Language/Jamaican-creole-english/Grammar/Give-your-Opinion
Hi Jamaican Creole English learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn how to express our opinions in Jamaican Creole English. Sharing our thoughts and opinions is an important part of communication, so it's essential to be able to do it properly. By the end of this lesson, you will know how to give your opinion in casual conversations with your Jamaican friends.
Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: Conditional Mood & Questions.
Expressing Opinions in Jamaican Creole[edit | edit source]
When you want to express your opinion in Jamaican Creole English, there are a few words and phrases you can use. One of the most common ways is to use "mi tink" which means "I think". For example:
| Jamaican Creole English | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Mi tink dis video game nice | Mee tink dis videe-oh game nyce | I think this video game is good |
| Mi tink di movie tun up | Mee tink dee muh-vee tun up | I think the movie was great |
Another popular phrase is "me feel like" which means "I feel like". For example:
| Jamaican Creole English | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Me feel like eating some jerk chicken | Mee feel like eatin sum jork chicken | I feel like eating some jerk chicken |
| Me feel like di party goin' nice | Mee feel like dee pah-ty goin nyce | I feel like the party is going well |
You can also use "from mi point a view" which means "from my point of view". For example:
| Jamaican Creole English | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| From mi point a view, di music too loud | From mee point a view, dee moo-sick too loud | From my point of view, the music is too loud |
| From mi point a view, di food no taste good | From mee point a view, dee food no taste good | From my point of view, the food does not taste good |
How to Agree and Disagree[edit | edit source]
When someone expresses their opinion, you might want to agree or disagree with them. Here are some phrases that you can use:
To agree:
- "Yuh right" - You're right
- "Dat true" - That's true
- "Fi real" - For real
To disagree:
- "Mi nuh tink so" - I don't think so
- "Dat no mek sense" - That doesn't make sense
- "Mi neva see it dat way" - I never saw it that way
Here's an example dialogue so that you can see these phrases in context:
- Person 1: Di beach pretty today (The beach looks pretty today)
- Person 2: Yuh right, di sun shine bright (You're right, the sun is shining bright)
- Person 1: Di food no taste good (The food does not taste good)
- Person 2: Dat true, mi nuh like it at all (That's true, I don't like it at all)
- Person 1: Yuh see di new James Bond movie? (Did you see the new James Bond movie?)
- Person 2: Mi neva see it dat way, to me it kinda boring (I never saw it that way, to me it was kind of boring)
Giving Reasons[edit | edit source]
When expressing an opinion, it's helpful to give reasons why you feel that way. In Jamaican Creole English, you can use "because" which is "kaws" or "kaz". Here are some examples:
| Jamaican Creole English | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Mi tink di party goin' nice kaws dem playin' good music | Mee tink dee pah-ty goin nyce kaz dem playin good music | I think the party is going well because they are playing good music |
| Me feel like goin' to di beach kaws it hot today | Mee feel like goin to dee beach kaz it hot today | I feel like going to the beach because it's hot today |
Practice, Practice, Practice[edit | edit source]
Now that you know some useful phrases and words to express your opinion, it's time to practice using them in real-life situations. Talk to your Jamaican friends and try to express your thoughts on different topics. To improve your Jamaican Creole English Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions! The more you practice, the better and more confident you'll become.
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎