Lah

Pitch contour: low-mid [lɑ(ː)˨]

Just try your best lah, and don’t think too much about it.

I mean, I didn’t want to break the law, and I honestly went down to find out whether that place was OK to park or not. Let’s be fair lah, you can’t expect me to see one sign saying something and still go a long way to see if there is another one saying something else.

I had Malay friends who were just turned away like that. It’s quite bad lah.

You know that for tattooing, we are supposed to use disposable needles, right? Well, Joseph (Rough Face) will tell us not to throw them away after use. The next morning when I come into the studio, the needle box is always full again but the needles are without their original seal. You know why lah.

Aiyah, we will always chat or message what... We’ll keep in touch lah, hor?

Pitch contour: low-mid [lɑ(ː)˨], mid-falling [lɑː˧˨]

— I don’t think you should be cutting corners, at least put in some effort and make it look legit. — They won’t care one lah... I don’t have all day...

“No lah,” she had said, almost casually to his proposal. He was flabbergasted.

Don’t bother about him lah. Let’s pack up and get some sleep as we have a long day ahead.

No lah, they must look at it this way... even though the founder (Colonel Harland Sanders) of KFC has died, his recipe lives on.

“Papa, I’m telling you—the property was immense. It was like the Istana. The driveway itself went on for miles.” “Cannot be! Two or three acres I might believe, but fifty? No such thing, lah.”

Pitch contour: low-mid [lɑ(ː)˨], mid-falling [lɑː˧˨]

These shoes are too small lah.

No need to count lah. I’m sure the number is right.

Eleven, eleven thirty, same same lah.

Every once in a long while when someone asked why, he said: “No time-lah. So busy-leh.”

“Keretapi Tanah Melayu means railway lah thanggachi [தங்கச்சி (taṅkacci), term of address for a younger woman],” the man went on. “Means Malay Land Railway. Malay Land that means Malaysia lah [Sense 6], thanggachi, that also you don’t know ah? […]

Pitch contour: falling [lɑ(ː)˦˨]

Near-synonym: lor (sense 2)

Get a whiteboard marker and write over it lah.

They’re not wrong lah... But they’re only taking themselves into consideration.

Mud you can clean up. Cobwebs you can sweep away. Stains, use bleach lah!

Nadirah: You never told me Sally was leaving. I didn't even have the chance to say goodbye. Sahirah: You visit her lah when you go to KL.

Pitch contour: falling [lɑ(ː)˦˨]

I remember my friends telling me, 'People already say you're an artist, then be one lah.'

Pitch contour: mid-falling [lɑː˧˨]

Don’t waste your time there lah.

[…] I say politely, No thank you, it’s okay. But he insists, Take lah, never mind, no need to pai-seh!

Pitch contour: low-mid [lɑ(ː)˨], mid-falling [lɑː˧˨]

— Not many people would think of using a pressure cooker. — I mean, it’s pretty unconventional lah, I have to admit.

Oh well, it was xiong, but overall OK, lah.

He said that in the past, […] a teacher might admonish a noisy class and say: “4N(T), keep quiet!” Immediately, all the N(T) students felt that they were singled out. Today, the teacher would say: “NCC, keep quiet!” and the Normal stream students feel: “Okay lah.”

Different priorities lah these days.

Interviewer: But what is expensive to your parents? Like $50 for a dress? Lola: Er ... it’s not that bad lah.

Pitch contour: low-mid [lɑ(ː)˨], mid-falling [lɑː˧˨]

The nearest train station is 15 minutes away. I think we take the bus lah, hor?

Use the mittens lah.

Pitch contour: falling [lɑː˦˨]

In other words, you’re the one who started it lah!

“Huh? SAP school? Oh, you mean Chinese schools lah.”

Pitch contour: falling [lɑː˦˨]

So in the end it wasn’t my fault lah!

Do it yourself lah! Always need me to help is it?

When Richard was going to join Anglo-Chinese School I expected the father to bring him to see the Headmaster, after all he was from ACS himself, but he couldn't be bothered. (Emily imitates Kheong's brusque brush-off) 'You look after it, you arrange it lah!'

Pitch contour: mid-rising [lɑ(ː)˧˦]

Oh wait it’s not today, lah. It’s on Sunday.

Pitch contour: mid-rising [lɑ(ː)˧˦]

Pitch contour: mid [lɑː˧]

He teach them how to cook lah, learn computer lah... […]

Pitch contour: low-mid [lɑ(ː)˨]

No fun lah, you.

“Who lah that Panjali? A real ‘number nine’ [From Tamil ஒன்பது (oṉpatu), a derogatory term for a transgender person].” “You don’t play a fool you know. He is not a ‘number nine’, not a hermaphrodite, but a man. He is the one who has been cross-dressing and performing the role of Panjali for many years.”

Pitch contour: low-mid [lɑː˨], (in the example below) high-mid [lɑ(ː)˦]

No lah, no lah.