Sistren
/ SIS-trin /Quick answer: Sistren (pronounced SIS-trin) is sister, female friend, girlfriends.
What does Sistren mean?
Sistren means a female friend or friends — ‘my sisters’. It’s the female equivalent of bredren.
Where does Sistren come from?
It comes from the old biblical plural ‘sistren’, paired with ‘brethren’, and was kept alive by church and Rastafari speech. It also gave its name to the Sistren Theatre Collective, a well-known Jamaican women’s theatre group.
How to use Sistren
‘Mi an’ mi sistren dem’ means me and my girlfriends.
| Jamaican Patois | English |
|---|---|
| Mi an’ mi sistren dem a go a road. | My girlfriends and I are going out. |
| Big up all di sistren! | Shout-out to all the ladies! |
| She a mi sistren from long time. | She’s been my friend for ages. |
Other spellings
Because Patois is mostly spoken, spellings vary. You may also see: sista, sistrin.
Related Patois words
Bredren · Sista · Gyal dem · Empress
Frequently asked
What is the male version of sistren?
Bredren.
Is sistren only for real sisters?
No — it means female friends too.
Look up more words in the Jamaican Patois Dictionary, or see Sistren in the dictionary.