Nigerian Pidgin is a unique and widely spoken language in Nigeria. It serves as a common language among Nigerians, irrespective of their status or ethnic group. If you are visiting Nigeria, the chances that you would need to communicate in pidgin isn’t a slim one. So here am I trying to make those interesting conversation easy for you. This is the easiest it can get. Abi?
I am forced to imagine a white man in Lagos or Warri and he is in town for the first time - even for the 12th time - doing business or merely socializing.
Here's a guide to understanding some common phrases, including the meaning of "dey play."
Commonly Used Pidgin Phrases
Here are some commonly used words and phrases in Nigerian Pidgin, along with their meanings and examples:
- Na
You will hear this short two-letter word everywhere and anywhere you go. It has similar pronunciation with the same two-letter words in Bananas. Whatsoever the sentence thrown at you, kindly substitute this word with ‘is it’ and I am sure the communication will make more sense to you.
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- Na your money? = Is it your money?
- Na so? = Is it so?
Na can also mean immediately.
- Go na = Go immediately.
Na can be used twice in a sentence, in this case the last NA is used only for sake of emphasis.
- Na you na= It’s you.
- Na the ball na= It’s the ball.
- Shebi
Pronounced shaybe. As funny as this may sound, this word is a question mark. Yeah it is a punctuation symbol ( Sounds crazy? Common we put up with y’all F word). When you hear it in a sentence, you may replace the word with a question mark. Let me baffle you some more. At times this question mark comes before the question. I know that sounds crazy too. Well, Nigerians are quite creatively crazy.
- Shebi you hear = You heard?
- I go play shebi = Am I playing?
- Dey
Mostly used to replace the word “are” or “am”. However to get better grasp of the communication. You may quickly need to adjust arrangements of the sentence. Take it from the middle to the front of the sentence.
- You dey crase? = Are you crazy?
- I dey smell? = Am I smelling?
It’s also used for the word “is” as well.
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- The fish dey swim? = Is the fish able to swim?
- Don
Usually this is understood in a sentence by substituting the word with “have”.
- You don bath= Have you taken your bath.
- I don go there = I have gone there.
- You don see the movie shebi = Have you seen the movie?
- Sha or Shaa or Shaaaa
This word serves as a modifier. It modifies its coefficient word ( Usually modifies a noun). You can only know if its negative or positive depending on what you have done.
If you did something awesome. Then,
- You shaaa = Awesome you.
If you did wrong.
- You shaa = Terrible you.
More clues: The facial expression or tone of the speaker can be used to denote if he is speaking positive of negative. If he says, the boy shaaa…and he is worried…you know he means the guy is terrible. If he smiles…he means the guy is cool. Shaaaa is just functioning as a modifier.
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- Dem
Usually means ‘Them’ or ‘They’ or ‘Are They’.
- Dem don come= Are they here.
- You see dem= You seen them?
- Dem dey play games = They are playing games.
- Commot
Usually means depart, get out, go away, get lost!
- Commot here = get out from here.
- He don commot = he departed.
- Abeg
Means “please”.
- Abeg commot = please go away.
- Nko
Another question mark. Most times you can replace it with “What about”.
- You nko = You? or What about you?
- At-all-at-all
Means “absolutely not”.
- Sabi
Usually means capable. So most times it stands for the word “can”. And when you hear the word “No” before the Sabi word, it means ‘can’t’.
- Your friends no sabi play=You friends can’t play.
- You sabi talk fast=You can talk fast.
At times it’s used just for sake of emphasis. Especially when used as the last word of a sentence.
- Joor
Joor is a lazy slang adopted into the pidgin dictionary from the Yoruba language. It’s one of those word that is more of a swagger talk than it actually functioning with a meaning. It means please, but it is usually in a sentence to beautify the talk. Nothing more. Just a sexy way of talking.
- Leave me jaare= Please, leave me.
- Jaare
This is also same with joor.
- Waka
It was adopted from the word walk. It means move, go away, to travel, walk and so on depending on the circumstance of usage.
- Small-small
It means handle with care, take it easy, relax, calm down, little-by-little all depending on the circumstance of usage.
- Legbere
This is from Niger delta areas of Nigeria. A legbere is someone who isn’t smart. At times depends on the circumstance of usage it means a looser. Quite a negative word to describe your shabbiness at doing things.
- Microtintin minutes
I wonder if the radio presenters invented this. But it simply means very soon.
- Pkogri
You will spend money, when you get here. So it’s only a fair thing you know what the money is called. Pkogri means money especially in Warri and the Niger Delta areas of Nigeria. Money can also be called Pepper, Tekue, Bah, Paper and Coins.
- Abi
This is another word that’s used as a question mark. Abi can also stand on it’s own to mean “Right ?” either in a sentence or as a single word.
- You dey mad abi = Are you mad? or You mad, right?
- Wahala
This word means trouble, disaster, pandemonium, chaos, trouble and related words.
- Wahala dey = There’s trouble.
Here's a table summarizing some of the key phrases:
NIGERIAN PIDGIN ENGLISH IN 6MINS | QUICK, EASY AND FUN (Ep1)
| Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Dey | Are/Am/Is | You dey crase? (Are you crazy?) |
| Wahala | Trouble | Wahala dey (There's trouble) |
| Abeg | Please | Abeg commot (Please go away) |
| Sabi | Can/Capable | You sabi talk fast (You can talk fast) |
| Commot | Get out/Leave | Commot here (Get out from here) |
Amongst Nigerians, using Pidgin shows that you can identify with everyone, irrespective of your status.
Our safe place is Nigerian Pidgin: our common language.
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