Meaning
'What's going on?' — the everyday Jamaican greeting, a run-together of 'what a gwaan'. Used just like 'what's up?' to say hello and ask how things are, it is among the most famous of all Jamaican expressions, carried around the world by reggae, dancehall, and the diaspora. A reply might be 'nutten nah gwaan' (nothing much) or 'everyting irie'. Quick and friendly, 'wagwan' opens countless conversations, and it has become one of the signature sounds of Jamaican speech abroad.
Examples
-
Wagwan, mi bredda? Long time mi nuh see yuh.
What's up, my brother? Long time I haven't seen you.
-
Wagwan wid di party tonight?
What's happening with the party tonight?
-
Yow, wagwan! Everyting criss?
Hey, what's going on! Everything good?
-
Wah gwaan, mi bredda?
What's going on, my brother?
Standard friendly greeting between men who know each other.
-
Wah gwaan wid yuh today?
What's going on with you today?
Here it is a real question rather than a passing hello.
Origin
A contraction of 'what a gwaan' (what is going on); 'gwaan' is the Patois form of 'going on'. Now a globally recognised Jamaican greeting.
How it’s used
The classic casual greeting; even more clipped as 'waa gwaan'. Reply: 'nutten nah gwaan' or 'everyting criss'.