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Setting the Scene: Descriptive Filipino Words for Writers

• by Amiel Pineda
• January 22, 2024 February 26, 2024

Using descriptive Filipino words can enhance the depth and richness of writing, fostering cross-cultural connections and appreciation for different environments. Words like ‘maaliwalas’ and ‘tahimik’ can be used to describe bright and peaceful atmospheres, while ‘puno’ and ‘sariwa’ vividly paint lush and invigorating ambiances in Filipino setting.

Key Takeaways

• Learning evocative Filipino words for atmosphere can enhance the depth and richness of writing, fostering cross-cultural connections and appreciation for different environments.
• Descriptive Filipino terms for settings allow vividly capturing the beauty of natural landscapes and urban sensory experiences, enriching writing with cultural depth and authenticity.
• Understanding and using evocative Filipino words can bring depth to writing, painting captivating pictures of the qualities of a place.
• Incorporating descriptive Filipino terms adds authenticity and invites readers into a world of diverse and vibrant atmospheres, immersing them in the beauty of Filipino nature and urban environments.

Evocative Filipino Words for Atmosphere

Enhancing your writing with evocative Filipino words for atmosphere brings depth and richness to your storytelling.

Tagalog words like ‘maaliwalas’ and ‘tahimik’ are used to describe bright and peaceful atmospheres, while ‘puno’ and ‘sariwa’ vividly paint lush and invigorating ambiances in Filipino settings.

The language offers ‘makalat’ and ‘luntian’ to beautifully illustrate cluttered or verdant atmospheres for evocative storytelling.

Additionally, ‘maluwag’ and ‘maingay’ provide descriptive nuances for spacious or noisy atmospheres in Filipino scenes.

Learning these evocative Filipino words for atmosphere can enhance the depth and richness of your writing, fostering cross-cultural connections and appreciation for different environments.

Incorporating these Tagalog words into your storytelling not only adds authenticity but also invites readers into a world of diverse and vibrant atmospheres.

Descriptive Filipino Terms for Settings

When writing about settings, you can vividly capture the beauty of evocative natural landscapes and the hustle and bustle of urban sensory experiences.

Using descriptive Filipino terms allows you to paint a picture of the unique qualities of each setting, immersing your readers in the rich tapestry of the Filipino language.

These words provide a window into the diverse and vibrant environments found in the Philippines, enriching your writing with cultural depth and authenticity.

Evocative Natural Landscapes

To vividly portray the ambience and characteristics of a place, descriptive Filipino terms for settings offer a colorful palette of words, allowing you to create rich, vibrant, and immersive natural landscapes.

In Filipino language, evocative natural landscapes can be described using words like ‘maaliwalas’ for bright and airy ambience, ‘tahimik’ for peaceful and quiet ambience, ‘puno’ for abundant and lush ambience, ‘sariwa’ for fresh and invigorating ambience, and ‘luntian’ for green and verdant ambience.

These words provide insights into Filipino culture and language, enabling you to vividly express feelings and experiences, fostering appreciation for different environments, and enhancing cross-cultural connections.

Understanding and using these words can bring depth to your writing, painting captivating pictures of the qualities of a place, whether it’s bright and refreshing, peaceful and quiet, abundant and lush, fresh and invigorating, or green and verdant.

Urban Sensory Experiences

As you shift your focus from evocative natural landscapes to urban sensory experiences, the descriptive Filipino words for settings continue to offer a vivid and culturally rich palette for your writing.

Here’s a glimpse of urban sensory experiences through the lens of descriptive Filipino terms:

• Maaliwalas (bright and spacious): Conveys the feeling of natural light and positivity in an urban environment.
• Tahimik (peaceful and quiet): Reflects the calmness and tranquility amidst the bustle of city life.
• Puno (abundant and lush): Highlights the vibrancy of nature within an urban landscape.
• Sariwa (fresh and invigorating): Offers a unique perspective on urban sensory experiences, evoking a sense of freshness and vitality in Filipino settings.

These words bring depth and cultural richness to urban settings, providing a unique lens through which to portray the sensory experiences of the city.

Vibrant Filipino Vocabulary for Scenes

You’ve explored descriptive Filipino terms for settings, and now it’s time to delve into vibrant Filipino vocabulary for scenes.

You can vividly capture colorful nature imagery, lively street markets, and atmospheric coastal landscapes using Tagalog words like ‘maaliwalas,’ ‘sariwa,’ and ‘makalat.’

These words offer a rich tapestry of vibrant scenes, enabling you to paint a vivid picture of diverse environments in your writing.

Colorful Nature Imagery

Amidst the lush and vibrant landscapes of the Philippines, the language offers a rich tapestry of descriptive words to vividly capture the colorful nature imagery. When you want to paint a picture with words, consider incorporating these Filipino terms into your writing:

• Luntian – This word signifies the deep green color of foliage, encapsulating the richness and vitality of nature in your imagery.
• Kulay-rosas – Use this term to describe the delicate and soothing pink hues of flowers, bringing a sense of softness and beauty to your nature scenes.
• Sinag ng araw – Utilize this phrase to convey the warmth and radiance of the sun’s rays, adding a vibrant and luminous element to your descriptions.
• Bughaw ng kalangitan – Capture the serene and calming blue of the sky with this expression, evoking a sense of tranquility and vastness in your nature imagery.

These words provide a unique and vivid lens to showcase the diverse and colorful aspects of nature in your writing.

Lively Street Markets

The colorful and vibrant imagery of Filipino nature finds its parallel in the lively street markets, where the atmosphere is filled with a refreshing and invigorating energy.

Lively street markets in the Philippines exude a ‘Maaliwalas’ ambiance, creating a bright and invigorating environment with open spaces and natural light. Amidst the bustling atmosphere, you’ll also find a ‘Tahimik’ ambience, offering a peaceful and quiet setting for relaxation.

The ‘Puno’ surroundings of these markets capture the thriving nature of the environment, highlighting lush and abundant vegetation. Visitors can expect a ‘Sariwa’ ambience, evoking a fresh and invigorating atmosphere that brings a sense of liveliness to the street markets.

While the overall vibe is lively, you might encounter a ‘Makalat’ ambience in certain areas, depicting a cluttered or chaotic environment amidst the vibrant energy.

Atmospheric Coastal Landscapes

In vibrant coastal landscapes, the Filipino vocabulary paints a vivid picture of scenes filled with bright, refreshing, and well-lit environments associated with open spaces and clear skies.

• The surroundings are ‘maaliwalas,’ creating a sense of openness and brightness.
• These coastal scenes are often ‘tahimik,’ offering a peaceful and quiet ambience that conveys calmness and stillness.

The abundance of lush vegetation and thriving natural elements creates a ‘puno’ atmosphere, emphasizing the vibrant and abundant qualities of the surroundings.

• Visitors may also experience a ‘sariwa’ environment, exuding freshness, vitality, and rejuvenation, often associated with the beauty of nature and the beginning of a new season.

In these atmospheric coastal landscapes, you’ll find a tranquil, lush, and refreshing setting that evokes a sense of peace and vitality, perfect for connecting with nature and finding tranquility.

Expressive Filipino Words for Environments

Surround yourself with the descriptive Filipino words for environments, capturing the essence of the surroundings with vivid imagery and depth.

The word ‘kapaligiran’ encompasses the overall atmosphere, while ‘paligid’ emphasizes the physical features and landscapes.

Picture a bright and refreshing environment with ‘maaliwalas’, bringing to mind open spaces and clear skies, or find tranquility and calmness with ‘tahimik’, fostering relaxation and inner peace.

When you want to convey a lush and vibrant environment, ‘puno’ is the perfect choice, evoking images of rich green spaces.

To describe the feeling of being refreshed and invigorated, ‘sariwa’ beautifully captures the sense of freshness and newness.

These expressive Filipino words for environments offer a rich tapestry of language for writers seeking to vividly depict the world around them.

Colorful Filipino Language for Imagery

Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of Filipino imagery as we explore the richness of colorful language for vivid descriptions.

In Filipino language, words like ‘maaliwalas’ vividly convey a bright and airy ambience, while ‘tahimik’ captures the tranquility and peacefulness of a place.

‘Puno’ paints a picture of lushness and vibrancy in a green space, and ‘sariwa’ evokes a sense of freshness and newness, bringing imagery for invigorating ambience.

Learning and incorporating these colorful Filipino words for imagery not only enhances your writing but also provides insights into Filipino culture and language, fostering deeper cross-cultural connections.

Let these words infuse your descriptions with the vibrant and lively essence of the Filipino language, enriching your storytelling with vivid imagery.

Lively Filipino Phrases for Descriptions

You can infuse your writing with vibrant imagery by incorporating lively Filipino phrases that evoke sensory experiences.

Words like ‘maaliwalas’ can paint a picture of a bright and refreshing environment, while ‘tahimik’ can bring a peaceful and quiet atmosphere to life in your descriptions.

Additionally, incorporating ‘puno’ can emphasize the vibrant beauty of nature, adding depth and richness to your writing.

Vibrant Imagery in Writing

To infuse your writing with vibrant imagery, consider incorporating lively Filipino phrases for descriptions, capturing the essence of a place with rich and evocative language.

To paint a vivid picture, you can use words like:

• Maaliwalas: Conveys a bright and airy ambience.
• Tahimik: Depicts a tranquil and peaceful setting.
• Puno: Reflects the lush and abundant qualities of an environment.
• Sariwa: Describes the freshness and vitality of a place.

Evoking Sensory Experiences

Creating vibrant sensory experiences in your writing can be achieved by incorporating lively Filipino phrases that evoke rich and evocative imagery.

Filipino words not only describe the visual aspects of a scene but also evoke sensory experiences through their vivid meanings. Here are some lively Filipino phrases for descriptions that can help in evoking sensory experiences:

Incorporating these Filipino phrases into your writing can enrich your descriptions and evoke vivid sensory experiences for your readers.

Rich Filipino Lexicon for Landscapes

The diverse Filipino lexicon offers an array of descriptive words that vividly capture the essence of various landscapes. When it comes to rich Filipino lexicon for landscapes, you can use words like:

• *Maaliwalas* for bright and airy ambience
• *Tahimik* for peaceful and quiet ambience
• *Puno* for abundant and lush ambience
• *Sariwa* for fresh and invigorating ambience

These words allow you to paint a vivid picture of the landscapes you’re writing about, providing a deep connection to the environment and culture.

Captivating Filipino Terminology for Settings

Amidst the rich tapestry of Filipino terminology, evocative words like ‘maaliwalas’ and ‘tahimik’ vividly depict captivating settings, enhancing your ability to craft immersive landscapes in your writing.

The term ‘maaliwalas’ encapsulates the feeling of a bright and airy environment, while ‘tahimik’ conjures a sense of peacefulness and tranquility.

Additionally, words like ‘puno’ and ‘sariwa’ bring to life lush and invigorating settings, offering a vivid portrayal of vibrant surroundings.

On the other hand, the term ‘makalat’ provides insight into cluttered or chaotic settings, adding depth to your descriptions.

Furthermore, ‘luntian’ and ‘maluwag’ capture the essence of green, verdant, and spacious ambience, enriching your ability to evoke captivating settings in your writing.

Lastly, the Filipino term ‘maingay’ portrays a noisy or loud ambience, allowing you to skillfully depict a variety of settings in your narratives.

Dynamic Filipino Expressions for Ambiance

Enhancing your writing with dynamic Filipino expressions for ambiance brings vibrancy and depth to your descriptions, enriching the sensory experience for your readers. Consider incorporating the following dynamic Filipino expressions for ambiance into your writing to create vivid and immersive scenes:

• Masigla (lively): Use this word to describe a bustling and energetic atmosphere, perfect for capturing the liveliness of a market or festival.
• Tahimik (peaceful): Employ this term to evoke a serene and tranquil ambiance, ideal for depicting a quiet countryside or a calming beach.
• Makulay (colorful): This expression conveys a vibrant and lively environment, suitable for portraying a lively fiesta or a bustling city street.
• Iba’t ibang bulaklak (various flowers): Use this phrase to describe a place filled with diverse and beautiful flowers, adding a touch of natural elegance to your descriptions.

Engaging Filipino Words for Visuals

Transitioning from dynamic Filipino expressions for ambiance, you can captivate your readers with engaging Filipino words that paint vivid visuals in their minds. These words evoke powerful images, enriching your writing with the essence of Filipino culture.

Consider incorporating the following engaging Filipino words for visuals:

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most beautiful filipino words.

The most beautiful Filipino words reflect the essence of a place and its ambience, like ‘maaliwalas’ for bright and airy, ‘tahimik’ for peaceful, and ‘luntian’ for green and verdant. They enrich your portrayal of diverse settings.

What Is the Filipino Writing Style?

The Filipino writing style uses rich vocabulary to vividly portray qualities of a place, capturing its atmosphere using descriptive words like ‘maaliwalas’ for bright ambience and ‘tahimik’ for peaceful ambience. It emphasizes unique and vibrant literary expression.

What Are the Valuable Phrases the Filipinos Use?

You’ll find valuable phrases like ‘kapaligiran’ and ‘paligid’ that capture the essence of a place. These words enrich your understanding of Filipino culture and language, fostering connection and appreciation for diverse environments.

What Is the Filipino Word Related to Environment?

The Filipino word related to environment is ‘kapaligiran,’ emphasizing the surrounding environment and overall atmosphere of a place. Learning this word provides insights into the culture and language, enhancing cross-cultural connections and appreciation for different environments.

In conclusion, incorporating descriptive Filipino words into your writing can elevate the ambiance and setting of your scenes, making them more vivid and immersive for your readers.

By utilizing words like ‘Maaliwalas,’ ‘Tahimik,’ ‘Puno,’ and ‘Luntian,’ you can paint a more colorful and engaging picture of the environments in your storytelling.

So go ahead and enrich your writing with the vibrant and expressive Filipino vocabulary to captivate your audience.

Paano Sumulat ng Argumentative Essay

• Koponan ng Editoryal ng Smodin
• Pebrero 3, 2022

Ang isang argumentative essay ay nagsisilbi sa layunin ng paglalahad ng isang punto de bista. Kailangan mong iparinig ang iyong boses, ngunit hindi lang iyon. Para sa piraso ng pagsulat na ito, kakailanganin mong magsaliksik nang husto ng isang paksa, at magtipon, lumikha, at ipakita ang mga katotohanan sa isang partikular na paksa nang maikli. Mangangailangan ito sa iyo na palakasin ito ng ebidensya, matibay na pangangatwiran, at isang wastong istraktura.

Upang gawing simple ang pagbuo ng iyong sanaysay na argumentative, tututuon namin ang pagbubuo ng isa:

Argumentative Essay

Ang argumentative essay ay isang genre ng pagsulat na nagpapahayag ng argumento sa isang partikular na paksa. Mangangailangan sa iyo na magsagawa ng masusing pananaliksik sa paksa. Kailangan mong magsama ng pambungad na naiintindihan na thesis statement, mga wastong punto para suportahan ito, at mga halimbawa para sa pagbibigay-katwiran sa mga puntong iyon. Ang Smodin ay may tool sa manunulat, na may kakayahang awtomatikong magsulat ng mga argumentative essay, hayaan ang AI na isulat ang iyong argumentative essay gamit ang Smodin Writer.

Istruktura ng Argumentative Essay

Para sa isang argumentative essay, kailangan mong magbigay ng isang simpleng istraktura para maunawaan ng mga mambabasa nang hindi kasama ang isang hindi gustong pagsisikap. Narito kung paano mo kailangang buuin ang iyong pagsulat:

• Panimulang Talata

Ang una o ang panimulang talata ng isang argumentative essay ay kailangang isang balangkas ng paksa. Dapat din itong isama ang background na impormasyon at sabihin ang iyong thesis.

• Pahayag ng Tesis

Ang pahayag ng tesis ay tumutukoy sa pangunahing ideya upang mabuo ang sanaysay. Ito ay isang one-liner o two-liner na buod ng iyong punto at ang assertion, na dapat mong ipakita bilang bahagi ng unang talata.

Mga Parapo ng Katawan

Karaniwan, ang isang argumentative essay ay kailangang may 3-4 na talata upang ipahayag ang iyong mga dahilan upang palakasin ang iyong mga punto. Ang bawat isa sa kanila ay dapat sumaklaw ng isang bagong ideya at ebidensya, kasama ng isang paksang pangungusap.

Sa iyong paksang pangungusap, kailangan mong ipakita ang iyong katwiran sa mga punto. Dito, sinusuportahan mo rin ang iyong pananaw sa mga istatistika, pananaliksik, pagsipi ng teksto, at pag-aaral.

Konklusyon o panghuling pag-iisip ay kailangan mong ipahayag muli ang thesis at ibuod ang mga puntong ibinahagi mo sa itaas. Maaari mo ring ibahagi ang iyong pananaw tungkol sa kung paano naimpluwensyahan ka ng paksa.

Pagsulat ng isang argumentative essay

Maaari kang magsulat ng isang nakakahimok at isang mahusay na structured argumentative essay sa tatlong madaling hakbang, at narito ang mga ito:

• Pumili ng paksa at maghanda ng thesis statement

Ang pahayag ng thesis ay isang mahalagang bahagi ng sanaysay dahil nagbibigay ito sa mga mambabasa ng maikling ideya tungkol sa iyong sanaysay. Nagbibigay-daan ito sa kanila na magpasya kung magbabasa o hindi at magsisilbing gabay para sa iyo. Kadalasan, kailangan nitong magsaad ng claim, ang iyong pananaw tungkol doon, at ang mga sumusuportang punto.

Para sa pagpili ng paksa, kung wala kang paunang napagdesisyunan na paksa, ipinapayong piliin ang pumapalibot sa iyong lugar ng interes. Maaari kang magsimula sa pamamagitan ng pag-aaral tungkol sa kung ano ang higit na nakakaapekto sa iyo. Tandaan, kailangan mong magkaroon ng matibay na ebidensya para bigyang-katwiran ito. Gawing malinaw ang mga paninindigan bago pa man.

• Magsaliksik at Ayusin ang kinalabasan

Ang pananaliksik ay nagsisilbing isa sa mga pundasyong haligi ng sulating ito. Ito ay dahil, para sa isang argumentative essay, kailangan mong magkaroon ng set ng ebidensya upang ipakita at ipagtanggol ang iyong argumento. Maaari mong isama ang lahat ng mga mapagkukunan ng sanggunian mula sa mga eksperto sa industriya at maaasahang mga pagsipi. Kapag nagsasagawa ng pananaliksik, maaari mong panatilihin ang mga puntong ito sa iyong isipan:

• Pumunta para sa masusing pananaliksik upang magkaroon ng malinaw na pangkalahatang-ideya ng iyong paksa. Maaari kang magsama ng mahahalagang debate, kontraargumento, at pananaw ng mga eksperto sa larangang iyon.
• Manatili sa lahat ng mga tainga upang malaman at maunawaan ang pananaw sa paksa mula sa iba't ibang mga mata at isipan.
• Takpan ang mga ideya para sa iba't ibang pananaw na hindi pa nasasakupan dati.
• I-draft ang istraktura

Kapag tapos na ang pagkolekta ng lahat ng kinakailangang mga katotohanan, dapat mong i-draft ang istraktura. Mahalagang matutunan mo ang tungkol sa mga direksyon na iyong pupuntahan. Kahit na mayroong iba't ibang mga tool para doon, maaari mo ring gawin ang manu-manong pagsisikap. Ang istruktura ng isang sanaysay na argumentative ay tinalakay na. Habang nagba-draft kailangan mong ilagay sa priyoridad ang istraktura, at bukod doon, narito ang iba pang mga katotohanan na maaari mong panatilihin sa iyong isip:

Panimula at thesis

• Gumamit ng nakakagulat na katotohanan sa isang inspirational quote o personal na anekdota.
• Magbigay ng background para sa iyong paksa.
• Isama ang isyu, ang ugat nito, ang epekto, at ang paraan.

Para sa mga talata ng katawan, maaari kang maglaan ng isa para sa bawat punto. Narito ang mga dapat na bahagi para sa bawat talata na iyong idaragdag:

Ito ang pahayag na ginawa mo para sa iyong argumento, at para dito, dapat mong:

• Isama ang Ebidensya at Paliwanag
• Huwag kalimutan ang wastong ebidensya at ipaliwanag kung paano nito masusuportahan ang iyong claim.

Mga karagdagang talata

Bilang karagdagan sa istrukturang tinalakay sa itaas, dapat kang magdagdag ng mga talata na nakatuon sa mga kontraargumento. Sa pamamagitan nito, maaari mong bigyang-katwiran ang iyong mga kasanayan at kaalaman tungkol sa paksa. Maaari mo ring isama ang mga umiiral na salungat na argumento upang mapanatili ang atensyon ng mambabasa.

Italaga ang iyong konklusyon upang ibuod ang iyong sanaysay at sabihin sa iyong mambabasa kung paano ito wasto. Maaari kang gumamit ng CTA, hypothetical, at ang malaking larawan. Pagkatapos i-wrap ang iyong konklusyon, maaari ka ring pumunta sa panimula at tingnan ang anumang posibleng pagbabago.

Kung gaano kahalaga ang pagbuo ng iyong piraso ng pagsulat, ang pag-proofread nito ay napakahalaga rin. Narito ang mga puntong dapat tandaan kapag nagre-proofread:

• Hanapin at ayusin ang anumang mga error sa gramatika o spelling. Kahit na ang isang menor de edad ay maaaring makagambala sa pokus ng mambabasa at mabawasan ang kalidad ng pagsulat.
• Dapat mong isaisip ang iyong madla bago ka magsulat at mag-proofread.
• Dapat mong piliin ang iyong wika, tono, at pagpili ng mga salita para doon.
• Kapag nag-proofread, siguraduhing wala nang mas mahinang argumento na natitira. Kung mayroon man, suportahan ito.

Iyan lang ang kailangan mo sa pagbuo ng iyong argumentative essay!

Ang isang kaakit-akit at kahanga-hangang sanaysay na argumentative ay ang kabuuan ng opinyon ng manunulat, masusing pananaliksik, matibay na istruktura, at pagpili ng mga punto. Pagdating sa pag-aaral tungkol sa mahigpit na pagsunod sa mga puntong ito, may ilang aspeto na dapat mong tandaan. Ang isang argumentative essay ay kailangang magkaroon ng panimulang talata, isang thesis statement, 3-4 na talata na nakatuon sa iyong ebidensya, at isang paliwanag tungkol dito. Pagkatapos nito, maaari mong ibuod ang iyong argumentative essay na may konklusyon. Kailangan mong unahin ang malalim na pananaliksik upang magkaroon ng lahat ng wastong patunay upang bigyang-katwiran ang iyong mga punto. Nag-aalok si Smodin ng Smodin Author, isang manunulat na pinapagana ng AI na nagbibigay-daan sa iyong lumikha ng mga sanaysay gamit lamang ang isang buto, huwag kalimutang subukan ito HERE

How To Learn Tagalog By Yourself (From Beginner To Advanced)

Somewhere near 50 million people in the world speak Tagalog. Most of them are based in the Philippines, but there is a huge presence of Tagalog speakers all around the globe.

So how to learn Tagalog? You can learn Tagalog by yourself if you're consistent, patient and if you put in the work that it takes. In the below article, I'll talk you through how you should be spending your time!

Before I go any further, head over to FilipinoPod101 and create a free account. It's one of the most useful online resources I've used.

What is Tagalog?

Tagalog is in the Austronesian language family and related to languages such as Hawaiian, Maori and Indonesian. I wrote an article about the Indonesian language by the way.

Tagalog is one of the languages spoken in the Philippines. About a third of the country's population speak it as their mother tongue. As for the rest of the Philippine population, most speak it as a second language.

Tagalog is as such not really a unified language. This can, potentially, make for a frustrating learning experience. The spoken language can often be a little different from what is taught as standardized Tagalog, or Filipino. Filipino is the official language in the Philippines. It's more or less the Manilla dialect of Tagalog. It's not the most wide-spread dialect in the country, however. All of this means that you'll eventually have to establish a base understanding of several dialects if your goal is to speak autonomously with most people in the Philippines.

In common dialects of Tagalog, you'll be surprised to see a very large influence from Spanish and English. The Philippines has historically been under both Spanish and American control. This means that there are a lot of loan words from these two languages, and that many Filipinos are conversationally fluent in English.

You'll notice that code-switching is a common phenomenon among native Filipinos. Code-switching is the casual mixing of languages in daily speech. Code-switching can be anything from using a few loan-words, to speaking English with Filipino grammar adapted to the English words. You'll often hear Filipinos start a sentence in Tagalog, continue on in English, to finally conclude in Tagalog again. If you're not used to experiencing this, it's actually quite fascinating to hear!

The Filipino alphabet and Tagalog pronunciation

Learning Tagalog pronunciation is delightfully simple! The alphabet used in the Philippines is the same as the one used in English. The only addition is the letter "ñ" which comes from Spanish, and which is pronounced more or less like the "ne" in the word "** ne **w".

A walk-through of the Tagalog alphabet. It's quite simple!

Tagalog is very consistent in its spelling which is fairly phonetic. The pronunciation of the letters closely resemble how letters are pronounced in English - only without the many exceptions.

You'll also find that Tagalog pronunciation distinguishes much more between words and syllables than in English. In Tagalog, you make a clear pause between words, whereas English speaking people tend to pronounce following words as a direct continuation of the preceding one. Try noticing how you say "happy birthday".

The most difficult sounds in the Tagalog language for an English speaker is the rolling "r", the "ñ" and the two letters "ng" in combination. Ng, by the way, is pronounced the same way as in the word "ri ng ning". In Tagalog, it can be found in the beginning of the word aswell, though. Try pausing while pronouncing the word "ri- ng ing".

How to get started with Tagalog

When starting out learning Tagalog, I recommend that you start by picking up a beginner's textbook with audio. Some like to start by getting a slow-paced introduction to the language with an audio-course like Pimsleur (link to amazon.)

I don't think that you need to use Pimsleur in the beginning with Tagalog, though.

Tagalog obviously is not something you teach yourself in a week. But it's not the most complicated language in terms of pronunciation and vocabulary either. So where I sometimes recommend Pimsleur to beginner's in some languages, I'd say that you can skip ahead and jump right into a textbook with Tagalog.

Regrettably, there are very few self-study textbooks for Tagalog out there. And even fewer are any good. One of the few I do recommend, however is Teach Yourself Tagalog. It's close to being out of print, but there are a few Amazon sellers who still carry it.

Teach Yourself Tagalog is a dialogue-based course where you are faced with a text in Tagalog followed by the English translation. It comes with audio CD's as well as grammar explanations, exercises and drills.

How to start learning Tagalog with a beginner's course

Here's how I suggest you study with your Teach Yourself Tagalog book:

First read through the English dialogue to get an idea what the text is about. Then read through the Tagalog text while listening to the audio. Then listen again, but pause for each sentence. Try to repeat out loud as well as you can. Make sure to mimic the speed, intonation, melody and pronunciation of the recording. Do this for the whole dialogue.

Then repeat the last exercise two or three times.

After finishing your read-through's, have a look at the grammar notes. Read them and try making sense of them. But don't worry if it doesn't seem to be clear. It'll come later.

You may also do the drills and exercises, but it's not a problem if you prefer to just skim through them. The dialogues are what's really important.

For each time you sit down and study a new Teach Yourself Tagalog lesson, I recommend that you go through the 5-10 previous lessons. Read them in Tagalog, listen to the recording and repeat. If you've forgotten something, just glance to the English translation.

I suggest that you find a good time-slot during your day and do one Teach Yourself lesson every day. I like studying in the morning.

You might also be interested in reading this article that I wrote about " fitting language learning into a tight schedule ".

The importance of doing several things at once

When I study languages, I always try to do multiple courses or approaches in parallel. No matter how much you revise and how intensely you study, some words just seem to remain elusive. When you mix up things a little and do other things at the same time, something interesting happens.

You simply remember new words much better when you recognize them in contexts outside of your main textbook. Think of it this way: Things you study routinely in a textbook is just "neutral" information to your brain. It's "a" Tagalog word in the sea of Tagalog words. Then imagine having studied something in the morning. Then you see the word in another context later in the day. You recognize it. It's a word you thought you didn't know, but suddenly it's there. "Oh, that word!"

The feeling of recognizing something you know only faintly is a sort of little victory in your brain. Whenever this happens, you tie positive emotions to the word. In the same time, your brain recognizes that this word has appeared twice. From two different sources. It concludes it must be important. Suddenly, the word you knew only very faintly is brought out of the stale soup of neutral vocabulary. It's now a word you know!

I've written another article about the subject of remembering words . The subject is really immensely important when it comes to learning languages, but it's often overlooked. In the following I'll discuss a few other ways that it can be used.

Getting a second beginner's course for learning Tagalog

So as you can gather from the above, it's of immense importance that you do multiple things at once. As a beginner you really can't benefit that much from Tagalog-language news papers, television and books. So what I recommend is getting a second beginner's course and doing it in parallel with Teach Yourself.

So which other course should you pick? As I said earlier, there are surprisingly few Tagalog courses available. You might want to go to your local library or bookstore to see what's there. I suggest that you pick something in the same style as teach yourself. You need something that's dialogue-based. Don't go for reference grammar's and that kind of thing.

If you have a hard time finding something useful, I suggest checking out the Tagalog course made publicly available by the Defense Language Institute . DFI is the American government institution in charge of teaching foreign languages to the US military. They've put their Tagalog course up online for free. (Or someone else has, but it's public domain).

The course might seem a little dated - and it is - but it not bad at all. And it's completely free. You simply download a PDF and the MP3 audio files and you're good to go.

I recommend that you study the DLI course in the same way as you use Teach Yourself. If you've made a habit out of doing your Teach Yourself course in the morning, why not do DLI in the evening.

Learn Tagalog grammar and pronunciation through sentences

Once you've made a little progress with your two textbooks, say, one third of the lessons finished, it's time to branch out.

One program I really like for this is Glossika. (I'll put a link below when I finish telling you about it!) With Glossika you learn Tagalog through studying sentences. There are no grammar explanations, no drills and exercises and no quizzes. There's only a ton of phrases in Tagalog, their recordings and their English equivalents.

The Glossika Tagalog study screen. And don't let that sentence be on point!

The idea is that you learn grammar and vocabulary through repeatedly seeing correct examples of it in sentences. This approach resembles how children learn their mother tongues. As a kid, you gradually learned to speak through hearing your language used correctly again and again. You stumbled at first - and for quite some time. But now you're at a point where grammar mistakes in your language sounds like nails on a blackboard. Or two polystyrene-boxes rubbed against each other! (I hope the mental image works)

If you've ever studied a language by dissecting it and trying to understand its grammar theoretically, you probably realize that this approach gives you a quite different result. You might be able to correctly explain grammar points in that language - things you couldn't do in your native language. But can you speak it fluently?

When Glossika teaches you Tagalog phrases, it does it in a way that resembles the way children learn, but with an important difference. The Glossika system is organized and controlled. Sentences touch on related grammar and vocabulary as they evolve rather than being random.

This significantly improves the approach. With Glossika you can learn a language as well as children do, but many times more efficiently.

How to study Tagalog with Glossika?

When you study with Glossika, you do batches of five new sentences at a time. The English and Tagalog phrases are written on the screen and you hear their recordings. First the English one, then a pause, then the Tagalog sentence two times.

When you first hear the English sentence, try reading the Tagalog sentence out loud. You then hear the Tagalog sentence two times. Listen carefully. Then try repeating after the voice. Try mimicking the sound of the sentence exactly as it was just spoken. It's important that you try to make the pronunciation, the stress, rhythm and above all the speed as exact as possible.

Don't worry if you still end up mumbling or stumbeling over words. The sentence will be repeated five times in a study session, and later it'll be scheduled for review.

You have the option of slowing down the speed of the recordings if you really can't keep up. I don't recommend doing this though. It creates a false sense of comfort. It'll feel easier at the moment, but you need to get used to hearing Tagalog spoken in it's natural pace!

I recommend that you do 5-20 new sentences in one sitting. But not more! You might be tempted to keep adding more sentences, but know that these will be scheduled for later review several times, so you'll be creating a huge backlog of work.

The importance of repetitions with Glossika

After your first study session has ended, wait 12-24 hours. Once you come back, you'll notice that the sentences you've just studied are up for review. Do these before going on to study any new sentences.

When you've finished studying a sentence with Glossika, it's automatically scheduled for review. For each time you review it, it'll be rescheduled gradually further and further into the future. Glossika schedules your reviews with an algorithm based on the forgetting curve . The idea is that you should review a sentence just when you're about to forget it. The algorithm is a mathematical model that tries to predict when that is.

As you study - if you feel a sentence is a little too easy, you can mark it with a heart icon. This tells the system that you find it easy and that it should be scheduled a little further into the future. Likewise, if a sentence is difficult, you tag it with a little smiley-face, and it will be scheduled relatively more often.

Repetitions (or "reps" as they're called in Glossika) are crucial to the way Glossika works. Glossika shows you a little counter of how many reps you've done in total. This number is a key to measuring your progress with studying Tagalog with Glossika. The milestones are high. 25.000, 50.000 and 75.000. But what these numbers translate to are various degrees of fluency. So keep your eyes on that counter, and make sure to be consistent with doing your reps and adding new sentences daily.

If you want to read more about Glossika, you can read my Glossika review . Otherwise, I encourage you to go have a look at their own site at Glossika Tagalog

Start reading in Tagalog

When you've done a few thousand reps with Glossika and you're just about finished with your Teach Yourself and DLI Tagalog courses, it's time to start reading!

There are several approaches and techniques to reading in languages learning (I've discussed a few reading strategies in another article)

Many people's first approach would be to sit down with a book in Tagalog and a dictionary and look up all unknown words. This is a bad idea.

At this point in your Tagalog learning journey, you'll probably be at the lower intermediate stage in the language. Reading native content at this point is not that easy. You'd be hard pressed to find a book where you wouldn't have to look up tons and tons of words constantly.

These constant word look-ups in a paper dictionary is an annoyance. It can be so frustrating to never be able to really get into the story before being interrupted by unknown words. Then for each word, you'd have to put down your Tagalog text, open the dictionary, find the right word and understand it. This could take a few minutes. Do you still remember where you were in the story-line? Let's say that you do. So you read on, and two minutes later:

Another word.

And another one. And again. You'll end up forgetting both where you were in the text you're reading, but you'll also forget the words you just looked up in no time at all.

Using a pop-up dictionary for reading Tagalog

Google Dictionary is a browser extension that Google made for the Chrome browser. (but you can find alternatives for other browsers too) With this tool installed, you can click any word on the internet and get an instant translation. This is extremely effective when reading texts that are a bit above your level.

You can read articles about growing your own bananas in Tagalog using Google Dictionary

You simply look up any subject that you would find interesting to read in English and read it in Tagalog. If you can't find any articles, try writing your search query into Google Translate and pick "Filipino" as language (that's what Google calls it). Then search for the term.

The internet is vast, but there aren't as much variety in Tagalog language articles as in English. Try a few different keywords to find something of interest. Wikipedia articles in Tagalog is also an option! And here's a news site with articles in Tagalog.

Get Google Dictionary (for free) on the Chrome Web Store .

Other approaches to reading in Tagalog

When learning a language like Tagalog, you can also get a lot out of reading English and Tagalog books in parallel. Reading a sentence, paragraph or chapter first in English, then in Tagalog helps you understand, while permitting you to read fluently.

With Tagalog, however, it can be extremely difficult finding good books for this exercise. An Amazon search reveals surprisingly few books. The same goes for public domain books on Gutenberg .

This is why I'd probably stick to reading news and online articles.

But if you go to the Philippines, make sure to have a look through the local bookstores. Most popular books would be a good fit, but you need to pick something that exists in both languages. This is why I often go for English books that are translated to Tagalog and not the other way around. Read Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, crime stories by Agathe Christie, Stephen King novels and that kind of thing!

Starting to speak and write with a tutor in Tagalog

At this point, your Teach Yourself Tagalog and DLI books are now behind you. You're several thousand reps into Glossika and you've established a daily routine of reading articles in Tagalog every day.

It's time to start producing the language yourself. You need to start speaking and writing.

I suggest that you go to Italki (or a similar site) and look for a tutor. Pick someone who could be a good fit for your learning style. Contact him or her and discuss how you will proceed.

I recommend that you take charge of your tutoring sessions. Some tutors have their own teaching styles, programs and learning materials. You'll want to keep your sessions about conversation and keep them in Tagalog. Ask your tutor to keep corrections and explanations at an absolute minimum. He or she can write a report after the end of a conversation with a few pointers. But the conversation in itself should be focused on Tagalog dialogue.

Before each tutoring session, agree on a topic that you will converse about. Then try and stick to it during the discussion. Be sure to hear your own voice at least as much as that of your tutor! I suggest that you speak for 30-45 minutes and that you do this 2-3 times a week.

After the end of each tutoring session, sit down immediately and write a short text on the subject you've just discussed. Make it 100-300 words in the beginning. As you get more confident, you may write longer texts. Send them in and have your tutor correct them. Then be sure to read through the corrections and take note of everything you did wrong!

Getting a language exchange partner.

Tutoring can be extremely effective if you take it seriously. But it can be costly. Especially with two or three weekly sessions along with writing corrections. There are free alternatives, though.

Try looking for a language exchange partner. Language exchange is when two people are trying to learn each other's languages and act as a tutor for one another. If you find a good partner, this can be a great way of improving in Tagalog quickly.

It has its drawbacks, though.

You'll need to find a language buddy who has the same level of dedication and ambition as you do. If you're taking your Tagalog learning sessions very seriously, but your partner not so much, it'll be difficult to advance as fast as you'd like. If you hire a tutor, you'll be sure to get a motivated teacher. You're paying after all. But with a language partner, you need to be an excellent tutor yourself if you expect quality tutoring form his or her part.

You need to put in as much time speaking English and correcting English texts as he or she is putting in with your Tagalog. This can be difficult while on a tight schedule. (Did I mention my article on studying languages on a busy schedule ? Maybe I did..)

To find a language exchange partner, just search for the term on Google and you'll find lots of options. Or you can try this page on Reddit .

Whether you pick a language buddy or you decide to hire a tutor, don't hesitate to switch or go look for someone else if you feel that you're not getting the kind of tutoring you were hoping for. You're at a crucial stage in your Tagalog learning, and it's important to not waste your time .

When you've found someone that everything works well with, you'll be well on your way to becoming fluent in Tagalog. With your daily reading, Glossika reps, speaking and writing, it's only a matter of months before you'll get there!

Filipino (Tagalog) Writing Examples

The following shows writing examples at various proficiency levels. These were produced by real language learners and may contain errors. See Writing Section Tips at the bottom of this page.

Filipino (Tagalog) Proficiency Tests and Resources

Writing Examples

At this level, I am able to create individual words that have no extended meaning.

I can share some simple vocabulary, which deals with the prompt/task/situation, but I tend to struggle to connect those words to create meaning.

matulog Maglaro Basahin ang

At this level, I am beginning to develop the ability to create meaning by grammatically connecting words.

Specifically, I can connect some basic subjects and verbs or verbs and objects, but I may be inconsistent at doing this.

I am often limited in my vocabulary to Novice level topics that I experience in my every-day life or that I have recently learned.

kumain ng tsokolate kumain saging

At this level, I can create simple sentences with very basic grammatical control and accuracy.

There are often errors in my responses, while at the same time I might have good control with some very simple structures and functions of the language that I have just learned or studied.

At the Novice levels, errors are expected as I try to create simple sentences. Generally, the sentences that I am able to create are very basic and simple with few, if any, added details.

Ayaw niya mag-aral. Gusto niya maglaro.

At this level, I can create simple sentences with some added detail; such sentences help create VARIETY.

At the Intermediate Low level, simple sentences are enhanced by use of prepositional phrases, helping verb usage, as well as some adverbs and a variety of adjectives.

I generally create independent sentences (ideas) that can be moved around without affecting the overall meaning of the response. There are still a number of errors in my response, but I have fairly good control of more basic sentences. I am feeling more confident in using different structures and expanding vocabulary and taking more risks with my responses.

Ang masayang experience ko - maglaro ng soccer. Nag-lalaro ako ng soccer araw-araw kasama kaibigan ko. Naglalaro kami sa kasama mga kaibigan ko sa school team. Sa championship, naglaro ako lahat ng laro at nag-goal. Masaya ako kasama kaibigan at pamilya. Kumain kami ng pizza pagkatapos ng game. Gusto ko ang soccer.

At this level, I can now create enough language to show groupings of ideas.

My thoughts are loosely connected and cannot be moved around without affecting meaning.

I can also create a few sentences with complexity and am able to use some transition words.  I am also able to use more than just simple present tense, but often make mistakes when I try to use other tenses.

My vocabulary use is expanding and I am able to use more than the usual, high frequency or most common vocabulary. I feel that I am able to create new language on my own and communicate my everyday needs without too much difficulty.

Marami na masayang bagay sa buhay ko. Marami akong masayang memories. Isa na pinakamasaya ay ang paglaro ng golf. Naglalaro ako ng golf noong limang taon ako. Gusto ng nanay at tatayo ko mag-golf noon bata pa sila. Tinuruan nila ako ng marami sa golf. Noong nasa highschool ako, naglaro ako sa school team. Magaling kami. Tinuruan ako ng coach ko. Natuto ako ng maraming bagay na importante ngayon. Natutunan kong huwag magalit. Minsan, hindi maganda ang pag-tama sa bola kaya nagagalit ako. Hindi na maganda ang paglaro ko. Magaling ang coach ko mag-turo.

At this level, I have good control of the language and feel quite confident about an increasing range of topics.

There are still some occasional errors in my language production, but that does not hinder my ability to communicate what I need to share.

I can use circumlocution to explain or describe things for which I do not know specific vocabulary or structures. I can understand and use different time frames and am just beginning to develop the ability to switch most time frames with accuracy. I can use transition words and concepts with some ease. My language has a more natural flow, but I still may have some unnatural pauses or hesitations.

Isa sa pinakamasayang karanasan ko ay ang bakasyon ko sa France para sa student exchange. Hindi ko malimutan ang mga estudyante na may ibang buhay kaysa sa mga American. Sa aking bakasyon, bumisita kami sa mga historical sites at mueseums at restaurant at mga shops. Pinakamagandang karanasan ang maging isang exchange student at tumira sa bahay at gayahin ang kanilang buhay. Malaking parte ang pagkain sa France pero marami pa. Palagi kong naiisip na ang ating bansa ay walang pareho. Pero, ang pagpunta ko sa Europe na lahat ay iba ang nagpaiba ng isip ko. Alam ko na ang karanasan na ito ay maaalala ko habang buhay.

At this level my response contains a number of complexities with higher degree of accuracy.

Such language allows me to address each aspect of the prompt more completely and with more depth of meaning.

I am able to use Advanced vocabulary or Advanced terms, conjugations etc. with confidence. I feel that I can create natural flow using as much detail and descriptive language as possible to create a clear picture. Errors with more complex structures may still occur. My ability to switch time frames begins to increase in accuracy.

Sa palagay ko isa sa pinakapangit at masayang bagay na nangyari ay noong nagkaroon ako ng concussion. Ang petsa at ika-apat ng Enero 2016. Unang araw ng pasok pagkatapos ng bakasyon at ayokong bumangon. Dahan-dahan akong bumaba at ginawan ko ang sarili ko ng peanut butter toast sa dilim, tamad akong buksan ang ilaw. Kailangan kong kunin ang mga gamit ko para sa klase para malagay ko sa bag ko. Dahan-dahan akong umakyat papasok sa kuwarto ko. Kinuha ko ang school supplies ko at napuno ang aking my kamay at braso at bumaba. Lumakad ako sa dilim habang iniisop ko ang mga assignment na kailangan kong tapusin. Hindi ko pa rin binuksan ang ilaw at iyon ang naging maling desisyon ko noong araw na iyon. Nadulas ako dahil sa walis na nakahilata sa sahig. Hindi ko magamit ang mga braso ko dahil puno ito ng mga gamit para sa school. Natumba ako at nauntog sa sahig. Naramdaman ko ang sahig sa likod ng ulo ko na may samang kirot sa ulo. Wala akong naalala kung ano ang nangyari pagkatapos pero nakarating ako sa opisina ng doctor. Nagresulta ang concussion na ito ng depresyon at lungkot. Hindi ako makagamit ng teknolohiya. Masakit gumalaw. Tuloy-tuloy ang sakit ng ulo ko. Tulog lang ako ng tulog, mga 22 oras sa isang araw. Pero, magaling na ako, hindi ako sumuko. Pero, naapektuhan ang aking pag-iisip kaya’t mahina na ako sa math at language hindi kagaya noon. Kahit na mabuti na ako, nakakaranas pa rin ako ng mabigat na depresyon. Pero mabuting naranasan ko ito. Sa tingin ko, ito ay masamang bagay at pinakamalungkot na trahedya. Pero, naisip ko rin na matapang ako dahil kinaya kong manatili sa kama na malungkot sa mahabang panahon at nakatayo ako muli.

At this level my response demonstrates my ease with the language.

I am able to create a response which not only addresses each aspect of the prompt, but delves into each point with clarity and concise language.

I am able to incorporate a number of more complex structures as well as Advanced vocabulary and Advanced phrases with a higher degree of accuracy throughout the majority of the response.

The language I create has a natural flow due to the way I incorporate a variety of patterns and complexities into my response. My response shows my ability to create language that has sophistication of language skills and syntactical density. My ability to switch time frames accurately is evident, if called for in the prompt.

Isa sa pinakamasayang karanasan ko sa buhay ay nangyari noong walong taong gulang ako. Isa akong tagalinis sa conference center bilang summer job ko. Sa sumunod na taon pagkatapos ng unang taon ko sa kolehiyo, naghahanap ako ng trabaho at hindi ako sigurado kung makakahanap ako. Sinabihan ako ng aking kapatid na lalake tungkol sa dati niyang trinabahuhan, at naghahanap daw sila ng trabahador para sa tag-init. Nagpasya akong mag-apply at umasang matatanggap ako. Ngunit, hindi ko nakuha ang posisyon na una kong ginusto. Sa halip, natanggap ako bilang isang tagalinis. Ako ay naging isang housekeeper sa isang conference para sa tag-init. Ang tag-init ay puno ng mga kaganapan. Marami akong mga problemang nakaharap na hindi ko naisip bilang isang bisita sa isang hotel. Nag-ayos ako ng kama, naglinis ng kubeta, naghugas ng bintana, nag-vaccum, at marami pang iba’t ibang mga gawain. Sa ganitong paraan ko lang natuklasan ang aking kakayahan. Hindi karaniwan ang magtrabaho ng anim na beses sa isang linggo embes na lima o kaya’y magka-extra shift sa umpisa o katapusan ng araw. Patuloy-tuloy lang akong nagtrabaho pero natuwa naman ako sa sarili ko. Sineryoso ko ang aking trabaho bilang isang tagalinis. Tinutulak ko ang sarili kong maglinis nang mabuti at pati na rin maglinis ng mabilisan. Sa madaling panahon nakakapaglinis ako ng kuwarto kalahati ng oras kumpara sa iba. Nasorpresa ako noong nakatanggap ako ng employee of the month award sa pangalawang buwan kong pagtatrabaho. Napaisip ako na ang aking trabaho ay napapahalagahan at sa uulitin alam ko ang aking kakayahan. Kahit na hindi ito isang grandeng karanasan, sapat na ito sa akin. Natutunan ko ang halaga ng pagtatrabaho at naisip ko kung ano ang mga kaya kong gawin. Sa kabuuan, ito ang karanasan na nagbukas ng mundo no posibilidad at sa ganoong rason, ito ang pinakamasayang karanasan sa buhay ko.

Writing Section Tips

Additional resources can be found in the Power-Up Guide and on our Video Tutorials page.

• Be a ‘show-off’ – this is the time to show what you can do!
• Be organized in your writing.
• Challenge yourself to go above and beyond what you normally write.
• Be creative and don’t stress out over possible errors. Perfection is not the goal!

Simply do your best and enjoy creating and communicating in the language that you are learning.

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• , December 1, 2023

It’s Here: 16+ Useful Tagalog Transition Words

Wanna engage in a meaningful conversation in Tagalog? Today, we’ll learn some Tagalog transition words that will surely upgrade your sentences, like sa simula . Filipinos love to engage in conversations and share fun stories in everyday life. If you wanna engage yourself in this type of conversation, you should also start learning some Tagalog transition words.

Learning Tagalog transition words is important in everyday conversation. You can use it in narrating important events or by just casually chatting with someone. Transition words are one of the must-learn words when learning the Tagalog language . Today, we’ll learn three groups of transition words that can be useful for Tagalog language learners.

What Are Tagalog Transition Words?

Transitional devices are instruments that we use in writing. These are words or phrases that give writers a way to carry a thought from one sentence to another. The Filipino word for   transition is paglilipat  or  pagbabago.   Transition words are used the same way the English transition words are used.

Tagalog transition words are used to  connect or link ideas, points, sentences, clauses, and phrases . It can also be used to transfer ideas from one topic to another or paragraph to paragraph. They also connect sentences and paragraphs in an orderly manner. There are other transition devices that are used to separate, clarify, state differences, and more. But in this blog, we will just focus on the basic Tagalog transition words.

Basic Tagalog Transition Words

Learning Tagalog transition words is one of the things that beginners need to learn. In this part, you will be guided by the English word of each Tagalog transition word. Sentence examples will also be provided to help you learn how it is used.

Introducting The First Event – Pagpapakilala Ng Unang Pangyayari

Let’s begin with the transition words used to introduce the first event. This is also used to start a narrative or begin listing a procedure.

1. Sa Simula (In The Beginning)

• Example Sentence: Sa simula, lahat ay namumuhay nang mapayapa. (In the beginning, everyone live peacefuly.)
• Explanation: The word sa means ‘in,’ and the word simula means ‘beginning’ or ‘start.’ This is used to start a narrative or begin a story.

2. Noon / Dati (Back Then/Beforetime)

• Example Sentence 1: Noon, sobrang konserbatibo ang kulturang Pilipino. (Back then, the Filipino culture is really conservative.)
• Explanation 1: Noon means ‘back then.’ This is used in daily conversations. Example Sentence 2: Dati, hindi pwedeng mag-aral ang mga babae. (Back then, women are not allowed to study.)
• Explanation 2: Do not be confused with the word dati because it has the same meaning as noon . It is also used in daily conversations.

3. Una (First)

• Example Sentence: Una, ihanda ang mga sangkap . (First, prepare all the ingredients.)
• Explanation: The word una means ‘first . ‘ It can be used in sequencing events or starting a detailed procedure. Remember, the word una should not be added to any prefixes like pang-una or ika-una.

4. Bago Ito (Before This)

• Example Sentence: Maaari na tayong lumabas nang walang mask ngayon. Bago ito, mahigpit na pinagbabawal ang hindi pagsusuot ng mask. (We can now go out without a mask. Before this, it was strictly forbidden not to wear a mask.)
• Explanation: The next word is bago ito , which is translated as ‘before this’ in English. There should be a previous situation or event before using this in another sentence.

5. Mula Noon (Since Then)

• Example Sentence: Nagkaroon ng pandemya. Mula noon, naging mahirap ang buhay para sa mga Pilipino. (There was a Pandemic. Since then, life has been difficult for Filipinos.)
• Explanation: The transition word mula noon is the Tagalog translation for ‘since then.’ This is used to indicate that something began to happen after a previous experience or situation.

Introducing The Next Event – Pagpapakilala Ng Kasunod Na Pangyayari

Are you having a good time learning Tagalog words? If so you will also love the Ling app , a language learning app for learning Tagalog and 60+ languages! It’s free and you can get it from Google Play and App Store ! Ok, let’s move on to the next group of Tagalog transition words which are used to introduce the next event, step, or situation.

1. Sumunod (Next)

• Example Sentence: Nagsimba muna ang buong pamilya. Sumunod, kumain na sila ng Noche Buena. (The whole family went to church first. Next, they ate Noche Buena.)
• Explanation: The word sumunod is the Filipino word for ‘next.’ It can also mean ‘to follow . ‘ This is used to indicate the next thing or event that will happen.

2. Pagkatapos (After)

• Example Sentence 1: Pagkatapos niyang manood, siya ay kumain. (After he/she watched, he/she ate.)
• Explanation 1: This is also used the same way as the first one. It also indicates the next thing that will happen.
• Example Sentence 2: Pagkaraan ng maraming taon, nagbago ang pamumuhay ng mga Pilipino. (After many years, the lifestyle of Filipinos changed.)
• Explanation 2: The word pagkaraan is usually used with a specific length of time. You must indicate the length of time before a certain thing happens like isang araw (one day), isang buwan (one month), and isang taon (one year).

3. Kalaunan (Later/Later On)

• Example Sentence: Napakahigpit noong pandemya. Kalaunan, naging maluwag ang restriksyon. (It was very strict during the pandemic. Later on, the restriction was relaxed.)
• Explanation: The word kalaunan means ‘at a time in the future’ or ‘following an earlier time.’

4. Maya-Maya Pa (After A While)

• Example Sentence: Naghahanda na ako ng almusal. Maya-maya pa ay nagising na ang aking mga kapatid. (I am preparing breakfast. After a while, my brothers woke up.)
• Explanation: This is used to indicate the event after some time has passed.

5. Hanggang (Until)

• Example Sentence: Nagsikap siyang mag-aral hanggang siya ay makatapos. (He worked hard to study until he graduated.)
• Explanation: The word hanggang means ‘up to the point in time’ or the event mentioned.

6. Ikalawa (Second)

• Example Sentence: Upang maging masaya ang iyong pagbisita sa Pilipinas, una’y kailangan mong matuto ng kanilang wika. Ikalawa, kailangan mong igalang ang kanilang kultura. (In order to enjoy your visit to the Philippines, first you need to learn their language. Second, you have to respect their culture.)
• Explanation: The word ikalawa is used to indicate the next step or event in a sequence. The other words used for sequencing or listing down steps are the following

These Tagalog transition words used for sequencing are until ‘tenth’ only. You can go almost until unlimited since numbers are infinite. You just need to add the prefix ‘ ika ‘ plus the Tagalog number .

Introducing The Last Event – Pagpapakilala Ng Huling Pangyayari

The last set of transition words is those that are used to introduce the last event or last step in a procedure.

1. Sa Huli (In the end)

• Example Sentence: Sa huli, sila’y namuhay nang masaya. (In the end, they lived happily.)
• Explanation: Most of the time, sa huli (in the end) is used as an idiom for finally, after a long time, or when everything is taken into account. A comma comes after it most of the time.

2. Sa Dulo (In The End)

• Example Sentence: Sa dulo, naging maayos ang koneksyon ng mga tauhan at namamahala. (In the end, his/her connection to his/her people became better.
• Explanation: Most of the time, sa dulo is used as a Tagalog preposition to talk about a specific time or place.

3. Sa Wakas (Finally)

• Example Sentence: Sa wakas, nakapasa siya sa bar exam. (Finally, he passed the bar exam.)
• Explanation: The Tagalog transition word sa wakas is used to bring up the last point or reason. It can also be the last in a series of events or things that are all connected.

4. Sa Ngayon (For Now)

• Example Sentence: Sa ngayon, mag-aaral siya nang mabuti para makapagtapos. (For now, he will study hard to graduate.)
• Explanation: The transition word sa ngayon is used to say ‘until a later time.’

5. Pagkatapos Ng Lahat (After Everything/After All)

• Example Sentence: Pagkatapos ng lahat ng nangyari, nananatili pa din siyang matatag. (After everything that happened, he still remains strong.)
• Explanation: The last transition word to learn is the phrase pagkatapos ng lahat, which indicates ‘the final outcome.’

How And When To Use Transition Words?

Most of the time, transition words come at the beginning of a new sentence or clause, followed by a comma. They show how this clause relates to the one before it. You can also use transition words in the middle of a sentence. It’s important to put them in the right places to get across the meaning you want.

So that’s it! But now that you have learned Tagalog transition words, what’s next? Are you going to stop here, or you wanna learn more? If you do, the Ling app definitely got your back. So, keep learning and don’t forget to have fun!

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Guide: How to Say “In Conclusion” in Tagalog

As you near the end of your Tagalog conversations, presentations, or written work, it’s essential to know how to politely and effectively express “in conclusion.” This guide will provide you with formal and informal ways of saying “in conclusion” in Tagalog, highlighting tips and offering numerous examples to enhance your understanding. Whether you’re learning Tagalog for business or personal reasons, mastering the art of concluding your thoughts will greatly enhance your communication skills.

Formal Ways to Say “In Conclusion” in Tagalog

To wrap up your discussion professionally, you can use the following phrases that indicate a formal conclusion:

1. Sa kabuuan (In summary/Overall), 2. Sa huli (Finally), 3. Upang tapusin (To conclude), 4. Sa wakas (At last), 5. Bilang pagwawakas (As a conclusion).

These formal expressions carry a sense of closure, ensuring your message is effectively conveyed.

Ngayon na nating naipaliwanag ang iba’t ibang aspeto ng isyung ito, sa kabuuan (in summary), mahalaga na maintindihan natin ang malalim na kahulugan ng paksang ito. (Now that we have explained the various aspects of this issue, in summary, it is important for us to understand the deeper meaning of this topic.)

Informal Ways to Say “In Conclusion” in Tagalog

When interacting with friends, family, or in casual conversations, you can choose from the following informal phrases to conclude smoothly:

1. Sa dulo (In the end), 2. Sa huli-huli (At the end of the day), 3. So, yun na yon! (So, that’s it!), 4. Kaya sa wakas (So finally), 5. Eto na, ‘tol/’te (Here it is, buddy/sis).

Using these informal expressions will add a personal touch to your conversations and keep the tone friendly and casual.

Kaya sa huli-huli (At the end of the day), ang pinakamahalagang bagay ay ang ating pagiging magkaibigan. (So, in the end, the most important thing is our friendship.)

Tips for Effective Conclusions

Here are some valuable tips to ensure your concluding remarks are impactful:

• Summarize: Before stating your final thoughts, briefly summarize the main points you discussed.
• Use transitional phrases: Transition words and phrases, such as “in summary,” “finally,” or “at last,” create a smooth flow to your conclusion.
• Leave a strong impression: Conclusions should leave a lasting impression on your audience. Make sure to reiterate your main message or call to action.
• Avoid introducing new information: Stick to the points already discussed and avoid introducing new ideas to maintain clarity.
• Consider cultural context: Keep in mind the cultural nuances of your Tagalog-speaking audience, especially if formal language is required.

The ability to conclude your thoughts effectively is crucial for any Tagalog speaker. By using the appropriate phrases, whether formal or informal, you can bring your conversations, presentations, and written work to a satisfying and coherent end. Remember to summarize your main points, use transitional phrases, and leave a strong impression on your audience. Practice these skills regularly to become a fluent Tagalog speaker who can confidently conclude any discussion with finesse.

Anumang pagtatapos ang piliin mo, ang mahalaga ay malakas na maghanap para sa inyong mga mithiin. (Whichever conclusion you choose, what matters is seeking strength in pursuing your goals.)

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Filipino classroom phrases.

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!

• Basic Greetings
• Common Instructions and Commands Used by Teachers
• Phrases To Use When Asking for Clarifications
• Phrases To Use When Explaining Absences and Tardiness
• When Talking About Your Favorite Subjects
• When Talking About Common School Supplies
• 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.

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

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:

Time to Begin

Common instructions, comprehension questions, classroom supervision.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

Talking about school subjects:, 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.

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

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!

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Essential Filipino Restaurant Phrases For a Great Dining Experience

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.

• Making Dining Plans
• Time to Dine
• After Dining
• Tipping Etiquette
• 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.

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

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?”)

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!

The Ultimate Guide To Filipino Conversation Skills

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.

• Crafting Your Language Profile
• Filipino Reaction Words & Expressions
• Filipino Filler Words
• Common Questions and Answers in Filipino
• Filipino Conversation Starters
• Tips for Improving Your Conversation Skills

1. Crafting Your Language Profile

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

• It must be relevant.
• 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:

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:

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?

Ayos lang ako.

Oo, tama ka., ayos yan ah, pasensya na..

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.

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

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?”

“what’s your name”, “how did you learn to speak tagalog”, “where are you from”, “do you know how to speak tagalog”, “what have you been up to lately”, “where did you finish your studies”, “what made you consider studying filipino”.

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

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?”

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.

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!

Talking About Your Nationality in Filipino

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.

• Different Nationalities in the Philippines
• How Do You Ask Someone Their Nationality in Filipino?
• How Do You Tell Someone Your Nationality in Filipino?
• Sentence Structure to Use When Talking About Your Nationality in Filipino

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.

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.

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

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?”)

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.”)

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.

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.”)

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!

Speak Like a True Local with These Advanced Tagalog Phrases

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?

• Useful Phrases for Formal Speech and Writing
• Power Phrases for Resumes
• Smart Phrases for Business Meetings
• Advanced Idioms, Sayings, and Proverbs for Everyday Usage

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.”

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.

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

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!

The Ultimate Guide to Intermediate Filipino Phrases

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.

• Let’s Talk About the Past!
• How About the Future?—Making and Changing Plans
• I’ll Tell You Why—Giving Explanations and Citing Reasons
• …And Why Not—Making Recommendations and Complaints
• Talaga! And Various Responses for Everyday Conversations
• Etiquette Phrases for Social and Business Settings
• 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).

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. 

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. 

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.

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

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?!”)

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.

Tuloy po kayo. (“Please come in.”)

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!

Gain Filipino Fluency with These Advanced Tagalog Words

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.

• Advanced Academic Words
• Advanced Business Words
• Advanced Medical Words
• Advanced Legal Words
• Alternative Words to Make an Impression

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.

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

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

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. 

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

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. 

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

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. 

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

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

2 – alternative verbs, 3 – alternative conjunctions, 4 – alternative prepositions.

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

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 !

Boost Your Vocab with These Intermediate Tagalog Words

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.

• Mga Bilang (Numbers)
• Mga Pangngalan (Nouns)
• Pang-abay (Adverbs)
• Pang-Ukol (Prepositions)
• Mga Pangatnig (Conjunctions)
• Auxiliary Words and Particles
• 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

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 .

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. 

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”).

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

2. Mga Pangngalan (Nouns)

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

1 – Time

2 – people, 3 – professions, 4 – various nouns.

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

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. 

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

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

2 – adjectives describing people, 3 – adjectives describing emotions, 4 – adjectives describing the weather.

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

2 – manner, 3 – place, 4 – measure.

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.

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.

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. 

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!

Filipino Animal Names

The Philippines is home to over 50,000 different animal species, many of which are endemic to the archipelago . In the last decade, sixteen new species of mammals have been discovered in the country, and the rate of endemism is likely to rise. Because of this, it’s only natural for Tagalog learners to study the names of animals in Filipino—especially those animals that are native to the Philippines. 

Filipinos are animal lovers by nature. Because the Philippines is primarily an agricultural country, a large portion of the population lives in rural areas where animals (both domesticated and wild) roam free.

In this guide, you’ll learn the names of over 80 animals in Filipino, from common housepets (and pests) to farm animals…and from the largest mammals to the tiniest bugs and insects. We’ll also teach you the names of animal body parts in Filipino, as well as a few useful animal-related idioms in Tagalog. (For instance, what does itim na tupa mean?)

I know you’re excited, so let’s get started!

Filipinos are animal lovers by nature.

• Animals in the Home
• Animals on the Farm
• Animals in the Wild (Land Animals)
• Animals in the Water (Marine and Freshwater Animals)
• Bugs and Insects
• Birds, Reptiles, and Amphibians
• Animals at the Zoo
• Animal Body Parts
• Filipino Animal-Related Idioms and Expressions
• Improve Your Vocabulary with FilipinoPod101!

1. Animals in the Home

Filipinos have long been considered dog lovers, and you’ll seldom see a home in the Philippines without one. 

In many cultures, dogs are considered best friends—but in the Philippines, the practice of keeping dogs as pets goes beyond this concept. Here, dogs are primarily kept as a means of warding off burglars and intruders. They’re like a furry alarm system of sorts. 

Over the past two decades, the practice of keeping cats has also become popular in the country. And while it’s illegal to keep exotic animals as pets, it’s not unusual to find a tarantula or scorpion in glass enclosures in some homes.

In case you’re wondering if it’s common for Filipino families to keep guinea pigs, hamsters, or bearded dragon lizards, the answer is yes. However, there are really no Tagalog equivalents for their names.

2. Animals on the Farm

Half of the population of the Philippines is found in rural areas. This means it’s not uncommon to see children playing with goats or sheep, or riding behind water buffalos and horses. Many Filipino families whose main source of income is farming (i.e., planting crops) also raise fowls, including chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys. Some families also raise pigs and cows to supplement the family income. Below is a list of the names of common farm animals in Tagalog .

The carabao is a symbol of the hardworking and persevering nature of the Filipino people.

3. Animals in the Wild (Land Animals)

The forest area of the Philippines has significantly decreased since the 1960s. Today, only seven million hectares of the country’s land is forested. What’s sad is that less than one million hectares of forested land remain untouched. The good news is that the country is making significant advances toward reforestation . Having said that, here’s a list of animals you’ll find in the wild and their names in Filipino.

4. Animals in the Water (Marine and Freshwater Animals)

The waters of the Philippines are a popular destination for divers , considering their impressive range of marine life. The country’s list of freshwater animals is just as impressive. Here are the most common marine and freshwater animals in the Philippines with their equivalent Filipino names.

5. Bugs and Insects

There are over 20,000 species of insects in the Philippines, 70% of which are native to the archipelago. Many of them (like the red fire ant) are quite invasive. Nevertheless, one cannot deny that a lot of these bugs actually make the world a better place to live in. Familiarize yourself with the Filipino names of the most common insects and bugs you’ll find in the Philippines.

In Filipino, any worm-like creature is referred to as ‘uod.’

6. Birds, Reptiles, and Amphibians

There are over 600 species of birds that are endemic to the Philippines, as well as up to 80 species of amphibians and over 150 species of reptiles . The following lists of animals in Filipino represent but a few of them. 

B- Reptiles and Amphibians

In the Philippines, it’s believed that the number of times a tokay gecko croaks will tell you whether it’s going to rain soon or not.

7. Animals at the Zoo

Many animals that are popular around the world are not endemic to the Philippines. That doesn’t mean you won’t find any of them here. Here’s a list of wild animals in the Philippines you’ll only find in captivity:

If you’re wondering about animals like giraffes, cheetahs, jaguars, chimpanzees, and hippopotamuses, you’ll also find them in captivity here, usually in zoos. However, there really aren’t any Filipino terms for these animals. We just call them by their English names, sometimes with a Filipino accent. For instance, you’ll hear “giraffe” being pronounced as dyirap .

8. Animal Body Parts

Now, let’s look at some words you might use while describing or talking about animals in Filipino. Here’s a vocabulary list of animal body parts you need to become familiar with:

9. Filipino Animal-Related Idioms and Expressions

Like most cultures, that of the Philippines has no shortage of animal-related idioms and expressions. Here are the most common ones:

Kasing dulas ng hito (“As slippery as a catfish”)

10. Improve Your Vocabulary with FilipinoPod101!

Did you find this list of the names of Filipino animals helpful? Let us know in the comments! 

Know that this is just a small part of what you should master when learning the Filipino language. If you want to learn more than just a vocabulary list of Tagalog animal names , FilipinoPod101 is here to help.

At FilipinoPod101, you can enjoy a wide range of free resources to help you take your Filipino vocabulary to the next level. Whether you need material for learning grammar, practicing your pronunciation, or exploring the Philippine culture , you can rest assured that FilipinoPod101 has it all.

FilipinoPod101 is unique in the sense that we employ an advanced approach that caters to the specific needs of our students. For instance, we provide students with our MyTeacher service, which is designed to help learners master the Filipino language in the shortest amount of time possible. With this feature, students can have 1-on-1 lessons with a professional Filipino teacher and receive real-time feedback to help them fast-track their learning.

All this and more if you sign up now with FilipinoPod101!

The Most Useful Filipino Phone Call Phrases

Hearing the phone ring can be exciting, especially when we’re expecting to receive some good news. However, for people in a foreign country who are still learning the language, the experience might not be so thrilling. 

This is especially true in professional settings. Imagine being the only one in the room when the phone suddenly rings, and you’re not even sure how to say “hello” in Tagalog—let alone put together any useful Filipino phone call phrases! How terrifying would that be?

I know. I’m just exaggerating. But you get my point. Not knowing what to say when answering the phone can be stressful (not to mention awkward).

But you can rest your worries here. In this post, you’ll learn the essential Tagalog phone call phrases for a variety of situations. This list should give you the confidence to make calls or answer the phone in Tagalog, as well as help make your phone conversations less awkward .

Me: Excited to call my friend in the middle of the night to practice Tagalog phone call phrases I’ve just learned.

• The Opening Line
• Introducing Yourself
• Stating Your Reason for Calling
• Asking to Speak to Someone
• Asking Someone to Wait
• Leaving a Message
• Asking for Clarification
• Ending the Phone Call
• Sample Phone Conversations

Learn More Than Just Phone Call Phrases with FilipinoPod101!

1. the opening line.

The Philippines ranks high in terms of business English , so it’s not unusual for phone calls here to be made or answered using English phrases in both professional and informal settings. Nevertheless, it’s still useful to know how to say these phrases in Tagalog. In the Philippines, we make phone calls the same way that people in most countries do—starting with a “hello.”

In informal situations, a common way to answer the phone in Tagalog is:

• Hello, sino ‘to? (“Hello, may I know who this is?”)

The word “hello” in Tagalog is kumusta . In some cultures, it’s common for the words used in telephone greetings to differ from those used in real life. But in the Philippines, we greet one another with kumusta both over the phone and in person. You’ll learn more about this in our entry How to Say Hello in Tagalog .

1 – When you’re the one calling…

• Hello. Kumusta? (“Hello. How are you?”)
• Hello. Magandang araw / umaga / hapon / gabi. (“Hello. Good day / morning / afternoon / evening.”)

You can follow this up with:

• Pwede ko bang makausap si… (“May I speak with…”)
• Nandiyan ba si… (“Is [name] available?”)
• Gusto ko sanang makausap si… (“I would like to speak with…”)

These initial greetings can be used in both formal and informal situations.

2 – When you’re the one receiving the call…

There are a couple of ways to answer the phone in casual settings:

• Hello. Kumusta din po? (“Hello. How are you, too?”)
• Hello. Sino ‘to? (“Hello. Who’s this?”)

You can then wait for the person to express their reason for calling or go ahead and ask them their reason for making the call.

As mentioned, answering the phone in professional settings is normally done using the English language or a combination of English and Filipino . While someone may use Tagalog or a dialect to answer the phone in formal settings, English is used in very formal settings like in hotels or high-end restaurants. In most cases, you’ll hear a combination of English and Filipino, such as in the following examples:

• Maaari ko bang malaman kung sino ang tumatawag? (“May I know who’s calling, please?”)
• I.T. Department. Magandang araw! (“I.T. Department. Good day!”)
• ABC Company. Magandang araw! (“ABC Company. Good morning!”)

2. Introducing Yourself

When making or taking a phone call in Tagalog, you’ll need to give a brief introduction at some point after the greeting. Let’s take a look at the nuances of introducing yourself as the caller versus as the receiver. 

1 – When making the call…

• ‘Tol, si Edwin ito. (“Bro, it’s me, Edwin.”) 

The word ‘ tol is a contraction of the word utol , which is slang for “brother” or “sister.” The usage of this term is common between very close friends, particularly males. Here are other examples:

• Pare, si Rudy ito. Naaalala mo pa ako? (“Bro, it’s Rudy. Still remember me?”)

The term pare is short for kumpare , which was borrowed from the Spanish word compadre , which refers to a male friend. The female version is mare , short for kumare.

• Ate Lorie, ako ito, si Rowena. (“Ate Lorie, it’s me, Rowena.”)

The word ate here is a term used to address an elder sister. It can also be used to refer to any female relative, friend, or even stranger, who is older than the speaker. For males, the term is kuya .

• Itay, si Mark po ito. (“Dad, it’s Mark.”)

The main difference between introducing yourself in a formal scenario and an informal one is that in a formal setting, you often need to state your full name or family name. In most cases, the word po , which indicates politeness, is also necessary. Consider these examples:

• Ako po pala si Edwin Marquez. (“I’m Edwin Marquez, by the way.”)
• Si Mr. Marquez itong tumatawag. (“It’s Mr. Marquez calling.”)

Speaking of politeness, here’s a quick lesson about Filipino manners .

Pare, si Rudy ito. Baka pwede mo ako pasahan ng load. (“Hey bro, it’s Rudy. Perhaps you could send me some mobile credits?”)

2 – When receiving a call…

In informal settings, the receiver of the call doesn’t usually have to introduce themselves unless asked to do so by the person calling.

In more formal settings, such as in the workplace, the appropriate way to answer a phone call would be with a “hello” followed by “May I know who’s calling, please?” or “Thanks for calling [name of company], it’s [name] speaking.”

In Tagalog, that would sound something like:

• Magandang araw. Maraming salamat sa pagtawag. Ito po si [name]. Ano po ang aking maipaglilingkod? (“Good day. Thank you so much for calling. This is [name]. What can I do for you?”)
• Magandang umaga / hapon. Si Shirley po ito. Bakit po sila napatawag? (“Good morning / afternoon. This is Shirley. May I know the purpose of your call?”)

Have you learned how to properly introduce yourself yet? Check out our entry on self-introductions and learn the different ways you can introduce yourself in Filipino !

3. Stating Your Reason for Calling

Depending on the nature of your call, there are different phrases you can use to let the other person know why you’re calling. 

Informal calls usually involve friends checking up on each other or inviting each other out for an activity.

• Gusto lang kitang kamustahin. (“I just want to check on you.”)
• Yayayain sana kita sa laro namin bukas. (“I wanted to invite you to our game tomorrow.”)

Meanwhile, formal calls often involve inquiries about a product/service or setting up an appointment with a client.

• Tumawag ako para pag-usapan yung… (“I called to talk about the…”) 
• Tumawag ako tungkol sa… (“I’m calling regarding the…”)
• Ako yung tumawag kanina. (“I was the one who called earlier.”)
• Gusto ko sanang mag-set ng meeting kay… (“I’d like to set a meeting with…”)
• May gusto akong itanong tungkol sa produkto / serbisyo na binibigay ninyo. (“I’d like to ask some questions regarding a product / service you’re offering.”)

May gusto sana akong itanong tungkol sa binenta niyong laptop sa akin. Ayaw mag-on. (“I’d like to ask something regarding the laptop you sold me. It won’t boot up.”)

4. Asking to Speak to Someone

If the person who picked up the phone is not who you intended to speak with, you can ask to be handed over to the right person. Here are some Filipino phone call phrases you can use to do this: 

• Nandiyan po ba si…gusto ko sana siyang makausap tungkol sa… (“Is [name] there? I’d like to talk to him/her about…”)
• Gusto ko sanang makausap si… (“I was wondering if I could speak with…”)
• Pakisabi hinahanap siya ni Bernadette. (“Please tell her it’s Bernadette.”)
• Gusto kong makausap si… (“I’d like to speak with…”)
• Maaari ko bang makausap si… (“May I speak/have a word with…”)

5. Asking Someone to Wait

If you’re the one receiving the call and have to ask the caller to wait, you can use the following phrases:

• Sandali lang…tatawagin ko siya. (“Wait a minute, I’ll just call him/her.”)
• Sandali lang ha, ibibigay ko sa kanya ang telepono. (“Wait, I’ll hand the phone over to him.”)
• Pwede po ba kayong maghintay ng kaunti? (“Could you wait a bit?”)
• Ililipat ko po ang tawag… (“Allow me to transfer the call…”)

6. Leaving a Message

When the person you’re looking for is not around, you can leave a message for them with the person who received your call. Here are a few ways you can do that:

• Pakisabi na lang na tawagan niya ako. Pakisabi importante. Salamat. (“Please tell him to call me. Please tell him that it’s important. Thank you.”)
• Sabihin mo tumawag ang kaibigan niyang si Edwin. Salamat. (“Tell him his friend Edwin called. Thanks!”)
• Maaari ba akong mag-iwan ng mensahe? (“Can I leave a message?”)
• Maaari mo bang sabihin sa kanya na tawagan ako? (“Can you tell him to call me back, please?”)

Keep in mind that the word maaari is the more formal term for pwede and is seldom used even in formal situations. In most cases, using pwede instead of maaari won’t affect the formality of your call or make you come off as unprofessional .

7. Asking for Clarification

As a non-native speaker conversing over the phone in Filipino, you’ll likely need to ask for clarifications at some point. While this might be because you received a lengthy or complex explanation that you need reiterated, it could also be that the line is too noisy or you can’t hear the other person clearly. 

• Pasensya na, ano yun ulit? (“I’m sorry, what was that again?”)
• Hindi ko narinig. Pakiulit nga. (“I didn’t hear you. Please say that again.”)
• Pwedeng paki ulit yung sinabi mo? Medyo maingay kasi dito. (“Could you repeat what you just said? It’s a bit noisy here.”)
• Pasensiya ka na,  pero pwede mo bang ulitin yung sinabi mo? (“I’m sorry, but could you repeat what you just said?”)
• Pwedeng paki ulit nung huli mong sinabi? (“Would you mind repeating the last line?”)
• Maaari mo bang ulitin yung address? (“Would you mind stating the address again?”)
• Ang sinasabi mo… (“What you were saying was…”)
• Ang ibig mong sabihin…tama ba ako? (“What you’re trying to say is…am I correct?”)
• Uulitin ko yung sinabi mo. Pakisabi kung tama ang pagkakaintindi ko. (“I’m going to reiterate what you just said. Please let me know if I understood it correctly.”)

If you want to confirm that you’re calling the right number, you can say something like this:

• Ito po ba ang opisina ni Mr. Aquino? (“Is this Mr. Aquino’s office?”)
• Tama po ba itong numero na tinawagan ko? (“Did I dial the correct number?”)

And then state the phone number you’re trying to call.

8. Ending the Phone Call

End the phone call successfully and appropriately with the following words and expressions:

1 – Ending a call as the caller…

• Sige, magkita na lang tayo. (“Alright, I’ll just see you on…”)
• O siya, mauna na ako. Bye! (“Okay, I’ll go now. Bye!”)
• Maraming salamat. Paalam. (“Thank you so much. Bye!”)
• Maraming salamat sa tulong mo. Hanggang sa muli. (“Thank you so much for your help. Until next time.”)

2 – Ending a call as the recipient…

• Ingat ka. (“You take care.”)
• Sige. Kitakits. (“Alright. See you!”)
• Maraming salamat din. (“Thank you, too.”)
• Salamat sa pagtawag. (“Thank you for calling.”)
• May maitutulong pa po ba ako? Kung wala na, maraming salamat sa pagtawag. Paalam. (“Is there anything else I can help you with? If there is none, I’d like to thank you for calling us. Goodbye!”)

One of the first things to do when arriving in the Philippines is to set up a phone plan. Here’s a list of related words and phrases about phone plans to help you with that.

Sige. Kitakits sa Sabado! (“Alright. See you on Saturday!”)

9. Sample Phone Conversations

Now, let’s take a look at two sample phone call conversations involving two friends setting up a brunch date on a weekend. The first scenario is an informal phone call conversation between Rain and her friend Athena. They haven’t seen each other for a while, and Rain has decided to call Athena to ask if she’s free the coming weekend for a date.

1 – Informal Phone Conversation

Rain: Hello, Athena, kumusta ka na? (“Hello, Athena. How are you?”)

Athena: Uy, Rain! Napatawag ka! Anong meron? (“Hey, Rain! You called! What’s up?”)

Rain: Yayayain sana kitang magkape sa Sabado, tutal walang pasok. Brunch na lang din tayo. (“I was wondering if I could invite you for coffee this coming Saturday since it’s a weekend. Let’s have it over brunch.”)

Athena: Magandang ideya yan. Sige! Saan ba plano mong kumain? (“That’s a wonderful idea. Sure! Where do you plan to eat?”)

Rain: May alam akong bagong bukas na kainan malapit lang kina Aaron. Sasama din pala siya. (“I know a place near Aaron’s. He’s coming with us, by the way.”)

Athena: Wow! Excited na ako. Sino-sino pa nandun? (“Wow! I’m excited already! Who else will be there?”)

Rain: Niyaya ko din si Raymund, actually, kaso sasamahan niya daw ang mom and dad niya. (“I actually invited Raymund, as well, but he said he needs to accompany his mom and dad.”)

Athena: Ah okay. So tayong tatlo lang nina Aaron? Okay lang sa akin. Miss ko na din yung isang yun eh. (“Oh okay. So it’s just the three of us? That’s fine with me. I actually miss that guy, too.”)

Rain: O ano? Okay na tayo sa Sabado? Sunduin na lang kita para hindi ka na magmaneho. Hatid na din kita pauwi. (“So, it’s final. We’ll meet this Saturday. I’ll just come and fetch you so you won’t have to drive. I’ll then drop you home afterward.”)

Athena: Oo ba. Tamang-tama lang ang alas-nuebe at tapos na ako sa mga gawain ko dito sa bahay. (“Sure. I should be done with my house chores before nine, so nine in the morning would be perfect.”)

Rain: Ayos! Kitakits sa Sabado. Babay! (“All right. See you on Saturday then. Bye!”)

Athena: Kitakits! Bye! (“See ya! Bye!”)

2 – Formal Phone Conversation

After Rain and Athena have agreed on the time and date of their meeting, Rain calls the restaurant she told Athena about so she could have a table reserved for them.

Keep in mind that it’s not common for phone calls in the Philippines to be purely in Tagalog. In fact, people hardly use Tagalog when making formal conversation. More often than not, it’s always a combination of Filipino and English. First, let me show you what a purely Tagalog conversation would sound like:

Attendant: Magandang umaga. Salamat sa pagtawag sa Doña Maria Cafe. (“Good morning. Thank you for calling Doña Maria Cafe.”)

Rain: Magandang umaga. Gusto ko po sanang magpareserba para sa tatlong tao. (“Good morning. I’d like to make a reservation.”)

Attendant: Sige po. Para sa anong petsa po ito? (“Of course. For what date will the reservation be?”)

Rain: Para sa darating na Sabado. (“It will be for this coming Saturday.”)

Attendant: Anong oras po? (“And the time?”)

Rain: Alas-nuebe ng umaga. (“Nine in the morning.”)

Attendant: Ilang tao po ang kailangan ng reserbasyon? (“How many people will you need the reservation for?”)

Rain: Para sa tatlong tao lang. (“For three people, please.”)

Attendant: Maaari ko po bang makuha ang pangalan nila? (“Would you kindly give me your name, please?”)

Rain: Rain Ledesma.

Attendant: Maraming salamat po. Ginawan ko na po kayo ng reserbasyon para sa tatlong tao sa darating na Sabado, alas-nuebe ng umaga. Mayroon pa po ba akong maipaglilingkod? (“Thank you so much. I made a reservation for three people for this Saturday at nine a.m. Will there be anything else I can help you with?”)

Rain: Yun lang po. Maraming salamat. Paalam. (“That is all. Thank you. Bye.”)

Attendant: Paalam. (“Bye.”)

3 – Formal Phone Conversation (Taglish)

Now, here’s what a more typical phone conversation would sound like when making a reservation at a restaurant in the Philippines.

Attendant: Thank you for calling Doña Maria Cafe. How may I help you? Rain: Hello. Gusto ko sanang magpa-reserve. (“Hello. I’d like to make a reservation.”)

Attendant: Sige po. Para kailan po ito, ma’am? (“Sure. For what date will the reservation be?”)

Rain: Sa darating na Sabado sana. (“It’s for this coming Saturday.”)

Attendant: Anong oras po ang gusto nila? (“And the time, please?”)

Rain: Nine a.m.

Attendant: Sige po. Ilan po sila? (“Got that. This is for how many people?”)

Rain: Ah, tatlo lang kami. (“Oh, it’s just the three of us.”)

Attendant: Pwede ko pong makuha yung pangalan nila? (“May I have your name, please?”)

Attendant: Thank you po, ma’am. Ginawan ko na po kayo ng reservation for this coming Saturday, 9 in the morning, for three persons. Is there anything else po? (“Thanks, ma’am. I made a reservation for you for this coming Saturday at nine in the morning. It’s for three people. Is there anything else?”)

Rain: Wala na. Yun lang. Thank you! Bye! (“Nope. That’s all. Thank you. Bye!”)

Attendant: Sige po. Thank you! Bye! (“Okay. Thank you. Bye!”)

Notice how the speakers switched between Filipino and English throughout the conversation. Also note the excess use of po , which is typical for when someone doesn’t want to come across as rude or impolite.

Ginawan ko na po kayo ng reservation. (“I already made a reservation for you.”)

In this lesson, you’ve learned some of the most useful Filipino phone call phrases to help you gain more confidence when making or taking a call. Do you feel more prepared to handle your next all-Filipino phone call, or are there some phrases or situations you’d still like to see covered?

If you wish to further improve your Tagalog and learn more than just phone call phrases, sign up for FilipinoPod101 today.

Here at FilipinoPod101.com, you can have access to a range of free resources including PDFs, audio lessons, and video recordings that will assist you in your studies. Not to mention hundreds of useful Tagalog vocabulary words to enrich and widen your mental wordbook.

Want to fast-track your progress? You can also avail yourself of our MyTeacher service, an innovative approach to language learning designed and developed to help language students learn with a real teacher on their own schedule. 

What are you waiting for? Join FilipinoPod101 now and start learning Filipino in a fun and innovative way!

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Transitional Devices In Tagalog – Halimbawa At Kahulugan

Ano ang halimbawa ng transitional devices sa tagalog.

TRANSITIONAL DEVICES – Sa paksang ito, ating tatalakayin kung ano nga ba ang halimbawa ng transitional devices at ang mga halimbawa nito sa Tagalog.

Ang mga transitional devices ay mga insturmento na ating ginagamit sa pagsusulat. Ito ay mga salita o parilala na nagbibigay sa mga manunulat ng paraan upang magdala ng kaisipan mula sa isang pangungusap patungo sa isa pa.

Magagamit rin ito para maisalin ang ideya galing sa isang paksa papunta sa isang paksa o kaya’y talata patungo sa isang talata. Bukod dito, ang mga ito ay nag-uugnay ng mga pangungusap at talata sa isang maayos na paraan.

Mayroong tatlong uri ng transition. Ito ang mga sumusunod:

• Pagbabago sa pagitan ng mga pangungusap.
• Ginagamit kapag ang pangungusap ay lamang bahagyang may kaugnayan.
• At ang mga ideya na kailangan maging konektado.

Sa Filipino, mayroon ding dalawang pangunahing uri ng transition:

• Kondyangktibong pang-abay.

Heto ang mga halimbawa:

• Sa positibong panig.
• Sa katunayan
• Sa kabilang banda.
• Sa negatibong panig.
• Bilang karagdagan.
• Partikular sa.

Salamat sa inyong maiiging pagbabasa. Aming sinisiguro ang pagserbisyo ng bago at pinaka-tinatangkilik na balita. Hanggang sa susunod na mga bagong balita mula dito lamang sa Philnews.

BASAHIN DIN: PS Meaning In Tagalog – Example Sentences And More

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