View source for Singaporean Hokkien

{{Short description|Dialect of Hokkien spoken in Singapore}}
{{Infobox language
| name             = Singaporean Hokkien
| nativename       = {{lang|nan-SG|新加坡福建話}}<br/>{{transl|nan|Sin-ka-pho Hok-kiàn-uē}} {{font|size=70%|([[Tâi-lô]])}}<br/>{{transl|nan|Sin-ka-pho Hok-kiàn-ōe}} {{font|size=70%|([[Pe̍h-ōe-jī]])}}
| states           = [[Singapore]]
| speakers         = 1.2 million
| date             = 2017
| ref              = <ref name="Ethnologue_tree"/>
| familycolor      = Sino-Tibetan
| fam2             = [[Sinitic languages|Sinitic]]
| fam3             = [[Chinese language|Chinese]]
| fam4             = [[Min Chinese|Min]]
| fam5             = [[Min Chinese#Coastal Min|Coastal Min]]
| fam6             = [[Southern Min]]
| fam7             = [[Hokkien]]
| fam8             = [[Quanzhou dialect|Quanzhou]] and [[Zhangzhou dialects|Zhangzhou]]
| ancestor         = [[Proto-Sino-Tibetan language|Proto-Sino-Tibetan]]
| ancestor2        = [[Old Chinese]]{{efn|name=minClassification|Min is believed to have split from Old Chinese, rather than Middle Chinese like other varieties of Chinese.<ref>{{citation |last=Mei |first=Tsu-lin |author1-link=Mei Tsu-lin |title=Tones and prosody in Middle Chinese and the origin of the rising tone |journal=Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies |volume=30 |year=1970 |pages=86–110 |doi=10.2307/2718766 |jstor=2718766}}</ref><ref>{{citation |last=Pulleyblank |first=Edwin G. |author-link=Edwin G. Pulleyblank |title=Middle Chinese: A study in Historical Phonology |year=1984 |page=3 |location=Vancouver |publisher=University of British Columbia Press |isbn=978-0-7748-0192-8}}</ref><ref name="glottoMin">{{Cite journal |url=https://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/minn1248 |title=Glottolog 4.8 - Min |date=2023-07-10 |access-date=2023-10-13 |website=[[Glottolog]] |last1=Hammarström |first1=Harald |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013171747/https://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/minn1248 |archive-date=2023-10-13 |url-status=live |publisher=[[Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology]] |author-link=Harald Hammarström |last2=Forkel |first2=Robert |publication-place=[[Leipzig]] |doi=10.5281/zenodo.7398962 |last3=Haspelmath |first3=Martin |author-link3=Martin Haspelmath |last4=Bank |first4=Sebastian |doi-access=free}}</ref>}}
| ancestor3        = [[Proto-Min]]
| script           = [[Chinese characters]] ([[Traditional Chinese characters|Traditional]] or [[Simplified Chinese|Simplified]])<br> [[Latin script|Latin]] for [[romanisation]] ([[Tâi-lô]] & [[Pe̍h-ōe-jī]])
| nation           = None, [[lingua franca]] of the [[Chinese Singaporeans|Chinese community in Singapore]] before the 1980s.
| agency           = None
| isoexception     = dialect
| glotto           = none
| notice           = IPA
| lingua           = 79-AAA-jek
| iso3             = none
| iso3comment      = {{code|nan}} for [[Southern Min]] / [[Min Nan]] which encompasses a variety of Hokkien dialects including "Singaporean Hokkien".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reclassifying ISO 639-3 [nan] |website = [[GitHub]] |url = https://github.com/KIRINPUTRA/reclassifying-ISO-639-3-nan/blob/main/Reclassifying_ISO_639-3_%5Bnan%5D__An_Empirical_Approach_to_Mutual_Intelligibility_and_Ethnolinguistic_Distinctions.pdf |date = 31 August 2021 | access-date= 28 July 2022}}</ref>
}}
{{Chinese
| title = Singaporean Hokkien
| t = {{linktext|新加坡|福建話}}
| s = {{linktext|新加坡|福建话}}
| poj = Sin-ka-pho Hok-kiàn-ōe
| tl = Sin-ka-pho Hok-kiàn-uē
| p = Xīnjiāpō Fújiànhuà
| altname = 
| t2 = {{linktext|新加坡|閩南語}}
| s2 = {{linktext|新加坡|闽南语}}
| poj2 = Sin-ka-pho Bân-lâm-gu /<br>Sin-ka-pho Bân-lâm-gí
| tl2 = Sin-ka-pho Bân-lâm-gu /<br>Sin-ka-pho Bân-lâm-gí
| p2 = Xīnjiāpō Mǐnnányǔ
| y2 = 
| wuu2 = 
| altname3 = 
| t3 = {{linktext|新加坡|閩南話}}
| s3 = {{linktext|新加坡|闽南话}}
| poj3 = Sin-ka-pho Bân-lâm-ōe
| tl3 = Sin-ka-pho Bân-lâm-uē
| p3 = Xīnjiāpō Mǐnnánhuà
| y3 = 
| wuu3 = 
| showflag = tl
}}

'''Singaporean Hokkien'''{{efn|{{zh|c=新加坡福建話}}; [[Tâi-lô]]: {{transl|nan|Sin-ka-pho Hok-kiàn-uē}}; {{zh|poj=''Sin-ka-pho Hok-kiàn-ōe''}}}} is a local variety of the [[Hokkien language]] spoken natively in [[Singapore]]. Within Chinese linguistic academic circles, this dialect is known as '''Singaporean Ban-lam Gu'''.{{efn|{{zh|c=新加坡閩南語}} [[Tâi-lô]]: {{transl|nan|Sin-ka-pho Bân-lâm-gu}}}} It bears similarities with the [[Amoy dialect|Amoy]]{{efn|{{zh|c=厦門話|labels=no}}}} spoken in Amoy, now better known as [[Xiamen]], as well as [[Taiwanese Hokkien]] which is spoken in [[Taiwan]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Podcast Transcript {{!}} Hokkien: How Do You Say "How Are You?" |url=https://learndialect.sg/hokkien-how-do-you-say-how-are-you/ |website=Learn Dialect Singapore |date=11 August 2018 |access-date=1 June 2020}}</ref>

[[Hokkien]] is the [[Southern Min|Min Nan]] pronunciation for the province of [[Fujian]], and is generally the term used by the [[Chinese people|Chinese]] in Southeast Asia to refer to the 'Banlam' dialect.{{efn|{{Lang|zh-hant|閩南語}}}} Singaporean Hokkien generally views Amoy as its prestige dialect, and its accent is predominantly based on a mixture of [[Quanzhou dialect|Quanzhou]] and [[Zhangzhou dialect|Zhangzhou]] speech, with a greater inclination towards the former. 

Like many spoken languages in Singapore, Singaporean Hokkien is influenced by other languages or dialects spoken in Singapore. For instance, Singaporean Hokkien is influenced to a certain degree by [[Teochew dialect|Teochew]], and is sometimes regarded by non-Singaporean speakers as a combined Hokkien–Teochew speech. In addition, it has many [[loanwords]] from Singapore's four official languages of [[Singaporean English|English]], [[Malay language|Malay]], [[Singaporean Mandarin|Mandarin]] and [[Tamil language|Tamil]].

Nevertheless, the grammar and tones of Singaporean Hokkien are still largely based on [[Southern Min|Banlam]]. When compared to the [[Taiwanese Hokkien|Taiwanese]] accent{{efn|{{zh|t=臺語優勢腔|labels=no}}}} spoken in [[Tainan]] and [[Kaohsiung]], the accent and pronunciation of Singaporean Hokkien inclines toward the Quanzhou accent, which is also close to the pronunciation of [[Taipei]] and Xiamen, and is less close to that of Tainan, which has a greater inclination towards the Zhangzhou accent.{{efn|{{zh|t=漳州腔|labels=no}}}}

==History==
From the 19th until the early half of the 20th century, there was a large influx of Chinese migrants from southern China into Singapore. This led to [[Overseas Chinese|Chinese]] constituting almost 75% of Singapore's population. Of these Chinese, many originated from the regions of [[Xiamen|Amoy/Xiamen]], [[Quanzhou]] and [[Zhangzhou]] in [[Fujian]] province. They brought [[Southern Min|Min Nan]] to Singapore, which was then propagated throughout the Malayan region. As there was no formal Chinese name for Min Nan in the early 20th century, these migrants began to use their place of origin as the name of their speech, and thus called the dialect "[[Hokkien]]", referring to Fujian province.

During the 19th century, many traditional private Chinese schools in Singapore (referred to as {{zh|t=私塾仔|poj=su-sio̍k-á|labels=no}}) generally used Hokkien to teach [[Chinese classics]] and [[Classical Chinese]]. However, by the early 20th century, Mandarin began to replace Hokkien as the medium of instructions in Chinese schools after the founding of many Mandarin-medium schools.

During the 1950s and 1960s, many political speeches in Singapore were in Hokkien, in order to reach out to the [[Chinese Singaporean|Chinese community in Singapore]]. There was also a thriving Hokkien cultural scene that included Hokkien story-telling, opera, and media in Singapore.

After 1979, the Singapore government began to push for the use of Mandarin in Singapore, spearheaded by the [[Speak Mandarin Campaign]]. Following this, the Singapore government also began to employ a more stringent censorship, or ban, of Hokkien media in the Singaporean Chinese media. Consequently, all Hokkien-language media in Singapore had to be dubbed in Mandarin before being allowed to stream on national TV. 

In addition, the 1980s saw Chinese-medium education replaced by that in English, causing English to emerge as the most widely used language in Singapore. The emergence of the English language, coupled with heavy promotion of Mandarin, generally led Hokkien to decline in Singapore after 1979.

==Current status==
Today, the [[lingua franca]] of the [[Chinese Singaporean|Chinese community in Singapore]] is [[Singaporean Mandarin|Mandarin]]. Although Hokkien is still widely spoken in Singapore today, it is not as widespread as before and is mostly restricted to the older generations.  The most common places to hear Hokkien spoken in Singapore are at the country's [[hawker centre]]s or [[kopi tiam]]s.

Speaking ability varies amongst the different age groups of the Hokkien Singaporeans. The elderly are generally able to communicate effectively in Hokkien. On the other hand, the middle and younger generations, while generally proficient, have generally lost the ability to communicate as fluently. However, when it comes to using profanities, majority of the younger generation, even among non-Chinese Singaporeans, listed Hokkien as the first out of all languages and dialects. With the Speak Mandarin Campaign from the government, the Hokkien speaking population has been on a gradual decline.

===Revival in the 2010s===
There is, however, groups of Hokkien Singaporeans working to help preserve, spread and revive the use of Singaporean Hokkien in the country.<ref name="NYT">{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Ian |title=In Singapore, Chinese Dialects Revive After Decades of Restrictions |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/26/world/asia/singapore-language-hokkien-mandarin.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=21 March 2022 |date=26 August 2017}}</ref>

The ease of access to online Hokkien entertainment media and pop music from the internet has helped to connect to the language and culture. Many Singaporeans are increasingly using online and social media platforms to learn, discuss, meet, and interact with each other in Hokkien.<ref name="NYT"/>

Some of the groups include:

* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/sghokkien/ Facebook Singapore Hokkien Language and Culture Society]: Discussion forum on all aspects of Hokkien Chinese, with a primary focus on the Singaporean Hokkien dialect and its variations from other forms of Hokkien.
* [https://www.facebook.com/sghokkienmeetup Facebook Singapore Hokkien Meetup]: Group that organizes regular meetups for language practice. It also organizes free language courses and sharing sessions for those who are interested.
* [http://www.meetup.com/The-Singapore-Hokkien-Language-Meetup-Group/ Singapore Hokkien Language Meetup Group]: Same as the Facebook group, but organized over [[Meetup (website)|Meetup]].

==Phonology==
Note: In this article, the [[Tâi-uân Lô-má-jī Phing-im Hong-àn|Tâi-lô]] romanization system is used.

===Consonants===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Initials
! rowspan="2" colspan="2" |
! rowspan="2" | Bilabial
! colspan="2" | Alveolar
! rowspan="2" | Alveolo-<br />palatal
! rowspan="2" | Velar
! rowspan="2" | Glottal
|-
! plain
! sibilant
|-
! colspan="2" | Nasal
| m {{IPAblink|m}}<br />名 (miâ)
| n {{IPAblink|n}}<br />耐 (nāi)
|
|
| ng {{IPAblink|ŋ}}<br />硬 (ngē)
|
|-
! rowspan="3" | Plosive
! plain
| p {{IPAblink|p}}<br />邊 (pian)
| t {{IPAblink|t}}<br />地 (tē)
| ts {{IPAblink|ts}}<br />曾 (tsan)
| tsi {{IPAblink|tɕ}}<br />祝 (tsiok)
| k {{IPAblink|k}}<br />求 (kiû)
| {{IPAblink|ʔ}}<br />音 (im)
|-
! aspirated
| ph {{IPAblink|pʰ}}<br />波 (pho)
| th {{IPAblink|tʰ}}<br />他 (thann)
| tsh {{IPAblink|tsʰ}}<br />出 (tshut)
| tshi {{IPAblink|tɕʰ}}<br />手 (tshiú)
| kh {{IPAblink|kʰ}}<br />去 (khì)
|
|-
! voiced
| b {{IPAblink|b}}{{efn-lr|name=fricatized}}<br />文 (bûn)
| d {{IPAblink|d}}{{efn-lr|[[allophone|Allophonically]] pronounced in some regional variations of Hokkien spoken in Singapore.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Douglas |first=Carstairs |url=https://archive.org/details/chineseenglishdict00doug/page/99/mode/1up?view=theater |title=Chinese-English dictionary of the vernacular or spoken language of Amoy |publisher=Presbyterian Church of England |year=1899 |location=London |pages=99 |language=English, Amoy Hokkien}}</ref>}}<br />日 (di̍t)
| j {{IPAblink|dz}}*<br />熱 (jua̍h)
| ji {{IPAblink|dʑ}}*<br />入 (ji̍p)
| g {{IPAblink|g}}{{efn-lr|name=fricatized}}<br />牛 (gû)
|
|-
! colspan="2" | Fricative
|
|
| s {{IPAblink|s}}<br />衫 (sann)
| si {{IPAblink|ɕ}}<br />心 (sim)
|
| h {{IPAblink|h}}<br />喜 (hí)
|-
! colspan="2" | Approximant
|
| l {{IPAblink|l}}<br />柳 (liú)
|
|
| w {{IPAblink|w}}<br />我 (wá)
|
|}
{{notelist-lr|refs=
{{efn-lr|name=fricatized|The voiced plosives {{IPA|/b, ɡ/}} are fricatized to {{IPAblink|β}} and {{IPAblink|ɣ}} respectively in certain phonetic contexts such as during fast speech.}}
}}

{|
|-
|valign=top|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Finals
!
! [[Bilabial consonant|Bilabial]]
! [[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
! [[Velar consonant|Velar]]
! [[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
! [[Nasal consonant]]
| -m {{IPAblink|m}}<br>心 (si'''m''')
| -n {{IPAblink|n}}<br>今 (ki'''n''')
| -ng {{IPAblink|ŋ}}<br>興 (he'''ng''')
|
|-
! [[Stop consonant]]
| -p {{IPAblink|p̚}}<br>急 (ki'''p''')
| -t {{IPAblink|t̚}}<br>越 (ua̍'''t''')
| -k {{IPAblink|k̚}}<br>速 (so'''k''')
| -h {{IPAblink|ʔ}}<br>物 (mi'''h''')
|}
|valign=top|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+[[Syllabic consonant]]
!
! [[Bilabial consonant|Bilabial]]
! [[Velar consonant|Velar]]
|-
! [[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
| m {{IPAblink|m̩}}<br> 毋 ('''m̄''')
| ng {{IPAblink|ŋ̍}}<br> 酸 (s'''ng''')
|}
|}

===Vowels===
{|
|valign=top|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Monophthongs
!rowspan=2|
!colspan=2| [[Front vowel|Front]]
!rowspan=2| [[Central vowel|Central]]
!colspan=2| [[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
!{{small|oral}} !! {{small|[[Nasal vowel|nasal]]}}
!{{small|oral}} !! {{small|[[Nasal vowel|nasal]]}}
|-
![[Close vowel|Close]]
|i {{IPAblink|i}}<br> 伊 ('''i''')
|inn {{IPAblink|ĩ}}<br>圓 ('''înn''')
|ir {{IPAblink|ɨ}}<br>豬 (t'''ir''')
|u {{IPAblink|u}}<br> 有 ('''ū''')
|unn {{IPAblink|ũ}}<br>羊 (i'''ûnn''')
|-
![[Close-mid vowel|Close-Mid]]
|e {{IPAblink|e}}<br> 會('''ē''')
|enn {{IPAblink|ẽ}}<br>嬰 ('''enn''') 
|
|o {{IPAblink|o}}<br>蠔 ('''ô''')
|
|-
![[Mid vowel|Mid]]
|
|
|er {{IPAblink|ə}}<br>鍋 ('''er''')
|
|
|-
![[Open-mid vowel|Open-Mid]]
|
|
|
|oo {{IPAblink|ɔ}}<br>烏 ('''oo''')
|onn {{IPAblink|ɔ̃}}<br>嗚 ('''onn''')
|-
![[Open vowel|Open]]
|a {{IPAblink|a}}<br> 亞 ('''a''')
|ann {{IPAblink|ã}}<br>餡 ('''ānn''')
| 
| 
| 
|}
|valign=top|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Diphthongs & Triphthongs
!colspan=5|[[Diphthong]]!!colspan=1|[[Triphthong]]
|-
|ai [ai]<br>愛 ('''ài''')
|ia [ia]<br>椰 ('''iâ''')
|io [io]<br>腰 ('''io''')
|ua [ua]<br>娃 ('''ua''')
|ui [ui]<br>為 ('''uī''')
|iau [iau]<br>枵 ('''iau''')
|-
|au [au]<br>後 ('''āu''')
|ia [iɛ]<br>燕 ('''ià'''n){{efn-lr|When {{angbr|ia}} is followed by final {{angbr|-n}} or {{angbr|-t}}, it is pronounced [iɛ], with {{angbr|ian}} and {{angbr|iat}} being pronounced as [iɛn] and [iɛt̚] respectively.}}
|iu [iu]<br>油 ('''iû''')
|ue [ue]<br>話 ('''uē''')
|
|uai [uai]<br> 歪 ('''uai''')
|}
|}
{{notelist-lr}}

===Tones===
{|class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+Singaporean Hokkien tones
|-
! rowspan="3" |[[Four tones (Middle Chinese)|Tones]]|| colspan="6" |Upper/Dark {{nobold|(陰)}}|| colspan="6" |Lower/Light {{nobold|(陽)}}
|-
! rowspan="2" |[[Tone number|No.]]
! rowspan="2" |[[Tone name|Name]]
! rowspan="2" |[[Tâi-lô|TL]]
! rowspan="2" |e.g.
! colspan="2" |Pitch Contour
! rowspan="2" |[[Tone number|No.]]
! rowspan="2" |[[Tone name|Name]]
! rowspan="2" |[[Tâi-lô|TL]]
! rowspan="2" |e.g.
! colspan="2" |Pitch Contour
|-
!Original||[[Tone sandhi|Sandhied]]||Original||[[Tone sandhi|Sandhied]]
|-
!Level {{nobold|(平)}}
|1||陰平<br>''im-piânn''||{{font|size=130%|a}}
|詩<br>''si''||[˦˦] (44)||[˨˨] (22)||5||陽平<br>''iông-piânn''||{{font|size=130%|â}}
|時<br>''sî''||[˨˦] (24)||[˨˩] (21) 
|-
!Rising {{nobold|(上)}}
|2||上聲<br>''sióng-siann''||{{font|size=130%|á}}
|死<br>''sí''||[˦˨] (42)||[˨˦] (24)|| colspan="6" style="background-color: lightgray" |－
|-
!Departing {{nobold|(去)}}
|3||陰去<br>''im-khì''||{{font|size=130%|à}}
|四<br>''sì''||[˨˩] (21)||[˦˨] (42)||7||陽去<br>''iông-khì''||{{font|size=130%|ā}}
|是<br>''sī''||[˨˨] (22)||[˨˩] (21)
|-
! rowspan="2" |[[Checked tone|Entering {{nobold|(入)}}]]
| rowspan="2" |4|| rowspan="2" |陰入<br>''im-ji̍p''|| rowspan="2" |{{font|size=130%|a◌}}
| rowspan="2" |薛<br>''sih''|| rowspan="2" |[ʔ˧˨] (32)||[ʔ˦˨] (42)|| rowspan="2" |8|| rowspan="2" |陽入<br>''iông-ji̍p''|| rowspan="2" |{{font|size=130%|a̍◌}}
| rowspan="2" |蝕<br>''si̍h''||[ʔ˦˧] (43)|| rowspan="2" |[ʔ˨˩] (21)
|-
|[ʔ˦] (4)
|[ʔ˦] (4)
|-
!Note
| colspan="12" |Entering tones (4 & 8) only occur in closed syllables where ◌ represents either ''-p'', ''-t'', ''-k'', or ''-h''.
|}

===Variation===
====Regional accents and tones====
When Singaporeans speak Hokkien, they do so with various accents and tones largely from [[Tong'an District|Tong'an]], [[Anxi County|Anxi]], [[Nan'an, Fujian|Nan'an]], [[Kinmen]] as well as [[Yongchun County|Yongchun]], [[Jinjiang, Fujian|Jinjiang]], [[Longhai City]] and Southern [[Zhangzhou]] accents. In practice, it is common for Singaporeans to mix English conjunctions such as "and" into a Hokkien sentence. Some would include ''honn'' (乎) (an exclamatory remark in [[Jinjiang, Fujian|Jinjiang]] / [[Nan'an, Fujian|Nan'an]]), in addition to the widely used Hokkien exclamatory particles ''la'' ({{lang|nan|啦}}) or ''loo'' ({{lang|nan|囉}}).

====No distinction between literary and vernacular readings====
In saying years or numbers, Singaporean Hokkien normally does not differentiate between literary ({{zh|t=文讀音|labels=no}}) or vernacular ({{zh|t=白讀音|labels=no}}) readings of Chinese characters. In Taiwan or Amoy, a distinction is usually made. For instance, the year ''1980'' would be said with a literary pronunciation ({{zh|t=一九八空年|poj=it kiú pat khòng nî|labels=no}}); but in Singapore, no differentiation is made and is pronounced as otherwise vernacular {{transl|nan|it káu pueh khòng nî}}.

As another instance, Taiwanese would speak telephone numbers using literary readings, whereas Singaporeans would use vernacular ones instead. For example, the telephone number ''98444678'' will be pronounced in Taiwan as {{transl|nan|kiú pat sù sù sù lio̍k tshit pat}}, where in Singaporean Hokkien it would be pronounced as {{transl|nan|káu pueh sì-sì sì la̍k tshit pueh}}.

===Influence from Southern Zhangzhou and Teochew Phonology===
====Vowel shift from ''ing'' to ''eng''====
In Singaporean Hokkien, as compared to Quanzhou (whose accent Hokkien usually inclines toward), Zhangzhou, [[Amoy Hokkien|Amoy]] or [[Taiwanese Hokkien|Taiwanese]], which pronounce the vowel {{transl|nan|ing}}—there is a vowel change from {{transl|nan|ing}} ({{IPA|/iŋ/}} or {{IPA|/iəŋ/}}) to {{transl|nan|eng}} ({{IPA|/eŋ/}} or {{IPA|/ɛŋ/}}). This change is similar to pronunciation in regions south of Zhangzhou—[[Dongshan County|Dongshan]], [[Yunxiao County|Yunxiao]], [[Zhangpu County|Zhangpu]], [[Pinghe County|Pinghe]], [[Zhao'an]] counties (southern Zhangzhou accent)—and in [[Teochew dialect|Teochew]] and Cantonese.

Below is a table illustrating the difference:

{|class=wikitable
|-
![[Hanzi]]
!Singaporean Hokkien
!Amoy Hokkien
!English
|-
|{{lang|nan|生}}
|{{transl|nan|seng}}
|{{transl|nan|sing}}
|to live
|-
|{{lang|nan|清}}
|{{transl|nan|tseng}}
|{{transl|nan|tshing}}
|clear
|-
|{{lang|nan|明}}
|{{transl|nan|bêng}}
|{{transl|nan|bîng}}
|bright
|-
|{{lang|nan|冷}}
|{{transl|nan|léng}}
|{{transl|nan|líng}}
|cold
|-
|{{lang|nan|英}}
|{{transl|nan|eng}}
|{{transl|nan|ing}}
|brave
|-
|{{lang|nan|政}}
|{{transl|nan|tsèng}}
|{{transl|nan|tsìng}}
|political
|}

====Pronunciation of 'I'====
In Amoy Hokkien pronunciation, {{lang|nan|我}} (lit. 'I/me') is pronounced as {{IPA|/ɡua˥˨/}}; but in Singapore, it is pronounced as {{IPA|/wa˥˨/}}, which is alleged by some to have been influenced by the Teochew pronunciation {{IPA|/ua˥˨/}} although other dialects like [[Putian dialect|Putianese]] and some regional Hokkien dialects including most Taiwanese Hokkien dialects also pronounce it as {{IPA|/ua˥˨/}}.

==Grammar==
There are some differences between the sentence structure used by Singaporean Hokkien and by Amoy/Taiwanese Hokkien.

For instance, when asking a question "do you want to...?", Singaporean Hokkien typically uses the sentence structure {{lang|nan|愛……莫？}} ({{transl|nan|ai…mài?}}), whereas Taiwan uses {{lang|nan|欲……無？}} ({{transl|nan|beh…bô?}}). The word {{lang|nan|愛}} ({{transl|nan|ai}}) is commonly used in Singaporean Hokkien to mean "want to", but in Amoy Hokkien and Taiwan Hokkien, the word {{lang|nan|欲/卜}} ({{transl|nan|beh}}) (which means "want" in Hokkien) is used instead. {{lang|nan|愛}} ({{transl|nan|ai}}) in Amoy and Taiwanese Hokkien it typically means "love to" or "need to".

Also, unlike Taiwanese Hokkien—which typically uses the word {{lang|nan|敢}} ({{transl|nan|kám}}) (meaning "whether or not") when asking a question, which is more formal or polite—Singaporean Hokkien does not use the word {{lang|nan|敢}} ({{transl|nan|kám}}). Instead, it simply adds the word {{lang|nan|無}} ({{transl|nan|bô}}) at the end of the sentence to indicate that it is a question (similar to Mandarin's {{lang|cmn|嗎}} ({{transl|cmn|ma}}) or adds a Cantonese intonation {{lang|yue|咩}} ({{transl|yue|me1}}) at the end. Adding the word {{lang|nan|無}} ({{transl|nan|bô}}) at the end of a sentence is also used in Taiwanese Hokkien, when one is asking a question in an informal way.

{|class=wikitable

|+ '''Differences in sentence structure'''
|-
!Singaporean Hokkien
!Amoy
!English
|-
|align=center|{{lang|nan|愛食飯莫？}}<br>{{transl|nan|ai tsia̍h-pn̄g mài?}}
|align=center|{{lang|nan|欲食飯無？}}<br>{{transl|nan|beh tsia̍h-pn̄g bô?}}
|Do you want to eat?
|-
|align=center|{{lang|nan|汝有睏飽無？}}<br>{{transl|nan|lír ū khùn-pá bô?}}
|align=center|{{lang|nan|汝敢有睏飽？}}<br>{{transl|nan|lí kám ū khùn-pá?}}
|Did you have enough sleep?
|}

==Numerals==
{{See also|Literary and colloquial readings of Chinese characters}}

The following list shows the colloquial readings of the numerals used to count objects.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin:auto"
|-
! Hanzi
! [[Tâi-lô]]
! Value
! Notes
|-
|{{wikt-lang|zh-Hant|零}}, {{wikt-lang|zh|〇}}
|{{transl|nan|lêng}}||[[0 (number)|0]]
|align="left" | {{lang|nan|〇}} is an informal way to represent zero<br>also {{lang|nan|空}} ({{transl|nan|khòng}})
|-
|{{wikt-lang|zh|一}}
|{{transl|nan|tsi̍t}}||[[1 (number)|1]]
|align="left" | also pronounced {{transl|nan|it}}<br>also {{lang|nan|么}} ({{transl|nan|io}}) when used in phone numbers etc.
|-
|{{wikt-lang|zh-Hant|兩}}
|{{transl|nan|nn̄g}}||[[2 (number)|2]]
|align="left" | also {{lang|nan|二}} ({{transl|nan|lī/jī}})
|-
|{{wikt-lang|zh|三}}
|{{transl|nan|sann}}||[[3 (number)|3]]
|
|-
|{{wikt-lang|zh|四}}
|{{transl|nan|sì}}||[[4 (number)|4]]
|
|-
|{{wikt-lang|zh|五}}
|{{transl|nan|gō}}||[[5 (number)|5]]
|
|-
|{{wikt-lang|zh|六}}
|{{transl|nan|la̍k}}||[[6 (number)|6]]
|
|-
|{{wikt-lang|zh-Hant|七}}
|{{transl|nan|tshit}}||[[7 (number)|7]]
|
|-
|{{wikt-lang|zh-Hant|八}}
|{{transl|nan|pueh}}||[[8 (number)|8]]
|
|-
|{{wikt-lang|zh|九}}
|{{transl|nan|káu}}||[[9 (number)|9]]
|
|-
|{{wikt-lang|zh|十}}
|{{transl|nan|tsa̍p}}||[[10 (number)|10]]
|
|}

Most ordinal numbers are formed by adding {{lang|nan|第}} ({{transl|nan|tē}}) in front of a cardinal number. In some cases, the literary reading of the number must then be used. For example, {{lang|nan|第一}} = {{transl|nan|tē-it}}, {{lang|nan|第二}} = {{transl|nan|tē-jī}}.

==Differences from other Hokkien varieties==

There are minor differences between Singaporean Hokkien and [[Amoy Hokkien|Amoy]] or [[Taiwanese Hokkien|Taiwanese]] in terms of vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar. [[Amoy Hokkien|Amoy]] and [[Taiwanese Hokkien|Taiwanese]] bear close resemblance, and are usually considered the prestige dialect of Hokkien, differing only in terms of [[lexicon|vocabulary]].

===Unique vocabulary===

Although Singaporean Hokkien is similar to [[Amoy Hokkien|Amoy]] or [[Taiwanese Hokkien|Taiwanese]], there exist certain unique Singaporean Hokkien words, which are different from those two aforementioned dialects.

{|class=wikitable
|-
!Singaporean Hokkien
!Amoy Hokkien
!Definition
|-
|align=center|{{lang|nan-Hant-SG|死景}}<br>{{transl|nan|sí-kéng}}
|align=center|{{lang|zh-Hant|博物館}}<br>{{transl|nan|phok-bu̍t-kuán}}
|museum
|-
|align=center|{{lang|nan-Hant-SG|活景}}<br>{{transl|nan|ua̍h-kéng}}
|align=center|{{lang|zh-Hant|動物園}}<br>{{transl|nan|tōng-bu̍t-hn̂g}}
|zoo
|-
|align=center|{{lang|nan-Hant-SG|掠無球}}<br>{{transl|nan|lia̍h-bô-kiû}}
|align=center|{{lang|zh-Hant|毋捌}}<br>{{transl|nan|m̄-bat}}
|completely not understand (lit. catch no balls)
|-
|align=center|{{lang|nan-Hant-SG|假強}}<br>{{transl|nan|kê-khiàng}}
|align=center|{{lang|zh-Hant|假𠢕}}<br>{{transl|nan|ké-gâu}}
|act smart (overdo it; Singapore especially for women)
|-
|align=center|{{lang|nan-Hant-SG|俏母}}<br>{{transl|nan|tshiò-bú}}
|align=center|{{lang|zh-Hant|媠查某}}<br>{{transl|nan|súi tsa-bóo}}
|pretty lady
|-
|align=center|{{lang|nan-Hant-SG|督公}}<br>{{transl|nan|tok-kong}}
|align=center|{{lang|zh|讚}}<br>{{transl|nan|tsàn}}
|superb (originated from [[Na Tuk Kong]])
|}

===Same meaning, different words===
{{Table alignment}}
{| class="wikitable defaultcenter col2left col4left"
|-
!Singaporean Hokkien
!Definition
!Amoy/Taiwanese Hokkien
!Notes
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|愛}}<br>''ài''
|Want
|{{lang|zh-Hant|欲}}<br>''beh''
|愛 ''ài'' in Amoy means "love" or "must". 欲 in Singaporean Hokkien can be classified as an auxiliary verb denoting volition of the following verb.  
{{lang|zh-Hant|欲}} ''beh'' is sometimes written alternatively as {{lang|zh|卜}} ''beh''.
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|汝}}<br>''lí / lír / lú''
|You
|{{lang|zh-Hant|你}}<br>''lí''
|你 ''lí'' (used in Quanzhou/Amoy/Taiwanese) is also used in Singaporean Hokkien, originating from Quanzhou/Amoy speech. The pronunciation of ''lír'' 汝 originated from the Tâng-uann accent (同安音), or could be traced to Teochew, while ''lú'' 汝 came from the Zhangzhou variant of Hokkien which is predominant in Penang, Malaysia as well as Medan and most parts of Indonesia. 
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|恁儂}} / {{lang|zh-Hant|恁人}}<br>''lín lâng''
|You-all
|{{lang|zh-Hant|恁}}<br>''lín''
| The use of 儂/人 lâng in Singaporean Hokkien pronoun (I, you, we) originated from Teochew grammar.
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|我儂 / 我人}}<br>''uá lâng''
|We
|{{lang|zh-Hant|阮}} / {{lang|zh|咱}}<br>''gún'' /  ''lán''
|{{lang|zh-Hant|阮儂}} ''gún lâng'', {{lang|zh|咱}} ''lán'' and {{lang|zh|咱儂}} ''lán lâng'' are also used in Singaporean Hokkien.  Quanzhou and Zhangzhou uses {{lang|zh|阮}} ''gún'', whereas Amoy uses {{lang|zh|阮}} ''gún/guán'' in a manner similar to Taiwanese. 
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|伊儂 / 伊人}}<br>''i-lâng''
|They
|{{lang|zh-Hant|𪜶 (亻因)}}<br>''in''
|The addition of 儂 ''lâng'' originates from Teochew, and is also commonly used in Shanghainese.
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|錯}}<br>''tshò''
|Wrong
|{{lang|zh-Hant|毋著}}<br>''m̄-tio̍h''
|The Malay word ''salah'' is actually more commonly used to mean 'wrong' in Singaporean Hokkien. {{lang|zh-Hant|毋著}} ''m̀-tio̍h'' is also used in Singaporean Hokkien.
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|舊早}}<br>''kū-tsá''
|In the past
|{{lang|zh-Hant|頂擺}} / {{lang|zh-Hant|以前}}<br>''téng-mái'' / ''í-tsêng'' 
| All variants are used in Amoy/Taiwanese.
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|鬥跤手}}<br>''tàu-kha-tshiú''
|Help
|{{lang|zh-Hant|鬥相共}}<br>''tàu-sann-kāng''
| All variants are used in Amoy / Taiwanese.
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|卽兜}}<br>''tsit-tâu'' 
|This place
|{{lang|zh-Hant|這爿}} / {{lang|zh-Hant|遮}}<br>''tsit-pêng'' / ''tsiâ''
|{{lang|zh-Hant|這爿}} ''tsit-pêng'' is also commonly used in Singapore, {{lang|zh-Hant|遮}} ''tsiâ'' less so. 
{{lang|zh-Hant|這}} ''tsit'' is sometimes written alternatively as {{lang|zh-Hant|即}} or {{lang|zh|今}}.
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|按呢款}}<br>''án-ne-khuán''
|In this way, so
|{{lang|zh-Hant|按呢}}<br>''án-ne''/''án-ni''
| {{lang|zh-Hant|款}} ''khuán'' is not generally appended in Amoy / Taiwanese
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|幾鐳}} / {{lang|zh-Hant|幾箍}}<br>''kui-lui'' / ''kui khoo''
|How much?
|{{lang|zh-Hant|偌濟錢}}<br>''juā-tsuē tsînn'' 
| All variants are used in Amoy. Both 鐳 ''lui'' and 錢 ''tsînn'' are used in [[Minnan region]] today to mean "money". In Singapore however, 鐳 ''lui'' is more commonly used to mean "money".<br>The word 鐳 ''lui'' was previously thought to have originated from Malay. However, research indicated that the word 鐳 ''lui'' is in fact a unique Hokkien word, originating from the unit of currency known as {{lang|zh-Hant| 銅鐳}} ''tâng-lui'' during the early [[Republic of China (1912–49)|Chinese Republican]] period. It actually means "bronze money". {{lang|zh-Hant|銅鐳}} ''tâng-lui'' was commonly used in [[Minnan region]] and [[Chaoshan]] region during that time, and the term spread to Singapore then and remains in common use until today.<br>鐳 ''lui'' used to be used in Taiwan, but due to [[Taiwan under Japanese rule|Japanese colonial rule]] fell out of use. It was replaced by {{lang|zh-Hant|錢}} ''tsînn'' which is the normal term for "money" in Taiwan today. 
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|轉厝}}<br>''tńg-tshū''
|Go home
|{{lang|zh-Hant|倒去}}<br>''to-khì''
|{{lang|zh-Hant|轉去}} ''to-khì'' is used in Singapore as well, but with a more general meaning of "going back", not specifically home.
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|今仔日}}<br>''kiann-ji̍t''
|Today
|{{lang|zh-Hant|今仔日}}<br>''kin-á-ji̍t''
| Singapore '今仔'日 ''kiann-ji̍t'' is a contraction of Amoy {{lang|zh-Hant|今仔日}} ''kin-á-ji̍t''. {{lang|zh-Hant|今日}} ''kin-ji̍t'' is also heard in Singapore.
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|當今}}<br>''tong-kim''
|Nowadays
|{{lang|zh-Hant|現此時 }}<br>''hián-tsú-sî''
| Both Singapore and Amoy/Taiwanese commonly use {{lang|zh-Hant|這陣}} ''tsit-tsūn'' to encompass the meaning of "nowadays". {{lang|zh-Hant|現此時 }} ''hián-tshú-sî''  is commonly used in Taiwanese.
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|即陣}}<br>''tsit-tsūn''
|Now
|{{lang|zh-Hant|這馬}} / {{lang|zh-Hant|這站}}<br>''tsit-má'' / ''tsit-tsām''
|{{lang|zh-Hant|這陣}} ''tsit-tsūn'' is also used in Amoy / Taiwanese
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|四散}}<br>''sì-suānn''
|anyhow/casual/random
|{{lang|zh-Hant|烏白}}<br>''oo-pe̍h''
|E.g. 伊四散講 ''i sì-suānn kóng'' - He speaks casually (or nonsense). {{lang|zh-Hant|四散}} ''sì-suānn'' is sometimes also used in Amoy, and regularly used in Teochew.
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|定著}}<br>''tiānn-tio̍h''
|surely
|{{lang|zh-Hant|一定}} / {{lang|zh-Hant|絕對}}<br>''it-tīng'' / ''tsua̍t-tùi''
|{{lang|zh-Hant|定著}} ''tiānn-tio̍h'' is sometimes also used in Taiwan. {{lang|zh-Hant|一定}} ''it-tīng'' is a loan from Mandarin.
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|驚輸}}<br>''kiann-su''
| Fear of losing out/failure - [[kiasu]]
| {{lang|zh-Hant|驚失敗}}<br>''kiann sit-pāi''
|
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|公私}}<br>''kong-si''
|Share
|{{lang|zh-Hant|分}} / {{lang|zh-Hant|公家}}<br>''pun'' / ''kong-ke''
|
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|正}}<br>''tsiā''
|Very
|{{lang|zh-Hant|真}}<br>''tsin''
|
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|傷}}<br>''siong''
| Very tough or difficult
|{{lang|zh-Hant|艱難 / 困難}}<br>''kan-lân'' / ''khùn-lân''
|{{lang|zh-Hant|傷}} ''siong'' literally means "injurious", but has become slang in Singapore for "tough" or "difficult"
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|幸}}<br>''heng''
|Luckily, fortunately
|{{lang|zh-Hant|好佳哉}}<br>''hó-ka-tsài''
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|食風}}<br>''tsia̍h-hong''
|To go on holiday, or more generally to live in luxury
|{{lang|zh-Hant|𨑨迌}}<br>''tshit-thô''
|In Amoy / Taiwanese, {{lang|zh-Hant|食風}} ''tsia̍h-hong'' is also used but means "facing the wind". In Singapore, {{lang|zh|𨑨迌}} ''tshit-thô'' means simply "to play" (as in children playing).
|}

===Same word, different pronunciation===

There are some words used in Singaporean Hokkien that are the same in Taiwanese Hokkien, but are pronounced differently.

{|class=wikitable
|-
!Hokkien Words
!Definition
!Singaporean Hokkien
!Taiwanese Hokkien
!Notes
|-
|{{lang|nan-Hant|咖啡}}
|Coffee
|{{transl|nan|ko-pi}}
|{{transl|nan|ka-pi}}
|"{{transl|nan|ko-pi}}" is a loan word from the Malay word "{{lang|ms|kopi}}" which in turn is taken from the English word "''{{lang|en|coffee}}''" The Mandarin word "{{transl|cmn|kāfēi}}" and the Taiwanese Hokkien word "{{transl|nan|ka-pi}}" are derived from the French word "{{lang|roa|café}}". As Hokkien does not have an f-sound, this turned into a p-sound. Philippine Hokkien pronounces the word for "coffee" as "{{transl|nan|ka-pé}}" which is also a loan word from the Filipino/Tagalog word "{{lang|fil|kape}}", which is also derived from the Spanish word "{{lang|es|café}}".
|-
|{{lang|nan-Hant|按怎}}
|How
|{{transl|nan|án-tsuánn}}
|{{transl|nan|án-nuá}}
|"{{transl|nan|án-tsuánn}}" is also commonly used in Taiwan. The pronunciation of "{{transl|nan|án-nuá}}" originates from Zhangzhou.
|-
|{{lang|nan-Hant|啥物/甚物}}
|What
|{{transl|nan|si-mih/sim-mih}}
|{{transl|nan|siánn-mi̍h}}
|"{{transl|nan|si-mih/sim-mih}}" is based on the word {{lang|nan-Hant-CN|甚物}} (used in Amoy/Zhangzhou), whereas "{{transl|nan|siánn-mi̍h}}" is based on the word {{lang|nan-Hant-CN|啥物}} (used in Quanzhou). Taiwan typically uses "{{lang|nan-Hant-TW|啥物}} {{transl|nan|siánn-mi̍h}}" more often, although "{{lang|nan-Hant-TW|甚物}} {{transl|nan|sim-mih}}" is also used. Singapore also uses "{{lang|nan-Hant-SG|啥物}} {{transl|nan|siánn-mi̍h}}", though less often. 
|}

==Influences from other languages==
Because Singapore is a multilingual country, Singaporean Hokkien has been influenced by many other languages spoken in Singapore. As a result, there are many non-Hokkien words that have been imported into Singaporean Hokkien, such as those from Malay, Teochew, Cantonese, and English.

===Loanwords from other Chinese varieties===
There are words in Singaporean Hokkien that originated from other Chinese variants spoken in Singapore.

{|class=wikitable
|-
!Singaporean Hokkien
!Definition
!Amoy Hokkien
!Notes
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|偏}}<br>''phinn''
|Cheap
|{{lang|zh-Hant|俗}}<br>''sio̍k''
|{{lang|zh-Hant|偏}} ''phinn'' originates from Teochew. {{lang|zh-Hant|俗}} ''sio̍k'' also used in Amoy/Quanzhou/Zhangzhou
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|死爸}}<br>''sí-pē''
|Very
|{{lang|zh-Hant|眞}} / {{lang|zh-Hant|足}} <br>''tsin'' / ''tsiok''
|Originated from Teochew word 死爸 ''sí-pĕ''. Interchangeably used in Singaporean Hokkien, which can coincide with the Hokkien pronunciation of 死爸 ''sí-pē''. The word {{lang|zh-Hant|死爸}} ''sí-pē'' in original Hokkien is a vulgar word that means "to the extent that your/my father dies".
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|山龜}}<br>''suānn-ku''
|Country-bumpkin
|{{lang|zh-Hant|土包仔}}<br>''thóo-pau-á''
|Originated from Teochew, lit. "mountain tortoise"
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|無便}}<br>''bô-piàn''
|There is no way (nothing can be done)
|{{lang|zh-Hant|無法度}}<br>''bô-huat-tō''
|Originated from Teochew
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|做儛}}<br>''tsò-bú''
|together
|{{lang|zh-Hant|做伙}} / {{lang|zh-Hant|做陣}} / {{lang|zh-Hant|鬭陣}}<br> ''tsuè-he'' / ''tsuè-tīn'' / ''tàu-tīn''
|Originated from Teochew
|-
|{{lang|zh-Hant|緊張}}<br>''kán-tsiong''
|Nervous
|{{lang|zh-Hant|緊張}}<br>''kín-tiunn''
|Originated from Cantonese
|}

===Malay loanwords===
The following are the common Malay loanwords used in Singaporean Hokkien. Most of them are also used in Amoy.

{|class=wikitable
|-
!Singaporean Hokkien
![[Hanzi]]
!Definition
!Amoy Hokkien
!Notes
|-
|Su-ka (suka)
|{{lang|zh-Hant|舒合}} (su-kah)
|Like
|{{lang|zh-Hant|佮意}} (kah-ì)
|
|-
|Sabun
|{{lang|zh-Hant|雪文}} (sap-bûn)
|Soap
|{{lang|zh-Hant|茶箍}} (tê-khoo)
|{{lang|zh-Hant|雪文}} (sap-bûn) is also used in Taiwan. Amoy, Quanzhou and Zhangzhou also uses {{lang|zh-Hant|雪文}} (sap-bûn). Originates from old Portuguese "sabon" (modern Portuguese uses "sabão") which also gave Malay its word for soap. {{lang|zh-Hant|茶箍/茶枯}} (tê-khoo) is also used in Amoy/Quanzhou/Zhangzhou.
|-
|Kah-win (kahwin)
|交寅 (kau-ín)
|Marry
|{{lang|zh-Hant|結婚}} (kiat-hun)
|交寅 (kau-ín) is also used in Amoy. Originates from Malay.
|-
|Ka-cau
|
|Disturb
|{{lang|zh-Hant|攪擾}} (kiáu-liáu)
|
|-
|Ba-Lu (baru)
|
|Recently
|{{lang|zh-Hant|最近}} (tsuè-kīn)
|
|-
|Pa-sak (pasar)
|{{lang|zh-Hant|巴刹}} (pa-sat)
|Market
|{{lang|zh-Hant|市場}} (tshī-tiûnn) or {{lang|zh-Hant|菜市}} (tshài-tshī)
|
|-
|Ma-ta (mata-mata)
|
|Police
|{{lang|zh-Hant|警察}} (kéng-tshat)
|Mata literally means "eye" and is used as a colloquial term for the police. 'mata-mata' may also be used to mean 'spy'.
|-
|Ga-duh
|
|Quarrel
|{{lang|zh-Hant|冤家}} (uan-ke)
|
|-
|Si-nang (senang)
|
|Easy
|{{lang|zh|簡單}} (kán-tan)
|-
|To-long
|
|Help
|{{lang|zh-Hant|拜託}} (pài-thok)，{{lang|zh|幫忙}} (pang-bâng) or {{lang|zh|鬥相共}} (tàu-sann-kāng)
|
|-
|Sa-lah
|
|Offence, Wrong
|{{lang|zh|犯法}} (huān-huat)
|
|-
|Ta-pi (tetapi)
|
|But
|{{lang|zh|但是}} (tān-sī)， {{lang|zh-Hant|毋過}} (m̄-koh/m-ku) or {{lang|zh-Hant|猶毋過}}(iáu m̄-koh)
|{{lang|zh-Hant|毋過}} is also used in Amoy/Quanzhou/Zhangzhou. Quanzhou typically pronounces {{lang|zh|毋過}} as "m̄-ku", whereas Zhangzhou pronounces {{lang|zh|毋過}} as "m̄-koh".
|-
|Roti
|
|Bread
|{{lang|zh-Hant|麵包}} (mī-pau) or {{lang|zh-Hant|麭}} (pháng) (Japanese loanwords)
|
|-
|Pun
|{{lang|zh-Hant|本}}(pun)
|Also
|{{lang|zh-Hant|嘛是}} (mā sī) or {{lang|zh-Hant|也是}} (iā-sī)
|E.g. {{Lang|zh-Hant|伊本是眞帥}} (i pun-sī tsin suí) - She is also very pretty
Both other Amoy Hokkien words are also used.
|-
|Saman
|
|summons (fine)
|{{lang|zh-Hant|罰款}} (hua̍t-khuán)
|
|-
|Agak Agak
|
|Guess/Estimate
|{{lang|zh-Hant|臆}} (ioh)
|
|-
|Kentang
|
|Potato
|{{lang|zh-Hant|馬鈴薯}} (má-lêng-tsû)
|
|-
|Guli
|
|Marble
|{{lang|zh-Hant|大理石}} (tāi-lí-tsio̍h)
|
|-
|Botak
|
|Bald/Baldy
|{{lang|zh-Hant|光頭}} (kng-thâu) or {{lang|zh-Hant|禿頭}} (thut-thâu)　
|
|-
|Pakat
|{{lang|zh-Hant|巴結}} (pá-kat)
|Conspire
|{{lang|zh-Hant|串通}} (tshuàn-thong)
|
|-
|Buaya
|{{lang|zh-Hant|磨仔}} (buá à)
|Crocodile
|{{lang|zh-Hant|鱷魚}} (kho̍k-hî)
|
|-
|Beh Ta-han
|袂扙捍
|Cannot tolerate
|{{lang|zh-Hant|擋袂牢}} (tòng bē tiâu)
|Formed by Hokkien word "beh 袂" and Malay word "tahan"
|-
|Mana Eh Sai
|Mana 會使
|How can this be?
|{{lang|zh-Hant|敢會使}} (kam ē-sái)
|Formed by Malay word "mana" and Hokkien word "e-sai 會使"
|-
|Lokun
|老君
|Doctor
|{{lang|zh-Hant|醫生}} (i-seng)
|From Malay word "Dukun", which means shaman or medicine man. Alternatively, 老君 lo-kun is related to Taoist's deity [[Daode Tianzun]], which is commonly known as Taishang Laojun (太上老君) "The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord". Many Chinese in Singapore practiced Taoism and visited Taoist temples to prescribe medicine to cure their disease. Naturally, the deity became like a doctor. Lokun 老君 can also mean a wise man.
|}

===English loanwords===
There are also many English loanwords used in Singaporean Hokkien. They are usually used when the speaker does not know the Hokkien equivalent. Some of these English terms are related to working and living in Singapore

{|class=wikitable
|-
!English loanwords in Singaporean Hokkien
!Compare Taiwanese Hokkien
|-
|Shopping
|{{lang|zh-Hant|踅街}} (se̍h-kue)
|-
|MRT
|{{lang|zh-Hant|地鐵}} (tē-thih) or {{lang|zh-Hant|捷運}} (tsia̍t-ūn)
|-
|But
|{{lang|zh-Hant|但是}} (tān-sī) or {{lang|zh-Hant|毋過}} (m̄-koh)
|-
|Toilet
||{{lang|zh-Hant|便所}} (piān-sóo)
|}

==Vocabulary from Old Chinese==

{{main|Old Chinese|Literary and colloquial readings of Chinese characters}}
Certain [[Literary and colloquial readings of Chinese characters|colloquial]] pronunciations of Singaporean Hokkien words are directly inherited from the [[consonant]] system of [[Old Chinese]]. Hokkien did not experience a great phonological change throughout the transition period from [[Old Chinese]] to [[Middle Chinese]].

Min dialects, including Hokkien, preserved a unique feature of [[Old Chinese]]: it does not have [[labiodental consonants]]. For instance, the word "{{lang|nan-Hant-TW|分}}" is pronounced as {{transl|cmn|fen}} in Mandarin, but as {{transl|nan|pun}} in Hokkien. This marks a major difference between [[Old Chinese]] and [[Middle Chinese]].<ref>{{citation|last=Baxter|first=William H.|author-link=William H. Baxter|title=A Handbook of Old Chinese Phonology|location=Berlin|publisher=Mouton de Gruyter|year=1992|isbn=978-3-11-012324-1|doi=10.1515/9783110857085|page=47}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable"

|+ Old Chinese words whose usage is preserved in Singaporean Hokkien
|-
!Hokkien<br>Vocabulary
!Mandarin<br>Equivalent
!English
!Notes
|-
|align=center|汝<br>''lí'' / ''lír'' / ''lú''
|align=center|你<br>''nǐ''
|you
|
|-
|align=center|伊<br>''i''
|align=center|他/她/它<br>''tā''
|he/she
|
|-
|align=center|箸<br>''tī'' / ''tīr''
|align=center|筷子<br>''kuàizi''
|chopsticks
|
|-
|align=center|物件<br>''mi̍h-kiānn''
|align=center|東西<br>''dōngxi''
|things
|
|-
|align=center|按呢<br>''án-ni'' / ''án-ne''
|align=center|這麼<br>''zhème''
|like this
|
|-
|align=center|按怎<br>''àn-tsuánn''
|align=center|怎麼<br>''zěnme''
|how?
|
|-
|align=center|厝<br>''tshù''
|align=center|房子<br>''fángzi''
|house
|
|-
|align=center|檨<br>''suāinn''
|align=center|芒果<br>''mángguǒ''
|mango
|
|-
|align=center|枵<br>''iau''
|align=center|餓<br>''è''
|hungry
|e.g. 我個腹肚眞枵。 (I'm very hungry.)
|-
|align=center|尻川<br>''kha-tshng''
|align=center|屁股<br>''pìgǔ''
|buttock
|e.g. 拍尻川！(Spank [his] bottom!)
|-
|align=center|跤<br>''kha''
|align=center|腳<br>''jiǎo''
|leg
|
|-
|align=center|塗跤<br>''thôo-kha''
|align=center|地板<br>''dìbǎn''
|floor
|
|-
|align=center|鼎<br>''tiánn''
|align=center|鍋<br>''guō''
|wok
|
|-
|align=center|肉脞<br>''bah-tshò''
|align=center|碎肉<br>''suìròu''
|minced meat
|-
|align=center|蹛<br>''tuà''
|align=center|住<br>''zhù''
|to live/reside
|e.g. 汝蹛底落？ (Where do you live?)
|-
|align=center|徛<br>''khiā''
|align=center|住<br>''zhù''
|to live/reside
|e.g. 我徛佇牛車水。 (I live in Chinatown.)
|-
|align=center|佇<br>''tī'' / ''tīr''
|align=center|在<br>''zài''
|to be located in/at
|e.g. 汝佇底落？ (Where are you?)
|-
|align=center|暗暝<br>''àm-mî'' / ''àm-mê''
|align=center|晚上<br>''wǎnshang''
|night
|
|-
|align=center|晏<br>''uànn''
|align=center|晚<br>''wǎn''
|night
|
|-
|align=center|門跤口<br>''mn̂g-kha-kháu''
|align=center|門口<br>''ménkǒu''
|entrance
|
|-
|align=center|外口<br>''guā-kháu''
|align=center|外面<br>''wàimiàn''
|outside
|
|-
|align=center|泅水<br>''siû-tsuí''
|align=center|游泳<br>''yóuyǒng''
|swim
|
|-
|align=center|卽陣<br>''tsit-tsūn''
|align=center|現在<br>''xiànzài''
|now
|
|-
|align=center|卽久<br>''tsit-kú''
|align=center|現在<br>''xiànzài''
|now
|
|-
|align=center|卽馬<br>''tsit-má''
|align=center|現在<br>''xiànzài''
|now
|
|-
|align=center|現此時<br>''hiān-tsú-sî''
|align=center|現在<br>''xiànzài''
|now
|
|-
|align=center|當今<br>''tong-kim''
|align=center|現在<br>''xiànzài''
|nowadays
|
|-
|align=center|眠床<br>''bîn-tshn̂g''
|align=center|床<br>''chuáng''
|bed
|
|-
|align=center|遘<br>''kàu''
|align=center|到<br>''dào''
|get to/reach
|e.g. 我遘厝了。 (I've reached home.)
|-
|align=center|轉<br>''tńg''
|align=center|回去<br>''huíqù''
|go back
|e.g. 我轉去學堂提物件。 (I came back to get my things.)
|-
|align=center|倒轉<br>''tò-tńg''
|align=center|回去<br>''huíqù''
|go back
|
|-
|align=center|食<br>''tsia̍h''
|align=center|吃<br>''chī''
|eat
|
|-
|align=center|猶未<br>''á-buē''
|align=center|還沒<br>''háiméi''
|not yet
|e.g. 我猶未食飯。 (I've not yet eaten.)
|-
|align=center|趁錢<br>''thàn-tsînn''
|align=center|賺錢<br>''zhuànqián''
|earn money
|
|}

==Cultural use==
{{see also|Written Hokkien}}
===In religion===
[[File:Hokkiensutra.jpg|thumb|right|200px|alt=Hokkien Sutra|Extract from a Buddhist repentance sutra 「大悲懺法儀規」 (with Singapore-style Hokkien romanization) taken from a Buddhist temple in Singapore]]

[[File:Banner announcing English and Hokkien services, Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church, Singapore - 20100810.jpg|thumb|right|200px|alt=Hokkien Sutra|A display outside [[Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church]] showing Hokkien Sunday Services (on the right side)]]

Hokklo [[Taoist priests]] are the largest group among [[Zhengyi Dao|Taoist clergy community]] in Singapore, they had always conduct their religious services in Hokkien and still continue to do so. Most [[Tangki]] or Chinese mediums from Hokkien temples also communicate in Hokkien during spiritual consultation. Some of the Chinese Buddhist temples in Singapore continue to recite the [[Buddhist scriptures]] in Hokkien during their daily worship services. The scriptures contain Singapore-style Hokkien romanization are available to assist during the scriptural recitation. There are also Hokkien Buddhist sermons CDs made available and distribute among Hokkien communities in Singapore and overseas. Some of the Chinese Christian churches in Singapore also have services conducted in Singaporean Hokkien.

===Music===
There exist Singaporean Hokkien writings, folk adages, and ballads written by early Chinese immigrants to Singapore.

Amongst the folk ballads, a few outstanding writings tell of the history and hardship of early Chinese immigrants to Singapore.

There are 18 sections in the poetry ballad "行船歌" (''Hâng-tsûn-kua'') ("Songs of traveling on a boat"), which talks about how early immigrants migrated to Singapore.

There is another ballad called "砰嘭水中流" (''Pin-pong-tsúi-tiong-lâu'') ("Flow in the midst of water"):

{{quote|
{{fs interlinear
|乞 涸 木 爲 舟，
|kih kok bo̍k ūi tsiu|}}

{{fs interlinear
|砰 嘭 水 中 流，
|pin pong tsúi tiong lâu|}}

{{fs interlinear
|門雙 劃槳，
|mn̂g-siang u̍ih-hiúnn|}}

{{fs interlinear
|噝 刷 到 泉州。
|si suit kàu tsuân-tsiu|}}
}}

An example of a folk love ballad is "雪梅思君" (''Suat-m̂-su-kun'') ("Snow and plum thinking of a gentlemen"), on the loyalty and chastity of love.<ref name="autosh-1"/>

An example of love poetry is "針線情" (''tsiam-suànn-tsiânn''） ("The emotions of needle and thread"):

{{quote|
{{fs interlinear
|你 是 針， 我 是 線， 針線 永遠 黏 相 倚。
|lí sī tsiam, guá sī suànn, tsiam-suànn éng-uán liâm siòng uá|}}

{{fs interlinear
|人 講 針 補 針 也 著 線， 爲何 放 阮 咧 孤單。
|lâng kóng tsiam póo tsiam hiam tio̍h suànn, ūi-hô pàng gún leh koo-tuann|}}

{{fs interlinear
|啊！ 你 我 本 是 同 被單， 怎樣 來 拆散？
|Ah, lí guá pún sī tâng phuē-tuann, tsuánn-iūnn lâi thiah-suànn|}}

{{fs interlinear
|有 針 無 爲 叫 阮 要 按怎， 思念 心情 無帶 看。
|ū tsiam bô suànn kiò gún ài an-tsuánn, su-liām sim-tsiânn bô-tè khuànn|}}
}}

===Getai===
{{main|Getai}}
Singapore also held [[Getai]] during traditional Chinese festivals, for instance the [[Zhong Yuan Festival]]. During the [[Getai]] event, it is common to speak a number of Chinese dialects, including [[Hokkien]], [[Teochew dialect|Teochew]], and [[Cantonese]]. During the 1960s, Hokkien song was particularly popular. The Singapore Hokkien star Chen Jin Lang (陳金浪) was once the [[Master of ceremonies|compere]] and main singer during the Hungry Ghost Festival. His famous song "10 levels of Hades" ("十殿閻君") was especially popular.

===In opera===
{{See also|Hokkien opera (disambiguation){{!}}Hokkien opera}}
Early Singaporean Hokkien opera had its origins in [[Gaojia]] opera, which was brought from [[Quanzhou]] to Singapore during the late 19th century. In 1927, the Taiwanese [[Taiwanese opera|Gezai]] opera spread to Singapore. Because its lyrics and singing style were easier to understand, it made a great impact on Singapore. Consequently, by the mid 20th century, it had replaced [[Gaojia]] opera to become the mainstream Hokkien opera in Singapore.

Currently, Singapore Hokkien opera is performed by two older troupes—Sin Sai Hong Hokkien Opera Troupe (新賽風閩劇團) and Xiao Kee Lin Hokkien Opera Troupe (筱麒麟閩劇團)—and three newer troupes—Sio Gek Leng Hokkien Opera Troupe (筱玉隆閩劇團), Ai Xin Hokkien Opera Troupe (愛心歌仔戲團), and Do Opera [Hokkien] (延戲[福建歌仔戲]), which is the newest.

A Singapore Chinese opera school nurtures talents in opera, including Hokkien opera.

===In movies===
Singapore Hokkien movies began to appear in the late 1990s, notably by dubbing in Hokkien mainstream Chinese movies made in Singapore. Amongst these, movies directed by [[Jack Neo]], such as ''[[I Not Stupid]]'' and ''[[Money No Enough]]'' were popular. They reflected the social environment of local Singaporeans.

===In radio===
Although Singapore radios started to ban Hokkien in the 1980s, [[Rediffusion Singapore]] continued to broadcast in Hokkien and greatly contributed to the culture of Singapore. For instance, the Hokkien story-telling program ''Amoy folks story'' (''廈語民間故事''), by [[Koh Sock May]] (許淑梅), was very popular.

===Nanyin===
{{Main|Nanguan music}}

[[Nanguan music|Nanyin]] (Southern Music) first spread to Singapore in 1901.<ref Name="autosh-2" /> Many immigrants from Quanzhou began to establish various Nanyin organizations.

Those which survive include the [[Siong Leng Musical Association]], which was established in 1941. It was responsible for promoting Nanyin, as well as [[Liyuan opera]]. In 1977, the then chairman of the association, Ting Ma Cheng (丁馬成), advocated for the ASEAN Nanyin Performance (亞細安南樂大會奏), which helped to revive Nanyin. In addition, in order to educate young people about this performance art, he also published two books on Nanyin and [[Liyuan opera]].<ref Name="autosh-3" />

Currently, the [[Siong Leng Musical Association]] is led by Ding Honghai (丁宏海), and it continues to promote Nanyin in Singapore.

==Footprints of Pe̍h-ōe-jī==
{{main|Pe̍h-ōe-jī}}
[[File:A collection of letter written in Peh Oe Ji in Singapore.jpg|thumb|Provided by descendant of Tan Boon Hak, 陳文學, a cousin of Tan Kah Kee, who donated it to the Brownies for the exhibition]]

There are some letters written in [[Pe̍h-ōe-jī]] from early Hokkien migrants in Singapore.

An example was provided by the descendant of Tan Book Hak, a cousin of [[Tan Kah Kee]].<ref name="autosh-4" />

{|class=wikitable
![[Pe̍h-ōe-jī|POJ]] Letter (in romanized Hokkien)
![[Hàn-jī]] transcription
|-
|
{{transl|nan|12 ge̍h 26 ji̍t<p>
Ha̍k-ḿ siu</p><p>
Tī bô phah-sǹg ê tiong-kan chih-tio̍h lâi phoe chit hong, lāi-bīn só kóng long chai siông-sè, lūn lín Hiân-chek ê sin-khu, kūn lāi ū khah ióng, lín bián khoà-lū,  lūn jī á nā-sī khah kín tò-lâi pó khah hó. Nā tò-lâi chia, ū sî iā thang hō͘ in hiân-chek khah I kàu-hùn, bián-lē. sǹg hiân-sî nî-hè iáu chió, bē bián tit-siū ín-iń, ng-bāng nî-hè kàu gia̍h i chiū ē bat siūⁿ . lí m̄-thang khoà-lū. lūn chhin-chiâⁿ  goá ta̍k lé-pài lo̍h khì Ē-Mn̄g thām thiā, long boē hó-sè. Tā-chiah chia bān-bān koh chhōe, goá iā chin tì-ì . lūn su-chē hiân-chai bô tī the, iā thang chai ié ī-sū. Lái heⁿ lun̄ mā ái kóng hó, chiaⁿ-ge̍h chiah beh tò-lâi. Lūn chō sō ê seng-khu ū ióng-ióng á-bô. Chin siàu-liân ǹg-bāng mê-nî  ē long tò-lâi, koh $100.00 kho ě sū. Su á-bô ti-teh thēng hāu-lâi,góa chiah mn̄g I ê siông-sè, chit ê kì-hō,lí chai āu-pái m̄-thang kià kòe lâi sàng góa, ū chōe chōe êhùi khì. Chhéng an put it.</p><p>
Ông pheh lîm</p>}}
|
{{lang|nan-Hant-SG|12月26日


學姆 收

佇無拍算的中間，接著來批一封，內面所講攏知詳細。論恁賢叔的身軀，近來有較勇，恁免掛慮。論兒仔若是較緊倒来保較好，若倒來遮，有時也通予(亻因) 賢叔共伊教訓、勉勵。算現時年歲猶少，袂免得受引誘，向望年歲夠額 伊就會捌想，汝毋通掛慮。論親情，我逐禮拜落去廈門探聽，攏袂好勢，踮遮則慢慢閣揣，我也真致意。論師姐現在無佇咧，也無通知伊的意思，來衡論嘛愛講好，正月才欲倒來。論做嫂用身軀有勇勇抑無？真少年，向望明年會攏倒來，閣$100.00箍的事。師也無佇咧，聽後來，我才問伊的詳細，這個記號，汝知後擺汝毋通寄過來送我，有濟濟的費氣。請安不一。

王帕林}}
|}

==Places in Singapore==

Singapore's Chinese name "新加坡" (''sin-ka-pho'') originated from Hokkien's transliteration of "Singapore". In addition, there are many other place names in Singapore that originated from Hokkien: [[Ang Mo Kio]] and [[Toa Payoh]], for instance.

==See also==
{{portal|Singapore|Linguistics}}
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* [[Hoklo people]]
* [[Hokkien culture]]
* [[Hokkien architecture]]
* [[Written Hokkien]]
* [[Hokkien media]]
* [[Holopedia]]
* [[Hokkien influence on Singaporean Mandarin]]
* [[Speak Hokkien Campaign]]
* [[Singaporean Mandarin]]
* [[Singdarin]]
{{div col end}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|1|refs=
<ref name="Ethnologue_tree">{{cite web|url= https://www.ethnologue.com/country/SG/languages|title= Languages of Singapore - Ethnologue 2017 |access-date=2017-07-14|author= Ethnologue|author-link= Ethnologue|language= en}}</ref>

<ref name="autosh-1">{{cite web|title=閩江茶座——周長楫敎授談閩南話在新加坡 |url=http://gb.cri.cn/1321/2004/08/27/662@281386.htm |publisher=國際在線 |language=zh}}</ref>

<ref name="autosh-2">{{cite web|title=Siong Leng Musical Association | date=18 February 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws0dOUtG670 |publisher=Lukechua}}</ref>

<ref name="autosh-3">{{cite web|title=新加坡湘靈音樂社訪臺文化藝術交流音樂會| date=4 December 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSbyquSDdTQ|publisher=rimhncfta|language=zh}}</ref>

<ref name="autosh-4">Bukit Brown: Our Roots, Our Heritage</ref>
}}

===Academic sources===
* {{cite book |author= Chua, B. H. |title= Taiwan's present/Singapore's past mediated by Hokkien language| date = 2000 |publisher= Singapore: Dept. of Sociology, National University of Singapore |language = en| isbn = 981-3033-43-6 }}
* {{cite book |author= The Rev. Carstairs Douglas |title= Chinese-English Dictionary of the Vernacular or Spoken Language of Amoy, with the Principal Variations of the Chang-chew and Chin-chew Dialects| date = 1899 |publisher= Publishing Office of the Presbyterian Church of England | location = London |language = en| isbn = 1-86210-068-3 }}
* {{cite book |author= {{lang|zh|周长楫、周清海}} |script-title= zh:新加坡闽南话词典 |trans-title= Singaporean Hokkien Dictionary | date = 2002 |publisher= China Social Sciences Press | location = Beijing |language = zh| isbn = 7-5004-3530-4 }}
* {{cite book |author= {{lang|zh|周长楫、周清海}} |script-title= zh:新加坡闽南话概说 |trans-title= Survey of Singaporean Hokkien | date = 2000 |publisher= Xiamen University Press | location = Xiamen  |language = zh| isbn = 7-5615-1692-4 }}
* {{cite book |author= {{lang|zh|周长楫、周清海}} |script-title= zh:新加坡闽南话俗语歌谣选 |trans-title= Hokkien Folks Songs of Singapore | date = 2003 |publisher= Xiamen University Press | location = Xiamen   |language = zh| isbn =  7-5615-2158-8 }}

==External links==
*[[:zh-min-nan:|Holopedia - Wikipedia in Peh-oe-ji (Wikipedia in Hokkien)]]
*[http://www.chineselanguage.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=6 Online Hokkien Forum (in English)]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110820011215/http://libguides.nl.sg/hokkien  閩南人 The Hokkiens——新加坡國家圖書館館藏選介]

{{Languages of Singapore}}
{{Chinese language}}
{{Sino-Tibetan languages}}
{{Min Chinese}}

[[Category:Chinese languages in Singapore]]
[[Category:Hokkien-language dialects]]
[[Category:Languages of Singapore]]