In Singapore, English is widely spoken even though we may be made up of a diverse group of people of four main races - Chinese, Malays, Indians and Eurasians.
Not really familiar with the Tamil languange, but here's a few phrases that may be useful. Have fun practising!
Malay:
- Yes - Ya
- No - Teedak
- Hello - apa kabar
- Good bye - se la mat jalan
- Thank you - terima kasih
- Same - sama sama
- Do you speak English? - Ta-hoo-kah ber -da ha sa Ingris?
- I don't understand - Sa-ya tee dak fa-ham
- Help! - To-long!
Mandarin:
- Hello - Ni hao (Nee how)
- How are you? - Ni hao ma? (Nee how ma)
- Very good - Hen hao (hun hao)
- My name is. . . - Wo de mingzi shi. . . (Wuo duh mingzuh shih ...)
- Please - qing (ching)
- Excuse me - Duì bú qi (dweì bú chi)
- Thank you - Xiè xiè (shièh shièh)
- Do you speak English - Ni huì jiang Yingyu ma? (Nee huei jeeang Ying you ma.)
- I don't understand - Wo ting bù dong.
- Danger - weí xiàn (way shien)
- Friends - péngyou (pung yo)
- Good-bye - Zaìjiàn (dsaì jiàn)
Singaporeans also have their own language called Singlish which is a blend of English, Malay, Hokkien, Cantonese and Mandarin - speak these and you'll pass for a local!
- One chicken rice to take away - One Chicken Rice da bao.
- Don't be so difficult/hard/agressive - Don't be so kiasu lah.
- Don't need a camera tomorrow - Tomorrow dun need camera
- Not good - not good one lah
- Where is the bus stop - Where bas?
- Oh my gosh!/What - Alamak!
- Good grief this is expensive - Wah liao so expensive lah
- Ok - Ok lah
- Correct - Corright
- Don't be like that - dun lai dat lah
- Black Coffee - Kopi Oh
- He doesn't know what he is doing - He so blur lah
- I am flying Singapore Airlines - I fly SQ lah
- I can't hear you, can you repeat - repeat again or Ha?
- Iced Coffee - Kopi Ais
- How is that possible - How can lah?
- I want to go to Orchard Station - I wan go Orchard MRT.
Have fun!
