English is the official language in Malawi but it is a second or third language for everyone here. Often communication is difficult and sometimes amusing. Here are a few Malawian English phrases I hear regularly:

• If someone wants to borrow something from you they will say, “Can you borrow me…?”
• If someone wants you to share your food they will demand, “Share me your biscuits.”
• If someone has eaten enough they will tell you, “I’m enough.”
• Often they interchange “r” and “l” which can lead to confusion like the time we were about to eat our dinner and my friend asked me to “play” for them. It took me about 2 minutes and lots of questions before I realized he wanted a prayer.
• Women are called “sister,” or “mama” or “Madam.”
• Men are called “bwana” (boss) or “bambo” (father).
• Yes is “ay” and NO is “”eye.” It took me a long time to learn which was which.
• Instead of asking me to teach them a Malawian might say “learn me.”
• At the end of a statement, when looking for agreement, a Malawian will say “Isn’t it?” Sometimes this is the right use of the phrase but often it is not. Often it is used in place of doesn’t it, shouldn’t it, doesn’t he/she, won’t it? It is a catch all phrase. “Francis is improving in his reading, isn’t it?”
• Girlfriends, wives and mistresses are referred to as “wife.”
• Often I see written, “He came at the hospital for treatment.”
• If someone is picking you up to take you somewhere they are “collecting you.”
• If you are moving residences you are “shifting.”
• The Malawians don’t get directions to your house, instead they will call you for a map.
• When you are new to a house the owner will show you the “geography of the house.”

Tags: itatu, itatu orphan care, jennifer douma, malawi, orphan care

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