So you want to learn how to speak like a Jamaican? Maybe you have Jamaican family members or friends and have a very difficult time understanding their thick accent, maybe you are a fan of reggae music and would like to know what those awesome sounding lyrics actually mean, or maybe you just want to know how to speak like a Jamaican because let’s face it, it looks and sounds pretty impressive.

Jamaican Proverbs are metaphorical sayings normally based on a truth or on the general experience of humans throughout history. Jamaican Proverbs reflect African and European influences and the purpose of most of these proverbs is to teach about survival.

When asking about the Jamaican Language, many persons are referring to Jamaican Patios, an English-lexified creole language spoken by the majority of Jamaicans locally or internationally. Jamaican Patois (or Creole) is a combination of an English based Creole language and West African based languages.

Although the official language of Jamaica is Standard English, many Jamaicans also speak Patois which is a separate dialect/language. Jamaican Patois (also known as “Patwa”, “Patwah” or “Jamaican Creole”) is the language that is used by most Jamaicans in casual everyday conversations while Standard English is normally reserved for professional environments.