Appearance
Nigerian Pidgin English (Naijá), is one of the main languages of Nigeria. It is an English-based creole, with a Niger-Congo language syntax, consisting of many loan words from different Nigerian, other West African, and European languages most notably -- Portuguese.
Pronunciation guide
Vowels
a, e, i, o, u
Consonants
b, ch, d, f, g, gb, h, j, k, kp, l, m, n, ny, p, r, s, sh, t, v, w, y, z
Common diphthongs
ai, au, ia, ie, oi, uo
Phrase list
Basics
Common signs
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- Hello.
- . ( )
- Hello. (informal)
- How far? ( )
- How are you?
- How yu dey? ( )
- Fine, thank you.
- . ( i dey,thank you )
- What is your name?
- ? (wetin be your name ?)
- My name is ______ .
- ______ . ( my name na_____ .)
- Nice to meet you.
- . ( )
- Please.
- . (abeg )
- Thank you.
- . ( )
- You're welcome.
- . (Yu dey welcome )
- Yes.
- . ( )
- No.
- . ( )
- Excuse me. (getting attention)
- . ( )
- Excuse me. (begging pardon)
- . ( )
- I'm sorry.
- . (no vex for me or doh )
- Goodbye
- . ( bye bye )
- Goodbye (informal)
- . (e go be )
- I can't speak name of language [well].
- [ I no fit speak "name of language"]. ( [well ])
- Do you speak English?
- ? ( you dey speak English?)
- Is there someone here who speaks English?
- ? ( e get person wey dey speak English for here ?)
- Help!
- ! (help !)
- Look out!
- ! ( !)
- Good morning.
- . ( )
- Good evening.
- . ( )
- Good night.
- . ( )
- Good night (to sleep)
- . ( )
- I don't understand.
- . (i no understand )
- Where is the toilet?
- ? ( where toilet dey ?)
Problems
- Leave me alone.
- . ( .)
- Don't touch me!
- ! ( no touch me !)
- I'll call the police.
- . (I go call police .)
- Police!
- ! ( police !)
- Stop! Thief!
- ! ! ( ! !)
- I need your help.
- . (you fit help me .)
- It's an emergency.
- . ( .)
- I'm lost.
- . (I don loss .)
- I lost my bag.
- . (I loss my bag .)
- I lost my wallet.
- . ( .)
- I'm sick.
- . ( i no well or i dey sick.)
- I've been injured.
- . ( .)
- I need a doctor.
- . ( .)
- Can I use your phone?
- ? (I fit use your phone ?)
Numbers
- 1
- ( )
- 2
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- 3
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- 4
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- 5
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- 6
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- 7
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- 8
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- 9
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- 10
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- 11
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- 12
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- 13
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- 14
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- 15
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- 16
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- 17
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- 18
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- 19
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- 20
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- 21
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- 22
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- 23
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- 30
- ( )
- 40
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- 50
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- 60
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- 70
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- 80
- ( )
- 90
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- 100
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- 200
- ( )
- 300
- ( )
- 1,000
- ( )
- 2,000
- ( )
- 1,000,000
- ( )
- 1,000,000,000
- ( )
- 1,000,000,000,000
- ( )
- number _____ (train, bus, etc.)
- ( )
- half
- ( )
- less
- ( )
- more
- ( )
Time
- now
- ( )
- later
- (leta )
- before
- ( )
- morning
- (day break )
- afternoon
- ( )
- evening
- ( )
- night
- ( )
Clock time
- one o'clock AM
- ( )
- two o'clock AM
- ( )
- noon
- ( )
- one o'clock PM
- ( )
- two o'clock PM
- ( )
- midnight
- ( )
Duration
- _____ minute(s)
- ( )
- _____ hour(s)
- ( )
- _____ day(s)
- ( )
- _____ week(s)
- ( )
- _____ month(s)
- ( )
- _____ year(s)
- ( )
Days
- today
- ( )
- yesterday
- ( )
- tomorrow
- ( )
- this week
- ( )
- last week
- ( )
- next week
- ( )
- Sunday
- ( )
- Monday
- ( )
- Tuesday
- ( )
- Wednesday
- ( )
- Thursday
- ( )
- Friday
- ( )
- Saturday
- ( )
Months
- January
- ( )
- February
- ( )
- March
- ( )
- April
- ( )
- May
- ( )
- June
- ( )
- July
- ( )
- August
- ( )
- September
- ( )
- October
- ( )
- November
- ( )
- December
- ( )
Writing time and date
Colors
- black
- ( )
- white
- ( )
- grey/gray
- ( )
- red
- ( )
- blue
- ( )
- yellow
- ( )
- green
- ( )
- orange
- ( )
- purple
- ( )
- brown
- ( )
Transportation
Bus and train
- How much is a ticket to _____?
- (how much be the ticket to_______? )
- One ticket to _____, please.
- ( one ticket to _____, abeg.)
- Where does this train/bus go?
- (where this bus/train dey go? )
- Where is the train/bus to _____?
- ( )
- Does this train/bus stop in _____?
- ( )
- When does the train/bus for _____ leave?
- (when the train/bus for ____ dey comot? )
- When will this train/bus arrive in _____?
- (when this train/bus go reach ___? )
Directions
- How do I get to _____ ?
- (how I go reach ____? )
- ...the train station?
- ( )
- ...the bus station?
- ( )
- ...the airport?
- ( )
- ...downtown?
- ( )
- ...the youth hostel?
- ( )
- ...the _____ hotel?
- ( )
- ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate?
- ( )
- Where are there a lot of...
- (where i go see plenty ... )
- ...hotels?
- ( )
- ...restaurants?
- ( )
- ...bars?
- ( )
- ...sites to see?
- ( )
- Can you show me on the map?
- ( )
- street
- ( )
- Turn left.
- ( )
- Turn right.
- ( )
- left
- ( )
- right
- ( )
- straight ahead
- ( )
- towards the _____
- ( )
- past the _____
- ( )
- before the _____
- ( )
- Watch for the _____.
- ( )
- intersection
- ( )
- north
- ( )
- south
- ( )
- east
- ( )
- west
- ( )
- uphill
- ( )
- downhill
- ( )
Taxi
- Taxi!
- ( )
- Take me to _____, please.
- ( carry me go ____, abeg.)
- How much does it cost to get to _____?
- ( how much e go be to reach ____?)
- Take me there, please.
- (carry me go there, abeg. )
Lodging
- Do you have any rooms available?
- (rooms dey available? )
- How much is a room for one person/two people?
- ( )
- Does the room come with...
- ( )
- ...bedsheets?
- ( )
- ...a bathroom?
- ( )
- ...a telephone?
- ( )
- ...a TV?
- ( )
- May I see the room first?
- (I fit see am first? )
- Do you have anything quieter?
- ( )
- ...bigger?
- ( )
- ...cleaner?
- ( )
- ...cheaper?
- ( )
- OK, I'll take it.
- (ok, I go collect am. or ok, I go take am. )
- I will stay for _____ night(s).
- ( I go dey for ____ nights)
- Can you suggest another hotel?
- (you fit tell me anoda hotel )
- Do you have a safe?
- ( )
- ...lockers?
- ( )
- Is breakfast/supper included?
- ( )
- What time is breakfast/supper?
- ( )
- Please clean my room.
- ( )
- Can you wake me at _____?
- (you fit wake me for ____? )
- I want to check out.
- ( )
Money
- Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars?
- (you dey collect American/Australian/Canadian dollars? )
- Do you accept British pounds?
- (you dey collect British pounds? )
- Do you accept euros?
- ( you dey collect euros?)
- Do you accept credit cards?
- (you dey collect credit cards? )
- Can you change money for me?
- (you fit change this money for me? )
- Where can I get money changed?
- (where I fit go change money? )
- Can you change a traveler's check for me?
- ( )
- Where can I get a traveler's check changed?
- ( )
- What is the exchange rate?
- (wetin be exchange rate? )
- Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?
- (wetin be automatic teller machine (ATM) )
Eating
- A table for one person/two people, please.
- (table for one/two pesin, abeg. )
- Can I look at the menu, please?
- (I fit see the menu, abeg? )
- Can I look in the kitchen?
- (I fit look the kitchen? )
- Is there a house specialty?
- ( )
- Is there a local specialty?
- ( )
- I'm a vegetarian.
- (i be vegetarian. )
- I don't eat pork.
- (I no dey chop pork )
- I don't eat beef.
- (I no dey chop beaf. )
- I only eat kosher food.
- ( )
- Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard)
- ( )
- fixed-price meal
- ( )
- a la carte
- ( )
- breakfast
- ( )
- lunch
- ( )
- tea (meal)
- ( )
- supper
- ( )
- I want _____.
- ( )
- I want a dish containing _____.
- ( )
- chicken
- ( )
- beef
- ( )
- fish
- ( )
- ham
- ( )
- sausage
- ( )
- cheese
- ( )
- eggs
- ( )
- salad
- ( )
- (fresh) vegetables
- ( )
- (fresh) fruit
- ( )
- bread
- ( )
- toast
- ( )
- noodles
- ( )
- rice
- ( )
- beans
- ( )
- May I have a glass of _____?
- ( )
- May I have a cup of _____?
- ( )
- May I have a bottle of _____?
- ( )
- coffee
- ( )
- tea (drink)
- ( )
- juice
- ( )
- (bubbly) water
- ( )
- (still) water
- ( )
- beer
- ( )
- red/white wine
- ( )
- May I have some _____?
- ( )
- salt
- ( )
- black pepper
- ( )
- butter
- ( )
- Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)
- ( )
- I'm finished.
- ( )
- It was delicious.
- ( )
- Please clear the plates.
- ( )
- The check, please.
- ( )
Bars
- Do you serve alcohol?
- (you dey serve alcohol? )
- Is there table service?
- ( )
- A beer/two beers, please.
- ( )
- A glass of red/white wine, please.
- ( )
- A pint, please.
- ( )
- A bottle, please.
- ( )
- _____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please.
- ( )
- whiskey
- ( )
- vodka
- ( )
- rum
- ( )
- water
- ( )
- club soda
- ( )
- tonic water
- ( )
- orange juice
- ( )
- Coke (soda)
- ( )
- Do you have any bar snacks?
- ( )
- One more, please.
- ( )
- Another round, please.
- ( )
- When is closing time?
- ( )
- Cheers!
- ( )
Shopping
- Do you have this in my size?
- ( )
- How much is this?
- ( )
- That's too expensive.
- ( )
- Would you take _____?
- ( )
- expensive
- ( )
- cheap
- ( )
- I can't afford it.
- ( )
- I don't want it.
- ( )
- You're cheating me.
- ( )
- I'm not interested.
- (..)
- OK, I'll take it.
- ( )
- Can I have a bag?
- ( )
- Do you ship (overseas)?
- ( )
- I need...
- ( )
- ...toothpaste.
- ( )
- ...a toothbrush.
- ( )
- ...tampons.
- . ( )
- ...soap.
- ( )
- ...shampoo.
- ( )
- ...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen)
- ( )
- ...cold medicine.
- ( )
- ...stomach medicine.
- ... ( )
- ...a razor.
- ( )
- ...an umbrella.
- ( )
- ...sunblock lotion.
- ( )
- ...a postcard.
- ( )
- ...postage stamps.
- ( )
- ...batteries.
- ( )
- ...writing paper.
- ( )
- ...a pen.
- ( )
- ...English-language books.
- ( )
- ...English-language magazines.
- ( )
- ...an English-language newspaper.
- ( )
- ...an English-English dictionary.
- ( )
Driving
- I want to rent a car.
- ( )
- Can I get insurance?
- ( )
- stop (on a street sign)
- ( )
- one way
- ( )
- yield
- ( )
- no parking
- ( )
- speed limit
- ( )
- gas (petrol) station
- ( )
- petrol
- ( )
- diesel
- ( )
Authority
- I haven't done anything wrong.
- (I no do anything bad )
- It was a misunderstanding.
- ( )
- Where are you taking me?
- (where you dey carry me go? )
- Am I under arrest?
- ( I dey unda arrest?)
- I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen.
- ( )
- I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate.
- ( )
- I want to talk to a lawyer.
- (I wan talk to lawyer. )
- Can I just pay a fine now?
- ( )