wha gwaan
In Jamaican, the English phrase "wassup" is expressed as wha gwaan.
wha gwaan is an informal greeting used to ask someone how they are or what is happening.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase wha gwaan is a contraction of "what is going on".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
wha gwaan is an informal greeting used among friends and peers.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kingston region, the variation Whappun? is a common informal greeting meaning "What's happening?"
When do people say it?
A common response to the greeting wha gwaan is mi deh yah. While this literally means "I am here", it functions to say "I'm doing okay" or "I'm hanging in there".
Did you know?
- A person might respond to wha gwaan with nutten, meaning 'nothing', which is a way of saying everything is peaceful and quiet.
- Despite its informal nature, using wha gwaan with an elder or a person of high social standing can be seen as a lack of proper respect.
- In some Jamaican social circles, wha gwaan is not actually a question seeking information, but a 'phatic' expression used simply to acknowledge another person's presence.
Examples in context
- Mi deh yah, jus ah ketch di vibes.I'm here, just catching the vibes.
- Wah gwaan, sistren?What's up, sister?
- Nuttin' much, jus wukkin' hard.Not much, just working hard.
- Mi deh yah, how yuh stay?I'm here, how are you?
- Mi deh yah too, givin' thanks fi life.I'm here too, giving thanks for life.
- Whappun, bredren?What's up, friend?
- Nuh much, jus ah hol' a vibe.Not much, just chilling.
- Yow mi man, weh yuh deh pon?Hey, my man, what are you up to?
- Mi deh yah, a mek some plans.I'm here, making some plans.
- Wha gwaan, mi bredda?Wassup, my brother?
- Yuh see everything okay? Wha gwaan?Is everything okay? Wassup?
- Wha gwaan wid di party tonight?Wassup with the party tonight?
Example conversation
Andre and Latoya bump into each other on the street.
- AndreWha gwaan, Latoya?Wassup, Latoya?
- LatoyaNuh nuttin, man. Just a bit tired.Nothing much. Just a bit tired.
- AndreYuh need fi rest den.You need to rest then.
- LatoyaYeah, mi a go home now.Yeah, I'm going home now.
