a short steel rod
Is so? – Is that so? Is that the truth?
Is so you stop? – Is that the way you normally behave?
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
J
Jab Jab – A type of Carnival devil costume; jabs people with his fork and demands money from passersby.
Jack Spania “ (Jack Spaniard) Paper Wasp http://bugguide.net/node/view/56191/bgimage
Jagabat – A loose woman (sometimes called a jammette)
Jail bud – Jail Bird, someone who is constantly in and out of jail.
Jam – A big noisy party
Jam-Session – Any crowded occasion
Jammette – Like a jagabat, but applies to both male and female.
Jammin – Heavy work load with no time to rest; to be under fire.; unpleasant condition.
Janjut – (East Indian derivative) Trouble
Jashwa – A type of Sardine used as live bait when fishing. Also called fry dry; when deep fried it has a dry appearance.
Jeezan ages (or geezan ages) – Exclamation- (similar to Oh heck! or Oh shoot)
Jingay -A hex on spell, to try to confuse an opponent with Mumbo-jumbo
Jokey – An amusing person or incident.
Jook -To get jook is having a or get into one’s skin; or to stab at anything or to get pricked with a sharp object e.g. splinter, thorn etc.
Jookin’ Board ( Wash-board) – A board or frame having a corrugated surface to wash clothes.
Jouvert “ (Joovay) Opening of the Carnival festivities that start right after “Dimanche Gras” in the wee hours (2 am) of the morning. Everyone is covered in paint, mud, oil or wearing old clothes. Some of the traditional characters in Ole mas include jab jab, devil mas ( blue devils, black devils covered in oil etc..) Black Indian, Fancy Sailor, Burrokeets, Minstrels, Midnight Robber, Bat, Dame Lorraine, Moko Jumbie.
Jub-Jub – A gelatinous candy.
Jumbie- Spirit, ghost
Jump up – Dance to calypso
Jus dey- [Just there] – Very near. Not far away.
Jus now – In a little while, wait a minute, just a little longer in time. e.g. “I will call you
back jus’ now” could mean hours ( or never)… so don’t hold your breath
Jus so – Just like that? All of a sudden, out of the blue, without provocation
K
Kaba-Kaba – Badly dressed, disheveled, looking ‘anyhow’
Kaiso – Calypso
Kankalang – Same as ‘tankalanka or ‘comess’ – i.e. problem resulting from farseness (see fase)
Karcoo- (East Indian origin) somewhat stupid, a nincompoops
Ketch ass – Tough, difficult, hard times (see Catch one’s royal, etc)
Ketch – Catch
Ketch A Vaps – To behave in a suddenly inexplicable or unexpected manner
Ketchin – Present continuous of ketch
Kick and Stab – Shoes with very pointed toes
Kicksin’ – Fooling around; having fun, being a source of amusement
Kilketay or Kelketay – Lopsided; uneven, to fall and tumble in a comical way
Klim – Any brand of powdered milk- not just Klim
Knock About – Constantly on the move, looking for different ways to pass the time of the day.
Knockin Dog – Common place, cheap, copious amount of anything; in full season: plentiful, a glut.
L
Lacouray (lacaray) – gossip
La Diablesse – (Pronounced Lah jah bless ) Patois, folklore figure– The bride of the devil and has one cloven foot http://www.triniview.com/TnT/Folklore.htm
Lagahoo or Loup Garou – (Folklore figure) the shape changer. http://www.triniview.com/TnT/Folklore.htm
Laglee – Sticky substance, called milk, from the chataigne or breadfruit tree. It is collected and dried and used to catch small birds.
Lappe -Paca, wild animal similar to the agouti but larger http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paca
Lahay – Idling
Langniappe- (patois) To get a little extra after receiving a service or making a purchase; also having a baby after a gap of several years
Last lap – last set of partying on Carnival Tuesday night before Ash Wednesday
Laters – Goodbye, see you later
Lef dat – Leave that
Leh – Let, let’s
Leh we – Let us
Lepay- To spread out, to smear (mixture of gobar and mud hence lepay de floor )
Lick dong -To accidentally hit someone or something
Lickrish – Greedy for food
Licks – A beating
Licks like fire – A severe beating
Like bush – Plenty of something
Lil Bit – A small amount
Lime – Hanging about with a small group of friends, talking and drinking and having a good time. (Used as a noun or verb: Going on a lime, or liming).
Locho – A lazy person
Loll off- Idle relaxation, assuming a relaxing position, especially while work should be done.
Long eye – A person who is envious of the possessions of others
Look nuh – An express of annoyance
Look who talking! – Exclamation used against somebody who is telling you something about another person of which he himself is also guilty
Look meh crosses! – (Literally) Look my bad luck!
Loud- Plentiful, e.g. Boy, dat tree ha loud mango.
Low fence – Someone who is always being taken advantaged of, easy to walk over
M
Maco – An inquisitive person, minding other people’s business
Macocious – A person having the trait of a maco
Macoumeh (mah-koo-meh) – Female godparent (see compere)
Macafouchette- Food from the day before
Mad House – The lunatic asylum, usually referring to St. Ann Psychiatric Hospital
Maga (or mager) – Thin and frail, skinny
Mama Dlo or Mama Dglo – (Folklore figure) mother of the water http://www.triniview.com/TnT/Folklore.htm
Making style- Showing off, e.g. She makin’ style wid she new boyfriend.
Malkadee – To catch a fit or epileptic seizure: e.g.”Yuh ketching malkadee wat?”
Mal Yeux or mal deux- (Patois) Bad eye, evil eye, spell cast by someone to cause illness or discomfort or bad luck
Mamaguy- Sarcasm, to fool somebody with smart talk, to ridicule, false praise, overdone compliment; e.g. “Yuh new purple hair colour look nice, nice”.
Mama Poule – A weakling, someone who can be taken advantage of
Mama Yo! – Expression denoting shock and surprise.
Mammee apple – Mammee apple Mammea americana
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammee_apple
Mamey Sipote – Mamey Sapote Pouteria sapota http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamey_sapote
Mannish – Showing adult mannerisms
Usage:
- How he get on mannish so? – How this little boy acts as if he is an adult?
Man – Added to the end of any sentence for emphasis, e.g. Dat real good man.
Manimah – extravagant things or clothing
Manzan – Short for Manzanilla, a much frequented beach on the eastern coast of Trinidad
Maracas – Maracas Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches found on the northern coast of Trinidad, high waves, great scenery.
Mas – Carnival
Matter fix – Everything is well organized
Mauby – A refreshing drink made from the Mauby bark; known for its bitter sweet taste
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauby
Meh hand slip – An expression used when too much of an ingredient is used
Mauvais langue – (Patois) Bad talk, gossip, ill speak of someone you pretend to be friends with.
Mih han’ slip – An expression used when too much of an ingredient is used
Mirasmie -(Marasme) Sickly looking.
Mista – Mister, Gentleman, Sir
Moco Jumbie – Very tall ghost, spirit; usually portrayed by a costumed man on stilts Mooma – Mother
More worse – (Superlative) T’ings could ah get more worse dan dat
Morish – Something tasty that leads you to eat more
Mou Mou- A person not too smart
Mountain Dew- Illegally distilled alcohol
Mooma – Mother
Mosquito drumstick -Very thin legs
Mout’er – A boaster
Mout Big- Talkative
Much up – To pamper, to butter up
N
Nah- No
Nah Man- No way! Not at all – never
Nastiness- Good for nothing
Neemakhram – Ungrateful
Nevah happen- Impossible
Never see come see – (Come See Never See) Someone who has recently been exposed to something new and who overdoes it to ridiculous proportions.
New bran’- Brand new
Nex ting- Another thing
Ning ning – Tired eyes
Nowherian – A person who does not have any fixed place of abode
Now fuh now – Right away, immediately
O
Obeah – Witchcraft, Black Magic, Voodoo
Obeah man – Wizard, man who practices obeah
Obeah woman – Witch, woman who practices obeah
Ochro (Okra)- (Abelmoschus esculentus) Ladiesâ fingers, Plant whose green pods are much used for soups, stews, or pickles; gumbo
Obzokee – Out of shape, not quite right
Oheeoho – A very far place
Oh geed, Oh gaddo – Oh Gross, Oh Yuk, You don’t say
Oh gorm, man- Expressing shock, surprise
Oh gosh man (or Oh shucks man) – Said when aggravated by someone or something
Oh shimps, man – Shock, surprise
Ole talk- Smooth talk used to wriggle out of a tight situation or to charm one’s way into another’s favour- Also: idle chatter, chit chat, and social talk
On eggs – Pregnant
One for de road – Last drink of alcohol before leaving a person’s house .e.g. Boy leh we take one for de road.
One set ah – A lot of anything
One time- Immediately
Ooman – Woman
Oui – (Patois) Yes
Oui Papa (or Oui fout) – Expression of surprise – “Oui Papa, trouble now reach.
Out of place – Bold, forward
Usage:
Yuh too fase and out of place Don’t meddle with what does not concern you.
Own-way – Stubborn person
P
Padna – Trini for “homeboy” used by older Trini males.
Pallet – Frozen lolly
Panchayat (pan-cha-it) – Serious talk or family discussion
Panty man – Girly man
Papa Bois – (Folklore figure) The old man of the forest, protector of the animals and the trees. http://www.triniview.com/TnT/Folklore.htm
Papa yo! – Exclamation of surprise
Parang – Traditional Spanish influenced music played during Christmas time with lyrics heralding the birth of Christ; traditionally sung by paranderos who went about from house to house, but now it is commercially sung by parang bands. Paranderos – Parang singers and musicians
Papesy – Lacking in flavour, colour or character (from: pap= soft)
Parlour – Little cafeteria where snacks and drinks can be bought Patisah (pah-tee-zah) – To be biased Payap – Great confusion or bacchanal
Piarco – The international airport in Trinidad Picka – (Picker) thorns, e.g. Doh touch dat rose bush. It have real picka
Pappyshow – Making fun, making a fool out of
Patois – Broken French language, used by natives since the French lived in Trinidad- still spoken in parts of the country, e.g. Paramin Village
Paw-Paw – Papaya, a tropical fruit.
Paw Paw Ball – A sweet made from the papaya
Pelau – Rice-meat-peas dish
Pen – To corner (perhaps this one came from the fact that we house domestic animals in a pen; e.g. pig pen, cow pen or goat pen.
Pennacool – A sweet coloured ice that is sealed in a cylindrical clear plastic wrapping. These come in a variety of colours and flavours. There is also a variety made with milk.
Pesh – Money
Petit Careme – (Patois) The short, dry spell which occurs during the height of the rainy season – usually in September
P.H. driver – A driver who illegally uses his private car as a taxi (in T&T vehicles carry license plates which start with the letters P, H, R or T: P= private car; H= hired car, a Taxi or bus; R= Rental car and T stands for Transport, usually trucks or vans, etc.).
Picong – see fatigue: Picong (or Pikong) – To insult in a jesting manner; to ridicule, to poke fun at someone’s shortcomings
Piper – Person who abuses drugs, drug addict
Piping – To do drugs
Pissin’ tail – A person of no class or importance Pitch black – Very dark (e.g it pitch black out here oui!) Pitch oil – Kerosene
Planass – To beat somebody with the flat side of a cutlass
Playing it cool – To take it easy
Playin’ social – Someone who pretends to be of higher social strata than they are
Plounce – To seat oneself in a not too decorous manner
Poum (or Pompce) – Silent flatulence Poohar – Stupid Popo – A baby
Pot Belly – A large belly
Pot houn’- A mongrel, also a person who is not up to par in his particular field (also called a shit hound); e.g. –He playin’ football like ah real shit hound.
Pong – Pound
Pong’ an’ ah crown – (literally: Pound and a crown) A lot of money; e.g. Dat car cos’ meh a pong’ an’ ah crown, oui.
Prim-prim – An overtly proper and formal person, impersonal and distant
Pueffen- Tail (meaning ‘ass’), e.g. Take dat in yuh pueffen. Pull- To get along with somebody, e.g. “Me and he doh pull. (We don’t get along)
Puna Short for the town of Tunapuna
Puncheon – Homemade rum of very high potency
Pushy – To show off, e.g. He too pushy.
Pwatik – (East Indian derivative) Customer
Q
Quaccoowaja – (Tobago expression) – Overdressed
Qualed Up – Withered, dried up
Queff -Nattily dressed, to wear clothes with a theatrical flare.
Qualey – Withered, dried up
Quelbe (quelbay) – Blighted
Quenk- Wild pig- also irritating person
Quay D’Or Say- Croissee- Pronounced Kwe-ze – The main Junction in San Juan- Trinidad
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R
Rab – Obnoxious person, uncouth
Rag Up – To verbally insult and/or make a fool of someone. He rag up d lil girl oui.
Raff – To grab suddenly
Ragadang – Broken down
Rage – The latest fashion
Rain must fall – Said when any inevitable situation happens
Raise – A loan
Rake and scrape – The action of accumulating change lying around the house, no matter how insignificant, to purchase something; e.g rake and scrape to buy de blender.
Ram cram – Packed to capacity, e.g. “ram cram like sardines in a can“.
Ramjam – (Also: Ramcram) Packed to capacity; e.g The fete was ramjam with people.
Ramsack (ransack) – To search through every part of, to search for plunder, chaotic condition.
Rap – Talk
Ratch – To arrive at an answer or end result using dishonest or dubious means
Ratchafee (ratchefee) – A made up kind of job; a scheme
Razzy – Unkempt
Redman – A light skinned person, usually a mixture between European and African ancestry
Reverse back– To reverse, as in: “Ah reverse back meh car.
Rounders – Playing around, cannot make up your mind- as in going a place or not; e.g. Doh give meh no seta rounders nah, man.
Road March – Most popular calypso played during the carnival festivities
Roucou (Oucou) – Annatto, red colouring derived from the achiote tree.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-annatto.htm
Roti – East Indian dish made with flat baked dough resembling a tortilla served with curried beef, chicken, goat, shrimp or other meat with curried potatoes, onions, bodi, ochros, pumpkin, mango, etc. Types: Paratha, dhalpurie, dosti, and sada.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roti
Royal – Usage: To catch one’s royal – to be in a lot of trouble
Rude – “Nasty”, sexually explicit, vulgar; e.g Rude Boy.
Rumpfle – Ruffled or wrinkled
Usage:
- Like he put he iron on rumpfle this morning.– His clothes look wrinkled.
Rum Cork – A hard drinker, alcoholic
Rummie – A hard drinker, alcoholic
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S
Saga boy or Saga girl – A flashy dressed person
Sampat– One person being beaten by several
Santiwah – Bush bath
Sapat -A chunky wooden clog with a canvas or discarded tyre upper
Sawine – see sewine
Sapodilla – Manilkara zapota http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapodilla
Scruntin’- Having no money- Ah real scruntin’ dis week .
Scrunt – Down and out; penniless; scrunting. On the scrunt
Stupidee – Stupid person {Syn: Chupidee}
Scope Out – Check out, assess a situation
Set Ah– Lots of; e.g. Ah set ah mango
Sewine(Sawine) – Porridge-like mixture of raisins, vermacelli, milk etc, consumed at the Muslim festival of Eid-Ul-Fitr .
Shades– Sunglasses
Shim – An effeminate man or a masculine woman
She – She, but also her-
Usage:
- She cuss she brudder – She cursed her brother .
Shif’ yuh carcass– Move over; make place
Shinnie (shinny) – A small furry caterpillar
Shit Street– Beginning a lot of trouble after making a mistake or doing something wrong. e.g. “Is now he in shit street for truth.“
Shoo – Expression used to run animals from one’s yard (usually chickens).
Shoo shoo – The act of gossiping
Shoes laughing – Shoes bursting open, toes exposed, soles leaving the uppers.
Shut – Shirt
Shub – Shove, move, or cast aside
Skin up – This term is normally used with parts of a person’s anatomy thereby giving a
whole new meaning to the term; e.g. Someone can skinup her nose, leg, bottom, eye, etc.
Usage:
- Skin up yuh nose– To look down at something- to turn up your nose
- Skinnin’ up yuh teet‘– To grin
Skull-man/woman – Scoundrel who tries to outsmart other people (= conman)
Sometimish– Moody
Smart Man – One who tries clever schemes to arrive at a result
Soca – (Soul-Calypso) The modern version of calypso music; hardcore political satire, scandals, sexual double entendre and comedy, wrapped up in dance music with an African beat and heavy baseline.
Soca Parang – A cross between soca and parang, generally sung during Christmas time with varying topics and double entendre, etc. celebrating the festivities of the season.
Soot – A cat call; a cheap or rude call at a person, particularly a woman.
Sou sou – A forced savings scheme among a group of people, usually low wage earners and housewives, where each participantputs in the same amount of money and receives the entire lump sum at a particular time, no interest of course. It starts and ends with one year period. If there is no prior agreement, lots are drawn to determine when someone gets their “hand”
Soucouyant– (Folklore figure) Female spirit in the night appearing as flying ball of fire, believed to suck people’s blood and leaving a big bruise on the body. E.g. Somebody with a “hicky” may get the remark: “Ah soucouyant suck yuh las’ nite or wat?” http://www.triniview.com/TnT/Folklore.htm
Sprangalang – To be deliberately contrary; or the comedian Dennis Hall
Squingy – Wrinkly / pruny appearance of hands after being in water for a long time.
Stan’ pipe (stand pipe) – A public water tap
Stag – Local beer http://www.thebackpacker.net/worldbeers/stag_2941_worldbeers.htm
Steups ( also cheups)- The sound when air is sucked in between teeth -usually in a disapproving way
Stingy or stingee – Miserly (see Chinks)
Strimps – Shrimp
Storm – To crash a party or attend an event without an invitation
Suck eye – Easy
Suck salt – Hard times. {Syn: Suckin salt}
Sweet drink – Soft drink, soda
Sweet eye – A romantic wink
Sweetie – Any confectionery. {Syn: Sweety }
Sweet too bad – Someone who is considered to be very charming or attractive
Sweet Mouth – To have a preference for the choicest cuts; a sweet talker
Swell up yuh face – To pout, to look angry
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T
Tac Tac – Large black stinging ant
Tacte (tac-tay)- Over ripened fruit, close to spoiling, with black spots on it, e.g. Da mango tacte, doh eat it.
Tabanka – Love sick; feeling of loss when a relationship is over; e.g. She is havin’ a tabanka.
Tankalanka – (Said in a teasing tone of voice) Trouble; e.g. Tankalanka! Yuh mudder will beat yuh for this.
Tanty – Aunt
Tatoo (Tatu) – Armadillo e.g. man, de dog dem pen de tattoo in ah hole dey http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armadillo Tea – Any hot drink – could be tea, coffee, or chocolate milk, etc. Three line – Cutlass, machete
Tihzic – Dazed and confused
Tight – Drunk
Ting– Thing
Titty-vay – To waste time or stir up trouble
Tobago love – Disguising one’s feelings of attraction or love from the other person.
Tonneh!- (Patois) An exclamation of surprise
Too Bad – Meaning “very good”; e.g. He could play de violin too bad.
Too besides – Besides which
Too-tool-bay or Tootoolbay – Confused state; in a daze; also head over heels (in love); the euphoric feeling a persons gets when infatuated.
Tooroopchal – ( East Indian origin) Card game similar to All Fours – also called Hang King or Coat.
Tot tots – Female breasts
Touloum or Tooloom – A sweet made with molasses and coconut
Tourises – (Tobago slang) Tourists
Toute Baggai – (Patois) Everything; e.g. When he lef she he take toute baggai, includin’ de fridge.
Tout’moon (Toute le monde) – (Patois) Everybody
Town – Another name for Port of Spain, e.g. Driver, yuh goin dong town?
Tringum – Chewing gum
Trinidad time – Because Trinis are noted for their lateness and lack of punctuality, this means “anytime”
T.T. – Trinidad and Tobago currency, as in “Does this cost $1.00 T.T. or $1.00 U.S.?”
Twenty four hours – A type of tree dwelling lizard
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
U
Udderwise – Otherwise
Use yuh kidney – Use your head; think
Umpteen – Many
Usage: “Umpteen times ah tell yuh……”
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
V
Vampin‘ – Offensive smell
Vaps – Sudden inspiration; e.g.She ketch ah vaps an’ start cleanin’ de house.
Vex – (Old English) Angry. Syn: Vexed
Usage:
- Ah vex– I am angry.
- Ah vex mad– I am very angry.
Vie Ke Vie – From day to day
Village Ram – Womanizer (in a small town or village)
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
W
Wa Wa – Feeling ill, but not exactly knowing from what
Wajang (or Warajoon) – A wild kind of person, uncouth, misbehaving, a vagabond
Waltz in – Barge in without saying a word
Waps – wasp
Warap – Very weak mixture
Washikong – Old Shoe, soft shoe, sneaker, often smelling stink
Well yes! – Expression of disbelief
Whappen’? – What is the matter with you?
What`s de damage? -How much do I owe you?
Whey– Where
Whey de man say– How is every thing?
Windball Cricket– Cricket where the following rules apply: Using a tennis ball; larger than usual wicket; concrete pitch; throwing or pelting instead of bowling is acceptable; no LBW out; one innings, limited overs; plus others, etc.
Wine – A sexually suggestive dance using gyrating hip movements that can make the hula look tame, usually done to soca music.
Wood lice – Termite
Wotless– Worthless, no good, usually referring to a person.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
X
Unfortunately there are no words beginning with “X” in the Trini Dictionary.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Y
Yampee– The mucus in corner of the eyes
Yang-Key — (Trini pronunciation for Yankee) An American. Syn: Yankee
Yayan – Refering to a donkey, ass
Yuh – You
Usage:
- Yuh faddah is ah glassmaker? – You are blocking my view.
- Yuh an’ all? – You too? You of all persons?
- Yuh fada head– An expression of annoyance.
- Yuh look fuh dat– It is your own fault.
- Yuh makin’ joke– You can’t be serious.
- Yuh so – People like you.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Z
Zandolee – A pretty green lizard that runs very fast. Also, name of late calypsonian Sylvester Anthony.
Zaboca– Avocado
Zangie– (also zangee) A river eel
Zeekack – Fat pork (the fruit)
Zug or Zug-up -A rough and uneven cutting of anything; such as hair, fruits etc.
Zwill – Little sharp pieces of broken bottle or razor blades that is tied to a kite’s tail, and designed to cut the string of an opponent’s kite.
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