Travelers from around the globe include Philippines on their bucket lists. Learning to speak tagalog will only add more adventure and memories to their trip!
Tagalog is the primary language spoken in the Philippines and increasingly spoken worldwide by immigrant communities. As it draws heavily upon words from other languages like English and Spanish, Tagalog remains highly open.
1. Ma’am or Sir
English-speakers largely use “sir” and “ma’am” as terms to express our respect, while Filipinos also utilize the term “po” for this purpose, though less frequently. Instead, Filipinos typically use it more to indicate a higher status within an environment than to express actual respect – this phrase might be heard directed toward older individuals or people whose position or authority exceeds yours within a work setting.
Ma’am” can also be used to refer to women in community or professional positions of significance; for instance, you might hear someone referee a pastor of their local church as “ma’am”.
Ma’am and sir are two essential Tagalog phrases to learn in order to navigate this country successfully. For additional vocabulary practice daily, try downloading Ling, an engaging language learning app with interactive mini-games designed to motivate users to practice words or sentences daily toward becoming fluent in Tagalog. Get it today from either App Store or Play Store.
2. Paalam or Thank You
Philippine culture is known for being welcoming, so it comes as no surprise that they place great value in politeness and respect. When leaving, a great way to say farewell in Tagalog is with paalam or hanggang sa muli which means until next time.
Salamat is an easy and quick way to thank someone for their assistance or kindness, whether at a hotel check-in counter or approaching locals on the street. You might use it when checking into a hotel room or approaching someone on the street; and is especially effective when asking someone else for something like directions; often Filipinos will respond by suggesting “Kaliwa ka sa [landmark], tapos kanan ka sa [landmark].” (Turn left at that landmark then turn right at this one).
As you explore the Philippines, make sure to utilize these basic Tagalog phrases when traveling around. Doing so will open many doors for you and make your journey even more enjoyable – plus locals will appreciate you taking the time to learn their language! The more often you speak it, the faster it’ll become second nature – who knows? maybe you might even make new friends along the way!
3. Pag-asa
Pag-asa, which translates to hope in Filipino, is a powerful phrase used in the Philippines as it keeps people going when times get hard because it helps them see that there’s always hope for a brighter tomorrow.
Kristianity can be defined by three aspects: its connection to the Holy Spirit’s work (Roma 8:23-25), its fruition in Christ’s ministry among his fellow humans (Colossas 1:27), and finally Christ himself (1 Corinthians 15:14-22). Furthermore, Christianity also stands as an inspiration in shaping daily lives (Titus 2:11-14 and 1 John 3:3).
PAGASA stands for Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration; this government institution protects people from natural calamities while simultaneously supporting national economic development through scientific and technological services in meteorology, hydrology, climate science, climatology and astronomy. Their logo depicts a green triangle emblazoned with “pag-asa,” representing hope among Filipinos that we might have more stable weather in future years. Founded on December 8th 1972 when they reorganized Weather Bureau of Republic of the Philippines by reorganizing Weather Bureau of Republic of the Philippines into PAGASA
4. Pag-ibig
Filipinos love and cherish one another and the term paglibig encompasses affection, fondness and adoration – qualities synonymous with Filipino identity. An old Filipino saying goes: “No country on this Earth allows it to love someone” captures this sentiment perfectly.
Lexicon Unpacked, a webinar series which has already covered laya, alay and malay, explored pag-ibig during its third installment. Presenter Assoc. Prof. Jesus Federico C. Hernandez discussed its history while also making comparisons between it and cognates found in other Western Malayo-Polynesian languages and its current usage today. Furthermore, Hernandez discussed its evolution over time while outlining differences in meaning between mahal and pag-ibig as well as their relative levels of intensity between these concepts.
Mahal refers to expensiveness in Bikol and Cebuano languages; while pag-ibig refers to feelings such as friendship, loyalty and an overwhelming sense of affection between friends – similar to what can exist between siblings or between romantic partners.