What does “what” mean?

What in the Singlish dictionary: what it means, where it comes from and how it’s said.

what

particleEnglish

At the end of a sentence, pushes back: but I did, but it is.

“I did tell you what, you forgot only.”

steamboat Hot pot: a pot of soup at the table to cook meat, seafood and vegetables in.
tackle To try to win someone over romantically.
terror Awesome, very skilled; also fierce.
tiffin A stacked metal food carrier; a packed lunch in one.
trishaw Three-wheeled bicycle taxi.
uncle Any man older than you, said with respect, whether related or not.
unglam Not glamorous; uncool, embarrassing.
void deck The open ground floor of an HDB block, used for weddings, wakes, games and chit-chat.

What does “what” mean in Singlish?

At the end of a sentence, pushes back: but I did, but it is. It’s a particle, said at the end of a sentence for its tone more than its meaning.

Where does “what” come from?

From English. Other Singlish words from English include steamboat, tackle, terror and tiffin.

How do you use “what” in a sentence?

“I did tell you what, you forgot only.” It turns up in other words’ examples too: see abuden, die die and for what.

Liddat’s own words, from the Singlish dictionary: 312 words and phrases, A to Z.