go a yuh yard
To say 'go home' in Jamaican, use go a yuh yard.
The phrase is used to express the action of returning to one's house or residence. In Jamaican Patois, the word yaad is commonly used to refer to one's home.
Meaning: return to one's house (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase translates to 'go to your yard'. The word yuh means 'your' and yaad means 'house' or 'home'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Kingston, it is common to hear the expression Gwaan a yuh yaad, mon! to mean 'Go home, man!'
How does it change in a sentence?
The preposition a is used in this phrase to indicate direction toward a destination.
Did you know?
- While go a yuh yard is a direction, the word yaad is used as a noun for Jamaica itself when people in the diaspora talk about returning to the island.
- In Jamaican culture, a yard often refers to the communal outdoor space where most social life happens, making the phrase go a yuh yard feel more like returning to a community than a room.
- If someone tells you to 'go a yuh yaad' in a heated argument, the phrase might be used idiomatically to mean 'get out of my sight' rather than a simple suggestion to visit your house.
Examples in context
- Gwaan a yuh yaad, bredda!Go home, brother!
- You jus' go a yuh yard an' rest.You just go home and rest.
Example conversation
Andre and Latoya are finishing a long day of work.
- AndreYuh tired, Latoya?Are you tired, Latoya?
- LatoyaYeah, mi really tired.Yes, I am really tired.
- AndreDen go a yuh yard and rest.Then go home and rest.
- LatoyaAlright, mi a go now.Alright, I am going now.
