Homophones are a common source of spelling errors. They are words that are pronounced the same or in a similar manner, but have different spellings or meanings. In this article, we’ll examine common Nigerian Pidgin homophones and show how they differ from each other.

way vs wey vs wer

way: A path, route or direction. Examples:
- I no sabi di way.
  - I don’t know the way.
- Na di way be dat.
  - That’s the way.
wey: A relative pronoun used to insert an adjective clause in a sentence. Examples:
- Dis na di man wey yu bin dey talk to.
  - This is the man that you were talking to.
- My okada, wey I don dey use for five years now, don spoil.
  - My motorbike, which I’ve been using for five years, has broken down.
wer: An adverb used to ask questions about a place someone or something is in, going to or coming from. It’s also a conjunction used to introduce a clause that mentions a place something happened or a place in which someone or something is situated. Examples:
- Wer yu dey gó?
  - Where are you going?
- Na wer dem born me be dis.
  - This is where I was born.

come vs kon

come: To move towards or with the speaker. It also means to get to a particular place. Examples:
- Abeg come sharp-sharp.
  - Please come quickly.
- I dey come Abuja tomorrow.
  - I’m coming to Abuja tomorrow.
kon: An adverb of time used to introduce an action or event that happens next or afterwards. Examples:
- As I dey para for am, she kon talk sey she no go pay me my money.
  - I started causing a scene and then she said she was not going to pay me my money.
- If I settle di man now, e no go kon finish my work.
  - If I pay the man now, he wouldn’t finish the work I gave him.

say vs sey

say: To speak words, or to think or believe something. Examples:
- She say she no like chocolate.
  - She said she doesn’t like chocolate.
- I go like hear wetin e want say.
  - I’d like to hear what he wants to say.
sey: A subordinating conjunction used to connect a dependent clause to an independent clause. It introduces reported speech or factual content clauses. Examples:
- She talk sey mek I do all-back.
  - She said that I should do cornrows.
- Yu happy sey class don finish?
  - Are you happy that the class is over?

make vs mek

make: To produce or cause something. Examples:
- I want make Eba for una.
  - I want to make Eba for you guys.
- Dis film dey make me cry.
  - This movie is making me cry.
mek: Grammatical marker for the subjunctive mood. It’s also a subordinating conjunction used to connect a dependent clause to an independent clause. It introduces purpose, intention, or directive clauses. Examples:
- E déy important sey mek yu sabi wetin contract talk before yu sign am.
  - It is important that you know what a contract says before signing it.
- As time reach mek we land, di plane wing kon catch fire.
  - When the time came for us to land, the plane’s wing caught fire.

now vs na vs nau

now: Without delay or waiting, or the present time rather than a time in the past or future. Examples:
- Mek yu do am now.
  - Do it now.
- I fit chop, but hunger no dey catch me right now.
  - I could eat, but I’m not hungry right now.
na: A form of the verb “to be” used as an identity marker or to define someone or something. It is also used to form cleft sentences which put emphasis on a particular element. Examples:
- Dat girl na my sister.
  - That girl is my sister.
- Na today yu go see di real me.
  - Today is the day you will know who I really am.
nau: A sentence-final particle used for emphasis to convey a tone of annoyance, frustration or playfulness. Examples:
- No dey shout nau.
  - Stop shouting.
- Wetin yu want mek I do nau?
  - What do you want me to do?

day vs déy

day: A period of 24 hours. Examples:
- Wich day yu arrive?
  - What day did you arrive?
- I no fit remember wetin happen dat day.
  - I can’t remember what happened on that day.
déy: Used when describing the state of a person or thing. Examples:
- E déy here.
  - It’s here.
- She déy happy.
  - She’s happy.