Patois quiz
Can You Read a Jamaican Proverb?
Old sayings that mean something other than what they say.
12 questions
22 seconds a question. Faster answers score more, and a run of correct answers builds a streak bonus. Every word you miss links straight to its dictionary entry at the end.
The 12 words this quiz covers
Every one of them has a full entry — meaning, origin, pronunciation and example sentences. Read them first if you would rather study than guess.
- Alligator lay egg, but him nuh fowl AL-li-ga-tor lay EGG, but him nuh FOWL
- Craven choke puppy CRA-ven CHOKE PUP-py
- Dutty water can cool hot iron DUT-ty WATA can cool HOT I-ron
- Fisherman nebba say him fish stink FISH-a-man NEB-ba say him FISH STINK
- If yuh hand inna devil mout, tek it out easy if yuh HAND in-na DE-vil MOUT, tek it out EA-sy
- John Crow tink him own pickney white JOHN CROW tink him OWN PICK-ney WHITE
- Rockstone a river bottom nuh know sun hot RAK-stone a RIV-a BAT-tom nuh know sun HOT
- Same knife stick sheep, stick goat same KNIFE stick SHEEP, stick GOAT
- Stay pon cow back an cuss cow STAY pon COW BACK an CUSS COW
- Teet an tongue mus meet TEET an TONGUE mus MEET
- Tek time mash ant, yuh find him guts tek TIME mash ANT, yuh find him GUTS
- When ripe fruit ready, it mus drop when RIPE FRUIT ready, it mus DROP