Quick Tagalog Tips for Tourists

When visiting a new place, especially a foreign country, it pays to know some of the local words. But the Philippines is one of those countries where the majority of the citizens can speak English. This means that the English-speaking tourist will not have a difficult time getting around the country.

However, knowing some Tagalog phrases is still a great idea so that the tourist can endear himself to the locals. When locals are impressed, they go out of their way and they bend backwards just to please their visitor.

Here are basic Tagalog terms that will be quite useful for the tourist:

A. Greetings:

The word “maganda” means “good” or “beautiful”. And “po” is a syllable that radiates “respect”·

Good morning – Magandang umaga po (pronounced: Ma-gan-dang u-ma-ga po)·

Good noon – Magandang tanghali po (Ma-gan-dang tang-ha-li po)·

Good afternoon – Magandang hapon po (Ma-gan-dang ha-pon po)·

Good evening – Magandang gabi po (Ma-gan-dang ga-bi po)

B. Meeting a new person:

What is your name? – Ano po ang pangalan nila? (A-no po ang pa-nga-lan ni-la)

I am John – Ako po si John (A-ko po si)

How are you? – Kumusta po kayo? (Ku-mus-ta po ka-yo)

I’m fine – Mabuti naman (Ma-bu-ti na-man)

Thank you – Salamat po (Sa-la-mat po)

Thank you very much – Maraming salamat po (ma-ra-ming sa-la-mat po)

You are welcome – Walang anuman (Wa-lang a-nu-man)

C. Conversational phrases:

How old are you? – Ilang taon ka na? (I-lang ta-on ka na?)

Where do you live? – Saan ka nakatira? (Sa-an ka na-ka-ti-ra)

Where are you from? – Taga-saan ka? (Ta-ga-sa-an ka?)

Have you eaten yet? – Kumain ka na ba? (Ku-ma-in ka na ba)

What time is it? – Anong oras na po? (A-nong o-ras na po)

Where are you going? – Saan ka pupunta? (Sa-an ka pu-pun-ta)

Where are we going? – Saan tayo pupunta? (Sa-an ta-yo pu-pun-ta)

D. Questions:

What – Ano (A-no)

Who – Sino (Si-no)

When – Kailan (Ka-i-lan)

Where – Saan (Sa-an)

Which – Alin (A-lin)

Why – Bakit (Ba-kit)

How – Paano (Pa-a-no)

How much – Magkano (Mag-ka-no)

E. Directions:

Straight ahead – Diretso (Di-ret-so)

On the right – Sa kanan (Ka-nan)

On the left – Sa kaliwa (Ka-li-wa)

Turn around – Umikot (U-mi-kot)

Return – Balik (Ba-lik)

In front – Sa harap (Ha-rap) or Sa tapat (Ta-pat)

Beside – Sa tabi (Ta-bi)

At the back/behind – Sa likod (Li-kod)

North – Hilaga (Hi-la-ga)

South – Timog (Ti-mog)

East – Silangan (Si-la-ngan)

West – Kanluran (Kan-lu-ran)

On top – Sa itaas (I-ta-as)

Below – Sa ibaba (I-ba-ba)

Under – Sa ilalim (I-la-lim)

Inside – Sa loob (Lo-ob)

Outside – Sa labas (La-bas)

F. Other useful Tagalog phrases:

Yes – Opo (o-po)

No – Hindi (hin-di)

I don’t know – Hindi ko alam (hin-di ko a-lam)

Sure/Okay – Sige (si-ge)

Really? – Talaga (ta-la-ga)

No, please – Huwag na lang po (hu-wag na lang po)

It doesn’t matter – Di bale (di ba-le)