Top 5 Market Slangs To Get You the Best Buy In Lagos

Top 5 Market Slangs To Get You the Best Buy In Lagos

Lagos has a lot of markets where you can get everything you want. Some of the markets are exclusively known for particular items or goods like the Katanguwa and Alaba markets that are popular for clothes and electronics respectively. The prices of goods and items are usually not fixed in the local market and the quantity and quality of items varies. You probably know some people who go to the market and get better value for money than you. That’s because they understand the market lingo and slangs used in the market.

If you know how to get down to the level of market sellers and speak their language, you are likely to come back from the market with a smile on your face. Forget the British English and adopt the vernacular and you are likely to get a very good bargain.

Here are top five slangs you need to know to get the best deals in a Lagos market.

Customer (Buyer)

Customer sounds like a common and easy word but in a Lagos market, the way it is used is what will determine whether you get the product cheap or expensive. Customer originally means the buyer of a product but in the market place, it is also used for the seller. If you call a seller ‘customer’ in a Lagos market, you give the impression that he or she is the only person you deal with and that is likely to earn you a better bargain.

Jale

Jale is a Yoruba word and loosely mans ‘last or least’. It is not pronounced as ‘jail’ in the English form but has two syllables. In the market lingo, it means you’re asking for the least price an item can go for. The initial asking price is usually an inflated price and if you fall for it, you are likely paying double the original price. Your bargaining power with the insistence on Jale will help you get the item at a fair price. If you are in doubt, you can feign walking away and the seller is likely to call you back and give you the Jale price!

Fisi/Jara

Fisi means ‘add more’ while Jara means extra or discount. In the Lagos market, you can employ these words when you are getting products that are measured in quantity. You cannot ask for Fisi when you are buying a loaf of bread or a tuber of yam but if you are buying pepper, rice, meat or other items where you can get extra addition to the quantity you are buying, you can ask for Fisi.

Grade One

Gradi one is usually used for items that are available for second hand sales. Clothes, electronics, bags and other items that can be purchased second hand are categorised into different grades. You need to convince the seller that you want the item that is still in a pretty good shape and that’s where the grade one specification comes in. These items are usually not on display but kept in the shop for customers who show an inclination of understanding how the market works. Remember to insist on a Grade One item the next time you want a second hand item.

Alaroro

Alaroro is a Yoruba word which is used to refer to a person who is fond of over haggling. Bargaining requires skills and you must know when to back down. As soon as a seller labels you as alaroro, you might pay below the actual price but end up with the worst item. Let the seller understand that you’re not an Alaroro but that he or she is your customer. That way, you can pay less and get more with your money!