Shiok
“Shiok” is another common Malay word used to convey pleasure and delight. This can be used as an exclamation in positive experiences, such as while enjoying good food or doing something relaxing. The English version of “shiok” can be “cool” and “great,” but somehow these English words may sound less shiok to say as a local.
Example: “This chicken rice tastes more shiok if you add chilli.” — “Going for a massage after a long day of walking outside is a shiok experience.”
Buay than
A combination of Hokkien (buay) and Malay (tahan), this expression means not being able to tolerate something any longer. Other acceptable phrases include “cannot tahan already,” or “tak boleh tahan” (“tak boleh” means cannot). In the unlikely event of you not enjoying Singapore for various reasons, try using this phrase to express your frustrations.
Example: “Singapore’s weather is so hot, buay tahan lah!”
Catch no ball
Catch no ball, a direct translation from “liak bo kiu” in Hokkien, means you cannot understand what the other party is saying. This is usually used during classes, workplaces, and conversations. As a traveller, it can get very confusing when Singaporeans are comfortably speaking Singlish to one another. But don’t fret, using this phrase with your Singaporean friends will elicit some laughs, and you might even get a clearer explanation of what they are talking about.
Example: “What did you say, sorry, I totally catch no ball.”