Learning Nigerian Pidgin – A Simple and Colorful Language
As you can see, Nigerian Pidgin language is very simple and colorful. It's full of humor, and it can make the best standard English words look like a comic relief. Learning Nigerian Pidgin language is simple; all it requires is time and practice. This could help you a lot because you never know when you will meet a Nigerian, and when you communicate in Pidgin language, you will understand what I mean by "it's the flavor that spices grammar to the extent that you will think you're in another dimension." I will be dropping Pidgin language idioms below, and I hope my readers can study them. My comment section is always open for any questions and any tutorial.
Common Nigerian Pidgin Idioms and Their Meanings
Nigerian Pidgin language is full of humor and has so many interesting facts about life, and the street aspect of how people made the language sound easy on a daily basis. The language is something that you can learn with practice because it is more similar to standard English. Today I'm going to teach you about Pidgin language idioms and their meaning in standard English. You see, in Nigeria, most of the difficult situations are grouped into words, and those words are full of meaning. For example, one of the most common idioms in Pidgin English is this one that says:
Water don pass garri (The situation has gone beyond control / Too much water has ruined the garri)
This phrase represents so many situations in life; it isn't something someone wants to hear because it comes with so much trouble. Let us take a look at the meaning:
Water don pass garri (The problem has escalated beyond recovery)
The phrase "Water don pass garri" is one of the most expressive idioms used in daily conversation. It uses the visual metaphor of making a classic West African cassava meal. If you add too much water to the dry grains, the food becomes ruined and unmanageable.
In everyday life, people use this expression when a situation spirals completely out of control. It means that a problem has crossed a critical line and cannot be easily fixed. For example, if a minor argument turns into a major community dispute, locals will say the crisis has reached this breaking point.
Consider this contextual example: when someone says, "The case is now in the court of law, and one mistake and you're going to prison, I knew say water don pass garri (the problem is beyond fixing)." Using the phrase here perfectly captures the feeling of a situation that has passed the point of recovery.
Wahala dey oh (There is a problem / There is trouble)
Another example of Nigerian Pidgin language idioms that is widely spoken is Wahala dey oh (There is a problem / There is trouble). This is another phrase that is similar to Water don pass garri (Situation out of control).
Consider this contextual example: when someone says, "You're going to prison no matter what, and nothing can stop your sentence." The phrase perfectly captures the situation because in truth it's a big problem, and since there is nothing you can do to solve it, it is then known as Wahala dey oh (There is serious trouble). In short, wahala is a problem that can't be solved; it is an urgent problem that comes with immediate result.
Gbese full my head (I have a lot of debt / credit obligations)
Nigerian Pidgin language is very colorful. Even when you are having a hard day, the language is made of humor that at times will even make you forget your wahala (trouble), and it is a language that interprets standard English in a comic form. For example, when someone says: Gbese full my head (I have a lot of debt / credit obligations on my head). This literally means I have enough credit on my head (i.e., I owe money to many people). This is one phrase that is used a lot too in Nigeria; it is a word that everyone uses as an excuse not to lend anyone money. Gbese (debit or credit you're owing someone or people). Consider this contextual example: "John, abeg hammer me something" (John, please find me some cash), and in reply John would say: "Gbese full my head oh (I have too many debts / people owe me, so I have nothing to give)." This is another way of telling the one who asked that I don't have anything to give you.
These Nigerian idioms and street slang are among the best in the current situation in the country. Everyone has Gbese (debt), and everyone is looking for someone to lend them cash.
Send me your aza (Send me your account number)
Another beautiful word that everyone wants to hear in the Pidgin language idioms is this word: Send me your aza (Send me your account number).
Now this is one word that can make everyone smile. It is the only word that someone with Gbese (debit/credit) will smile at, and someone with Wahala (trouble) will forget their trouble and dance a jig. When someone says send me your aza (send me your account number), it simply means send me your bank account number.
Consider this example: John has been broke for about a year now. He lives on scrapping, and every time he asked someone for help they would either say they have huge Gbese (debit/credit) to settle and that they have nothing. Then suddenly one day they inform John, who has been broke for a year, to send Aza (send account number). You can imagine the joy John will feel on hearing that, and even if he had a problem at that time, he will forget about it for a moment just to make sure his account number is accurate when he sends it.
More Nigerian Pidgin Idioms: Man No Be God and See Finished
Another word that Nigerians have taken to heart is the word Man No Be God (Man is not God). This word means many things, such as: nobody is perfect, humans make mistakes, and my destiny is in no man's hand.
This is a word that is used depending on the kind of situation someone finds himself in. For example, a man who has been looking for a job went to an office to meet the HR officer in charge of recruitment. After checking his credentials, the HR officer shook his head and said, "You can never find a job here." The man will be furious, but he will either reply Man No Be God (Man is not God / Nobody is perfect / My destiny is not in any man's hand). This means my destiny is in no man's hand, and a man can't decide what I become.
This word is like an everyday word used in so many offices where people come for job interviews, and it is also used in a situation where a man goes to a fellow man seeking help.
Consider this contextual example: A man seeking help from a very rich man, after a trying time, got access to the rich man. The rich man said before he would help him, the man needed to perform a specific task or do some errands for him; if not, he wouldn't help him. The man, seeing the task as demeaning or embarrassing, knew he could never do it or it would ruin his life, so he literally replied Man No Be God (No man is perfect) or (my destiny is in no man's hand). He is literally saying, "I can make it without you."
See finished (Look down on someone due to poverty)
Another word used regularly in a situation that is funny and that tells a story of everyday life is See Finished (Look down on someone / recognize their poverty or brokenness). This literally means "look down on someone, brokenness, or their poverty." One thing about Nigeria is that they use everything to catch cruise (have fun). See Finished (Being looked down upon due to poverty) is like slapping someone to wake up and let them know they are poor and can do nothing about how they are treated.
Consider this contextual example: There is a long line of people trying to enter a public bus, and someone at the bus is inspecting those who will enter. He will be looking at those who are well-dressed and look flashy. When he reaches a broke man's turn—someone who wears faded clothes and isn't well maintained—the inspector will block his path and say, "This no be your level" (This is above you), "go look for another bus" (go find your kind of bus). And the broke man will exclaim, "This na see finished oh" (So you are looking down on me).
Feel free to leave your questions in the comment section below. Happy learning!
Here are about 50 common idioms and expressions in Nigerian Pidgin English, along with their meanings. These are widely used across West Africa.
1. How far? – Hello, how are you? / What’s up?
2. I no fit – I can’t / I am unable to
3. Wetin dey happen? – What’s going on?
4. You too much – You are awesome / Thank you
5. E don do – That’s enough / It’s over
6. No wahala – No problem / It’s fine
7. Wahala dey o – There is trouble / Problems exist
8. Chop knuckle – Greet by bumping fists (respectful)
9. E be like film trick – It’s unbelievable / Seems fake
10. Drop mouth – Be stunned or speechless
11. Hammer – To get lucky / Make sudden money
12. Fall my hand – Disappoint me / Let me down
13. Carry go – Take it away / Go ahead
14. Sharp sharp – Quickly / Immediately
15. Sabi book – Be educated / Book smart
16. No dey use me play – Don’t mess with me
17. E dey your body – You are responsible / It’s on you
18. See finish – Look down on someone (because of their poverty or lack)
19. K leg – Crooked / Something suspicious or wrong
20. E don cast – It’s all over / Failure has happened
21. God go punish you – Curse / Expression of strong annoyance
22. You dey laugh? – Are you joking? / You can’t be serious
23. Shine your eye – Be alert / Don’t be deceived
24. No send – Ignore / Don’t care about (e.g., "I no send your papa")
25. Who send you? – Who asked you? / Mind your business
26. Go slow – Traffic jam
27. Put mouth – Interfere or give an unsolicited opinion
28. Break mouth – Laugh uncontrollably
29. Bitter truth – Harsh reality
30. Catch cruise – Have fun / Enjoy oneself
31. Run mad – Go crazy
32. Hear word – Listen to reason / Be sensible
33. Show face – Appear / Attend an event
34. Cut soap – Behave foolishly or naively
35. Pull leg – Joke / Tease
36. Bone loss – Very lean / Skinny
37. E sweet me – I like it / It pleases me
38. Siddon look – Sit back and watch (without interfering)
39. E don tey – It’s been a long time
40. Man no be God – Nobody is perfect / Humans make mistakes
41. Wetin concern me? – What does it have to do with me?
42. Yawa gas – Big trouble / Serious problem
43. Eye red oh – Become broke / Lose money
44. Spray money – Toss money as a gesture of appreciation (at parties)
45. Dry fish – A stingy or unromantic person (often in dating) or a very slim person
46. Jasi – Infidelity / Cheating in a relationship
47. Mumu – Foolish person
48. Oya – Hurry up / Let’s go / Alright then
49. Your head no correct – You are crazy / Not thinking right
50. Na so – That’s right / Exactly / True
51. Oyo - On your own
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