Ashawo – English Lyrics

• By: Fireboy DML
• Album: Playboy

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a fantastic way to connect with the culture, and Fireboy DML's 'Ashawo' offers a unique window into Nigerian slang and perspectives on relationships. The song is special because it masterfully blends a catchy, upbeat Afrobeats rhythm with surprisingly candid and thought-provoking lyrics. By listening, you can pick up on popular Nigerian Pidgin phrases like 'shayo' (alcohol) and understand the cultural nuances of the term 'Ashawo.' It’s a great way to experience the vibrancy of modern African music while engaging with a story of human connection and imperfection.

[English]

Fun

Fun Killa!

Mutumina

Wetin dey prah?

Wetin dey sup o?

I want to yarn

You too dey prah

You too dey form

Shey make I chop o before e sha?

No be my fault o, na shayo

Na all of us be ashawo

If I cheat on you, I'm sorry

And if you cheat on me, no worry

No be my fault o, na shayo

Na all of us be ashawo

If I cheat on you, I'm sorry

And if you cheat on me, no worry

No be my fault o, na shayo

Na all of us be ashawo

If I cheat on you, I'm sorry, yeah

I apologize say I do anything for your back, baby

When I no dey mad, I go shaperly go and come back, ehn

No be my fault say I famous o

Make I no cast for Lagos o

If the girls e dey call my name, I go gbé body o, ah-ah

No be my fault o, na shayo

Na all of us be ashawo

If I cheat on you, I'm sorry

And if you cheat on me, no worry

No be my fault o, na shayo

Na all of us be ashawo

If I cheat on you, I'm sorry

And if you cheat on me, no worry

No be my fault o, na shayo

Na all of us be ashawo

If I cheat on you, I'm sorry yeah

Wetin I dey find for Fatima wey my Shima no get?

Wetin I dey find for Amaka wey my Shima no get?

No be my fault say I famous o

Make I no cast for Lagos o

If the girls e dey call my name, I go gbé body o, ah-ah

No be my fault o, na shayo

Na all of us be ashawo

If I cheat on you, I'm sorry

And if you cheat on me, no worry

No be my fault o, na shayo

Na all of us be ashawo

If I cheat on you, I'm sorry

And if you cheat on me, no worry

No be my fault o, na shayo

Na all of us be ashawo

If I cheat on you, I'm sorry, yeah

Na shayo o

Na ashawo o

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
ashawo /aˈʃa.wɔ/ C1	noun - prostitute (slang)
shayo /ʃaˈjoʊ/ C1	noun - alcoholic drink, liquor
cheat /tʃiːt/ B1	verb - to be unfaithful to a partner; to deceive noun - a person who cheats
sorry /ˈsɒri/ A1	adjective - feeling regret; apologetic
apologize /əˈpɒlədʒaɪz/ B2	verb - to express regret or say sorry
famous /ˈfeɪməs/ B2	adjective - well known; celebrated
cast /kɑːst/ B2	verb - to throw or hurl; to send out
Lagos /ˈlɑːɡəs/ B2	noun - Lagos, a major city in Nigeria
girls /ɡɜːlz/ A1	noun - female children or young women
call /kɔːl/ A1	verb - to shout out; to telephone
name /neɪm/ A1	noun - a word by which a person or thing is known
body /ˈbɒdi/ A1	noun - the physical structure of a person or animal
find /faɪnd/ A1	verb - to discover or locate something
Fatima /fəˈtiːmə/ A2	proper noun - Fatima – a female given name of Arabic origin
Amaka /əˈmɑːkə/ A2	proper noun - Amaka – a female given name of Igbo origin
yarn /jɑːn/ B2	verb - to talk informally; to chat
form /fɔːrm/ B2	verb - to act in a certain way; to pretend
fun /fʌn/ A1	noun - enjoyment; amusement
sup /sʌp/ B2	verb - slang for “what’s up?”; to ask how someone is doing

Key Grammar Structures

• If I cheat on you, I'm sorry

  ➔ Conditional Sentence (Type 1)

  ➔ The structure 'If + present simple, future simple' is used to talk about likely or real conditions and their results. Here, 'If I cheat on you' is the condition, and 'I'm sorry' is the result.

• No be my fault o, na shayo

  ➔ Negation with 'be' and Colloquial Language

  ➔ 'No be' is a colloquial negation in Nigerian English, equivalent to 'It is not.' The phrase emphasizes the speaker's lack of responsibility, blaming 'shayo' (alcohol).

• Na all of us be ashawo

  ➔ Subject-Verb Agreement in Colloquial Language

  ➔ In colloquial Nigerian English, the verb 'be' often remains unchanged regardless of the subject. Here, 'Na all of us' (It is all of us) is the subject, but 'be' does not take an 's'.

• When I no dey mad, I go shaperly go and come back, ehn

  ➔ Colloquial Future Tense and Idiomatic Expression

  ➔ 'I go shaperly' is a colloquial way of saying 'I will properly.' 'Dey' is used instead of 'be' to indicate a continuous state. 'Ehn' is an interjection for emphasis.

• Wetin I dey find for Fatima wey my Shima no get?

  ➔ Nigerian Pidgin Question Structure

  ➔ 'Wetin' is a contraction of 'What is.' 'Dey' is used for 'is/are.' 'Wey' means 'that.' The sentence asks what the speaker is looking for in Fatima that their partner (Shima) doesn't have.