As in: trouble, feisty, spirited, but mostly trouble. As in you better stand your ground with this one.

Used in a sentence:

But you not easy, eh girl!

Note: If a Trini tells you that someone (e.g. a woman) is “not easy” you can probably bet she won’t be “easy” in the traditional, sexual context. However, “not easy” can be used in many different situations to denote admiration, apprehension, intrigue, in reference to a child, etc), in addition to the traditional, sexual one.

First person to make up a scene around “you not easy” gets five stars!! (my Trini dialogue is laughable and I have too much pride)

As in: Why don’t you? or Isn’t that so?

Used in a sentence:

Oh gosh, do it for me, nuh? (why don’t you?)

But he’s a real fool, nuh? (not so?)

Come, nuh man (come on…) [most prevalent usage--the bf hates when I use this on him. It took him years to realize I wasn't ordering to do something "now"]

Top marks for the person with the most inventive use of this, one of the most multi-faceted words in the Trinidadian English lexicon: “nuh”

Enter your submissions in the comments!!!

As in: endless

Used in a sentence:

Oh gosh, but we have food for daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaays. Take home some, nuh*.

Top marks for the person with the most inventive use of “for days” in a sentence. Enter your submissions in the comments!!!

*come back tomorrow and I’ll explain “nuh” fuh yuh.

Whenever I remember one or I’m talking to a friend/ family member who says something uniquely Trini I can’t help but smile.

Like last week, I’m talking to my bro on the phone and he’s telling me about my baby goddaughter who had to go to the doctor.

Yes, so she had to go get her shots and apparently she scream like ten tarzan.

TEN TARZAN!

notice the T-T alliteration

notice the missing S on Tarzan so you get the full sound of teNnnnn tarzaNnnnn

not one, not two, but TEN TARZAN!

it’s like a symphony

I miss my old Trini talk because it doh come natural so again yuh know (you see I had to think really hard to write that properly)

Trinidadian English–with its French, English, Spanish, and whatever else influences–is so rich and colorful and expressive and musical and hilarious and of course I’m biased but it’s beautiful.

For anyone interested in learning more about Trinidian English I suggest reading Cote ce Cote la by John Mendes, which was published donkey years ago and has been revered by Trinis at home and in foreign ever since.

Also, here’s a link to the poem Trini Talk, written by a well-known local poet, Miguel Browne, in praise of our beautiful dialect.

Anyway, the reason for this post–besides ten tarzan (ten tarzan HAH!)–was to introduce this new category where I’ll be posting and explaining (if necessary) Trini colloquialisms as I remember or am reminded of them.

It makes me feel a little closer to home

So all yuh Trinis out there: Y’all know this list is exhaustive, and while I will be list-keeper, my knowledge of Trini dialect may be more limited than yours.

Go ahead and post any phrases, words, sayings, etc you want me to add to the section in the comments and I’ll make sure to get to them.

Or send me your stories to post under your name.