Lah
/lɑː/noun
A discourse particle used in Singaporean and Malaysian English to add emphasis, informality, or a sense of shared understanding.
Did you know?Although often associated with Singlish, lah is also found in Malay and several Chinese-influenced speech communities, where its exact emotional force depends heavily on tone and context.
Etymological Timeline
Early Malay usage
Malay
lah
“A sentence-final particle used for emphasis, insistence, or pragmatic force.”
19th–20th Century
English varieties
lah
“A borrowed discourse particle entering contact varieties of English in Southeast Asia.”
20th Century
Singapore English
lah
“A familiar sentence-final marker signaling informality, emphasis, or solidarity.”
Late 20th Century
Singlish
lah
“A widely recognized feature of colloquial Singaporean English.”
Modern English
English
lah
“An informal regional particle used especially in Singaporean and Malaysian English.”