Here you'll find some commonly used Trini slang words and expressions. Enjoy!
Bacchanal - party
atmosphere; arguments, confusion e.g. "If dey find out, it will be rel
Back chat - a rude response e.g. "Doh give meh no back chat now, yuh hear!"
Badjohn - a bully; a person who thinks they're really "bad"
Bath suit - swim suit
Band (Carnival) - a Carnival band refers to a group of masqueraders who are wearing the same costumes, or costumes based on the same theme.
Biscuit - cookie, cracker
Bobolee - a person who gets taken advantage of
Bobolize - to bully someone
Boof / buff - to scold
Buss - to burst; to be a flop e.g. "Shux dred, dat party was rel buss."
Buss it - to leave e.g. "Well when I see dat, I buss it!"
Chips - French Fries e.g. "May I have some chips, please?"
Chutney - a type of music indigenous to Trinidad, which evolved from Indian music
Commesse - confusion, conflict
Cunumunu - a foolish person
Dingolay - to dance in a joyful, carefree manner
Dotish - silly, stupid e.g "Don't act dotish nah!"
Doux-doux - sweetie, sweetheart e.g. "Don't mind dat, doux-doux."
Dred - friend (see also hoss, padna); cool e.g. "Dat movie was dred, eh dred?"
Fella - a fellow, a boy, a guy e.g. "Way! Check dat fella!"
Fete - party
Fuh real? - really? Is that so?
Gyul - girl
Horn - to cheat on a boyfriend of girlfriend
Hoss - a close friend
In truth - for real, that's right e.g. "That test was so hard!" Reply: "In truth!"
Lagniappe - a little extra, a bonus
Lil - little
Lime - to hang out in a casual atmosphere e.g. "I feeling to lime."
Maco - someone who minds other people's business! e.g. "Wha yuh macoing so for?"
Make style - to show off
Mamaguy - to make fun of, to fool
Mas - used to refer to Carnival; to play mas - to masquerade
Obeah - black magic, voodoo
Obzokee - unpleasant, out of place
Ole talk - chit-chat, light-hearted chatter e.g. "We was just ole talking dey."
One time - right now, immediately e.g. "De gyul was rel angry so I buss it one time."
Padna - (from "partner") a close friend, buddy
Parang - music played during Christmas time. Parang has a lot of Spanish influences.
Patois - local dialect
Picker - thorns e.g. "Doh touch dat rose bush. It have rel pickers."
Picong - to insult in a jesting manner
Pong - pound e.g. "Gih meh two pongs of tomatoes dey tantie."
Poohar - see dotish
Pot hound / pot hong - a mixed dog; sometimes used as an insult e.g. yuh lazy pothound!
Saga boy / star boy - a male who likes to "make style"; a male who is cool
Screw up yuh face - to make a strange expression, usually when angry or in disagreement of something e.g. "Look how she screwin up she face nah!"
Soca - a type of music indigenous to TnT, derived from "soul calypso"
Soucouyant - from old ghost stories, an old woman who turns herself into a ball of fire and suck's people's blood
Sweet too bad - really nice, pleasant, attractive e.g. "Dred, dat gyul eh play she sweet too bad!"
Sweet drink - term used for soft drink, soda, pop
Sweetie - a sweet, candy
Tabanca - the feeling of hurt and pain when a close relationship ends e.g. "Leave him alone hoss, he gyul leave him. He have rel tabanca."
Tantie - auntie
Tong - town e.g. "I went to tong today."
Toutoulbay - a gullible person
Vex - angry, upset
Whas de scene? - What's up? e.g. Ay padna, whas de scene?
Wine - to gyrate, to rotate hips in a suggestive manner