Everyday phrases

• How lay body?

  How are you? The everyday greeting.

  “My man, how lay body?”

• lay body fine.

  I’m doing well. The usual reply to “How da body?”

  “lay body fine oh, thank God.”

• Wha your saying?

  What’s up? A casual hello between friends.

  “Ay, my people, wha your saying?”

• I coming.

  I’ll be right back. Said as you leave, not as you arrive.

  “Hold on, I coming.”

• Small small.

  Little by little; take it easy.

  “Small small, we will reach.”

• My people!

  A warm hello to friends, or to a whole room.

• Let me hold your foot.

  I’m begging you, please do me this favour.

  “Let me hold your foot, help me small.”

• You lie!

  No way! Really? Surprise, not an accusation.

• Carry me Waterside.

  Take me to Waterside, Monrovia’s big market. “Carry” means take someone somewhere.

• I na eat.

  I’ve already eaten.

• Leh go.

  Let’s go.

• Thank you oh!

  Thank you so much. An “oh” at the end adds warmth to almost anything.

• It na easy.

  It’s tough. Said with a knowing nod about life, work or traffic.

• Old ma / Papay

  A respectful way to greet an older woman or man.

  “Good morning, old ma.”

• Pekin

  A child.

  “Da my pekin.”

• Pehn-pehn

  A motorbike taxi.

  “Take pehn-pehn to Sinkor.”

• Keke

  A three-wheeled motor taxi, a tuk-tuk.

• The snap

  Today

  The Liberian handshake: shake, slide back, and snap your middle fingers together. Liberia360 snaps when you save a place.

Palm butter

A rich red stew of palm-nut pulp, simmered with meat or fish and served over rice.

Cassava leaf

Cassava leaves pounded fine and cooked down with palm oil, meat or fish and hot pepper. Served over rice.

Potato greens

Sweet potato leaves cooked in oil with meat or fish and pepper, served over rice.

Jollof rice

Rice cooked in a spiced tomato sauce, often with chicken, beef or vegetables. Party food across West Africa.

Fufu

A soft, slightly sour dough of fermented cassava. Pinch off a piece and dip it in soup.

Dumboy

Boiled cassava pounded into a smooth, stretchy dough, swallowed rather than chewed, with pepper soup or palm butter.

Torbogee

A thick, spicy stew of bitter balls, palm oil, dried fish and hot pepper.

Pepper soup

A light, fiery broth with fish or meat. Many swear by it for a cold, or the morning after.

Palava sauce

Leafy greens cooked down with palm oil and meat or fish.

Check rice

Rice cooked together with greens and okra, so it comes out speckled.

Kala

Fried dough balls, a little sweet. A street snack sold warm in the morning.

Rice bread

A moist, sweet loaf made from rice flour and mashed ripe banana.

Ginger beer

Homemade, non-alcoholic and fiercely spicy with fresh ginger.