gud
The Jamaican word for good is gud.
gud is used to describe something that is pleasant or enjoyable. Other ways to express positivity or goodness in Jamaican include using irie to mean good, or the expression Big up to acknowledge and show respect to someone or something.
Meaning: pleasant, enjoyable (adj)
Is it said differently in some regions?
Different regions have specific ways to express that something is good. In Kingston, you can use Tun up to mean good or great or Aight to mean good or okay.
When do people say it?
For example, Bless up serves as an informal salutation meaning take care and Big up is a common way to show respect.
Did you know?
- While 'gud' describes a quality, using the phrase 'Tun up' to mean 'good' specifically implies that the energy or atmosphere of a situation has been 'turned up' or heightened.
- While gud describes a quality, the term irie captures a holistic state of being that combines feeling 'good', healthy and peaceful all at once.
- The term irie is often used as a way to say 'good' or 'feeling good', but it can also function as a complete sentence to indicate that everything is in harmony.
Examples in context
- Gud Mawnin!Good morning!This shows how to use gud in a morning greeting.Tatoeba #5710320 by Kyle, translation #329713 by YURY0608
- Gud Mawnin.Good morning.This shows a different punctuation for the morning greeting using gud.Tatoeba #5710321 by Kyle, translation #2258234 by _undertoad
- Di food taste gud.The food tastes good.
Example conversation
Andre and Shanice are relaxing at a beach party.
- ShaniceDi music gud, nuh?The music is good, isn't it?
- AndreYeah man, it gud!Yeah man, it's good!
- ShaniceAndre, yuh enjoy di vibe?Andre, are you enjoying the vibe?
- AndreEverything gud, Shanice.Everything is good, Shanice.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
