Liming, Steups and Oil Down: Grenadian Words Visitors Will Hear

English is the official language of Grenada, and visitors from Britain, North America and elsewhere will be understood everywhere. What takes a few days to tune into is Grenadian Creole English, the everyday speech of most people, with its own rhythm, vocabulary and grammar, shaped by West African languages, by French, which was spoken on the island in the 1600s and 1700s, and by centuries of English rule.

You do not need to speak it, and visitors who try to imitate the accent usually come across badly. But recognising common words and expressions helps you follow conversations at a rum shop, understand a bus conductor and read the mood of an exchange. This list concentrates on what you are likely to hear, with notes on how it is actually used.

Greetings and everyday exchanges

Good morning, good afternoon, good night. The essential greetings, and "good night" is also a hello after dark. Skipping a greeting is considered rude.

"Wha' happenin'?" or "How yuh going?" Casual versions of "how are you?" among friends. A relaxed "not bad" or "ah dey", meaning roughly "still here, getting by", is a typical local reply; visitors can simply answer "good, thanks".

"Allyuh." You all, the plural of "you". "Allyuh coming?" means "are you all coming?"

"Doh." Don't. "Doh study it" or "doh study dat" means "don't worry about it", a phrase you may hear when you apologise for something small.

"Ent?" A tag question meaning "isn't it?" or "right?", as in "it hot today, ent?"

"Just now." Soon, at some point, not necessarily immediately. If a driver says he is coming just now, expect a short wait.

"Eh-eh!" An exclamation of surprise, disbelief or mild shock, often drawn out for effect.

"Oui." From French, used for emphasis at the end of a sentence: "it hot, oui" means "it really is hot".

Social life and the language of a good time

Lime, liming. To hang out informally with friends, usually with drinks, music and conversation. A "lime" is the gathering itself, whether on a beach, in a rum shop or on a street corner. It is one of the central ideas of Caribbean social life.

Fete. A party, especially a big one with music. During Spicemas season in July and August, the island is full of fetes.

Bacchanal. Drama, scandal, wild excitement or disorder. A heated argument, a wild party and a juicy piece of gossip can all be described as bacchanal.

Cutter. A snack eaten with drinks, such as fried fish, bake or chicken, to "cut" the rum. Rum shops and street food stalls sell cutters.

Mas. Short for masquerade: the costumed street celebrations of Carnival. "Playing mas" means taking part in the parade.

Jab Jab. The best-known traditional Grenadian mas character: revellers coated in black oil or molasses, often with horns and chains, especially on J'Ouvert morning of Spicemas. The tradition carries a strong commentary on slavery and resistance.

Vex. Angry or annoyed. "He real vex" means he is very upset.

Mash up. Broken, damaged or ruined. Storm damage, a broken car and a rough night out can all be "mash up".

Steups and other sounds that say a lot

The steups, sometimes written "stchoops" or called "sucking your teeth", is a sharp sucking sound made through the teeth and lips. It expresses irritation, disapproval, impatience or contempt, from mild to strong depending on length and context. You will hear it at bus stops, in queues and during heated conversations. It is not normally aimed at strangers, but if you hear one after you push in front of someone, you have your answer.

Tone of voice carries a great deal of meaning in Grenadian speech. Conversations between friends can sound loud and argumentative to visitors when they are in fact friendly and animated. Teasing is common and affectionate, and being teased lightly by a guide or a rum shop owner is often a sign of acceptance.

Hand gestures and a short hiss, "pssst", are used to attract attention, including by vendors and drivers. The hiss is ordinary on the street, although directed repeatedly at women it can shade into unwanted attention. Visitors are better off getting attention with a simple "excuse me" or a greeting. Pointing with the lips, or a quick upward nod of the chin, are also common, quiet ways of indicating a direction or a person, and a small wave of the hand flags down a route bus from the roadside.

Food words worth learning before you order

Menus at Grenadian restaurants are usually in standard English, but street stalls, rum shops and roadside cooks use local names:

• Oil down: the national dish, a one-pot stew of breadfruit, salted meat or fish, dumplings, callaloo, turmeric and coconut milk, cooked until the coconut milk is absorbed and leaves a film of oil.
• Provision or ground provisions: root vegetables and starches such as dasheen, yam, sweet potato, tannia and green banana.
• Fig: a green banana, boiled and eaten as a starch, not the Mediterranean fruit.
• Bake: a fried or baked bread, often eaten with saltfish for breakfast. Saltfish souse or buljol may appear alongside.
• Lambie: conch, often curried or stewed.
• Callaloo: the leaves of the dasheen plant, cooked as a soup or side dish.
• Souse: pickled pork or chicken foot in a sharp lime and pepper broth, often a Saturday dish.
• Sorrel: a deep red drink made from the hibiscus calyx with spices, associated with Christmas.
• Sea moss: a thick drink made from seaweed, milk and spices, sold as a tonic.

Place names and the French Creole heritage

Many Grenadian place names come from French, a reminder that the island was a French colony before the British took control in the 1760s, with a brief French return in 1779 to 1783. Grand Anse means "big cove". Grand Etang means "big pond", after the crater lake. Morne, as in Morne Rouge or Morne Jaloux, means hill. Sauteurs, in St Patrick's, means "leapers", after the cliff where Kalinago people are said to have jumped rather than surrender to the French in 1651.

Some local pronunciations differ from what visitors expect. Gouyave is usually said roughly "goo-yahv". Carriacou is "carry-a-coo". Grenada itself is "gruh-NAY-da", not "gruh-NAH-da" like the Spanish city. Getting the country's own name right is the most appreciated courtesy of all.

A French-based Creole, or Patois, was once widely spoken in Grenada. Today only a small and ageing number of people speak it fluently, though words and expressions survive in everyday speech and in place names, and efforts have been made to document what remains.

Carriacou and Petite Martinique have their own flavour. Carriacou's heritage includes the Big Drum dance and the tradition of tracing family lines back to specific African nations, and the islands' speech has its own rhythms and vocabulary. Visitors who spend a few days on Carriacou will notice the difference from the mainland, and local people are often glad to explain it.

How to use this list without getting it wrong

Listen more than you speak. Using one or two words naturally, such as "liming" or "doh study it", is friendly. Peppering sentences with slang or putting on an accent is not.

Ask when you do not understand. Grenadians are generally happy to explain an expression and will adjust their speech for a visitor. Saying "sorry, could you say that again?" is far better than nodding along.

Remember regional overlap. Many expressions here are shared with Trinidad and Tobago and other eastern Caribbean islands, so you may hear them elsewhere with slight differences in meaning.

Avoid rude words. Some Creole words carry strong sexual or offensive meanings, and public obscene language can lead to trouble with the police. If you are not sure what a word means, do not use it.

Respect the accent. Grenadian English is a full, rule-governed way of speaking, not "broken English". Calling it that is offensive.

Frequently asked questions