English na Naija Pidgin superstrate language. Di vast majority of vocabulary for Naija Pidgin bin originate from English. However, e get some English-origin words wey yu no fit use for Naija Pidgin becos e go déy grammatically incorrect if yu use dem. Basically, dese words no exist for Naija Pidgin. We go examine some of dem for dis article.
Verb inflections
Wen we dey form tenses for Naija Pidgin, we dey use only di bare infinitive/base form of verbs. Wetin e mean be sey yu no fit use many English verb inflections for Naija Pidgin, unless dem get oda meanings/functions, for instance, participles.
Examples:
- eats, ate (from di verb to eat)
- knows, knew (from di verb to know)
- begins, began (from di verb to begin)
Modal verbs
Naija Pidgin get im own set of modal verbs. Yu no fit use English modal verbs for Naija Pidgin, unless di word get anoda meaning, for example, can (container), might (power), will (mental power, or document), and may (month).
Examples:
- could
- should
- would
- cannot
Auxiliary verbs
Naija Pidgin get im own set of tense markers. Yu no fit use English tense markers/inflections for Naija Pidgin.
Examples:
- am, are, is, was, were, been (from di verb to be)
- have, has, had (from di verb to have)
- does, did (from di verb to do)
Interrogative pronouns
E get several interrogative pronouns for English wey yu no fit use for Naija Pidgin.
Examples:
- whom, whose (we dey use hu instead)
- whatever
- whichever
- whoever
- whomever