Filipino Phrases You Need to Know Before Going to the Philippines

Tagalog Basic Phrases

Have you ever traveled to the Philippines? If you’re contemplating a visit or trip to the country soon, consider learning simple Tagalog words to get closer to the people and get a flavor of the country’s rich culture. While Filipinos are regarded as some of the most fluent English speakers in the world, learning basic Filipino/Tagalog phrases is an interesting experience in and of itself for visitors. After all, Filipino is a diverse language with deep ties to other nations.

Whenever foreign visitors or renowned personalities visit the Philippines for a short duration, they invariably say “Mabuhay!” or “Mahal Ko Kayo!” And this only speaks of how widely acknowledged is the Filipino language.  The Filipino language has been impacted by various foreign languages, which is why it has resonance similarities with other popular languages.

Now, if you are eager to learn some basic tagalog phrases for when you visit the Philippines, strive to memorize these so you can expand your vocabulary.

This Tagalog basic phrase is widely used to greet someone, particularly in the sunshine. It literally translates to: Good Day! You may be more specific by using the following:

• Good morning = Magandang umaga
• Good Afternoon = Magandang hapon
• Good evening = Magandang gabi

All of these are greeting phrases. Simple and easy to remember! All you have to do is say it nicely and with a smile.

It’s fairly common, notably among foreigners. Kumusta means ‘how are you?’  It has a Spanish origin and influence. Saying ‘kumusta?’ or ‘kamusta?’ is a casual way of asking someone how they are and how life has been treating them thus far. It might be seen as a gesture of concern and sympathy.  Most folks use this to initiate a conversation or to check about someone’s day.

Mabuhay! Natives commonly use this to hug and welcome visitors to their community or locality. Because Filipinos are inherently friendly, when someone opens the door for you and says, ‘Mabuhay!’ All you have to do is show some gratitude and smile. ‘Mabuhay’ can even be found on mats at the entrance as a courtesy to greet a visitor.

Yes or No.   Oo means Yes, whereas Hindi means No. These terms are critical if you wish to use them in a phrase. It will make your sentence more logical and completely contextualized. Oo or Hindi is widely used to respond to a question or to express agreement or disagreement. When you say ‘Oo,’ it signifies you agree with a remark, circumstance, or occurrence. Thus, if you say ‘Hindi,’ that implies it’s not okay, and you must say No.

Most foreigners are familiar with this widely used and cliched phrase. This means ‘Thank you so much!’  Maraming Salamat is a casual expression of gratitude. It’s a wonderful gesture to say ‘Maraming Salamat to a native, especially if you’re a foreigner. We love a “thank you,” but nothing beats a traveler who tries and goes out of his way to show his desire to embrace our language.

It means a lot to Filipinos if you communicate with them in their language. That is mostly true, especially when a foreigner converses to express their gratitude and gratitude for help from a native. This phrase is simple to remember, so memorize it and practice saying it when you visit the Philippines!

It means ‘stop’ or ‘to halt.’ This phrase is often used when riding a bus or a jeepney. If you’re a foreigner on public transit, this phrase will work wonders for you! Simply tell the driver, ‘para po’ or ‘para manong,’ and they will know that you have arrived at your destination and will be dropping you off.

This phrase means ‘how much is this?’ It’s often used at public markets or Divisoria in the Philippines. To know how much a product costs, you must first ask how much.  Price tags are rare in public markets. Therefore you must ask the vendor directly for the pricing. It’s extremely important, especially if you’re shopping for vegetables or fruits in a public market. Cash price reductions are very common when buying at a people’s market, so knowing how much a thing costs might be your ticket to saving a buck.

This simply means, ‘Can I buy?’ Foreigners routinely do this at supermarkets or public markets to convey to the seller that they are interested in purchasing the product. Hence As a result, when asked ‘magkano po?’ or ‘how much is this?’ If you are okay with the price offered, you may say ‘pabili po.’ It’s simple to remember, so keep it in your arsenal and use it occasionally.

             ‘I apologize’ or ‘I’m sorry.’ This simple phrase expresses sorry or remorse for whatever has occurred. It can also informally show sympathy for any inconvenience caused. However, ‘pasensya po’ is a much lighter apologetic context than ‘patawarin mo ako,’ which is normally used for more serious forms of trouble. In other words, the severity of the offense is substantial enough to merit the phrase “Please forgive me.”

This phrase translates as ‘Please wait a moment.’ Alternatively, ‘Wait a minute.’ And this is normally used to urge someone to wait or hold on for a few seconds. It’s the same as asking “hold on for a second” over the phone.

‘What is your name?’ This is one of the essential Tagalog basic phrases to memorize before entering the Philippine territory. This could come in handy if you’re a foreigner visiting the Philippines to date a Filipina. Although it is more convenient for a foreigner to ask using the English phrase, doing it the Filipino way is far more appreciated. Filipinas value effort and the little things. And, from the perspective of a Filipina, asking a name with the phrase ‘Ano ang pangalan mo?’ is far sexier than asking it the other way. From there, you have a better chance of catching a Filipina’s interest.

There isn’t a single foreigner who has returned to their home country without knowing the phrase – Mahal Kita. This is Tagalog for ‘I love you,’ a beautiful and magical phrase that can work miracles.

‘I like you.’ This phrase is both common and well-known among foreigners inside the Philippines. It’s simple to remember and necessary, especially regarding dating in the Philippines. While saying ‘I like you’ is nice, nothing beats actually speaking the magic words in Filipino. Saying ‘gusto kita’ to a Filipina might get you a free pass to her heart. It’s a powerful phrase alongside ‘Mahal Kita,’ which means ‘I love you.’

‘Goodbye, dear friend!’ This phrase is used to wave farewell (although in the formal way). If you made a friend in the Philippines, which is highly likely, you should remember this tagalog basic phrase and say it when it’s time to leave. This is a sad thought, but it’s vital to remember that not all goodbyes are painful or meant to be sad.

This phrase means ‘take care of yourself!’ and is extremely valuable to anyone. This is a polite phrase used by anyone bidding goodbye. For instance, after saying ‘Paalam, kaibigan,’ you can say ‘Mag-ingat ka.’ This implies that you want your friend to remain safe and out of harm’s path. It’s a gesture of concern. This phrase merely demonstrates that you genuinely care.