All Jamaican Sayings by Category
Every saying in our collection, with its English meaning. Tap any one for the full explanation.
56 sayings
Encouragement sayings
Category page →- Dere's no disease dat time cyaan cure.
There's no disease that time can't cure.
- If yuh want good, yuh nose haffi run.
If you want good things, your nose has to run.
- Likkle but mi tallawah.
I am small but mighty.
- Mi deh yah fi yuh.
I'm here for you.
- Mi deh yah, yuh know.
I am here, you know.
- One one coco full basket.
One by one, the coconuts fill the basket.
- Time longer dan rope.
Time is longer than rope.
- Wha fi yuh, cyaan be un fi yuh.
What is for you cannot be unmeant for you.
- Yuh 'fraid fi yeye, yuh neva nyam head.
If you're afraid of the eye, you'll never eat the head.
Family & Community sayings
Category page →- Han wash han.
Hand washes hand.
- Krismus dung a yard.
Christmas down at home.
- Mi an yuh, wi a one.
You and I, we are one.
- Mi deh yah fi yuh.
I'm here for you.
- Mi deh yah, yuh deh deh, love deh yah.
I'm here, you're there, love is here.
- Mi deh yah, yuh know.
I am here, you know.
- Mi luv yuh.
I love you.
- Mi miss yuh bad.
I miss you a lot.
- No mug no bruk, no coffee no dash weh.
No mug is broken, no coffee is spilled.
- Wey goat go, kid falla.
Where the goat goes, the kid follows.
- When bull ole, im feed a fence side.
When a bull is old, it feeds by the fence side.
Hard Work sayings
Category page →- Every mickle mek a muckle.
Every little bit makes a lot.
- If yuh want good, yuh nose haffi run.
If you want good things, your nose has to run.
- Likkle but mi tallawah.
I am small but mighty.
- Nuh wait till drum beat before yuh grine yuh axe.
Don't wait until the drum beats before you grind your axe.
- One one coco full basket.
One by one, the coconuts fill the basket.
Love sayings
Category page →- Every hoe have dem stick a bush.
Every hoe has its stick in the bush.
- Han wash han.
Hand washes hand.
- Love cyaan nyam.
Love can't be eaten.
- Mi an yuh, wi a one.
You and I, we are one.
- Mi cyaan stop tink bout yuh.
I can't stop thinking about you.
- Mi deh yah fi yuh.
I'm here for you.
- Mi deh yah, yuh deh deh, love deh yah.
I'm here, you're there, love is here.
- Mi heart beat fi yuh.
My heart beats for you.
- Mi love yuh bad.
I love you a lot.
- Mi love yuh like cook food.
I love you like cooked food.
- Mi luv yuh.
I love you.
- Mi miss yuh bad.
I miss you a lot.
- One one coco full basket.
One by one, the coconuts fill the basket.
- Yuh a di queen inna mi life.
You are the queen of my life.
- Yuh a mi soulmate.
You are my soulmate.
- Yuh pretty like sunshine, an mi heart warm up every time yuh smile.
You're pretty like sunshine, and my heart warms every time you smile.
- Yuh sweet mi up.
You sweeten me up.
Patience sayings
Category page →- Dere's no disease dat time cyaan cure.
There's no disease that time can't cure.
- Every mickle mek a muckle.
Every little bit makes a lot.
- One one coco full basket.
One by one, the coconuts fill the basket.
- Time longer dan rope.
Time is longer than rope.
Wisdom sayings
Category page →- Chicken merry, hawk deh near.
When the chicken is merry, the hawk is near.
- Dere's no disease dat time cyaan cure.
There's no disease that time can't cure.
- Di higher monkey climb, di more him expose.
The higher the monkey climbs, the more he is exposed.
- Donkey seh di world nuh level.
The donkey says the world isn't level.
- Every hoe have dem stick a bush.
Every hoe has its stick in the bush.
- Hungry dawg nyam roas karn.
A hungry dog will eat roast corn.
- If fish deh a river bottom an tell yuh seh shark deh a surface, believe him.
If the fish at the river bottom tells you there's a shark at the surface, believe him.
- Love cyaan nyam.
Love can't be eaten.
- No mug no bruk, no coffee no dash weh.
No mug is broken, no coffee is spilled.
- Nuh wait till drum beat before yuh grine yuh axe.
Don't wait until the drum beats before you grind your axe.
- Puss an dawg nuh have di same luck.
Cat and dog don't have the same luck.
- Sorry fi mawga dog, mawga dog tun roun bite yuh.
Feel sorry for a skinny dog and it may turn around and bite you.
- Tek kin teet kibba heart bun.
Use a smile to cover a heartache.
- Trouble nuh set like rain.
Trouble doesn't gather like rain clouds.
- Wah sweet nanny goat a go run him belly.
What tastes sweet to the goat will upset its stomach.
- Wanti wanti cyaan get it, an getti getti nuh want it.
Those who want it cannot get it, and those who have it do not want it.
- Weh yuh nuh know cyaan hurt yuh.
What you don't know can't hurt you.
- Wey goat go, kid falla.
Where the goat goes, the kid follows.
- Wha fi yuh, cyaan be un fi yuh.
What is for you cannot be unmeant for you.
- When bull ole, im feed a fence side.
When a bull is old, it feeds by the fence side.
- When trouble tek yuh, pickney shut fit yuh.
When trouble takes you, a child's shirt fits you.
- Yuh 'fraid fi yeye, yuh neva nyam head.
If you're afraid of the eye, you'll never eat the head.
Birthday sayings
Category page →- Bless up.
Blessings to you.
Motivation sayings
Category page →- Every mickle mek a muckle.
Every little bit makes a lot.
- If yuh want good, yuh nose haffi run.
If you want good things, your nose has to run.
- Likkle but mi tallawah.
I am small but mighty.
- Nuh wait till drum beat before yuh grine yuh axe.
Don't wait until the drum beats before you grind your axe.
- One one coco full basket.
One by one, the coconuts fill the basket.
- Yuh 'fraid fi yeye, yuh neva nyam head.
If you're afraid of the eye, you'll never eat the head.
Friendship sayings
Category page →- Every hoe have dem stick a bush.
Every hoe has its stick in the bush.
- Han wash han.
Hand washes hand.
- Likkle more.
See you later.
- Mi deh yah fi yuh.
I'm here for you.
- No mug no bruk, no coffee no dash weh.
No mug is broken, no coffee is spilled.
- Walk good.
Take care / safe travels.
- Yuh sweet mi up.
You sweeten me up.
Christmas sayings
Category page →- Big up yuhself dis Krismus!
Enjoy yourself and celebrate this Christmas!
- Bless up.
Blessings to you.
- Krismus dung a yard.
Christmas down at home.
- Merry Krismus.
Merry Christmas.
- Nuff blessings fi di holidays.
Many blessings for the holidays.
- Wanti wanti cyaan get it, an getti getti nuh want it.
Those who want it cannot get it, and those who have it do not want it.
- Wey goat go, kid falla.
Where the goat goes, the kid follows.
- Wish yuh Krismus blessing!
Wishing you a Christmas blessing!
New Year sayings
Category page →- Bless up.
Blessings to you.
- Nuff blessings fi di holidays.
Many blessings for the holidays.
- Walk good fi di New Year.
Go safely into the New Year.
Wedding sayings
Category page →- Han wash han.
Hand washes hand.
- Mi an yuh, wi a one.
You and I, we are one.
- Yuh a mi soulmate.
You are my soulmate.
Graduation sayings
Category page →- Every mickle mek a muckle.
Every little bit makes a lot.
- Likkle but mi tallawah.
I am small but mighty.
- One one coco full basket.
One by one, the coconuts fill the basket.
Jamaica Independence sayings
Category page →- Likkle but mi tallawah.
I am small but mighty.
Jamaican Blessings sayings
Category page →- Big up yuhself dis Krismus!
Enjoy yourself and celebrate this Christmas!
- Bless up.
Blessings to you.
- Merry Krismus.
Merry Christmas.
- Nuff blessings fi di holidays.
Many blessings for the holidays.
- Walk good fi di New Year.
Go safely into the New Year.
- Walk good.
Take care / safe travels.
- Wey goat go, kid falla.
Where the goat goes, the kid follows.
- Wha fi yuh, cyaan be un fi yuh.
What is for you cannot be unmeant for you.
- Wish yuh Krismus blessing!
Wishing you a Christmas blessing!
Morning Messages sayings
Category page →- Mi cyaan stop tink bout yuh.
I can't stop thinking about you.
- Mi deh yah, yuh know.
I am here, you know.
- Walk good.
Take care / safe travels.
- Yuh pretty like sunshine, an mi heart warm up every time yuh smile.
You're pretty like sunshine, and my heart warms every time you smile.
Traditional Proverbs sayings
Category page →- Chicken merry, hawk deh near.
When the chicken is merry, the hawk is near.
- Cockroach nuh business inna fowl fight.
A cockroach has no business in a chicken fight.
- Dere's no disease dat time cyaan cure.
There's no disease that time can't cure.
- Di higher monkey climb, di more him expose.
The higher the monkey climbs, the more he is exposed.
- Donkey seh di world nuh level.
The donkey says the world isn't level.
- Every day bucket go a well, one day di bottom drop out.
Every day the bucket goes to the well, one day its bottom will drop out.
- Every hoe have dem stick a bush.
Every hoe has its stick in the bush.
- Every mickle mek a muckle.
Every little bit makes a lot.
- Fire deh a muss-muss tail, him tink a cool breeze.
There is fire at the mouse's tail but he thinks it is a cool breeze.
- Hungry dawg nyam roas karn.
A hungry dog will eat roast corn.
- If fish deh a river bottom an tell yuh seh shark deh a surface, believe him.
If the fish at the river bottom tells you there's a shark at the surface, believe him.
- If yuh want good, yuh nose haffi run.
If you want good things, your nose has to run.
- Love cyaan nyam.
Love can't be eaten.
- No mug no bruk, no coffee no dash weh.
No mug is broken, no coffee is spilled.
- Nuh trouble trouble till trouble trouble yuh.
Do not trouble trouble until trouble troubles you.
- Nuh wait till drum beat before yuh grine yuh axe.
Don't wait until the drum beats before you grind your axe.
- One one coco full basket.
One by one, the coconuts fill the basket.
- Puss an dawg nuh have di same luck.
Cat and dog don't have the same luck.
- Sorry fi mawga dog, mawga dog tun roun bite yuh.
Feel sorry for a skinny dog and it may turn around and bite you.
- Tek time yuh wi buck rock stone.
Take time, you will stub your toe on a rock.
- Time longer dan rope.
Time is longer than rope.
- Trouble nuh set like rain.
Trouble doesn't gather like rain clouds.
- Wah sweet nanny goat a go run him belly.
What tastes sweet to the goat will upset its stomach.
- Wanti wanti cyaan get it, an getti getti nuh want it.
Those who want it cannot get it, and those who have it do not want it.
- Weh yuh nuh know cyaan hurt yuh.
What you don't know can't hurt you.
- Wey goat go, kid falla.
Where the goat goes, the kid follows.
- Wha fi yuh, cyaan be un fi yuh.
What is for you cannot be unmeant for you.
- When bull ole, im feed a fence side.
When a bull is old, it feeds by the fence side.
- Yuh 'fraid fi yeye, yuh neva nyam head.
If you're afraid of the eye, you'll never eat the head.
Valentine's Day sayings
Category page →- Mi cyaan stop tink bout yuh.
I can't stop thinking about you.
- Mi heart beat fi yuh.
My heart beats for you.
- Mi love yuh bad.
I love you a lot.
- Mi love yuh like cook food.
I love you like cooked food.
- Yuh a mi soulmate.
You are my soulmate.
- Yuh pretty like sunshine, an mi heart warm up every time yuh smile.
You're pretty like sunshine, and my heart warms every time you smile.
- Yuh sweet mi up.
You sweeten me up.
Mother's Day sayings
Category page →- Yuh a di queen inna mi life.
You are the queen of my life.