How to Survive Lagos: 8 Pidgin Phrases That Stop You From Getting Played 🇳🇬🚩

本站添加: 2026-05-11

[00:00:00]Over the years, I have discovered something that is very very very very paramount and it's something that we as humans we tend to overlook. Not exactly everyone but most of you in this situation or that is the reason why some of you are so powerless. Some of you don't. People don't respect you wherever you go to because I've turned to understand that language does so much in the life of humans. Like everywhere you go, you communicate with people.

[00:00:33]Some of you have been in Nigeria for a very long time. Others are planning to come to Nigeria. And some of you are planning to, you know, come to Nigeria for investment, for business. Some of you have fiances in Nigeria. you are in a relationship like serious relationship in Nigeria but the problem is that you struggle with understanding Nigerian pigeon English struggle with understanding how Nigerians actually communicate then you are not wrong because today I'm going to be decoding how Nigerians communicate because sometimes on the road if you don't know the particular words to use when you are on the road when you are communicating with people you keep getting lost and you feel like people are actually just confusing you but the problem is that you don't understand them and where there is no understanding what is going to be there confusion people go people go confused where and you know that communication is not complete without understanding without I'm telling you communication is not complete without understanding everywhere you go you need to communicate you need language that is how important language is I'm talking to you right now it is language this is English. I'm communicating with you in English and also in pigeon. So, wherever you go to, don't let anybody deceive you. Language is power and if you don't know how to harness language, you will keep missing out.

[00:02:01]There are four essential things in life.

[00:02:04]Food, clothing, shelter. But the last and the most important of them all is how to communicate and understand people. Because if you cannot communicate and understand people, you cannot have clothing, food and shelter.

[00:02:18]These three but communication surpasses this all. Communication is very very important guys. I'm so happy we are now 500 in our tribes and we are growing. I mean obviously we are growing because people want to learn how to decode this word. So when they come to Nigeria they are no longer feeling lost. They are actually flowing in conversations. They know what to say and they know exactly what someone said when in a particular context. Okay? Because I told you that context matters more than the grammar.

[00:02:53]Some of you go ahead to practice the grammar. Some of you go ahead to practice the word. Some of you go ahead to cram these words, but you don't understand the meaning of these words.

[00:03:02]You don't understand how to use them in sentences. And when people also use these words, you get confused. You be like, "No, that's not what it means.

[00:03:11]you're confused. You be like, "No, that's not what it means."

[00:03:16]The problem is that you memorize words and you leave out the context behind those words.

[00:03:24]Memorizing the words or knowing the words and is not enough. In pigeon you have in Nigerian communication pigeon English you have to understand it because if you don't understand what this person is communicating or what this person is trying to say to you there will be confusion you will keep getting confused and you'll be like oh I thought you said this now you now he's saying that let me tell you some most of the time whenever you communicate with your your friends or whoever and you want um whenever you communicate with your friends and there's always this loop or you people don't or you tend to fight more and more. I don't know how to explain this very well. It's because you don't understand yourself. It's because something you communicated seems wrong to the opposite. Because I can be talking to my sister and then we're arguing about something like this. I said this and then she translate it to meaning this x y and zed and then she's saying you said this to me you know you told me this I don't know ma'am you you understand you you but I I be like ah but this is what you told me and then she like oh no I didn't mean it like that this is what this is what it actually means so context is very very important in Nigerian pigeon English you should listen for the context you should listen for the context because context is very veryant important the context the situation who is speaking because you can hear how far in a in a professional settings and hear how far on the strings they don't mean the same thing okay because the thing is the thing is some of you that's why that's why I always like going live I like coming to talk to you oneon one because that is time that's the time I get to spend time with you and understand this words with you so you can start using it in conversation So you can start using these words in conversations very well because there is one thing when you know when you when you're in a space and you know the language that they communicate with you are able to flow with them. You are able to flow with them. You you become so confident. You can raise your head up. I say yes I know what this person is saying. So when you carry your bags and when you come to Nigeria or when if you're already in Nigeria when you're bargaining in the market on the street, you know exactly what to say to that customer to get them to give you at a very good price. Some of you are sleeping on it. Clarity doesn't like it doesn't take a long time to learn how to speak pigeon English. It just takes the right breakdown. And some of you are being so nonchalant to learning how to speak paging English. People are winning with it. If you see foreigners speaking pigeon English, it's because they took their time to learn how to speak pigeon English. See, let me tell you the the best one of the best way to win a Nigerian lady's heart is to learn how to speak her language. Look at if you can communicate to her in her language.

[00:06:25]Trust me, CJ.

[00:06:27]You like you've won her heart because definitely you're trying to impress her.

[00:06:31]You're trying to impress that lady by learning her language, learning her culture. That is that is enough for that lady to give you respect. I'm telling you, if a man should sit down and know and tell me, "Oh, babe, I'm I'm going to do this for you. This, okay, I'm I will learn your language and then I so that I can flow with your people." Do you know that's already a win? That is already a win.

[00:06:55]So, today I'm going to show you words that you can use on the road, practical words that so when you go when you're on the road, when you're talking to somebody, they know exactly what to do.

[00:07:05]You're telling them, you're not like, "Okay, I'm confused about this." No, you're seeing it that this is the intention. This is the intention behind this word that I use. And they're picking it up immediately. You're using this words. I told you I don't teach you pigeon words. Okay. If you want to learn pigeon word, you could go look on Google. No, we Yeah, of course. What is this? And then it will tell you. But we decode how Nigerians speak. My name is and I help foreigners understand how Nigerians actually speak and think so.

[00:07:34]you don't end up feeling lost in real conversations and in professional settings. And yeah, who said preach English cannot be used professional settings? Who talk and say P cannot be used in professional settings because a language that over how many millions of people speak in Nigeria, you cannot tell me that language is not important because if it's not so important, no like no many people will be speaking it.

[00:07:55]Many people know what they speak to tell you how important it goes and it's it's it's it's widely spread across every town like every state in Nigeria.

[00:08:07]Okay, there are so many diverse language but learning pigeon is the standard and knowing how knowing how to speak pigeon English already gives you an edge. That would be the difference between Mr. A and Mr. B. Mr. A and Mr. B planning to come to Nigeria. Mr. A is already getting know he's prepping and learning how to speak Nigerian culture because when he comes here he wants to socialize um learning how to speak PG English he wants to socialize because he understand the fact that man cannot make an island he understand the essential of communication how essential it is because when you come here to determine whether you or not your trip will be so successful or whether or not you will vibe or whether or not you're going to have a great time is dependent on who you can communicate with and you know communication in general because if you don't know how to communicate there's already a huge restriction there's already a huge what restriction guys I want you to click on the I want you to subscribe I want you to subscribe because what I'm giving you here is free gems free gems gin I don't know I don't know what to call it disturb my life okay my English is terrible My English is terrible. But anyways, let us get into the class. Let us get into the class. I want you to grab a pen and a jutter. Grab anything, whatever. Open your notepad. Maybe you could be listening. I don't know. I I think I like the Tik Tok um live because I get to like write. So, if you're streaming this, if you're watching the replay, if you're watching the replay, whatever you just If you're yet to subscribe, do well to subscribe because you're going to go that's the only way you you you keep seeing my face. If you don't subscribe well and I didn't I like to take notes so I don't like dy because look at me I'm already ranting I don't leave the thing I'm supposed to I don't they talk another thing follow the script I mean that's how that's how important this is I cannot it cannot be overemphasized on okay so you are not wrong sometimes it's just it's just the context one word can have different meaning one word can have different meaning let's say that you're on the road I want you to imagine yourself on the road to um 2:00 p.m. in the afternoon, the the the the sun is like is scratching like really really hard on the street of Lagos or Abuja or wherever just say wherever you are in Nigeria. Just imagine yourself. I want you to put yourself in that position and you're trying to get to you're trying to get to the bank. You want to do some quick transaction.

[00:10:42]What would you say to get in order for you to get to your location? How would you approach a person? What do you say to this person? Because some of you will freeze at that point in time.

[00:10:53]Because if you say open your mouth to say the right words, you're already winning. What you say determines what you get.

[00:11:02]Yes. What you say that's the same thing like you praying to God. God, you know, I want a Guushian and a Fendy purse.

[00:11:09]God, you know, I want to make so much money this year. you these are the words you're expecting that in return God will give you all of these things that you desire right it's the same thing with language what you open your mouth to speak what you open your mouth to say that's what you get in return I'm going to teach you how to use these words when you see when you when someone is walking past you how do you ask that person for direction now let's get very very practical let's get very very practical so that you don't still on that scorching sun and be confused not knowing what direction to Take when you see somebody or when you want to ask for direction from somebody, you want to approach that person for the first time. You might not know this person before, you have to exchange pleasantries. You have to greet.

[00:11:55]Mhm. Mhm.

[00:11:58]You have to exchange some sort of pleasantries, you know, to make that person know that, oh, you're together, I date with you. Okay. So, what do you say? You might be saying, you know, okay, what do I say to this person?

[00:12:12]Because already some don't they beat me and again I need to get to the bank before the bank closes. The bank closes by 400 p.m. and you in a hurry.

[00:12:20]You tell that person or how far or madam how far or fine girl how far or babe how far. You tell that person how far. First of all that is an informal way of greeting. And this is only applicable to people on your age range. people that all of you are on the same age range.

[00:12:43]Okay? So, it's it's a casual way of, you know, talking to somebody, greeting somebody because if you misplace this, you would think wherever you see somebody and you squeeze half, you're going to put yourself in trouble. That's why I said that this is a casual way of greeting somebody. But it is not applicable to everybody. If you say half to an elderly person, you're in trouble.

[00:13:06]You are in trouble. That's why people they don't tell you this. They just say you know grace in pig English half means what's up. You cannot tell what's up to an older person in Nigeria. Let me tell you respect is everything. Respect is everything for Nigeria. So you say bros how far? Bruss is like saying bro you know the way you know the way you guys do abroad. You say bro what's up now bro? What happened? Like um so you say boss. So brus means bro. If you're talking to a guy that is your your age range or whatever, then if it's a lady, if it's a lady, you say, I don't know, you could say you could say babe. You could say fine woman or I don't know, whatever.

[00:13:54]But whatever you you say how far to that person? Hey, how far now? Then the person responds day. that person will obviously smile because you just pulled the person in. Do you know how there are some person that know how to rule people in with their speech with what they say?

[00:14:09]So I just ruled you in by asking you or by saying how far to you in this context. I'm I'm just like saying hello to you. We're exchanging pleasantries and then I I respond with I do. Then what do you say next? Because you're trying to get them to direct you to a particular place you're going to because remember you're trying to get you're trying to move from that hot scorching sun. You're trying to get to the bank.

[00:14:33]That person has responded to your how far and then you said ideal. Now what do you say next? Because you have to keep the conversation going. You don't say how far and then you freeze hoping the person will read your read your mind.

[00:14:44]That person is not a mind reader. And remember that you're trying to get out of that scorching sun. So what is the next thing that you should say? What is the next thing? I I told I promise that today's life is going to be very very practical. And I'm I'm I'm actually like ranting because I want to get this off the contest. All of these are in my structure. I've already put all of this in my structure in my system. Once you click on the link, you get it. That's why whenever I come on live, I try to teach you all of these words. What is the next thing that you say to that person? What is the next thing you say when you're trying to okay, you want I'm trying to ask you how do I get to the bank? How do I get to the bank?

[00:15:22]Or that person might even ask me where you they go.

[00:15:26]That person might even ask me because I've been I'm trying to be friendly with this person. This person's already is already buying into me my vibe because I said how far obviously I've already gained some sort of respect and trust from you. So the person might then ask you ah where you they go you know sort of where you go and they be like so where you go them asking you where are you going to where you they go where you they go what do you respond with? If person ask you say where you they go what do you respond because now you've not even told the person where you're going to. The person is now asking you because you look like you're confused. You look like you're trying to get out of that hot scorching sun and you're trying to get to the back. So the person ask you where you they go. What do you respond? I don't want you to freeze because that's where some of you get it confused.

[00:16:18]That's why some of you you know uh mess up the whole thing. If someone to ask you where you they go at this point in time, you go talk say ah I they go bank I they go bank I they go market depends on where you're going to where you they go where you they go where you go I go bank this is communication if this is not communication I don't I don't know what else is communication I don't know what else is communication guys I want you to tap on on your screen. Tap on your screen, guys.

[00:16:55]I'm giving you free gems. Tap on your screen.

[00:17:00]Where you they go? Oh, I they go bank.

[00:17:05]I they go bank. Where you they go? I they go bank.

[00:17:11]Then it's left for that person to tell you how to get to the bank.

[00:17:16]Mhm. And trust me, that person will tell you how to get to the bank. Because for that person to ask you where you they go, it means that that person is really interested. That person is interested in you. Not interested like romantically.

[00:17:28]No, no. I mean that person wants to like that person is like ini vibing with you and that person wants to get to your direction to get to where you're going to. So this is the thing you see daily on the street. This is the things you see daily on the road because if you don't know how to navigate on navigate things on the road knowing the right words to say you cannot even do much I tell you all the time I tell you these things that food clothing shelter that's just three but there's one missing communication and how to understand people because without communicating and how to understand people you miss the rest you miss the all three all see shelter food, clothing becomes useless without communication and understanding people. Mhm. Mhm.

[00:18:14]Because if you can't communicate, you can't buy food. You can't if you can't communicate, you can't you can't you you can get a roof over your head. You can't. So, how do you do it? How do you do it?

[00:18:29]By learning how to speak the language of the people.

[00:18:33]When you learn how how they do for that, how they relate for that, how they talk for that side. When you come that side, when you deal with them, you will not say no shaking. You know what you they do. You don't you don't you don't get embarrassed when you say when somebody talks to you because you don't know what to respond back. You don't even give the awkward laugh because you know exactly what to say. These are all of the things I teach in my system. These are all of the things I tell my my my students to do.

[00:18:59]Mhm. And if you're wondering my I have oneonone I take I take my student on oneonone classes. I take my student on oneonone class. If if you're in my community, forget it. You you you're either going to learn or you're going to learn.

[00:19:12]So I'm giving you clarity today, but you can choose confusion. The life is not for everybody. The life is not for everybody. Okay?

[00:19:22]But if you are the person if but now what if you're the one that wants to ask that person or tell that person this is where you're going to you want to get to that place how do that person direct you say I they go you mention where you're going to I go then you mention the place I go bank I go take rich there I'm doing long phrases today I go bank madame boss I go take there or how I go take go bank or how go take rich bank then the person will tell you okay do this do that do this do that do that do that do that but you know you cannot just bump into somebody and just tell the person that they go you have to exchange pleasantries respect in Nigeria is very very important like I it cannot be overemphasized if you want anything just know just know the right words to say the right words to say is you automatically respecting them nobody's saying to go and bow down and worship them nobody Nobody tell you to you know you know nobody tell you to do all of those you know humble humble things.

[00:20:29]The right words is actually respect with the right tone. The right situation, the right context, you're already doing a lot.

[00:20:41]And don't forget, there's a magic word.

[00:20:44]There is a magic word. At the end of the day, I'm going to tell you how you can get people to speed up things with you.

[00:20:49]Like if that delay your time, you want them to like hastening up. I'm going to show you how to. If you stick with me, I'm going to show you how to do that.

[00:20:56]But first of all, there is a magic word to all of these things. You cannot just come to me and you're not being polite.

[00:21:04]I'm going to just leave you to yourself.

[00:21:08]So the thing with communication is knowing exactly what to say. So now I come to you and I'm telling you that this is me and I need help. What do I say? I must add the magic word I beg.

[00:21:20]You know they say that please excuse me.

[00:21:22]Sorry. Thank you. I mean I beg is also a magic word in Nigeria and I beg doesn't always does not always mean please. It depends but in this situation I beg is please.

[00:21:35]And then if you want to know the other meanings of I beg, click on the link on the bio. Click on the link and get and gain clarity.

[00:21:43]I've put all of these meanings of I beg in my structure in my system.

[00:21:49]You keep procrastinating. I want to learn. I want to learn.

[00:21:53]So now I beg is a soft request.

[00:21:58]I beg is what? Is a soft request because I beg how I want take reach that place.

[00:22:06]Soft request. That person will consider you. I said that person is mean and evil. Mhm. If that person is mean and evil, just leave that person. But then you know how to use I beg. I beg. See where they go. or help me go to so and so please place that is the magic word I beg how far is the magic word as well cuz it's entrance you're trying to enter into the conversation you're trying to get into that conversation you open the conversation with how far and I told you that it's a casual greeting you cannot use how far with everybody if you want to understand how to use how far with everybody click on the link in my bio check my system now so I beg here is a soft request because you're trying to get them to do something for The easiest way to get someone to do something for you in Nigeria is using the word I beg. Quote me anywhere.

[00:22:55]Cojuno said it.

[00:22:58]As a foreigner navigating the street of Nigeria or even over in workplaces as well. It's a soft request to get them to tell you. And some of you think I beg just only means please. That's why you keep getting it all wrong. I've break all of this down in my system.

[00:23:15]I break all of this down in my system because if you don't know this, you keep getting lost. You keep getting the conversation wrong. So whenever you go, you're using I beg, I beg, I beg, I beg, I beg, I beg. And people are looking at you awkwardly because they know we the locals, we know that we can use I beg like five times and it means five different things entirely.

[00:23:38]Mhm. I know that you're shocked. Oh my god.

[00:23:42]I'm shocked as well.

[00:23:45]You see, P English is very, very flexible.

[00:23:48]P English is very, very flexible.

[00:23:51]And it's not even hard. It doesn't take a whole year to learn how to speak P English. It just takes the right breakdown. It just takes the right breakdown. So, I'm teaching you how to navigate the road in Nigeria because this is what you see when you get into my system. I will show you definitely how to get them to do something for you.

[00:24:09]How to get to your destination with the right pigeon words because not every word you can use. Okay? Not every pigeon words applies in this context guys. Hold on.

[00:24:21]Not every pigeon word applies. You cannot be using I beg throwing a beg everywhere everywhere. You have to understand when to use a beg. You have to understand when to use how far.

[00:24:33]You have to understand when to to say what you want to say.

[00:24:38]Okay. So nobody's rejecting you in Nigeria. It's just your words. It's just the word. That is the problem.

[00:24:45]It's just the words. That is the problem.

[00:24:48]And if somebody say um or and you're trying to ask that person for direction, that person just immedately say, "Oh yeah, wait. I come." Oops. I think you have to just go because if you think if you if you wait for that person, most of the time you're going to sit and wait forever. You're going to sit and wait till rapture comes because that person will not come.

[00:25:10]Most of the time, like 90% of the time, Nigerian tell me I come. Just go to the next person because you're trying to leave the hot scorching sun. Just go to the next person because I come in Nigeria means a lot of things for different people because if you don't understand that, you keep missing the conversation.

[00:25:25]You keep missing the conversation. You know when they putting these words together. So I come can mean different things for different people. I come can be like I'm not interested. You know, because obviously they can be in in a hate and then you're telling them to direct you on how to get to the bank.

[00:25:39]They like they come and they come.

[00:25:40]They're leaving you. They're going, but you're confused. But this person saying they come and then you're waiting. Hopefully they they're going to come. They're not coming.

[00:25:51]They're not coming. Especially if especially if you guys are strangers.

[00:25:57]Sometimes they might even be so caught in the crowd that they forget that they actually told you that they coming.

[00:26:02]Mhm.

[00:26:04]and they and they telling you that they're coming. They're not giving you any specific time. They say 1 hour time, 5 minutes time. Like, so why do you keep waiting? That's what how that's the that's the thing. You take this words and you try to translate them literally.

[00:26:18]You try to take you take this word and you try to, you know, translate it word for words. You cannot box speech into one speech because it won't fit.

[00:26:26]It needs to free itself like a bird that you box up in in in a cage. It can't fly. It's restricted. Pigeon is not restricted. So, one word can apply for different meaning. One word can mean a whole different thing for a whole new different people.

[00:26:44]One word can mean different things for different people.

[00:26:50]Okay guys, hold on.

[00:26:56]So, sometimes when they tell you when they tell you no, they don't automatically tell you no. They don't open their mouth to tell you no. They don't want to talk to you. They don't want to direct you. They can just, you know, do some body language to you, say some words, but they're not necessarily telling you no. Because Nigerians, they know how to put their words in social context, but they don't want to hurt your feelings. They don't want to hurt your feelings. So, they know how to just, you know, program their words. So, when somebody says, "Ah, I'm coming and they come," they might not actually they not the man, they might not actually be invested. They might not actually be interested. But then you're sitting there waiting that that person is going to come immediately.

[00:27:30]That person will attend you immediately.

[00:27:32]Just move.

[00:27:35]Guys, I'm getting a call.

[00:27:40]Hold on guys. I want you to tap on your screen.

[00:27:45]I want you I'm this is I'm giving you on this life. You will not get it anywhere.

[00:27:52]You will not and and you are staying because you're choosing clarity over confusion. And I'm happy for you because not everybody are so decisive. This year many people promise yourself a lot of things that they're going to do. Oh, you know, I'm going to get my goals right.

[00:28:04]I'm going to do this. I'm going to do that. Are you doing the things you promised yourself? You said you wanted to learn how to speak pretty English.

[00:28:09]Are you actually taking your time to learn? Some of you don't even follow me.

[00:28:12]That is it's crazy. But it's the fact I said that this time around I'm going to start reading. Where's my book? I said I was going to start reading and but I've been doing that. It's a consistency.

[00:28:26]But you do it for the transformation because nobody I would tell you that no none of you wake up in the morning and feel so excited to go brush their teeth.

[00:28:32]I've never seen any individual on planet earth that wakes up and say, "Oh my god, I'm so excited. I want to go brush my teeth." Never. I've never seen it. It doesn't happen. I'm talking to you. It doesn't happen the history of time. You don't wake up and feels to go brush your teeth. But you still do it anyways. Why?

[00:28:51]Because you still do it anyways. You still brush your teeth. Why do you still brush your teeth? You brush your teeth because you don't want to go out there and feel embarrassed.

[00:29:00]Mhm.

[00:29:03]Because when you relate with people, you don't want people to get the wrong vibe.

[00:29:06]You don't want them to perceive that you're a dirty person. So you brush your teeth whether whether or not you feel like that is pity English. You learn it for the transformation. You learn it because of what you stand to gain. You learn it because you don't want to go outside and be perceived like a JDC.

[00:29:18]You're not a journey just come. You want to blend easily with people. And one way to burn is with people is with language.

[00:29:26]Wherever you go to, wherever you go to, you behave like them.

[00:29:31]You behave like them. You take up the identity.

[00:29:34]You know, it's not because you're doing it because you you're doing it for the transformation. You're doing it because of what you stand to gain.

[00:29:43]when it travel to