Most Filipinos will have a basic understanding of English and will try to converse with you if they can. Most are friendly enough to make conversation but some may be too shy to carry on a full conversation in English especially if they are not well-versed. Do not be offended if they shy away.
Here is a list of some useful words & phrases in Tagalog, the main Filipino dialect used in Metro Manila & may be understood in most parts of the Philippines.
PRONUNCIATION
It is useful to note that Tagalog words are pronounced exactly as they are spelled. Each vowel represents one separate syllable. Just as "papaya" is pronounced "pa-pa-ya," the word "marunong" is pronounced "ma-ru-nong", the word "magsalita" is pronounced "mag-sa-li-ta".
A pronunciation guide for Tagalog vowels:
A - short "A" sound as in "Papa" or "Tart"
E - short "E" as in "Bed"
I - a long "ee" sound as in "Tweet"
O - as in the "au" sound in "Pauper"
U - a long "oo" sound as in "Pool"
FORMALITIES
It is always wise to add the word "po" to sentences as a form of respect or formality when speaking to elders or those you have just met or are not close with.
TO START OFF
Do you
know how to speak English? - Marunong po ba kayong magsalita ng Inggles?
I don't know how to speak Tagalog. - Hindi po ako marunong magsalita ng Tagalog.
GREETINGS AND PLEASANTRIES
How are you? / Hi. / Hello. - Kumusta? / Kumusta ka? (Informal. (May also be used to say "hello.")
I'm fine - Mabuti.
Good morning - Magandang umaga
Good afternoon - Magandang hapon
Good evening - Maganding Gabi
Thank you - Salamat po
You're welcome - Walang anuman.
My name is ... - Ang pangalan ko ay...
What
is your name? – Anong pangalan mo? (informal) / Ano po ang pangalan ninyo?
(formal)
USEFUL PHRASES
Sorry / Excuse me - Pasensya na po.
Where is the washroom? - "Nasaan po ang C.R.?" (as in "Comfort Room." This is colloquial / slang, widely used. Use this and you will more likely be understood than if you use "washroom", "restroom", or "W.C.")
May I bother you for a moment? - Maaari po ba kayong maabala sandali?
What is this? - Ano po ito?
What is that? - Ano po 'yan?(referring to something nearer) / Ano po 'yon?(referring to something far)
Can you please help me? - Maaari n'yo po ba akong tulungan?
Help! - Tulong!
I - Ako
You (informal singular)- Ikaw
You (formal singular or informal/formal plural) - Kayo
Us/ We - Kami (excluding the person being spoken to)
Us/ We - Tayo (including the person being spoken to)
Them - Sila
Mine - Sa akin /Sa 'kin
Yours - Sa iyo / Sa 'yo
Ours - Sa atin / Sa 'tin
Theirs - Sa kanila
This - Ito
That - Iyan / 'Yan
Is - ay
GETTING AROUND
Can you take (drive) me to...? - Pwede nyo po akong dalhin sa...?
I'm lost - Nawawala po ako.
I'm looking for... - Hinahanap ko po ang... (a place)
I'm looking for... - Hinahanap ko po si... (a person)
I'm looking for... - Naghahanap po ako ng... (a thing)
Can you show me on a map how to get there? - Maaari bang ipakita nyo sa mapa paano po pumunta doon?
Where is...? - Nasaan po ba ang...?
Left – Kaliwa / Please turn left – Kumaliwa po kayo.
Right – Kanan / Please turn right – Kumanan po kayo.
Straight ahead – Diretso / Go straight ahead – Diretso lang po.
In front - Sa harap
Behind - Sa likod
Upstairs/Above - Sa taas
Downstairs/Below - Sa baba
Please write that down for me. - Pakisulat naman po 'yon. (You may also use "Pakisulat naman po ang address." to ask for an exact address and you will be understood)
When is...? - Kailan po ang...?
...the train arriving? - "Kailan po ang dating ng tren?"
What time is...? - Anong oras po ang...?
BUYING AND BARGAINING
How much is this? - Magkano po ito?
Too expensive - Masyadong mahal. / Ang mahal naman.
May I ask for a bargain? / Please lower the price. - Pahingi naman po ng tawad. / Tawad naman po. / Babaan nyo naman po ang presyo.
Keep the change. - Sa inyo nalang po ang sukli.
You haven't given me enough change. - Kulang po ang sukli.
You've given me too much change. - Sobra po ang sukli.
Do you have this in a different color? – Mayroon ba kayong ibang kulay? (Then specify color in English)
Do you have this in a different size? – May ibang size ba kayo nito? (Then specify size in English)
Bigger – Mas malaki
Smaller – Mas maliit
AGREEING AND DISAGREEING
Yes - Oo (informal). Opo (formal)
No - Hindi (informal). Hindi po (formal)
Maybe / Might - Siguro / Baka
Please do - Sige (can also mean "go / go ahead") / Sige na! (Please do! with emphasis)
Don't - Huwag
Can / May - Pwede / Maaari
Can't / May not - Hindi pwede / Hindi maaari
I want/ I like - Gusto ko (informal) / Gusto ko po (formal)
I want a... - Gusto ko ng... (informal) / Gusto ko po ng... (formal)
I don't want/ I don't like - Ayaw ko (informal) / Ayoko (slang) / Hindi ko po gusto (formal)
I need a... - Kailangan ko ng ... (informal) - Kailangan ko po ng ... (formal)
I don't need... - Hindi ko kailangan. (informal) / Hindi ko po kailangan. (formal)
Correct - Tama
Incorrect / Wrong - Mali
EATING
Breakfast - Almusal
Lunch - Pananghalian
Dinner - Hapunan
Afternoon snack - Merienda
Note: In several fast food restaurants, you may be asked “Dine in or take out?” It is not customary to order “to go” or “for here.”
DAYS OF THE WEEK - MGA ARAW NG LINGGO:
Monday - Lunes
Tuesday - Martes
Wednesday - Miyerkules
Thursday - Huwebes
Friday - Biyernes
Saturday - Sabado
Sunday - Linggo
DENOTING TIME:
Earlier / A while ago - Kanina
Earlier this morning - Kaninang umaga
Earlier this afternoon - Kaninang hapon
Now - Ngayon
Later - Mamaya
Later this afternoon - Mamayang hapon
Later tonight - Mamayang gabi
Today - Ngayong araw
Tomorrow - Bukas
Yesterday - Kahapon (can also mean "yesterday afternoon")
Last night - Kagabi
Last week - Noong nakaraang linggo
This week - Ngayong linggo
Next week - Sa susunod na linggo
Last month - Noong nakaraang buwan
This month - Ngayong buwan
Next month - Sa susunod na buwan
Last year - Noong nakaraang taon
This year - Ngayong taon
Next year - Sa susunod na taon
NUMBERS - MGA NUMERO:
Note: Filipinos use both Tagalog and Spanish words for numbers and may switch from one language to the other depending on usage. Tagalog numbers are used to count things and people ("one person" - "isang tao" --- "one dog" - "isang aso"). Spanish numbers are used when telling time ("1:00PM" - "ala una" --- "1:30PM" - "ala una imedya" --- "2:00PM" - "alas dos"), and used interchangeably with Tagalog numbers when counting money or age ("Two thousand pesos" - "Dalawang libong piso" OR "Dos mil" --- "Eighteen years old" - "Labinwalong taong gulang" OR "Disi-otso anyos")
Tagalog Numbers
Note: When counting MONEY, Tagalog numbers ending with vowels are used with the suffix "-ng", while numbers ending in consonants are followed by the word "na" (meaning "of") and followed by the word "Piso" which represents "Pesos", the Philippine currency.
English - Tagalog - Tagalog number in currency
One - Isa - Isang piso
Two - Dalawa - Dalawang piso
Three - Tatlo - Tatlung piso
Four - Apat - Apat na piso
Five - Lima - Limang piso
Six - Anim - Anim na piso
Seven - Pito - Pitung piso
Eight - Walo - Walung piso
Nine - Siyam - Siyam na piso
Ten - Sampo / Diyes - Sampung piso
***For numbers 11-19, the prefix "labin-" is added to numbers starting with consonants, while the prefix "labing-" is added to numbers starting with vowels***
Eleven - Labing-isa - Labing-isang piso
Twelve - Labing-dalawa - Labindalawang piso
Thirteen - Labing-tatlo - Labintatlung piso
Fourteen - Labing-apat - Labing-apat na piso
Fifteen - Labing-lima - Labinlimang piso
Sixteen - Labing-anim - Labing-anim na piso
Seventeen - Labing-pito - Labinpitung piso
Eighteen - Labing-walo - Labinwalung piso
Nineteen - Labing-siyam - Labinsiyam na piso
Twenty - Dalawampo - Dalawampung piso
***For numbers 21-29, 31-39 and onwards, the contracted form of the word "at" (meaning "and") is attached, spelled as ('t) and followed by the corresponding ending number.***
Twenty-one - Dalawampu't isa - Dalawampu't isang piso
Twenty-two - Dalawampu't dalawa - Dalawampu't dalawang piso
Twenty-three - Dalawampu't tatlo - Dalawampu't tatlung piso
Twenty-four - Dalawampu't apat - Dalawampu't apat na piso
Twenty-five - Dalawampu't lima - Dalawampu't limang piso
Twenty-six - Dalawampu't anim - Dalawampu't anim na piso
Twenty-seven - Dalawampu't pito - Dalawampu't pitung piso
Twenty-eight - Dalwampu't walo - Dalawampu't walung piso
Twenty-nine - Dalawampu't siyam - Dalawampu't siyam na piso
Thirty - Tatlumpo - Taltlumpung piso
Forty - Apatnapo - Apatnapung piso
Fifty - Limampo - Limampung piso
Sixty - Animnapo - Animnapung piso
Seventy - Pitumpo - Pitumpung piso
Eighty - Walumpo - Walumpung piso
Ninety - Siyamnapu - Siyamnapung piso
One Hundred - Isang Daan - Isang daang piso
Five Hundred - Limang Daan - Limang daang piso
One Thousand - Isang Libo - Isang libung piso
Spanish Numbers
Note: When counting MONEY, Spanish numbers are usually used alone, and are sometimes not followed by the word "Piso" or "Pesos". You will also note a difference from the actual Spanish spelling of the following numbers. Again, the words are pronounced as spelled.
English - Spanish - Spanish number in currency
One - Uno
Two - Dos
Three - Tres
Four - Kwatro
Five - Singko
Six - Sais
Seven - Siete
Eight - Otso
Nine - Nuwebe
Ten - Diyes
Eleven - Onse
Twelve - Dose
Thirteen - Trese
Fourteen - Katorse
Fifteen - Kinse
Sixteen - Disi-sais
Seventeen - Disi-Siete
Eighteen - Disi-Otso
Nineteen - Disi-Nuwebe
Twenty - Beynte - Beynte pesos
Thirty - Trenta - Trenta pesos
Forty - Kwarenta - Kwarenta pesos
Fifty - Singkwenta - Singkwenta pesos
Sixty - Sisenta - Sisenta pesos
Seventy - Sitenta - Sitenta pesos
Eighty - Otsenta - Otsenta pesos
Ninety - Nobenta - Nobenta pesos
One Hundred - SIyento - Siyento pesos
Five Hundred - Kinyentos
One Thousand - Mil
Two Thousand - Dos mil
Five Thousand - Singko mil
Ten Thousand - Diyes mil
