Trinidad dialect is comprised of words and phrases from all the cultures that have bombarded the nation from the time of its colonisation. This list is by no means complete and we shall keep adding to it as information comes along. Please contact us with any additions you may have at :alloy_m@hotmail.com

A"

A! A! - what's this?
Ah - Substitute for "I"
Allyuh - All of you people. A group
Ax - Ask. To ask a question
Aye-yah-yie - An expression of anticipation or pain, etc.


"B"

Bacchanal - Scandal, heavy quarreling, big party, confusion.
Back chat - Insolent response, especially from a child to an adult.
Bad eye(cut-eye) - A look of anger, especially when looking from the corner of the eye.
Bad John - A bully or a really tough customer.
Bamsee - The rear end, what you sit on .
Bam-se Lambe - Rather attractive bamsee.
Bol'face - A pushy person, unreasonably demanding.
Booboloops - An obese, ungainly person.
Bowgee - Sister-in-law.
Broughtupsy - Showing that a person has a good up-bringing, decorum.
Buh wait nah - But wait a minute, now hold on it.
Buller - Homosexual.
Bullin' - Sexual act between homosexuals.
Bull Pissel - Whip made from a bull's sexual organ.


"C"

Callaloo - A thick soup made from dasheen leaves, ochroes, coconut milk, seasoned to taste, invariably includes crab.
Calypso - A musical and lyrical comment on any subject, usually composed for, but not limited to, the Carnival season.
Calypsonian - One who sings calypsoes.
Cheups(Steups) - A noise made by sucking your teeth.
Chinkee - Very tiny portions of anything.
Chupid - Stupid.
Chupidee - A foolish person.
Coki-eye - Cross-eyed.
Commesse - Confusion associated with arguments, gossip and slander.
Compere - Your child's god-father.
Cuff - Hitting someone or something with a clenched fist.
Cyah - Can't.


"D"

Da is you? - Is that you?
Dan-dan - Any sharp looking outfit.
Dat good for yuh - Serves you right.
Dat - That.
Doh - Don't.
Doo-doo - A pet-name used between lovers or a grown-up to a child.
Dos - A Trinidadian woman of pure East Indian stock.
Dotish - Silly, stupid, foolish and dumb.
Dougla - Mixture of East Indians and African parentage.
Drevait(dree-vay) - Wayward person who likes to "knock about."


"E"

Eh - What did you say?
Eh-eh - No, no way, oh no.
Eh-heh - Oh really? I understand. Yes.
En'less - Plenty, endless.
Ent? - Is that not so? That's true, isn't it?


"F"

Fall out - To stop speaking with someone or to terminate a friendship.
Faddah - Father.
Fed up - The state of being bored.
Fete - A party, loud music, lots to eat and drink, dancing until wee hours of the morning.
Flim - Film.
Founkie(foong-key) - Foul-smelling, stink odour.
Fuh true/troot? - Yes that is true. Is that really so?


"G"

Goin'orf - Someone who appears to be going out of their mind, acting strangely.
Gun talk - Fighting words, to threaten verbally.
Gyul - Girl.


"H"

Harden - Disobedient.
Hototo(hotoetoe) - A very large amount of anything.


"I"

I eh payin' tax fuh mih mout' - I could say anything I want.
In ting - To be involved in current activity. Is so? - Is that so?


"J"

Jagabat - Loose woman.
Jeez-an-ages - Used for any reason where an outburst is appropriate.
Jook - To stab at anything.
Jumbie - Spirit, ghost.
Jus'dey - Nearby (could be a mile )
Jus'now - In a little while.(could be a year)
Jus'so? - Just like that?
Jus'so - Out of the blue, totally unexpected.


"K"

Ketch - Catch or caught.
Klim - Any brand of powdered milk.


"L"

Lef dat - Leave that.
Leh - Let, let's.
Lick dong - To accidentally hit someone or something.
Leh we - Let us.
Licks - A beating, physical punishment.
Like t'ing - To be somewhat mischievous.
Lil'bit - In small meaningless portions.
Lime - When a small group of people engage in a sometimes pre- arranged activity.
Long eye - A person who is envious of the possessions of others.
Look nuh! - An expression of annoyance.


"M"

Maco - A person who minds other people's business for the purpose of gossip. To spy on.
Macocious - A person having the trait of a maco.
Macomere - Your child's god-mother.
Maga - Very thin, skinny.
Mamaguy - To make fun of, to ridicule.
Mama Yo! - Expression denoting shock and surprise.
Matter Fix - Everything is well organized.
Mih han' slip - An expression used when too much of an ingredient is used.
Mooma - Mother.
Mout'er - A boaster.
Much up - To pamper, to butter up.


"N"

Nah - No.
Nancy-story - A fable, or any made-up story.
Nastiness - An expression of disgust applied to a good-for-nothing person.
Never see come see - Someone who has recently been exposed to something new and who overdoes it to ridiculous proportions.
Ning ning - Tired eyes.
Now fuh now - Instantly.
Nowherian - A person who does not have any fixed place of abode.


"O"

Obzokee - Awkward in appearance, anything bent or twisted out of shape.
Oh geed! - An expression used when an offensive smell arises,
OH gosh! Oh gorm man! Oh shimps man! - These are all expressions denoting shock,surprise, indignation and admiration.
Oh Gyad! - An expression resulting from an unsightly or repulsive sight.
Ol' talk - Idle chatter, social chit-chat.
One set ah - A lot of anything.
Own-way - Stubborn person.


"P"

Pallet - Frozen lolly.
Pan - Musical steeldrum.
Papa yo! - Exclamation of surprise.
Peong - Vagabond, rogue.
Pesh - Money.
Pissin' tail - A person of no class or importance.
Planasse - To hit someone continuously with the flat part of a cutlass.
Playin' social - Someone who pretends to be of a higher social strata than they really are.
Pong - Pound.
Po-po - Very small child, baby.
Posey - A bedpan.
Prim-prim - Disgustingly proper and formal.
Pum-pum - Female genitals.
Pyol - Anyone of Spanish or Latin descent

"Q"

Quenk - An irritating person.
Qualey - Withered, dried up.


"R"

Raff - To grab suddenly.
Ragadang - Broken down.
Ram-cram - Packed to capacity.
Rumfle - Ruffled or wrinkled.


"S"

Saga boy/girl - Flashy dresser, dandy.
Shades - Sunglasses.
Shif' yuh carcass - Move over, get going.
Shub - Shove, move or cast aside.
Skinnin' yuh teet' - Grinning.
Skin up yuh nose - To turn up one's nose at anything.
Sometimeish - Moody.
Soucouyant - The vampire of local folklore.
Strimps - Shrimp.
Stones - Men's testicles.
Sweetie - Any confectionary.
Swell up yuh face - To look angry, to pout.


"T"

Tabanca - The forlorn feeling one gets when a love affair is over.
Tanty or Tantie - Aunt.
Tite - Intoxicated, drunk, stoned ; tightfitting.
T'ing - Thing.
To besides - Besides which.
Toonkooloonks - Female genitals.
Too-tool-bay - A confused state,in a daze, also head over heels in love.
Totie - Male child's sexual organ.
Tot tots - Female breasts.
Tuntun - Female genitals.
Twenty-four Hours - A tropical house lizard that feeds on insects.


"U"

Umpteen - Plenty of anything.


"V"

Vampin' - An offensive smell.
Vaps - To suddenly behave excitedly or in a strange manner.


"W"

Wajang - A roudy, uncouth person.
Warap - A very weak mixture.
We Foute! - Expression of surprise e.g, My GOD!
Well yes! - An expression of disbelief.
Whappen? - What's the matter with you?
Wha-happenin' dey? - What's happening.
Whey - Where.
Whey yuh say? - What did you say.


"Y"

Yampee - Mucus, found in the corner of the eye.
You an' all? - You too?
You so - People like you.
Yuh faddah head - An expression of annoyance.
Yuh faddah is a glassmaker? - You are blocking my view.
Yuh look fuh dat - It's your own fault.
Yuh makin' joke! - You can't be serious!


"Z"

Zaboca - Avocado.
Zamee or Zamie - Sexual act performed by lesbians.
Zandolee - A lizard that lives in the sand.
Zug-up - A rough and uneven cutting of anything.

To the top