Singlish 101:

Singapore has four official languages (English, Malay, Mandarin Chinese, and Tamil), but the unofficial national language is "Singlish" – a vibrant, colloquial English creole. Learning a few common terms can help you better understand locals.

Singlish is primarily used in informal settings – among friends, family, at hawker centers, and in everyday casual conversations. It's known for its efficiency and brevity, often cutting out grammatical elements common in Standard English like verb conjugations and plurals.

What is Singlish?

Here are some Most Used Singlish Terms

🔵 "Lah," "Lor," "Leh," "Meh": These are common particles added to the end of sentences for emphasis, emotion, or nuance. Example: "Can lah!" (Yes, you can!), "So expensive, lor!" (It's really expensive!), "Cannot leh." (No, I can't / It's not possible.)

🔵 "Makan": (Mah-kahn) Meaning: To eat, or food. Usage: "Let's go makan!" (Let's go eat!), "Got good makan here." (There's good food here.)

🔵 "Shiok": (She-ock) Meaning: Fantastic, superb, delicious, pleasurable. Used to express strong satisfaction, especially with food. Usage: "This chili crab is shiok!"

🔵 "Kiasu": (Kee-ah-soo) Meaning: Fear of losing out. Describes someone who is afraid of missing an opportunity or being at a disadvantage. Often used humorously. Usage: "He's so kiasu, always lining up first."

🔵 "Chope": (Chop) Meaning: To reserve a seat, usually at a hawker center, by placing a tissue packet, umbrella, or business card on the table. Usage: "I chope the table while you order the food."

🔵 "Uncle / Auntie": Meaning: Respectful terms used to address older men and women, especially hawker stall owners, taxi drivers, or shopkeepers. Not literally your relatives. Usage: "Uncle, two char kway teow, please!"

🔵 "Ang Moh": (Ung-moh) Meaning: Literally "red hair," a colloquial term for a Caucasian person. Not usually used offensively, but more as a descriptive term.

🔵 "Jio": (Jee-oh) Meaning: To invite someone to join an activity. Usage: "Jio me for dinner later!"

🔵 "Wah / Wah Lau": (Wah / Wah-low ) Meaning: An exclamation of surprise, amazement, shock, or even disappointment. Usage: "Wah, so many people!" or "Wah lau, that's expensive!" (A stronger exclamation.)

🔵 "Can": Meaning: Very versatile. Can mean "yes," "possible," "okay," or "can do." Usage: "Can we go now?" "Can!"

🔵 "No need": Meaning: No need for that, it's unnecessary, don't worry about it. Usage: "Do you want a bag?" "No need."

🔵 "Bo jio": (Boh-jee-oh) Meaning: Literally "no invite." Used jokingly to express that you weren't invited to an outing or event. Usage: (Seeing friends enjoying food) "Wah, you all makan without me? Bo jio!"

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