nyam

English Definition

To eat (often voraciously).

Patois Definition

Come nyam some food before yuh leave.

Literal Translation

eat

Etymology

• Wolof/Fula · nyam — to eat

Cultural Context

West African retention in Jamaican Creole. Food culture is central to Jamaican identity — 'nyam' carries warmth and urgency.

Examples

• "Come nyam some food before yuh leave."

  The children are eating their lunch.

• "Di pickney dem a nyam dem lunch."

  Those guys ate all of the bread, and now they want to give us crumbs.

• "Dem man nyam di whole ah di bread. And wan' come gi' wi crumbs."

  We shouldn't waste everything we get. We have to save and invest some of it.

• "We cyaan nyam everything weh we get. Wi haffi save some and invest some."

  I just went home. Then I spent all the money.

• "Me jus go home and nyam di money."

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