LocalMeanJamaica

jamaica.localmean.com/dem

dem

/dem/DEM

GrammarPronounsPlural formsNouns

Local meaning

They or them; also a plural marker placed after a definite noun.

Jamaican “dem” has two major jobs. It can be a third-person plural pronoun, and it can follow a noun to mark a definite plural, as in “di pickney dem.”

Examples in context

  1. Dem soon reach.
  2. Di book dem deh pon di table.

How it is used

The noun-plural use is not identical to English “them.” Learn pronoun “dem” and post-noun plural “-dem” as related but structurally different patterns.

Tone

Neutral grammatical function.

Setting

Talking about groups, plural objects, people, and definite noun phrases.

Audience

Central for understanding Jamaican plural structure.

Watch for

Do not add “dem” after every plural noun; number words and indefinite plurals can behave differently.

Spelling and scope

Core Jamaican grammar used in pronouns, noun phrases, demonstratives, and everyday conversation.

Search and reference forms
demthemthey-demdehn

LocalMean keeps common search spellings discoverable. A displayed reference form is informational and does not claim that every community or publication uses one spelling.

Common patterns

  • dem a come
  • di gyal dem
  • pickney dem
  • dem deh

Read next

All words →
First-person singular pronounmi

I, me, or my, depending on its position and role in the sentence.

Second-person singular pronounyuh

You or your when addressing one person, depending on the sentence.

Second-person plural pronoununu

You, when speaking to more than one person.

Nounpickney

A child; children, depending on context.

Evidence and further reading

These sources support the language, spelling, grammar, or common conversational sense. The entry remains open to correction from Jamaican speakers and qualified reviewers.