A comment keeps running through your mind. A coworker spoke too hastily, a loved one criticized your decision, or a minor annoyance suddenly feels like a big deal. In Trinidad, a simple response might be: “Doh study it / Doh study dat.” Depending on the situation, it means “don’t worry about it,” “don’t pay attention to it,” or “don’t let it get to you.”
“Doh study it / Doh study dat” is part of Trinidad English Creole, an English-based creole language used in informal communication in Trinidad. The Atlas of Pidgin and Creole Language Structures notes that it plays an important role in everyday communication and national identity, while coexisting with official English. Trinidadian Creole also differs from the Creole spoken in Tobago, even though the two islands form a single country.
What does “Doh study it / Doh study dat” really mean?
In standard English, the verb to study First and foremost, it refers to the act of studying, examining, or carefully considering something. In this Trinidadian expression, the meaning shifts. Study can refer to paying attention to a person, their words, or a problem to the point of being unsettled. A study filed in the archives of the University of the West Indies provides a telling example. When asked about his classmates’ lack of interest in schoolwork, one student replied, “I doh study dem, I does do my work.” The researcher interprets this phrase as meaning “I don’t really take dem on”: he doesn’t let himself be distracted and continues with his work.
“Doh study it / Doh study dat” doesn’t mean you should open a notebook. Rather, the phrase advises against dwelling on a source of frustration. It encourages you to shift your focus away from a problem that may not be worth all that much energy.
A useful expression, but not a universal answer
The translation depends on the context. When faced with a minor concern, “Doh study it / Doh study dat” can be reassuring: “Don’t worry about it.” After an unpleasant comment, it can mean: “Don’t let it get to you.” When someone is dwelling on an incident that’s already over, it’s similar to “Let it go” or “Move on.”
The tone is key. When spoken gently, the phrase offers support. When said quickly or impatiently, it can seem to downplay how the other person feels. Like many everyday phrases, it doesn’t work in isolation from facial expressions, the relationship, and the situation. It would therefore be inappropriate to use it in response to deep pain or a serious problem. The phrase’s strength lies elsewhere: it’s suited for annoyances that grow because we keep dwelling on them.
Why does the word "study" change in meaning?
Creole languages are not incorrect versions of European languages. They have their own usage, structures, and nuances. In Trinidadian Creole, a word of English origin can retain part of its meaning while taking on a local function. Here, the idea of “considering carefully” shifts toward that of worrying about someone, taking someone into account, or giving them too much importance.
This shift makes a literal translation misleading. Translating each word separately would result in a strange sentence in French. Understanding “Doh study it / Doh study dat” This involves observing what the person is trying to do: calm the situation, offer advice, put things into perspective, or cut the conversation short. This expression also shows that a language is recognized in its everyday choices. It doesn’t exist solely in official speeches, books, or classrooms. It takes shape in the off-the-cuff responses exchanged among friends, in family advice, and in phrases repeated until they become second nature.
“Doh study it / Doh study that”: A Brief Philosophy of Attention
This approach doesn’t promise that the problems will go away. It asks a more practical question: Is this situation still worth your time? In that sense, “Doh study it / Doh study dat” expresses a way to conserve one’s energy without pretending that nothing matters. Just three words are enough to reassure someone, put criticism in its place, or remind them that sometimes it’s possible to move on without responding to everything.
The next time a pointless thought pops into your head, “Doh study it / Doh study dat” can come back. Not as a call for indifference, but as a choice: deciding what truly deserves your attention. And you—what expression do you use in your culture to say it’s time to let it go?
It can mean “don’t worry,” “don’t pay any attention to it,” or “don’t let it get to you.” Its exact meaning depends on the context, the tone used, and the relationship between the people involved.
This is appropriate when someone is worried about a comment, criticism, or relatively minor annoyance. It can be used to reassure them, advise them to put things into perspective, or remind them that a problem isn’t worth spending any more energy on.
No. It belongs to the Trinidadian English Creole, in which the verb study can mean either “to worry about someone” or “to place too much importance on someone.” A literal translation, therefore, does not capture the full nuance of the phrase.
