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10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) - Nairaland / General (3) - Nairaland

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Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by lakesguy(m): 1:40pm On Oct 03, 2019
Wattabout kapachumarimarichupako? undecided
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by imam07: 1:41pm On Oct 03, 2019
Enu gbe
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by olu77(m): 1:41pm On Oct 03, 2019
SEGLIZ:

if járá is not Yoruba, what then it?

Jara is hausa confirmed.

1 Like

Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by Nobody: 1:41pm On Oct 03, 2019
jadeliyi:
you have done well jare. grin
abi na
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by KingOfAmebo(m): 1:42pm On Oct 03, 2019
10000followers:
These slangs would be hard to explain to a non-Nigerian.

Every country has unique traditions as well as slangs, which are spoken throughout the country. In Nigeria, there are slangs unique to secondary schools, university life, and even regions of the country. Foreigners might have a hard time understanding these slangs and locals might have a hard time explaining them. Here are a few of the slangs unique to Nigeria street life.


1. Ehen!

This exclamation has different interpretations, depending on the context in which it was used. It could mean "I get it", "and so?" "yes", "okay", "continue", "as i was saying", "that reminds me", etc.

*Credit*-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikWJnVxd4Es

.
2. Jara

Jara is a noun derived from the Yoruba language and it means to add extra or give a freebie after something has already been bought or paid for, at the seller's discretion. E.g. "Please add jara".

3. Osha pra pra

This salutation is used when one is praising another, which is loosely translated to mean "you are dope!". It is mostly used in the street to hail/greet a friend or acquaintance who is passing by.

4. Ajebutter

Ajebutter, ajebo, 'bota' or 'botti', simply refers to one who is born with a silver spoon. It can be loosely translated to mean "bourgeoisie". E.g. "That babe is an ajebutter".

5. Lepa/Orobo

Lepa is a noun that refers to a sexy slim woman. E.g. "That lepa babe is hot". Orobo is loosely the opposite of lepa. It refers to a sexy plump/ thick woman. It can also be used as a derogatory remark.


6. Ashewo

This noun is a slang for sex workers. It can also be a derogatory term.

7. Amebo

This word is used to refer to a person who likes to gossip or spread gossip and cannot be trusted. It can also be used to refer to gossip itself. E.g. "You too like amebo" or "That girl is an amebo".


8. Abi/shey/ba

Abi, shey or ba are slang that act sort of like punctuation. They are mostly used for confirmation after a statement, thereby turning it into a question. They are like the English "right?" E.g. "You are coming for my party, abi/shey/ba?"

9. Over-sabi

This is a noun referring to someone who is a busy-body, or mocking someone who over-performs his/her intelligence/knowledge. E.g. "I did not ask you, over-sabi."

10. Kolo

This verb means to go crazy or mad. This can mean literally or metaphorically depending on the context. E.g. "He don kolo".
Credit-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikWJnVxd4Es

.

Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by Iceberg3: 1:43pm On Oct 03, 2019
you have done well jare.

That #1 is cool..

Btw,osha pra pra to all CnHds

grin
lzaa immhotep
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by googi: 1:43pm On Oct 03, 2019
Very interesting topic.

sofiscatedmoron:
lagos slangs and not nigerisn slangs

You may be wrong here. I was surprised that Lagos Yoruba is taught as a separate subject from proper Yoruba in Ivy league schools.

But then, I remembered that we burst out laughing when one of our friends wrote us back at home that he had a part-time job at his University teaching Yoruba in America.

Now broken English is taught as a subject also. So these slangs are identified as Nigerian.

1 Like

Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by SEGLIZ: 1:45pm On Oct 03, 2019
olu77:


Jara is hausa confirmed.

good.
I grew up knowing and believing it is Yoruba, even at this age of mine so funny.
thanks.
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by limamintruth: 1:45pm On Oct 03, 2019
olu77:


Jara is hausa

It's pronounced as 'gyara' in Hausa. Yorubas then amended theirs to 'Jara'.

1 Like

Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by Carlyboi(m): 1:46pm On Oct 03, 2019
Ogun kee you nko op it’s been quite popular for a while now
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by balraf(m): 1:47pm On Oct 03, 2019
nsogbuaduro
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by Shamgonjo: 1:48pm On Oct 03, 2019
Op the word Jara was actually derived from hausa word (Gyara) which means to add or amend, not Yoruba as you claim. in Yoruba is jeni
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by Abdulhakeem7(m): 1:48pm On Oct 03, 2019
jara is Hausa language and not Yoruba's
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by Allison012: 1:48pm On Oct 03, 2019
what of "Lemme come and be going"

1 Like

Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by Iceberg3: 1:53pm On Oct 03, 2019
Op,what about Otapiapia?

I hear it's for *rats*...

cheesy grin cheesy

Lzaa do you agree?

1 Like 1 Share

Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by betterpikinn: 1:54pm On Oct 03, 2019
RealLordZeus:
Jara is not Yoruba
it's IPOB OSU. abi?
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by Guestlander: 1:54pm On Oct 03, 2019
RealLordZeus:
Jara is not Yoruba

Did he mention Yoruba in his post?
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by sayaya101(m): 1:56pm On Oct 03, 2019
"Jara" is not yoruba, the word "jara" deriverd from hausa word "gyara" which was twisted to "jara" due to improper pronounciation from those that are not hausa's
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by olu77(m): 1:58pm On Oct 03, 2019
limamintruth:


It's pronounced as 'gyara' in Hausa. Yorubas then amended theirs to 'Jara'.

That is correct. Yorubas living in the north made it popular and since the correct spelling was never sought they used they used yoruba translation.
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by Teeisaac(m): 1:59pm On Oct 03, 2019
RealLordZeus:
Jara is not Yoruba
But what?
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by thundafire: 2:05pm On Oct 03, 2019
No real Nigerian will go a day without saying any of this words
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by justmenoni: 2:05pm On Oct 03, 2019
Op, I can still give some meanings to some of those words
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by Bsmartt(m): 2:06pm On Oct 03, 2019
O she Jare @OP.
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by Onlydaughter(f): 2:08pm On Oct 03, 2019
You forgot

Aproko: putting mouth in what doesn't concern you

Chai/ chei
Na so
Nko
Omo mehn
Nna ehn
cheesy
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by OlawaleBammie: 2:09pm On Oct 03, 2019
Successlane:

Really?
Thought is Hausa - meaning extra.
Na yoruba
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by Perkins1: 2:11pm On Oct 03, 2019
Wetin Osha PRA PRA dey find for the list?

Wetin?
Waka?
Kai?
Oga?


Op you don mad

Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by OlawaleBammie: 2:12pm On Oct 03, 2019
googi:
Very interesting topic.



You may be wrong here. I was surprised that Lagos Yoruba is taught as a separate subject from proper Yoruba in Ivy league schools.

But then, I remembered that we burst out laughing when one of our friends wrote us back at home that he had a part-time job at his University teaching Yoruba in America.

Now broken English is taught as a subject also. So these slangs are identified as Nigerian.

U mean YORUBA stands as a course in one of USAs universities
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by Mustaphakehinde: 2:12pm On Oct 03, 2019
Ehen !
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by phlame(m): 2:13pm On Oct 03, 2019
OlawaleBammie:

U re missing den

I meant No. 3...
Re: 10 Slangs Only Nigerians Can Understand (hilarious) by CanadaOrBust: 2:13pm On Oct 03, 2019
No place like Naija. So much fun from her multi ethnicity

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