Man
The English phrase 'man' is translated into Jamaican as Man.
Man refers to an adult male human.
Meaning: adult male human (noun)
Which one should you use?
Man dem is a colloquial expression used to refer to a group of people or friends, whereas Bredda is similar to the English word 'brother' and Bredren is an informal term used to refer to a male friend or colleague.
When do people say it?
Sir is a common term used to show respect to a man, while terms like Bredda or Bredren are informal.
Did you know?
- In Jamaican Patois, the word man can be used in a sentence where the subject is actually a woman, acting as a gender-neutral marker of emphasis or attitude.
- The phrase man a man is a common way to describe someone of high integrity, where the repetition emphasizes character and authenticity rather than just biological sex.
- In Jamaican Patois, adding dem after a noun like man dem doesn't just mean 'the men', but is a grammatical marker used to turn a singular noun into a plural one.
Examples in context
- Di man deh deh.The man is over there.
- Di man a walk go.The man is walking away.
Example conversation
Andre and Latoya are watching people pass by on the street.
- AndreYuh see di tall man over deh?Do you see the tall man over there?
- LatoyaYeah, which man dat?Yes, which man is that?
- AndreA mi cousin from Kingston.It is my cousin from Kingston.
- LatoyaHim look like a nice man.He looks like a nice man.
