Discover Singlish — Singapore's unique twist on English! Here are some words and phrases you need to know.
Singlish can be fun — breaking the rules often is — but it can also get confusing if you’re not a seasoned aficionado. Slang, a naturally occurring phenomenon, adds to this confusion. While we’ve taught you how to order local coffee like a pro, knowing your kopi from your kopi-o won’t keep you updated with the latest lingo. Don’t stay out of the loop; you might need a translator for dinner conversations.
First things first, what’s Singlish? It is the spicy, colourful twist on English that you’ll hear all around Singapore. Singaporeans often pepper their sentences with “lah” or “meh” — not musical notes.
Linguists call it Singapore Colloquial English, but we think it’s fun! Since the 1970s, Singlish has sparked plenty of debate. The government isn’t its biggest fan, urging folks to stick to standard English to keep communication smooth with the rest of the English-speaking world. But let’s be honest: where’s the fun in that?
Here’s a little primer into some Singlish words and phrases you die-die-must-know!
10 Essential Singlish words and phrases you need to know
1. Because it’s liddat (Because it’s like that)
A popular alternative to ‘I don’t know’ as an answer to tough ‘why’ questions.
“Why is that building shaped like a durian?”
“Because it’s liddat!”
2. ‘Cher
No, we’re not talking about Cher, the goddess of pop, but a short form of tea‘cher’. You might hear the kiddos whip this one out!
“Cher! May I got to the toilet, please?”
3. GG (Good Game)
Once a respectful acknowledgement of a worthy opponent in a match, now a sarcastic congratulation.
Example:
“My teacher just gave us extra homework this weekend; I can’t go for the outing.”
“GG, man.”
4. Play cheat
To cheat or break the rules.
Example:
“Did you hear about Canada’s Olympic spying scandal? Gold medallist, but also must play cheat, meh?”
5. Mugging
To study very hard.
Example:
“My boy spent the whole night mugging for the final ‘O’ Level paper.”
6. Chiong
To rush something that needs to be done urgently.
Example:
“Gosh, we need to chiong to meet this deadline!”
7. Pon (short for Ponteng)
To cheat, run away or play hooky.
Example:
“Are you going to pon the meeting at 5pm?”
8. Steady
‘That sounds good’
Example:
“Want to play video games at my house?”
“Steady!”
9. Chope
“chope” is commonly used to mean reserving or saving a seat or spot.
Example:
“I need to run an errand. Can you chope a spot next you during lunch?
10. Shiok
To describe something delicious or simply good.
Example:
“Man, this chilli crab is shiok!”
Can you think of more Singlish phrases? Share them with us at [email protected]
This article was originally written by Sheralyn Loh in 2017 and updated by Jay Panicker in 2024.
