We tell you everything you need to know about Singlish, Singapore’s quirky local lingo that's a colourful mix of languages and slang.
Singlish is a playful, expressive mix of languages and dialects like English, Malay, Hokkien, Cantonese, and more. You may have heard Singaporeans sprinkle words like “lah” or “can” into every sentence. Love it or not, Singlish is a huge part of local culture. Here’s your handy guide to the meaning behind the most common Singlish words, terms and phrases, and how to use them (without sounding too blur). For a deep dive, check out our guides on reasons why we love Singapore and how to order kopi in Singapore.
What is Singlish?
Singlish is Singapore’s version of English: casual, colloquial, and full of character. While English is its base, the grammar, rhythm and vocabulary are shaped by many languages spoken in the country.
One of the most iconic features of Singlish is its sentence-ending particles, such as “lah”, “leh”, “lor” and “meh”. These words don’t have direct translations, but they change the tone of a sentence, adding emphasis, reassurance, sarcasm or disbelief.
Singlish isn’t typically used in formal settings (such as job interviews), but in everyday life, it’s common to hear people using it. Efficient, expressive, and packed with personality, it’s how Singaporeans speak when they’re being their most authentic.
Why Singlish matters in Singaporean culture
To understand Singapore, you’ll need to understand Singlish. It’s how locals connect, commiserate, joke, and get straight to the point. Singlish isn’t something you learn from a textbook; you’ll pick it up by living here, listening in, and having kopi with friends who end every sentence with “lah”.
Born from Singapore’s multicultural roots, Singlish efficiently and informally blends English with words from Malay, Mandarin, Hokkien, Cantonese, Tamil and more. Whether you’re new to the city, visiting for the first time, or a long-time resident who uses these phrases daily, understanding Singlish gives you a deeper peek into how Singaporeans really think, feel and communicate.
Singlish dictionary: All the words and phrases you need to know
1. Act blur
English meaning: To play the innocent card or act ignorant.
Example: “Don’t act blur, I know you pretended to like him for his money.”
2. Agak agak
English meaning: The Malay phrase means to have a rough estimate.
Example: “How much sugar should I add to my tea? Just agak agak!”
3. Aiyoh
English meaning: An expression of surprise, and/or annoyance.
Example: “Aiyoh, what happened to your clothes? Why are they so dirty?”
4. Alamak
English meaning: Singlish equivalent of “oh my gosh” or “oh man”.
Example: “Alamak, I didn’t know today was a public holiday!”
5. Arrow
English meaning: To dump a task on someone else, rather than complete it yourself.
Example: “Ugh, my colleague arrowed me to organise the company event again.”
6. Atas
English meaning: To be posh or of high social status.
Example: “Whoa, I’ve never been to a fine dining restaurant. So atas!”
7. Bo chap
English meaning: It translates to “don’t care” in Hokkien, referring to someone indifferent.
Example: “She’s so bo chap at work, she only does the bare minimum.”
8. Bo jio
English meaning: Hokkien for not getting an invitation.
Example: “You went to Johor Bahru last weekend? Bo jio! I wanted to go too!”
9. Bo liao
English meaning: Feeling bored or idle, like there’s nothing better to do.
Example: “Why did you waste your time on that puzzle? Bo liao!”
10. Boleh
English meaning: A Malay word for “can”, or “possible”.
Example: “You’ll check the flight timings, and I’ll handle the bookings. Boleh?”
11. Can or not?
English meaning: A way of asking if something is possible or can be achieved.
Example: “The project is due tomorrow. Can you finish it or not?”
12. Catch no ball
English meaning: To be absolutely clueless.
Example: “Look at him, floundering all over the place. Catch no ball!”
13. Cheem
English meaning: Something that has you dumbfounded, perplexed, bewildered or confused.
Example: “That exam was so cheem, I didn’t understand it at all.”
14. Chiong
English meaning: To rush, to hurry, or to give your all to complete something.
Example: “We have to chiong to the finish line so we won’t be in last place!”
15. Chope
English meaning: To reserve a place or call dibs on something.
Example: “Can you chope a seat at the hawker centre for me?”
16. CMI
English meaning: The abbreviation for “cannot make it” refers to the inferior attributes of someone (or something).
Example: “This design looks so basic, really CMI.”
17. Come, I clap for you
English meaning: A sarcastic way of praising someone.
Example: “You finally made good on your promise after years. Come, I clap for you.”
18. Diam
English meaning: It’s used to tell someone to shut up, typically in an angry way.
Example: “Eh diam la. The bride and groom are giving their speech.”
19. Die die must try
English meaning: To express something so good that you have to try it – no matter what.
Example: “I’m not kidding, this place has the best noodles. Die die must try.”
20. Eh
English meaning: A way to address people or get their attention.
Example: “Eh, I’m going to check out that new cafe, wanna come?”
21. Eye power
English meaning: Someone who doesn’t extend help. Instead, they just stand around and stare as if their eyes can offer assistance.
Example: “Don’t eye power leh, come over and help us move the furniture.”
22. Geh kiang
English meaning: Someone who acts rashly and without thought.
Example: “If you don’t know what you’re doing, don’t geh kiang.”
23. Huat
English meaning: Hokkien for “to prosper”.
Example: “Huat ah, I got a huge increase in my salary this year!”
24. Jia lat
English meaning: Basically, nothing’s going your way.
Example: “Jia lat, we’re running late for our flight!”
25. Kaki
English meaning: A close friend or buddy.
Example: “She’s my makan kaki. We hunt down hidden hawker gems every week together.”
26. Kaypoh
English meaning: To be a busybody.
Example: “Hey, don’t be kaypoh, just let the couple work out their own problems.”
27. Kena
English meaning: A Malay word to describe being affected by or to receive something negative.
Example: “Help, my boss assigned me a rude client to work with. I always kena the worst clients!”
28. Kiasu
English meaning: A fiercely competitive spirit.
Example: “She’s been in line since 5am to get that toy everyone’s talking about – so kiasu!”
29. Lah
English meaning: A suffix used to emphasise the sentence or word before.
Example: “You’ll do fine on the exam, don’t worry about it lah!”
30. Leh
English meaning: Use ‘leh’ when you’re unsure about something – it’s more like a question.
Example: “I don’t know how to get to the place leh. Can you come pick me up?”
31. Lepak
English meaning: Chilling without a care in the world or loitering around aimlessly.
Example: “I have no plans this weekend, just gonna lepak at home.”
32. Lobang
English meaning: Tips, clues, opportunities or deals.
Example: “Hey, I got lobang for furniture on sale. You in?”
33. Lor
English meaning: It holds a sense of resignation and finality. Think c’est la vie with a sense of ennui.
Example: “My boss doesn’t like me lor, that’s why my colleague is always the one getting the promotions.”
34. Makan
English meaning: The Malay word for eat.
Example: “It’s lunchtime, and I’m hungry. Wanna go makan?”
35. Nua
English meaning: To laze around and relax like a couch potato.
Example: “You’ve been on the sofa all day. Don’t nua at home, go meet your friends!”
36. Own time own target
English meaning: To do things at your own pace.
Example: “Let’s split up into groups and meet back here later – own time own target.”
37. Paiseh
English meaning: A Hokkien term for being embarrassed or shy.
Example: “Paiseh, I woke up late today. Sorry for making you wait.”
38. Pang seh
English meaning: To stand someone up or to cop out.
Example: “He pang seh us to go on a date with his girlfriend again.”
39. Ponteng
English meaning: It’s Malay for “playing truant”, but it can be used if you want to give anything a miss.
Example: “Do you want to ponteng school tomorrow?”
40. Sabo
English meaning: A shortened version of the word sabotage, used when playing a practical joke on others or even causing deliberate harm.
Example: “You betrayed your friend just to win the competition? You’re the sabo king.”
41. Shag
English meaning: To feel physically tired or exhausted. Not to be confused with the English use of the word (if you know what we mean).
Example: “I just ran a marathon yesterday. Shag!”
42. Shiok
English meaning: Fantastic, or to convey feelings of satisfaction and pleasure.
Example: “This prata place has amazing food – so shiok.”
43. Sian
English meaning: Experiencing boredom, a lack of enthusiasm, or just being tired of life.
Example: “Time passes by so slowly when you have nothing to do at work. Sian.”
44. Siao
English meaning: Hokkien for crazy.
Example: “Did you just challenge that bodybuilder to a weightlifting competition? Siao!”
45. Spoil market
English meaning: A Singlish term for overachieving. This is someone who has raised the bar so high that no one can compete.
Example: “You gave your girlfriend a Chanel bag AND a trip to Paris for her birthday? Spoil market!”
46. Steady
English meaning: It can take on different meanings, including agreeing with someone, giving them praise or being in a romantic relationship with a partner.
Example: “I asked her to go steady, and she said yes!” or “Let’s catch the midnight premiere of this show. Okay, steady!”
47. Swee
English meaning: A compliment to describe something as beautiful or perfect.
Example: “I saw your holiday photos in Japan. So swee!”
48. Tak boleh tahan / Buay tahan
English meaning: When you can’t tolerate something.
Example: “Argh, he’s so annoying. Buay tahan!”
49. Tapao / Dabao
English meaning: The Singlish equivalent of takeaway.
Example: “I’m going to tapao lunch from our favourite hawker stall. Want anything?”
50. Tolong
English meaning: A cry for help.
Example: “Tolong la, please lend me a couple of bucks today.”
51. Ulu
English meaning: Somewhere secluded and inaccessible.
Example: “Huh, you want to go to the Kranji farms? So ulu!”
52. Walao
English meaning: An expression of shock, disbelief or dismay.
Example: “Walao, the opposing team won again. It’s so unfair!”
53. Wayang
English meaning: The Malay word for acting in a performance or a show. In Singlish terms, it’s used to describe someone who’s being fake.
Example: “He always wayang in front of the bosses; I can’t stand it.”
54. Zai
English meaning: A Hokkien term that means steady and skilled, used to compliment someone for tackling something calmly, like a pro.
Example: “She’s so zai at her job, all the bosses love her.”
55. Zhng
English meaning: To modify, embellish, or redecorate.
Example: “You zhng your car again? It looks so cool!”
So, which Singlish word, phrase or term do you use most often?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Singlish?
Singlish is an informal way of speaking English in Singapore, influenced by languages like Malay, Mandarin, Hokkien, Cantonese and Tamil. It’s commonly used in everyday conversations and reflects Singapore’s multicultural identity.
Is Singlish a real language?
While Singlish isn’t officially recognised as a formal language, it’s widely considered a creole unique to Singapore. Locals use it daily, especially in casual settings, and it plays an important role in Singapore culture and identity.
Why do Singaporeans use Singlish?
Singlish is efficient, expressive, and feels natural to locals. It helps convey tone, emotion and intent quickly - something standard English doesn’t always do as well. It’s also a social connector that signals familiarity and shared cultural understanding in Singapore.
Is Singlish used in formal situations in Singapore?
Singlish is mostly used in informal settings like conversations with friends, family or colleagues. In professional or official contexts, standard English is usually preferred, but you might still hear a Singlish word slip in casually.
How can I learn Singlish quickly?
The best way to learn Singlish is by listening to how locals speak - at hawker centres, in taxis, or on public transport. Watching local content and picking up commonly used words (like those in this guide) also helps you understand how Singlish is used in real life.
