Krio Words & Phrases Archive
September 8, 2024 Kondo: house lizard, gecko (also os pikin)
August 4,2024 Lagbaja: word used to avoid mentioning the name of a person; the person we are talking about, the person whose name we would rather not mention
July 7, 2024 Sԑt awuwuju: create disorder, strife, confusion
July 14, 2024 Chakra: to riot or quarrel angrily
July 21, 2024 Cham: 1. chew, eat, devour, masticate. 2. (fig.) suffer acutely, in the manner of something being chewed. 3. gaze at esp. beautiful woman intensely with great admiration, e.g. I wan cham am ‘He wants to devour her because of her beauty’.
July 28, 2024 Lagbokun: man behaving stupidly, esp. in paying persistent and unwanted attentions to women
June 2, 2024 Wi de na do: We’re outside
June 9, 2024 Wanpͻt: “one pot” = dish of rice cooked in palm oil or tomato paste with meat, fish, and condiments, all in the same pot
June 16, 2024 Rosbif: “roast beef” = small chunks of meat skewered and roasted
June 30, 2024 Koknat tik: coconut tree
May 5, 2024 Ɛnushͻrͻ: raindrops from the eaves of a house
May 12, 2024 Warawere i dͻn kam: He has come very quickly
May 19, 2024 Santԑm: “sun-time” = the middle part of the day, the afternoon
May 26, 2024 Pletԑm: playtime
April 7, 2024 Eku pikin: Krio of Yoruba descent
April 14 , 2024Ɔl dͻg in de fͻ bak: ‘Every dog has his day to bark’ = To every man comes his moment of authority/power/etc.
April 21, 2024 Pԑngԑlԑngԑ: frolic
April 28, 2024 Plaba fͻdͻm na grͻn: “quarrel falls on ground” = a quarrel has spring up
March 3, 2024:Afbak: slippers
March 10, 2024:Arobo: cheating, profiteering (doing business as a middle-man)
March 17, 2024Ekeregbe: stupid or foolish person
March 24, 2024 in ed nͻ stԑdi: His/Her head is not steady; cannot concentrate on one activity at a time, behaves flightily
March 31, 2024 Krays dͻn kam: Christ has come
February 4, 2024:Nͻ luk am bay di lukin: Don’t look at him/it by the looking = don’t underestimate this person/thing
February 11, 2024:Tide wi go laf, wi kis ԑn ͻg: Today we will laugh, we kiss and hug
February 18, 2024:Yu yai si, yu yes yeri, yu mͻt fͻ sԑt: Your eyes may see, your ears may, but your mouth should stay closed
February 25, 2024:Biyo biyo: lo and behold (used to express wonder or surprise)
January 7, 2024: Nͻ miks mi de: ‘Don’t involve me in this unsavory business/affair’
January 14, 2024: A nͻ si nͻ ed nͻ tel: I cannot see the meaning/significance (of this)
January 21, 2024: Nͻ get natin fͻ du wit dat: ‘not have nothing to do with that’ = have no business in this affair, be unconcerned about it
January 28, 2024:Nͻ sabi bwԑl rԑs: ‘not understand (how to) boil rice” = be ignorant of even the first steps in cooking
December 3, 2023: Sizins Gritins: Season’s Greetings (Christmas greetings)
December 10, 2023: Fayaples: fire place
December 17, 2023:Lilifes: “little face” = small face of a child
December 24, 2023:Kombra: a nursing mother or woman with a young baby
December 31, 2023:Api Nyuia: Happy New Year!
November 11, 2023: Yabas: onion
November 18, 2023: Tamatis: tomato
November 25, 2023: Sͻnde sup: Sunday soup
October 14, 2023: Grimaces: grimace, a wry face
October 21, 2023: Yaywata: tears (also “wata na yay”)
October 28, 2023: Rͻtintit: “rotten teeth” = dental cavities
September 23, 2023: Kabͻ: common Krio welcoming greeting; (also “karbͻ” or “ԑkabͻ”September 30, 2023: Podapoda: private minibus doing passenger transport, often uncomfortable and mechanically unreliable
December 19, 2022 - Api Krismes wi nͻ day oh! Tel Gͻd tenki wi nͻ day oh! : Merry Christmas, we survived! Thank God we survived!
December 12, 2022 - Yawo: bride
December 5, 2022 - Wintatԑm: wintertime
November 28, 2022 - Kolkyap : ‘cold cap’ = cap for wearing at night or on a cold day
November 21, 2022 - Tԑl Papa Gͻd tԑnki : Give God thanks
November 14, 2022 - Blay : Hamper, small basket; round basket of cane or piassava; Such a basket as measure = ‘a basketful’
November 7, 2022 - Blankit : Covering cloth, blanket
October 31, 2022 - Nͻ frԑd : Don’t be scared
October 24, 2022 - Bͻku : 1. plenty, to be plentiful. 2. so plentiful as to be cheap. (Fr. beaucoup ‘much, a great deal, a lot,’ but cf. Y. bukun ‘increased’.)
October 17, 2022 - Blant : used to, be accustomed to, make habit of
October 10, 2022 - Ambͻgin : vexing, irritating, troublesome
October 3, 2022 - Wͻwͻ: ugly
September 26, 2022 - Trangayes: 'strong ear' = stubborn, stubbornness
September 19, 2022 - Yagba: unnecessary or unusual fuss, activity, worry, etc.
September 12, 2022 - Wetin du yu?: What's wrong with you?
September 5, 2022 - Kεkεkε: laugh, giggle, titter, cackle