“Wah, So Shiok!” Miss Universe Singapore Teaches Global Delegates How to Speak Singlish

Miss Universe Singapore Goes Full Singlish Overseas

Miss Universe Singapore Annika Sager has spent time from the past two days in Thailand to teach her fellow Miss Universe contestants something uniquely Singaporean: Singlish. In two short videos uploaded by her, Annika cheerfully introduces the “Miss Universe girlies” to familiar local phrases.

Contestants from Mexico to Peru take turns delivering lines like “Aiyo,” “Steady lah,” “Wah, so shiok,” “Alamak,” and even “ORD loh!”

Annika repeats her opening line in both clips: “I’m teaching the Miss Universe Girlies how to speak Singlish.” What follows is a parade of accents diving into Singlish with surprising enthusiasm.

Part 1 of the series features delegates from Mexico, Jamaica, the Philippines, Pakistan, the USA, Denmark, and Tanzania.

Part 2 continues the fun, with contestants from Indonesia, Spain, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, the Netherlands, and Peru belting out phrases like “Walao eh!”, “Can is Can!”, “Shag sia!”, and “Let’s go makan!”

What could easily have been just backstage banter instead reveals something deeper — a language born from a cultural medley, carried proudly wherever Singaporeans go.

Watching women from Jamaica, Spain, Pakistan, and the Netherlands playfully try “Steady lah” or “Liddat also can?” shows how Singlish works beyond borders.

What the pageant delegates may be picking up as quirky soundbites is, for many Singaporeans worldwide, a marker of identity — a reminder that language belongs to community

The Beauty of Singlish

Singlish has long been part of Singapore’s cultural conversation. As described by Marc Sim in The Beauty of Singlish (2013), it sits alongside Standard English while carrying its own history, rhythm, and character. Over the years, it has grown in visibility and recognition, becoming an unmistakable thread in the national tapestry.

Singlish now flourishes across the local arts scene — in theatre, TV dramas, standup comedy, and primetime programmes. Its presence adds a distinctively Singaporean flavour to public discourse and entertainment.

Crucially, Singlish reflects the country’s multi-ethnic identity. With roots in English, Malay, Hokkien, Mandarin, Tamil, and more, it acts as a linguistic meeting point for Chinese, Malay, Indian, Peranakan, and Eurasian communities.

At work, Standard English may take the lead — but among friends, Singlish softens edges, lightens conversations, and fosters closeness.

Sim notes that Singlish often mirrors Mandarin grammar (“Can sit?” “Where you?” “Where got?!”), and its code-switching — sometimes across three languages in a single sentence — remains one of its most defining and delightful features.

Above all, Singlish is emotional. For Singaporeans abroad, it becomes a bridge to home. As Sim puts it, Singlish “stays within the hearts of Singaporeans home and abroad.”

Miss Universe 2025: What’s Next

The contestants are currently in Thailand for the 74th Miss Universe competition, held at Impact Challenger Hall in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi. Activities run from 2 to 21 November.

Photo Courtesy of Miss Universe Instagram

Key dates include:

19 Nov: National Costume Competition & Preliminary Competition
20 Nov: Rehearsal
21 Nov: Miss Universe Final Coronation Party
22 Nov: Delegate Departure

The final competition takes place 21 November at 8am Thailand time, where Denmark’s Victoria Kjær Theilvig will hand over the Miss Universe crown.

And if Annika’s videos are anything to go by, the delegates will be leaving Thailand not just with memories — but with a few Singlish lines they’ll confirm never forget.

Watch the videos here: