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Yuh pretty bad

phrase yuh PRIT-ty bad ju ˈprɪti bad

Also spelled: Yu pretty bad, You pretty bad

Meaning

A strong compliment meaning 'you are extremely beautiful'. Here 'bad' is an intensifier meaning 'very' or 'seriously', not a negative, so the phrase reverses the literal English reading entirely.

Examples

  • “Gyal, yuh pretty bad inna dat dress.”

    Girl, you look really beautiful in that dress.

    'bad' functions as an adverb intensifier equivalent to 'extremely'.

  • “Mi cyaa lie, yuh pretty bad enuh.”

    I can't lie, you're seriously pretty, you know.

    'enuh' is a tag particle adding emphasis and intimacy.

  • “Every time mi see yuh mi haffi seh yuh pretty bad.”

    Every time I see you I have to say you're gorgeous.

    'haffi' means 'have to', from 'have fi'.

Origin

From English 'you pretty', with 'bad' used as an intensifier in the West African–influenced pattern common in Caribbean and African-American English, where 'bad' can mean 'impressively so'.

How it's used

A flirtatious compliment, usually directed at a woman by an admirer or partner. Foreigners often misread 'bad' as an insult; in context it is high praise.

Related words