Meaning
Have to, must, be obliged to — the core Patois word for necessity and obligation. 'Mi haffi go' means 'I have to go', and 'yuh haffi try' is 'you must try'; it marks whatever a speaker is bound, compelled, or required to do. Worn down from 'have to', it is among the most common words in the language, and it is often shortened further to 'affi', the two forms used interchangeably in the quick flow of everyday speech.
Examples
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Mi haffi wake up early fi work.
I have to wake up early for work.
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Yuh haffi try harder dan dat.
You have to try harder than that.
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Wi haffi mek it work somehow.
We have to make it work somehow.
Origin
A run-together, worn-down form of 'have to' → 'haffi'.
How it’s used
The everyday way to say 'have to/must'. Also heard as 'affi'. See [[affi]].