That's interesting cos I grew up in Lagos and my understanding of "Wo!" is that it's like a warning. I'm more familiar with it being used in a threatening manner like, "Wo! I will slap you oh?!"
I was just literally thinking about how “na wa oo” or just “na wa” doesn’t have a proper translation to English. I wouldn’t call it an onomatopoeia bc its more than just a sound lol
I disagree. This one has several meanings depending on the intonation used with it. There are certain cuss words in the English language or words like "OK" that also change bas d on intonation in the same way.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehen!
I absolutely love this post. I'm not Nigerian, I'm Kenyan but there's this one word that no one can translate. "Aki" like I don't even know how to type possible meanings from Swahili to English 💀
Okay maybe like:
"Damn can you imagine"
"Be forrrreeeeal!"
'No way"
"Are you serious?"
These are vague and probably depend on person to person. But it's a word of stressing something
I think it's more about the weight the word carries. Trouble works, but wahala is also trouble, and shege is a step up from wahala. Rambling now, but I hope you get the point.
Kini-ye (My spelling sucks, don't blame me)
The amount of headaches I get trying to understand what my mom is pointing to because she can't remember what it's called.
I think in English it would "um" or "that thing"??
I think you mean "Kini yen?" it means what is that?
"Kiniyi or kilele yi" it means what is this or what is this supposed to mean? Depends on who or what she's referring to and context matters to
That ‘na’ has taken quite an etymological journey before it became what we know it as today. It’s origin is a direct translation of the yoruba “se o ri nisin”. Meaning ‘do you see now’. It suggests that there was doubt before but it has all become clear now. ‘You see now’!!
Then that ‘now’ or ‘na’ started being used to convey insistence. ‘Come now!’ Doesn’t just mean come, it means I desperately want you to come.
Omo
* puts both hands on the head* in surprising shock or bewilderment 😂
“Chileee”
Man/dude/bro/sis/mate
"Bruh"
“As in”
My fave
"fam"
Bruhh
Omo literally mean ‘child’ but again the meaning has been expanded.
The pronunciation is different. So even though they are spelt the same, the pronunciation means two different things.
Nko
'Also or too', that's how I input it in sentences sha.
sha
Anyway
Ewo! Chai! Wo!
Ewo! is so hard corrre I'm an irredeemable culprit haha, especially when the sudden rush hits
Ewo! Would mean …. “Oh no” Chai would mean …. “Goodness!” Wo … ???
Wo is a sigh of frustration
That's interesting cos I grew up in Lagos and my understanding of "Wo!" is that it's like a warning. I'm more familiar with it being used in a threatening manner like, "Wo! I will slap you oh?!"
How about “Wo! Me I don’t know what to do anymore o.”? You had to have heard something along those lines growing up.
Yeah Depending on context and inflection Eg As a sigh of frustration Wo I Don tire
Chai in much of the world means tea, and is delicious.
Not the way Nigerians use it. A similar word to Chai is Kai!
"Ewo!" still as an exclamation but drawn out can also be used to convey pity or sympathy.
I was just literally thinking about how “na wa oo” or just “na wa” doesn’t have a proper translation to English. I wouldn’t call it an onomatopoeia bc its more than just a sound lol
Na wa = it's a pity/ it's a shame
Also unbelievable
I think the emphasis and drama / flair that 'na wa o' has will be missing when translated to 'what a pity'
Heiii🙆🏽♂️
It’s like that emoji was made for that one lol 😂
ewe!!
*FFFUUUUUCCCK
Shebi😂
"isn't it that..?" "is it not so?"
Spot on😂👌🏼
Ngwanu
So Igbo this one
We have a winner
Tufiakwa. Also can't be explained without accompanying fingers-over-head snap.
It means 'God forbid'.
This one is so Naija 😂
What language is this?
It's Igbo
"Nndo" It's not the same as "I'm sorry". It's more like "I feel your pain", but nothing captures the sentiment in English.
Don’t forget to add “oo?” for extra empathy “Nndo, oo? It’s ok” 😅
Hahaha! Very correct 👌
Sympathize? Empathize?
Condolence
That's more for a bereavement, and is pretty formal. So it's not equivalent, IMO
That is the context in which it is most used. But etymologically it’s just con-dolere, to suffer with another
Look at you busting out the big grammar! I will concede to your learned opinion.
😂
Ekabo na Welcome! Wetin be Eku ile ooo?
Eku ile is like wishing the house (in this case the person that is reciving the greetings house) happiness or something like that.
Toh
I think it's like someone saying, "well!"
‘Enough’ . It’s another way of saying let’s put the matter to rest.
“ke” nothing in english captures adding ke to the end of a phrase
me ke
Oya
Let's go!
“Oya stop crying” = “Let’s go stop crying”?
I think it can also be interpreted as “come on”. So it’ll be “Come on, stop crying”
O ya means "it's time (to) "/" the time is now
Just thought about it. Same.
This is like “Ngwanu” in Igbo
Vamanos!
What of "oya na"
Omo, eyah, doh
Eyah & doh = sorry/ take heart imo.
Pele.
Sha!
Lagbaja vs tom dick and harry
Ngwa Nna ehn
Ehen
[удалено]
I disagree. This one has several meanings depending on the intonation used with it. There are certain cuss words in the English language or words like "OK" that also change bas d on intonation in the same way. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehen!
Khaki no be leather G-string and catapult Dey resemble but dem no Dey do the same work 😤
kuku or you sef
I absolutely love this post. I'm not Nigerian, I'm Kenyan but there's this one word that no one can translate. "Aki" like I don't even know how to type possible meanings from Swahili to English 💀 Okay maybe like: "Damn can you imagine" "Be forrrreeeeal!" 'No way" "Are you serious?" These are vague and probably depend on person to person. But it's a word of stressing something
Abi Sha Jare
jare - “please” abi - “is it not?” sha - “still”
You gerrit 
“Sha no go there”, “no worry sha” “nobi me carry am sha” your sha no enter o But the others are right though.
it works for every single one though 😅 it doesn’t sound right because the sha is translated so the rest of the sentence should be too
Weyyyyyy Really? Sharp. Clear.
Shege
trouble?
I think it's more about the weight the word carries. Trouble works, but wahala is also trouble, and shege is a step up from wahala. Rambling now, but I hope you get the point.
to me they’re synonymous & i’d include gobe in as well. perhaps i don’t have the experience that would give shege more “weight”.
Abeg 😀
This is like “please”, “come on” depending on the context, right?
Right.
“Oga”, “comot”
“Pim” – as in “If I hear pim, ehn, you no go remember your mother the way I go deal wit you well well.”
Pim = a sound😂
Correct. Our onomatopoeia is so funny sometimes 
Well well
Sharap
I know that means “Shut up” lol
You gorrit 😂
abeggggg (whether it’s annoyed, dramatic, happy, tired, etc)
“Please.” It’s literally “I beg” lol
I know what it means but i’m saying there is no english word that captures “abegggg” in the way you say it in pidgin
Kukuma
I thought na stands for its.
i literally had to translate “na” for my boyfriend the other day & was stumped. i settled on “though”.
“Ewo lewo” - greeting.
Check the ground, make you no go fall. If you fall, wahala ti e niyen
biko, aboki, dey play, corna corna lol
Biko = please Dey play = keep joking
Kini-ye (My spelling sucks, don't blame me) The amount of headaches I get trying to understand what my mom is pointing to because she can't remember what it's called. I think in English it would "um" or "that thing"??
I think you mean "Kini yen?" it means what is that? "Kiniyi or kilele yi" it means what is this or what is this supposed to mean? Depends on who or what she's referring to and context matters to
In English, we would say “watchamacallit” or “thingamajig.”
Na you Sabi... 🤣 🤣 🤣
Ehya
E choke
That ‘na’ has taken quite an etymological journey before it became what we know it as today. It’s origin is a direct translation of the yoruba “se o ri nisin”. Meaning ‘do you see now’. It suggests that there was doubt before but it has all become clear now. ‘You see now’!! Then that ‘now’ or ‘na’ started being used to convey insistence. ‘Come now!’ Doesn’t just mean come, it means I desperately want you to come.
Shey you understand
Da The amount of frustration and feelings can't be explained.
Ah ah