Nigerian Pidgin Proverbs That Will Surely Make You Laugh

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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 done

No matter how hot your tempa be, e no fit boil beans
loose translation: Calm down, your temper won’t solve the problem

Chicken wey run way from Borno go Ibadan go still end up inside pot of soup
loose translation: You can’t run away from your destiny

Today’s newspaper na tomorrow Suya wrap
loose translation: Keep calm! Nothing lasts forever

Cow 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 alone

Escort me, Escort me, na im slave trade take start
loose translation: Serious things sometimes start like a joke

The 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.

Comments

January 5, 2015

Racheal Laye Edward

LMHO
Lol

Reply
January 5, 2015

Helena kings

“Today’s newspaper na tomorrow suya wrap”, I like the most.
Another reassurance that no bad condition is permanent.

Reply
January 5, 2015

Lioness

Na the small cooperation wey water and garri get Na im make am dey rise. Meaning………. Peace is better than War.

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January 5, 2015

victoria

Nice one

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January 6, 2015

Thelma

Escort me, escort me, na im make slave trade start… this what I like most. It makes so much sense. 🙂
I love Naija pidgin

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1. January 6, 2015
  
  Victor
  
  True o. No be today nyash dey bak. Nothing is new
  
  Reply
2. January 6, 2015
  
  Lilian
  
  Na true talk b dz
  
  Reply
January 6, 2015

Edike Chichi

Big mouth dey talk, big ear dey listen, goat dey chop big ear yam. -Make hay while the sun shines

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January 6, 2015

joy

No do no do na him dey form small pikin….had I knw is the brother to Mr late lol

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1. January 6, 2015
  
  Terry
  
  abeg make person No die wit laughter hère abeg…
  
  Reply
January 6, 2015

tharry

I no gree, I no gree nai dey tear cloth……two wrongs can’t make it wright

Reply
January 6, 2015

Tuoyo

This is lovely though…the first one got me the most. Thank u for this

Reply
January 6, 2015

D j rock star

Hi step u are more than the nolly wood star as I thought. Those proverbs are hard nice one

Reply
January 6, 2015

Israel

Here’s one..
Sufri sufri catch monkey. –
Be patient in what ever u want to do.

Monkey de work, baboon de chop.

Reply
January 6, 2015

aniekwe gabriel

Carry me, I carry you na I’m make rice full pot. Meaning; there’s strenght in unity

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January 6, 2015

chinaveen

No 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

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January 6, 2015

rita

Leg wey dey waka kurukere eyes wey dey waka kurukere dey see am. Meaning nothing is hidden under the sun.

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January 7, 2015

ini asuquo

Hahahahahaha dis is so funny, craze no hard to form, na the trekking be wahala.

Reply
1. January 8, 2015
  
  nelly
  
  Gimme yansh make I do small no mean say I sell ma yansh gi u
  
  Reply
January 8, 2015

kwadwo asare safo

na waaoo nice proverbs. like them all

Reply
January 9, 2015

austin

Na cooperation dey make rice full pot

Reply
January 11, 2015

Mimi

Ohkpolo eyes nor b open eyes . . Meaning : big eyes no mean say u wise. . .
Ahhahhahahahah
I love them all

Reply
March 1, 2015

Joel Ryan-Brew

Nigerians go kill us with their Pidgin Proverb oooo
I like all of them.
keep it up

Reply
May 13, 2015

Aaron

Pikin wei go well, go well.
Meaning- wat’ll be, will be….

Reply
1. June 6, 2016
  
  The palace
  
  Fly no dey smell something make e troway eye
  
  Reply
  1. June 6, 2016
    
    The palace
    
    One does not test the depth of a river with both feet
    
    Reply
May 13, 2015

Aaron

Monkey smart monkey smart, na bcus tree near tree…..

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May 13, 2015

Aaron

Na good morning dey result to how are you………..

Reply
October 1, 2015

Professorval

Na fowl wer never see knife de disturb crowd…

Reply
February 5, 2016

Awal

It will be killer and a chiller when i got the Gorilla in Manila

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February 5, 2016

Awal

If I die im save if I’m alive i’m not save

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July 21, 2016

Vibrant

Na 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

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January 19, 2017

Lawrenzo

ogoro and water get same color but na deir action diffrent

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July 1, 2017

Rubbie

Chicken 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

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September 2, 2017

Remi Rahmon

Person 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

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September 11, 2017

Mr trump

If fowl use as em tke dey shit dey clean yanch person no fr dey see road waka.

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October 4, 2017

TOHEEBnice

e go beter e go beter na him make omo igbo day kano.meaning to be a man is not eazy

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January 24, 2018

YUNG JAY

ths proverbs over make sence abeg..
na dis kind tin der make person laugh for serious situation

Reply
May 19, 2018

Bestieoutfit

Abeg pls Biko shift lemme faint….I can’t stop laughing

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