Anyone who knows me very well would know that I speak Pidgin English wella! Oh yeah, I roll like that too… Lol
We can’t deny that Pidgin English has come a long way in Nigeria. Maybe we’d discuss the origin of the language some time later, but for sure, it has come to stay. Now we have Songs, Movies, TV Programmes, Radio & TV Stations where only Pidgin is spoken and they’ve all made a huge impact on the society.
There’s something about Pidgin English that just makes the mood lighter and makes everything seem so funny. However, proverbs in Pidgin usually have a very strong meaning. Although it might be said as a joke or in a funny way, when you translate it properly, it thoroughly makes sense!
Here are some courtesy of Mayo Bayo of tlkdrum.com:
Craze no hard to form, na the trekking be wahala
loose translation: Easier said than doneNo matter how hot your tempa be, e no fit boil beans
loose translation: Calm down, your temper won’t solve the problemChicken wey run way from Borno go Ibadan go still end up inside pot of soup
loose translation: You can’t run away from your destinyToday’s newspaper na tomorrow Suya wrap
loose translation: Keep calm! Nothing lasts foreverCow wey dey in a hurry to go America go come back as corn beef
loose translation: Just be patient. Let the game come to you. Don’t rush!Akara and moin moin get the same parent, na wetin dey pass through make dem different
loose translation: How you start doesn’t matter, what matters is how you finish.Leave matter for Mathias and Sabi for Sabinus
loose translation: Give everyone what they deserve.The difference between kpekere and plantain chips na packaging
loose translation: Don’t judge based on appearance aloneEscort me, Escort me, na im slave trade take start
loose translation: Serious things sometimes start like a jokeThe water wey dem use take make eba can never be recovered back
loose translation: Don’t cry over spilled milk
Which proverb do you think has the strongest meaning? Do you have any other proverb in Pidgin to add to this list? Feel free to share.
39 Comments
Racheal Laye Edward
January 5, 2015 at 9:34 pmLMHO
Lol
Helena kings
January 5, 2015 at 9:44 pm“Today’s newspaper na tomorrow suya wrap”, I like the most.
Another reassurance that no bad condition is permanent.
Lioness
January 5, 2015 at 10:14 pmNa the small cooperation wey water and garri get Na im make am dey rise. Meaning………. Peace is better than War.
victoria
January 5, 2015 at 10:21 pmNice one
Thelma
January 6, 2015 at 12:34 amEscort me, escort me, na im make slave trade start… this what I like most. It makes so much sense. 🙂
I love Naija pidgin
Victor
January 6, 2015 at 9:44 amTrue o. No be today nyash dey bak. Nothing is new
Lilian
January 6, 2015 at 9:58 amNa true talk b dz
Edike Chichi
January 6, 2015 at 12:34 amBig mouth dey talk, big ear dey listen, goat dey chop big ear yam. -Make hay while the sun shines
joy
January 6, 2015 at 4:08 amNo do no do na him dey form small pikin….had I knw is the brother to Mr late lol
Terry
January 6, 2015 at 7:27 pmabeg make person No die wit laughter hère abeg…
tharry
January 6, 2015 at 10:20 amI no gree, I no gree nai dey tear cloth……two wrongs can’t make it wright
Tuoyo
January 6, 2015 at 12:54 pmThis is lovely though…the first one got me the most. Thank u for this
D j rock star
January 6, 2015 at 3:14 pmHi step u are more than the nolly wood star as I thought. Those proverbs are hard nice one
Israel
January 6, 2015 at 5:10 pmHere’s one..
Sufri sufri catch monkey. –
Be patient in what ever u want to do.
Monkey de work, baboon de chop.
aniekwe gabriel
January 6, 2015 at 7:31 pmCarry me, I carry you na I’m make rice full pot. Meaning; there’s strenght in unity
chinaveen
January 6, 2015 at 10:10 pmNo matter how yansh smart reach… Breast dey first am enter house ….meaning…what will be will be
No akpere (basket) for rotten mangoes .. Meaning..No time for irrelevant things
Na from clap dem dey enter dance…meaning..be careful one act can lead to a regretful end
Na wetin u look troway face your neighbour take pass you…meaning don’t overlook everything, it might be your success in disguise
rita
January 6, 2015 at 10:27 pmLeg wey dey waka kurukere eyes wey dey waka kurukere dey see am. Meaning nothing is hidden under the sun.
ini asuquo
January 7, 2015 at 9:45 amHahahahahaha dis is so funny, craze no hard to form, na the trekking be wahala.
nelly
January 8, 2015 at 12:56 amGimme yansh make I do small no mean say I sell ma yansh gi u
kwadwo asare safo
January 8, 2015 at 2:09 pmna waaoo nice proverbs. like them all
austin
January 9, 2015 at 8:32 amNa cooperation dey make rice full pot
Mimi
January 11, 2015 at 2:16 amOhkpolo eyes nor b open eyes . . Meaning : big eyes no mean say u wise. . .
Ahhahhahahahah
I love them all
Joel Ryan-Brew
March 1, 2015 at 12:07 pmNigerians go kill us with their Pidgin Proverb oooo
I like all of them.
keep it up
Aaron
May 13, 2015 at 1:21 pmPikin wei go well, go well.
Meaning- wat’ll be, will be….
The palace
June 6, 2016 at 5:13 pmFly no dey smell something make e troway eye
The palace
June 6, 2016 at 5:16 pmOne does not test the depth of a river with both feet
Aaron
May 13, 2015 at 1:25 pmMonkey smart monkey smart, na bcus tree near tree…..
Aaron
May 13, 2015 at 1:35 pmNa good morning dey result to how are you………..
Professorval
October 1, 2015 at 1:40 pmNa fowl wer never see knife de disturb crowd…
Awal
February 5, 2016 at 12:18 amIt will be killer and a chiller when i got the Gorilla in Manila
Awal
February 5, 2016 at 12:22 amIf I die im save if I’m alive i’m not save
Vibrant
July 21, 2016 at 11:57 amNa too much brother gud morning da course brother were u da go=over similarity/closness can cuss insult
person da big pass madam put rice one meat=we do upgrade
Lawrenzo
January 19, 2017 at 11:37 pmogoro and water get same color but na deir action diffrent
Rubbie
July 1, 2017 at 2:03 pmChicken wey run way from Borno go Ibadan no wan make boko haram kill am nd im no wan end up for sambisa forest…………..keep helping Nigerians in laughing away their sorrows
Remi Rahmon
September 2, 2017 at 3:48 pmPerson wey dey cut onions and person wey dey use wet wood dey make fire na dis same problem dem face. Means everybody wit his/her own cross
Mr trump
September 11, 2017 at 5:35 pmIf fowl use as em tke dey shit dey clean yanch person no fr dey see road waka.
TOHEEBnice
October 4, 2017 at 2:21 pme go beter e go beter na him make omo igbo day kano.meaning to be a man is not eazy
YUNG JAY
January 24, 2018 at 2:51 pmths proverbs over make sence abeg..
na dis kind tin der make person laugh for serious situation
Bestieoutfit
May 19, 2018 at 7:14 amAbeg pls Biko shift lemme faint….I can’t stop laughing