Local Language Translator For Singapore

"Lah"? "Leh"? "Shiok"? What do these mean? And what is Singlish really?

Singlish is Singapore’s unofficial street language - colorful, expressive and rooted in its multicultural mix. It blends English with Malay, Hokkien, Tamil and more, creating phrases like “Can lah” or “So shiok” that carry tone and emotion beyond standard English. Used mostly in casual settings, Singlish reflects how Singaporeans connect, joke and express themselves. Understanding it means tuning into the everyday rhythm of local life.

Singlish Terms For Everyday Use

Singlish Term	Meaning/Context	Example Of Use
Can anot?	Is it possible?	“You do this one can anot?” (“Is it possible for you to do this?”)
Where got time!	I don’t have the time for that.	“He asked me to re-do the project sia where got time!”
Sian...	That’s unfortunate	“Wah sian the one I wanted is sold out.”
Shiok!	Very enjoyable	“Eating ice cream in this weather is damn shiok!”
Walao eh!	I can’t believe it! (Complaining)	“Walao eh she gave me a C for my paper!” (“I can’t believe she gave me a C for my paper!”)
Alamak!	Oh my goodness!	“Alamak I forgot to bring my wallet!”
Bojio!	Why didn’t you invite me?	“You went to the new cafe yesterday? Bojio!”
Shag...	Very tired	“I just ended my CCA I damn shag sia.”
Paiseh	Ashamed/Embarrassed	“Paiseh sorry I forgot about our meeting.”
Chope!	To Reserve	“We chope seat first then go order food!” (“Let’s reserve a seat first then order food!”)
Kiasu	Fear Of Losing Out/Competitive	“He queued up from 2am to get the new toy sia so kiasu!”
Mafan	Troublesome	“I’m going to stay at the dorm because very mafan to keep travelling back and forth.”
Aiyo	Sigh/Disbelief	“Aiyo why did you do that?”
Aiya!	Dismissive	“Aiya it’s okay lah!”
Sabo	Sabotage	“He tried to sabo our project!”
Lobang	Insider Connections/ Contacts For Something Good	“I can’t find a good rental eh you got lobang?” (“I can’t find a good rental, do you know anyone?”
Pon	Skip	“I’m planning to pon lecture to sleep.”
Onz!	Let’s Do It!	“Wanna go to the beach tomorrow?” ”Ok onz!”
Steady	Impressive/Cool	“You got an A+? Steady lah!”
Liddat	Like That	“Why you explain it liddat one?”
Ang Moh	Western Person	“I think the new exchange student is an ang moh.”

Ordering Coffee

At hawker centres and food courts, you won’t hear “latte” or “flat white.” Instead, you’ll hear phrases like kopi C siew dai peng - which translates to iced coffee with evaporated milk and less sugar.

It’s a fast, efficient system that reflects Singapore’s love for precision and flavor. Once you crack the code, ordering kopi becomes a fun way to feel like a local and maybe even impress the kopi uncle behind the counter.

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Local Language Translator

"Lah"? "Leh"? "Shiok"? What do these mean? And what is Singlish really?

Singlish Terms For Everyday Use

Ordering Coffee

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