Online classes may be the norm these days, but nothing can beat an actual classroom experience. If you’re planning to study in the Philippines one day or currently are, it will help a lot to learn and master Filipino classroom phrases. Not only will it enable you to communicate with your teachers and classmates more effectively, but it will also help you get the most out of every class you take.

This guide will introduce you to over thirty school words and phrases in Tagalog, from basic greetings to common classroom instructions to useful expressions you can use when conversing with teachers and fellow students. Let’s begin!

Table of Contents

1. Basic Greetings
2. Common Instructions and Commands Used by Teachers
3. Phrases To Use When Asking for Clarifications
4. Phrases To Use When Explaining Absences and Tardiness
5. When Talking About Your Favorite Subjects
6. When Talking About Common School Supplies
7. How FilipinoPod101 Can Help

1. Basic Greetings 

In most schools in the Philippines, the only time you would actually hear Tagalog classroom greetings is during classes where Filipino is used as the main language, such as the Filipino subject, or sometimes, Social Studies.

English is the preferred means of communication in Filipino schools, especially private ones. However, in most public schools, students are encouraged to communicate in Filipino or use their dialect.

It’s also essential to learn how to address one’s teachers and classmates and not just what Filipino words to say when greeting them.

Female teachers are addressed either as Ginang (Ma’am/Mrs./Madam) or Binibini (Miss), while male teachers are addressed as Ginoo (Sir). There are no special titles used for addressing one’s fellow students, but showing respect and courtesy to one another is encouraged at all times.

Magandang umaga, Binibining Reyes.	“Good morning, Miss Reyes.”
Magandang umaga, Ginang Diaz.	“Good morning, Mrs. Diaz.”
Magandang hapon, Ginoong Santos.	“Good afternoon, Mr. Santos.”
Magandang umaga, Ma’am/Sir.	“Good morning, Ma’am/ Sir.”
Magandang umaga, mga kaklase.	“Good morning, classmates”
Magandang araw sa inyong lahat.	“Good day to all of you.”
Paalam, Binibining Robles.	“Goodbye, Miss Robles.”
Magkita ulit tayo bukas.	“See you tomorrow.”

Magkita ulit tayo bukas. (“See you tomorrow.”)

➜ There are many different ways of greeting in Filipino. Our lesson on Basic Filipino Greetings is a great place to start learning them.

2. Common Instructions and Commands Used by Teachers

The Philippine educational system is largely influenced by the country’s colonial past. It has adopted the Spanish way of teaching, in particular. This is characterized by an authoritarian management style where the teacher has complete control of everything going on inside the classroom. This is no longer a common practice, although courtesy, politeness, and respect are values that are still highly encouraged among students and teachers alike. The following are some of the most basic Filipino phrases used by teachers when addressing their students:

Greetings

Magandang araw sa inyong lahat.	“Good morning everyone.”
Kumusta kayo ngayong araw?	“How are you today?”
Kumusta ka na, Andrea?	“How are you, Andrea?”
Masaya akong makita kayo.	“I am happy to see you all.”

Roll Call

Nandito ba kayong lahat?	“Is everybody here?”
Sino ang wala ngayon?	“Who is not here/absent today?”
Nasaan si Carlos?	“Where is Carlos?”
Nandito na ba si Miguel?	“Is Miguel here already?”
Anong nangyari kay Anya?	“What happened to Anya?”

Time to Begin

Simulan na natin ang ating klase.	“Let’s begin our class.”
Simulan na natin ang ating aralin.	“Let’s begin our lesson”
Handa na ba ang lahat?	“Is everybody ready?”
Magsisimula na tayo. Kung maaari ay tumahimik na ang lahat at makinig.	“We’ll start now. Please keep quiet and listen.”
Umayos na ang lahat para makapagsimula na tayo.	“Settle down now so we can start.”
Ang lahat ba ay nakikita ang nakasulat sa pisara?	“Can everyone see what’s written on the board?”

Common Instructions

Itabi niyo na ang mga gamit niyo.	“Pack your things away now.”
Isara niyo ang inyong mga aklat.	“Close your books.”
Buksan ang mga aklat sa pahina…	“Open your books at page…”
Kakailanganin ninyo ang lapis at papel.	“You will need a pencil and a sheet of paper.”
Pag-aaralan natin ang…	“We will learn about…”
Pag-aaralan natin kung paano…	“We will learn how to…”
May sampung minuto lang kayo para gawin ito.	“You only have ten minutes to do this.”

Comprehension Questions

Naiintindihan niyo ba?	“Do you understand?”
Nakakasunod ba kayo?	“Do you follow?”
May mga tanong ba kayo?	“Do you have any questions?”
May mga katanungan?	“Any questions?”
Sino ang nakakaalam ng sagot?	“Who knows the answer?”
Sino ang makakasagot sa tanong?	“Who can answer the question?”
Pakisulat ang sagot sa pisara.	“Please write the answer on the board.”
Pakiulit ng sinabi mo.	“Say it again, please.” / “Please repeat what you said.”

Classroom Supervision

Tumigil muna kayo sa pagsasalita.	“Everybody stop talking please.”
Tumingin kayo dito.	“Look this way.”
Makinig kayo sa sinasabi ni Kiana.	“Listen to what Kiana is saying.”
Hayaan niyo na muna iyan sa ngayon.	“Leave that one for now.”

Pakisulat ang sagot sa pisara. (“Please write the answer on the board.”)

➜ No student is greater than their teacher. If you want to be a great student of the Filipino language, you will need to have a great teacher. Our lesson entitled The Power of a Good Filipino Teacher shares insights on how important it is to find a good language teacher.

3. Phrases To Use When Asking for Clarifications

Asking for clarification is part of learning. It’s a great way for students to learn new information and better understand what has just been taught. Most teachers allow their students to ask questions regarding the lesson only after giving the lecture. 

Some would take a break midway to give students the opportunity to process what they have heard and ask for clarifications. A few others don’t mind if their students raise a question in the middle of the lesson. Just remember to ask politely and use the expression po as much as possible when addressing the teacher.

Hindi ko po maintindihan.	“I don’t understand.”
Pwede niyo po bang ulitin?	“Can you please repeat?”
May gusto po akong itanong.	“I would like to ask something.”
May tanong po ako.	“I have a question.”
Pakiulit po ng mga tagubilin.	“Please repeat the instructions.”
Nahihirapan po akong ayusin ang pangungusap na ito.	“I’m having trouble fixing this sentence.”
Turuan niyo po akong baybayin ito.	“Please help me spell this one.”
Ano daw ang sabi ng guro natin?	“What did our teacher say?”

➜ Asking questions is the fastest way for you to learn about something. Here are other common Filipino questions you need to be familiar with.

4. Phrases To Use When Explaining Absences and Tardiness

As much as we all love learning and would never want to be late or absent, there are times when we can’t help but miss school. This is where the importance of knowing how to provide reasons for your absence or delay comes in. 

Reasonable Excuses

Pasensya na po kayo kung hindi ako nakapasok kahapon.	“I apologize for not being able to attend yesterday.”
Ipagpaumanhin niyo po kung nahuli ako sa klase.	“I’m sorry if I’m late for class.”
Masama po ang pakiramdam ko kahapon.	“I wasn’t feeling well yesterday.”
May importante po kaming lakad.	“We had an important thing to attend to.”
Wala pong magbabantay sa kapatid ko.	“No one’s around to look after my younger sibling.”
Nasiraan po ang sinasakyan kong bus.	“The bus I took broke down.”
Bumaha po sa kalye namin kaya hindi ako makalabas.	“Our street was flooded, so I couldn’t go out.”

Somewhat Silly Excuses

There are valid excuses for being late or absent, and there are somewhat silly ones. But believe it or not, a lot of students still use them. You can’t fool teachers, though, especially the more experienced ones. Years of teaching have honed their intuition and will instantly know if you’re just making up your reasons for being tardy.

Namatay po ang lola ng nanay ko.	“My mom’s grandma passed away.”  *This is one of the most abused reasons for being absent in school. Students use this all the time since teachers rarely verify the truth of the claim considering that it’s a sensitive issue. The claim becomes suspect, though, if the same student has used it more than a couple of times. The teacher would then ask, Andami mo naman yatang lola? (“It seems that you have too many grandmothers.”)
Hindi po natuyo ang mga damit ko.	“My clothes didn’t dry all the way.”
Hindi po nag-alarm yung orasan namin.	“Our alarm clock didn’t go off.”
Naiwan ko po sa dyip ang takdang-aralin ko.	“I left my homework in the passenger jeepney.”
Namatay po ang pinsan ng lolo ko.	“My grandpa’s cousin died.”
Nakatulog ako sa tren at bumaba sa maling istasyon.	“I fell asleep on the train and woke up at the wrong station.”

Hindi po nag-alarm yung orasan namin. (“Our alarm clock didn’t go off.”)

➜ Learning how to give an excuse is an important aspect of good communication. In our lesson What’s Your Filipino Excuse, we share with you tips on how to give reasons for not being able to do something.

5. When Talking About Your Favorite Subjects

In the Philippines, most of the names of school subjects are in English. Most have Filipino translations, but they are only used in written communication and seldom in daily conversations. For instance, you won’t hear your classmate say Nagawa mo ba ang proyekto natin sa Sikolohiya? Instead, it’s Nagawa mo ba ang project natin sa Psychology? (“Were you able to work on our project in psychology?”). 

However, it’s still important to learn the Filipino equivalent of the names of common school subjects since they are what you will use when writing formal or academic papers in Filipino. Here’s a list of these subjects and their equivalent in English:

List of Subjects

Wika at Gramatika/Balarila	Language and Grammar
Matematika	Mathematics
Agham / Siyensiya	Science
Kimika	Chemistry
Pisika	Physics
Musika at Sining	Music and Arts
Araling Panlipunan	Social Studies
Sikolohiya	Psychology
Ekonomika	Economics
Relihiyon at Etika	Religion and Ethics
Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan	Home Economics and Livelihood Education

Talking about school subjects:

Simulan na natin ang proyekto natin sa Araling Panlipunan.	“Let’s start working on our project in Social Studies.”
Tulungan mo ako sa bagong paksa na tinalakay natin sa Wika at Gramatika.	“Please help me with the new lesson we discussed in Language and Grammar.”
Magaling ako sa Musika at Sining.	“I’m good at Music and Arts.”
Wala tayong takdang-aralin sa Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan.	“We don’t have homework in Home Economics and Livelihood Education.”

➜ You can learn more essential vocabulary for talking about school supplies here!

6. When Talking About Common School Supplies

School supplies are often a subject of daily conversations, which is why it’s so important to learn this type of classroom vocabulary in Filipino. Below is a list of Tagalog words describing the names of writing and learning tools and their English translation.

Lapis	Pencil
Aklat/Libro	Book
Papel	Paper
Kuwaderno	Notebook
Pantasa	Sharpener
Gunting	Scissors
Pangkulay	Coloring Pen
Panukat	Ruler
Polder	Folder
Pandikit	Glue
Pambura	Eraser
Kalkuleytor	Calculator
Baunan	Lunch Box
Pisara	Blackboard
Tisa	Chalk
Mesa	Table
Silya / Upuan	Chair

And here are a few examples of how to talk about the objects in the list above:

Pwede bang makahiram ng lapis?	“May I borrow a pencil?”
Nawawala ang pambura ko.	“My eraser is missing.”
Pahiram naman ng libro mo sa Balarila.	“Let me borrow your grammar book.”
Hindi ko yata nadala ang kuwaderno ko.	“I don’t think I brought my notebook with me.”
Pwede daw gumamit ng kalkuleytor sabi ni titser.	“Teacher said we can use a calculator.”

Pwede daw gumamit ng kalkuleytor sabi ni titser. (“Teacher said we can use a calculator.”)

7. How FilipinoPod101 Can Help

This guide has introduced you to basic Filipino classroom phrases that will surely help enhance your classroom experience. Here, you have learned how to greet your teachers and classmates in Tagalog, how to ask for clarifications, and how to express yourself when giving reasons for tardiness and absences. You also learned common instructions and commands used by teachers inside the classroom. And finally, you learned how to talk about school subjects. 

Did we miss anything that you believe should be in this guide too? Let us know in the comments!

And if you want to learn more than just Tagalog classroom phrases, we highly recommend that you sign up for a free lifetime account here at FilipinoPod101 where you can experience innovative Filipino language learning and learn all you need to know about Filipino. That includes grammar, pronunciation, basic sentences, frequently used vocabulary, and other important Filipino lessons you will need in your language learning journey. All this while finding out more about Filipino culture too!

For a more strategic approach to online Filipino learning, we also have MyTeacher, a premium feature we offer students who want to receive one-on-one coaching from an actual Filipino teacher. Don’t wait! Join FilipinoPod101 today and enjoy innovative language learning!

The Philippines has so many good restaurants. And when we say that, we mean that traditional Filipino food is not only unparalleled in taste and quality but that there are many places to eat in the country that let you experience authentic Filipino cuisine. For a foreigner visiting the Philippines, the overall quality of your experience eating at a Filipino restaurant is determined not only by the quality of the restaurant itself but also by how well you are familiar with Filipino restaurant phrases. 

Knowing how to book a restaurant, compliment a staff, or order food in Filipino may not be vital but can significantly improve your overall experience dining at a Filipino restaurant. For that reason, we made this guide just for you. Here, you will learn how to make a reservation at your favorite restaurant in the Philippines, converse with the waiter, ask for the bill, give a tip, and much more!

The Philippines has so many good restaurants.

Table of Contents

1. Making Dining Plans
2. Time to Dine
3. After Dining
4. Tipping Etiquette
5. Learn More Than Just Filipino Restaurant Phrases with FilipinoPod101!

1. Making Dining Plans

Depending on which restaurant you plan to visit, you may have to make reservations in advance. The best restaurants in big cities like Manila are usually full, so you’d want to find out first which days there aren’t a lot of customers. A simple check on Google will show you the opening hours and popular times of a restaurant you’re considering. For instance, the award-winning Spiral restaurant at Sofitel Philippine Plaza, known for its Filipino international dining, is usually busy on Saturdays during lunch, among other times.

For regular restaurants, a reservation is usually not necessary. However, it’s not unusual to find yourself in long queues occasionally, especially during the weekends. 

Booking a restaurant in the Philippines isn’t that complicated. Thanks to the Internet, you can now find all the information you need about the restaurant of your choice online. Most restaurants have a social media page where you will find details on how to make a booking.

The following are some useful phrases you can use whenever you want to make a reservation at a Filipino restaurant, plus questions you can ask to get more information about the restaurant.

Gusto ko po sanang magpareserba para sa tatlong tao.	“I’d like to make a reservation for three people.”
Posible bang ipareserba ang buong restawran?	“Is it possible to book the whole restaurant?”
Magpapareserba sana ako para mamayang gabi.	“I’d like to make a reservation for this evening.”
Para sa darating na Biyernes.	“For this coming Friday.”
Sa ika-sampu ng Enero, alas siyete ng gabi.	“On January 10th, at 7 in the evening.”
Bukas ba kayo ng Linggo?	“Are you open on Sunday?”
Anong oras kayo nagbubukas?	“What time do you open?”
Hanggang anong oras kayo?	“Until what time are you open?”
Pwede ba ang mga bata?	“Are children welcome?”
Lima kami, kasali na ang isang bata.	“There are five of us, including one child.”
Kung maaari ay yung malapit sa bintana.	“If possible, a table near the window, please.”
May mga mesa ba kayo sa labas?	“Do you have some tables outdoors?”
Marami bang kumakain kapag Sabado?	“Is it usually full on Saturdays?”
May parking ba para sa PWD?	“Do you have parking spaces for PWDs?”
May daanan ba para sa wheelchair?	“Do you have wheelchair access?”

Posible bang ipareserba ang buong restawran? (“Is it possible to book the whole restaurant?”)

➜ You don’t want to approach your first Filipino restaurant experience empty-handed. Learn how to choose menu items in Filipino even before you pick up that phone to make a reservation!

2. Time to Dine

Restaurant culture in the Philippines is the same as in any culture in the world. There will be waiters and waitresses to take your order and assist you. Depending on the restaurant, there may also be complimentary drinks and appetizers. But regardless of where you choose to dine, your entire dining experience will start with you asking for the menu. 

Do you need to be familiar with Filipino food vocabulary? Not necessarily, although it’s going to help. We have a couple of lessons here and here that will help you become more familiar with words and phrases related to food.

1- Before Placing Your Order

You can get the waiter’s attention simply by saying “Weyter,” which means “waiter” in Filipino. And if the one serving you is a female, you can simply address her as “Miss.” You can then follow that up by using any of the following phrases:

Pwede ko bang makita ang menu?	“Can I see the menu?”
Gusto ko pong makita ang menu.	“I would like to see the menu.”
Pakiabot po ng menu.	“Please give us the menu.”
Patingin po ng menu.	“Please show us the menu.”
Ano ang specialty niyo dito?	“What’s your specialty in this restaurant?”
Ano ang pinakasikat niyong pagkain dito?	“What’s your most popular dish?”
Anong mairerekumenda mo?	“What would you recommend?”
Mairerekumenda mo ba ito?	“Would you recommend this?”

➜ If you’re eating as a walk-in guest, restaurant staff may ask you a couple of questions, like how many of you are there and where you may like to be seated. Be sure to take this lesson on how to get a seat in a restaurant so you’ll know how to respond with no hesitations.

2- When You’re Ready to Order

So, you’re ready to order. If that’s the case, you will need to learn the following expressions so you’ll know what to say to the staff assisting you when it’s time for you to place your order.

Handa na kaming umorder.	“We’re ready to order.”
U-order na kami.	“We are ordering now.”
Pakikuha ng order namin.	“Please take our order.”
Bigyan mo kami nito.	“Please give us this one.”
Gusto ko nito.	“I’d like to have this one.”
Dalawa nito.	“Two of these.”
Isang basong tubig.	“A glass of water.”
May kasama bang inumin ito?	“Are drinks included?”
May karne ba ito ng baboy?	“Does this one have pork in it?”
Pwede mo bang ulitin ang order namin?	“Can you please repeat our order?”
Gaano po katagal namin kailangang maghintay sa pagkain?	“How long do we have to wait for the food?”
Ikaw? Anong gusto mo?	“How about you? What do you want?”

➜ “Can I see the menu?” Our lesson on how to order at a restaurant breaks down this common expression so that you understand what each word means in Filipino. Plus, get to learn other alternatives you can use.

3- Making Special Requests

There are times when you need to make special requests when eating at a restaurant. Perhaps you need to ask for more wine. Maybe you want more than just some good, basic Filipino food. Or maybe you want to let the staff know you’re allergic to certain ingredients. Whatever it is, here are expressions you can use to convey your intentions.

Pwedeng magpadagdag ng ____?	“Could I get another ___?”
Pakibigyan kami ng isa pang pares ng kutsara at tinidor.	“Please give us another pair of spoons and forks.”
Pakidagdagan ang table napkin.	“Please add more table napkins.”
Bawal ako sa hipon.	“I am allergic to shrimp.”
Kaunting bawang lang kung maaari.	“Not a lot of garlic, please.”
Gusto kong palitan ito ng _____.	“I would like to replace this one with _____.”
Pwede ko bang palitan ito ng _____?	“Can I replace this one with _____?”
Pakipalitan ito ng ______.	“Please replace this one with _____.”
Gusto ko pa ng wine kung maaari.	“I would love some more wine, please.”
Pwede mo ba kaming malipat sa ibang mesa?	“Can you move us to another table?”

4- Time for Dessert!

A visit to a good Filipino restaurant is not complete without dessert. Here’s what a simple conversation may look like between you and the staff when they ask you if you’d like to have some.

A: Natuwa po ba kayo sa pagkain? (“Did you enjoy your meal?”) B: Oo, natuwa kami nang husto. (“Yes, we enjoyed it a lot.”) A: Gusto niyo po ba ng panghimagas? (“Would you like some dessert?”) B: Sige, anong meron? (“Sure, what have you got.”) A: Mayroon kaming halo-halo, minatamis na saging, ube halaya, at maja blanca. (“We have halo-halo, sweetened banana, ube halaya, and maja blanca.”) B: Ano yung minatamis na saging? (“What’s minatamis na saging?”) A: Saging na saba na nilagyan ng arnibal at maskubadong asukal. (“It’s Saba banana with syrup and muscovado sugar.”) B: Sige, bigyan mo kami niyan. Salamat! (“Okay, please give us that one. Thanks!”)

5- Making Complaints and Giving Compliments

No restaurant is perfect, and every once in a while, you may find it necessary to voice out your concern regarding food or service quality. At the same time, it’s important to offer a compliment whenever it’s appropriate.

Medyo maalat ang sabaw.	“The soup is a bit salty.”
Kulang sa lasa ang paella.	“The paella lacks flavor.”
Masyadong matamis.	“It’s too sweet.”
Medyo matabang.	“It’s a bit bland.”
Tamang-tama ang timpla ng luto niyo.	“The flavor is perfect.”
Sobrang sarap ng mga pagkain dito.	“The food here is so delicious!”
Siguradong kakain ulit ako dito!	“I’ll be eating here again for sure!”
Salamat sa pag-asista sa amin ngayong gabi.	“Thank you for assisting us this evening.”

➜ Learning how to make complaints in Filipino is crucial as it will teach you the right words to use and the right tone and approach when voicing out your concern. And yes, we have a lesson for that!

Gusto ko nito. (“I’d like to have this one.”)

3. After Dining

You’re done with your meal, and you’re ready to leave. You can either go directly to the cashier to pay for your food or call the waiter’s attention to have your bill delivered to your table. Use the following phrases to let the staff know that you’re ready to pay for your food.

Magbabayad na kami.	“We are going to pay now.”
Pakibigay na lang ng bill namin.	“Our bill, please.”
Handa na kaming magbayad.	“We are ready to pay.”
Pakibalot ng isang ito.	“Can I have a to-go box for this one, please?”  Lit. “Please wrap this up.”
Tumatanggap ba kayo ng card?	“Do you accept card payments?”
Hahatiin namin ang bayad.	“We’re going to split the bill.”

➜ Want to share your dining experience at a Filipino restaurant online? Before you do that, be sure to take our lesson first on must-know social media phrases about having dinner with friends!

4. Tipping Etiquette

The Philippines has a non-tipping culture, so you don’t have to oblige yourself to give a tip. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be appreciated if you did. Feel free to leave a tip if you feel that the food and the service were excellent. In the same manner, don’t feel pressured to leave any tips if you feel that you don’t have to. Just keep in mind that some restaurants may have a no-tipping policy. To be sure, you can use the following phrases to ask whether tipping is allowed or express your intention to leave a tip.

Tumatanggap ba kayo ng tip?	“Do you accept tips?”
Saan pwedeng magbigay ng tip?	“Where do I leave a tip?”
Gusto ko sanang magbigay ng tip.	“I would like to leave a tip.”
Nag-iwan ako ng tip para sa iyo.	“I left a tip for you.”

Tumatanggap ba kayo ng tip? (“Do you accept tips?”)

➜ Asking for the check in Filipino isn’t as simple as it sounds. It’s a good thing we have a lesson to help you learn all the necessary words and expressions for perfecting this simple request.

5. Learn More Than Just Filipino Restaurant Phrases with FilipinoPod101!

Being able to speak Tagalog and know common restaurant phrases in Filipino will make life easier for you when you’re eating at a Filipino restaurant. In this guide, you’ve learned some of the most useful Filipino expressions to use when making reservations, ordering food, and tipping at a restaurant. Are there other words and phrases you wish we have included on this list? Let us know in the comments section.

If you love this guide, consider signing up for a free lifetime account at FilipinoPod101 where you can learn more than just Tagalog restaurant phrases. Here, you can learn and master everything about the Filipino language, including grammar, pronunciation, sentence structure, and of course, Filipino culture. Plus, you’ll learn how to use Tagalog in various scenarios in daily life. And did we mention that you can enjoy studying all this in a fun and innovative way?

Speaking of innovation, what will make your experience with FilipinoPod101 even more exciting is the MyTeacher feature, a Premium service that lets you learn Filipino at your own pace and with the guidance of an actual Filipino teacher. So, what are you waiting for? Join FilipinoPod101 today and start speaking Filipino like a local!

Filipino conversation skills are important to learn when you’re studying the Filipino language. One reason is that conversations play a significant role in language development. Not only will it help you express your thoughts and ideas, but it will also improve your listening skills. After all, conversation skills are about being able to talk fluently and knowing how to listen well at the same time. In other words, you’ll learn more about the Filipino language in actual conversations than inside the classroom. 

With that, you’ll need something to help you get started. In this guide, you will find the resources you need to improve your conversation skills. You’ll specifically learn how to create a script that you can use to introduce yourself confidently. You’ll also learn which exact reaction phrases, filler words, conversation starters, and questions to use and when.

When you’ve mastered all that, meeting new people and making new friends, whether in school or at work, will no longer be one of your concerns.

Table of Contents

1. Crafting Your Language Profile
2. Filipino Reaction Words & Expressions
3. Filipino Filler Words
4. Common Questions and Answers in Filipino
5. Filipino Conversation Starters
6. Tips for Improving Your Conversation Skills
7. How FilipinoPod101 Can Help

1. Crafting Your Language Profile

There are two things to consider when creating and developing your language profile:

1. It must be relevant.
2. It must fit your context.

You might ask, “Relevant to what?” When making a language cheat sheet (an appropriate term to describe a language profile), you want to ensure that it’s practical. It’s easy to get examples of phrases and expressions from textbooks. Still, the question is, do they apply to you and your circumstance? 

One question you’d want to ask is: “In what context will I be able to benefit most from my language profile?” There could be hundreds or even thousands of answers to that one question, but the most common situation you’ll be able to use a language cheat sheet is when you’re meeting new people. For that reason, it makes sense to build your language profile around this idea. 

Here’s what a language profile in Filipino may look like:

Ako nga pala is Rene, tatlumpung-taong gulang mula sa Australia. Nandito ako sa Pilipinas para mag-aral. Kumuha ako ng kurso sa Business sa isang unibersidad dito sa Maynila. Magta-tatlong taon na ako dito. Ang karaniwang ginagawa ko sa bakanteng oras ko ay magbasa. Minsan, namamasyal ako sa mga museo at sa mga makasaysayang lugar sa siyudad kasama ang mga kaibigan ko.

“I am Rene, thirty years old from Australia. I am here in the Philippines to study. I took a Business course at a university here in Manila. I have been here for three years. What I usually do during my spare time is read books. Sometimes, I visit museums and historical places in the city with my friends.”

➜ Want to know how to introduce yourself in perfect Tagalog? Check out our audio lesson on Introducing Yourself in Filipino!

As you can see, you can start with a quick self-introduction and then follow it up with other interesting details, such as what you do for a living or where you go to school. You can change some of the details depending on your specific context and the situation. Here are a few ideas:

Kakalipat ko lang dito. (“I just moved here.”) Lumipat ako dito noong 2017. (“I moved here in 2017) Nagustuhan ko ang klima dito. (“I fell in love with the climate here.”)

Taga-rito ang napangasawa ko.  (“I married a Filipino/Filipina.”) (Lit. “The person I married is from here.”) Nabighani ako sa ganda ng Pilipinas. (“I was fascinated by the beauty of the Philippines.”) Nais kong dito na mamalagi.  (“I want to stay here for good.”)

Mahilig din akong magbisikleta.  (“I also love to cycle.”) Pumunta sa dalampasigan. (“To go to the beach.”) Kumain ng pagkaing Pilipino.  (“To eat Filipino food.”)

Now that you have an idea of how to craft your language cheat sheet let’s get it on with phrases and expressions you will need to improve your conversation skills.

2. Filipino Reaction Words & Expressions

Filipinos can be emotional. We love expressing ourselves and have so many words and phrases to help us convey what we feel. From feelings of love, being surprised, frustrated, or amused, you can rest assured that there’s a Filipino word for it. In this section, we will look at some of the most common expressions you can use as responses to a conversation starter. For instance, how would you respond when someone shares with you some good news? How about when someone tells you about an awful experience they’ve had?

Really?

A: Namili ako ng mga halaman kahapon. (“I went to buy some plants yesterday.”) B: Talaga? Anong mga binili mo? (“Really? What kind of plants did you buy?”) B: Talaga? Sama ako sa’yo sa susunod! (“Really? Let me come with you next time!”)

Ayos lang ako.

A: Kumusta ka? Antagal nating hindi nagkita. (“How are you? It’s been a long time.”) B: Ayos lang ako. Ikaw? (“I’m fine. And you?”) A more formal way to respond to Kumusta ka? would be Mabuti, which means “good” or “fine.”

Oo, tama ka.

A: Ikaw yung bago naming kapitbahay, diba? (“You’re our new neighbor, right?”) B: Oo, tama ka. Kumusta? (“Yes, you’re right. How are you?”) A: Ito ba ang sinasabi mong kailangang baguhin? (“Is this the one you said that needs editing?”) B: Oo, tama ka. Maraming salamat. (Yes, you’re correct. Thank you so much.”)

Ayos yan ah!

A: Alam mo bang na-promote ako sa trabaho? (“Did you know that I was promoted at work?”) B: Ayos yan ah! Dapat kumain tayo sa labas. (That’s awesome! We eat out and celebrate.”)

Pasensya na.

A: Baka gusto mong makipagpalitan ng shift? (“I was wondering if you would swap shifts.”) B: Pasensya na, may aasikasuhin ako sa Sabado. (“I’m sorry, but I have something to do on Saturday.”)

Naku!

A: Nagkasakit daw ang nanay niya. (“He said his mom is sick.”) B: Naku! Sana gumaling siya kaagad. (“Oh my! I hope she gets better soon.”)

Grabe!

A: Sabi niya sinigawan daw siya nung lalaki kaya niya sinuntok. (“He said the guy shouted at him, which is why he punched him.”) B: Grabe! Ginawa niya yun? (“Gosh! He actually did that?”)

Astig!

A: Dumating na yung mga binili kong komiks! (“The comic books I ordered are here!”) B: Astig! Tara tignan natin! (“Cool! C’mon, let’s take a look at them.”)

Ay sayang!

A: Hindi natuloy ang lakad namin kasi nag-lockdown. (“Our trip was cancelled due to the lockdown.”) B: Ay sayang! Sige lang, sa ibang araw na lang siguro. (“Aw, too bad. That’s fine. Some other time, perhaps.”

➜ These are just a few reaction words and phrases to get you started. Be sure to check out our blog entry on Intermediate Filipino Phrases to learn more!

Grabe! Ginawa niya yun? (“Gosh. He actually did that?”)

3. Filipino Filler Words

Regardless of how much you’ve practiced your Tagalog, and no matter how prepared you are, there will be times that you will struggle with remembering certain words. That’s where fillers come in. Fillers are unacceptable when you’re making a speech, but they serve a purpose when you’re having casual conversations. Filler words may seem meaningless, but they can save you from a lot of embarrassment by giving you a chance to think of what to say next. The following are some of the most common Filipino filler words to help you sound like a local.

Filipino: Ano…	English equivalent: “Uhm…” (Literally “What”)
Bigyan mo ako nung ano…yung matamis na kulay dilaw na kendi. (“Please give me one of those…uhm…sweet yellow candies.”) Si ano…nakalimutan ko na pangalan niya. (“Uhm…him…I forgot his name.”)

Filipino: Diba?	English equivalent: “Right?” (Literally “Isn’t it?”)
Nakapunta na ako dun, diba? Diba? Bakit di ko maalala? (“I’ve already been there, right? Right? Why can’t I remember?”) Binigay ko sa’yo yung susi diba? Nakita niyo na binigay ko diba? Diba? (“I gave you the keys, right? You guys saw that I did give it to her, right? Right?”)

Filipino: Kuwan?	English equivalent: “Uhm?” (Literally “That thing”)
Yung inorder mo online…kuwan…dumating na kanina. (“That thing you ordered online…uhm…it arrived earlier.”) Nahanap mo na ba yung kuwan…yung charger ng telepono ko? (“Were you able to find the…uhm…my cellphone charger?”)

Filipino: Ay	English equivalent: “Oh?” / “Aww”
Ay. Bakit di matutuloy? (“Aww. How come it’s not happening?”) Ay, oo nga no? (“Oh, you’re right.”)

Filipino: Parang	English equivalent: “It’s like” (Literally “Supposedly”)
Yung parang…gusto mo siyang gawin pero ang hirap. (“It’s like…you want to do it, but it’s hard.”) Parang ano…basta…kalimutan mo na lang. (“It’s like…nevermind.”)

Filipino: Kasi	English equivalent: “It’s because…uhm”
Kasi…ano…wala ako sa bahay kahapon. “It’s because…uhm…I wasn’t home yesterday.” Ano kasi…sinamahan niya lang ako. Magkaibigan lang talaga kami. “Uhm…he just accompanied me. We’re just friends, really.”

Filipino: Ayun	English equivalent: “So…yeah” / “There it is”
Kaya ayun…nag taxi na lang kami. “So yeah…we just took the taxi.” Ayun! Naalala ko na. Bernard ang pangalan niya. “There it is! I remember now. His name’s Bernard.”

Ayun! Naalala ko na. Bernard ang pangalan niya. “There it is! I remember now. His name’s Bernard.”

➜ There are over a dozen Filipino filler words that you could learn besides the ones on this list. You can find more here.

4. Common Questions and Answers in Filipino

Questions make conversations interesting and meaningful. In fact, most exchanges are initiated by asking questions. From the very basic “How are you” to more complex and more personal queries, here are some Filipino questions you can use to start a conversation and some common responses to come with them.

“How are you?”

Q: Kumusta ka? A: Mabuti naman. Salamat. (“I’m fine. Thank you.”) A: Ayos lang ako. Ikaw, kumusta ka naman? (“I’m doing great. How about you?”)

“What’s your name?”

Q: Anong pangalan mo? A: Samuel. Ikaw? (“Samuel. And you?”) A: Lenny ang pangalan ko. Ikinagagalak kitang makilala. (“My name is Lenny. I’m glad to meet you.”)

“How did you learn to speak Tagalog?”

Q: Paano ka natuto magsalita ng Tagalog? A: Sumali ako sa FilipinoPod101 (“I joined FilipinoPod101.”) A: Kalahating Pilipino ang tatay ko. (“My father is half-Filipino.”)

“Where are you from?”

Q: Taga saan ka? A: Sa Paris ako lumaki, pero mag-iisang dekada na ako dito sa bansa.  (“I grew up in Paris, but I’ve been in the country for almost a decade now.”) A: Taga Austria ang pamilya ko. (“My family is from Austria.”)

“Do you know how to speak Tagalog?”

Q: Marunong kang mag-Tagalog? A: Oo, kaunti. Kakalipat ko lang dito. (“Yes, just a bit. I just moved here.”) A: Oo naman. Matagal na ako dito sa Pilipinas. (“Yes, of course. I’ve been here in the Philippines for a long time.”)

“What have you been up to lately?”

Q: Anong mga pinagkakaabalahan mo ngayon? A: Nagtuturo ako ng gitara sa mga bata tuwing Sabado.  (“I teach kids how to play the guitar on Saturdays.”) A: Tinatapos ko ang thesis ko. (“I’m finishing my thesis.”)

“Where did you finish your studies?”

Q: Saan ka nakapagtapos ng pag-aaral? A: Sa Kyoto University ako nagtapos. (“I graduated from Kyoto University.”) A: Ngayong taon pa lang ako magtatapos. (“I’m only graduating this year.”)

“What made you consider studying Filipino?”

Q: Bakit mo naisipang mag-aral ng Pilipino? A: Napamahal na ako sa Pilipinas kaya naisipan kong aralin ang wika at kultura nito. (“I fell in love with the Philippines, so I decided to learn its language and culture.”) A: Nais kong dito na bumuo ng pamilya. (“I decided that this is where I will start a family.”)

Anong mga pinagkakaabalahan mo ngayon? (“What have you been up to lately?”)

➜ For a complete guide on asking and responding to questions in Tagalog, read our blog entry on Common Questions in Filipino and How to Answer Them.

5. Filipino Conversation Starters

Filipinos are great at conversations. Whether you’re attending a social gathering, having lunch at school or the workplace, or simply doing your grocery shopping, you want to be ready anytime in case you meet a Filipino friend who wants to have a chat.

Here are conversation starters to help build your confidence.

• Kumusta ang unang araw mo dito?
  “How’s your first day here?”

• Matagal na kayong magkakilala ni Anne?
  “How long have you and Anne known each other?”
  Lit. “Have you and Anne known each other for a long time?”

• Kumusta? Pwede ba akong sumabay sa inyong kumain?
  “Hi. How are you? Is it okay if I join you for a meal?”

• Kumain ka na ba? 
  “Have you eaten already?”

• Kumain tayo sa labas pagkatapos ng trabaho. 
  “Let’s eat out after work.

• Nagawa mo ba iyong takdang-aralin natin sa Accounting?
  “Were you able to work on our assignment for Accounting?

• Mahilig ka din bang magbasa? 
  “Do you also like to read?”

• Nakikinig ka din ba ng mga podcast? 
  “Do you also listen to podcasts?”

➜ While you can survive with just a dozen conversation starters, knowing more than that would be more reassuring. That’s why we prepared A Practical Guide on How to Start a Conversation in Filipino beforehand.

6. Tips for Improving Your Conversation Skills

There is no best way for improving Filipino conversation skills. However, you will feel more confident conversing with the locals when you have mastered the basic rules. Here are simple techniques you can apply in both formal and informal situations. 

1- Listen Before You Speak

Conversations are sometimes more about listening than talking. One of the best ways to improve your conversation skills is by practicing active listening. It’s all about being present in the conversation and paying careful attention to what the other person says. People with good communication skills don’t simply wait for their turn to speak but ensure that they register what they hear.

A great way to stay focused is to paraphrase what your conversation partner is saying back to them. For instance, if someone is talking about wanting to go to the beach, you might say, “So, it’s been a long time since you’ve been to the beach? Which place do you want to visit when you have the opportunity?”

2- Find Common Ground

Nothing keeps a conversation going than when you and your partner are talking about things that both of you love, whether general preferences, activities, or hobbies. Try talking about what you’re passionate about and see whether the other person responds. If it turns out there’s nothing common between you two, it’s still possible to get the conversation going by sharing how you feel. This approach is called pivoting. Rather than simply focusing on facts, you try to steer the conversation to emotions. 

A: I went to the National Museum yesterday.
B: Oh, great. I seldom visit such places myself, but there’s something special about learning your country’s history, would you agree?
A: I agree. It’s an entirely unique experience. There’s something about it that opens your mind to a new world.
B: I understand what you mean…[continue sharing]

3- Move Past Small Talk With Personal Questions

Small talk helps you get the conversation started, and that’s it. After a while, it can get uninteresting. Find an opportunity to move past it toward more meaningful, or if possible, more personal topics. Try asking questions that ask for the other person’s opinions, such as “What did you think about the conference?” Or, go for questions that give the other person a chance to talk about their passion, desires, and ambitions. For example, you can ask, “How come you’re so passionate about what you do?”

4- Practice As Often As You Can

Conversation skills are so-called for a reason. They require practice for you to get better at them. To get better at them, you need to practice every chance you get. If the idea intimidates you, remind yourself that you’re learning a new language and that it’s not about perfection but about being relevant. Remind yourself that it’s about being yourself, that it’s not about being someone you’re not. 

5- Be Approachable

Striking a conversation with a person you’ve met for the first time can be scary. After all, you don’t want people to discover that you’re yet to master their language. However, the only way for you to be really good at the language you’re learning is to have conversations with people who speak that language, whether or not you know them. 

Appearing confident and approachable plays a huge role when you’re talking to new people. Standing straight, looking at the other person’s eye, and smiling can all make a big difference. 

6- Be Authentic

It’s tempting to want to focus on being witty when you’re having a conversation. People tend to gravitate toward quick-witted individuals, don’t they? However, rather than trying to sound funny or clever, you’d want to be genuine and authentic. Your goal for having a conversation is for other people to know who you truly are, so be yourself. It’s going to be less stressful and will take so much pressure off of you. 

7- Don’t Be Afraid To Take A Break

Finally, always remember that it’s okay to take a break when you’re nervous or anxious. Avoid speaking too fast just to get the entire thing over with as soon as possible. This will only cause you to lose your focus, stammer, and say the wrong thing. Take things slowly. If you need to speak slowly, do so. It’s also important to remove yourself from a situation that’s causing you to have social burnout. If you’re in a social gathering, politely tell the other person or persons that you need to go somewhere for a while and return when you’re ready to talk again. Or if you need to leave early, just express your intention kindly and leave.

Be genuine and authentic in a conversation. It will take so much pressure off of you.

7. How FilipinoPod101 Can Help

Your Tagalog conversation skills play an integral role in your ability to express yourself when conversing in Filipino. In this guide, you learned exactly how to take those skills to another level. One is by learning how to craft your personal language profile (or cheat sheet as we call it). Another is by familiarizing yourself with various expressions to use in various circumstances. Did we forget to add anything? Let us know in the comments section!

Meanwhile, why don’t you join FilipinoPod101 and learn more than just how to improve Filipino conversation skills? Here at FilipinoPod101, you can enjoy a wide range of free resources to help you with mastering the Filipino language. Whether it’s audio lessons, vocabulary lists, or blog entries like the one you’re reading right now, you can rest assured that there’s a resource that suits your learning needs.

And did we mention MyTeacher? MyTeacher is a premium feature that provides you with one-on-one coaching with a private teacher. With MyTeacher, you can receive real-time feedback on your progress. That way, you’ll know exactly where you are at every time in your journey of learning the Filipino language! 

What are you waiting for? Sign up for a free lifetime account today!

The Filipino nationality always draws attention. Everywhere they go, Filipinos make a name for themselves, globally and in different industries—thus the term “Filipino pride.” Pride for one’s nationality is not exclusive to Filipinos though. Regardless of your race, when you visit another country, you are always excited to let everyone know where you are from and what your nationality is. The question, however, is whether you know how to introduce yourself in a way that will impress your listeners. 

If you’re visiting the Philippines, for instance, a really good way to pique someone’s interest is to let them hear you introduce yourself in Tagalog. That’s what this guide is for. In this blog post, you’ll learn how to ask someone their nationality, how to tell someone what your nationality is, and what common patterns you can use to do so—all in Filipino, of course!

It’s important to have pride in one’s nationality.

Table of Contents

1. Different Nationalities in the Philippines
2. How Do You Ask Someone Their Nationality in Filipino?
3. How Do You Tell Someone Your Nationality in Filipino?
4. Sentence Structure to Use When Talking About Your Nationality in Filipino
5. How FilipinoPod101 Can Help

1. Different Nationalities in the Philippines

1 – Major Ethnolinguistic Groups in the Philippines

Before we proceed to learn how to talk about one’s nationality in Filipino, let’s first explore the different nationalities in the Philippines. While the Philippines is considered one nation, it is made up of over a hundred ethnolinguistic nations—175 to be exact. As an archipelago, the Philippines is composed of 7,640 islands and 18 regions. Each of these regions is represented by different ethnolinguistic groups. The Tagalogs are the largest of these groups, most of whom live within the National Capital Region. The Cebuanos, who inhabit the islands of Cebu, Siquijor, and Bohol, come second. 

Here’s an overview of the largest ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines today.

Ethnolinguistic Group	Population	Region
Tagalog	30,000,000	NCR, Calabarzon
Cebuano	9,125,637	Central Visayas
Ilocano	8,074,536	Region I (Ilocos Region)
Hiligaynon	7,773,655	Region VI (Western Visayas), Soccsksargen Region
Bicolano	6,299,283	Region V (Bicol Peninsula)
Waray	3,660,645	Region VIII (Eastern Visayas)
Zamboangueño	367,278	Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula)
Kapampangan	2,784,526	Region III (Central Luzon)
Pangasinense	1,823,865	Region I (Ilocos Region)
Surigaonon	367,278	Region XIII (Caraga Region)

Most of the people from each of these regions can understand and speak Filipino or Tagalog. However, not everyone can understand or speak each other’s local dialects. It’s also not unusual for non-native Tagalog speakers to have their own accent when speaking in Tagalog.

2 – Top Nationalities Visiting the Philippines Every Year

This time, let’s find out which countries the Philippines receives the most visitors from each year. The data below is from 2019, but it should show which countries consider the Philippines a top tourist destination. As you can see, South Korea and China are at the top of the list. They are followed by the United States, Japan, and Taiwan. The country received 8 million tourists in 2019 and currently ranks 51st in the world in terms of tourist numbers.

Country	Visitor Arrival (2019)	Nationality (English)	Nationality (Filipino)
Philippines	–	Filipino	Pilipino
South Korea	1,989,322	Korean	Koreano
China	1,743,309	Chinese	Tsino/Intsik
United States	1,064,440	American	Amerikano
Japan	682,788	Japanese	Hapon
Taiwan	327,273	Taiwanese	Taiwanese
Australia	286,170	Australian	Australyano
Canada	238,850	Canadian	Canadian
United Kingdom	209,206	British	Briton
Singapore	158,595	Singaporean	Singaporean
Malaysia	139,882	Malaysian	Malay
India	134,963	Indian	Indiyano
Germany	103,756	German	Aleman
France	88,577	French	Pranses
Spain	49,728	Spanish	Espanyol
Russia	36,111	Russian	Ruso

The thousands of tourists visiting the Philippines each year are a testament to the beauty of the country and the hospitality of its people.

➜ Here at FilipinoPod101, we have lessons to help you learn words and phrases related to tourism!

2. How Do You Ask Someone Their Nationality in Filipino?

The Filipino word for “nationality” is nasyonalidad. In the Philippines, when people want to ask about one’s nationality, they either use this word or the Filipino word for “race,” which is lahi. The word dugo or “blood” is also used from time to time. And, since Filipino has both formal and informal speech, it makes sense to learn how to ask someone their nationality in both formal and informal Tagalog.

1 – Formal

It’s not all the time that you’ll encounter a Filipino using formal speech or need to use formal speech yourself. Nevertheless, it’s still essential to familiarize yourself with it. When we speak of formal Filipino, the difference is usually in the types of words used. For instance, instead of saying ipinanganak (“was/were born”), we use isinilang. And, instead of saying pwede (“can”), we use maaari. Let’s see a few examples to understand how this works:

• Maaari mo bang sabihin kung ano ang iyong nasyonalidad? 
  (“Can you tell what your nationality is?”)

• Maaari bang malaman kung saang bansa ka nanggaling? 
  (“May I know which country you are from?”)

• Saang bansa ka isinilang? 
  (“What country were you born in?”)

• Ikaw ba ay isang [nationality]? 
  (“Are you [nationality]?”)

• Ikaw ba ay may lahing Portuges?
  (“Do you have Portuguese blood?”)

• Nais ko po sanang malaman kung ano ang nasyonalidad ninyo.
  (“I was wondering if you could tell me what your nationality is.”)
  (Literally: “I would like to know what your nationality is.”)

2 – Informal

Another thing that separates informal Filipino from formal Filipino is that it’s often straightforward and may or may not include polite introductory words. That makes the sentences significantly shorter.

• Ano ang nasyonalidad mo? 
  (“What is your nationality?”)

• [Nationality] ka ba? 
  (“Are you [nationality]?”)
  
  *Notice that this translates the same way that the formal Ikaw ba ay isang [nationality]? does, but it is less formal and more direct.

• Sa Pilipinas ka ba lumaki? 
  (“Did you grow up in the Philippines?” / “Were you raised in the Philippines?”)

• Sa aling bansa ka galing? 
  (“Which country did you come from?”)
  (Literally: “In which country did you come from?”)

• Mayroon ka bang lahing Kastila?
  (“Do you have Spanish blood?”)

Mayroon ka bang lahing Kastila? (“Do you have Spanish blood?”)

➜ How does formal Filipino work? This video lesson will teach you everything you need to know about the subject.

3. How Do You Tell Someone Your Nationality in Filipino?

Talking about your nationality in Tagalog is relatively easy. If you’re comfortable discussing the subject of race or ethnicity with a Filipino friend, here are some sentence patterns you can follow:

• Sa Amerika ako ipinanganak. 
  (“I was born in America.”)

• Ang aking pagkamamamayan ay Singaporean. 
  (“My citizenship is Singaporean.”)

• Isa akong Griyego. 
  (“I am Greek.”)

• Australyano ako, pero sa Inglatera ako lumaki. 
  (“I am Australian, but I grew up in England.”)

• Dito ako sa Pilipinas ipinanganak, pero sa Dubai na ako lumaki. 
  (“I was born here in the Philippines, but I spent most of my life in Dubai.”)

• Dual citizen ako ng Amerika, pero isa akong Thai.
  (“I’m a dual citizen of America, but I am Thai.”)

• Ruso ako. 
  (“I am Russian.”)

If you don’t want to talk about your nationality, you can respectfully decline using the following phrases:

• Pasensya ka na pero ayaw kong pag-usapan ang mga ganitong paksa.
  “I’m really sorry, but I don’t want to talk about these kinds of topics.”

• Ibang bagay na lang ang pag-usapan natin kung maaari.
  “Let’s just talk about something else, if possible.”

• Pwede ba nating baguhin ang paksa?
  “Can we change the subject, please?”

Dito ako sa Pilipinas ipinanganak, pero sa Dubai na ako lumaki. (“I was born here in the Philippines, but I spent most of my life in Dubai.”)

➜ Knowing how to ask questions and respond to them can help you build your rapport with the right people. Here are 10 fundamental questions and answers in Filipino you should be familiar with.

4. Sentence Structure to Use When Talking About Your Nationality in Filipino

Earlier, we listed the top nationalities visiting the Philippines each year. In this section, we’ve expanded that list to include the capital city and primary language of each country.

From this list, you can develop a basic pattern for speaking about your nationality in Filipino.

Country	Nationality (Filipino)	Capital City	Language(English)	Language(Filipino)
Philippines	Pilipino	Manila	Filipino	Pilipino
South Korea	Koreano	Seoul	Korean	Koreano
China	Tsino/Intsik	Beijing	Mandarin	Mandarin
United States	Amerikano	Washington, D.C.	English	Ingles
Japan	Hapon	Tokyo	Japanese	Hapones
Taiwan	Taiwanese	Taipei	Mandarin	Mandarin
Australia	Australyano	Canberra	English	Ingles
Canada	Canadian	Ottawa	English	Ingles
United Kingdom	British	London	English	Ingles
Singapore	Singaporean	Singapore	Malay	Malay
Malaysia	Malay	Kuala Lumpur	Malay	Malay
India	Indiyano	New Delhi	Hindi	Indiyano
Germany	Aleman	Berlin	German	Aleman
France	Pranses	Paris	French	Pranses
Spain	Espanyol	Madrid	Spanish	Espanyol
Russia	Ruso	Moscow	Russian	Ruso

Using the data above, let’s construct a self-introduction that you can use to tell someone what your nationality is. Let’s start with the most common pattern, where you first mention which country you came from.

• Taga Australia ako. 
  (“I am from Australia.”)

Next, you can mention what your nationality is.

• Isa akong Australyano. 
  (“I am an Australian.”)

You can also mention which city you live in.

• Nakatira ako sa Canberra.
  (“I live in Canberra.”)

After which, you can mention what language you speak.

• Ingles ang pangunahing wikang gamit ko. 
  (“English is my native language.”)

If you know other languages, you can mention that too.

• Marunong din akong mag-Mandarin. 
  (“I also know how to speak Mandarin.”)

Putting all of these together, you get the following sentence:

• Isa akong Australyano.  Nakatira ako sa Canberra. Ingles ang wikang gamit ko pero marunong din akong mag-Mandarin.
  (“I am an Australian. I live in Canberra. English is the primary language I use, but I also know how to speak Mandarin.”)

The following are various other ways to talk about your nationality and the language (or languages) you speak in Filipino.

• Pilipino ako. Ipinanganak ako sa Maynila. Ang wikang gamit ko ay Tagalog.
  (“I am a Filipino. I was born in Manila. The language I use is Tagalog.”)

• Koreano ako na lumaki sa Seoul, pero Filipino citizen ako, at marunong akong magsalita ng Ingles at Pilipino.
  (“I’m a Korean who was raised in Seoul, but I’m a Filipino citizen, and I know how to speak both English and Filipino.”)

• Amerikano ako, pero sa London na ako namalagi mga dalawang dekada na.
  (“I’m an American, but I have been residing in London for two decades now.”)

• Sa New Zealand ako lumaki at namalagi ng mahabang panahon, pero mayroon akong pasaporte ng Pilipinas dahil Pilipino ako.
  (“I grew up in New Zealand and lived there for a long time, but I do have a Philippine passport since I am Filipino.”)

• Isa akong Taiwanese. Hindi pa ako masyadong marunong mag Tagalog.
  (“I’m Taiwanese. I’m not that fluent in Tagalog yet.”)

• Ang aking mga ninuno ay nagmula sa Tsina, partikular sa Beijing.
  (“My ancestors came from China, specifically Beijing.”)

• Singaporean ako na lumaki sa Australia. Marunong akong mag Mandarin at Malay.
  (“I’m a Singaporean who grew up in Australia. I am fluent in both Mandarin and Malay.”)

• Pilipino ang tatay ko at Haponesa naman ang nanay ko. Marunong akong magsalita ng Tagalog at Hapones.
  (“My dad is Filipino and my mom is Japanese. I know how to speak both Filipino and Japanese.”)

• May lahi akong Pranses at Kastila. Nag-aaral pa lang akong magsalita ng Pilipino.
  (“I am of French and Spanish descent. I’m just learning to speak Filipino.”)

• Ayon sa birth certificate ko, sa Ehipto ako ipinanganak. Pero Pilipino talaga ako, at magaling akong mag-Tagalog.
  (“According to my birth certification, I was born in Egypt. But I am Filipino, and I can speak Tagalog very well.”

• Sa Moscow ako ipinanganak at lumaki. Ruso ang aking ama at Malay naman ang aking ina.
  (“I was born and raised in Moscow. My father is Russian, and my mother is Malay.”)

• Pilipino ako, pero mayroon akong dugong Pranses at Aleman sa panig ng aking ina.
  (“I am Filipino, but I have French and German ancestry on my mother’s side.”)

• Swedish ako, pero meron akong Philippine citizenship.
  (“I am Swedish, but I have Philippine citizenship.”)

May lahi akong Pranses at Kastila. (“I am of French and Spanish descent.”)

➜ Learning how to tell others what your nationality is in Filipino is vital if you wish to communicate like a native. Just as important is learning these 10 basic lines for self-introduction.

5. How FilipinoPod101 Can Help

In this guide, you’ve learned how to say the names of different nationalities in Filipino as well as how to talk about your nationality when introducing yourself. Are there other names of countries and nationalities that you wish had been included here? Let us know in the comments section below!

Before you leave, don’t forget to check out the rest of our blog entries and lessons. Here at FilipinoPod101, you’re sure to find a lesson that’s tailored to your learning needs, whether you’re at the beginner level, intermediate level, or advanced level.

We have free resources and lessons for you to begin with. Video and audio lessons are available so that you don’t just read but also hear how Filipino words are pronounced. We also have slideshows, wordlists, and flashcards designed to help you learn vocabulary words by heart.

And if you want to take things to another level, our MyTeacher service is here for you. Available with a Premium PLUS subscription, MyTeacher provides you with a personal teacher who will give you real-time feedback and guidance so that you can speak fluent Filipino in no time!

The origin of Tagalog vocabulary and its significant grammatical differences compared to English make it relatively difficult for many people to master. The Foreign Service Institute has listed Tagalog as a Category III language, making it as challenging to learn as Hebrew, Greek, and Russian. The good news is that everything should be smooth sailing once you’ve gotten past the hurdles of things like verb–pronoun relationships, verb conjugation, vocabulary, and pronunciation. And, if you’re reading this guide on advanced Tagalog phrases, it means you’ve gotten past those hurdles. It also means you’re ready to take on more challenging aspects of the Filipino language.

Don’t worry: challenging doesn’t always mean complex, and advanced doesn’t necessarily mean intimidating. In this guide, you’ll encounter words and phrases that you won’t typically hear in everyday speech. Here, you’ll be introduced to expressions reserved for things like academic writing, resume writing, and formal business meetings. Moreover, you’ll have the opportunity to express your ideas and opinions more effectively by learning advanced Filipino idioms.

Are you ready to take the challenge?

Table of Contents

1. Useful Phrases for Formal Speech and Writing
2. Power Phrases for Resumes
3. Smart Phrases for Business Meetings
4. Advanced Idioms, Sayings, and Proverbs for Everyday Usage
5. How FilipinoPod101 Can Help

1. Useful Phrases for Formal Speech and Writing

The following phrases are not something you’ll get to use or hear every day. They are often used in formal speech and writing. You may not always be given the opportunity to use them, but when the right time comes, it’s better that you have them in your arsenal of advanced Filipino phrases.

Una sa lahat – “First of all”

Una sa lahat, nais kong kilalanin… “First of all, I would like to acknowledge…”

Ayon sa / Ayon kay – “According to”

Ayon sa pananaliksik… “According to research…”

Bagkus – “On the contrary,” “Rather”

Bagkus, ang problema na ito ay maaari sanang maiwasan. The problem, rather, is supposed to be preventable.

Bukod dito – “Moreover” Literally: “Besides this”

Bukod dito, mahalagang maunawaan natin ang mga layunin ng pag-aaral na ito. “Moreover, it is vital for us to know the objectives of this study.”

Nang sa gayon – “So as to,” “In order to”

…nang sa gayon ay maisulong ang patuloy na pananaliksik ukol sa paksang ito. “…so as to promote ongoing research on this topic.”

Sa madaling salita – “In other words”

Sa madaling salita, ang proyekto ay dapat na mapondohan sa lalong madaling panahon. “In other words, the project must be funded as soon as possible.”

Ganun din – “In the same manner”

Ganun din, hindi ito nangangailangan ng espesyal na pagsasanay. “In the same manner, it doesn’t require any special training.”

Gayunpaman – “However”

Gayunpaman, marami ang hindi nakakaalam nito. “However, many are not aware of this.”

Sa kabila nito – “Nevertheless”

Sa kabila nito, hindi tayo dapat magmadali sa paggawa ng mga konklusyon. “Nevertheless, we must not be in haste to make conclusions.”

Sa kabaliktaran – “By contrast”

Sa kabaliktaran, ang mga tumanggap ng gamot ay nagpakita ng mga palatandaan ng paggaling. “By contrast, those who received the drug showed signs of recovery.”

Ayon sa pananaliksik…(“According to research…”)

➜ Find out which specific tool you can use to perfect your speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills!

2. Power Phrases for Resumes

Formal or business writing in the Philippines is primarily done using the English language. In the Philippines, having a good command of English gives one the advantage of securing a job. Being able to speak English fluently is seen as equivalent to being able to effectively interact with other cultures. That doesn’t mean you can’t write your resume in Filipino. If you’re a foreigner, being able to write a resume in fluent Tagalog is a sign of knowledge and dedication. It will show the employer that you’re serious about your application and are also creative and willing to think outside the box.

Kakayahang magtrabaho nang may mataas na antas ng kawastuhan

“Ability to perform with a high degree of accuracy”

Kakayahang magkamit ng namumukod-tanging resulta sa mga proyekto

“Ability to achieve outstanding project results”

Magpakita ng positibong imahe

“Projects a positive image”

Makipag-usap nang malinaw at may kabuluhan

“Communicates clearly and concisely”

Gamitin ang buong kakayahan

“Uses ability to the fullest”

Magpakita ng malikhaing imahinasyon

“Displays creative imagination”

Kakayahang gumawa ng matatag na desisyon na may kumpyansa sa sarili

“Ability to make firm decisions with confidence”

Tunay na maaasahan at mapagkakatiwalaan sa pagtupad ng mga tungkulin

“Exceptionally reliable and trustworthy in accomplishing tasks”

Kakahayang bumuo ng makabaong diskarte at pamamaraan sa pagkumpleto ng proyekto

“Ability to develop new strategies and methods for completing a project”

Inuuna ang interes ng organisasyon bago ang personal na kaginhawaan

“Places organizational interest ahead of personal convenience”

Palagi kong ginagamit ang aking buong kakayahan.
“I always use my ability to the fullest.”

➜ Applying for a job? Here are useful job interview questions you could study prior to an interview.

3. Smart Phrases for Business Meetings

While English may be the primary means of communication in the Philippine corporate world, Tagalog steals the limelight during business meetings. Unless there are any non-Filipino speakers at the conference, everyone is free to use a mix of English and Tagalog as a medium for expressing their thoughts and opinions. That said, it’s always an advantage to know some formal Filipino words and expressions when at a meeting, as it gives the impression that you know what you’re talking about and that you’re there to do business.

Simulan ang pagpupulong – “To start the meeting”

Simulan na natin ang pagpupulong. “Let’s start the meeting.”

Talakayin ang mungkahi – “To discuss the proposal”

Nais kong talakayin natin ang iminungkahi ni Ginoong Rodriguez. “I would like us to discuss what Mr. Rodriguez has proposed.”

Isulong ang proyekto – “To promote the project”

Kailangan na nating maisulong ang proyekto sa lalong madaling panahon.  “We need to move the project forward as soon as possible.”

Makabagong estratehiya – “Innovative approach”

Sa araw na ito, mag-iisip tayo ng mas makabagong istratehiya. “Today, we will think of a more innovative approach.”

Pamunuan ang kalakaran – “To lead the trend”

Maaari nating pamunuan ang mga kalakaran sa ekonomiya sa halip na sumunod lamang.  “We can lead the trends in the economy instead of simply following.”

Matugunan ang takdang-petsa – “To meet the deadline”

Huwag kang mag-alala. Magagawa nating matugunan ang takdang-petsa.  “Don’t worry. We will be able to meet the deadline.”

Napakaraming rekisitos – “Red tape” Literally: “So many requirements”

Mahirap maiwasan ang napakaraming rekisitos, ngunit hindi ito imposible.  “It’s hard to avoid the red tape, but it’s not impossible.”

Magbigay-pugay – “To give honor”

Bago ang lahat, nais kong magbigay-pugay sa ating punong tagapamahala. “Before anything else, I would like to give honor to our chief executive.”

Tubong lugaw  – “a business enterprise with returns far exceeding the investment ”Literally: Profit from selling porridge

Subukan natin ang ideya ni Diane. Maliit man ang kita, pero tuloy-tuloy. Tubong-lugaw, ika nga. “Let’s try Diane’s idea. The income for each sale may be small, but it’s sustainable. Soon, our returns will far exceed what we’ve invested.”

Maging maagap – “To be proactive”

Maging maagap tayo sa pagpili kung paano gagamitin ang mga oras natin.  “We need to be proactive in how we use our time.”

Maaari nating pamunuan ang mga kalakaran sa ekonomiya sa halip na sumunod lamang.
“We can lead the trends in the economy instead of simply following.”

➜ Learn Filipino phrases for doing business successfully.

4. Advanced Idioms, Sayings, and Proverbs for Everyday Usage

The Filipino language has some of the most captivating idioms and proverbs. Referred to as salawikain or sawikain in Tagalog, sayings or idioms play an essential role in Filipino culture. They are passed down from one generation to another, primarily through oral tradition, and are often humorous (or even bizarre) while still offering practical wisdom from older times.

Itaga mo sa bato. – “Mark my words”  Literally: “Hack it against a rock”

Hahanapin mo din ako pag wala na ako. Itaga mo iyan sa bato.  “You will look for me when I’m gone. Mark my words.”

Maghahalo ang balat sa tinalupan. – “All hell will break loose.” Literally: “The peel will mix with the ones peeled”

Pag nalaman kong niloloko niyo ako, maghahalo ang balat sa tinalupan. “When I find out that you’re trying to fool me, all hell will break loose.”

Namamangka sa dalawang ilog – “Cheating” Literally: “Rowing a boat on two rivers at the same time”

Ayan ang napapala mo sa pamamangka mo sa dalawang ilog. “That’s what you get for cheating.”

Pupulutin sa kangkungan – “End up in a dumpster” Literally: “Will be picked up from a cluster of water spinach” Note: In the Philippines, the bodies of victims of summary executions are often thrown in ponds covered by a dense growth of water spinach.

Pupulutin ka sa kangkungan kapag hindi mo inayos ang buhay mo. “You might end up in a dumpster if you don’t behave.”

Kahit lumuha ka ng dugo – “You won’t be forgiven no matter what you do” Literally: “Even if you shed tears of blood”

Hindi kita pagbibigyan kahit lumuha ka pa ng dugo.  “I will never grant your desire, not even if you shed tears of blood.”

Naghahabi ng kuwento – “Exaggerating,” “Telling a lie” Literally: “Weaving a story”

Mahilig talaga maghabi ng kwento si Joel makakuha lang ng kliyente. “Joel will do anything to attract clients, even weave a fascinating story.”

Suntok sa buwan – “A task that is next-to-impossible to accomplish” Literally: “A punch to the moon”

Ang mahulog ang loob niya sa akin ay suntok sa buwan. “To have her fall in love with me is next to impossible.”

Harangan man ng sibat – “No matter what it takes” Literally: “Even when stopped by a spear”

Hindi nila iuurong ang kaso harangan man sila ng sibat. “They will not drop the case no matter what happens.”

Maghanap ng karayom sa gitna ng dayami – “To do a seemingly impossible task” Literally: “To look for a needle in the middle of a haystack”

Sa sitwasyong iyan ay parang naghahanap lamang siya ng karayom sa gitna ng dayami. “The way things are going, it seems that he’s just wasting his time on something that’s impossible to accomplish.”

Magdildil ng asin – “Be so poor that you have to eat salt (with rice) for meals,” “To be poor as a rat” Literally: “Bunch up salt with one’s fingers”

Mag-aral ka nang mabuti kung ayaw mong magdildil ng asin habangbuhay. “Study hard if you don’t want to end up poor as a rat.”

Maghahalo ang balat sa tinalupan.
“All hell will break loose.”

➜ Access this lesson to learn more common Filipino idioms.

5. How FilipinoPod101 Can Help

Congratulations! With these advanced Filipino phrases, you’ll be able to communicate in Tagalog more fluently and more confidently! Are there other advanced Tagalog words and phrases you wish we had  included on this list? Let us know in the comments. 

That said, you know that the phrases on this list are not all there is. Here at FilipinoPod101, you can further enhance your skills with lessons from our archives and other free resources. You can rest assured that there’s a lesson tailored to your needs, whether it’s about vocabulary, key Filipino phrases, or grammar.

And speaking of tailored lessons, if you wish to take a more personalized approach to learning Filipino, you can do just that with MyTeacher. This service is included with a Premium PLUS subscription, and it gives you access to exclusive lessons and lets you enjoy 1-on-1 coaching with a professional Filipino teacher. With this approach, you’ll be able to track your progress in real time and have someone guide you in choosing the most appropriate learning path based on your needs. 

Sign up with FilipinoPod101 now to enjoy all these features and more!

You’re reading this guide for one reason—you’re ready to move on to the next level of Filipino proficiency! And there is no better feeling than being more confident with a language that you’ve worked hard to master. Now that you’ve gotten past the beginner stage, it’s time for you to learn a few intermediate Filipino phrases that you can naturally use in conversations.

The words and phrases you learned at the beginner level will serve as the foundation of your continued Filipino studies. The ones you’ll learn this time will help you have more fluent conversations with native speakers. They’ll also guide you through conversations when native speakers use expressions that are normal to them but may be unfamiliar to you.

We will specifically introduce you to phrases you can use to: 

• Talk about past events
• Make plans for the future
• Provide reasons and explanations
• Make recommendations or complaints

Finally, we’ll teach you which phrases to use as responses during daily conversations.

The phrases you’ll learn here will help you have more fluent conversations with native speakers.

Table of Contents

1. Let’s Talk About the Past!
2. How About the Future?—Making and Changing Plans
3. I’ll Tell You Why—Giving Explanations and Citing Reasons
4. …And Why Not—Making Recommendations and Complaints
5. Talaga! And Various Responses for Everyday Conversations
6. Etiquette Phrases for Social and Business Settings
7. Go a Level Higher with FilipinoPod101!

1. Let’s Talk About the Past!

Filipinos love to socialize. When they do, you can expect the atmosphere to be filled with kwentuhan (the act of sharing stories). To avoid feeling out of place, you should learn how to talk about your own past experiences in Filipino. If you’ve come across our entry on Filipino verb conjugation, you should have an idea of how to conjugate Tagalog verbs to form the past tense. The following list of intermediate Filipino phrases should also help you share your own kwento (stories).

Namasyal kami kahapon.

We went to see places yesterday.

Literally: Strolled we yesterday.

Ang saya-saya namin!

We had lots of fun!

Literally: Very happy we! Notice how the word saya (fun) was reduplicated in this sentence. In Filipino grammar, the full reduplication of a word indicates intensity. Take note, too, that the same sentence could be translated as “We are very happy,” which is in the present tense. In this case, identifying whether the statement is in the past or present tense will depend on the context.

Doon ako nagtatrabaho dati.

I used to work there.

Literally: There I worked before.

Dalawang linggo akong hindi nakalabas.

I wasn’t able to go out for two weeks.

Literally: Two weeks I wasn’t able to go outside. The word Linggo also means “Sunday” in Filipino. You’ll know which is which since the first letter for “Sunday” is capitalized.

Bumisita sila rito noong makalawa.

They came over the other day.

Literally: Visited them here two days ago.

Apat na taon na kaming nakatira dito.

We’ve been residing here for four years.

Literally: Four years already we living here.

Nagbakasyon kami sa Dubai noong pasko ng 2017.

We went for a vacation in Dubai on the Christmas of 2017.

Literally: Had vacation we in Dubai on Christmas of 2017.

➜ Be sure to check our lesson on the different grammatical tenses in Filipino.

Doon ako nagtatrabaho dati. (“I used to work there.”)

2. How About the Future?—Making and Changing Plans

Filipinos are quite flexible. We love making plans, but we don’t mind making changes if the situation calls for it. 

Talking about the future in Filipino is just as simple as talking about the past. All you need to do is mind your verb conjugation. Below are several intermediate-level Tagalog phrases you can use to make or change plans with your new Filipino friends. 

Pwede ka ba sa Linggo?

Are you available this coming Sunday?

Literally: Available you on Sunday?

Pwede bang sa Sabado na lang tayo magkita?

Would it be possible for us to meet on Saturday instead?

Literally: Can Saturday only we meet?

Kape tayo bukas!

Let’s have coffee tomorrow!

Literally: Coffee us tomorrow! Perhaps you’re wondering how the word kape (“coffee”) functions here as a verb. In formal speech, this sentence is supposed to be Magkape tayo bukas, with the prefix mag- indicating that the verb is in the future tense. In informal speech, shortening a word is often acceptable. Also, in colloquial Filipino, it’s not unusual for some nouns to be used as verbs. Other examples include mag-gitara (to play the guitar), mag-telepono (to use the phone), and mag-bus (to take the bus).

Anong oras tayo magkikita?

What time shall we meet?

Literally: What time we will meet?

Baka pwedeng sa makalawa ka na lang umalis.

Perhaps you should stay with us for two more days.

Literally: Maybe it’s possible two days from now you will leave. Notice how the word makalawa in this sentence means “in the next two days.” As shown in one of the previous examples, it could also mean “two days ago.”

Sa ibang araw na lang natin pag-usapan.

Let’s just talk about it some other time.

Literally: Next time only we talk about.

Pasensya ka na pero may gagawin ako sa Sabado.

I’m sorry, but I have something to do on Saturday.

Literally: Sorry you but doing something I on Saturday. The word pasensya is also the word for “patience.” For this reason, you could also use it when asking someone to be patient with you.

Pasensya ka na pero may gagawin ako sa Sabado. (“I’m sorry, but I have something to do on Saturday.”)

3. I’ll Tell You Why—Giving Explanations and Citing Reasons 

You can expect any conversation to reach a point where you’ll have to give an explanation about a choice you made. There’s no specific formula for doing so, as it could be as simple as giving a quick reason or as complex as citing your entire rationale. It helps that the Filipino sentence structure is similar to that of English and that most conjunctions used in English have direct equivalents in Filipino. To get you started, we have listed below a few intermediate phrases in Filipino for giving your reasons. 

Ginawa ko iyon dahil yun ang tama.

I did it because it was the right thing to do.

Literally: Did I that because it was right.

Pinili ko ito dahil una sa lahat, alam kong gusto mo ang kulay. Pangalawa, kasya siya sa bulsa mo. At pangatlo, sulit ang presyo.

I chose this because first of all, I know you love the color. Second, it fits in your pocket. And third, it’s worth the price.

Literally: Chose I this because first of all, know I like you the color. Secondly, fits it in your pocket. And thirdly, it’s worth the price.

Sana makasama kayo para marami tayo.

I hope you can come so we can all have fun.

Literally: Hopefully you can join so there’s many of us. Most Filipinos are highly extroverted. As they say, the more the merrier!

Huwag kang maingay para hindi magising ang bata.

Don’t be too loud so that the baby doesn’t wake up.

Literally: Don’t you noisy so not wake up the child.

Napagod ako kaya hindi na ako sumama.

I was so tired, so I decided to stay.

Literally: Tired I so didn’t I come along.

4. …And Why Not—Making Recommendations and Complaints

We’ve established that Filipinos love to share stories. Filipinos are very friendly, and we will share our life experiences even with complete strangers! That’s what makes us great at giving recommendations (and non-recommendations). One thing you should know about giving recommendations and making complaints in Filipino is that we often use full reduplication. Oftentimes, this is to convey intensity or to emphasize how much we liked or disliked an experience. Examine the phrases below along with their literal translations to better understand this concept.

Subukan mo yung pagawaan ng sasakyan sa may kanto.

Try the car repair shop on the corner.

Literally: Try you the maker of vehicles there in the corner.

Ito na ang pinakamasarap na adobo na natikman ko!

This is the most delicious adobo I have ever tasted!

Literally: This is already the most delicious adobo tasted by me!

Hinding-hindi ka magsisisi sa pagpunta dun!

You will never regret going there!

Literally: Never ever you will regret in going there!

Masarap ang kape nila!

Their coffee is great!

Literally: Delicious the coffee of theirs!

Huwag na huwag mong subukang pumunta sa lugar na yun!

Never ever try to go to that place!

Literally: Do not you try going to place that is there!

Kailangan pa nilang pagbutihin ang serbisyo nila.

They still need to improve their service.

Literally: Need still they improve the service of theirs.

Masarap ang kape nila. (“Their coffee is great!”)

➜ No one wants to be around a person who always complains. However, it’s another thing to know how to make complaints in order to raise awareness and promote improvement. Learn how to make complaints in Filipino on our website.

5. Talaga! And Various Responses for Everyday Conversations

Now, let’s go over some responses used in everyday conversations. These are the phrases you’ll hear or use yourself to express surprise, excitement, annoyance, or disappointment.

1 – Talaga?!

A: Namasyal kami kahapon. (“We went to see places yesterday.”)
Literally: Strolled we yesterday.

B: Talaga? Saan kayo pumunta? (“Really? Which ones?”)
Literally: Really? Where you went?

2 – Ang galing!

A: Marunong na siyang magbisikleta. (“He now knows how to ride a bicycle.”)
Literally: Know already he/she to ride a bicycle.

B: Wow! Ang galing naman! (“Wow! That’s really impressive!”)
Literally: Wow! Very good!

3 – Magandang balita yan!

A: Sa wakas! Makakauwi na si Tatay! (“Finally! Dad will be able to come home!”)
Literally: In the end! Coming home already Father!

B: Magandang balita yan ah! (“That’s good news!”)
Literally: Good news that is!

4 – Grabe!

A: Walong taon na kaming hindi nagkikita ni Teddy. (“Teddy and I haven’t seen each other in eight years.”)
Literally: Eight years already us have not see each other Teddy.

B: Grabe. Ang tagal-tagal na. (“Gosh. It’s been so long.”)
Literally: That’s serious. It’s so long already.

5 – Astig!

A: Diyan ako nagtatrabaho dati. (“I used to work there.”)
Literally: There I worked before.

B: Astig! Kaya pala ang galing mo pagdating sa mga kompyuter. (“Cool! So that’s why you’re so good with computers.”)
Literally: Tough! That’s why good you are when it comes to computers.

6 – Sayang!

A: Pasensya ka na pero may gagawin ako sa Sabado. (“I’m sorry, but I have something to do on Saturday.”)
Literally: Sorry you but doing something I on Saturday.

B: Sayang naman. May ibibigay sana ako sa iyo. (“Too bad. I was going to give you something.”)
Literally: What a waste. There is something to give hopefully I to you.

7 – Niloloko mo ba ako?!

A: Pwede bang sa Sabado na lang tayo magkita? (“Would it be possible for us to meet on Saturday instead?”)
Literally: Can Saturday only we meet?

B: Niloloko mo ba ako? Alam mong may trabaho ako pag Sabado. (“Are you kidding me? You know I have work on Saturdays.”)
Literally: Are you fooling me? Know you that have work I when Saturday.

8 – Mabuti naman kung ganon.

A: Makakalabas na daw ako sabi ng doktor. (“The doctor said I could go out.”)
Literally: Go out already I said the doctor.

B: Mabuti naman kung ganon. (“That’s good to know.”)
Literally: Good if that is the case.

Talaga?! (“Really?!”)

➜ Here are more Filipino conversational phrases you will find useful!

6. Etiquette Phrases for Social and Business Settings

There’s no question that Filipinos are hospitable. We place high value on politeness and respect, especially in formal settings. The following are useful intermediate Filipino phrases to learn by heart so you’ll know just what to say when you’re in a social or business setting.

Pasok po kayo.

“Please come in.”

Literally: Enter you. A more formal way of saying this is to use the word tuloy (“to continue”) instead of pasok (“to enter”).

Ikinagagalak ko kayong makilala.

“Pleased to meet you.”

Literally: Pleased I you to know.

Maupo po kayo.

“Please have a seat.”

Literally: Have a seat you.

Walang anuman.

“You’re welcome.”

Literally: It’s nothing.

Sabihin niyo lang po kung may mga katanungan kayo.

“Please let us know if you have questions.”

Literally: Say you if there are questions you.

Salamat po sa pagbisita.

“Thank you for coming.”

Literally: Thank you for visiting.

Inaasahan ko ang tugon ninyo.

“I look forward to hearing from you.”

Literally: Expecting I the response of you.

Ingat po kayo sa biyahe.

“Have a safe trip!”

Literally: Take care you in trip.

Tuloy po kayo. (“Please come in.”)

➜ Looking for more Filipino phrases to use in business settings? See our blog entry on phrases to help you speak professionally in Filipino.

7. Go a Level Higher with FilipinoPod101!

We’ve covered some of the most useful intermediate Filipino phrases in this article. If there is a useful intermediate Filipino phrase or expression that you feel should have been included in this entry, let us know in the comments. 

Meanwhile, did you know that you could learn more and improve your language skills by signing up for FilipinoPod101? At FilipinoPod101.com, you can get exclusive access to even more resources designed to help you take your Filipino speaking skills to another level. You can rest assured that there are lesson materials and learning tools to suit your needs, from video presentations and audio lessons to vocabulary lists and blog entries just like this one.

Speaking of which, don’t forget to try out MyTeacher, a Premium PLUS service that provides personal 1-on-1 coaching so that you can enjoy lessons that are tailored to your needs and goals. 

Happy learning!

The fact that you’re here to master advanced Tagalog words is proof that you’re ready to be as fluent in Filipino as you are in your mother tongue. It also means you’ve been studying Filipino for about a thousand hours already! Yes, according to the Foreign Service Institute, a language like Filipino takes approximately 1100 hours to learn.

What does this step forward mean for you? It means that you’ll be more comfortable producing well-structured sentences regardless of the subject matter. You’ll also have an easier time understanding texts with implicit meaning. Most importantly, you’ll be more confident expressing your ideas spontaneously because you won’t have to grasp for the right words anymore.

In this article, we’ve prepared a list of advanced Tagalog vocabulary words that you can use in the academic field, the business field, the medical field, and even the legal field. Also, we’ve put together a small collection of alternative words you can use to make your writing more vivid and to express yourself better in various situations.

Express yourself with more confidence by learning advanced Tagalog words.

Table of Contents

1. Advanced Academic Words
2. Advanced Business Words
3. Advanced Medical Words
4. Advanced Legal Words
5. Alternative Words to Make an Impression
6. Learn More Advanced Tagalog Words with FilipinoPod101!

1. Advanced Academic Words

The following is a list of advanced Tagalog academic words. The words here are generally acceptable for academic use in the Philippines and may come in handy if you wish to apply to a university in the country. Many of these are high-frequency vocabulary words, which means they don’t have multiple meanings as regular Filipino words do. Others are considered part of a “rich vocabulary,” which means they are finer forms of familiar Tagalog words that may have more than one meaning. And finally, there are some words here that are specific and often found in textbooks and other forms of informational texts.

akademya (noun)	Meaning	Nakapagtapos siya sa akademya noong isang taon.
academy	A place of study in a special field	He graduated from the academy last year.

pangangalap (noun)	Meaning	Mahirap ang kalagayan ng pangangalap ngayong panahon ng pandemya.
recruitment	The act of finding new people to join an organization	The situation of recruitment is difficult during this time of pandemic.

kontrobersiya (noun)	Meaning	Napapaligiran tayo ng mga hamon at kontrobersiya.
controversy	A public discussion involving strong disagreement	Challenges and controversies surround us.

magkaugnay (adjective)	Meaning	Ang isip at ang puso ay lubhang magkaugnay.
related	Belonging to the same group or family	The mind and the heart are closely related.

magkawing (adjective)	Meaning	Ang dalawang ideya na ito ay magkawing.
interlocked / linked	Two things interconnected or locked together	These two ideas are linked together.

pangkalahatan (adverb)	Meaning	Ang mga kasamahan niya sa pangkalahatan ay maaasahan.
generally	In a general manner	His colleagues are generally dependable.

ulat (noun)	Meaning	Huwag basta-basta maniniwala sa mga ulat nila.
report	A written or spoken account regarding an event	Do not easily believe their report.

pahayag (noun)	Meaning	Ito ang nakasulat sa kanyang pahayag.
article	A piece of writing included in publications	This is what was written in her article.

paksa (noun)	Meaning	Iyon daw ang pinakamagandang na nabasa ni Lisa hinggil sa paksa.
topic	The matter being dealt with in a text or discourse	It was the best Lisa had read on the subject, according to her.

sanhi (noun)	Meaning	Ano ang sanhi ng kanyang biglaang pagkamatay?
cause	A person or thing that gives rise to a certain condition	What was the cause of his sudden demise?

kataliwasan (noun)	Meaning	Lahat ng tuntunin ay may kataliwasan.
exception	Something that is not included	All rules have an exception.

unibersidad (noun)	Meaning	Nagtapos siya sa isang prestihiyosong unibersidad.
university	An institution of higher learning	He graduated from a prestigious university.

pagpipilian (noun)	Meaning	Maraming pwedeng pagpilian sa mga produkto niya.
option	Something that may be chosen	There are many options from (among) her products.

dalas (noun)	Meaning	Pinahalagahan ni Ted ang dalas ng pagdalaw ni Diane.
frequency	The rate at which something occurs	Ted appreciated the frequency of Diane’s visits.

porsyento (noun)	Meaning	Malaking porsyento ang nabawas sa kita niya.
percent / percentage	An amount that is the proportion of a larger whole	A large percentage was deducted from his income.

Nagtapos siya sa isang prestihiyosong unibersidad. (“He graduated from a prestigious university.”)

→ Be sure to check our list of Essential Vocabulary for Talking About Education in Filipino.

halimbawa (noun)	Meaning	Kaunti lang ang naibigay niya na mga halimbawa.
example	A written exercise for illustrating a rule	She was only able to give a few examples.

taya (noun)	Meaning	Ayon sa taya ng mga dalubhasa, ang krisis na ito ay hindi magtatapos sa lalong madaling panahon.
estimate	An approximate calculation of the value of something	According to the estimates of experts, this crisis is not going to end soon.

suma (noun)	Meaning	Nagulat siya sa suma ng kanyang dapat bayaran.
sum	The total resulting from the addition of two or more numbers	He was surprised at the sum of the amount he had to pay.

saklaw (noun)	Meaning	Limitado ang saklaw ng kanilang artikulo.
range / scope	The extent included or covered	Their article was limited in scope.

larangan (noun)	Meaning	Sabik si Sheldon gumawa ng pangalan para sa kanyang sarili sa larangan ng pisika.
domain / field	A field of knowledge	Sheldon was eager to make a name for himself in the field of physics.

mungkahi (noun)	Meaning	Nakinig siya sa mungkahi ng kanyang guro.
recommendation / suggestion	An idea put forth for consideration	She listened to her teacher’s suggestion.

palabaybayan (noun)	Meaning	Mahina si Raul sa palabaybayan.
spelling	The accepted forming of words from letters	Raul is not that good at spelling.

proyekto (noun)	Meaning	Natapos ang proyekto makalipas lamang ang tatlong buwan.
project	A planned undertaking designed for achieving a particular goal	The project was completed after only three months.

tagumpay (noun)	Meaning	Nakamit niya ang matagal nang inaasam na tagumpay.
success	The desired outcome of an undertaking or accomplishment of a purpose	He finally achieved the long-awaited success.

punong-guro (noun)	Meaning	Binisita ni Dan ang punong-guro na si Mrs. Zamora.
head teacher / principal	The chief executive officer or director of an educational institution	Dan visited Mrs. Zamora, the principal.

kwalipikado (adjective)	Meaning	Hindi siya kwalipikadong magtrabaho.
qualified	A person recognized as having the quality to perform a particular job	He was not qualified to work.

talata (noun)	Meaning	Basahing mabuti ang talata bago sagutin ang mga katanungan.
paragraph	A series of sentences dealing with a topic	Read the paragraph carefully before answering the questions.

talaan (noun)	Meaning	Hindi mahanap ni Elsa ang talaan ng mga kailangan niyang gawin.
list / record	A piece of paper used for recordkeeping	Elsa could not find the list of things she needed to do.

paraan (noun)	Meaning	Wala nang mas mainam na paraan kaysa dito.
method	A systematic procedure for accomplishing something	There is no better method than this.

ranggo (noun)	Meaning	Mataas na ang ranggo niya sa hukbo.
rank	A position in a hierarchy, especially of the armed forces	He had a high rank in the army.

lagda (noun)	Meaning	Kailangan ang iyong lagda sa mga papeles na ito.
signature	A person’s name written with his or her own hand	Your signature is needed on these papers.

takdang-aralin (noun)	Meaning	Ayaw niyang gawin ang kanyang takdang-aralin.
homework	Schoolwork required to be done at home	He doesn’t want to do his homework.

pananaliksik (noun)	Meaning	Ang pananaliksik ay pinamunuan ni Dr. Gomez.
research	A systematic investigation aimed at the establishment of facts	The research was headed by Dr. Gomez.

pagsusulit (noun)	Meaning	Kailangan nilang makapasa sa pagsusulit.
exam	A formal test of a person’s knowledge regarding a particular subject	They need to pass the exam.

Nakinig siya sa mungkahi ng kaniyang doktor. (“She listened to her doctor’s recommendation.”)

→ Don’t miss this list of Tagalog Words and Expressions to Help You in an Emergency.

asignatura (noun)	Meaning	Kalaunan, naging malinaw ang mga mahihirap na asignatura para kay Alfonso.
subject	A branch of knowledge taught in academic institutions	The difficult subjects eventually became clearer to Alfonso.

kaalaman (noun)	Meaning	Ang pag-aalaga ng mga bata ay nangangailangan ng higit pa sa iyong sariling kaalaman.
knowledge	Information acquired by an individual through education or experience	Rearing children needs more than your own knowledge.

talakayan (noun)	Meaning	Ang koponan ay nagkaroon ng isang mahabang talakayan.
discussion	A conversation regarding a certain topic	The team had a lengthy discussion.

paglilinang (noun)	Meaning	Ang lupa ay sumailalim sa isang mahirap na proseso ng paglilinang.
cultivation	The act of cultivating	The land underwent a difficult process of cultivation.

pagsasalaysay (noun)	Meaning	Walang nakinig sa kaniyang pagsasalaysay.
narration	The process of narrating a story	No one listened to his narration.

dalubhasa (noun)	Meaning	Siya ay dalubhasa sa usapin ng politika.
expert	A person who has authoritative knowledge and skill in a particular area	He was an expert in matters of politics.

2. Advanced Business Words

As you become more advanced in Tagalog, you might start considering a job or career in the Philippines. The words below will help you make a solid impression and succeed in your chosen field, wherever your dreams take you. 

negosyo (noun)	Meaning	Nakapagsimula siya ng sariling negosyo sa murang edad na dalawampu’t apat.
business	A commercial operation	He was able to start his own business at the young age of twenty-four.

salapi (noun)	Meaning	Ang proyekto ay nangangailangan ng malaking halaga ng salapi.
money	A medium of exchange used for payment	The project requires a large amount of money.

tubo (noun)	Meaning	Hindi niya inasahan ang ganoon kalaking tubo.
profit	A financial gain	He didn’t expect such a huge profit.

buwis (noun)	Meaning	Palagi niyang binabayaran ang kanyang buwis.
tax	An obligatory contribution to state revenue	He paid his taxes regularly.

samahan (noun)	Meaning	Si Arnel na ang bagong pinuno ng kanilang samahan.
organization	An organized body of people with a specific aim or purpose	Arnel is the new leader of their organization.

propesyon (noun)	Meaning	Tanong ni Dan, “Ano ang pinakamahusay na propesyon para sa akin?”
profession	A paid occupation	Dan asked, “What is the best profession for me?”

propesyonal (noun)	Meaning	Isa nang propesyonal na basketbolista si Marlou.
professional	A person engaged in a learned profession	Marlou is now a professional basketball player.

kumpanya (noun)	Meaning	Ipinamana sa akin ni Papa ang kanyang kumpanya.
company	A commercial organization	Dad bequeathed his company to me.

dokumento (noun)	Meaning	Nabigo siyang isumite ang mga dokumento.
document	A piece of writing conveying important information	He failed to submit the documents.

papeles (noun)	Meaning	Natambakan si Karla ng mga papeles sa opisina.
paperwork	Routine recordkeeping work involving documents	Karla was overwhelmed with paperwork in the office.

tagapamahala (noun)	Meaning	Nawalan sila ng magaling na tagapamahala.
supervisor	An administrative officer in charge of a business operation	They lost a great supervisor.

pagpupulong (noun)	Meaning	Dumalo silang lahat sa pagpupulong.
meeting	An assembly of organization members for discussion	They all attended the meeting.

promosyon (noun)	Meaning	Nakuha ni Roger ang promosyon noong nakaraang linggo.
promotion	The act of being raised in rank or position	Roger got the promotion last week.

Natambakan si Ben ng mga papeles sa opisina. (“He was overwhelmed with paperwork in the office.”)

→ Have you seen our list of the most common Office-Related Words in Filipino?

pag-aari (noun)	Meaning	Ibinenta niya ang lahat ng kanyang pag-aari at bumalik sa sariling bansa.
asset	The property of a person	He sold all his assets and returned to his country.

nalugi (verb)	Meaning	Muntik na siyang malugi.
bankrupt / suffered loss	To be reduced to bankruptcy	He almost went bankrupt.

kita (noun)	Meaning	Malaki ang kita sa negosyong ito.
earning	Money obtained in return for offering a product or service	The profit in this business is considerable.

diskarte (noun)	Meaning	Anong diskarte ang ginamit mo para sa pagpapaunlad ng iyong kumpanya?
strategy	A careful method or plan	What strategy did you use for growing your company?

kasunduan (noun)	Meaning	Naging matagumpay ang nangyaring kasunduan.
negotiation	A discussion aimed at reaching an agreement	The negotiations were successful.

ahente (noun)	Meaning	Si Joey ay mapagkakatiwalaang ahente.
agent	One authorized to act in the place of another	Joey is a trustworthy agent.

kontrata (noun)	Meaning	Pumirma siya ng bagong kontrata sa kumpanya.
contract	A binding agreement between two or more parties	He signed a new contract with the company.

kalakal (noun)	Meaning	Hindi madali ang paghakot ng mga kalakal sa ganitong panahon.
goods	Commodities sold in a business	Transporting goods is not easy during these times.

produkto (noun)	Meaning	Natatangi ang kanilang mga produkto.
product	Anything manufactured for sale	Their products are unique.

taghirap (noun)	Meaning	Ngayon ay panahon ng taghirap para sa maraming tao.
economic difficulty	A period of economic decline	These are difficult times for a lot of people.

industriya (noun)	Meaning	Nasa isang dekada na sila sa industriya.
industry	A group of profit-making enterprises	They have been in the industry for a decade now.

puhunan (noun)	Meaning	Ang negosyong ito ay nangangailangan ng isang malaking puhunan.
capital	Money used for starting a business	This business requires huge capital.

→ Don’t forget to familiarize yourself with these Must-Know Business Words and Phrases in Tagalog.

3. Advanced Medical Words

Below are several medical words in Filipino for advanced learners. You’ll find these terms useful whether you plan to study medicine in the Philippines or have an upcoming doctor’s appointment. 

pagamutan (noun)	Meaning	Halos dalawang buwan din siya sa pagamutan.
hospital	An institution providing medical care	He was confined to the hospital for almost two months.

impeksyon (noun)	Meaning	Gumaling na ang impeksyon na dulot ng kanyang sugat.
infection	The process or state of being infected	The infection caused by his wound has healed.

dugo (noun)	Meaning	Kinailangan ni Jane magpasalin ng dugo.
blood	Body fluid in humans and animals that transports oxygen and nutrients throughout the body via the circulatory system	Jane had to have a blood transfusion.

nalapnos (verb)	Meaning	Nalapnos ang malaking bahagi ng kanyang balat dahil sa sunog.
peeled off	The process of the skin being peeled off due to extreme heat	A large part of his skin was peeled off as a result of the fire.

bakuna (noun)	Meaning	Tumulong sila sa pagbibigay ng bakuna sa daan-daang katao.
vaccine	A substance used to stimulate antibodies for the purpose of providing immunity against sickness	They helped give the vaccine to hundreds of people.

duwal (verb)	Meaning	Ang kanyang pagsusuka ay sinusundan ng isang pakiramdam ng labis na pagduwal.
nausea	The sensation of wanting to vomit	His vomiting was followed by a feeling of extreme nausea.

plema (noun)	Meaning	Ang paghinga ng tuyong hangin ay maaaring maging sanhi ng pamumuo ng plema sa baga.
phlegm	A viscous substance secreted by the mucous membrane	Breathing in arid air can cause a buildup of phlegm in the lungs.

pigsa (noun)	Meaning	Isang misteryosong karamdaman ang nagbalot sa kanyang katawan ng mga pigsa.
a boil on the skin	An inflamed swelling on the skin	A mysterious illness enveloped his body with boils.

sipon (noun)	Meaning	Huwag kang magpaulan at uso na naman ang sipon ngayon.
common cold	A viral infection of the upper respiratory tract	Don’t get yourself wet in the rain as it’s the cold season already.

bukol (noun)	Meaning	May nakapang maliit na bukol si Nora sa kanyang likod.
lump or tumor	A localized area of swelling in any part of the body	Nora felt a small lump on her back.

virus (noun)	Meaning	Hindi siya nahawa ng virus.
virus	An infectious agent of small size and composition that causes illness or disease	He was not infected with the virus.

ubo (noun)	Meaning	Gumaling na ang matinding ubo ni ate.
cough	A sudden expulsion of air from the lungs that serves as the body’s natural mechanism of clearing the air passages	My sister’s severe cough has healed.

katarata (noun)	Meaning	Inoperahan siya dahil sa katarata.
cataract	An eye condition that gradually causes the lens of the eyes to become opaque	He was operated on for cataracts.

binat (noun)	Meaning	Manatili ka sa kama para hindi ka mabinat.
relapse	A deterioration in someone’s health after a temporary improvement	Stay in bed so you won’t have a relapse.

benda (noun)	Meaning	Binalot nila ng benda ang kamay niyang nasugatan.
bandage	A strip of cloth used to bind an injured part of the body	They wrapped his injured hand with a bandage.

gamot (noun)	Meaning	Kailangan kong mag-imbak ng mga gamot para sa hika.
medicine	A compound used for the prevention or treatment of an illness	I need to stock up on asthma medications.

sintomas (noun)	Meaning	Unti-unting nawala ang mga sintomas niya.
symptom	A manifestation of an underlying sickness	His symptoms gradually disappeared.

buntis (adjective)	Meaning	Nagalak silang malaman na buntis si Laura.
pregnant	Having a child developing in the uterus	They were excited to learn that Laura was pregnant.

impatso (noun)	Meaning	Ang tsaa ay mabuti para sa impatso.
indigestion	A difficulty in digesting food	Tea is good for indigestion.

bituka (noun)	Meaning	May sakit siya sa bituka.
intestine	The tubular part of the digestive tract connecting the stomach and the anus	He has a disease in the intestines.

kombulsyon (noun)	Meaning	Huwag maglagay ng anuman sa bibig ng iyong anak para subukang pigilin ang kombulsyon.
convulsion	A sudden violent, often involuntary, movement of the body	Never put anything in your child’s mouth to try to stop the convulsion.

turok (noun)	Meaning	Ang mga turok ng insulin ay tumutulong na makontrol ang antas ng glucose sa dugo.
injection	A thing being injected into the body as a form of medical treatment	Insulin shots help regulate blood glucose levels.

butlig (noun)	Meaning	Tinubuan ng makati at mahapding butlig ang braso ni Karen.
rash	An area of redness and slight swelling on the skin	An itchy, burning rash developed on Karen’s arm.

Tanging ang bakuna na lamang na ito ang makakatulong sa kanya. (“Only this vaccine will be able to help him now.”)

pulikat (noun)	Meaning	Nagkaroon siya ng pulikat habang tumatakbo.
cramp	A painful, involuntary muscle contraction	He had a cramp while running.

kirot (noun)	Meaning	Nakaramdam siya ng kirot sa kanang bahagi ng kanyang tiyan.
sharp pain	A sudden, intense spike of localized pain	He felt pain in his right abdomen.

manggagamot (noun)	Meaning	Sa wakas! Nakahanap din sila ng magaling na manggagamot.
doctor	One who is qualified to practice medicine	Finally! They were able to find a good doctor.

reseta (noun)	Meaning	Nakalimutan niya ang reseta niya sa bahay.
medical prescription	A written instruction by a doctor authorizing a patient to be provided medicine	He forgot his prescription at home.

trangkaso (noun)	Meaning	Hindi siya nakalabas nang dahil sa trangkaso.
flu	A contagious viral infection of the respiratory passages	He was not able to leave because of the flu.

operasyon (noun)	Meaning	Bukas nakatakda ang kanyang operasyon.
operation	Surgery performed on a patient	His operation is scheduled for tomorrow.

pangunahing lunas (noun)	Meaning	Sa Red Cross Club natutunan ni Lea kung paano magbigay ng pangunahing lunas.
first aid	Initial help given to an injured person	Lea learned how to apply first aid at the Red Cross Club.

4. Advanced Legal Words

Whether you’re preparing for law school in the Philippines, want to learn more about the Philippine judicial system, or find yourself in the middle of an unfortunate misunderstanding, these advanced Filipino words will prove useful. 

abogado (noun)	Meaning	Si Rommel ay isang magaling na abogado.
lawyer	A person qualified to practice law	Rommel is a great lawyer.

naabswelto (verb)	Meaning	Naabswelto siya dahil napatunayan na wala siyang sala.
acquit	To free someone of a criminal charge	He was acquitted because he was found to be innocent.

akusado (noun)	Meaning	Pinalaya nang pansamantala ang akusado.
defendant / accused	An individual or company accused in a court of law	The accused was briefly released.

alegasyon (noun)	Meaning	Hindi totoo ang kanilang mga alegasyon.
allegation	An assertion that a person has done something illegal	Their allegations were false.

areglo (noun)	Meaning	Ang kumpanya ay nagbayad ng humigit-kumulang isang milyon sa mga multa at areglo.
settlement / compromise	An official agreement made to resolve a dispute	The company paid approximately one million in fines and settlements.

asunto (noun)	Meaning	Limang asunto ang naihain laban kay Edgar.
lawsuit / case	Legal action to be decided in a court of law	Five lawsuits had reportedly been filed against Edgar.

benepisyaryo (noun)	Meaning	Tatlong benepisyaryo ang naghihintay sa kanya.
beneficiary	A person receiving a benefit or advantage from something	Three beneficiaries are waiting for him.

kapabayaan (noun)	Meaning	Ang kapabayaan sa mga anak ay maaaring humantong sa malaking problema ng pamilya.
negligence	Failure to take proper care of someone or something	Neglect of children can lead to serious domestic problems.

kapatawaran (noun)	Meaning	Nakatanggap siya ng kapatawaran para sa kanyang mga krimen.
pardon	The remission of legal consequences of a conviction	He received pardon for his crimes.

karapatang-pantao (noun)	Meaning	Ang ginawa nila ay labag sa karapatang-pantao.
human rights	Fundamental rights belonging to a human being	What they did was a human rights violation.

kasabwat (noun)	Meaning	Nahuli ang kasabwat ni Cardo sa krimen.
accomplice	A person associated with another in performing a crime	Cardo’s accomplice was caught.

kolateral (noun)	Meaning	Inilagay niya ang kanyang tindahan bilang kolateral upang makalikom ng pera.
collateral	Property pledged by a borrower to protect the lender	She put up her store as collateral to raise the money.

kaso (noun)	Meaning	Pagkalipas ng sampung taon, muling binuksan ang kaso.
case	Legal action to be decided in a court of law	After ten years, the case was reopened.

kustodiya (noun)	Meaning	Si Jane ay inilagay sa kustodiya ng kanyang ina.
custody	An immediate charge exercised by a person	Jane was placed under her mother’s custody.

danyos (noun)	Meaning	Nagbayad siya ng dalawang milyong piso bilang danyos sa pamilya ng biktima.
damages	Monetary compensation imposed by law for injury or loss	He paid two million pesos in damages to the victim’s family.

magdemanda (verb)	Meaning	Napilitan siyang magdemanda laban sa kanyang amo.
to sue / to file a lawsuit	A process by which a legal court makes a decision to settle a dispute	He was forced to file a lawsuit against his boss.

depensa (noun)	Meaning	Mahina ang naging depensa niya sa kaso.
defense	A challenge against allegations proposed regarding a criminal action	His defense in the case was weak.

desisyon (noun)	Meaning	Kailangan maihain ang desisyon ng korte bago pa matapos ang araw.
verdict	The decision of a jury on an issue in a criminal case	The court’s verdict must be filed before the end of the day.

ebidensya (noun)	Meaning	Nasa kanila ang lahat ng ebidensya na kailangan nila.
evidence	Information used to establish facts in a legal investigation	They have all the evidence they need.

hatol (noun)	Meaning	Ang kanyang hatol ay habambuhay na pagkakulong.
sentence	The punishment assigned to an individual found guilty by a court	His sentence was life in prison.

Ang dalawang bata ay inilagay sa kustodiya ng kanilang ina. (“The two children were placed in the custody of their mother.”)

hukom (noun)	Meaning	Bihira ka lang makahanap ng mabuting hukom.
judge	A public official who decides cases in a court of law	You rarely find a good judge.

lisensya (noun)	Meaning	Ang kanyang lisensya ay nakumpiska dahil sa isang paglabag.
license	A permit issued by authority to do a particular thing or to own and use something	His license was confiscated due to a violation.

litigasyon (noun)	Meaning	Nagawa nilang makaiwas sa litigasyon.
litigation	The process of settling a dispute in a court of law	They were able to avoid litigation.

maysala (noun)	Meaning	Ayaw makipagtulungan ng biktima sa maysala.
guilty / offender	A person justly chargeable with a crime	The victim refused to cooperate with the offender.

motibo (noun)	Meaning	Inaalam pa rin ang motibo sa krimen.
motive	A reason for doing something	The motive for the crime is still being determined.

multa (noun)	Meaning	Malaki ang multa sa paglabag ng batas na ito.
fine	Money exacted by authority as a penalty for breaking the law	There are large fines for violating this law.

nasasakdal (noun)	Meaning	Tinanggihan ng hukuman ang katwiran ng nasasakdal.
plaintiff	One who brings a case against another in a court of law	The court rejected the plaintiff’s argument.

paglilitis (noun)	Meaning	Mabilis natapos ang paglilitis.
trial	The formal examination of the facts of a case before a competent tribunal	The trial ended quickly.

5. Alternative Words to Make an Impression

Whether you’re taking a Tagalog proficiency exam, writing an essay for school, or giving an oral presentation, one way you can make an impression is by showcasing a broad selection of stellar vocabulary. In this section, we present to you a list of Filipino adverbs, verbs, conjunctions, prepositions, and other words you can use as more compelling alternatives to simpler words. 

1 – Alternative Adverbs

tama	wasto	Gamitin ng wasto ang iyong kaalaman.
correctly	correctly	Use your knowledge correctly.

espesyal	natatangi	Siya ay isang natatanging musikero.
uniquely	uniquely	He is a uniquely talented musician.

magkahiwalay	magkabukod	Magkabukod silang dumating.
separately	separately	They arrived separately.

talaga	sadya	Sadyang mabilis magsalita si Aristotle.
very	simply	Aristotle simply talks fast.

kaunti	bahagya	Ibinaba niya ng bahagya ang bintana ng kotse.
slightly	slightly	She slightly lowered the window of her car.

doon	sa dako roon	Sa dako roon ay maraming tubig.
over there	over there	There is a lot of water over there.

kahit saan	sa lahat ng dako	Mayroong mga paalala ng kaligtasan sa lahat ng dako.
everywhere	everywhere	There are safety reminders everywhere.

mabilis	matulin	Tumakbo siya nang matulin para mahabol ang bus.
fast	fast	He ran fast to catch the bus.

dahan-dahan	banayad	Banayad na umihip ang hangin sa mukha ni Mandy.
slowly	softly / gently	The wind blew lightly on Mandy’s face.

malapit na	sa lalong madaling panahon	Malalaman nila ang katotohanan sa lalong madaling panahon.
soon	soon	They will know the truth soon.

kaagad	kagyat	Ang iyong mungkahi ay maaaring kagyat na makaantig ng interes.
immediately	immediately	Your proposal may arouse immediate interest.

hindi masyado	bahagya	Ang mga petsa ay magkaiba nang bahagya.
barely	a little	The dates vary a little.

kamuntik	halos	Naaalala niya kahit pagkalipas ng halos isang dekada.
almost	almost	She remembers even after almost a decade.

palagi	pirme	Pirme niyang pinagmamasdan ang larawan ng asawa.
always	constantly	He constantly looked at his wife’s picture.

kadalasan	karaniwan	Karaniwan ay wala siyang imik.
usually	usually	He is usually silent.

hinding-hindi	hindi kailanman	Ang pag-ibig ko sa’yo ay hindi kailanman magbabago.
never	never	My love for you will never change.

2 – Alternative Verbs

inabuso	minaltrato	Naalala niya kung paano siya minaltrato ng kanyang asawa.
abused	mistreated	He remembers how his wife mistreated him.

pinatay	kinitilan ng buhay	Limang katao ang kinitilan ng buhay sa trahedyang naganap.
killed	killed	Five people were killed in the tragedy.

magnakaw	mandambong	Sinamantala niya ang sitwasyon upang mandambong at manloob.
to steal	to plunder	He took advantage of the situation to plunder and loot.

kumilos	umayos	Umayos kang kagalang-galang.
to act	to act	Act like a gentleman.

umalis	lumisan	Huwag kang lumisan nang basta-basta.
to leave	to leave	Don’t just leave.

kantahin	awitin	Awitin natin ang paborito mong kanta.
to sing	to sing	Let’s sing your favorite song.

namatay	pumanaw	Pumanaw ang matalik mong kaibigan.
died	passed away	Your best friend has passed away.

umiwas	lumayo	Lumayo ka sa masamang impluwensya upang hindi ka mapahamak.
to avoid	to flee	Stay away from bad influences so you won’t get in trouble.

nasira	napinsala	Dalawampu’t-dalawang bahay ang napinsala ng bagyo.
broken	damaged	Twenty-two houses were damaged by the typhoon.

sumali	umanib	Umanib sila sa hari.
to join	to enlist / to be allies with	They allied themselves with the king.

bumisita	dumalaw	Dumalaw ka sa amin palagi.
to visit	to visit	Come and visit us always.

nakatira	nananahan	Nananahan kami nang matiwasay bago sila dumating.
living	dwelling	We were dwelling in the land peacefully before they arrived.

gustuhin	hangarin	Hangarin mo na maging katulad niya.
to want	to aspire	Go and aspire to be like him.

magtago	magkimkim	Mahirap magkimkim ng sama ng loob.
to hide	to harbor	It is difficult to harbor resentment.

sinayang	nilustay	Nilustay niya ang pera ng kanyang ama.
wasted	squandered	He squandered his father’s money.

isinaksak	itinarak	Itinarak niya ang tabak sa lupang tigang.
stabbed	thrusted	He thrusted his sword into the parched ground.

itinayo	itinatag	Itinatag niya ang kumpanya para makatulong sa mga mahihirap.
built	established	He established the company to help the poor.

ikutin	pihitin	Pilit mang pihitin ang busol ay hindi niya mabuksan ang pinto.
to rotate	to twist	Even if he tried to turn the knob, he could not open the door.

3 – Alternative Conjunctions

dahil	sapagkat	Huwag kang matakot sapagkat ako’y naririto.
because	for	Do not be afraid, for I am here.

pero	datapuwat	Ang sabi niya ay mahal niya ako. Datapuwat, kailangan niyang lumayo.
but	however	He said he loves me. However, he had to stay away for a while.

kahit	bagaman	Bagaman wais, hindi matalino si Lumen.
even though	although	Although clever, Lumen was not that intelligent.

kahit na	gayunman/gayunpaman	Hindi ako mayaman. Gayunpaman, alam kong magtatagumpay ako.
even though	nevertheless	I am not rich. Nevertheless, I know I will succeed.

ngunit	subalit	Bulag si Sabel, subalit nakikilala niya ang tinig ko.
but	however	Sabel is blind, but she recognizes my voice.

kahit ano	anuman	Anuman ang sabihin nila, susuportahan pa rin kita.
whatever	whatever	Whatever they say, I will still support you.

kaya	dahil diyan	Wala siya dito. Dahil diyan, iminumungkahi ko na bumalik ka bukas.
so	therefore	He is not here. Therefore, I suggest you come back tomorrow.

para	upang	Kailangan mong magtrabaho upang makaraos.
so that	to	You have to work to survive.

kung kaya	anupa’t (ano pa at)	Mabagal siyang kumilos. Anupa’t hindi niya sila naabutan.
that is why	therefore	He moved very slowly. Therefore, he was not able to catch up with them.

imbes	bagkus; sa halip	Hindi lamang ito isang laro, bagkus ito ay buhay ko.
instead	rather	This is not just a game; rather, it is my life.

kung	kapag	Kapag nahanap mo ang tamang daan, huwag ka nang lilingon pa.
if	once	Once you find the right path, do not ever look back.

4 – Alternative Prepositions

tungkol	ukol	Ano ang pananaw mo ukol sa sitwasyong ito?
about	on	What is your view on this situation?

laban sa	labag sa	Labag sa kalooban niya ang nangyari.
against	against	What happened was against his will.

ayon sa	alinsunod sa	Alinsunod sa patakaran ng paaralan, kailangan masuspende ng mag-aaral.
according to	in accordance with	In accordance with school policy, the student must be suspended.

sa tabi	sa piling	Ang gusto ko ay palagi kang nasa piling ko.
beside	with	I want you to always be with me.

iyan	yaon	Yaon ang sabi niya kay Sebastian.
that	that	That’s what he told Sebastian.

Awitin natin ang paborito mong kanta! (“Let’s sing your favorite song!”)

Learn More Advanced Tagalog Words with FilipinoPod101!

There you have it: our list of advanced Tagalog words! This is not an exhaustive list, so if you feel like we missed any good words you know, please share with us in the comments! 

We know that you’re excited to apply what you’ve learned here, but you also probably know that this is not the end of your Filipino learning journey. There is still so much more to learn, not only about the language but also about the culture of the Philippines. That’s where FilipinoPod101 comes in.

At FilipinoPod101, you can expand your vocabulary and refine your grammar skills with the help of various free resources, blog posts, word banks, and more! FilipinoPod101 employs an innovative approach to helping students learn Filipino, so you can rest assured that all the lessons are unique and dynamic. Not to mention that you can have lessons tailored to your needs, as well. All that via our MyTeacher service. Go ahead and sign up now!

It takes 200 hours of studying basic Filipino grammar and vocabulary for students to reach the intermediate level. So, if you’re reading this right now, you deserve a round of applause—it means you’re ready to take things to the next level!

By the end of this lesson, you’ll find it a lot easier to comprehend everyday words and expressions about people and work. You’ll also learn new words in a variety of categories that you can use to describe people, things, your emotions, and even the weather. 

We’re talking about around 300 intermediate Tagalog words and phrases, which is a lot. A great way to master these words is to use them in context. It’s also ideal to study them by theme, which is why we’ve categorized them this way throughout the article. 

Now, we have a lot of words to learn and get down pat. Let’s get started!

A great way to master intermediate Filipino words is to use them in context.

Table of Contents

1. Mga Bilang (Numbers)
2. Mga Pangngalan (Nouns)
3. Verbs
4. Adjectives
5. Pang-abay (Adverbs)
6. Pang-Ukol (Prepositions)
7. Mga Pangatnig (Conjunctions)
8. Auxiliary Words and Particles
9. Refine your Tagalog vocabulary skills with FilipinoPod101!

1. Mga Bilang (Numbers)

Now that you’ve mastered the basic numbers from 1 to 10 in Filipino, it’s time to learn the teens and the numbers beyond them. When counting from 11 to 19 in Filipino, just add the prefix labing to the numbers 1-9. Labing is a contraction of labi (“excess”) and ng (“of”), and it refers to the excess of ten. For instance, the number 11 is one unit in excess of ten, so that would be labing + isa (“one”), or “one more than ten.”

1 – From 11 to 19

11	labing-isa
12	labindalawa
13	labintatlo
14	labing-apat
15	labinlima
16	labing-anim
17	labimpito
18	labingwalo
19	labinsiyam

2 – From 20 to 90

Counting beyond the teen numbers is not difficult in Filipino. The formula is to add the suffix -pu, which is short for sampu (“ten”), to the numbers in the tens place. For instance, the number 20 is dalawampu, which basically means “two tens” or “two multiplied by ten.” Keep in mind that some numbers need the linker na.

30	tatlumpu
40	apatnapu
50	limampu
60	animnapu
70	pitumpu
80	walumpu
90	siyamnapu

3 – Counting to the Thousands (and Beyond)

“Hundred” is daan in Tagalog, so counting in hundreds simply means adding this word to the numbers in the hundreds place. Keep in mind that we use the linker ng in number words that end in vowels. Moreover, the d in daan changes to r when the linker used is na, which is placed after words that end in consonants. 

100	isang daan
200	dalawang daan
300	tatlong daan
400	apat na raan
500	limang daan
600	anim na raan
700	pitong daan
800	walong daan
900	siyam na raan

Counting in thousands and millions is just as easy. For thousands, you just use the word libo (“thousand”), and for millions, you use the word milyon (“million”).

1,000	isang libo
2,000	dalawang libo
5,000	limang libo
7,000	pitong libo
10,000	sampung libo
100,000	isang daang libo
1,000,000	isang milyon

Ang Pilipinas ay may mahigit pitong libong mga isla! (“The Philippines is made up of over 7,000 islands!”)

→ Need a refresher on the basic Filipino numbers? We’ve got you covered!

2. Mga Pangngalan (Nouns)

Here’s a list of intermediate-level nouns, or pangngalan, to add to your vocabulary.

1 – Time

Filipino	English
dekada	decade
siglo	century
milenyo	millenium
semestre	semester
panahon	period
hating-gabi	midnight
madaling-araw	wee hours

2 – People

Filipino	English
pangalan	name
apelyido	family name
palayaw	nickname
magulang	parent
balae	parent of one’s son- or daughter-in-law
biyenan	father- or mother-in-law
manugang	son- or daughter-in-law
bayaw	brother-in-law
hipag	sister-in-law
amain	stepfather
inain	stepmother
dalaga	single woman
binata	single man
kasintahan	lover
nobyo	boyfriend
nobya	girlfriend
kamag-anak	relative
kaibigan	friend
barkada	gang
kalaro	playmate
kapamilya	family member
kapitbahay	neighbor
ninong	godfather
ninang	godmother
bilas	brother-in-law’s wife or sister-in-law’s husband
kaklase	classmate
mama	man
ale	woman
bata	child
tao	person
kakilala	acquaintance
katrabaho	coworker
amo	boss / employer
katulong	maid
tauhan	staff

3 – Professions

Filipino	English
basurero	garbage collector
guwardiya	security guard
tsuper	driver
tindero	male merchant / salesman
tindera	female merchant / saleslady
barbero	barber
manikurista	manicurist
bumbero	fireman
artista	actor / actress
abugado	lawyer
karpintero	carpenter
magsasaka	farmer
tubero	plumber
mekaniko	mechanic
magnanakaw	burglar
kusinero	cook
tagalinis	janitor
piloto	pilot
manggagawa	worker
mangingisda	fisherfolk
dentista	dentist
pari	priest

4 – Various Nouns

Filipino	English
awtoridad	authority
batas	law
alaga	pet
halaman	plants
puno	trees
pananim	crops
kotse	car
bahay	house
telepono	telephone
bisikleta	bicycle
motor	motorbike
dyip	jeepney
sasakyan	vehicle
pitaka	wallet
damit	clothing
pantalon	pants
sapatos	shoes
tsinelas	flip-flops

Paki-iwan ng madumi mong tsinelas sa may pintuan. (“Please leave your dirty flip-flops by the door.”)

→ Remember to check out this page, too, for more practical Filipino nouns.

3. Verbs

At the beginner level, you learned a number of commonly used action words and auxiliaries. But what if you want to express a more nuanced idea or add flair to your writing? Below, you’ll find several intermediate Tagalog verbs you can start practicing right away! 

The great thing about Filipino verbs is that the rules for conjugation remain the same, no matter the verb’s level of difficulty. Filipino verbs are grouped according to how they’re conjugated. You’ll observe that most of the verbs we used in this list are -UM verbs. We’re not going to go into detail regarding what -UM verbs are, but you can always visit our blog entry on Filipino verb conjugation to learn more about them. 

Filipino	English
magtalaga	to assign
magpakabait	to behave
manatili	to remain
magpaiwan	to stay
huminga	to breathe
sumabog	to burst / to explode
kumbinsihin	to convince
maniwala	to believe
gumuhit	to draw
magpintura	to paint
mag-alaga	to take care
magdesisyon	to decide
tumuklas	to discover
magsaya	to enjoy
magbura	to erase
matakot	to be afraid
lumipad	to fly
umurong	to shrink / to move back
sumuko	to surrender / to give up
sumuka	to vomit
magbiro	to joke; to pull a prank
humalik	to kiss
magpaalam	to ask permission / to say goodbye
umorder	to give an order
umutos	to give a command
magtipon	to gather
kumulekta	to collect
maglagay	to put
magtanggal	to eliminate / to get rid of
mag-alis	to remove
sumuntok	to punch
magdagdag	to add
magbawas	to subtract
mag-ayos	to fix / to arrange
umikot	to rotate
lumingon	to look back
baliin	to break
sirain	to destroy
ayusin	to fix
kumanta	to sing
sumayaw	to dance
sumunod	to follow
pumusta	to place a bet
maglaro	to play
maglinis	to clean
umasikaso	to attend to
gumamot	to mend
pumatay	to kill
gumanti	to take revenge
magpatawad	to forgive
magmahal	to love
magsanay	to train
manganak	to have a child
manalo	to win
matalo	to lose
mamalengke	to go to the market
mag-igib	to fetch some water

Mabuti at umulan. Hindi ko na kailangang mag-igib. (“Thank goodness it rained. There’s no need for me to fetch some water.”)

→ Our Comprehensive Guide to Filipino Verbs will surely give you a leg-up on your journey to mastering Filipino!

4. Adjectives

We’ve already introduced you to a few basic Filipino adjectives in our previous articles. For the intermediate level, we’ve doubled the number of items on our list. And if this is still not enough, you can always check out our list of the 50 most common Filipino adjectives with audio recordings. 

1 – Adjectives Describing Objects

Filipino	English
tumpak	accurate
sinauna	ancient
pangkaraniwan	ordinary / average
magkapareho	similar
kumplikado	complicated
napakalaki	huge / very large
napakaliit	tiny / very small
sapat	sufficient
bago	new
luma	old
malambot	soft
matigas	hard
magaspang	rough
makinis	smooth
maliwanag	bright
madilim	dark
sariwa	fresh
mabigat	heavy
magaan	light
mahal	expensive
mura	cheap
abot-kaya	affordable
malabo	blurry / hazy
makitid	narrow
tuyo	dry
basa	wet

2 – Adjectives Describing People

Filipino	English
magaling	awesome / great
matalino	intelligent
mahirap	poor
mayaman	rich
matapang	brave
duwag	cowardly
malakas	strong
madaldal	talkative
mabait	kind
mabuti	good
masama	bad
gastador	spender
matipid	thrifty
kuripot	stingy
singkit	with slanted eyes
kulot	with curly hair
malandi	flirty
bobo	dumb
mayabang	arrogant / humbug
mapagpakumbaba	humble
kalbo	bald
bata	young
matanda	old

3 – Adjectives Describing Emotions

Filipino	English
natatakot	afraid
nag-aalala	worried
naiinggit	envious
kalmado	calm
naiinis	annoyed
nababagot	bored
nandidiri	loathsome / grossed out
nagulat	shocked / surprised
natatawa	amused
naaaliw	entertained
sabik	excited
mapayapa	peaceful
kabado	nervous
mahinahon	relaxed
kuntento	satisfied
nasasaktan	hurting
pagod	tired
naguguluhan	confused
naiirita	irritated
balisa	anxious

4 – Adjectives Describing the Weather

Filipino	English
mabagyo	stormy
napakainit	very hot
napakaginaw	very cold
napakalamig	very cool
presko	cool
mahamog	foggy
hindi maulap	cloudless

Hindi pa siya kuntento kaya nag-aral pa siya ng nag-aral. (“He wasn’t satisfied, so he studied more and more.”)

5. Pang-abay (Adverbs)

Adverbs are called pang-abay in Filipino. While there are only five types of adverbs in English, the Filipino language has up to twelve types. We have a separate article covering Filipino adverbs in more detail if you’d like to study the topic further. In the meantime, here’s a list of the most useful everyday Filipino adverbs for the intermediate level.

1 – Time & Frequency

Filipino	English
kadalasan	usually
tuwing	every time / whenever
kinabukasan	tomorrow / the day after
araw-araw	every day / daily
palagi	always
minsan	once in a while
bihira	rarely
isang beses	once
dalawang beses	twice
sa	on
kapag	when / whenever
hanggang	until
kahapon	yesterday
bukas	tomorrow
ngayon	now
ngayong araw	today
mamaya	later

2 – Manner

Filipino	English
mabilis	quickly
dahan-dahan	slowly
mahinahon	calmly
puwersahan	forcefully
kaagad-agad	immediately
mahigpit	tightly
malakas	loudly
tahimik	silently

3 – Place

Filipino	English
wala saanman	nowhere
kahit saan	anywhere
kung saan-saan	somewhere / everywhere
sa itaas	above
sa ibaba	below
sa ibabaw	over / on top
sa dulo	at the end
doon	there
dito	here

4 – Measure

Filipino	English
marami	many / plenty
kaunti	few / a little
sapat	enough
kalahati	half
halos	almost

Mahigpit niyang niyakap ang kanyang anak. (“He hugged his daughter tightly.”)

6. Pang-Ukol (Prepositions)

The next set of intermediate Tagalog words we’ll look at are prepositions, or pang-ukol in Filipino. They help expand the meaning of a sentence by stating where or when something is, what time something occurred, what caused an action to happen, and so on, in relation to another person or thing. Here’s a list of the most common Filipino prepositions.

Filipino	English
ng	of
sa	on
ni	of (non-focus marker)
kay	to (singular)
kina	to (plural)
ayon sa	according to
para sa	for
tungkol sa/kay	about

7. Mga Pangatnig (Conjunctions)

We already covered some of the most common Filipino conjunctions in our entry on Filipino beginner words. As mentioned, there are as many of them in Filipino as there are in English. Here are more words to add to your arsenal.

Filipino	English
saka, pati	and
o	or
ngunit	but
kapag	if
dahil	because

The thing about Filipino conjunctions is that their difficulty lies not in their function but in how often they’re used. For instance, the conjunction ngunit (“but”) means the same thing as kasi. However, between the two, the latter is more commonly used in everyday speech, while the former is often used in literature.

8. Auxiliary Words and Particles

The Filipino language has enclitic particles that convey important nuances in meaning. Some of them don’t have direct translations in English, and some are used in conjunction with other enclitic particles. The following is a short list of some of the most common and most important Filipino enclitic particles used in everyday speech. Learning how to incorporate these into your conversations is a great way to improve your Tagalog as you approach the intermediate level. 

Filipino	English
pa	still
nga	indeed
na	now / already
din/rin	too / also
daw/raw	it is said / I’m told
ba	interrogative marker

The meaning of each particle varies slightly depending on how it’s used in a sentence. Let’s take the particle pa, for example:

• Ayaw ko pa. (“I don’t want to yet.”)

In this example, pa is used to emphasize that the speaker is not yet ready to do something.

• Dagdagan mo pa. (“Please add more.”)

In this example, pa is used to emphasize that the speaker is requesting that a particular action be continued or that its intensity be increased.

Meanwhile, the particle ba is one of those untranslatable Tagalog words. It’s often found at the end (or near the end) of an interrogative sentence, particularly yes-no questions.

• Kumain ka na ba? (“Have you eaten yet?”)
• Nagluto ka ba? (“Did you cook?”)
• Naririnig mo ba ako? (“Can you hear me?”)

Bababa ba? (“Going down?”)

9. Refine your Tagalog vocabulary skills with FilipinoPod101!

Allow us to give you a pat on the back for reaching the end of this intermediate Tagalog vocabulary guide! If you believe there are more words that should have been on this list, let us know in the comments below.

Wait, don’t leave just yet! We know you’re excited to use your newly acquired knowledge, but what if we told you that you can learn even more? That’s right! With FilipinoPod101, you can learn more than just vocabulary. We can help you refine your grammar skills and broaden your cultural knowledge, so that you can reach the advanced level soon and become a fluent Tagalog communicator!

Yes, that is possible with all the free resources available here on our website—not to mention all of our audio and video lessons, our list of over 2000 Filipino vocabulary words, and our Filipino-English dictionary! And if you sign up, you’ll gain access to one of our most sought-after features—MyTeacher. MyTeacher is a Premium PLUS service that allows learners like you to enjoy 1-on-1 lessons with a professional Filipino teacher. It’s designed to tailor lessons according to the needs of our students, so you can enjoy learning at your own pace and in your own style. 

We can’t wait to see you become part of the FilipinoPod101 community!