Getting around
Danfo
Hold your change.
Have your change ready.
You hear this when the doors close or the next stop is called. It is written down too, so a missed word does not end the ride.
Lagos
Nigeria
Lagos spreads across a lagoon, with the older core on Lagos Island and vast districts on the mainland.
How the language is used
English is the official language of schools and government, and Nigerian Pidgin is widespread in markets and casual talk.
In this city
- Language
- English
- Also heard
- Yoruba
- A local word
- Danfo — A yellow shared minibus.
- Writing
- the Latin alphabet
What people say
Ordinary lines from this city: the ride, the counter, the food, and the greeting.
Food
Market
How much?
How much is it?
The order is built in short pieces like this one.
The counter
Office
Good morning.
Good morning.
This line is a whole order. You do not need a longer sentence.
The street
Street
How far?
How are you?
People keep this line short. It is enough for the moment.
The language through the day
English is the language of school and government. In the market and on the minibus, Nigerian Pidgin carries the price and the joke.
Around Victoria Island, Yaba, Ikeja, this is the ordinary sound of the day.
A first day in Lagos can run on four lines: “Hold your change.”, “How much?”, “Good morning.”, and “How far?”. Each one is already a complete moment.
If you are new here
- Stops, prices, and shop signs are written in the Latin alphabet.
- One everyday you-form covers most shops. Please and thanks do the polite work.
- If a spoken line goes past you, read the screen or the board. In Lagos, the stop and the price are written down.
One local word: Danfo. It means A yellow shared minibus..
Places you can see
- Lekki Conservation Centre — A patch of coastal forest and wetland on the Lekki peninsula, with a long canopy walk.
- National Museum Lagos — The national museum on Lagos Island, with Nigerian art and historical objects.
- Freedom Park — A public park on the old prison grounds of Broad Street, with stages and food stalls.
Food
Street stalls and bukas serve jollof rice, suya, and pepper soup.
Getting around
Yellow danfo buses, lagoon ferries, and BRT lanes move people between the islands and the mainland.
Daily life
You cross a bridge between the island and the mainland while traffic stacks up around the lagoon.
A few everyday phrases
English
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hello |
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Good morning | Good morning |
| My name is… | My name is… |
