Last Updated on 2020-12-06 , 7:03 pm
Hereโs the thing: No matter what happens, Singlish is here to stay. And like any dialect, it will evolve through time, and with the Internet, itโs evolving even faster.
If youโve noticed, there were several Singlish phrases that used to be hot as fire, but are no longer used that regularly now (except for those foreigners who are trying to pick up Singlish). Hereโre 11 that have died as fast as they came; do you remember using any of them?
Advertisements
Best in Singapore and JB, some say Batam!
Made popular by Phua Chu Kang, this phrase is used to describe something that is sooooooo good, itโs really good. Now, the man in yellow boots is no longer hot (in fact, he has retired), and so is his catchphrase.
Donโt pray pray
Also made popular by Phua Chu Kang, this means โDonโt play playโ, which itself is a Singlish as well. It generally means โdonโt mess with itโ or something close to itโwell, itโs pretty hard to put a dictionary meaning to this, so letโs just say that its death hasnโt really made us miss it.
Stead
It can be used as both a verb and a noun, and it means โgirlfriend / boyfriendโ. Long ago, people โsteadโ with each other, and boyfriends / girlfriends are known as โsteadsโ. A short form for steady, which still doesnโt make any sense but it never used to matter.
Sekali
It means โjust in caseโ, but now, it has evolved to โcurryโ. Sounds better, right, since itโs two syllables instead of three!
Last time policemen wear shorts!
It means that times have changedโbut now, people might have stopped using it because policemen are now wearing shorts again.
You play where one?
Gang members, or fake gang members, will ask others this to show their power. Now, when you ask someone this, they might just go, โTeam Instinct.โ
Not happy, talk outside
In the past, during an argument, kids will challenge others to a real physical fight outside a building. Now, this is pretty much extinct because the fight will now occur online. Maybe the new phrase is this: โNot happy, go Facebook / Instagram /Stomp la!โ
Pass up
Usually used in schools, it means to hand in your homework. Since it is was used in school, teachers have discouraged the use of it and nowadays, people โhand inโ homework instead of โpass upโ homework. Good old daysโฆ
Advertisements
Sian 1/2
โSianโ is still used (though not that regularly nowadays), but the 1/2 is unexplainably gone. Sian 1/2.
Lim Peh
Maybe itโs not that โdeadโ, but less people are using it. We need another I Not Stupid movie to bring back the Lim Peh culture!
Oh, anyway, it simply means โIโ for guys.
Mong mong cha cha
A Cantonese phrase for ็็ๆฅๆฅ, it means blur. But nowadays, less people are using Cantonese in Singapore, leading to its extinction.
Featured Image: Master1305 / Shutterstock.com
Hereโs what NCMPs are, and what to expect after GE2025:
Read Also:
- Quan Yifeng Disputes Addy Leeโs S$300K Monthly Earnings Claim in Escalating Social Media Showdown
- Mexican TikTok Star Valeria Mรกrquez, 23, Shot Dead during Live Broadcast at Her Zapopan Salon
- GE2025 Overseas Votes Counted: Chee Soon Juan Wins More Votes Than PAP in Sembawang West
- Eleanor Lee Loses More Than 41,000 Followers across Three Platforms as Drama Plans S$3.62 Million AI Replacement
- Bride-to-Be Jailed 10 Months for E-Wallet Fraud to Pay Loan Shark โProcessing Feesโ for Her Wedding Loan
- E-cigarettes Found in Car After Fatal Crash with Bus in Punggol that Killed Female Passenger
- Maid Who Stabbed Employerโs Mother-in-Law 26 Times Wins Appeal Against Life Sentence
