lah
The Singaporean and Malaysian English particle par excellence, derived from Hokkien and Malay.
Definitions
The Singaporean and Malaysian English particle par excellence, derived from Hokkien and Malay. Tacked onto the end of a sentence to soften a statement, signal casual rapport, mark mild emphasis, or confirm what has just been said. Tone of voice changes its meaning: a falling "lah" is reassuring ("don't worry lah"), a flat "lah" is matter-of-fact ("cannot lah"), a rising "lah" can be impatient ("just do it lah"). Examples: "Eat already lah, don't wait for me." "Come lah, the show is starting." "I told you lah, it's in the kitchen." Considered the single most recognisable feature of Singlish.
Don't worry lah, I've got the bill this time.
Comments
Used in
Have a better definition?
Add your own interpretation of "lah".
🗺️About Regional & Other slang
Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.
Other words near "lah" (L)
Browse all slang words starting with L.
Related terms
Semantically related
- can lah82%
Compound of the modal "can" plus the Singlish particle "lah" — meaning "of course it can", "yes, go ahead", or "yeah sure, no problem". Used as a confident, slightly impatient agreement when someone asks whether something is possible or allowed. Tone matters: a relaxed "can lah" is friendly reassurance; a clipped "can lah!" can mean "stop asking, just do it". Often used to wave off excessive politeness — "Can I borrow this?" "Can lah, take." Functionally similar to British English "yeah, course you can".
- lor77%
Sentence-final particle of resignation, mild acceptance, or "well, that's just how it is", derived from Hokkien. Used when stating something obvious, agreeing reluctantly, or shrugging off an outcome you can't change. Carries a flatter, more passive feeling than "lah". Examples: "If you say so lor." "Cannot help it lor, the boss already decided." "Then we just go home early lor." Often paired with a small shrug or palms-up gesture; native speakers say its meaning is almost impossible to translate without the tone.
- meh73%
Sentence-final particle of scepticism, disbelief, or genuine surprise, derived from Cantonese. Turns a statement into a question that says "really?", "are you sure?", or "you're kidding, right?". Used when the speaker finds the previous claim hard to believe or wants gentle confirmation. Examples: "Free one meh?" (it's really free?). "Cannot like that meh?" (is that really not allowed?). "He really said that meh?" Almost always rises in pitch on the "meh" itself. Different from English "meh" (indifference) — the Singlish one is interrogative.
- wah73%
Exclamation of surprise, amazement, admiration or general impressed reaction, common across Singaporean, Malaysian and Hong Kong English. Used standalone or as a lead-in: "Wah, so expensive!" "Wah, the view damn nice." Lengthened ("waaah") for stronger emphasis. Often paired with "lah", "leh" or "lao" to colour the reaction — "wah lah eh", "wah lao", "wah seh". Has roots in Hokkien and Cantonese spoken exclamations and is one of the first Singlish markers visiting English speakers pick up.
- lagi73%
A Singlish (Singaporean English) particle borrowed from Malay meaning 'more,' 'even more,' or 'still more,' used to intensify comparisons. In casual Singaporean speech, 'lagi' can appear before adjectives or verbs to add emphasis — 'lagi better' means 'even better,' 'lagi scary' means 'even scarier.' It adds a vivid, colloquial energy to everyday speech. As with many Singlish particles, it's informal and most at home in conversation, social media, or casual writing rather than formal contexts.