Sweet Talk & Steups: 35 Caribbean Sayings & Proverbs That Bring the Islands to Life

Not every Caribbean memory is about sea spray, steelpan or rum punch. Some of the best bits come from the way we talk—those bright, wickedly funny words and sayings that slip out without a second thought but stick in your mind forever.

Here’s the thing: Caribbean people have a way of telling you off with a bit of wit or wisdom for life in just a handful of words. Sometimes with love, sometimes with a bite but always the truth.

The islands don’t just have flavour—we are the flavour. So sip on something cold, find a breezy spot and let’s have a laugh over the words, wisdom and one-liners that make Caribbean talk something special.

Sweet Talk & Pet Names (Love Language)

Because we don’t just call you 'darling'—we call you dushi and darling.

• Doux-doux – sweetheart, darling, honeybun.

• Doopsie Darling – another term of endearment.

• Mamaguy – sweet talk with a little side-eye (flattery, usually with a motive). He mamaguying

• Dushi - sweetheart or dear. Mi dushi darling, a term of endearment. (The neighbour was famous for this one.)

• Sweet talk - the equivalent of a chat up

• Sweet man - a kept man

• Gyal me wah tuh dewid you - Girl I want us to get involved (romantically / physically)

  
  

Insults, Jabs & Jokes (The Sharp Tongue)

Because Caribbean people roast with love… mostly.

• Dotish – plain old foolish. As in: 'You dotish or what?' (Usually half-insult, half-affection.)

• Kunumunu – the idiot. Nobody wants to be the kunumunu. Trust me on that.

• Nicompoop – your granny’s favourite insult and another word for fool.

• Wutless / Wutliss – useless. Good-for-nothing. End of.

• Pappy show / poppy show - Stop pappy show uself. Translated: Stop making a fool of yourself.

• Mawga - She mawga bad. She is very skinny.

• Craven - greedy

• Kiss mi backside - cursing. Another way of saying f-off or just an expression. The tone dictates.

• Whey de arse? – an expression of disgust or disapproval, the Caribbean way. The phrase needs no translation once you hear it—tone does all the work.

  
  

Proverb: Cockroach have no business in fowl party. Translation: Know your place

Granny Sayings: Life Lessons (The Island School of Hard Knocks)

The Caribbean doesn’t need textbooks—we’ve got proverbs galore.

• Who cyan hear, wi feel – You'll learn the hard way.

• Don’t tek a six for a nine – don’t say or do what I didn't say or do.

• Fowl wey sleep a yard no hard fi ketch – When you're in trouble and you run and hide but at some point have to return home.

• Not as soon as the bush drop in a water it rot – patience, resilience.

• If greedy wait, hot will cool – all in good time.

• U mus tink seh a yesterday mi born. Translated: I was not born yesterday. Means: I am no fool. Don't be trying to pull the wool over my eye.

• Wah sweet nanny goat a go run him belly. Translated: What is sweet to the nanny goat will run its belly. Means: What seems fine now may have consequences later.

  
  

Proverbs:

• If yuh want good, yuh nose haffi run.

• One, one coco full basket. Every little helps

  
  

Limes & Laughs (The Joy of Doing Sweet Nothin’)

For the moments you stop everything and just be.

• Lime – to hang out, no plans, no pressure.

• Crapaud smoke yuh pipe – that person is in trouble.

• Steups/Cheups – the Caribbean eye-roll in sound form.

• Wah mek u faver senseh fowl? Simply, you're looking crazy!

• Pie ass – pissing /playing about. ('Just pie-assing all morning doing nothing.)

• Dilly Dally – to dawdle, move slow, waste time ('Stop the dilly dallying and get ready!')

• Skylark - playing about

And two favourites of mine...

Evrybady know how dem onion a brown!

Cheez on bread! – shocked or surprised. Best said with at least one arm akimbo.

These are just a few of the sayings that flavour Caribbean life—words with wisdom and wit and a sharp side when needed. Some are sweet like mango, some will sting like a splash of overproof rum but all of them a lesson.

So next time you’re liming in the islands, throw one into the mix. It might just earn you a knowing smile.

Which ones were your favourite? What ones did I miss? Drop them in the comments below.