Language/Jamaican-creole-english/Vocabulary/Family
Hi Jamaican Creole English learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on the Jamaican Creole English vocabulary related to family. Family is an important part of Jamaican culture, and it is essential to know the proper words to refer to your family members in Jamaican Creole English. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently talk about your family in Jamaican Creole English. Let's get started!
With the completion of this lesson, consider investigating these related pages: Drinks & Express Surprise.
Family Members[edit | edit source]
The table below shows the Jamaican Creole English vocabulary related to family members:
| Jamaican Creole English | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Fada | fah-dah | Father |
| Mada | mah-dah | Mother |
| Granfada | gran-fah-dah | Grandfather |
| Granmada | gran-mah-dah | Grandmother |
| Sista | sis-tah | Sister |
| Broda | bro-dah | Brother |
| Pickney | pik-ney | Child |
| Son | sahn | Son |
| Daughta | dah-tah | Daughter |
| Uncle | ahn-kle | Uncle |
| Auntie | ahn-tee | Aunt |
| Cousin | kuh-zin | Cousin |
To help you understand how these words are used, here is an example dialogue:
- Person 1: Wah Gwaan (What's up), mi granmada deh ya (my grandmother is here).
- Person 2: Eehn, weh shi seh (Oh, what did she say)?
Family Relationships[edit | edit source]
The table below shows the Jamaican Creole English vocabulary related to family relationships:
| Jamaican Creole English | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Brada-in-law | brah-dah in law | Brother-in-law |
| Sista-in-law | sis-tah in law | Sister-in-law |
| Son-in-law | sahn in law | Son-in-law |
| Daughta-in-law | dah-tah in law | Daughter-in-law |
| Mada-in-law | mah-dah in law | Mother-in-law |
| Fada-in-law | fah-dah in law | Father-in-law |
| Stepsista | step-sis-tah | Stepsister |
| Stepbroda | step-bro-dah | Stepbrother |
To help you understand how these words are used, here is an example dialogue:
- Person 1: Mi sista-in-law did a come ova (My sister-in-law is coming over).
- Person 2: Dem always pleasant, enuh (They're always nice, right)?
Extended Family[edit | edit source]
In Jamaican culture, extended family members are also considered part of the family. The table below shows the Jamaican Creole English vocabulary related to extended family members:
| Jamaican Creole English | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Cuz | kuz | Cousin |
| Niece | neece | Niece |
| Nephew | nehf-yoo | Nephew |
| Grandson | gran-suhn | Grandson |
| Granddaughter | gran-daht-tah | Granddaughter |
To help you understand how these words are used, here is an example dialogue:
- Person 1: Mi cuzy dem a come (My cousins are coming).
- Person 2: A how much a dem a come (How many of them are coming)?
Fun Facts[edit | edit source]
- In Jamaican culture, it is common for extended family members to live together. - There is a unique Jamaican Creole English word for a child who is the youngest in the family, called the "small fry". - In Jamaican Creole English, a grandparent may be referred to as "Big Frizzle" for grandfathers or "Big Miss" for grandmothers.
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
Now that you have learned the important Jamaican Creole English vocabulary related to family, you can confidently talk about your family in conversations with Jamaican speakers. To improve your Jamaican Creole English vocabulary, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions! Don't forget to check out the Vocabulary page for more helpful Jamaican Creole English vocabulary lessons. 👍🏾
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Sources[edit | edit source]
Upon wrapping up this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Food & Colors.