Feature | Pretend Filipino: A Tagalog Primer

Day 507, 00:03 • Published in Philippines Philippines • by Swagger McSwag

From the beginning of ePhilippines, there have been a few non-Tagalog speakers who would run English sentences through Google Translate and post the Filipino/Tagalog translations as comments on newspaper articles.

While some of them were amply intelligible and sometimes even grammatically correct, others however were completely ridiculous and convoluted.

If you are one of these people, or are contemplating on using Google Translate, this article is for you.

Some useful Tagalog word and phrases:

(Warning: The accuracy and objectivity behind these translations are questionable and subject to debate. Use at your own risk.)

English term/phrase/expression = Tagalog translation/equivalent/approximate

How are you?/How are you doing?/Howdy? = Kumusta?/Kumusta? (contraction/tagalization of Spanish "Como esta usted?")/Anong nangyari sa'yo?

What's up? = Muzta? (slangification of "Kumusta?")/Anong balita? (literally, "What's the news?"

thief = magnanakaw/Bunaly

I'm fine./All is well. = Mabuti./Mabuti naman.

Good morning. = Good morning./Magandang umaga.

Nothing much. = Wala naman. (usual answer to "Anong balita?")

I just feel like it. = Wala lang.

I just felt like sharing that with you. = Wala lang. Share ko lang.

Good afternoon. = Good afternoon./Magandang hapon./Gud pm.

Good evening. = Good evening./Magandang gabi./Gud pm.

Good night. = Good night./Nyt./Nyt nyt/Na-nyt.

What's your name? = Anong pangalan mo?/Sino ka ba?

I am James. = Ako po si Santiago. ("po" is an honorific particle that denotes respect, similar to the Korean "yo")

dude/dewd = pare

bro = 'tol

cool/kewl/rad/awesome = astig/asteeg/panis/Ariel

Excuse me./Hello/Hi./Hey! (getting someone's attention) = Hi./Psst!/Hoy!

Thank you./Thanks. = Tnx./Salamat.

Thank you very much. = Maraming salamat.

You're welcome. = Walang anuman.

Don't mention it. = Walang anuman.

No problem. = Walang anuman.

You're hot. = Walang anuman.

Today's weather will be cloudy with a chance of rain. = Walang anuman.

paradise = lualhati

Ew, gross! = Ew, nakaririmarim!

awe-inspiring/hearfelt/poignant = makapag-bagbagdamdamin

Take care./Be safe = Ingat ka./Ingat./Ingatz./Ingat sila sa'yo.

Is this elevator going down? = Bababa ba? (Yes. It is possible to communicate using just one syllabic sound.)

Yes, it's going down. = Bababa. (See?)

Sunday = Domingo

(Note: In most place in the Philippines, it's perfectly okay to mix Enlgish terms in Tagalog sentences resulting in a macaronic language called Taglish.)

Well, that's all for now. There's more to come in succeeding issues.

So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead. Play around with these new terms. They're free. See what they do. Make them do tricks. Make them the new Pokemon!
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In photo: Girl sports an alibata script tattoo. Alibata is the ancient Filipino alphabet. It is no longer in use today.
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