Captain Jack Sparrow has become one of the most iconic characters in movie history. Quotes like these are exactly the reason why.

The best Jack Sparrow quotes not only show why he is the breakout star of the Pirates of the Caribbean but also one of the most popular cinematic heroes of all time. Though Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) were the heroes of the first three movies, Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) became the main character. Across all the movies, he delivers some brilliantly funny lines of dialogue as well as some insightful musings on life, but most of the best Jack Sparrow quotes come from the earlier films in the franchise.

Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is rumored to be moving onto new characters, but Captain Jack would certainly be missed. Whether the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise will escape the gargantuan shadow of Jack Sparrow’s boisterous screen presence is something that remains to be seen, as he naturally has the lion’s share of the best Pirates of the Caribbean quotes. With quips, songs, or just interesting observations, the best Jack Sparrow quotes have plenty of life left in them for future generations to enjoy, as well as old fans revisiting the films.

20“Savvy?”

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

It’s clear that Jack Sparrow is an incredibly entertaining character, as many of his best quotes are a single word made memorable by Johnny Depp’s delivery and the context — such is the case with Jack’s simple way of confirming he’s been understood, which is by asking “savvy?”. This became something of a catchphrase for Captain Jack in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies with Johnny Depp’s fun delivery selling the simple line as a memorable one.

He asks this question whenever he is making a deal or explaining his latest wild plan to someone which ends up happening a lot throughout the franchise. However, whenever Captain Jack asks someone this, it is as if he is asking them to put their trust in him which often proves to be a bad idea. The “savvy” also comes after he explains something that is intentionally confusing.

19“Pirate.”

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

This is another repeated Jack Sparrow quote that highlights how proudly he embraces being a scoundrel, and is yet another example of the Pirates of the Caribbean character turning a single word into a memorable line of dialogue. Jack says this during his first confrontation with Will Turner. After the two have a sword fight for a bit, Will is surprised that Jack cheats in order to get the upper hand.

He repeats this line in Dead Man’s Chest when Elizabeth leaves him behind to die, suggesting a bit of respect in seeing her embrace her dishonest side

Without remorse, Jack simply says “Pirate,” as if it is Will’s fault for expecting anything more. Jack is a liar, a cheat, and a thief among other things, but he never pretends he’s something else. Interestingly, he repeats this line in Dead Man’s Chest when Elizabeth leaves him behind to die, suggesting a bit of respect in seeing her embrace her dishonest side and acknowledging that she’d also make a good pirate — and, since she became a Pirate King, he was right.

18“What A Horrible Way To Live.”

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)

Though Will and Elizabeth aren’t in Pirates of the Caribbean 4, they play a role in the fifth movie. However, it is mostly their son Henry and the new character of Carina who join Jack on his latest adventure. Jack is largely uninterested in these young heroes and perceives them as even more boring than Will and Elizabeth. He makes his distaste for their lifestyle and values quite known on a fair few occasions, though this Jack Sparrow quote from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is by far the most memorable of them.

When facing a dangerous enemy, Carina insists she is not looking for trouble, only for Jack to suggest such a life is unappealing to him. Jack is a born troublemaker, and despite the close calls he faces as a result, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

17“Sorry Mate, Couldn’t Resist.”

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

The Pirates of the Caribbean movies have included some terrific twists to keep audiences on guard, but there was one standout moment in the first movie when it convincingly seems as though Jack Sparrow was killed. Facing off with the undead Barbossa, Jack is stabbed, only to stumble backward into the moonlight, revealing himself to also be an undead skeleton.

Jack’s use of the word “mate” when speaking to his (at the time) nemesis Barbossa makes this Jack Sparrow quote all the more memorable

He shows Barbossa one of the coins from the cursed chest that he took and gives this hilarious apology. Jack is a cunning and resourceful pirate, even if he might seem bumbling at times, and the fact that he is able to catch Barbossa and the audience by surprise with this trick is impressive. Jack’s use of the word “mate” when speaking to his (at the time) nemesis Barbossa makes this Jack Sparrow quote all the more memorable, too.

16“It’s A Pirate’s Life For Me.”

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

One of the things that makes Jack such an endearing hero is that he is a simple man at heart. On Stranger Tides finds Jack on a quest that brings him to the Fountain of Youth only to give up the chance of discovering it in the end. When Tibbs asks him why, Jack explains that he has no interest in such discoveries or making a name for himself in that way. He is a pirate at heart and isn’t willing to give that up for anything.

This Jack Sparrow quote is not only memorable, but it’s also a homage to the spiritual routes of the franchise. While the films may have globally overtaken the Disneyland ride, they are still based on the classic Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at the House of Mouse’s theme-park — the signature song of which features the lyrics “yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate’s life for me”.

15“Bring Me That Horizon.”

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

It remains to be seen what Jack Sparrow’s future in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise will be, but there is a sense that this character’s adventures could go on forever. While he may have several unsavory personality quirks, Jack is endearing because of the joy he gets from adventure on the high seas. One of the rare moments Jack seems to be emotional is when he gets the Black Pearl back at the end of the first movie.

Looking out across the open sea, he delivers this wonderful line that suggests he will be happy forever chasing the unattainable and just enjoying the journey along the way.

Looking out across the open sea, he delivers this wonderful line that suggests he will be happy forever chasing the unattainable and just enjoying the journey along the way. Part of the appeal of Jack Sparrow is that he’s an incredibly verbose character with grandiose verbal mannerisms, and this simple quote perfectly exemplifies this — and it’s one of several lines in the script of the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie that made it such a success.

14“I’ve Got A Jar Of Dirt!”

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)

Among the many things that make Jack Sparrow such a great pirate is his ability to use humor in even the most stressful situations. This Jack Sparrow quote was directed at Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) and ended up being a little overly cocky. Jack had hidden Jones’ heart in the jar of dirt earlier so that Jones couldn’t reach it, making it a guaranteed bargaining chip for later.

This line was also made popular thanks to memes and even a song remix that emerged on YouTube shortly after the release of Dead Man’s Chest.

Not knowing that Norrington (Jack Davenport) had already stolen the heart, Jack hilariously danced around yelling his triumph. Celebrating such a strange thing shows how foolish Jack can make himself look, especially when he starts to assume victory before he actually secures it. What’s more, this line was also made popular thanks to memes and even a song remix that emerged on YouTube shortly after the release of Dead Man’s Chest.

13“I’m Dishonest, And A Dishonest Man You Can Always Trust To Be Dishonest.”

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Being a pirate, there’s no doubt that Jack Sparrow did a lot of bad things, and yet, it was almost honorable how open he was about his life. He didn’t make any claims that he was a good man, meaning there was a level of honesty even in his dishonesty. However, Jack often does warn people of his dishonesty and other vial traits, while also frequently becoming the unexpected hero of the day.

This Jack Sparrow quote could be a glimpse into the fact that he likes people to think that he is a more treacherous pirate than he actually is. It’s also one of several examples of Jack speaking in a way that seems confusing on the surface, often repeating the same words multiple times in a sentence, in order to leave others bamboozled. However, as is also often the case, when properly picked apart his point makes a lot of sense.

12“My Tremendous Intuitive Sense Of The Female Creature Informs Me That You Are Troubled.”

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)

Jack Sparrow’s love life is, in a word, tumultuous. His relationship with women seems to be of the love/hate kind, with every woman that loves him either coming to hate him in the end, or hating themselves for not being able to get over it. There’s even an argument to be made that Elizabeth should have been with Jack rather than Will. However, Elizabeth also likely did herself a favor by avoiding a romance with him, as Jack doesn’t seem to have the best history with women in his life.

While Jack likes to believe otherwise, this line is filled with irony in that he fails to even understand women enough to acknowledge how bad he is at keeping relationships with them.

He had a habit of getting slapped by girls he’d earlier ditched and inspiring hate in them that doesn’t go away easily. While Jack likes to believe otherwise, this line is filled with irony in that he fails to even understand women enough to acknowledge how bad he is at keeping relationships with them. That’s what makes this Jack Sparrow quote so memorable, made all the more so by Jack being overly verbose.

11“Mate, If You Choose To Lock Your Heart Away, You’ll Lose Her For Certain.”

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)

This is rather wholesome as far as Jack Sparrow quotes go, and contains a rare dose of completely unfiltered wisdom that isn’t hidden beneath almost-undiscernable word salad. Despite the love triangle that he develops with Will and Elizabeth, Jack was rooting for these two to have a happy romance in the end. As Will lamented that his efforts to try and save his father Bill Turner (Stellan Skarsgård) from Davy Jones were pulling him away from Elizabeth, Jack gave him this very intelligent advice.

Not many Jack Sparrow quotes could be considered wise or helpful, but he is a smarter character than he lets on. It is also proof that he does care about Will and Elizabeth deeply, even though he attempts to hide that as well. This quote also shows that, while Jack is comic relief more often than not, he also understands the world around him more than he lets on, and its glimpses of insight like this that were an early sign he could carry the franchise after Will and Elizabeth’s departure.

10“Drink Up Me Hearties, Yo Ho!”

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

As one of the rare Disney theme park-inspired movies that worked, there are some fun references to the original Pirates of the Caribbean ride throughout the franchise, especially in the first movie. At the end of the film, as Jack takes a look at his compass and considers his next adventure, he begins to mumble some of the lyrics to the song “Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me)” which originated from the ride.

It is a fun nod as well as a great way to end Jack’s first big-screen adventure as he is cheerfully enjoying his life and being back as captain of the Black Pearl.

It is a fun nod as well as a great way to end Jack’s first big-screen adventure as he is cheerfully enjoying his life and being back as captain of the Black Pearl. On top of this, it’s also a quote that shows Jack’s love of drinking, a common theme with his character throughout Pirates of the Caribbean — to the point that it’s entirely likely he’s never been shown on-screen sober, given the way he staggers around and almost slurs his words.

9“But You Have Heard Of Me.”

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Jack has a personality that brims with confidence, and he finds positivity even in the worst of positions. During the first movie, everybody tended to underestimate Jack’s intelligence, only for him to prove them wrong every time. In an early scene, Norrington looks to put Jack in his place by listing all the things that made Jack the worst pirate that Norrington had ever heard of.

To this, Jack pointed out that, while Norrington’s assertion might not be wrong, he had still heard of him, meaning Jack was still someone worth knowing. Jack is not one to be easily insulted, and he is more likely to turn the insult around into a compliment instead. On an additional level, the rivalry between Jack Sparrow and Norrington is one of the funniest relationships in the franchise, and seeing them interact always makes for a memorable chuckle-worthy moment.

8“Why Fight When You Can Negotiate?”

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)

Though this Jack Sparrow quote proves to be a little foolhardy as he only says it because he still believes that he’s in possession of Davy Jones’s heart, it’s an excellent point and shows how Jack is much more a talker than a fighter. Though he’s skilled with a sword, Jack Sparrow’s sharpest weapon is his mind (when he hasn’t deliberately dulled it with rum, that is).

While audiences find him incredibly endearing, this good-will isn’t felt by the other characters in Pirates of the Caribbean, so Jack’s belief that negotiation is ever a good option for him is somewhat laughable.

The quote presents a great strategy for an intelligent character, but unfortunately for Jack, there are many other main characters in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies who are just as cunning as he is. It’s also a quote that has a layer of ironic humor to it. Jack Sparrow, sharp-tongued as he is, often finds that his attempts to negotiate turn a situation from bad to worse. While audiences find him incredibly endearing, this good-will isn’t felt by the other characters in Pirates of the Caribbean, so Jack’s belief that negotiation is ever a good option for him is somewhat laughable.

7“If You Were Waiting For The Opportune Moment, That Was It.”

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Despite Jack not being entirely successful with women, he never misses an opportunity to comment on Will Turner’s affections for Elizabeth, and it’s not always clear whether he’s insulting Will or giving him advice (oftentimes it’s probably both). Will, being quite shy and reserved in the first movie, never seemed to know when to make the first move and Jack is all too happy to tease him about it.

After successfully saving Elizabeth and outsmarting Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), Will has his golden moment to finally step up, but the moment is fleeting, as Jack hilariously points this out once the moment has already gone. This Jack Sparrow quote also has a somewhat meta humor to it, as in many classic swashbuckling and fantasy adventure movies, Will’s opportunity would have been followed through and the hero would have saved the day and kissed the love interest.

6“This Shot Is Not Meant For You.”

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Pirates operate for the most part without honor, and they always look for openings where they can cheat and win their fights. This could have presented something of a problem for Pirates of the Caribbean as a franchise, especially with a character like the notorious Jack Sparrow as one of its heroes, though Disney opted for a more romanticized take on piracy when it came to Jack Sparrow’s character.

While Jack is a pirate through and through, he isn’t heartless.

While Jack is a pirate through and through, he isn’t heartless. After he bested Will in a fight by cheating, Jack found Will still standing in his way. A pirate like Barbossa would’ve instantly shot and killed Will, but Jack insisted Will move aside, and he even added a “please.” It’s obvious that Jack doesn’t really want to kill Will, but he also can’t fire the shot in his pistol as it’s the one Barbossa left Jack when he stranded him, so it’s meant for Barbossa alone.

5“No Survivors? Then Where Do The Stories Come From, I Wonder.”

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Jack Sparrow is a character who provides plenty of comic relief, but he’s also intelligent and often is able to see what others don’t, meaning he generates much of the humor in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie by pointing out the flaws in other people’s logic (and, at the same time, reversing cliche lines like “there were no survivors”). While incarcerated, Jack hears the Black Pearl approaching as the other prisoners in the jail begin to panic over the prospect of facing the ship’s supposedly undead crew.

Jack naturally plays the situation very coolly and this witty retort to the assertion that the Black Pearl’s crew never leaves anyone alive lets it be known that he is not overly impressed with ghost stories and creepy legends. Jack is still very much underestimated by those around him at this early point in the first film, so the fact that he knows much more about the Black Pearl than he lets on makes him seem much more collected and compelling.

4“Not All Treasure Is Silver And Gold, Mate.”

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

In between his many rants, Jack would throw in words of wisdom that proved to be quite profound and meaningful. He also has several moments when he reminds audiences that he’s not the same kind of greedy bloodthirsty pirate as the many antagonists he finds himself up against — such as when he reminds Will Turner what his core values actually are.

He is not really after fortune at the end of the day and the adventure itself is the real treasure he seeks.

It’s obvious to Jack that Will values Elizabeth more than any worldly possession, which makes Will conveniently easy to manipulate in Jack’s mind. Nevertheless, there’s an undeniably romantic sentiment to this Jack Sparrow quote that shows that the character really does believe in love deep down. It also speaks to Jack’s adventures, as he is not really after fortune at the end of the day and the adventure itself is the real treasure he seeks.

3“Why Is The Rum Always Gone?”

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)

If there’s one drink that’s synonymous with pirates, it’s rum, and while Jack is different from his pirate brethren in many ways, having an affection for rum isn’t one of them. Many of the most memorable Jack Sparrow quotes revolve around rum in some way. Whether he’s drinking it or commenting on it, Jack is a rum connoisseur. Unfortunately for him, he has horrible luck when it comes to keeping said rum within his reach, as circumstances around him often lead to Jack being devoid of his favorite drink.

It’s a recurring joke throughout the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise that Jack has his beloved rum taken away from him. At one point, in his exasperation, he asked this very question to the universe. The downtrodden way things never seem to go quite right for Jack adds to his endearing underdog quality, even if it is just a lack of rum that troubles him.

2“I Do That Quite A Lot Yet People Are Always Surprised.”

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)

Never trust a pirate because they always lie, but Jack Sparrow doesn’t get trusted even though he doesn’t lie all that much. Jack tends to skirt around the truth rather than tell an outright lie, using other people’s lack of trust in him to his advantage. Jack is a very flawed character in the sense that he has a number of moral failings, but many of the best Jack Sparrow quotes show just how honest he can be.

It’s clear that Jack fully acknowledges he has a somewhat slippery relationship with the truth.

What makes this Jack Sparrow quote so funny is that, firstly, it’s clear that Jack fully acknowledges he has a somewhat slippery relationship with the truth. Secondly, the fact that he finds it so perplexing that people keep trusting him is absolutely hilarious. Jack wouldn’t be such a likeable character if he tried to deny his negative traits, but the fact he so openly admits to them and then turns the tables on other characters by pointing out that it’s an intelligence failure trusting him in the first place despite his prior history makes him incredible endearing.

1“This Is The Day You Will Always Remember As The Day You Almost Caught Captain Jack Sparrow.”

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

One of the funniest recurring jokes in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is that whenever Jack Sparrow says this line, things end up going very badly for him. Jack is an impressive pirate and uses the way he is underestimated to his advantage, but his arrogance can also get the better of him, and he is often premature in his celebrations.

Still, it’s hard not to admire Jack’s confidence whenever he says it, because deep down, he knows how memorable his larger-than-life persona is. If any Jack Sparrow quote could be said to sum up the core of his character, it’s this one. Not only does it show his severely overinflated (yet endearing) ego, but also his desire to build up a legend around his name, and — thanks to the fact it is usually followed by some outrageous stunt-based sequence when it crops up — why it’s entirely believable that his would-be captors definitely remember the encounter for years to come.