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 OPEN DEY OPEN CLOSED DON KLOS ENTRANCE ENTRANCE EXIT KOMOT PUSH PUSH PULL PULL TOILET TOILET MEN MAN-DEM WOMEN WOMAN-DEM FORBIDDEN DEM FORBID AM

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___)

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

( )

3

( )

4

( )

5

( )

6

( )

7

( )

8

( )

9

( )

10

( )

11

( )

12

( )

13

( )

14

( )

15

( )

16

( )

17

( )

18

( )

19

( )

20

( )

21

( )

22

( )

23

( )

30

( )

40

( )

50

( )

60

( )

70

( )

80

( )

90

( )

100

( )

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

( )

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)

( mineral)

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?

( 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.

( )

Driving

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

( )

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?

( I fit pay money)