Nigerian Pidgin

Wetin

What? (Used to ask questions) - Example: "Wetin you talk?" (What did you say?) - Pronunciation: weh-tin

How far

How are you? / What's up? - Example: "How far, na?" (How are you doing?) - Pronunciation: how far

No wahala

No problem - Example: "E go fit come? No wahala." (Can he come? No problem.) - Pronunciation: noh wah-hah-lah

Pikin

Child - Example: "Di pikin dey cry." (The child is crying.) - Pronunciation: pee-kin

Baba

Father / elder - Example: "Baba don sleep." (Father is asleep.) - Pronunciation: bah-bah

Mama

Mother - Example: "Mama dey cook." (Mother is cooking.) - Pronunciation: mah-mah

Omo

Child / girl - Example: "Di omo fine." (That girl is fine.) - Pronunciation: oh-moh

Ginger

Encouragement / excitement - Example: "Make we get ginger for the party!" (Let's get excited for the party!) - Pronunciation: jin-jah

Chop

To eat - Example: "I wan chop rice." (I want to eat rice.) - Pronunciation: chop

Bros

Brother / friend - Example: "My bros dey come." (My brother/friend is coming.) - Pronunciation: bros

Sabi

To know - Example: "You sabi this one?" (Do you know this one?) - Pronunciation: sah-bee

Jollof

A popular West African rice dish - Example: "I go like some jollof rice." (I would like some jollof rice.) - Pronunciation: joh-loff

Kolo

Crazy / madness - Example: "That guy don kolo!" (That guy is acting crazy!) - Pronunciation: koh-loh

Wahala

Problem / trouble - Example: "No wahala!" (No problem!) - Pronunciation: wah-hah-lah

Juju

Magic or charm - Example: "Dem use juju for di matter." (They used magic for the matter.) - Pronunciation: joo-joo

Naija

Nigeria - Example: "I dey live for Naija." (I live in Nigeria.) - Pronunciation: nai-jah

PADI

Close friend - Example: "You be my PADI." (You are my close friend.) - Pronunciation: pah-dee

Lagos

The largest city in Nigeria - Example: "I go Lagos on weekend." (I am going to Lagos this weekend.) - Pronunciation: lay-gohs

Banga

Palm nut soup - Example: "I like banga soup with rice." (I like palm nut soup with rice.) - Pronunciation: bang-ah

Sisi

Sister / young lady - Example: "Sisi fine well well." (The young lady is very fine.) - Pronunciation: see-see

Waka

To walk or go - Example: "Make we waka go market." (Let's walk to the market.) - Pronunciation: wah-kah

Kipkip

To be quiet - Example: "Kipkip, make I hear song!" (Be quiet, so I can hear the song!) - Pronunciation: kip-kip

Bend down

To bend down or squat - Example: "You fit bend down small?" (Can you bend down a little?) - Pronunciation: bend down

Shoe

Footwear / shoes - Example: "Nice shoe you wear!" (Nice shoes you are wearing!) - Pronunciation: shoe

Vex

To be angry - Example: "I dey vex for dis matter." (I am angry about this matter.) - Pronunciation: vex

Dance

To dance - Example: "Make we dance!" (Let’s dance!) - Pronunciation: dance

Shayo

Alcohol / drink - Example: "E don too shayo for today." (He has drunk too much alcohol today.) - Pronunciation: sha-yo

Ajao

To throw away - Example: "No ajao dat thing!" (Don’t throw that thing away!) - Pronunciation: ah-jow

Coco

Main thing / important item - Example: "Dat di coco for dis matter." (That is the main thing about this matter.) - Pronunciation: koh-koh

Chorus

To sing together - Example: "Make we chorus this song together." (Let’s sing this song together.) - Pronunciation: koh-rus

Eyah

An expression of sympathy - Example: "Eyah, I dey feel for you." (I feel for you.) - Pronunciation: eh-yah

Gist

To chat or talk - Example: "Make we gist later." (Let’s chat later.) - Pronunciation: jist

Lai Lai

No way / not at all - Example: "I no go fit do am, lai lai." (I can't do it at all.) - Pronunciation: lai-lai

Biscuit

Cookies or sweet snacks - Example: "I need some biscuit for snack." (I need some cookies for a snack.) - Pronunciation: bis-kwee

Tin

Thing - Example: "Dis tin no go work." (This thing won't work.) - Pronunciation: tin

Sabi girl

A knowledgeable girl / smart girl - Example: "She be sabi girl." (She is a smart girl.) - Pronunciation: sah-bee girl

Mumu

Foolish or silly - Example: "Dat guy na mumu." (That guy is foolish.) - Pronunciation: moo-moo

Anyhow

In any way / no particular method - Example: "E fit work anyhow." (It might work in any way.) - Pronunciation: any-how

Tori

Story / gossip - Example: "I get tori for you!" (I have a story for you!) - Pronunciation: toh-ree

Fashola

To ignore or brush aside - Example: "I no go fashola your matter." (I won’t ignore your matter.) - Pronunciation: fah-sho-lah

God dey,

God is present / God is here - Example: "No worries, God dey with you." (No worries, God is with you.) - Pronunciation: god dey

Sikiti

To deceive or trick - Example: "No let dem sikiti you." (Don’t let them deceive you.) - Pronunciation: see-kee-tee