Tip 20: Correct use of "spoil"

The children in Singapore (perhaps adults included as well) use the words “spoil” and spoilt” in all the wrong places. “Spoil” is used to mean “damage", "faulty" or "broken”, possibly due to a direct translation of the Chinese word “坏” – a very generic word to mean “bad”. Thus we hear Singlish sentences like:

- My toy spoil already! Buy me another one!

- We can’t take the lift, it’s spoilt.

- He can’t walk, his leg is spoilt.


In Chinese, “spoil” or “spoilt” in the above sentences can be replaced by one word “坏”.


Teach the children the right use of “spoil”:

- My toy is broken.

- The lift has broken down

- His leg is injured.


Other examples on the proper use of "spoil":

- Keep the food in the refrigerator before it spoils

- Spare the rod, spoil the child

- The incident this morning has totally spoiled my day

- Come on, be a sport, don’t spoil the party!