Mi nuh know.

I don’t know.

Say it: mi nuh no
Kind: phrase
Heard in: St. Catherine, Spanish Town

A complete and unembarrassing answer — claiming knowledge you don’t have closes down the exchange that would get you the answer.

Patois is a language in its own right, with grammar that is not English grammar. The meaning above is how a speaker would use this phrase, not a word-for-word translation.

Heard in the same place

Yuh know weh wi deh?Do you know where we are?
Yuh nuh from yah?You’re not from here?
mek wi find out together.let’s find out together.
Excuse mi sahExcuse me, sir
Mi a listen.I’m listening.
Keep it.Keep it (you don’t need it anymore).
Mi madda never tell mi dat part.My mother never told me that part.

Hear this in conversation →