Adjectives

1. E big.

   Big

   Usage

   For asking about size or describing something big; a gesture helps

   Grammar Note

   The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

2. E small.

   Small

   Usage

   For clothes or room size. Note that small also means "a little" (Wait small)

   Grammar Note

   The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

3. E heavy.

   Heavy

   Usage

   For heavy luggage, or when asking someone to lift something

   Grammar Note

   The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

4. E cost.

   Expensive

   Usage

   The opening move in a haggle. Here cost itself is the adjective "expensive" (Food don cost). To stress it: E cost too much

   Grammar Note

   cost also works in Pidgin as an adjective meaning "expensive". The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed; E means "it". (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

5. E cheap.

   Cheap

   Usage

   For asking whether a cheaper option exists. Said of quality it can sound like "shoddy"

   Grammar Note

   The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

6. E hot.

   Hot (thing)

   Usage

   About food, drink or water; hot weather is expressed separately (Weather dey hot)

   Grammar Note

   The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

7. E cold.

   Cold (thing)

   Usage

   About drinks and food; cold weather is expressed separately (Weather dey cold)

   Grammar Note

   The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

8. E new.

   New

   Usage

   For checking that something is unused

   Grammar Note

   The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

9. E old.

   Old (thing)

   Usage

   For objects only; for a person use E don old instead

   Grammar Note

   The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

10. E young.

    Young

    Usage

    About a person's age; a small-talk word

    Grammar Note

    The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

11. E don old.

    Old (person)

    Usage

    For an older person. don marks a completed change ("has become"); "I don old" is a typical pattern. Add oga / ma / sir when addressing them

    Grammar Note

    don is the completive marker, expressing the change of state "has grown old". (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

12. E clean.

    Clean

    Usage

    For saying a room or water is clean

    Grammar Note

    The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

13. E dirty.

    Dirty

    Usage

    Useful when asking to change rooms

    Grammar Note

    The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

14. E good.

    Good

    Usage

    The all-purpose word for approval

    Grammar Note

    The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

15. E bad.

    Bad

    Usage

    For saying quality or condition is poor

    Grammar Note

    The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

16. E near.

    Near

    Usage

    For checking whether somewhere is within walking distance

    Grammar Note

    The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

17. E far.

    Far

    Usage

    Tells you whether you need transport

    Grammar Note

    The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

18. E early.

    Early

    Usage

    About clock time, not about speed

    Grammar Note

    The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

19. E late.

    Late

    Usage

    About clock time or being late, not about speed

    Grammar Note

    The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

20. E plenty.

    Many

    Usage

    About quantity or how crowded somewhere is; plenty is a very common Pidgin word

    Grammar Note

    plenty can also stand before a noun (plenty pipo); here it is used as the predicate. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

21. E few.

    Few

    Usage

    For saying there are few, or asking for a smaller portion

    Grammar Note

    The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

22. Weather dey hot.

    Hot (weather)

    Usage

    About the weather, different from a hot object (E hot)

    Grammar Note

    dey is the state copula (like "be"), used for temporary states such as weather. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

23. Weather dey cold.

    Cold (weather)

    Usage

    About the weather, different from a cold object (E cold)

    Grammar Note

    dey is the state copula (like "be"), used for temporary states such as weather. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

24. E cute.

    Cute

    Usage

    Used broadly for people, objects and animals; cute also appears in published Pidgin news text

    Grammar Note

    The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

25. E sweet.

    Delicious

    Usage

    The most common compliment at a meal ("Dis food sweet o"). sweet means tasty in general, not only sugary

    Grammar Note

    sweet is the adjective for tasting good and works as the predicate by itself ("Dis food sweet o" appears in dictionary examples).

26. E amazing.

    Amazing

    Usage

    Expresses surprise or admiration. A slangier option is "Na elele!" (a slang entry in Pidgin dictionaries meaning "top quality")

    Grammar Note

    The adjective is the predicate by itself, so no "is" is needed. E means "it" (3rd person, for things and people). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

27. Just small.

    Just a little

    Usage

    To ask for only a little (when being served food or drink); small is the usual word for "a little"

    Grammar Note

    small is not only an adjective but also means "a little" (Wait small). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

28. Half.

    Half

    Usage

    To ask for half the amount

    Grammar Note

    The English word half is used as is. (an English-derived noun used as is; no individual attestation)

29. All of am.

    All of it

    Usage

    To mean "the whole thing". am is the object pronoun "it"

    Grammar Note

    am is the object pronoun "it/him/her" and is never the subject (the subject form is E). (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

30. Enough, abeg.

    That is enough

    Usage

    To tell someone to stop pouring or serving. abeg softens it

    Grammar Note

    abeg softens a request and can come first or last. enough is the English word used as is. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

31. E get pepper.

    It is spicy

    Usage

    To check or say a dish is spicy; literally "it has pepper"

    Grammar Note

    get means "have" or "there is", so E get ... is "it has ...". In Nigeria pepper means chilli. (composed from dictionary-verified words by regular grammar; the whole sentence itself is not attested)

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