Virgin Islands Creole

Creole-to-English Translations

Phrases
Wha you sayin – what's up
Hail up – hi, hello
Ya – here (St. Croix)
Heh – here (St. Thomas, St. John, BVI)
Cyan – cannot
Safe – alright, or okay
Wha pa' he/she/you deh? – Where is/are he/she/you?
Whe' he/she/you deh? – Where is/are he/she/you?
Me'en know – I don't know
Deh deh – It is here/It is there (St. Croix)
He/she ain deh deh – He/she isn't there (St. Croix)
I/he/she gone to come back – I/he/she left and am/is returning shortly
I/he/she deh ya – I/he/she am/is here
Come ya – come here (St. Croix)
Come heh – come here (St. Thomas, St. John, BVI)
I's – I am
You's – you are
Ayo – you all
Deh – there
Dem – them (can also be added at the end of any noun to make it plural, as in "de hass dem")
Dat – that
Dah – that
Ting – thing
Tek – take
Mek – make
Wha – what
Geh – get, or have
Geh from ya – go away
Nah – no
Ih – it, as in "ih real hot outside" (it is really hot outside)
Ah – of, as in "I geh two ah dem" (I have two of them)
Ah nex – another, as in "I geh ah nex one" (I have another one)
Vex – upset (vex is also an English word, but it is used much more often in Virgin Islands Creole than in standard English)
Tief – to steal
Jook/Chook – to stab or poke
Schupid – stupid
Bus' off – to leave
Cahn – marijuana
Bun – to smoke, usually refers to smoking marijuana
Wuk up – to dance (usually specific to calypso or soca music)
Breeding – the state of being pregnant
Breed – to impregnate
Dealin – when a couple is not yet officially dating, but are on their way to be; the equivalent to the stateside phrase "talking"
Mahgah – extremely skinny
All ah we – all of us
Cheese and bread – a remark of surprise
Eh eh – a remark of surprise
Mehson – literally "my son," commonly used at the beginning or ends of sentences, akin to the American English slang use of "oh, man!"
De man – use is similar to "mehson."
"Yuh check?" – asked at the end of a sentence, akin to saying "you know?"
"Check you latah" – see you later
"Uh huh, pampa leh-leh" – a remark made by school children when another student has gotten in trouble
Coo-coo – the act of defecation, or feces (commonly said by children)
Rample – to mess up, as in "Don' rample up de bed I mek up, mehson!"
Quelbe – official music of the Virgin Islands
Quadrille – native dance of the Virgin Islands
"Bahn ya" – literally "born here," a commonly used phrase in Virgin Islands society, used by some to determine whether someone is or is not a "native Virgin Islander." For example, someone might say "my parents are from Antigua, but I'm a Virgin Islander, because I bahn ya!"
"Bam!" – said after someone has made a stupid joke. Its use is not as common in recent years.

(St. Croix)
"Blam!" – see Bam!
Scoboops/Scroboops – verbal embarassment (from an authoritative figure)
Wraut up – cursed out
Lyad – Liar
"Ah good!" serves you right
"For true?" – you serious?
"You sick de man?" – are you crazy?
"Check yah" – come here,
"Watch yah!" – look at this. Term of endearment used before, after, or during an argument. (St. Croix)
"Ignohrant" – one who gets "vex" quick.
"Gahn een" – Someone who is crazy; lost their mind.
"Lime/Limin" – Location of a party or hangout; Hanging out.
"Picking Whelks" – Wearing pants with pant legs that are obviously too short.
"Disgustin" – being extremely playful; harrassing

Nouns
Chil'ren – children
Mudda – mother
Fadda – father
Nene – godmother
Pepe – godfather
Gongolo – millipede
Gyul/gyal – girl
Lahlah – idle gossip
Melee – malicious gossip
Licks – spanking (a form of child discipline)
Donkey years – many years
Hass – horse (St. Croix)
Cyar – car (St. Croix)
Bana – a person's behind
Jumbie – an evil spirit

Mocko Jumbie or Moko Jumbie – a popular carnival figure who is a masked, costumed person on stilts who scares away evil spirits
Pardna – a friend, companion or close associate
Quat – a quarter
Bubbla – water fountain
Tahmon – Tamarind
Jam – a party

Profane words
Antiman – a gay person
Bud/Charlie/Wood – penis
Skin-back charlie – circumcised penis
Pum pum/tun tun/pokey – vagina
Rass – ass
Ram – euphemism for rass, not as vulgar
Sket/Skettel – a sexually promiscuous woman
Pump – to masturbate
Boom – having an erection
Jam – to gyrate on, or dance closely to

Muddascunt – literally the Virgin Islands creole pronunciation of "mother's cunt," its use is similar to "motherfucker."
Bull – to engage in sexual intercourse
Bun rice – to pick one's underwear out from between one's buttocks