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Gwaan so

phrase GWAHN so ɡwaːn so

Also spelled: gwan so, gaan so, gwaan suh

Meaning

Literally 'go on so' or 'goes on so,' used to affirm that something is correct, is how things are done, or is proceeding rightly. It works as agreement, encouragement, or an acknowledgement that a situation is behaving as expected.

Examples

  • “Yeah man, di ting gwaan so.”

    Yes man, that's exactly how it goes.

    Used as confirmation that someone has understood a process correctly.

  • “Keep push di work, gwaan so!”

    Keep pushing the work, that's the way!

    Here it functions as encouragement, like 'keep it up.'

  • “How di party did stay? Gwaan so, everybody enjoy demself.”

    How was the party? It went well, everyone enjoyed themselves.

    Answering a question, 'gwaan so' reports that things went smoothly.

Origin

From English 'go on so,' with 'gwaan' being the Patois reflex of 'going on/go on.' 'So' carries the sense of 'in this manner.'

How it's used

Everyday and versatile; the exact meaning leans heavily on tone and context, ranging from calm agreement to hype. Not vulgar and fine in most settings.

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