A ieh
editaadiez adj. stubborn
aal 1. adj. total, whole amount; adv. completely; 2. adj. even
aataklaps n. crisis
aatiek n. heartache
abee interj. a taunt
abeng n. Maroon cow-horn instrument
afuu?/auufa? inter. whose is it?
agud interj. serves you right
ahuu? inter. who is it?
ahush? inter. which is it?
ai-an-ai pron. [~Eng. I and I] Rastafarian first person
akwerd adj. awkward, clumsy
anmigl n. palm
ash adj. pungent, harsh
askaadn prep. according to
at 1. adj. hot; v. to heat; 2. v. to hurt, upset; 3. n. hat
atup v. 1.to heat, reheat; 2. to hurt anew, inflame old injury
awa? inter. what is it?
awan pron. each
B bii
editbaba n. respectful term of address to man
bada v. bother; badarieshan, n. hassle, inconvenience
bafan adj. awkward, clumsy
bagamout n., adj. all talk, no action
bakra n. (white) overseer; adj. relating to supervisory or superior class
bambai n. [~Eng. by and by] left-overs
bangkra n. envelope-type basket
banduulu 1. adj. illegal; 2. n. contraband, unfair dealing; 3. v. to swindle, to evade or circumvent regulations
bangarang n. chaos, disorder
baroz n. loan; gi a baroz to lend
baps adv. suddenly
beli 1. n. belly, pregnancy; 2. adj. pregnant
benop adj. bent
bie adv. only, solely
bied 1. v. to bathe; 2.n. beard; biedop, adj. bearded
biefies adj. bare-faced, blatant
biev v. to behave
bigop v. to greet, praise, commend
biini adj. tiny
bikaaz, kaaz, kaa conj. because
bikl n. [~Eng. victuals] food
bikomps v. to become
bil n. 1. bill; 2. machete with hooked point; v. 1. to charge to account - See chos; 2. to cut bush or grass with machete
bilangx v. to belong to, originate from
biliib v. to believe
blai n. easement, break, opportunity
bodi n. penis
bombo interj. [~Temne a-bombo vagina] expletive, sometimes used with -klaat or -huol
bos n. bus; v. 1. to act or express forcibly
bosop adj. broken
braata n. gratuitous extra, as in baker's dozen
braatopsi n. upbringing
bragadaps adv. abruptly
breda n. brother
brejrin n. friend, associate
bringl adj. agitated
brok adj. 1. broken; 2. penniless; n. worn, broken or discarded person or object; v. to break
bunununus adj. delightful
bups n. sugar-daddy
bupsi n. kept woman
butu 1. adj. uncouth; 2. n. crass person
Ch chii ("c" replaced by "k"; only used with "h" for "ch" sound)
editchaa v. to chew; chaa-chaa, v. to chew up; adj. chewed-up
chaka-chaka adj. [~Shwi tsaka scatter, shattered] disordered, untidy
chaklata n. dinner left-overs served for breakfast
chichi n. termite; applied derogatively to gay men
cho! interj. exclamation of impatience, disapproval
chokop adj. crowded, cluttered
chos v. extend credit
chrang adj. strong
chruu adv., prep. through; adj. true
chuocho n. [~Brz. chuchu ] type of squash, Sechium edule known as christophene in the Eastern Caribbean, as chayote in Spanish countries
chups n. kiss on the cheek
D dii
editde v. to be in location, state; to exist
dedlef n. inheritance
dege adj. [~Ewe deka] single, sole
diidi 1. n. faeces; 2. v. to defecate
disepshos adj. deceitful
dopi n. ghost
doti 1. adj. [~Shwi dote soil, earth, clay] dirty, soiled; 2. n. ground
du v. to please, satisfy
duudu 1. n. faeces; 2. v. to defecate
duufos n. fool
dundus n. albino
dwii v. to do
E hii
editebi adj. heavy
ebn n. heaven
ed n. head
ei! interj. hey!
el n. hell
elaba adj. [~Am. Eng. helluva] superlative
eng v. to hang; eng-pahn-niel, adj. ready-made; n. ready-made clothing
F hef
editfaaliitii v. to suffer for transgression. See also fene, tata
faas adj. inquisitive; v. to interfere
fala-fashin adj., n. imitative, copycat
fasi adj. afflicted with sores; n. dermal infection, sore
fene v. to suffer consequence, feel pain. See also faaliitii, tata
fengki-fengki adj. weak, indecisive, insubstantial
fiesi adj. rude, impertinent
fiet n. 1. fate; 2. faith
fiilop v. to handle, to grope
fingl v. to fondle, finger
flim n. film
floxi adj. inferior, unsatisfactory
frenop v. to befriend
fufu n. [~Yoruba] mashed yam
fululups n. nonsense, folly
G jii
editgaa v. to go
gaagan n. chief, supreme
gobament n. government
gofi v. to go for, plan, intend
ginigag n. powerful leader
gizaada n. [Puot. guisado] grated coconut pastry
grabalishos adj. grasping, greedy
guzu n. [~Kimbundu, nguzu, power, strength, force] magic, spell
H iech
edithaalzwie adv. always
haatikal adj. top, leading
hapachuniti n. opportunity
huol whole, entire; n. hole; v. to hold
huola adj. whole
I hai
editiel v. to greet
iejobl adj. mature, as in person
ier n. year
ies n. haste, hurry
iez n. ear
iibn adj., adv., v. even
iibnin, iivlin n. evening
iipa pron. many, much; uoliipa very many
J jie
editjanga n. [~Bakweri] crayfish
jeri v. to taunt, jeer
jesta v. to joke, make fun of
jimskriichi n. underhand deal; v. to finagle
jinal n. con-man, trickster
jonjo n. fungus
jraafut adj. lame
jred 1. adj. of concern; 2. pertaining to Rastafarians; 3. n. Rastaman
jresbak v. to reverse
jresdong v. to shift position
jriepop v. to accost
juk n. [~Fula chuk] jab, stick; v. to jab, stick
K kie
editkach n. prop, support, temporary accommodation; v. to prop, lean, support
kaka interj. [Fr., Sp., caca, excrement] expletive
kalaban n. bird trap, in the form of four-sided pyramid of twigs
karuochiz n. [Am. Sp. corotos, playthings, tools, trash] belongings, junk
kaskas n. argument, controversy
kata n. [~Kikongo nkata] coil of cloth or banana leaf to carry burdens on the head
kech v. 1. to catch; 2. to arrive
kiangkro n. turkey vulture, applied in contempt to persons
kin 1. v. to turn (out/over), expose; 2. n. skin
klier adv. all the way; gaan klier, to succeed
kliin-kliin adv. completely, totally
kobich adj. greedy, miserly; kobichuol, n. depression at back of head where skull meets neck
kombolo n. companion
konk v. [~Mandinka] to rap on the head
kot n. cut; v. 1. to cut; 2. to speak fluently
kraa v. to scratch
kraal n. enclosure, animal pen
kraasiz n. [~Eng. crosses] problem, trouble
kraps n. scrap (pl. krapsiz)
kreng-kreng n. [~Fante kereng-kereng basket] basket hung over stove for drying, smoking meat
krips adj. crisp
krumuujin adj. mean-spirited
ku v. look; ku de look there; ku ya look here
kunumunu n. simpleton
kuoko n. 1. [~Shwi kooko] edible aroid root; 2. bump on the head; 3. kuoko bred, flat, folded bread, buttered before baking
L hel
editlaba-laba adj. garrulous, indiscreet
laiad adj. lying; n. liar
lamps v. to fool, deceive
langilaala adj., n. very tall person
leginz n. [~French legumes, vegetables] bunch of seasonings, viz. escallion, thyme
liin adj. inclined, not perpendicular
lou v. to allow, permit
M hem
editmaaga adj. thin, emaciated
maasa n. master, sir
magij n. maggot, worm
madi-madi adj. slightly mad, eccentric
maki interj. [~Shwi makye] morning greeting
ma(m) n. polite term of address to woman
mampaala n. effeminate man
manazebl adj. polite
mashalaa n. martial law, sanctions
masakraa n. massacre, rout
masi n. mercy
meke-meke adj. sloppy, messy
mongx prep. among
musmus n. mouse
N hen
editnaat n. 1. north; 2. nought, zero
nenge-nenge v. to nag
niam n. [~Shwi enyam yam] to eat
niaamps n. useless, worthless person
nof adj. many; n.large amount
notn n. nothing
nuoz n. nose; nuoznaat, n. nasal mucus, snot
O uo
editokro n. [~Igbo okuro] okra hibiscus esculentus
olo n. fabrication, deception
ongl adj., adv. only
ongri adj. hungry; ongribeli, n. greedy person
orikumop n. parvenu
outa-aada adj. impudent
P pii
editpaadna n. 1. partner, friend; 2. indigenous savings plan
paan v. to grab, seize
paki n. [~Shwi apakyi] calabash, gourd, bowl made from such
palaava n. [~Puot. palavra word, speech] conversation; v. to converse
paravencha adv. maybe, perhaps
pasiero n. friend
patu n. owl
pempeni adj. plentiful
perpos adj. deliberate, wilfull
piiki-puoki adj. given to speaking Queen's English; n. affected speech
piiniwali n. firefly
pinchikuobi adj. stingy, parsimonious
pitni n. [~Puot. pequeno small] child, young one
poto-poto n. mud
praaps adv. perhaps
preke n. calamity
prips n. tip, preview; prips aaf, v. to tip off, advise
pum n. [~Shwi epim] vagina var. pumpum, pim
pupalik n. somersault; kin pupalik, v. to somersault
puos v. 1. (to get) stood upĀ ; 2. to mail; n. post;
puosn exp. supposing? what if?
putus n. term of endearment applied to females
puusi n. expletive, sometimes used with -klaat or -uol
R haar
editraa interj. short form of raatid
raas interj.[~Fula ras, buttocks] expletive, sometimes used with klaat or huol
raatid interj. exclamation of surprise, pleasure; tu raatid for emphasis
ramp v. to play; rampifai, adj. playful; rampin, n. play
redai adj. envious, covetous
rispans adj. responsible
ron dong v. to argue insistently
rondong n., adj. method of cooking with coconut milk, traditionally with pickled mackerel
ruku-ruku adj. shaky, unsteady
ruudnis n. coitus; v. to have sex
S hes
editsa n. polite term of address to man
saab v. to serve
sabi v. [~Sp. saber] to know
sadamait n. lesbian
samfai n. swindle, swindler; v. to swindle, hoodwink
sensobl adj. sensible
setaan n. provocateur
sidong v. to sit
simuud adj. smooth
sinting pron. something
sipl adj. slippery
sitieshan n. situation
sitn pron. something
sheda n. shadow
skailaak v. to loaf, goof off
smadi pron. someone, person
sop v. to put up with, tolerate indignity
stuoshos adj. showy, impressive
sumail n., v. smile
suoso adv. only, solely
sus(u) n. gossip
swiit v. to please, amuse; swiitop, v. to flatter, seduce; swiit-mout, v. to flatter; n. glib or persuasive tongue
T tii
edittaament v. to annoy
taat n. 1. thought; 2. start; 3. tart, usually with plantain filling; v. to start
tab v. to stab
talawa adj. strong, sturdy
tan v. to stay
tanop v. to stand
tantodi v. to settle down, be still
tap n., v. stop
tapanaaris adj. upper class; n. society person
tata n.[~Ewe] father, grandfather; v. to suffer consequence, pay dearly. See also faaliitii, fene
tatu n. shed, makeshift structure
tegereg n. loud, abusive person
tep n., v. step
tong n. 1. tongue; 2. town, usually referring to Kingston
twisop adj. twisted
U yuu
editud n. penis
unu pron. 2nd person plural, collective "you"
uoliip adj., n., pron. very many, plenty
uona adj. own; n. owner
V vii
editvailens n. violence
vijan n. vision
W doblyu
editwai! interj. expression of amusement or surprise
wala-wala v. to wallow
walef n. remainder
wapn-bapn adj., n. poorly constructed, thrown together
wara int. pron. why, for what
wentaim adv. whenever
wiini adj. small
winji adj. undersized, shrunken
wis n. vine
woi! interj. expression of despair
Y wai
editya adv. here
yaa adv. conclusive indicator, perhaps derived from you hear? or yes?
yaad n. 1. home; 2. yard
yaba n. earthenware pot
yai n. eye
yeri v. to hear, pay attention
yunifaam n. uniform
Z zed
editzumbi n. zombie
zutupek n. monster