“Na Condition Make Crayfish Bend”: Top Pidgin Idioms & Deep Meanings
By: Chimdindu Ken-Anaukwu
Nigerian Pidgin no dey carry last when e come to idioms – in fact, na for there e dey shine pass. These wisecracks dey give you laughter, lesson, and gbas gbos all in one sentence. You fit hear one line like "na today wey we see monkey wear coat" and automatically know say something funny, shady or mad dey happen.
Make we run am! Here be some of the top Pidgin idioms wey go make you sound like elder for beer parlour and philosopher for junction.
1. Na condition make crayfish bend
Meaning: E no be say the crayfish like bend, na life hammer am like that. When to use am: When person dey go through tough times or dey do something unusual because of pressure.
"No blame am, na condition bend the crayfish. E no dey like sell pure water before."
2. Monkey work, baboon chop
Meaning: One person dey suffer do the work, another person dey enjoy the profit. When to use am: When you hustle finish and another person dey collect the glory.
"You dey toast the babe since, now she don follow your guy. Monkey work, baboon chop!"
3. Soup wey sweet, na money kill am
Meaning: If something good dey, just know say money don enter that matter. When to use am: To explain say enjoyment or quality no come cheap.
"See that wedding food? Soup wey sweet, na money kill am."
4. Wahala no dey finish
Meaning: Trouble na part of life. If you solve one, another go show. When to use am: Everyday. Literally. Cos wahala truly no dey finish.
"Na today dem seize fuel, tomorrow na light. Wahala no dey finish o."
5. Body no be firewood
Meaning: Even strong people need rest. You no be machine. When to use am: When you need break, rest, or justify enjoyment.
"Abeg leave that house chore for later. Body no be firewood."
6. Person wey no get helper, na him dey call police uncle
Meaning: When you no get connection or power, you go dey over humble. When to use am: When someone dey try find favour anywhere by force.
"See as he dey laugh with conductor anyhow. No helper na him dey make person humble."
7. Who no go, no know
Meaning: If you never experience something, you no go understand am. When to use am: To humble people wey dey form know-it-all.
"You dey talk say Lagos dey easy. Who no go, no know."
8. No be who first call police dey win case
Meaning: Just because person shout first no mean say dem dey right. When to use am: To explain say noise no equal truth.
"Dem dey shout like say na them get street. No be who first call police dey win case."
9. Even tortoise dey get enemy
Meaning: No matter how gentle you dey, some people go still beef you. When to use am: When person wonder why dem dey hate on dem.
"I dey my lane, dey chop my indomie, still haters full. Even tortoise dey get enemy."
Bonus: Chop life before life chop you
Meaning: Enjoy your life. Because life no dey always smile. When to use am: Every Friday. And sometimes Tuesday too.
"I no dey carry last again. Chop life before life chop you."
Final Yarn
Pidgin idioms dey carry cultural weight plus street wisdom wey go make your head swell. Whether na to advise, throw shade, gist or cruise, these idioms dey do the work. Next time you wan drop quote, forget all those English grammar — just throw one correct Pidgin line, and mic go drop by itself.