Filipinos probably love eating more than any other group of people in the world. To give you an idea, there are restaurants in the Philippines that serve “unlimited rice,” more popularly known as “unli-rice.” And while food is the basis of social life for the hospitable Filipinos, there’s also no question that Filipino food is delectable.

People in most cultures eat three meals a day with some snacks in-between. A typical Filipino eats in this order: coffee and bread upon waking up to warm the stomach; breakfast at around seven in the morning; some snacks at ten; lunch at noon; coffee break with snacks at three in the afternoon; dinner at six-thirty in the evening; and midnight snacks before going to bed. Not to mention that every major meal is followed by dessert. 

In this article, we’ll present to you some of the most mouthwatering Filipino foods you need to try next time you’re in the Philippines.

Table of Contents

1. Must-Try Dishes in Filipino Restaurants
2. Unique Filipino Food
3. Food-Related Vocabulary
4. Bonus: Simple Recipes to Make Authentic Filipino Food at Home
5. Learn More About The Filipino Language and Culture With FilipinoPod101

Restaurants in the Philippines serving “unli-rice” is proof that Filipinos love to eat!

1. Must-Try Dishes in Filipino Restaurants

The past two decades have seen the booming of the restaurant business in the Philippines. That, too, is evidence that we Filipinos love to eat. If you’re visiting the country for the first time and would love to try the restaurants here, you should definitely order one of these dishes.

Afritada

Afritada is a braised dish made with either beef, chicken, or pork. It’s one of the many Filipino dishes influenced by Spanish culture. In fact, the name afritada comes from the phrase a fritada, which means “to fry” in Spanish.

While you can use pork or beef when making afritada, the most popular version in the Philippines is the Apritadang Manok or Chicken Afritada. Aside from the meat, the main ingredients of this delicious dish are carrots, bell peppers, and potatoes. Green peas, string beans, and pineapple can also be added depending on your tastes.

Here’s a detailed guide on how to cook this flexible Filipino dish: Chicken Afritada Recipe.

→ Check out this essential Filipino vocabulary about restaurants!

Bulalo

Bulalo is one of the Philippine’s emblematic dishes. It’s a soup dish in which beef shank and bone marrow are cooked until the fat and collagen have melted into the broth. Corn on the cob, pechay (snow cabbage), onion, garlic, scallions, ginger, and fish sauce are used to enrich the soup’s flavor.

It’s believed that this soup dish originated in Tagaytay, specifically Taal, where the temperature is cooler and where the best cows in the country are being raised.

Check out this Bulalo recipe from FoodNatics if you want to know how to prepare this humble cowman’s stew.

Bicol Express

For years, it was thought that this popular Filipino dish originated from Bicol. But recently, a food blogger suggested that the dish was actually born in the kitchen of a restaurant in Malate, Manila, owned by Cely Kalaw who was dubbed the “Mother of Pinoy Buffets.” Regardless of where it originated, there’s no question that it’s one of the dishes that define the Philippines.

Bicol Express is pork stew cooked with coconut milk, chili, and shrimp paste. It was named after the passenger train that traveled from Manila to Bicol, a region known for its spicy cooking. What makes this dish unique is its spicy flavor, which makes it a favorite pulutan (food to be eaten with liquor). It’s actually known in Bicol as sinilihan, which means “spiced with chili.”

This unique Bicol Express recipe will surely get you excited to try this tasty dish!

Crispy Pata

When it comes to Filipino food, delicacies like this one really steal the spotlight.

Every pork-lover’s delight, crispy pata can be compared to the German Schweinshaxe. It’s cooked by deep-frying pig knuckles. The result? Crunchy skin on the outside and tender meat on the inside.

It isn’t that simple, though. Before you fry the pig leg, you need to simmer it in spices until it becomes tender. You then refrigerate it overnight to dry. Only then can you deep-fry it to moist, juicy perfection with golden,  crispy skin.

Be sure to check out this Crispy Pata recipe for a more detailed guide on how to prepare this “sinful” delicacy.

Crispy Pata (© BrokenSphere / Wikimedia Commons, under CC BY-SA 3.0)

Dinuguan

Dinuguan is a flavorful stew made of pork offal simmered in a dark gravy of pig’s blood and vinegar. The term dinuguan came from the root word dugo, which means “blood.” Some say the dish is pre-Hispanic. Others say it was introduced during the Spanish era in the Philippines. 

Whatever the case, it’s clear that the dish was “invented” at a time when refrigeration was not an option, so every part of a butchered animal had to be put to good use. Today, dinuguan is one of the most well-known Filipino dishes. And the fact that it’s served whenever and wherever there’s some sort of festivity definitely helps its reputation.

Here’s a simple Dinuguan recipe for you.

Dinuguan, or Filipino pork blood stew, is best served with puto (rice cake) (Photo by George Parrilla, under CC BY 2.0).

Kare-kare

Kare-kare is a unique Filipino dish in that it’s cooked with peanut sauce. Some people even use peanut butter for it. It’s basically beef and oxtail cooked with some vegetables including pechay, eggplant, and green beans.

The Kapampangans (an ethnolinguistic group of Filipinos from the provinces of Pampanga, Tarlac, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and Zambales) are often credited for kare-kare. This is not surprising, since they can cook the best version of this tasty dish. However, historical records are claiming that kare-kare was introduced to Northern Luzon by elite classes of Muslim people from the South.

There’s also a theory that kare-kare was derived from the curry dish that Indian cooks served their British masters, which was introduced to the Philippine shores in the seventeenth century.

Today, kare-kare has evolved from being food for the elites to being a comfort food for every Filipino regardless of class. This episode of GMA Public Affairs features the many different ways you can prepare kare-kare.

Mechado

Inspired by Spanish culinary methods, Mechado is beef stew simmered in tomato sauce. It’s similar to afritada, but Mechado uses beef rather than chicken. The stew is often confused with kaldereta, another Filipino dish that involves cooking beef in tomato sauce and liver spread.

Sources say that the term mechado came from the Spanish word mecha, which means “wick.” Others claim it’s from another Spanish word, mechar, meaning “to put oil.”

Mechado is a simple dish and anyone can easily prepare it. Don’t believe me? This Mechado recipe should convince you.

Mechado (© BrokenSphere / Wikimedia Commons, under CC BY-SA 3.0)

Pinakbet

Pinakbet is an indigenous dish from the Ilocos Region, the historic homeland of the Ilocanos and Pangasinan people. It got its name from pinakebbet, an Ilocano term meaning “shriveled.” Of all the dishes in the Philippines, pinakbet is perhaps the one that symbolizes Filipino values the most. 

For one, the dish is traditionally made by first harvesting the vegetable ingredients (eggplant, okra, bitter melon, garlic, onions, tomatoes, string beans, green chili, and winged beans) from the family backyard. They are then washed and prepared immediately to keep their freshness. 

Back in the day, harvesting vegetables in one’s garden was a sign of warmth and honesty. It also provided an opportunity to have friendly conversations with neighboring families. Nowadays, you can easily purchase the ingredients with one trip to the grocery store. You can then browse the Internet when you get home to find the best Pinakbet recipe online. However, there’s no doubt that there are still places in the Philippines where families prepare this palatable dish the traditional way.

You can also try this Pinakbet with Lechon Kawali recipe by Joyful Kitchen.

In many regions in the Philippines, families enjoy the privilege of harvesting their own food.

Sinigang

No other Filipino dish is more mouthwatering—literally—than sinigang. This sour-tasting soup gets much of its flavor from tamarind. Its method of cooking is rather flexible, as it can be cooked with pork, beef, shrimp, fish, and sometimes even chicken. Most of the time, however, it’s made with pork ribs. And aside from tamarind, other ingredients include string beans, kangkong (water spinach), eggplant, radish, red onion, finger chili, and fish sauce. 

In the past, preparing sinigang meant climbing a huge tamarind tree first. Nowadays, people use different agents to give sinigang its sour taste. Some use raw mango, guava, or calamansi. People in Negros and Panay use batuan (Garcinia binucao). And if you have no access to organic ingredients, you can always use sinigang tamarind mix. Use this Sinigang recipe if you want to try cooking this flavorful dish yourself.

→ At FilipinoPod101, you have access to tons of practical lessons, such as how to describe Filipino food.

2. Unique Filipino Food

It’s difficult to think that a country like the Philippines would have anything unique come out of it, considering that it’s been under the rule and influence of more than one culture within 500 years. And yet, when it comes to cuisine, the Philippines may just surprise you.

Balut

Balut possibly originated from China and it’s also a delicacy in other parts of Asia. However, the Philippines is most known for having this exotic street nutriment as a national food. 

Balut is a fertilized duck egg, aged between 12 and 20 days. There’s a saying among Filipinos that only real men eat the more developed balut fetus. Many even consider it to be an aphrodisiac. A lot of people are repulsed by the unappetizing appearance of this Filipino street food, but once you’ve tried it, you’ll say that it’s disgustingly delicious.

Halo-Halo

Halo-halo is the ultimate treat during summer in the Philippines. It literally means “mix-mix” and it’s made with shaved ice, sweetened beans, sweetened gelatin, fruit slices, and evaporated milk. It’s then topped with a scoop of ice cream and mixed. It’s said that halo-halo is the Pinoy version of the Japanese kakigori, except that halo-halo has more ingredients. 

Speaking of ingredients, some restaurants in the Philippines serve “special” halo-halo, which has more scoops of ice cream and contains a few leche flan (the Pinoy version of the European Crème caramel) cubes, as well as a piece of barquillo.

The fact that halo-halo has been featured in several international TV shows is proof of just how unique and well-known this Filipino dessert is.

Halo-halo

Adobo 

Adobo is (unofficially) the national dish of the Philippines. It refers to a cooking method that involves marinating and stewing pork or chicken (more often chicken) in a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, and spices. There are many versions of the Filipino adobo, but the basic ingredients are the same. Some add pineapple while others use siling haba (finger chili). 

It’s up to you what you want to put in your own version of adobo. But if you want to try the standard version, stick to soy sauce (which gives it its dark color and saltiness), vinegar (which flavors and tenderizes the meat), and garlic, onions, bay leaves, and pepper for sautéeing the meat.

Kwek-Kwek 

Kwek-kwek is actually a variation of tokneneng, a Filipino street food made by deep-frying hard-boiled eggs covered in orange batter. The only difference between the two is that tokneneng uses duck egg while kwek-kwek uses quail egg. 

Local legend has it that this popular street food was invented when a balut vendor accidentally dropped her goods. To save what remained of her merchandise, she rolled the eggs in flour and fried them. 

Visit town plazas or bus stations in the Philippines if you want to have a taste of this one-of-a-kind Filipino snack.

Kwek-kwek

Lechon Baboy

Lechon is not unique to the Philippines per se, but there are probably no people in the world who treasure this method of cooking more than the Filipinos. And while the term lechon refers to a roasted piglet, it’s also used in the Philippines to refer to roasted chicken or turkey. Back in the day, it was piglets that were being roasted; as time went by, the size of the pig got bigger. Nowadays, lechon is a staple for special occasions and are always present at fiestas, birthday parties, weddings, and reunions.

→ This lesson will help you learn more about the unique cuisine of the Philippines!

Lechon is a staple at fiestas, birthday parties, weddings, and reunions in the Philippines.

Puto-Bumbong

If you’ve ever attended the Simbang Gabi in the Philippines, you’ve probably come across this purple Filipino snack served outside church cathedrals during the Christmas season. 

There’s not enough information as to where this tasty kakanin originated, but some say it was brought to the Philippines from Mexico by explorers Urdaneta and Legaspi. Puto refers to steamed glutinous rice, while bumbong refers to “bamboo cannon.” This bamboo cannon, or tube, is what the flour mixture is poured into. It’s then wrapped in a piece of cloth and cooked in a steamer. 

No bamboo steamer? No problem. This video will show you how to make puto bumbong at home.

3. Food-Related Vocabulary

Now, let’s take a look at some common food-related words and expressions. We’ll cover everything from how to order Filipino food to words you need for cooking.

Let’s start with some words related to eating:

• kain (“to eat”)
• kanin (“steamed rice”)
• ulam (“viand”)

*Note: While rice is the main staple food in the Philippines, ulam is an essential component of every meal. Any dish eaten with rice can be considered ulam in the Philippines. There’s no exact English term for it, but “viand” is what’s often used to describe it.

• plato/pinggan (“plate”)
• kutsara (“spoon”)
• tinidor (“fork”)
• kutsilyo (“knife”)
• baso (“glass”)
• merienda (“snacks”)
• kakanin (“sticky rice snacks”)
• panghimagas (“dessert”)

1 – Inviting Someone to Eat

• Tara, kain tayo. (“Come on, let’s eat!”)
• Doon tayo kumain sa bagong restaurant. (“Let’s try the new restaurant at the corner.”)
• Mag take-out tayo. (“Let’s take out some food.”)
• Mag merienda muna kayo. (“You guys have some snacks first.”)

2 – When Eating at a Restaurant

• Patingin ng menu. (“May I take a look at the menu, please?”)
• Mayroon ba nito? (“Is this available?”)
• Bigyan mo kami ng… (“We will have…”)
• Pwede bang makuha ang bill? (“May we have the bill, please?”)

3 – Talking About Food

• Gutom na ako. (“I’m hungry.”)
• Gusto ko nang kumain. (“I really want to eat now.”)
• Gulay lang ang kakainin ko. (“I’m only going to eat vegetables.”)
• Dagdagan mo pa ang kanin mo. (“You should get more rice.”)
• Ang sarap! (“Delicious!”)
• Medyo maalat siya. (“It’s a bit salty.”)
• Kulang siya sa lasa. (“This one’s a bit bland.”)
• Busog na busog ako! (“I’m so full!”)

Tara, kain tayo. (C’mon, let’s eat.)

4 – Cooking Vocabulary

The verb “to cook” and the adjective “cooked” share the same root in Tagalog, which is luto. Note that the verb has a longer vowel sound.

• luto (“to cook”)
• lutô (“cooked”)
• hilaw (“raw”) or (“needs more cooking”)
• sunog (“burnt”)
• saing (“to steam rice”)
• prito (“to fry”)
• gisa (“to saute”)
• sangkutsa (“to pre-cook”)
• paksiw (“to cook in vinegar broth”)
• laga (“to boil meat”)
• ihaw (“to grill”)
• sangkap (“ingredient”)
• hiwa (“to slice”) or (“to cut”)
• karne (“meat”)
• gulay (“vegetables”)
• kawali (“pan”)
• kaldero (“cooking pot”)

Here’s an additional list of Tagalog words about food and eating.

4. Bonus: Simple Recipes to Make Authentic Filipino Food at Home

In this section, I’m going to share with you two Filipino recipes: one for the national dish of the Philippines—chicken adobo—and another for the popular Kapampangan dish, sisig.

A- Chicken Adobo Recipe

Chicken adobo is so popular that there are now so many different versions of it. What I’m going to show you, however, is how to cook authentic chicken adobo. 

You will need:

• 2 lbs. cut-up chicken pieces
• 5 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 3 pcs. dried bay leaves
• 4 tbsp. white vinegar
• 8 tbsp. soy sauce
• ¼ tsp. salt (optional)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. whole peppercorn
• 1 ½ cups water
• 3 tbsp. cooking oil

Directions

Step 1 Heat the pan.

Step 2 Add oil into the pan and cook the garlic until golden brown.

Step 3 Add the chicken and saute until the skin turns light brown.

Step 4 Add the bay leaves, soy sauce, and vinegar and cover the pan. Leave to a boil for 10 to 15 minutes. 

Step 5 Turn off the stove and add the pepper. Your chicken adobo is now ready.

Note: This is the simplest way to cook chicken adobo. You can also use onion in addition to garlic, as well as annatto powder. It’s also important to note that in many provinces in the Philippines, people use native chicken, although they require a little bit more time to cook since native chicken meat is tougher.

B- Pork Sisig

Pork sisig is actually one of the dishes you need to try here in the Philippines. Just like kare-kare, it’s a Kapampangan dish and is a cuisine staple of the people of Pampanga. In fact, in 2017, the city government of Angeles City declared pork sisig an intangible heritage. The term sisig is said to have been first mentioned in a Kapampangan dictionary, which dates back to the seventeenth century. 

The dish is prepared by first boiling a pig’s head until it becomes tender. Portions of the head are then chopped and either grilled or broiled. It’s then served on a sizzling plate, spiced with chopped onions. This is the traditional way to prepare sisig, although there are more popular versions today. Here’s a recipe for one of those versions:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. pig ears
• ¼ lb. chicken liver
• 1 pc. egg
• 1 ½ lb. pork belly
• 1 pc. onion (minced)
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp. chili flakes
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 pc. lemon
• ½ cup butter
• 3 tbsp. soy sauce
• 6 cups water
• 3 tbsp. mayonnaise

Directions

Step 1 Pour water in the pan and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper.

Step 2 Add pig’s ear and pork belly and simmer until tender (40 minutes to 1 hour).

Step 3 Remove the meat from the pot and drain excess water.

Step 4 Grill boiled pig’s ear and pork belly and chop into fine pieces once done.

Step 5 Melt the butter in a wide pan and add onions. Cook onions until soft.

Step 6 Add chicken liver, crushing it in the pan while cooking.

Step 7 Add chopped pig’s ear and pork belly and cook for 12 minutes.

Step 8 Add soy sauce, garlic powder, and chili, and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 9 Add mayonnaise and mix it with the rest of the ingredients.

Step 10 Serve on a plate topped with chopped spring onions and raw egg.

Pork sisig was declared an intangible heritage of Angeles City, Pampanga in 2017.

5. Learn More About The Filipino Language and Culture With FilipinoPod101

You’re probably drooling by now after seeing all those images of mouthwatering Filipino dishes. And while learning about Filipino food, you were also learning about Filipino culture—an important component of your language studies. If you want to expand your knowledge of the culture and language of the Philippines, there’s no better place to go than FilipinoPod101.com.

FilipinoPod101 offers an innovative approach to learning Filipino. From core Filipino vocabulary to pronunciation and basic word order, FilipinoPod101 has all the lesson materials you need to learn Filipino in a fun and engaging way. With the variety of lessons provided for you, you’ll start speaking Filipino after only one lesson. If you have a Premium PLUS account, you can also use our MyTeacher service, which provides one-on-one coaching and personalized feedback to further accelerate your learning.

There you have it for our top must-try Filipino dishes. Let us know in the comments if there are any dishes you believe should have been on our list!

Writers often use quotes to develop a piece of writing they’re working on, be it an article, poem, essay, or novel. Whether you’re a writer or not, learning quotes and sayings from other cultures can benefit you in more ways than one. If you’re learning the Filipino language, for instance, studying Tagalog quotes and sayings will give you a better grasp of both the language of the Filipino people and their culture.

Filipinos are a very expressive people, and they express their thoughts and emotions through art, particularly in music or literature. They also use quotes or proverbs to share wisdom, express a sentiment, give a lecture, or even try to win an argument.

There are several ways that Filipinos convey a message through these sayings. One way is through a tradition called balagtasan, which is a debate in the form of poetry. Perhaps the most common way, though, is through storytelling. In rural areas, once upon a time, Filipino kids would gather around their lolo (“grandfather”) or lola (“grandmother”) and wait for them to tell stories filled with proverbs, called salawikain.

Today, proverbs are still a part of daily conversations for Filipino people. In this article, we’ll present you with Filipino quotes about life, love, friendship, family, and more. To ensure you get a good mix, we’ve included both native Filipino quotes and the Filipino translation of quotes from other languages.

Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

1. Quotes About Success
2. Quotes About Life
3. Quotes About Time
4. Quotes About Love
5. Quotes About Family
6. Quotes About Friendship
7. Quotes About Food
8. Quotes About Health
9. Quotes About Language Learning
10. Bonus: Famous Quotes From Tagalog Movies
11. Learn More Than Just Tagalog Quotes With FilipinoPod101!

1. Quotes About Success

Do you have big plans for the future or an upcoming project you’re concerned about? Let’s kick off our list with some popular Filipino quotes about work and success that are sure to inspire you.

1. Ang pagiging dukha ay hindi hadlang sa tagumpay. 

“Poverty is not a hindrance to success.”

The Filipino people are not a stranger to poverty. Many rich and famous Filipinos today who started from the bottom, such as the Pinoy boxing pride Manny Pacquiao, understand that the true hindrance to success is not poverty, but the unwillingness to think big and get out of a state of helplessness.

2. Kapag may itinanim, may aanihin. 

“If you sow something, you will harvest something.”

This may be similar to the saying “What you sow is what you reap,” or “You get what you deserve,” but it best represents the idea that if you plant while the weather is nice, you’ll have something to eat when the storm comes and you can’t leave the house. 

It reminds me of the parable of the ant and the grasshopper, where the carefree grasshopper mocked the ant for gathering food in the summer. In the end, when the rainy season came, the grasshopper had nothing to eat, while the ant was safe underground with the abundant resources it had collected months prior.

3. Hindi tayo makakasulong kung pahihintulutan nating hilahin tayo pabalik ng nakaraan. 

“We cannot move forward if we allow the past to pull us back.” 

These were the words of President Rodrigo Duterte during the 2016 State of the Nation Address. His message is simple: If we want to succeed and progress, we must stop looking back, pointing fingers, and blaming others. Rather, we must move on and strive to reach the goal ahead of us.

→ Speaking of success, here are some tips on how you can succeed in your goal of thinking like a Filipino.

Kapag may itinanim, may aanihin. (“If you sow something, you will harvest something.”)

2. Quotes About Life

Life is a mystery that people the world over have been trying to piece together since the beginning of time. Here are some quotes in Filipino concerning life and all that lies therein.

4. Ang negatibong tao ay nakakakita ng problema sa bawat pagkakataon. Ang positibong tao ay nakakakita ng pagkakataon sa bawat problema. 

“The pessimist finds difficulty in every situation. The optimist finds an opportunity in every difficulty.” 

This is a popular quote often attributed to a number of great names, including Winston Churchill. It highlights the importance of positivity. 

The Filipino people, in particular, are very resilient. Even in times of disaster, you’ll see them smiling and even making light of their situation. There are some who see this as a defense mechanism, but one reason Filipinos remain strong as a people is their craftiness and creativity, as well as their habit of looking at the brighter side of things.

5. Hindi mahalaga kung gaano katagal ka nabuhay. Ang mahalaga ay kung paano ka nabuhay. 

“It doesn’t matter how long you’ve lived. What matters is how you’ve lived your life.”

This saying has the same meaning as the famous quote, “It’s not the years in your life that count, but the life in your years.” It also reminds me of the final words of Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) in the film The Last Samurai. When the emperor asked Algren to tell him how Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) died, he replied: “I will tell you how he lived.”

6. Wala nang mas masahol pa kaysa sa pagbalik sa normalidad. 

“Nothing could be worse than a return to normality.”

This is a line from Arundhati Roy’s latest essay entitled, The Pandemic is a Portal. I included this on our list because it’s an excellent reminder that the circumstances we’re facing right now are offering us a chance to evaluate ourselves, and that we should come out of it as different people.

→ Are you curious about daily life in the Philippines? Check out our vocabulary list of Tagalog words related to everyday activities.

3. Quotes About Time

Time is what binds us to our own mortality. Here are some Filipino time quotes, native and translated, to give you some cultural perspective on how Filipinos view this phenomenon. 

7. Ang pinakamagandang regalong iyong maibibigay sa taong mahalaga sa iyo ay oras. 

“The best gift you can give someone you care for is your time.”

Not all people value time, and some value material things more. However, if there’s one way you can show someone that you truly care for and value them, it’s by giving them quality time.

8. Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo? 

“What is grass good for if the horse is already dead?”

This is a very popular Filipino saying that pertains to relief or help that arrived too late. It’s equivalent to the expression, “Closing the barn door after the horse has bolted.” It refers to an attempt at preventing something only after the damage has been done.

9. Ang oras ay ginto. 

“Time is gold.” 

A timeless classic, I must say. Every culture probably has this proverb in some form or another, and that only shows how valuable and precious time is—it must not be taken for granted. Ironically, Filipinos have a reputation for always being tardy, thus the expression “Filipino Time.” But did you know that this is not an accurate representation of the Filipino people? Just go to the Philippines or visit countries where Filipinos thrive, and you’ll see that most Filipinos actually value their time and that of others.

→ You can learn how to talk about time in Filipino on our website.

4. Quotes About Love

Are you madly in love with someone? Or maybe you’re a hopeless romantic? Either way, we think you’ll enjoy these Filipino quotes about love!

10. Pagsasama nang tapat, pagsasama nang maluwat. 

“Faithfulness breeds longevity.” 

Literally: “Being together in faithfulness, being together for eternity.”

Integrity is the most important thing in a relationship. Integrity breeds trust, and trust, in turn, breeds longevity.

11. Ang pag-ibig, pigilan man, ay makakahanap ng paraan. 

“Love, though hindered, will find a way.”

Filipinos are very passionate people. Not even death itself could scare a Filipino man who’s in love. 

There’s a similar Tagalog saying that goes, “Pag-ibig, ‘pag pumasok sa puso nino man, hahamakin ang lahat masunod ka lamang.” This one was written by the Filipino great Francisco Balagtas y de la Cruz, a prominent poet during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines. The line basically says that a man in love will endure anything just to do love’s bidding.

12. Ang pag-ibig ang dapat manahan sa puso ng bawat nilalang. 

“Love should dwell in the heart of every creature.”

This speaks more of ‘agape,’ or unconditional, love and has nothing to do with romantic love. It means what it says—that every person should have love in their hearts if there is to be real peace in the world.

5. Quotes About Family

Family is a cornerstone of any society, so it should come as no surprise that there are plenty of Filipino family quotes that discuss the nature of familial relationships. 

13. Pahalagahan mo ang pamilyang meron ka, dahil hindi sa lahat ng panahon ay nariyan sila. 

“Cherish the family you have, because they are not always there.”

We often despise the family we were born into, especially if we grew up with much difficulty in life. This saying is a reminder that when worse comes to worst, it’s our family who will always be there for us.

14. Ang pagmamahal ng isang pamilya ay pwede mong matagpuan kahit sa hindi mo kadugo. 

“Family is not always about blood.”

We value our blood relatives because they’re the ones who have been with us since the day we came into this world. However, there are times when other people treat us better, which is what this message is conveying.

15. Ituring mo ang iyong pamilya bilang kaibigan, at ituring mo naman ang iyong mga kaibigan bilang pamilya.

“Treat your family as friends, and treat your friends as family.” 

Your family members are the first real friends you make in this life. In the same manner, your real friends are like your family. They love you unconditionally and treat you with respect.

Ituring mo ang iyong mga kaibigan bilang pamilya. (“Treat your friends as family.”)

→ Don’t forget to view our list of the must-know Filipino terms for family members!

6. Quotes About Friendship

Friends are one of life’s greatest joys and necessities. Check out these Filipino friendship quotes and see if you can relate! 

16. Wag kang humanap ng kaibigang makakaintindi sa’yo. Hanapin mo ang kaibigang hindi ka maiintindihan pero hindi ka iiwan. 

“Don’t look for a friend who will understand you; look for one who might not understand you but will not leave you, nonetheless.”

There are two important themes this quote touches on: loyalty and acceptance. A true friend will remain loyal to you even after learning of your weaknesses. Don’t just look for any friend; look for friends who will accept you for who you are and remain loyal to you until the end.

17. Sa panahon ng kagipitan nakikilala ang tunay na kaibigan. 

“Hard times reveal true friends.”

This quote doesn’t need a lot of explaining. It’s when you’re at rock bottom that you really discover who your genuine friends are.

18. Ang taksil na kaibigan ay higit na masama kaysa kaaway. 

“A treacherous friend is worse than an enemy.” 

There’s nothing worse than having someone you thought was a friend betray you. This quote is saying that sometimes, it’s better to have someone saying to your face that they hate you than to have someone sweet-talking you when you’re around and then stabbing you the moment you turn your back.

→ If you’re looking for additional Tagalog quotes about friendship, we have several more on our website!

7. Quotes About Food

Can you get any deeper into a culture than knowing how it thinks about food? Here are some Filipino food quotes to get you thinking (and hungry!). 

19. Kung magbibigay man at mahirap sa loob, ang pinapakain ay hindi mabubusog. 

“Feeding someone reluctantly will only leave the other person with an empty stomach.” 

This is similar to Solomon’s proverb that goes, “Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.” Indeed, if you’re going to give, do it not out of compulsion, but out of your own willingness. A small amount given out of love will fill not only the stomach, but also the heart.

20. Makulay ang buhay sa gulay. 

“Life is colorful with vegetables.”

The Philippines is an agricultural country, with most citizens living in rural areas and supporting themselves through farming. This saying is a testament to how crucial farming is to Filipinos, as well as how important vegetables are as a daily staple for every Filipino family.

21. Hayaan mong maging gamot ang iyong pagkain, at maging pagkain ang iyong gamot. 

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” 

This quote is from the Greek physician Hippocrates, known as the Father of Medicine. It’s said that he used these words in reference to certain herbs and spices, particularly garlic, which he prescribed to his patients to prolong their life.

Hayaan mong maging gamot ang iyong pagkain. (“Let food be thy medicine.”)

8. Quotes About Health

Health should be a person’s first priority, because only in good health can one accomplish more important goals. Here are a few quotes in Filipino on the topic.

22. Ang kalusugan ay kayamanan.

“Health is wealth.” 

This is a common saying that every culture probably has. It’s very catchy in both English and Tagalog because of the rhyming of the two main words. Indeed, the only way we can have the power to produce wealth is if our health is intact.

23. Ang kalusugan ay parang pera. Madalas ay hindi natin alam ang halaga nito hanggang sa ito ay mawala sa atin. 

“Health is like money. Oftentimes, we have no idea of its true value until it’s gone.”

This is somewhat similar to the previous quote. Health, like wealth, is often taken for granted. When we have plenty, we don’t seem to worry about what the future may bring; oftentimes, this leads us into letting our guard down when it comes to our health. The lesson: Don’t take your health for granted. Work hard, but don’t forget to rest and recharge.

24. Isang malusog na pangangatawan, mahinanon na pag-iisip, tahanan na puno ng pag-ibig—hindi nabibili ang mga bagay na ito—bagkus, ang mga ito ay pinaghihirapan. 

“A fit body, a calm mind, a house full of love—these things cannot be bought—they must be earned.” 

This quote reminds us that there are things in life that cannot be bought with money. Health, family, and relationships—these things are priceless. They’re not cheap, though. If you want to have a healthy mind and body, as well as healthy relationships, you need to be intentional. This means taking charge of what you eat, what you feed your mind, and how you spend time with the people you care about the most.

→ Have you checked out our vocabulary list of the top 10 foods that will make you live longer?

9. Quotes About Language Learning

What better way to motivate you in your language studies than by introducing you to some Filipino quotes about language learning?

25. Ang mga limitasyon ng aking wika ay nangangahulugan ng limitasyon ng aking mundo.

“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.”

We grow up speaking one language. The more we explore the world, either through traveling or by reading, the more language we learn. If we only know one language, it’s either because we didn’t travel enough or we didn’t read enough.

26. Habang pinapanatili ng isang tao ang wika nito, pinapanatili nito ang mga marka ng kalayaan. 

“While a people preserves its language, it preserves the marks of liberty.” 

Oddly enough, these words were spoken by Jose Rizal. Despite being able to speak over twenty languages, he understood the importance of saving and preserving one’s mother tongue. Rizal wasn’t discouraging the use of foreign languages, as is evidenced by his being a polyglot. What he was saying is that while you learn the languages of other nations, you have to see to it that you don’t forget your own.

27. Siya na hindi nakakaalam ng mga wikang banyaga ay walang nalalaman tungkol sa kanyang sarili. 

“He who knows no foreign languages knows nothing of his own.” 

This quote by writer and statesman Johann Wolfgang von Goethe simply emphasizes the importance of learning a language other than your own. When you limit yourself to one language, you also limit yourself and your potential. On the contrary, learning more than one language opens a whole new world of opportunities for you.

10. Bonus: Famous Quotes From Tagalog Movies

To close, let’s look at a few popular Filipino movie quotes!

28. Walang himala! Ang himala ay nasa puso ng tao! – Nora Aunor, Himala (1982)

“There is no miracle! The miracle is in the heart of man!”

When it comes to quotes from Tagalog films, nothing could be more famous than this line by the “Superstar” of Philippine cinema, Nora Aunor. The line is from the film Himala, where Aunor played a young girl who could perform miracles. At the end of the film, she confesses that there are no miracles and that supernatural things are only man’s inventions.

29. Isang bala ka lang! – Fernando Poe Jr., Isang Bala Ka Lang (1983)

“You’d only take one bullet!” / “It would only take one bullet to take your life.”

This line is from the film of the same name. In the film, the late actor Fernando Poe, Jr., played the character of an honest cop who didn’t mind going head-to-head with dirty politicians. At one point in the movie, he points his finger at the face of a corrupt congressman and says to him: “Stop pretending that you’re a nice guy. You’d only take one bullet!”

30. “Trabaho lang ito, walang personalan.” – Rudy Fernandez, Markang Bungo, The Bobby Ortega Story (1991)

“It’s all just business. Don’t take it personally.”

The late Rudy Fernandez was considered one of the top action stars in Philippine cinema in the eighties and nineties. In his film Markang Bungo (Skull Mark), he played the character of Bobby Ortega, the chief of police of Baguio City from 1985 to 1987. Ortega was renowned for his crime-busting career, which significantly brought down the crime rate in Baguio City by 95%. He respected no one regardless of their status and would hunt down anyone who was going against the law. He argued that he was only doing his job as a cop. Thus the line, “It’s all business. Don’t take it personally.”

31. “Mahal mo ba ako dahil kailangan mo ako, o kailangan mo ako kaya mahal mo ako?” – Claudine Barretto, Milan (2004)

“Do you love me because you need me, or do you need me because you love me?”

This line certainly sent some romantic excitement down the spines of many Filipinos when the film first came out some sixteen years ago. The film starred two of the best actors of Philippine cinema, Piolo Pascual and Claudine Barretto. Pascual played the character of Lino, a young man who followed his missing wife in Milan. There, Lino met another Filipina named Jenny (played by Barretto). Their friendship evolved into a love affair, which was later put to the test. If there’s one scene in the movie that viewers will never forget, it’s definitely the one where Jenny asked Lino whether he loved her because he needed her, or if he needed her because he loved her.

32. “Oo na ako na. Ako na. Ako na ang mag-isa!” – Jennylyn Mercado, English Only, Please (2014)

“Alright, I admit it. It’s me. I’m the one who’s single!”

English Only, Please is a romcom starring Derek Ramsey and Jennylyn Mercado, who won the Best Actor and Best Actress awards for the film, respectively, during the 40th Metro Manila Film Festival. Mercado played the role of an English tutor named Tere who was hired by Julian Parker (Ramsey’s character) to translate a letter he was writing for his ex-girlfriend into Tagalog. In the middle of the film, Mercado’s character was in line for the jeepney when the dispatcher shouted that there was only room for one more person. He said that anyone in the line who was single should take the opportunity, to which Tere replied, “Oo na ako na. Ako na. Ako na ang mag-isa!” (“All right, I admit it. It’s me. I’m the one who’s single!”). It’s witty lines like this that made the film memorable, and of course, won it several awards.

“Oo na ako na. Ako na. Ako na ang mag-isa!”

→ Did you know that watching Tagalog films is one of the best ways to learn Filipino? 

11. Learn More Than Just Tagalog Quotes With FilipinoPod101!

Phew! That was a long list of Tagalog quotes! But we know that you want more! And that’s the very reason that FilipinoPod101 is here. 

FilipinoPod101 can offer you much more than the Tagalog quotes about life we covered. At FilipinoPod101.com, you can dig deeper into the Tagalog language and learn more about Tagalog grammar, pronunciation, sentence patterns, and more.

We also offer a one-of-a-kind approach to learning Tagalog. Aside from free learning resources, you can also enjoy up-to-date blog articles, learn basic and advanced Tagalog vocabulary, and have a mobile app that lets you take your lessons with you. By becoming a member, you can have full access to exclusive lessons from our Lesson Library and learn through a lesson pathway designed to suit your needs. Add to that the MyTeacher feature that lets you interact with a personal teacher, who will guide you through your program and assess your progress.

So, what did you think of our list of Tagalog quotes? Let us know by leaving a comment below!

The Philippines is a multicultural country and is highly influenced by Western culture. This means that it’s not uncommon to hear people speaking their own language mixed with other dialects and foreign languages, particularly English. In fact, in some organizations, employees are encouraged to use English as the primary means of communication. Nevertheless, that shouldn’t stop you from learning Filipino business phrases.

Most job interviews in the Philippines are done in English, but Tagalog (mixed with a little bit of English, of course) is still the main language used in the workplace, particularly within the National Capital Region. If you wish to find employment in the Philippines as a foreigner, there are a few things that will be required of you by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), although speaking fluent Tagalog isn’t one of them.

You might need to use a lot of Tagalog, however, in regular conversations with colleagues, or even with clients and supervisors. For that very reason, it’s quite important for any non-Tagalog speakers wanting to find employment in the Philippines to learn and master basic Tagalog business phrases. Let’s get right to it, then!

Table of Contents

1. Nailing a Job Interview
2. Interacting with Coworkers
3. Sounding Smart in a Meeting
4. Handling Business Phone Calls and Emails
5. Going on a Business Trip
6. Enter the Filipino Corporate World More Confidently with FilipinoPod101

1. Nailing a Job Interview

You will seldom encounter companies in the Philippines that use Tagalog as the primary language when conducting interviews. This is especially true since the Philippines is home to nearly a thousand registered BPO companies, more than half of which are call centers. But that shouldn’t keep you from learning how to speak and understand Tagalog, because even if that’s the case, many interviewers don’t conduct interviews purely in English, either. 

But how would you know whether you should speak English or Tagalog? The key is to observe the interviewer from the very beginning. If the interviewer interjects a Tagalog word, then that’s a sign that it’s okay to use Taglish, a code-switching between Tagalog and English.

Using the Magic Word “Po”

If you’ve been studying the Filipino language and culture for some time now, you probably know already how important the expression Po (or Ho) is as a sign of courtesy. It’s especially crucial to use this expression when you’re in a corporate setting, particularly when you’re being interviewed for a job position.

Greetings and Self-Introductions

First, let’s cover how to start things off with your interviewer using proper Filipino business etiquette.

A- Saying Hello

• Hello po. (“Hello.”) 

This is the standard greeting in Filipino. Take note that there’s no direct translation for the word “hello” in Tagalog, so the English word is often used either on its own or with the expression po.

• Magandang umaga / hapon / gabi. (“Good morning / afternoon / evening.”)
• Ikinagagalak ko po kayong makilala. (“I am glad to meet you.”)
• Kumusta po kayo? (“How are you?”)

It’s customary in the Philippines to ask a person how they’re doing when meeting them for the first time. To learn more about how and when to use this greeting, be sure to check out our entry on How to Say Hello in Tagalog.

B- Saying Goodbye

• Paalam. (“Goodbye.”)
• Mauna na po ako. (“I will leave now.”) 

In some cultures, saying goodbye after a meeting is enough. In the Philippines, though, “goodbye” is usually followed by a polite statement that’s used to ask permission to leave.

Talking About Professional Experience

Depending on the company and the position you’re applying for, your interviewer may or may not ask you a lot of questions. Whichever the case is, you always need to be ready to give an answer.

C- Common Questions

• Ano ang nag udyok sa’yo na mag-apply dito? (“What prompted you to apply here?”)
• Paano ka tumugon sa stress? (“How do you respond to stress?”)
• May mga nais ka bang itanong? (“Do you have any questions to ask?”)
• Anong kurso ang tinapos mo? (“What course did you finish?” or “What degree do you have?”)

D- Possible Answers

• Nagustuhan ko po ang misyon at pangitain ng inyong kumpanya. (“I fell in love with your company’s mission and vision.”)
• Kalmado po akong klase ng tao. Kung kinakailangan, hindi ako takot humingi ng tulong. (“I am a calm person. But I don’t hesitate to ask for help when necessary.”)
• Wala na po akong nais itanong. Salamat po. (“I don’t have additional questions. Thank you.”)
• Nakapagtapos po ako ng kursong Psychology. (“I have a degree in Psychology.”)

Talking About Strengths

• Hindi po ako basta-basta sumusuko sa mga hamon. (“I don’t easily give up on challenges.”)
• Mabilis po akong matuto. (“I can learn quickly.”)
• Hindi po ako mahirap turuan. (“I am not hard to teach.”)
• Magaling po akong makisama. (“I am a team player.”)

Politely Asking the Interviewer to Repeat a Question

• Mawalang galang po. Maaari po bang ulitin ang tanong? (“I’m sorry, but can you please repeat the question?”)

Thanking the Interviewer

• Maraming salamat po sa binigay ninyong pagkakataon. (“Thank you for this wonderful opportunity.”)

If the interviewer says they’re going to call you soon, you can respond with:

• Maraming salamat po. Hihintayin ko ang tawag ninyo. (“Thank you. I will be looking forward to your call.”)

Ang galing mo namang managalog. Pamilyar ka ba sa FilipinoPod101?
(“You’re fluent in Tagalog. Are you familiar with FilipinoPod101?”)

→ Don’t forget to check out our entry on Words and Phrases for HR and the Recruitment Process!

2. Interacting with Coworkers

There are several Filipino business terms used to refer to the workplace:

• Kumpanya (“Company”)
• Opisina (“Office”)
• Trabaho (“Work”)

Of course, the specific words a person uses most often will depend on which working sector they belong to. 

For instance, the head of an engineering project might say:

• Maraming proyekto ang kumpanya ngayon. (“The company has been receiving a lot of projects lately.”)

On the other hand, an office worker might say:

• Medyo magulo kanina sa opisina. (“It was a bit toxic at the office earlier.”)

And someone who works on a contract basis might say:

• Binigyan kami ng maraming trabaho kanina. (“We were given a lot of work to do today.”)

Self-Introduction

Whichever working sector you may enter, it’s always important to know how to introduce yourself in Filipino.

• Ako nga pala si [name]. (“I’m [name], by the way.”)
• Ikaw, anong pangalan mo? (“What about you? What’s your name?”)
• Ikinagagalak kitang makilala. (“I’m so glad to meet you.”)

Asking for Help

Aside from being hospitable, Filipinos are helpful, too. Just use any of the following phrases if you need help in the workplace:

• Pwede mo ba akong tulungan? (“Can you help me, please?”)
• Alam mo ba kung ano ang ibig sabihin nito? (“Do you know what this means?”)
• Magpapaturo sana ako sa paggamit ng bagong printer. (“I was wondering if you could teach me how to use the new printer.”)

Making Apologies

Filipinos are quite sensitive and easily sulk or hold a grudge when offended. However, most Filipinos also value relationships and wouldn’t think twice about burying the hatchet if the other party made an effort to resolve the conflict. Here’s how you make apologies in a workplace setting.

• Humihingi ako ng paumanhin. (“I’m sorry.”)
• Pasensya ka na at hindi kita natulungan kanina. (“I’m sorry if I wasn’t able to assist you earlier.”)
• Pasensya po, sir. Makakaasa kayong hindi na mauulit. (“My apologies, sir. You can rest assured it won’t happen again.”)

After-Work Socialization

Filipinos are among the most hardworking people in the world. They wouldn’t mind putting in extra hours just to make sure they meet a deadline. But that doesn’t mean they don’t know how to have a good time. If you’re working with Filipinos, expect to be invited for some after-work socialization, especially if it’s a Friday.

• Tara, mag-break muna tayo. (“C’mon. Let’s take a break for a while.”)
• Gala tayo, guys! (“Hey guys, let’s go someplace!”)
• Kumusta na pala yung bagong project niyo? (“So, how’s that new project you’re working on?”)
• Congrats pala sa promotion mo! (“Congratulations on your promotion!”)
• Magpahinga ka naman paminsan-minsan. (“Don’t forget to relax from time to time.”)

3. Sounding Smart in a Meeting

While Filipinos are emotionally expressive, most of them avoid verbal confrontation—even to the point that they would hesitate to call out a wrongdoing. It’s a good thing that times are changing. Perhaps as a result of Western influence, more and more Filipinos nowadays are getting rid of this culture (called hiya, which could mean “shame” or “embarrassment”).

Most Filipino companies are actually already practicing healthy communication within the workplace, particularly during meetings. Employees are encouraged to speak their minds. They are also encouraged not to gossip and talk behind people’s backs, but rather to learn how to confront in a healthy manner. 

In this section, we’ll provide you with some useful business Filipino for meetings and presentations.

Making Suggestions

• Pwede bang mag-suggest? (“May I offer a suggestion?”)
• Suggestion lang, pero pwede nating gamitin ang social media para sa campaign na ito. (“It’s just a suggestion, but we could definitely use social media for this campaign.”)
• Baka pwede nating subukan ito? (“Perhaps we could try this?”)

Agreeing or Disagreeing with Someone and Making Negotiations

• Sang-ayon ako sa sinabi ni Dave. (“I agree with what Dave just said.”)
• Gusto ko iyang ideya mo, Brenda. (“I like your idea, Brenda.”)
• Maganda yang idea mo, pero… (“That’s a good idea, but..”)
• O baka naman pwedeng ito na lang ang gawin natin? (“Or perhaps we should try this one instead?”)

Giving Presentations

• Salamat sa pagdalo ninyo sa aking presentasyon. (“Thank you for coming to my presentation.”)
• Sabik na sabik na akong ibahagi sa inyo ang mga bago kong natuklasan. (“I’m excited to share with you guys the new insights I have acquired.”)
• May mga katanungan ba? (“Any questions?”)

Reporting to Supervisors

• Ipinatatawag niyo daw po ako, ma’am? (“You were calling for me, ma’am?”)
• May kailangan po ba kayong ipagawa, sir? (“Is there anything you’d like me to do for you, sir?”)

Mukhang maganda iyang ideya mo, Brenda!
(“That seems to be a good idea, Brenda!”)

→ Take your vocabulary to the next level with our list of words and phrases to use in the workplace.

4. Handling Business Phone Calls and Emails

For most companies in the Philippines, it’s common practice for frontdesk personnel to answer phone calls and emails in English. But let’s just say there are still those who use Tagalog when doing so. 

Answering a Call at Work

• Magandang araw. Paano ko po kayo matutulungan? (“Good day. How may I help you?”)
• Sandali lang po, sir. Ipapatawag ko po siya. (“Please wait a moment, sir. I’ll have him paged.”)
• Ipapaabot ko po ang mensahe niyo sa kaniya. (“I will convey your message to her.”)

Taking Messages

• Wala po si Sir Adrian ngayon. Pero pwede po kayong mag-iwan ng mensahe at ipapaalam ko kaagad sa kaniya kapag nakabalik na siya. (“Mr. Adrian is not here today. But you can leave a message for him and I’ll let him know once he gets back.”)
• Wala po si Sir Adrian ngayon, pero pwede niyo pong iwan ang numero niyo para matawagan niya kayo pag nakabalik na siya. (“Mr. Adrian is not around at the moment, but you can leave your number so he can call you back when he returns.”)
• Paumanhin po. Pwede niyo po bang ulitin? (“I’m sorry, but could you say that again?”)

Ending a Phone Conversation

• Makakaasa po kayong makakarating sa kaniya ang mensahe niyo. (“You can rest assured that your message will reach her.”)
• Salamat sa pagtawag. Paalam. (“Thank you for calling. Bye.”)

→ You can learn more about basic phone manners in our lesson.

Greeting Someone in an Email

• Magandang araw, Mrs. Smith. (“Good day, Mrs. Smith.”)
• Sana ay nasa mabuti kayong kalagayan. (“Hoping that all is well with you.”)

Wrapping Up an Email

• Mangyaring ipaalam niyo lamang kaagad sa amin kung mayroon kayong mga katanungan. Maraming salamat. (“Please let us know if you have further questions. Thank you.”)
• Mangyaring ipaalam niyo lamang kaagad sa amin kung interesado kayo sa proyektong ito at ng sa ganoon ay mapag-usapan pa natin nang husto ang mga detalye. Salamat. (Please let us know if you are interested in the said project and we can set an appointment to discuss the details further. Thank you.”)

Baka sakaling hindi niyo natanggap ang e-mail namin.
(“In case you weren’t able to receive our email.”)

5. Going on a Business Trip

And finally, here are common Tagalog phrases to use when going on an individual or company business trip.

Booking a Hotel and Tickets

• Nais kong bumili ng ticket para sa dalawang tao. (“I’m booking a flight for two people.”)
• Ang petsa ng alis ay ika-sampu ng Mayo. (“The departure date is the tenth of May.”)
• Magkano ang halaga ng business suite? (“What’s the rate for the business suite?”)
• Maaari ko bang makita ang pinakamalaking kwarto? (“May I see the largest room available?”)

Meeting Partners or Clients at the Airport

• Magandang araw, Mr. Lee. Ako po si Ryan Gomez ng ABC Company. Ako po ang susundo sa inyo. (“Good day, Mr. Lee. I’m Ryan Gomez of ABC Company. I’m here to pick you up.”)
• Magandang araw. Ako po si Ryan Gomez, ang ahente na ipinadala ni Mr. Alex para dumalo sa pagpupulong. (“Good day. I’m Ryan Gomez, and I’m the agent that Mr. Alex sent for the conference.”)

Checking In or Out of a Hotel

• May reservation ako na nakapangalan kay Dr. Danny Austria. (“I have a reservation under the name of Dr. Danny Austria.”)
• Maaari bang mag early check-in? (“Is an early check-in possible?”)
• Paki-proseso ang aming pag check-out. Salamat. (“Please process our check-out now. Thank you.”)

Thanking Partners or Clients for Their Hospitality

• Maraming salamat sa pag-aalaga sa amin. (“Thank you for taking care of us.”)

6. Enter the Filipino Corporate World More Confidently with FilipinoPod101

Being a part of the Filipino corporate world, whether as an employee or a proprietor, can be intimidating if Tagalog is not your first language. Of course, you can always speak in English since it’s the second language in the Philippines, but still, it would be an advantage for you to be able to understand and speak basic Tagalog.

What we’ve done so far is introduce you to some basic and advanced Tagalog business phrases, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. If you want to deepen your knowledge and comprehension—not only of Tagalog business phrases, but of the Filipino language in general—the best step for you to take is to sign up on FilipinoPod101.com.

FilipinoPod101 is a leading online resource when it comes to learning Tagalog, providing an integrative learning experience that’s not offered in traditional classrooms. Here, you’ll find lessons designed to improve your vocabulary, comprehension, pronunciation, and overall fluency. And if you want to go even deeper, you can always subscribe to a Premium PLUS account to use our MyTeacher feature and gain exclusive access to every audio and video lesson, as well as printable PDF lesson notes, your own lesson checklist, and a personal assessment from highly experienced Filipino specialists.

So, what are your thoughts about our guide on Filipino business phrases? Did we leave out any important phrases you would like to know? Let us know in the comments section!

Did you know that as you learn to speak Tagalog, YouTube videos can be a valuable supplementary resource?

YouTube has been around for fifteen years and it’s one of the most visited websites today, with five billion videos watched per day. While it’s filled with a variety of content, YouTube isn’t only about cat videos, pranks, and celebrity vlogs. When harnessed correctly, YouTube can be a very powerful educational tool—and this certainly applies to language learning!

Regardless of which language you wish to learn and master, you can rest assured that YouTube is one of the best platforms to supplement your studies. 

In this article, we’ll present you with ten of the best Filipino YouTube channels for enhancing your Tagalog-speaking skills and overall Filipino language comprehension.

Table of Contents

1. FilipinoPod101: The Best Way to Learn Filipino on YouTube
2. Learn Tagalog
3. Pinoy BK Channel
4. Pinoy Mystery Channel
5. Learn Tagalog with Fides
6. Wil Dasovich
7. Filipino Fairy Tales
8. GMA Public Affairs
9. The Filipino Channel
10. Teacher Pher
11. FilipinoPod101
12. Learn Tagalog Faster with FilipinoPod101.com

1. FilipinoPod101: The Best Way to Learn Filipino on YouTube

There are thousands of language learning channels available on YouTube, plenty of which teach the Filipino language. But if there’s a go-to YouTube channel for learning Tagalog, it’s FilipinoPod101. For one, we offer a unique approach to learning Tagalog. We also upload video lessons regularly, so you’ll always be in the loop! Whether you want to learn new Filipino words or explore Filipino culture, the FilipinoPod101 YouTube channel should be your first stop.  

That said, there are other channels on YouTube that you can utilize to gain more knowledge about the language and culture of the Filipinos. The good news is that these are not limited to channels that focus purely on language learning. We’ve collected Filipino language YouTube channels in a variety of categories, including documentary, music, travel, and even news. 

So, without further ado, here are the top ten YouTube channels to improve the quality of your Filipino language studies. 

2. Learn Tagalog

Category: Education
Level: Beginner-Intermediate

Learn Tagalog provides a fun and practical way to learn the Filipino language. The channel was created by a Filipina based in the United States, and has been up for seven years. It specializes in vocabulary, featuring common Tagalog words as well as words you wouldn’t normally encounter in everyday conversations. Her lessons are presented in a casual yet very applied manner.

From time to time, the channel also features lessons on Ilocano. These lessons are fun because the teacher presents them in a natural manner, just as if she was simply vlogging about her daily life. There are more than two hundred video lessons available on the Learn Tagalog YouTube channel, with fresh content being uploaded at least once a month. Highlights of the channel include Word of the Day and Tagalog Phrases.

→ Take your Tagalog vocabulary to another level with FilipinoPod101’s vocabulary lists.

3. Pinoy BK Channel

Category: Music
Level: Beginner-Intermediate

It’s clear from checking out the videos on this YouTube channel that it’s dedicated to providing its viewers with music videos for Filipino folk songs. In fact, if you check their “About” page, they mention that their main goal is to revive the songs taught by our Lolos and Lolas (Grandpas and Grandmas). 

For four years now, Pinoy BK Channel has been providing interested learners with high-quality videos featuring some of the most-loved folk songs in the Philippines, such as Atin Cu Pung Singing, Pen Pen De Sarape, and Leron Leron Sinta. But this channel isn’t only about songs. It also features famous Filipino alamat, or legends presented in a storytelling format. 

If you’re a beginner, you won’t have any troubles learning through this channel. All of the videos come with subtitles, so if you want to learn basic Tagalog words while finding out more about Filipino culture, this is the channel for you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu9OCQEVMds

→ Speaking of songs, make sure you check out our entry on how to post comments about songs on social media.

4. Pinoy Mystery Channel

Category: Documentary
Level: Intermediate-Advanced

If you’re into mystery, the Pinoy Mystery Channel will surely sate your cravings for the unexplained. You may or may not be aware of it, but Filipinos are superstitious people. Before the Spaniards came, our ancestors were animists who worshiped animal spirits, spirits of nature, and deities. Perhaps this is the reason that many of us are deeply religious or simply fascinated with things that can not be explained. 

Pinoy Mystery Channel is not limited to Filipino mysteries, though, and it’s not even a channel for learning Tagalog at all. However, if you want to get used to hearing Tagalog words while enjoying some mystery-based documentaries, then this is one YouTube channel you shouldn’t miss.

5. Learn Tagalog with Fides

Category: Education
Level: Beginner

One of the most popular Filipino YouTube channels for learners, Learn Tagalog with Fides has been around for six years now. While the channel only has a few videos, most of them are very useful if you’re new to learning Tagalog.

Fides, the owner of this channel, is a Filipina living and working in France. She created the channel as a way of helping non-Tagalog-speaking viewers learn the Filipino language. 

On her channel, you’ll find a variety of lessons, such as Tagalog conversations related to eating, as well as lessons on Tagalog verbs and pronouns. What’s interesting about her channel is that Fides offers video tutorials with English, Tagalog, and French subtitles, so if you’re a French- or English-speaking student who wants to learn Tagalog, this is the perfect channel for you.

6. Wil Dasovich

Category: Travel & Culture
Level: All Levels

Wil Dasovich is a Filipino-American television personality, but he’s better known today as one of the most popular Filipino YouTube vloggers. He also joined Pinoy Big Brother, although he started as a model who appeared on print and TV ads. 

He started vlogging on YouTube in 2014, and while he speaks English most of the time in his videos, there are instances when he tries to speak Tagalog (he adds subtitles for foreign viewers to help them understand what he’s saying). Not only that, but when he was just starting to learn Filipino, he actually created a series of episodes called The Art of Tagalog. 

Follow Wil and improve your Tagalog while learning more about Filipino culture at the same time!

→ Want to perfect your Tagalog like Wil Dasovich did? Our entry on How to Perfect Filipino: Tips for Beginners might be able to help you.

7. Filipino Fairy Tales

Category: Education
Level: All Levels

As the name suggests, Filipino Fairy Tales is a YouTube channel that provides some of the most popular children’s stories and alamat—and not only those of the Philippines, but of other cultures, too. 

The channel was launched almost four years ago with an episode featuring the story of the Lion and the Mouse (Ang Leon at ang Daga). Don’t be fooled, though, because while this channel features mostly children’s stories, some of the words used are quite advanced for learners who are just starting out. And since they’re in story form, expect for some of the sentence structures and words to be more formal. 

Afraid you won’t be able to follow along? Don’t worry. The subtitles are embedded, so you’ll never have to wonder what the narrator is saying.

→ Our entry on Fairy Tale vocabulary will surely help you become more familiar with words related to this form of literature!

8. GMA Public Affairs

Category: News
Level: Advanced

GMA Public Affairs is the fourth most subscribed-to Philippine-based YouTube channel, with 9.5 million subscribers. 

This is not surprising, since it’s owned by one of the largest television networks in the country—GMA Network—and it’s where they post clips from the top shows every day. This channel is a great source of Filipino YouTube content as most of the videos are presented in the Tagalog language. Each upload is a fun way to learn Tagalog words while staying up-to-date with what’s going on in the Philippines. 

Unfortunately, the auto-translate from Filipino to English isn’t really that accurate. But that shouldn’t deter you from using this as a tool to amp up your Tagalog, since listening plays a major role in language acquisition.

9. The Filipino Channel

Category: News
Level: Advanced

TFC first started out as a global subscription TV network based in California. It was created to cater to the needs of Filipinos abroad, with most of its shows imported from the ABS-CBN network. 

Here, you’ll find full episodes of some of the most popular television shows by ABS-CBN, including the latest news, soap operas, and documentaries.

Just as in the case of GMA Public Affairs, the auto-translation from Filipino to English in most of the videos isn’t accurate. However, TFC is still a great way to learn Tagalog while finding out more about the culture and latest happenings of the Philippines.

10. Teacher Pher

Category: Education
Level: Beginner-Intermediate

Teacher Jennifer (a.k.a. Pher) has been vlogging on YouTube for about three and a half years now. According to her “About” page, she created Teacher Pher as a way of helping her fellow teachers and mothers prepare lessons for their kids. 

Her videos are a fun way of learning Filipino, particularly Tagalog phonics and basic pronunciation of words. Her channel is not limited to teaching grammar, though. From time to time, Teacher Pher also teaches mathematics and crafts, and even takes her viewers to her classes. Once in a while, she creates videos featuring her personal life, such as showing what’s inside her teacher bag or even her most recent mountain climb.

→ By the way, don’t forget to check out our entry on Basic Filipino Pronunciation.

11. FilipinoPod101

Category: Language
Level: All Levels

There are many YouTube channels that aim to help non-Tagalog speakers learn the Filipino language, but none are more efficient in their approach than the FilipinoPod101 YouTube channel. Each video by FilipinoPod101 is designed to target a specific learner. For instance, there are videos specifically for those who are just starting out, and others made only for advanced learners (such as this one). 

Our channel is also updated almost every day, and you can rest assured that unique content is added regularly to meet the needs of learners regardless of their level. We also ensure that our videos have a variety of presentations and layouts, so that you’ll never get bored watching! Most importantly, our channel features a 24/7 Lesson Stream, which allows beginners to study all they want and all they need about basic grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and learning tips.

12. Learn Tagalog Faster with FilipinoPod101.com

We’ve presented you with the top ten Filipino YouTube channels to help you in your language learning journey. There are multiple ways to master a new language, one of which is watching videos and listening to dialogues or music in your target language. It’s not an overnight process, but spending more time using this method will definitely boost your progress.

Nevertheless, if you’re looking for a more in-depth way of studying Tagalog, then your best course of action is to sign up on FilipinoPod101.com. This is a unique language learning system that offers innovative approaches to learning Tagalog, providing learners with all the resources they need to reach their goals. That includes a comprehensive lesson library, vocabulary lists, and even an English-Tagalog dictionary. FilipinoPod101 also offers fun ways to learn Tagalog through our blog page and YouTube channel. Want to have your own personalized learning program? You can get just that with our MyTeacher feature for Premium PLUS members.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. You can always sign up to gain access to more exciting and exclusive features!

Oh, and don’t forget to let us know in the comments which of these YouTube channels you want to watch most, and why! Did we leave out any good ones?

Walang iwanan. There’s probably no other Filipino value that will make you love the Philippines and its people more than the one represented by this expression. It basically means that no one is left behind. 

And that’s what Filipinos are all about. Pinoys stick together as a people, which is why you’ll find a Filipino community in nearly every corner of the world. Perhaps this makes saying goodbye in Tagalog that much more significant. 

Despite the fact that Filipinos always stick together, they’re also the ones who say goodbye to each other the most. Every year, more than a million Pinoys leave the country to live and work in a foreign land—and every day, families say goodbye to each other. But as the saying goes, “No goodbyes; only see you later.”

But how exactly do Filipinos say goodbye to each other? In this article, you’ll discover the top fifteen ways to say goodbye in Filipino. Start with a bonus, and download the Must-Know Beginner Vocabulary PDF for FREE! (Logged-In Member Only)

Table of Contents

1. Common Ways to Say Goodbye in Tagalog
2. Specific Ways to Say Goodbye
3. Untranslatable Goodbye Phrases in Filipino
4. The FilipinoPod101 Advantage

1. Common Ways to Say Goodbye in Tagalog

Filipinos are known for their hospitality, so the value they place on politeness should come as no surprise. When we speak of being polite and courteous, that includes knowing when and how to greet others, as well as how to ask permission when it’s time to go. Below are some of the most common ways to say goodbye in the Filipino language.

1. Paalam. / “Goodbye.”

“Goodbye” in Tagalog is paalam. This is a formal way to bid someone farewell in Filipino, so you won’t often hear it in conversations. Instead, you’re more likely to hear it in movies and read it in Filipino literature. You’ll also hear it in songs, such as in the classic OPM song Paalam Na by Rachel Alejandro. The chorus of the song goes:

• Paalam na aking mahal, kay hirap sabihin. / “Goodbye, my love; such difficult words to say.”

2. Hanggang sa muli. / “Until next time.”

Hanggang sa muli is the Tagalog expression for “Until next time,” with hanggang being “until” and sa muli being “again.” Like paalam, this is a formal Filipino goodbye. 

Keep in mind that “next time” is actually sa susunod in Tagalog, so it’s also correct to say: Hanggang sa susunod. 

This phrase is often used as a follow-up to paalam, which is why it’s not uncommon to hear or read: 

• Paalam. Hanggang sa muli. / “Goodbye. Until next time.”

Interestingly, this is something you also see in English grammar.

3. Hanggang sa muling pagkikita. / “Until we see each other again.”

Like the previous two examples, this phrase is rarely used in conversational Tagalog, and is more common in songs and literature. Hanggang sa muling pagkikita means “Until we see each other again,” and it’s just another way of saying: Hanggang sa muli nating pagkikita. / “Until our next meeting.” 

4. Babay! / “Buh-bye!”

Babay is the equivalent of the English words “buh-bye” or “bye bye.” In contrast to the first three words, this one is used only when you’re comfortable with or close to the person you’re saying goodbye to. That said, you don’t say this to your boss or to one of your clients. In fact, in the Philippines, this word is mainly used by little kids or parents saying goodbye to their children before leaving for work. 

5. Bye!

Yes, many Filipinos actually use the English word “bye” instead of the Tagalog equivalent. English is a second language to most Filipinos, so it’s not surprising that most people in the Philippines use a lot of English words in their conversations. In fact, you’ll rarely hear a Filipino person nowadays conversing in pure Tagalog. 

In the Philippines, there’s a subculture referred to as “conyo.” This refers to Tagalog-speaking people who, when speaking in English, insert one or two Tagalog words into their sentences, all the while speaking with a heavy American accent.

One example is “It’s so traffic naman today,” which, when translated, means: “The traffic is unusually heavy today.”

In regular Tagalog conversations, though, it’s not unusual to hear someone saying: 

• Bye, mauna na ako. / “Bye, I’m leaving now.”

“It’s so traffic naman today.”

→ Have you checked out our entry on basic Filipino greetings?

2. Specific Ways to Say Goodbye

Now, let’s discover how Filipino people say goodbye in more specific contexts.

6. Huwag magpagabi ha? / “Don’t stay out too late, okay?”

The conservativeness of the Filipino people is evident in the way they speak. This is clear, for example, in how Filipinos often speak to their loved ones. Huwag magpagabi is often said by strict parents or elders to remind their young ones that while they’re free to spend time with their friends, they’re still expected to come home before it gets dark. 

A: ‘Nay, alis na po ako. / “Ma, I’m leaving now.”
B: Sige. Huwag magpagabi ha? / “Sure. Don’t stay out too late, okay?”

7. Uwi kaagad ha? / “Be home as soon as possible, okay?”

Under Philippine Law, a person under the age of eighteen years old is still considered a child. But in many Filipino homes, it’s still very common to hear a parent bid their twenty-five-year-old daughter: Uwi kaagad ha? It’s like the Filipino way of saying goodbye, but not really. It’s like saying goodbye to the other person, but deep in your heart, you don’t want them to leave the house at all. Uwi, by the way, is short for umuwi, or “to come home.”

A: ‘Nay, alis na po kami ng mga kaibigan ko. / “Ma, I’m leaving with my friends now.”
B: Sige. Uwi ka kaagad ha? / “Sure. Be home as soon as possible, okay?”

8. Ingat! / “Take care!”

This Filipino word for goodbye translates to “care.” When using it to say goodbye, it’s actually short for Mag-ingat ka, meaning “You take care” or simply “Take care.” It’s used all the time as a way to wish the other person well or to tell them to take care of themselves. This is especially true if the person is embarking on a long journey or traveling at night. As a reply, you could simply say Ikaw rin or “You, too.”

→ Speaking of taking care of one’s self, make sure to check out our lesson on how to give warnings and cautions.

Papayagan kitang mamasyal, basta uwi ka kaagad ha? 
(“I’ll let you go out with your friends, but promise me you’ll be home early, okay?”)

9. Mauna na ako. / “I gotta run.”

Mauna na ako is used to say that you need to leave. Most Filipinos incorrectly translate this to “I’ll go ahead,” which doesn’t have any use in the Filipino language at all. In Filipino, the phrase “go ahead” is actually sige. Mauna, on the other hand, means “to go first” or “to be the first.” In the context of saying goodbye, it means to be the first to leave or that someone is leaving already.

Mauna na ako basically means any of the following:

“I gotta run.”
“I have to run along.”
“I should be running along.”
“It’s time I ran along.”

• Guys, mauna na ako para makaiwas sa traffic. / “Guys, I should be running along, or I’m going to have to deal with heavy traffic.”

10. Diyan ka na muna. / “I gotta leave you for a while.”

Another way to say goodbye in Tagalog is: Diyan ka na muna. Most Filipinos say this when they’re in a hurry to leave. It’s like when you’re having a conversation with a friend and then you suddenly receive a text message that there’s an emergency, or you suddenly remember something that you have to do quickly.

Naku! Kailangan ko palang bumili ng gamot. Diyan ka na muna. / “Oh my! I forgot that I need to get some medicine. I gotta leave you for a while.”

Mauna na ako. Manonood pa ako ng Ang Probinsyano. 
(“I gotta run. It’s time for my favorite primetime show—Ang Probinsyano.”)

11. Iwan na muna kita diyan ha. / “I’ll leave you here for a while, okay?”

This is a more polite way of saying the previous expression. While diyan ka na muna is proper, if it’s not put into context, it could sound a bit rude. So, if you want to play it safe, you can say: Iwan na muna kita diyan.

• Ay, nag-text ang boss ko. Emergency daw. Iwan na muna kita diyan ha? / “Oh, my boss texted me. He said it’s an emergency. Is it okay if I leave you here for a while?”

Notice the difference?

12. Kitakits! / “See you around!”

This Filipino term for goodbye is slang for “See you around” or “See you later.” It’s short for Kita-kita na lang, with kita being the Tagalog word for “to see.” Kita-kita na lang tayo is like saying: 

“Let’s just see each other around.” 
“Let’s meet again sometime.”

• Sige, mauna na kami. Kitakits na lang sa susunod na reunion. / “We gotta run, guys. See you again at our next reunion.”

→ Don’t forget to check out our lesson on the essential vocabulary related to traveling!

3. Untranslatable Goodbye Phrases in Filipino

One of the most unique things about the Filipino language is that it’s rich with words and phrases that don’t have an equivalent in other languages (particularly English). The following are a few untranslatable goodbye phrases in Tagalog.

13. Sige.

The word sige can be directly translated as “sure” or “go ahead,” but in many cases, Filipinos use it as a way of saying goodbye. In such a context, it could mean “go on” when addressing another person. It could also mean “I’m leaving now.” Sige can also be used on its own when someone is acknowledging a person who’s asking permission to leave.

A: Pare, mauna na ako. / “Hey mate, I gotta run.”
B: Sige. / “Sure.”

It can also be used as an introductory word when asking permission to leave:

• Sige, guys. Mauna na ako. / “Alright, guys. I’m leaving now.”

Some people use it to get out of an awkward situation, like when you’re stuck in a conversation with someone you don’t really want to be chatting with. You can say sige and simply walk away.

Uhm…sige.

14. O siya, siya. 

This is an expression often used by the elderly. Perhaps it’s derived from Siya nawa, which basically means “Amen” or “So be it.” Sometimes, only one siya is used:

• O siya, mauna na kami. / This could mean: “I guess we should go now.”

Siya is doubled only for emphasis. In response to the above statement, one could say: 

• O siya, siya. Mag-ingat kayo ha? / “Alright then. You take care of yourselves, okay?”

15. O, paano? 

The direct translation of the word paano is “how.” In the context of saying goodbye, it doesn’t make sense to ask “How?” but Filipinos use it to say something along the lines of “What now?” It’s like saying goodbye and expecting an acknowledgment from the other person.

• O, paano? Alis na ako. / “So, what now? I should be running along.”

4. The FilipinoPod101 Advantage

By now, you should have a better idea of how to say goodbye in Filipino. However, if you want to go deeper with your studies of important Filipino greetings, your best option is to sign up on FilipinoPod101.com. With FilipinoPod101, you’ll have access to tons of lessons with real-life applications.

Add to that our various resources to help you with your vocabulary, comprehension, and pronunciation, and you have the perfect all-in-one study tool.

Need to supercharge your learning? You can take advantage of FilipinoPod101’s MyTeacher feature, a Premium PLUS feature that will help you fasttrack your way to fluency. With this option, you can enjoy one-on-one lessons with a personal teacher, as well as real-time guidance and feedback. This way, you’ll always know whether or not you’re on the right track.

O, paano? Hanggang sa muli! Until our next post! 

Don’t forget to let us know in the comments what you think about this lesson, and share with us any questions or additional insight you may have!

The Philippines has a huge Christian population (with 92.5% of Filipinos identifying as Christian, around 80% of which are Roman Catholic), so it should come as no surprise that religious festivities hold great meaning here. Of particular interest is a massive holiday commonly known as the Feast of the Black Nazarene. 

In this article, you will discover the Feast of the Black Nazarene’s origins as well as how devoted Filipinos celebrate the holiday today. 

Let’s get started!

1. What is the Feast of the Black Nazarene?

Each year on January 9, millions of mga deboto (devotees) celebrate the Feast of the Black Nazarene. This is a major religious holiday in the Philippines, drawing massive crowds and much speculation. 

The Black Nazarene is a life-size statue depicting a dark-skinned Jesus bearing the cross. According to the Black Nazarene story, this statue was created by an anonymous Mexican sculptor and brought to the Philippines in 1606. While no one is certain why or how the Black Nazarene statue is so dark in color, some speculate that the statue was exposed to fire during its relocation to the Philippines. Others say that the statue is likely made of Mesquite, a type of wood known for its black color. 

The Feast of the Black Nazarene in the Philippines commemorates the date that the statue was enshrined in the Black Nazarene Church (Quiapo) in 1787. Prior to this, the statue was housed in a variety of other churches, so this permanent enshrinement was a significant moment for the Filipino people. The event is referred to as the Traslación (or Transfer).

In addition to commemorating the Traslación, this holiday is also seen as a time to pay paggalang (homage) to Jesus’s suffering.

→ To learn the names of different religions in Filipino, head over to our Religion vocabulary list!

2. Feast of the Black Nazarene Traditions

Celebrations for the Feast of the Black Nazarene really begin the night before, on January 8. This is when devotees gather together in Rizal Park to see and touch the statue, which is placed on a grandstand in the park. People also bring along their own statues of the Black Nazarene. Throughout the night, Filipinos celebrate and prepare for the following day with sermons, songs, and other festive activities. 

To show their debosyon (devotion), millions of Filipinos engage in the Nazareno parade. This prusisyon (procession) begins in Rizal Park following a mass. The statue is placed on a carriage, accompanied by several men who support and protect it—these men are known as the Sons of the Nazarene, and they wear yellow or white shirts.

To show pagpapakumbaba (humility) and their resonance with Jesus’s suffering, many Filipinos take part in this procession nakapaa (barefoot). Huge crowds follow the procession for several hours—normally just short of a full day—in order to show their devotion to Jesus. Many of those marching also try to touch the statue. 

Many of the faithful believe that the statue can perform miracles of healing, with some people reporting having been cured of disease or illness after touching the statue. Those who cannot get close enough to touch the statue themselves will often throw a panyo (handkerchief) toward the Sons of the Nazarene, who then wipe the handkerchief on the statue and toss it back. This is because the miraculous healing power is thought to be transferable to the cloth. 

In addition to those walking in the procession, there are millions of people gathered along the edge of the route to see their loved ones walking and to get a glimpse of the statue. Everyone shouts the words “Viva Señor!” during the procession to show adoration for the Nazarene.

The Feast of the Black Nazarene procession ends in Quiapo, at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene. 

3. Holiday Confusion!

Many people assume that the Feast of the Black Nazarene is the Quiapo Church’s annual feast day. However, this is not the case—the Feast of the Black Nazarene only celebrates and reenacts the Traslación.

Rather, the feast day people are thinking of takes place on June 24. This is St. John’s Day, held in commemoration of St. John’s birthday. Filipinos celebrate this day by ‘baptizing’ each other and covering themselves in mud and dried banana leaves. Their ‘baptism’ consists of throwing or drizzling water on each other in a sort of game, though this event is known to get out of hand with people damaging others’ property. 

→ Want to explore even more holidays? See our lesson on the Top 5 Most Important Dates on the Filipino Calendar!

4. Essential Vocabulary for the Feast of the Black Nazarene

Now let’s review some of the vocabulary words from this article, plus a few more! 

• Quiapo (Quiapo Church) – proper noun
• Deboto (Devotee) – noun
• Prusisyon (Procession) – noun
• Nazareno (Nazarene) – noun
• Panata (Vow) – noun
• Nakapaa (Barefoot) – adjective
• Pagpapakumbaba (Humility) – noun
• Magsisi (Repent) – verb
• Panyo (Handkerchief) – noun
• Debosyon (Devotion) – noun
• Paggalang (Homage) – noun
• Mirakulo (Miracle) – noun

If you head over to our Feast of the Black Nazarene vocabulary list, you can also hear the pronunciation of each word to practice along with. 

Final Thoughts

The Feast Day of the Black Nazarene is one of the most important dates in the Philippines, especially among faithful Catholics. In learning about this holiday, you’ve taken a step toward better understanding Filipino culture and immersing yourself in the language. We hope you enjoyed this lesson, and that you feel inspired to continue your Filipino studies! To learn about more Filipino holidays, you can check out the following blog posts on FilipinoPod101.com:

• How to Celebrate the Filipino-Chinese New Year
• Celebrating the Day of Valor in the Philippines
• Eidul Adha in the Philippines – Sacrifice and Charity
• Buwan ng Wika: Celebrating Filipino Language Month
• Araw ng Jose Rizal: Rizal Day in the Philippines

For even more useful content on the Filipino language and culture, create your free lifetime account with us today. We provide practical lessons and other learning materials for learners at every level, so you can jump right in wherever you are on your language learning journey! 

Before you go, let us know in the comments if you celebrate a similar holiday in your country. If not, would you ever want to visit the Philippines to witness the Feast of the Black Nazarene yourself? We look forward to hearing from you.

Happy learning!

In every nation and at every point in history, there are certain names, faces, and stories that stand out from the rest. There are writers, artists, activists, and leaders whom nations herald and commemorate for years and for centuries. And there are true national heroes like the Philippines’s own Jose Rizal.

Today, we’ll talk about the Rizal Day holiday and the events it commemorates. 

Let’s get started.

1. What is Rizal Day?

Observed each year on December 30, Rizal Day is a national holiday in the Philippines. It marks the date in 1896 that Jose Rizal, pambansang bayani (“national hero”) of the Philippines, was executed. 

History

For centuries, the Spanish colonized the Philippines and abused their power over the native inhabitants. This abuse began in 1521, when Ferdinand Magellan arrived in the Philippines and claimed the territory for Spain. While many Filipinos over the years had wanted kalayaan (“freedom”) from Spain, any attempted dissent proved futile.

In 1861, Jose Rizal was born and would grow up to become the country’s national hero and a martyr. 

Though Rizal worked as a doctor, he is most remembered for his makabayan (“patriotic”) works as a novelist. His two great works were titled Noli Me Tangere (“Touch Me Not”) and El Filibusterismo (“The Reign of Greed”), both of which shed light on the negative impact of the Spanish rule over the Philippines. These two novels were Rizal’s way of expressing his—and the nation’s—desire for mapayapang reporma (“peaceful reform”), though he wrote them while away in Europe. Experts believe that his novels spurred the Filipino population to act out against the Spanish government and eventually gain their freedom.

In 1892, Rizal returned to his home country and continued to fight with them toward freedom and pantay na karapatan (“equal rights”). In all this, he was never directly involved in violence or warfare. His continued dissidence led to him being exiled to Dapitan, Mindanao for three years. He eventually made his way to Cuba, where he was wrongly arrested for suspicion that he was involved in a nationalistic revolt. Rizal was convicted of the crime and his penalty was death by firing squad. He was shot to his death on December 30, 1896.

The influence of Rizal on the present-day Philippines cannot be overstated. He played a major role in leading the nation to freedom, equal rights, and dignidad (“dignity”). Most importantly, his patriotic work inspired Filipinos and gave them pag-asa (“hope”) of a better future. These are things which Filipinos today continue to enjoy; they will never forget Rizal’s name.

The very first Rizal Day observations began in 1898, when the first President of the Philippines (Emilio Aguinaldo) declared December 30 a day of national mourning. This was done to encourage commemoration of Rizal and of all Filipinos who perished under the Spanish colonial rule. 

→ Curious to learn more? Then go through our lesson on the Top 5 Things You Need to Know About Filipino Society! 

2. Rizal Day Celebrations and Traditions

Rizal Day in the Philippines is a national holiday. This means that most people get the day off of work, and those who do have to work will receive double their usual wages. The day also happens to fall near the end of Christmas Break for many schools, so students and teachers are free to participate in the observations.

The largest ceremony for Rizal Day is held in Rizal Park, the park in which Rizal was shot to death. The President and Vice President of the Philippines lead these ceremonies, which involve a twenty-one gun salute and laying a wreath at the Rizal Monument. The flag is also raised and the Philippine Air Force flies overhead. The President may give a speech discussing the events of the past year and looking forward to plans for the future. Throughout the Philippines, Rizal Day is also celebrated on a smaller scale in each province, led by government officials.

Flags must be flown at half-mast on this day, and certain activities are banned. These include: cockfighting, horse racing, and jai-alai (a Basque-inspired sport similar to racquetball).

A History of Rizal Day Observations

Over the years, there have been a few Rizal Day celebrations that warrant particular recognition:

• 1937: President Manuel L. Quezon made Tagalog the official language of the Philippines.
• 1942: Rizal’s final poem, titled Mi último adiós, was recited in Japanese and KALIBAPI was inaugurated. 
• 1996: To mark the 100-year anniversary of Rizal’s murder, his final steps were retraced and his death was reenacted.
• 2000: A terrorist bombing killed 22 people and injured 100 more.

Also note that from 1936 to 1973, Rizal Day also served as the President’s inauguration day. In 1973, the inauguration date was moved to June 30. 

→ Learn about the Top 5 Most Important Dates on the Filipino Calendar and gain some more cultural perspective. 

3. Rizal Park

Rizal Park (also called Luneta Park) is where Jose Rizal was shot to his death and where the main commemorative event takes place each year. Within the park lie the Rizal Monument and the life-size diorama of his final moments, as well as museums and gardens. 

This is a major tourist destination and a popular site for native Filipinos as well. If you plan on visiting Manila, don’t forget to walk through Rizal Park!

→ Need more inspiration while you plan your trip? See our vocabulary list of the top Philippines Tourist Attractions!

4. Essential Filipino Vocabulary for Rizal Day

Let’s review some of the key vocabulary words from this article so you can start discussing Rizal Day in Tagalog! 

• Noli Me Tangere – “Touch Me Not”
• El Filibusterismo – “The Reign of Greed”
• Kalayaan – “Freedom” [n]
• Makabayan – “Patriotic” [adj]
• Araw ni Jose Rizal – “Jose Rizal’s Day”
• Pambansang bayani – “National hero” 
• Pantay na karapatan – “Equal rights” [n]
• Pag-asa – “Hope” [n]
• Mapayapang reporma – “Peaceful reform” [n]
• Dignidad – “Dignity” [n]

Remember that you can find each of these words, along with their pronunciation, on our Rizal Day vocabulary list!

Final Thoughts

Rizal Day in the Philippines is a time of solemn commemoration and reflection on the events of the past, as well as a day to appreciate the nation’s freedom. Most of all, it seeks to honor Rizal for his major role in setting the country on its path to a better future.

Who are some prominent national heroes of your country? Do you have a special day to celebrate them? Let us know in the comments! 

To continue exploring the rich Filipino culture and language, you can read these articles from FilipinoPod101.com:

• How to Celebrate the Filipino-Chinese New Year
• Celebrating the Day of Valor in the Philippines
• Buwan ng Wika: Celebrating Filipino Language Month
• Eidul Adha in the Philippines: Sacrifice and Charity
• Essential Vocabulary for Life Events in Filipino

This is just a small sample of everything FilipinoPod101 has to offer! From themed vocabulary lists to fun audio and video lessons, we provide tons of learning resources for aspiring Filipino learners. Create your free lifetime account today and see what we’re all about! You’ll be speaking Filipino in minutes and fluent before you know it. 

Happy learning!

There are many types of words we use in our everyday lives when communicating with each other, and pronouns are among them. You may not realize it, but you frequently refer to other people or things using pronouns in your everyday conversations. Pronouns are used primarily to replace nouns in order to avoid redundancy. 

The pronoun in Tagalog is referred to as panghalip. Just like in English grammar, there are several categories of the panghalip as a part of speech. Keep in mind, though, that not all English pronouns have direct equivalents in Filipino. Moreover, some Filipino pronouns may be used in more ways than English pronouns, and there are also categories under panghalip that aren’t found in English grammar.
The first type of panghalip is called panghalip panao.

Table of Contents

1. Panghalip Panao (Personal Pronouns)
2. Panghalip Pamatlig (Demonstrative Pronouns)
3. Panghalip Pananong (Interrogative Pronouns)
4. Panghalip Panaklaw (Indefinite Pronouns)
5. Panghalip Pamanggit (Relative Pronouns)
6. Panghalip Patulad
7. Conclusion

1. Panghalip Panao (Personal Pronouns)

The personal pronoun in Tagalog is panghalip panao. The term panao is derived from the word tao, which is Filipino for “man” or “human.” And as the term suggests, the role of panghalip panao is to take the place of nouns that name people.

Before we move forward, you need to understand that Filipino pronouns are categorized by case. They can either be Direct (ANG pronouns), Indirect (NG pronouns), or Oblique (SA pronouns). The following are Filipino personal pronouns under each of these three categories:

A- Filipino ANG Pronouns

Personal pronouns in this category are the ones a sentence focuses on. 

In English	In Filipino
“I”	ako
“you”	ikaw
“he” / “she”	siya
“we”	tayo (inclusive) / kami (exclusive)
“you all”	kayo
“they”	sila

1 – ako or “I” (singular first person)

Examples:

Ako ang may-ari ng bahay na ito. 

“I am the owner of this house.”

Ako ay pupunta sa kasal ni Ellen. 

“I am going to Ellen’s wedding.”

2 – ikaw or “you” (singular second person)

Examples:

Ikaw ang dahilan kung bakit ako pumunta dito.

“You are the reason that I came here.”

Ikaw na lang ang kumain ng keyk.

“You eat the cake.”

3 – siya or “he” / “she”

In this day and age, due to gender issues, people are more careful when it comes to using pronouns. However, in Filipino grammar, pronouns show no distinction between “he” and “she.” Instead, the word used for Filipino gender pronouns in the singular second person is simply siya. That’s definitely one trick to learn when studying Filipino.

Examples:

Siya ang nakita mo sa mall kahapon.

“She’s the one you saw at the mall yesterday.”

Siya yung pogi na sinasabi ko sa’yo!

“He’s the cute guy I was telling you about!”

4 – tayo (inclusive) / kami (exclusive) or “we” (plural first person)

Examples:

Tayo ang dapat lumapit sa kanya.

“We are the ones who are supposed to approach him.”

Kakain kami sa Mang Inasal.

“We are going to eat at Mang Inasal.”

5 – kayo or “you” / “you all” (plural second person)

Examples:

Kayo ang may pakana ng lahat ng ito.

“You are the mastermind behind all of this.”

Kumain na kayo dito.

“You all should eat here.”

6 – sila or “they” (plural third person)

Examples:

Sila ang mga napili na lumahok sa paligsahan.

“They were the ones chosen to participate in the contest.”

Umuwi sila kaagad pagkatapos ng programa.

“They all went home right after the program.”

B- Filipino NG Pronouns

Ng (pronounced nang) personal pronouns are used to replace unfocused nouns in a sentence. In Filipino grammar, possessive pronouns can also take this form, and these words can also serve as a replacement for an unfocused actor.

In English	In Filipino
“my” / “of me”	ko
“your” / “of you”	mo
“his” / “her” / “of him” / “of her”	niya
“our” / “of us”	namin (exclusive) / natin (inclusive)
“your” / “of you”	ninyo
“their” / “of them”	nila

1 – ko or “my” / “of me” (singular first person)

Examples:

Expressing possession

Desisyon ko ang masusunod.

“It’s my decision that should be taken.”

As a substitute for an unfocused actor

Binili ko ang ang mga pagkain.

“The food was bought by me.”

2 – mo or “your” / “of you” (singular second person)

Examples:

Expressing possession

Sapatos mo yung nasa labas ng pinto.

“It seems that your shoes are on the doorstep.”

Cell phone mo ba yung ginagamit niya?

“Is that your cell phone that he’s using?”

3 – niya or “his” / “her” / “of him” / “of her” (singular third person)

Examples:

As a substitute for an unfocused actor

Kinuha niya ang lahat sa akin.

“He took everything from me.”

Binigyan niya ng pera ang kanyang nakababatang kapatid.

“She gave her younger brother some money.”

4 – namin (exclusive) / natin (inclusive) or “our” / “of us” (plural first person)

Examples: 

As a substitute for an unfocused actor

Kinuha namin ang padala niya kahapon.

“The package was picked up by us yesterday.”

Nakayanan natin ang mga pagsubok.

“The challenges were overcome by us.”

5 – ninyo or “your” / “of you” (plural second person)

Example: 

Mali ang ginawa ninyo.

“Your actions were wrong.”

6 – nila or “their” / “of them” (plural third person)

Example: 

Mali ang ginawa nila.

“Their actions were wrong.”

C- Filipino SA Pronouns

Sa personal pronouns are used to indicate an unfocused direction and location in a sentence. They also indicate possession. In this case, they act as Filipino possessive pronouns or panghalip paari.

In English	In Filipino
“me” / “my”	akin
“you” / “your”	iyo
“him” / “his” / “her”	kanya
“us” / “our”	amin (exclusive) / atin (inclusive)
“you” / “your”	inyo
“them” / “their”	kanila

1 – akin or “me” / “my” (singular first person)

Examples: 

Expressing location

Nasa akin ang bag mo.

“Your bag is with me.”

Expressing possession

Siya ay aking katrabaho.

“She is my colleague.”

2 – iyo or “you” / “your” (singular second person)

Examples: 

Expressing direction

Tatawag ako sa iyo bukas. 

“I am going to call you tomorrow.”

Naiinis daw siya sa iyo.

“She said she’s mad at you.”

3 – kanya or “him” / “his” / “her”

Examples:

Expressing location

Nasa kanya na ang susi ng kotse.

“The car key is with her already.”

Expressing possession

Yan ay kanyang mga damit.

“Those are her clothes.”

4- Formal Usage

Just as in many other languages, second- or third-person pronouns are used in formal or polite settings. For instance, when speaking with an elderly person, instead of simply saying Saan ka galing? we say, Saan kayo galing? meaning “Where have you been?” Notice that without the iteration po, the statement is still considered polite.

D- Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns, such as “myself,” “himself,” and “themselves,” always appear with the word sarili, meaning “self” in Filipino.

For instance, the equivalent of “himself” is either sarili niya or ang kaniyang sarili, depending on how you want to say it.

This quote from the film Heneral Luna is a great example:

Mayroon tayong mas malaking kaaway kaysa mga Amerikano—ang ating sarili.

“We have an enemy far greater than the Westerners—ourselves.” 

Pinahirapan nila ang kanilang sarili sa hindi pag-aaral nang mas maaga.

“They tortured themselves by not studying ahead of time.”

2. Panghalip Pamatlig (Demonstrative Pronouns)

Demonstrative pronouns are referred to as panghalip pamatlig in Filipino. They’re used to point to a specific noun in a sentence. In English grammar, there are only four demonstrative pronouns: “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those.” The case is different for panghalip pamatlig.

For instance, there are four types of panghalip pamatlig:

• Pronominal
• Panawag pansin
• Patulad
• Panlunan

Examples of Pronominal:

• ito (“this”)
• dito (“here”)
• iyan (“that”)
• niyan (“that”)
• diyan (“there”)
• iyon (“that”)
• doon (“there”)

Ito ang gusto ko.

“This is what I want.”

Regarding iyan and niyan, both words are translated into “that” in English, and both represent something that’s away from the speaker. The main difference between the two is that iyan is an ANG marker, while niyan is a NG marker. More importantly, iyan is usually placed at the beginning of a sentence, while niyan is placed at the end of a sentence.

Iyan ang gusto kong makita.

“That is what I want to see.”

Ayaw ko niyan.

“I don’t like that.”

Gusto kong pumunta diyan.

“I want to go there.”

Examples of Panawag Pansin:

• eto / heto (“here” / “this”)
• ayan / hayan (“that”)
• ayun / hayun (“there”)

Heto ako.

“Here I am.”

Ayan sila.

“That’s them.”

Ayun ang pera sa ibabaw ng kama.

“There’s the money on the bed.”

Examples of Patulad:

• anito / ganito (“like this”)
• ganiyan / ganyan (“like that”)
• ganoon / gayon (“like that” / “like those”)

Ganito ang ginawa niya.

“He did it like this.”

Ganoon ang pagkatumba niya sa motor.

“She fell on the motorbike just like that.”

Examples of Panlunan:

• doon / naroon / nandoon (“there”)
• diyan / riyan (“there”)
• narito / nandito (“here”)

Nandoon ang mga taong hinahanap niyo.

“The people you’re looking for are there.”

Narito na ang pinakahihintay ng lahat.

“What you have been waiting for is finally here.”

3. Panghalip Pananong (Interrogative Pronouns)

Interrogative pronouns in Filipino, or panghalip pananong, are pronouns used to make asking questions a lot less complicated.

There are only five panghalip na pananong, which are the equivalents of the five in English grammar. However, unlike in English, panghalip pananong has a plural form.

Singular: 

• Ano (“What”)
• Alin (“Which”)
• Sino (“Who” / “Whom”)
• Kanino (“Whose”)

Ano ang sabi mo?

“What did you say?”

Alin dito ang pinaka nagugustuhan mo?

“Which one do you like the most?”

Sino ang kumuha ng salamin dito?
“Who removed the mirror here?”

Sino ang pinagkakatiwalaan mo?

“Whom do you trust?”

Kanino ang aso na iyan?

“Whose dog is that?”

Plural:

• Anu-ano (“What/Which ones”)
• Alin-alin (“Which ones”)
• Sinu-sino (“Who”)
• Kani-Kanino (“Whom” / “Whose”)

In the plural form of panghalip pananong, the meaning may not change in English, but it’s emphasized in Filipino. 

For example:

Anu-ano ba ang mga sinabi niya?

“What specific things did he say?”

Even if you use the singular form in Filipino, the meaning in English remains the same as long as the particle mga, which pluralizes countable nouns, is used.

So, Ano ba ang mga sinabi niya? could have the same translation in English as Anu-ano ba ang mga sinabi niya?

Alin-alin dito ang mga binigay mo sa kaibigan mo?

“Which ones among these did you give to your friend?”

Sinu-sino ang mga dumalo sa miting?

“Who among the guys attended the meeting?”

Kani-kanino itong mga nakakalat na laruan sa sahig?

“Whose toys are these left lying on the floor?”

4. Panghalip Panaklaw (Indefinite Pronouns)

As the term suggests, indefinite pronouns don’t refer to any specific person or object. They are referred to in Filipino as panghalip panaklaw. Panaklaw comes from the root saklaw, which implies range or scope.

Commonly used panghalip panaklaw words are as follows:

1 – lahat (“everyone” / “everybody” / “everything” / “all”)

Gusto sumama ng lahat sa field trip.

“Everybody wants to join the field trip.”

Ang lahat ay ibinoto siya na maging gobernador.

“All voted for him to be governor.”

2 – sa lahat ng dako (“everywhere”)

Naghanap kami sa lahat ng dako pero hindi pa rin namin siya natagpuan.

“We searched everywhere and still didn’t find her.”

3 – sinuman (“anyone”)

Ang sinuman na hindi pupunta ay bibigyan ng parusa.

“Anyone who does not attend will be given a penalty.”

4 – anuman / alinman (“anything”)

Itapon na lang ang anuman na wala nang silbi.

“Just throw anything that doesn’t serve any purpose.”

5 – kaunti (“few” / “a few”)

Kaunti na lang ang natirang tickets.

“There’s just a few tickets left.”

6 – madami / marami (“many” / “a lot”)

Marami sa kanila ang ayaw sa huling resolusyon na ipinasa ng mga miyembro ng board of directors.

“A lot of them are not in favor of the recent resolution passed by members of the board of directors.”

7 – saanman (“anywhere” / “wherever”)

Saanmang dako ng mundo, ikaw ay susundan ko.

“Anywhere you go, I am sure to follow.”

In some cases, a Tagalog pronoun is placed after saanman in the first and third persons, and the words saan (“where”) and man (“any”) are written separately.

Susundan ko sya saan man siya (third person) pumunta.

“I will follow her wherever she may go.”

Sinusundan niya ako saan man ako (first person) pumunta.

“He follows me wherever I go.”

And in the second person, a pronoun is placed between saan and man.

Susundan kita saan ka (second person) man pumunta.

“I will follow you wherever you go.”

Hahanapin kita saan ka (second person) man magtago.

“I will look for you wherever you may hide.”

8 – wala / wala ni isa (“none”)

Wala ni isa sa kanila ang nagtangkang magsalita.

“None of them had the courage to speak.”

9 – isang tao / isa (“someone” / “somebody”)

May isa na dapat tanggalin sa group.

“Someone has to be removed from the group.”

10 – bawat isa (“each”)

Ang bawat isa sa atin ay may papel na ginagampanan sa team na ‘to.

“Each of us has a role to play in this team.”

5. Panghalip Pamanggit (Relative Pronouns)

Relative pronouns in Filipino are called panghalip pamanggit. Their main function is that of introducing a relevant clause and connecting it to an independent clause.

The most common examples of panghalip pamanggit are na and ng.

Examples:

Ang drayber na nakabundol sa mag-asawa ay nahuli.

“The driver who hit the couple was caught.”

Huwag mong hawakan ang mga bagay na hindi mo pagmamay-ari.

“Don’t touch things that don’t belong to you.”

Mayroon akong kaibigan na ang kuya ay napaka kulit.

“I have a friend whose brother is so annoying.” 

Huwag na huwag magtitiwala sa tao na ang ulo ay napapanot.

“Never trust a man whose hair is balding.”

Ang mga binti ng kalabaw ay malaki.

“The legs of the water buffalo are large.” 

Although the direct equivalent of the word ng is “of” in English, it functions in this sentence as a panghalip pamanggit.

Again, the reason is that some Filipino words may have a direct equivalent in English, and yet they are used in a different manner.

That said, the relative pronouns “which,” “that,” “who,” “whom,” and “whose,” can all be translated to na.

6. Panghalip Patulad

Panghalip patulad is a Filipino pronoun category that isn’t found in English. Patulad comes from the root word tulad, which denotes similarity.

Words under this category are used to replace words that denote manner, or how things are performed or acted. 

For instance, “This is how we do it,” can be translated to Ganito namin ginagawa ‘yan. In this sentence, the word ganito is considered a panghalip patulad.

That said, the three major words used as panghalip patulad are ganito, ganyan, and ganoon.

1 – Ganito

The word ganito can be directly translated to “like this” or “in this manner.” It’s used when the object being spoken of is near the speaker.

In the following examples, observe how the use of the word ganito changes in the English translation depending on how it’s being used in the Filipino sentences.

Ganito kami sa Pilipinas.

“This is how we are in the Philippines.”

Ganito ang dapat nating gawin.

“This is what we should do.”

In some instances, the word alone (along with a demonstration from the speaker) is enough to answer a question about how something is done.

Paano mo ginagawa yan?

Ganito.

“How do you do it?”

“This way.”

2 – Ganyan

Ganyan can be translated to “like that” or “in that manner.” It’s used when the object being described is near the person being spoken to.

Ganyan ka mag-shoot ng bola!

“That’s how you shoot a ball!”

Ganyan pala maghiwa ng sibuyas.

“So that’s how you’re supposed to slice an onion.”

Pigain mo siya nang ganyan.

“Squeeze it in that manner.”

3 – Ganoon / Ganun

Just like ganyan, ganoon can also be translated to “like that” or “in that manner.” However, it’s used when the object being described is far from both the speaker and the person being spoken to.

Ganun din ang kotse na gusto kong bilhin.

“That’s the same car model I want to buy.”

Nakita mo kung paano niya sinagot ang tanong? Ganoon ka din dapat sumagot.

“Did you see how he answered the question? You should answer in that same manner.”

7. Conclusion

Filipino is a bit of an inflected language, which may make it a bit confusing for those who are studying it. Even Pinoys themselves confuse the two terms Filipino and Tagalog. This is where the importance of studying the language further comes in.

If you want to learn more about Filipino and Tagalog pronouns, a good place to start is FilipinoPod101, a language-learning portal that provides students with a structured yet fun and enjoyable way of learning Filipino grammar. One of the many perks it provides is the ability to learn Filipino anywhere and anytime you want. FilipinoPod101 can also provide you with a personal tutor if you want to speed up your learning process.

Whether it’s 100 nouns or 100 adjectives you want to learn, or whether you want to learn how to say “Hello” or “I love you” in Filipino, you can rest assured that FilipinoPod101 will be able to guide you all the way through.

And before you leave, please don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments section below what you think about this article and whether there are questions about pronouns in Tagalog you want to ask! We’ll do our best to help you out.

Happy Filipino learning!

Any Filipino who grew up in the 80s would be familiar with Barok, one of the most popular Pinoy comic book characters at that time. His character was similar to those in America’s The Flintstones, but instead of speaking like Fred or Barney, he spoke like Tarzan. And you know what that’s like—words jumbled and all.

In the Philippines, a person who can’t speak straight Tagalog or English is labeled as someone who is Barok magsalita (one who speaks like Barok).

That is why it’s crucial to learn the proper Tagalog sentence structure. For one, it helps your readers or listeners understand the simplest sentences you’re trying to convey (not to mention it will keep you from being nicknamed Barok).

But don’t you worry, because if there’s one thing about Filipino grammar that’s not too difficult to learn, it’s Tagalog word order. What most learners of the Filipino language love is its flexibility when it comes to word order. You’ll find out what I mean later on when we get to the lesson proper.

For now, let’s get to the basics of Filipino sentence structure first.

Table of Contents

1. An Overview of Tagalog Word Order
2. Basic Word Order with Subject, Verb, and Object
3. Filipino Word Order with Prepositional Phrases
4. Word Order with Modifiers
5. Transforming a Regular Sentence into a Question
6. Translation Exercises
7. FilipinoPod101 Will Help Ease the Confusion

1. An Overview of Tagalog Word Order

The most common sentence structure used in the English language is S-V-O (Subject-Verb-Object). It’s acceptable to use the same word order in Filipino, which is what many beginners do. However, when it comes to spoken Filipino, using S-V-O will result in the speaker sounding awkward. Let’s take this sentence for example: 

 S       V     O

“I am studying Filipino.”

If you translate this into Tagalog, you will get: Ako ay nag-aaral ng Filipino. 

Now, this one is grammatically correct, but when spoken, it should be structured as:

V                S            O

“Studying     I     Filipino.”  →  Direct Translation

Nag-aaral ako ng Filipino.

That said, word order in Tagalog is primarily V-S-O, and S-V-O is considered an inverted form (Kabalikang Anyo in Tagalog). But then, it also follows the V-O-S structure. 

One very important thing you need to understand about Tagalog, though, is that it doesn’t always follow the subject-predicate structure. In the English language, the object within a sentence is always different from the subject. In Filipino, however, a word that follows a direct marker, like si or ang, is the subject. This means that the object can also function as the subject. Here’s an example:

 S          V         O

“Julia is studying Filipino.”

Si Julia ay nag-aaral ng Filipino.

Let’s translate this into Filipino using the V-S-O pattern.

V                      S            O

“Studying        Julia      Filipino.”  →  Direct Translation

Nag-aaral si Julia ng Filipino.

Now, let’s try using the V-O-S pattern instead.

V                      O            S

“Studying        Filipino     Julia.”

Nag-aaral ng Filipino si Julia.

Notice that in the S-V-O example, the sentence uses the word ay between the subject (Julia) and the verb (nag-aaral). It’s long been thought (and taught) that ay is the copula “to be.” More recent sources, however, say that ay is more of a replacement for a comma or a slight pause. The same sources say that it can’t be a verb since it can appear in a sentence along with other verbs, although in most cases, it seems that it’s the direct translation of the verb “is.” 

Keep in mind, too, that ay only appears in the S-V-O form of the sentence (which, by the way, is viewed as formal or literary). Here are a few examples:

• “The child is playing.”

Ang bata AY naglalaro.

• “Butch is drinking.”

Si Butch AY umiinom.

• “Kobe is sleeping.”

Si Kobe AY natutulog.

• “The lady is sewing.”

Ang ale AY nananahi.

→ Need a dictionary for this lesson? The FilipinoPod101 Dictionary is one of the most complete free Filipino-English dictionaries online!

2. Basic Word Order with Subject, Verb, and Object

Compared to the English language, word order in Filipino is more flexible. In fact, you can construct certain sentences in up to six different ways. Don’t believe me? Let’s take a look at the following sentence:

“The man gave the woman some money.”

There are six different ways you can write or say this sentence in Filipino. Each of these sentences conveys the same meaning, and they all include the same grammatical components. And yet, as you can see, the words are ordered differently.

• Nagbigay ng pera sa babae ang lalaki. 
• Nagbigay ng pera ang lalaki sa babae.
• Nagbigay sa babae ng pera ang lalaki.
• Nagbigay sa babae ang lalaki ng pera.
• Nagbigay ang lalaki sa babae ng pera.
• Nagbigay ang lalaki ng pera sa babae.

Here, you can see that the verb (nagbigay) is always in the initial position, but the order of the rest of the words is adjustable. This shows how flexible Tagalog can be!

Did you say flexible?

Let’s try a simpler sentence this time. 

“I study Filipino.” 

This can be translated in a couple of ways:

S                V O

• Ako ay nag-aaral ng Filipino.

V                 S         O

• Nag-aaral ako ng Filipino.

Both of these translations are correct, but in normal conversations, you would usually use the second example: Nag-aaral ako ng Filipino.

Example: Nag-aaral ako ng Filipino ngayon sa FilipinoPod101. (“I am currently studying Filipino via FilipinoPod101.”)

→ Be sure to check out our entry on cracking the Filipino writing system!

3. Filipino Word Order with Prepositional Phrases

When it comes to sentences with prepositional phrases, the order of the words is similar to that in English. Let’s take the sentence below for example:

• Place Preposition. “He studies at home.” (Nag-aaral siya ng Filipino sa bahay.)
• Time Preposition. “He studies in the evening.” (Nag-aaral siya ng Filipino sa gabi.)
• Preposition of Manner. “He studies with his friend.” (Nag-aaral siya ng Filipino kasama ang kaibigan niya.)

Based on the examples, you can see that the preposition is placed AFTER the object. This is how the words are ordered in conversations. But in writing, the preposition can be placed BEFORE the object as shown in the following examples:

• Place Preposition. “He studies Filipino at home.” (Nag-aaral siya sa bahay ng Filipino.)
• Time Preposition. “He studies Filipino in the evening.” (Nag-aaral siya sa gabi ng Filipino.)
• Preposition of Manner. “He studies Filipino with his friend.” (Nag-aaral siya kasama ang kaibigan niya ng Filipino.)

Question: Can the preposition/prepositional phrase be placed at the BEGINNING of the sentence? Let’s see.

• Place Preposition. “He studies Filipino at home.” (Sa bahay siya nag-aaral ng Filipino.)
• Time Preposition. “He studies Filipino in the evening.” (Sa gabi siya nag-aaral ng Filipino.)
• Preposition of Manner. “He studies Filipino with his friend.” (Kasama niya ang kaibigan niyang nag-aaral ng Filipino.)

Answer: ABSOLUTELY! In fact, the most natural way to say the given example sentences in Tagalog is by placing the preposition/prepositional phrase at the beginning of the sentence. 

4. Word Order with Modifiers

Modifiers have many functions, including clarifying, qualifying, or limiting a particular word in a sentence to add emphasis or detail. These grammatical elements are often in the form of adjectives and adverbs. 

In Tagalog grammar, a modifier can either be an adjective or an adverb depending on the word it’s modifying. For instance, if the word being modified in a sentence is a noun, then the modifier used is an adjective. If, on the other hand, the word being modified is a verb, the modifier is an adverb.

Take the word mabuti, for instance, which means “good.”

It can be used to describe a noun, like estudyante (“student”): estudyanteng mabuti (“good student”). 

In this sentence, mabuti functioned as an adjective.

It can be used to describe verbs, too. You can say: nag-aral nang mabuti (“studied well”). 

Here, mabuti now functions as an adverb.

In Tagalog, modifiers can appear either before or after the subject, but what plays a huge part here are the linkers na and –ng. Whenever you see these enclitics in a sentence, it means modification has taken place.

In these examples, the modifier appears before the subject:

• mabait na estudyante (“kind/good student”)
• matalinong estudyante (“bright student”)
• masunuring estudyante (“obedient student”)

We can also place the modifier after the subject:

• estudyanteng mabait (“kind/good student”)
• estudyanteng matalino (“bright student”)
• estudyanteng masunurin (“obedient student”)

As you’ve noticed, the meaning of the phrases didn’t change even if the position of the modifiers did.

Matalinong estudyante. (“Bright student.”)

Oh, and before anything else, let’s talk about the markers na and –ng for a second. Actually, -ng is simply a modified form of na. It’s used to replace na if the word that comes before it ends in a vowel. But what if na follows a word ending in the letter n? If that’s the case, we drop the n from ng so that it now becomes g. We use na if the word it follows ends in a consonant. 

We can see some of these rules applied in the recent examples, but let’s check out some more:

Noun + Linker + Modifier	Modifier + Linker + Noun	Translation
lupang hinirang	hinirang na lupa	“chosen land”
asong maliit	maliit na aso	“small dog”
bangkang papel	papel na bangka	“paper boat”
balong malalim	malalim na balon	“deep well”
payong na bago	bagong payong	“new umbrella”

Now, let’s try it with some verbs:

Verb + Linker + Modifier	Modifier + Linker + Verb	Translation
umiiyak na bata	batang umiiyak	“crying child”
lumilipad na ibon	ibong lumilipad	“flying bird”
kumakantang babae	kumakantang babae	“singing lady”
tumutuklaw na ahas	ahas na tumutuklaw	“striking snake”
tumatakbong sundalo	sundalong tumatakbo	“running soldier”

Clear? Good. Now, let’s see how a regular sentence can be transformed into a question.

5. Transforming a Regular Sentence into a Question

In the Tagalog language, there is one go-to word for forming interrogative sentences. That word is ba. This marker is actually one of the several untranslatable Tagalog words. If you want to change a sentence from the simple or imperative forms to the interrogative form, you simply add the word ba. Let’s try it with some sentences.

• Simple Form: Nag-aaral si Arlene ng Filipino. (“Arlene is studying Filipino.”)
• Interrogative Form: Nag-aaral ba si Arlene ng Filipino? (“Is Arlene studying Filipino?”)

• Imperative Form: Mag-aral ka ng Filipino. (“Go and study Filipino.”)
• Interrogative Form: Mag-aaral ka ba ng Filipino? (“Are you going to study Filipino?”)

Ba is added either at the end of the sentence, or after the verb or the noun.

In the following examples, ba is positioned at the end of the sentence.

• Simple Form: Nag-aaral ka. (“You are studying.”)
• Interrogative Form: Nag-aaral ka ba? (“Are you studying?”)

• Imperative Form: Mag-aral ka. (“Go and study.”)
• Interrogative Form: Mag-aaral ka ba? (“Are you going to study?”)

What’s unique about the way Filipinos communicate is that they can do so even with just a single word (sometimes even with no words at all!). Let’s take this scenario, for example. 

A man just got home and asked his wife if their dog (who wasn’t feeling well) finally decided to eat.

Husband: Kumain ba? (“Did she eat?”) 

Wife: Oo. (“Yes.”)

If the husband only said Kumain? It would still be a valid sentence and would be understood as Kumain ba?

It gets crazier with this typical exchange by the elevator.

Man 1: Bababa ba? (“Is it going down?”)

Man 2: Bababa. (“It is going down.”)

Golly! That’s seven successive instances of a single syllable!

Seven syllables. Did I count that right?

It’s not all the time, though, that ba is necessary. Just like in most languages, you can just add a question mark at the end of a declarative sentence to turn it into a question, particularly if the question has a tone of surprise to it.

• Simple Form: Nag-aaral si Arlene ng Filipino. (“Arlene is studying Filipino.”)
• Interrogative Form: Nag-aaral si Arlene ng Filipino? (“Arlene is studying Filipino?”)

• Imperative Form: Mag-aral ka ng Filipino. (“Go and study Filipino.”)
• Interrogative Form: Mag-aaral ka ng Filipino? (“You’re going to study Filipino?”)

Pumasa ako sa Filipino? (“I passed Filipino?”)

6. Translation Exercises

In this section, we’re going to apply what we’ve learned about Tagalog sentence structure so far. Again, there are several ways to arrange words in a Filipino sentence, but let’s just use the one that’s often used in casual conversations.

1. I study. ____________________

2. I study Tagalog. ____________________

3. I study Tagalog every day .____________________

4. I study Tagalog every day using FilipinoPod101. ____________________

5. I study Tagalog every day at home using FilipinoPod101. ____________________

6. I study Tagalog with my friend every day at home using FilipinoPod101. ____________________

Okay, Siri, please translate…Oh, wait, you’re not Siri.

ANSWER:

1. I study. Nag-aaral ako.

2. I study Tagalog. Nag-aaral ako ng Tagalog.

3. I study Tagalog every day. Araw-araw akong nag-aaral ng Tagalog. (Remember how prepositional phrases should go at the beginning of the sentence?)

4. I study Tagalog every day with FilipinoPod101. Araw-araw akong nag-aaral ng Tagalog gamit ang FilipinoPod101.

5. I study Tagalog every day at home with FilipinoPod101. Araw-araw akong nag-aaral sa bahay ng Tagalog gamit ang FilipinoPod101.

6.  I study Tagalog with my friend every day at home with FilipinoPod101. Araw-araw akong nag-aaral sa bahay ng Tagalog gamit ang FilipinoPod101 kasama ang kaibigan ko.

7. FilipinoPod101 Will Help Ease the Confusion

We did our best to make this guide as simple and easy as possible for you. However, we also believe that one short post about Tagalog sentence structure can only do so much. But that’s why FilipinoPod101 is here, isn’t it? 

With FilipinoPod101, you can learn more than just how to arrange words in sentences. If you sign up today, you’ll gain exclusive access to a number of learning resources you won’t find elsewhere. This includes an introduction to the Filipino language, a few key Filipino phrases, and unique articles designed to help you learn Tagalog in a fun and interesting way.

And then there’s the Premium PLUS program that’s designed especially for students who want to develop their Filipino writing and speaking skills in just a short period of  time. What are you waiting for? If you want to learn more about Filipino sentence structure or polish your Tagalog conversation skills, don’t think twice about signing up at FilipinoPod101 today!

What are your first impressions about Tagalog word order and sentence structure? Let us know in the comments!

Knowing how to give the right compliment is a skill. In a country like the Philippines, where many people seem to find receiving compliments unnerving or awkward, it’s especially important to learn how to express praise or admiration without coming across as sarcastic. And that’s what this post is all about—learning how to deliver the perfect compliment in Tagalog.

To be honest, Pinoys aren’t really good at receiving compliments. We’re somewhat modest and very shy when it comes to claiming things we’re good at. Most of us even consider suspicion as an accepted mode of receiving compliments. It must have something to do with trust issues, but regardless, it can’t be denied that giving and receiving compliments is not a forte of many Filipinos.

The good news is that times are a-changin’, and nowadays, if you know the right words to say to praise or admire a Filipino friend, you can expect some love and appreciation in return. In connection with that, we’ve compiled twenty-one Filipino compliments that will surely make your Pinoy friends feel good and love having you around all the time.

Table of Contents

1. Complimenting Someone’s Look
2. Complimenting Someone’s Work
3. Complimenting Someone’s Skills
4. How to Make Your Compliments Sound More Sincere
5. What to Expect After Giving Compliments
6. Learn to Craft the Perfect Tagalog Compliments with FilipinoPod101

1. Complimenting Someone’s Look

Studies show that Pinoys are more conscious than ever about their appearance. This was one of the main findings of the Men Revolution 2013 study done by an international company that provided consumer insight. This is accurate, since most Filipinos, particularly men, are very particular about the way they look and smell; they believe that both factors play an important role in their career. Here are several ways you can compliment a Filipino friend on the way he or she looks.

1- Astig ang porma mo ah!

The word astig is actually Tagalog for “tough,” although in many cases, it’s used to refer to something cool or awesome.

When to use it: A friend comes along and you notice that he’s especially fashionable today. You greet him and say: Uy, astig ang porma mo ngayon ah. (“You look cool, man.”)

2- Ang pogi/ganda mo naman.

When to use it: You’re going to a party with a friend and you notice that she looks prettier than usual. You go ahead and say to her: Ang ganda mo naman. (“You’re looking pretty!”)

3- Bagay sa iyo ang suot mo.

The word bagay has two meanings in Tagalog, the first one being “thing” and the other one being “match.” In this case, we’re talking about the latter.

When to use it: It seems that your colleague has really spent some time fixing herself up, making sure every piece of her outfit matches well with the others. You show your appreciation to her by saying: Bagay sa’yo ‘yang suot mong blouse. (“That blouse looks perfect on you!”)

Girl: Bagay ba? Boy: Oo, bagay…tayo. (Girl: “Perfect match, right?” Boy: “Indeed…we are.”)

4- “Blooming” ka ngayon ah.

Blooming is a Tagalog expression used to describe a person who’s especially happy, particularly as a result of being in a romantic relationship.

When to use it: Your friend came to work looking jollier than usual. Is she in love? You say: Mukhang ‘blooming’ ka ngayon ah? (“Your face seems to be glowing today.”)

5- Ang kinis ng pisngi mo!

When to use it: You’re impressed with your friend’s smooth skin and want to find out their secret. Without sounding too obvious, you compliment them instead: Ang kinis ng pisngi mo! (“You know what, you really have beautiful and healthy skin.”)

6- Sumiseksi ka yata!

When to use it: You noticed that your friend has been losing weight—and looking good because of it—for quite some time now. Not wanting to sound impolite, you simply say: Sumiseksi ka yata! (“I noticed you’re getting sexier every day!”)

Just make sure you’re not a married man saying this to a female colleague.

7- Marunong ka talagang pumili.

When to use it: You’re really amazed at your friend’s ability to mix and match clothes so that they look good in anything they wear. You tell your friend: Marunong ka talagang pumili ng mga isusuot mo. (“You really have good taste, you know?”)

Marunong ka talagang pumili? (“You really have good taste, you know?”)

2. Complimenting Someone’s Work

Filipinos are no question some of the most hardworking people in the world. Perhaps it’s because of pride or modesty that Pinoys go out of their way to avoid being embarrassed, but regardless of the reasons, there’s no doubt that Pinoys will almost always do anything they can to add value to their work. Here are some Tagalog compliments you can use to show appreciation for your coworkers.

1- Ang galing mo ah.

When to use it: Your colleague did an exceptionally good job, so you go to him and say: Ang galing mo ah! (“You were pretty good back there!”)

2- Gusto ko yang ginawa mo.

When to use it: You find a teammate’s contribution really helpful. To show your appreciation, you say: Gusto ko ‘yang ginawa mo. Malaking tulong talaga ‘yan. (“I really like what you did. That will really help us big time.”)

3- Wow! Ang ganda ng gawa mo!

Gawa is Tagalog for “work,” “act,” or “deed.” In this context, it could refer to a masterpiece, such as handicraft, artwork, a song, a poem, or any similar project.

When to use it: This is just another version of the previous example. The only difference is that you’re really impressed this time: Wow! Ang ganda naman ng sinulat mong tula! (“Wow! This is a really great piece of poetry you’ve written!”)

4- Ipagpatuloy mo ‘yan ha.

When to use it: This can be used as a follow-up to the previous compliment: Gusto ko ‘yang ginawa mo. Ipagpatuloy mo ‘yan ha? (“I really like what you did there. Keep it up, okay?”)

5- Turuan mo naman ako.

When to use it: This is an indirect way to tell someone that they’re better than anyone else in the room. You kindly ask them to teach you how to do something that you’ve observed they’re very good at: Turuan mo naman akong sumayaw. (“Please teach me how to dance.”)

Turuan niyo po ako, Sifu. (“Please teach me, Sifu.”)

6- Mahusay.

When to use it: A subordinate showed some impressive stuff at work. You respond accordingly by saying: Mahusay. (“Excellent!”) or Mahusay itong trabaho mo. (“You did an excellent job here.”)

7- Da best ka talaga!

This is like saying “You are amazing” in Tagalog. So, when do you use it?

When to use it: Once again, your colleague has shown that they can be trusted with stuff at work. You show your appreciation and amazement by saying: Da best ka talaga! (“You’re really the best at what you do!”)

→ Speaking of work, here’s a video on 300 School & Work Expressions for Filipino Beginners.

3. Complimenting Someone’s Skills

Not only are Pinoys hardworking, but they’re also very skillful. In fact, there are dozens of Filipino animators who have made it big in Hollywood! When it comes to skilled work, Filipinos are exceptional—whether at home, in school, or in the workplace. Wondering how you can show appreciation for someone’s skills using compliments in Filipino? Here’s how.

1- Ang sarap nitong niluto mo!

When to use it: The way to a Filipino man’s heart is through his stomach. The way to a Filipina’s heart? Through a sincere compliment on her cooking (or her mom’s). Filipinos love inviting guests over to a meal. When you know you’re in for some delectable treat, show your appreciation by saying: Ang sarap nitong niluto mo! (“This is top-notch cooking!”)

Ang sarap po ng luto niyo, mama…este…ma’am. (“This is top-notch cooking, mom…I mean, ma’am.”)

2- Ang galing mo na ah!

When to use it: Someone you know is showing obvious improvements on a craft they’re learning. You compliment them by saying: Ang galing mo ng mag Tagalog ah! (“I can see your Tagalog has improved.”)

3- Ang ganda talaga ng boses mo.

When to use it: A friend of yours once again showcases their singing skills. Captivated, you tell that friend: Alam mo, ang ganda talaga ng boses mo. (“You know what? Your voice is really good.”)

4- Saan ka natuto niyan?

When to use it: This is another indirect way to compliment a person. You find out that your friend is really good at calligraphy. You’re impressed and ask her where she learned the skill: Saan ka natuto mag-calligraphy? (“Where/How did you learn calligraphy?”)

5- Ikaw ba gumawa nito? Astig!

When to use it: You’re impressed at another person’s work, but you’re too shy to directly compliment them on it. You say: Ikaw ba gumawa nito? Astig! (“Is this your work? Cool!”)

6- Ang galing mo talagang magpatawa!

When to use it: You sincerely appreciate a friend’s sense of humor, so you say to him: Ang galing mo talagang magpatawa. (“You really have a great sense of humor, you know.”)

7- Bilib talaga ako sa’yo.

When to use it: You’re really impressed by the way your friend handles tough life situations. You compliment them by saying: Bilib talaga ako sa’yo. Hindi ka madaling sumuko. (“I’m really amazed at how well you handle things. You don’t easily give up.”)

→ Do you know that we have a list of 15 more Tagalog compliments? Be sure to check it out!

4. How to Make Your Compliments Sound More Sincere

There’s nothing more repulsive than false flattery, but showing real appreciation can also be a challenge. This is especially true if you grew up in a household where giving and receiving praise wasn’t the norm. Yes, Pinoys can be gullible sometimes, but most can actually tell when they’re being genuinely appreciated. Here are practical tips on how to deliver heartfelt compliments in Tagalog.

1- Be authentic.

The most natural way to offer praise is to just be yourself. Even if you’re truly sincere, you might not come across that way if you’re giving a compliment and trying to impress the other person at the same time. The goal of giving a compliment is to make the other person feel good, and not the other way around. Before praising a colleague for a job well done, make sure you’re doing it because they deserve the praise and that you’re genuinely happy for them.

2- Don’t exaggerate.

When giving compliments, be sure to offer one that’s appropriate for the situation. That said, avoid overdoing things and giving a string of compliments when a simple statement of adoration is enough. Giving out a stream of flattering remarks might be a good way to establish that you’re a nice person, but it also has the danger of doing the opposite. Avoid giving a barrage of compliments to the same person, and be careful not to exaggerate things. The more words you say, the higher the chances they’ll lose their impact.

3- Be specific.

Broad compliments tend to be vague. Avoid any awkwardness by getting specific with your compliments. Instead of simply saying, Ang talino mo talaga (“You’re really smart”), say something like, Napahanga mo ako sa presentation mo sa meeting kanina (“I was impressed with your presentation during the meeting earlier”). The more specific your compliment, the more your recipient will treat it as legitimate.

4- Timing is everything.

An effective compliment involves proper timing. Telling a coworker how much you love his new jacket while you’re at the pantry relaxing over a cup of coffee is great. Doing so when he’s in the middle of a very important task? Not so.

5- Follow up with a gentle shoulder tap.

Don’t underestimate the power of physical touch when giving compliments. Sometimes, a gentle tap on the shoulder can say more about how you feel. But as mentioned, always consider time and place before doing so, as a friendly touch can have an unfavorable effect in the wrong situation.

Nagsasabi ako ng totoo. Peksman! (“I’m telling the truth. I promise!”)

5. What to Expect After Giving Compliments

As mentioned already, Filipinos aren’t used to receiving compliments, so don’t be surprised if someone you know blushes after you’ve complimented them.

Most Pinoys will even reply with suspicion: May kailangan ka, ‘no? (“So, what is it that you need this time?”), Hindi nga? (“Really?”)

What do you do when people aren’t so welcoming of your positive appraisal of them? Simply reassure them that you’re sincere: Hindi, totoo. Seryoso ako. (“No, really. I’m serious.”)

The good thing is that most Pinoys also know when you’re being sincere, so as long as you’re authentic, you have nothing to worry about. And when they say, “Thank you,” simply respond with a polite Walang anuman. (“You’re welcome.”)

→ Speaking of polite, you might find this short video on Filipino manners really helpful.

6. Learn to Craft the Perfect Tagalog Compliments with FilipinoPod101

Learning how to give Filipino compliments is easier when you have someone teaching and guiding you. What we gave you here is just a quick guide on giving Filipino complimenting phrases. If you want to develop your skills further, there’s no better way to do so than with FilipinoPod101.com.

With FilipinoPod101, you’ll learn about so much more than compliments in Filipino. You’ll also get to know the Filipino culture a lot better, which will help you understand how to deal with Pinoys in social situations. FilipinoPod101 provides resources that will help you improve your Tagalog vocabulary, as well as your pronunciation and speaking skills. A lesson library where you can have access to practical tips is also available. For example, see our lessons on what survival phrases to use when traveling or when you’re caught in an emergency.

Need to master your Filipino a little bit faster? That’s where our Premium PLUS feature MyTeacher comes in. With Premium PLUS, you get access to more than 120 hours of audio and video courses and Tagalog study tools.

So, what do you think about our guide on giving the perfect compliment in Tagalog? Feel free to let us know in the comments section below! Oh, and don’t forget to visit our blog page for more articles like this!