Singlish
Singapore English
Germanic
Singapore English (Singlish, Standard Singapore English / SSE) is the variety of English in Singapore, with ~3.4M speakers across two registers: Standard Singapore English (formal, intelligible globally) and Singlish (basilectal, distinct grammar with Hokkien/Malay/Tamil substrate features). Singlish features: utterance-final particles (lah/leh/lor/meh), zero copula, topic-prominence. Government discourages Singlish in formal use; widely embraced as cultural identity.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Singapore English
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Germanic
| Meaning | Singapore English | Malaysian English | Nigerian English | Ghanaian English | Kenyan English | Welsh English | Philippine English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔtɚ/ |
| Fire | fire /fajə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪɚ/ |
| Sun | sun /san/ | sun /san/ | sun /sɔn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʌn/ |
| Moon | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ |
| Star | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /stɑr/ |
| Night | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ |
| Rain | rain /reːn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɾeɪn/ | rain /ɹeɪn/ |
| Snow | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoʊ/ |
| Wind | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ |
| Earth | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːθ/ | earth /ɜːθ/ | earth /ɝθ/ |
| Stone | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ |
| Mountain | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɛn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɛn/ |
| Sea | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /si/ |
| Mother | mother /ˈmadə/ | mother /ˈmadə/ | mother /ˈmɔðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðɚ/ |
| Father | father /ˈfadə/ | father /ˈfadə/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfaːðə/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfɑðɚ/ |
| Daughter | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔtɚ/ |
| I | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ |
| You | you /ju/ | you /juː/ | you /ju/ | you /juː/ | you /ju/ | you /juː/ | you /ju/ |
| We | we /wi/ | we /wiː/ | we /wi/ | we /wiː/ | we /wi/ | we /wiː/ | we /wi/ |
| Name | name /nem/ | name /neɪm/ | name /nem/ | name /neːm/ | name /neːm/ | name /neːm/ | name /neɪm/ |
| Person | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsɔn/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɛrsɔn/ |
| Head | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ |
| Eye | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ |
| Ear | ear /iə/ | ear /iə/ | ear /ia/ | ear /ia/ | ear /ia/ | ear /iːə/ | ear /ir/ |
| Nose | nose /noʊs/ | nose /noːs/ | nose /noːs/ | nose /noːs/ | nose /noːz/ | nose /noʊz/ | nose /noʊs/ |
| Mouth | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊθ/ | mouth /maʊθ/ | mouth /maʊt/ |
| Tooth | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːθ/ | tooth /tuːθ/ | tooth /tuːt/ |
| Tongue | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /taŋ/ | tongue /tɔŋ/ | tongue /tɔŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ |
| Hand | hand /hɛn/ | hand /hæn/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hand/ | hand /hænd/ |
| Foot | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ |
| Heart | heart /hat/ | heart /haːt/ | heart /hɑːt/ | heart /haːt/ | heart /hɑːt/ | heart /haːt/ | heart /hɑrt/ |
| Bone | bone /boːn/ | bone /bon/ | bone /bon/ | bone /bon/ | bone /bon/ | bone /boːn/ | bone /bon/ |
| Blood | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blad/ | blood /blɔd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ |
| Poop | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poo /puː/ | poop /puːp/ |
| Love | love /laf/ | love /laf/ | love /lɔv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ |
| Tree | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ |
| Dog | dog /dɔk/ | dog /dɔk/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɒɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ |
| Cat | cat /kɛt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kʰat/ | cat /kæt/ |
| Fish | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɝd/ |
| Butterfly | butterfly /ˈbatəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbatəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbɔtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtɚflaɪ/ |
| Egg | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ |
| Bear | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛː/ | bear /bɛɹ/ |
| Horse | horse /hɔs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔrs/ |
| House | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ |
| Milk | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ |
| Honey | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhani/ | honey /ˈhɔni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ |
| Salt | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ |
| Wine | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ |
| Rice | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ |
| Chocolate | chocolate /ˈtʃɔklət/ | chocolate /ˈtʃɔklət/ | — | — | — | chocolate /ˈtʃɒklət/ | chocolate /ˈtʃokoleɪt/ |
| Iron | iron /ˈajən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪɚn/ |
| Wheel | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ |
| Silk | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ |
| Book | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ |
| Eat | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ |
| Drink | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ |
| Sleep | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ |
| One | one /wan/ | one /wan/ | one /wɔn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wʌn/ |
| Two | two /tu/ | two /tuː/ | two /tu/ | two /tuː/ | two /tu/ | two /tuː/ | two /tu/ |
| Three | three /tɹiː/ | three /tɹiː/ | three /tɹi/ | three /tɹi/ | three /θɹi/ | three /θɹiː/ | three /tɹi/ |
| Four | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔr/ |
| Five | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ |
| Hundred | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhandɹɛd/ | hundred /ˈhɔndɹɛd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɾəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ |
| Hello | hello lah /hɛlo lɑː/ | hello /həˈlo/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈləʊ/ | hello /həˈloː/ |
| Thank you | thanks /tɛŋks/ | thanks /tɛŋks/ | thanks /taŋks/ | thanks /taŋks/ | thank you /θæŋk juː/ | thanks /θaŋks/ | thanks /θæŋks/ |
| Good | good /ɡʊt/ | good /ɡʊt/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ |
| New | new /nju/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /nɪʊ/ | new /njuː/ |
| Red | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɾɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ |
| White | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ |
| Black | black /blɛk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blak/ | black /blæk/ |
| Green | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɾiːn/ | green /ɡɹin/ |
| Blue | blue /blu/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /blɪʊ/ | blue /blu/ |
| Cuckoo | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ |
| Woof | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ |
| Cock-a-doodle-doo | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɒkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ |
| Computer | computer /kɔmˈpjutə/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ | computer /kɔmˈpjuːta/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ | computer /kɔmˈpjuːta/ | computer /kəmˈpɪʊtə/ | computer /komˈpjuter/ |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪpaɪ/ |
| Sushi | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ |
| Tea | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ |
| Coffee | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɒfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ |
| Sugar | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡɚ/ |
| Orange | orange /ˈɔrɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɒɾɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ |
| Ninety-nine | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ |
| Dopamine | dopamine /ˈdəʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdəʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəmiːn/ |
| At sign | at /ɛt/ | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /at/ | at /at/ |
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