St. James

Market bustle in the hero's square

Big up yuself — yu reach St. James, home a Montego Bay! Dis a di parish weh Sam Sharpe did tan up fi freedom (stood up for freedom), weh di cruise ship dem come een, an weh Reggae Sumfest keep di whole a July a rock. Come mek wi learn mek, tek an gi, haggle wid di higgla dem a maakit, an fine wi way pon route taxi.

Lessons in this parish

23. Key verbs: mek, tek, gi — Command the three workhorse verbs — mek (make/let/why), tek (take), gi (give) — including serial chains like tek i gi im.
24. Shopping & bargaining deep — Run a full market haggle: price talk, the walk-away, and always secure yu braata.
25. Directions & route taxi — Ask and give directions (which paat, tun lef, straight so) and survive the route taxi like a yardie.

Culture from St. James

Sam Sharpe an di Christmas Rebellion — National heroes
MoBay: di tourism capital — Work and economy
Reggae Sumfest — Music

Every Patois word taught in St. James →

Proverbs taught in St. James

Jamaican proverbs travel; most of these are said all over the island. The parish is where the course teaches it, not a claim about where it started.

Small axe fall big tree.The small can defeat the mighty — the spirit of Sam Sharpe's stand, made famous worldwide through Bob Marley.

Every mickle mek a muckle.Thrift matters; small savings and small sales build wealth — every higgla's creed.

Howdy an tanky no bruk no square.Greetings and thanks cost you nothing — and in the market, manners earn you the braata.

Start St. James in the app →