Singaporeans also speak a local brand of English that tends to startle unsuspecting English speakers when they first set foot here. Affectionately known as Singlish, it is a hybrid of mainly English, Malay and Chinese dialects, giving rise to a unique patois that is often a talking point in itself! Be patient and you’ll grasp the key phrases and expressions soon enough – start by adding a “lah” to the end of a sentence. However misplaced, it will garner you lots of smiles for the effort!