Nigerian Pidgin is not broken English. It is a language in its own right, with its own grammar, rhythm and humour, and it is one of the most widely spoken languages in the country. It is what people use to cross ethnic lines, to joke, to bargain and to make a point land.
If you are new to it, or a Nigerian who has never written it down, this is a starter list. Spellings vary from place to place, because Pidgin does not have one official standard. A speaker in Warri, one in Lagos and one in Port Harcourt may all say it a little differently, and that is fine.
Greetings and replies
- How far? A casual greeting, like “How are you?” or “What’s up?” You can answer with I dey (I’m here, I’m fine) or I dey manage (I’m managing).
- Wetin dey happen? What’s going on?
- How body? How are you doing? Literally, “how is the body?”
- Una The plural “you”. Una don chop? means “Have you all eaten?”
Everyday words
- Abeg Please. It can also mean “come on” or “excuse me”, depending on the tone.
- Oga Boss or sir. Used with respect, and sometimes with a smile.
- Chop To eat. Make we go chop means “Let’s go and eat.” It is also used for taking something, as in “he chop the money”.
- Sabi To know, or to be good at something. You sabi cook! means “You can cook!”
- Gist Chat, news or gossip. Make I gist you means “Let me tell you what happened.”
- Comot To leave or to come out. Comot for there means “Get out of there.”
- Waka To walk. Waka go means “walk away”.
Small words that do a lot
- Dey Can mean “is”, “are” or “be”, or show an ongoing action. I dey go means “I’m going.” Water dey means “There is water.”
- Na Means “it is”. Na me means “It’s me.”
- Wetin What. Wetin be your name? means “What is your name?”
- Make Let or should. Make we go means “Let’s go.”
Reactions and opinions
- No wahala No problem. Wahala alone means trouble.
- I no gree I don’t agree, or I won’t accept that.
- E don do That’s enough.
- Sharp sharp Quickly, right away.
- Na so That’s how it is. It can express agreement, resignation or a shrug.
Words you will hear everywhere
Japa comes from Yoruba and means to run away, but in recent years it has become the word for leaving Nigeria to live abroad. You will hear it in conversation, in news headlines and in jokes. Other words, like shey and abi (“is that so?” or “right?”), come from Yoruba too and have become part of how Pidgin sounds in many places.
Some tips if you are learning
- Listen first. Music, comedy skits and conversations at the market are the best teachers. Pidgin is mostly learnt by ear.
- Tone matters. “Abeg” can be a polite request or an annoyed protest, and the difference is all in how you say it.
- Do not mimic it for laughs. People are glad when you make an effort, but they notice when you are performing an accent.
- Do not stress over spelling. If your readers understand you, you are doing it right.
The best way to get comfortable is to use it. Try one new phrase a day, and by the end of the month you will be understanding far more than you thought possible.
