A pink IC does not a Singaporean make, especially if you don’t speak our lingo.
Singaporeans have a slightly lazy and blase cadence when we speak Singlish, which comes to use naturally like a fish takes to water. Ever wondered when should you use lah, leh, lor or hor but find yourself misplacing lah only to the horror of Singaporeans?
Well, not any more. Learn these quintessential phrases to heart and you’ll be on your way to conversing like a pro.
Win already lor
Used in exasperation when someone has managed to come up with a cockamamie excuse for his or her actions or behaviour.
How to say it: “She want black colour, then she complain black is too dark. Win already lor.”
Well, this one is slightly vulgar. It means “to curry favour” and comes from the Malay phrase, “angkat bola”.
How to say it: “She everything also don’t know, only know how to carry ball.”
Sometimes also spelt as “skarly”. It means unexpectedly or suddenly. The original Malay meaning of “once” is lost here.
How to use it: “Eh, sekali tomorrow rain how? Bring umbrella lah.”
Think of this as the Singlish equivalent of OMG. Also used in exasperation.
How to use it: “Eh wah lao eh, how many times she want to change her mind!”
This term does not exist in proper English, but Singaporeans love to say “by right”.
How to use it: “By right, I was supposed to takeover her position, but then she didn’t leave, so like that lor.”
Used when you have resigned to something that you cannot change. Also written as ‘liddat lor.’
How to use it: “How’s work?” “Like that lor.”
Pronounced as “kaypo”, it comes from a Hokkien phrase that means, busybody. Can be used as a description or when you want to tell someone off.
How to use it: “She is super kepo. You tell her something, everyone know already.”
“Go away! Why you so kepo! Mind your own business.”
Cannot make it
Sometimes shortened to CMI. It simply means that the person’s qualifications are not up to par. Usually used in a derisive or degrading tone.
How to use it: “Aiya, you want our football team to make the World Cup in the next few years? They CMI one lah!”
Ok for now, this is the newest but we don’t think it will wear off for the next few months. But who can forget the so-bad-its-good spoof for local sitcom Spouse for House. It’s so un-un-un-un-unbelieveable.
How to use it: “If they tell me I win TOTO, I surely stunned like vegetable.”
Cheryl Lee
