Nigerian Pidgin phrasebook Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

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.

a, e, i, o, u

b, ch, d, f, g, gb, h, j, k, kp, l, m, n, ny, p, r, s, sh, t, v, w, y, z

ai, au, ia, ie, oi, uo

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)

. (abeg )

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 ?)

I am looking for__?

( I de look for___)

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 ?)

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12

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13

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14

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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

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40

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50

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60

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70

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80

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90

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100

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200

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300

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1,000

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2,000

( )

1,000,000

( )

1,000,000,000

( )

1,000,000,000,000

( )

number _____ (train, bus, etc.)

( )

half

( )

less

( )

more

( )

now

( )

later

(leta )

before

( )

morning

(day break )

afternoon

( )

evening

( )

night

( )

one o'clock AM

( )

two o'clock AM

( )

noon

( )

one o'clock PM

( )

two o'clock PM

( )

midnight

( )

_____ minute(s)

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_____ hour(s)

( )

_____ day(s)

( )

_____ week(s)

( )

_____ month(s)

( )

_____ year(s)

( )

today

( )

yesterday

( )

tomorrow

( )

this week

( )

last week

( )

next week

( )

Sunday

( )

Monday

( )

Tuesday

( )

Wednesday

( )

Thursday

( )

Friday

( )

Saturday

( )

January

( )

February

( )

March

( )

April

( )

May

( )

June

( )

July

( )

August

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September

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October

( )

November

( )

December

( )

black

( )

white

( )

grey/gray

( )

red

( )

blue

( )

yellow

( )

green

( )

orange

( )

purple

( )

brown

( )

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 ___? )

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!

( )

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. )

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.

( )

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) )

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.

( )

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)

( mineral)

Do you have any bar snacks?

( )

One more, please.

( )

Another round, please.

( )

When is closing time?

( )

Cheers!

( )

Do you have this in my size?

( e dey for my size?)

How much is this?

( how much be this)

That's too expensive.

( this one to expensive o)

Would you take _____?

( You go take___?)

expensive

( )

cheap

( )

I can't afford it.

( I no go fit buy am)

I don't want it.

( I no want am)

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.

( drug)

...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.

( )

I want to rent a car.

( I fit borrow motto)

Can I get insurance?

( I fit get insurance)

stop (on a street sign)

( )

one way

( )

yield

( )

no parking

( )

speed limit

( )

gas (petrol) station

( )

petrol

( )

diesel

( )

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?

( I fit pay money)