Alright, this is my entry for the Speak Your Own Language Day, so let’s see how it goes…
First ah, I got one chart I sui sui found on google just for this.
“Alamak, why like that?” = “Oh my god, how did things turn out this way?”
Same meaning as “Walao eh!” (Hokkien)
“Eh, this kopitiam like not bad sia, wan makan here anot?” = “Hey, this food place seems pretty popular, do you want to eat here?”
“Can lah.” = “Of course!”
“Liddat lor.” = “It’s just like that.”
“This leh?” = “What about this?”
“Can meh?” = “Is this possible?”
“Ey shit, paiseh ah, forgot liao.” = “Oh no, I’m sorry, I forgot this.”
(Yes “shit” is somehow not a curse word here, everyone says it all the time, including children. Nobody censors it.)
5. Kaypoh or KPO (Hokkien)
“You ah, sibei kaypoh leh.” = “Why are you such a busybody?”
“Eh, you damn steady ah.” = “Wow, you’re pretty good at this.”
(I don’t know why it’s here, I hardly ever hear this anymore.)
“Wah air-con damn shiok sia…” = “Wow, the air-conditioned room feels so refreshing.”
(I think people in Florida feel our pain. 35 deg C, 85% HUMIDITY AND NO SEASONS ISTG—)
“Ey you damn bo liao sia…” = “You have nothing better to do.”
“My ahma sibei kiasu. Go pasar malam in the morning for what?” = “My grandma is so impatient! Why would she go to the night market in the morning?”
(Hah. FOMO? Kiasu came first. It’s literally in our blood. Singaporeans are allergic to waiting.)
“Wah this restaurant so atas confirm plus chop sibei ex one!” = “Wow, this restaurant is so extravagant, it must definitely be expensive to eat here!”
Combination of “A-Bo” = “if not” (Hokkien) and “then” (English). Meaning: Duh.
Used to describe some who is absent-minded, inattentive or clumsy. A common phrase is “Blur Sotong”. Sotong is Malay for squid.
Example: “You blur like sotong.”
Tamil origin. Used to describe a clumsy or fat person.
Malay origin, evolved from the word “cap” which is “to mark” or “to stamp”. Means to claim or reserve something.
Example: “This seat I chope already hor, don’t anyhow ah…” = “I’ve already reserved this seat so don’t try anything funny…”
(Yes yes, our infamous choping culture. It’s a trend btw. I think the wildest thing I’ve seen someone used to chope a seat was their phone. Yep. Not kidding.)
Hokkien origin. Means “crazy”.
Example: “You siao is it?” = “Are you crazy?”
Malay origin. Means friend.
Example: “Eh don’t go home late ah, later you end up got kaki then you know.” = “Don’t come home late, or else you might invite a ‘friend’ on your way home.”
Swee la, done liao. Any kaki who reached here, ya’ll damn steady lah! I wan go toh on my bed liaoz. Bye.
