Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| jamaïcain | /ʒa.ma.i.kɛ̃/ /ʒa.maj.kɛ̃/ |
| jamaïquain |
This term is used to describe anything pertaining to or originating from Jamaica, such as its people, its language.
Which one should you use?
When you are using the word as an adjective to describe a thing, such as "jamaican music", you use the lowercase form jamaïcain. However, when you use the word as a noun to refer to a person, it must be capitalized, such as Jamaïquain.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes depending on what it describes. For the adjective, the masculine singular is jamaïcain, the feminine singular is jamaïcaine, the masculine plural is jamaïcains and the feminine plural is jamaïcaines. When referring to a person as a noun, the word is capitalized. For example, une Jamaïquaine means "a Jamaican woman".
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒa.ma.i.kɛ̃/ (4 syllables)
Did you know?
- The name of the country, Jamaïque, and its related adjective are rooted in the indigenous Arawak word 'Xaymaca', which means 'land of wood'.
- The word jamaïcain contains a 'tréma' over the 'i', which tells the reader to pronounce the 'a' and 'i' as two separate sounds rather than blending them into one.
- While jamaïcain describes the people, the French often refer to the specific dialect of the island as le créole jamaïcain to distinguish it from standard English.
Examples in context
- Elle est Jamaïcaine et parle français couramment.She is Jamaican and speaks French fluently.
- J'aime la cuisine jamaïcaine, c'est très épicé!I love Jamaican cuisine, it's very spicy!
- Il adore la musique jamaïcaine.He loves Jamaican music.
- J'ai acheté un café jamaïcain.I bought a Jamaican coffee.
- Elle travaille pour une banque jamaïcaine.She works for a Jamaican bank.
Example conversation
Nathan and Manon are discussing food at a restaurant.
- NathanEst-ce que tu aimes la cuisine jamaïcaine ?Do you like Jamaican cuisine?
- ManonOui, c'est délicieux !Yes, it is delicious!
- NathanJe connais un bon restaurant jamaïcain.I know a good Jamaican restaurant.
- ManonOn y va ensemble demain ?Shall we go there together tomorrow?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jamaican” translations and entries jamaïcain, jamaïquain, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
