wata
wata is the Jamaican way to say water.
The term refers to the inorganic compound H₂O.
Meaning: inorganic compound H₂O (noun)
Did you know?
- In some contexts, saying someone has wata in dem ear means they are gullible or easily swayed by what they are told.
- In Jamaican music, particularly Reggae, 'wata' often appears in lyrics as a symbol for spiritual cleansing or life-giving force, linking the word to Rastafarian themes of purity.
- A learner might be surprised to find that 'wata' is used in various local idioms, such as 'wata di eye', which refers to tears or a specific state of weeping.
Examples in context
- Bring mi one cold WAH-ta, nuh?Could you bring me a cold water, please?
- Mi need some wata.I need some water.
- Pass mi di wata, please.Pass me the water, please.
- Di wata cold.The water is cold.
Example conversation
Kevon and Tanesha are talking in the kitchen.
- KevonTanesha, yuh want some wata?Tanesha, do you want some water?
- TaneshaYes please, mi thirsty.Yes please, I am thirsty.
- KevonYuh want it cold or warm?Do you want it cold or warm?
- TaneshaJust give it to mi cold.Just give it to me cold.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “water” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
