How to Speak Nigerian

Pronouncing Words Correctly

Start with the 3 vowels that produce single sounds. Like standard English, Nainjá has 5 vowel letters in the alphabet. However, unlike in standard English, 3 of those letters always make the same sound when speaking in Nainjá. The letter "a" always makes an "ah" sound, like the "a" in the standard English word "father." The letter "I" always makes an "ee" sound, as in the standard English word "bee." The letter "u" always makes an "oo" sound, as in the standard English word "cool."

Add the 2 vowels that represent 2 different sounds. The remaining vowels have sounds significantly different from their standard English counterparts. Practice "e" and "o" so that you understand how to make the two sounds. The letter "e" sometimes sounds like the "a" in the standard English word "bay." However, it can also sound like the "e" in the standard English word "bed." The letter "o" often makes an "oh" sound, like the "o" in the standard English word "bone." However, it can also sound like the "aw" in the standard English word "law."Tip: Nigerian pidgin is primarily a spoken language. Standardized spelling for Naijá was only introduced in 2009. If you see a written word and don't know which of the two sounds the letter makes, listen to the word spoken by a Nigerian.

Work on consonant combinations that don't commonly occur in standard English. Most of the consonant blends in Naijá are pronounced the same way as in standard English. However, there are a few consonant combinations that come from other Nigerian languages, such as Yoruba and Igbo. In these, the letters are pronounced separately, rather than blended together. The combination "gb" sounds like the "g" and "b" in the standard English phrase "big ball." The combination "kp" sounds like the "k" and the "p" in the standard English phrase "pick pears."Tip: Most consonants and consonant pairs make the same sounds in Naijá as they do in standard English. However, the "th" in a word derived from English will typically be replaced with a "d" or a "t."

Alter the pitch of your voice to speak in high and low tones. Because Naijá is a tonal language, the pitch of your voice can alter the definition of a word. There are 2 tones in Naijá, a high tone and a low tone. The high tone sounds similar to how you would raise your pitch to ask a question in standard English. In written Naijá, a high tone is indicated by an accent mark ( ´ ) over the vowel. For example, the word "babá" means "an old man." It starts with a low tone and ends with a high tone. However, if you say the same syllables but start with a high tone and end with a low tone, you've instead said the word for "barber," "bába."

Recognize how pronunciation changes in different regions. Even though Naijá is commonly spoken throughout Nigeria, it is rarely anyone's first language. The native languages of different regions of Nigeria influence how Naijá is spoken in those regions. For Hausa speakers in the north, the English letter "p" sounds like an "f," while the "f" sounds like a "p." The word "perfect" would sound like "ferpect," while the sentence "Paul fell down" would be "Faul pell down." Igbo speakers in eastern Nigeria approximate sounds for the letters "j," "p," "l," "g," and "z" because the Igbo language doesn't have these sounds. So, for example, "goat" sounds more like "coat," while "left" sounds more like "deft."

Having Basic Conversations

Greet people casually with "how far." This phrase may look like you're asking someone in standard English how far away something is, but it's actually a casual way to say "hi" in Naijá. Use this greeting with friends and people around your age. When pronouncing "far," drop the "r," and say "fah," similar to how you might pronounce the word in British English.

Follow up with "How you dey?" This question is similar to saying "How are you?" In standard English. It's considered less casual, but can be used with anyone. If you're speaking more casually, you might say "Wetin de happen?" This is similar to saying "What's up?" or "What's happening?" in standard English. The common response is "I dey fine," which means "I'm fine." If you're greeting someone older than you or in a position of authority, you would normally lead with this instead of saying "how far," which would be considered to casual.

Use "no wahala" to say "no problem." The word "wahala" by itself means "trouble," so when you say "no wahala" you're saying "no trouble," similar to saying "no worries." This is a common phrase you'll hear frequently if you're traveling in Nigeria. If someone thanks you for something, you might respond "no wahala." The same phrase is also appropriate if someone bumps into you or says "excuse me" when trying to get through a crowd. When "wahala" is used by itself, it may refer to a specific person who is causing trouble or giving you trouble. It can also refer to overall stress or general difficulties you're having with something.Tip: You may also hear "no wahala" used sarcastically, such as if you've offended someone. Pay attention to facial expressions and body language to better understand someone's true meaning.

Refer to older people as "auntie" or "uncle." Showing respect for people older than you is a big part of Nigerian culture. These titles are used not just with elders but also with people who are only a few years older than you. Use "auntie" for women and "uncle" for men. If you refer to a shopkeeper or a server at a restaurant as "auntie" or "uncle" this communicates respect, even if they're not older than you. Showing manners and respect can help a lot if you are trying to navigate Nigeria.

Add "abeg" when asking a question. The word "abeg" actually means "please," in Naijá, so you'll hear it a lot. Most commonly, it's put at the beginning of a sentence when you're asking someone a question. For example, you might say "Abeg, where de bathroom dey?" ("Please, where is the bathroom?") You could also use "abeg" to express displeasure at a price. A lot of haggling goes on in Nigerian markets, so a phrase like "E too cost abeg" ("That's too expensive") could come in handy.Tip: If you want to say "thank you" in Naijá, say "you do well."

Negate something by adding "no." If you want to say that you don't understand something or don't have something in Naijá, it's as simple as adding "no" to the word for the thing you don't have or don't understand. You can see this pattern in "no wahala," which means "no trouble." For example, if you say "I no no," it means "I don't know." You could also say "I no sabi," which means "I don't understand."

Using Common Naijá Expressions

Double words to intensify their meaning. Naijá speakers say a word twice instead of using a word like "very," as you would in standard English. If you double and adjective, it's similar to adding the word "very" or "extremely." When you double a verb, on the other hand, it's similar to adding the word "always." For example, if you say "bad bad," you mean that something is extremely bad. You could also double the Naijá word for "buy" and say "bai bai" for "always buying" — perhaps to describe someone on a shopping spree. You can also add "oh" to the end of a word or phrase to intensify its meaning. For example, you could say "nawa," meaning "wow," but if something really wowed you, you might say "nawa oh!"

Add the marker "na" to emphasize part of a sentence. Because Naijá is a tonal language, you can't necessarily use the pitch of your voice to focus the emphasis of your sentence. That's where the particle "na" comes into play. Simply say it before the part of your sentence you want your listener to focus on. For example, if you were haggling price with someone at a market and they told you that perhaps someone else would lower the price but they wouldn't, you might reply "Na you a de tok to," which means "It's you I am talking to," with the emphasis being on "you." "Na" can also be used where you would say "this" or "that" in standard English. For example, you might say "Na naif John tek kot fish" to mean "This is the knife John used to cut the fish."Tip: Use "na so?" (meaning "Is that so?") as a reply when someone's telling you something, to keep the conversation going and show them that you are listening and understand what they're saying.

Say "you dey ginger my swagger" if someone makes you happy. If you're visiting Nigeria and want to impress a local, this phrase might do it. It's a fun phrase to say, and basically means "you spice up my swagger." Use it when someone has a positive or inspiring effect on you. If you want to compliment a person further, you might tell them that they are handsome or beautiful. If you're talking to a man, say "bobo you too fine." If you're talking to a woman, use "babe" instead of "bobo."

Try throwing in "chop" ("to eat") figuratively. If you travel to Nigeria, you'll likely hear "I wan chop," meaning "I want to eat" or "I'm hungry," frequently. But Naijá speakers also use the word "chop" in creative ways to express how they feel about something. For example, if you don't like something, you might say "I no chop that," or simply "no chop." If an "area boy" was harassing you, this might be a good response (an "area boy" in Naijá is a local teen that loiters on the streets).