I love to listen to reggae, ska, dancehall etc., however some of the words are hard to understand. Here are a couple of examples:

• “Make I see the gal them bruk out pon the floor” in Temperature by Sean Paul means when I see a girl get on the dancefloor.
• “Man a walk pon road and lick down innocent man” in Tour by Capleton means man walks down the road and kills an innocent man.

Fortunately, my wife is Jamaican so I can ask her to help me understand the words spoken in patois (Pat-wah). However if you don’t have that luxury, I have found 2 websites where you can learn the words.

One place that can help if you have trouble understanding some of the lyrics in Jamaican music is SpeakJamaican.com where you can learn the stories and motivations behind the lyrics of artists like Sean Paul, Beanie Man, Capleton, Tanya Stephens, Sizzla, Red Rat, Shabba Ranks, and many more.

I found another source at LearnJamaican.com that caters more to those who want to learn some of the basics of Patois that would be useful if you plan to visit the island. If you would like to learn beginners Jamaican Patois, you can download and listen to common greetings for free!