Word
dey
Phoneticsdey
US/ˈdeɪ/
UK/dˈeɪ/
Definition
v. to be, to exist, or to stay in a place. It is a common word in Nigerian Pidgin and other West African English styles to describe where someone is or how they are doing.
v. to exist, be present, or be located in a specific state or place. Functions as a copula or existential verb in West African Pidgin and Creole varieties, often replacing 'is', 'am', or 'are'.
Examples
“I dey house right now.”
“When I asked him how he was feeling today, he simply replied, 'I dey fine'.”
“The speaker used 'dey' to signal a shift into a more casual, communal register, instantly changing the social dynamic of the conversation with the local audience.”
Examples
simple
“I dey house right now.”
contextual
“When I asked him how he was feeling today, he simply replied, 'I dey fine'.”
complex
“The speaker used 'dey' to signal a shift into a more casual, communal register, instantly changing the social dynamic of the conversation with the local audience.”
Usage
Typically functions as an aspect marker or a locative copula; it does not change form for person or number.
Etymology
From Persian دی.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/dey