As with most languages, the verb “to be” is one of the most frequently used and versatile verbs in Nigerian Pidgin (Naija). This article describes the various forms and functions of the verb “to be” while providing usage examples to help you understand them better.

Forms of the verb “to be”

In Naija, there are three forms of the verb to be:

• dey
• be
• na

Dey

The “dey” form of the verb “to be” has several functions:

To describe identity or characteristics

“Dey” is used to express what someone or something is like. For example:

• Di food dey hot and spicy.
  • The food is hot and spicy.
• Yu dey very happy today.
  • You are very happy today.

To describe state or condition

“Dey” can be used to describe a state or condition.

• My phone dey bad.
  • My phone is bad.
• I no go work becos I dey sick.
  • I didn’t go to work because I’m ill.
• My papa dey sleep for im room.
  • My father is sleeping in his room.

To indicate location

“Dey” answers the question “where?” It shows where someone or something is at a given time.

• I dey Lagos right now.
  • I am in Lagos at the moment.
• Yor food dey kitchen.
  • Your food is in the kitchen.
• Oga dey office. E no fit talk.
  • The boss is at the office. He can’t talk.

As a linking verb

“Dey” is used to link the subject of a sentence to a subject complement.

• I dey busy tonight.
  • I am busy tonight.
• Dat jollof dey smell nice.
  • That jollof smells nice.
• My phone dey ring.
  • My phone is ringing.

As a tense marker

“Dey” is a tense marker or an auxiliary verb used in a number of tenses in Naija.

Past Tense

Tense	Example	Translation
Simple Past	I dey house yesterday.	I was home yesterday.
Past Continuous	We bin dey work dat time.	We were working at that time.
Past Perfect Continuous	I bin don dey find work before I get dis job.	I had been looking for a job before I got this one.

Present Tense

Tense	Example	Translation
Simple Present	I dey watch news.	I watch the news.
Present Continuous	I dey chop eba. Yu go chop?	I’m eating eba. Do you want some?
Present Perfect Continuous	I don dey try reach yu since morning.	I have been trying to reach you since morning.

Future Tense

Tense	Example	Translation
Future Continuous	Di company go dey start operations next quarter.	he company will be starting operations next quarter.
Future Perfect Continuous	I go don dey work for three hours before break time.	I will have been working for three hours before break time.

In commands and instructions

“Dey” is used when issuing commands or instructions.

Examples:

• Make una dey quiet!
  • Be quiet!
• No dey shout for yer!
  • Stop shouting here!
• Dey yor lane abeg.
  • Mind your business.

Be

The “be” form of “to be” serves a of couple functions:

As an identity marker

In Naija, “be” is used as an identity marker. It’s used to show identity or define someone or something. For example:

• She be teacher.
  • She is a teacher.
• Jason be my brother and Lucia be my sister.
  • Jason is my brother and Lucia is my sister.
• I be di owner of di car.
  • I’m the owner of the car.

To ask questions

“Be” is used to ask questions with the question words “hu”, “wetin” and “wich”. For example:

• Abeg wetin be yor name?
  • Please what is your name?
• Hu be dat for my door?
  • Who is that at my door?
• Wich of una be lawyer?
  • Which of you is a lawyer?

For the subjunctive mood

“Be” is used to express hypothetical situations, or to express a wish or desire.

• If I be yu, I go tell am di truth.
  • If I were you, I’d tell him the truth.
• If na me be yor papa, I for don disown yu.
  • If I were your father, I would have disowned you.

Na

The “na” from of “to be” also has its functions:

As an identity marker

Just like “be”, “na” is used as an identity marker to show identity or define someone or something. Examples:

• This na my bag.
  • This is my bag.
• John na our family doctor.
  • John is our family doctor.
• My mama na my role model.
  • My mother is my role model.
• Buka na place wey dem dey sell food.
  • A buka is a place where food is sold.

To form cleft sentences

“Na” is used to form cleft sentences which put emphasis on a particular element. Examples:

• Na today di song go drop.
  • It’s today that the song will be released.
• Na my pikin dey dance.
  • It’s my child who’s dancing.
• Na December wey we marry.
  • It’s in December we got married.