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Other Useful Expressions in Filipino
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I gather the other expressions in Filipino which I think will form a situation when someone visits his Filipino friend. I arrange as if a conversation is flowing smoothly between the host and the visitor. Please observe that there are several expressions here which capture the hospitality of the Filipinos in general.
Tao po – This literally means a person (po is used to make the expression polite). This is usually said to mean that you are calling the attention of anyone in the house or simply announcing ones arrival in the house front. I remember that there is a Japanese phrase that mean somewhat like this. It is gomen kudasai.
The next one is a collection of several ways of saying enter in Filipino. Notice ho in the below expression? This is added to make the sentence slightly polite. As for the po on the other sentences, this is added to make the expression more polite. Look at the word sila. This is actually a pronoun for they but there are time that this is used as singular (most polite when used as singular). Ka means the singular you and kayo is the plural you but can be used as singular to make it more polite. The last expression I included here may be considered the most polite and hospitable of all. The word naman makes this expression passionate and even denotes the host is requesting the visitor to grace their home with the latter’s presence. Tuloy is the root word for enter. Ka means you.
Tuloy
Tuloy ka
Tuloy ho
Tuloy ho kayo
Tuloy ho sila
Tuloy kayo
Tuloy po
Tuloy po kayo
Tuloy po sila
Tuloy naman po sila
Like the above list, this also means enter. Pasok is another word for tuloy. I remember watching a movie with a Malaysian subtitle. A word masuk is used in the movie and I recognize the similarity to pasok. Again the last expression I included below is the most polite and hospitable of its kind with the same reason as the expression mentioned before.
Pasok
Pasok ka
Pasok ho
Pasok ho kayo
Pasok ho sila
Pasok kayo
Pasok po
Pasok po kayo
Pasok po sila
Pasok naman po sila
Matagal na rin noong huli tayong nagkita – This means long time no see.
Upon seeing an old acquaintance or a long seen relative, it is common for Filipinos to express what they notice, which are the big changes to that person, as to reminisce to their last meeting. The following are the example:
Oh! Tumaba ka ata. – Oh! You become fat.
Ganito ka lang katangkad dati. – Before, you are just this tall.
Oh ang gandang dalaga mo na ha. – Oh! You have become a beautiful maiden now.
This and more are the usual things you can here in a reunion and a like.
Below are the expressions to ask the purpose of the visit. Sadya means things done on purpose. Ano means what. Anong means what with ng which signifies being a modifier. Thus, anong + noun is similar to what + noun. Anong sadya mo may be translated as what purpose you have. Although we can say anong sadya mayroon ka to mean the same, this pattern is somewhat weird. The word mo means you (pronoun in Filipino have its own rules which is different to English. We will discuss it soon). Nila means they (see sila above, they are used differently). Natin means us (the use of this is both polite and friendly. Not you nor I but us)
Ano ang sadya mo
Ano and sadya natin
Ano ang sadya nila
Ano ho ang sadya nila
Ano po ang sadya nila
Anong sadya mo
Anong sadya natin
Anong sadya nila
Ano hong sadya nila
Ano pong sadya nila
Ano ba ang sadya mo
Ano ba ang sadya nila
Ano ho ba ang sadya nila
Ano po ba ang sadya nila
Ano ho bang sadya nila
Ano po bang sadya nila
The next may means “what can I do to help?” Look at maitutulong. It is derived from tulong which means help. The nature of Filipino verb is to repeat the first syllable twice in some tenses. Sayo means to you. Sa inyo means to you in plural form. Sa kanila means to them. Kanila means their.
Ano ang maitutulong ko
Ano ang maitutulong ko sayo
Ano ang maitutulong ko sa inyo
Ano ang maitutulong ko sa kanila
Ano ho ang maitutulong ko
Ano ho ang maitutulong ko sa inyo
Ano ho ang maitutulong ko sa kanila
Ano po ang maitutulong ko
Ano po ang maitutulong ko sa inyo
Ano po ang maitutulong ko sa kanila
The next are still about the purpose of the visit but this time the expressions are casual and I do not think of using it to the elders. This may sound rude so use this only to a close friend with the same age if possible or to anyone uninvited.
Ano at naparito ka
Ano at naparito kayo
Naparito ka ata
Naparito ata kayo
The next means Please have a sit and the likes.
Maupo ka
Maupo kayo
Maupo ho kayo
Maupo ho sila
Maupo po kayo
Maupo po sila
The following lists of expressions are very hospitable and humble.
Below, we have here expressions to invite the guess to eat. Kumain is derived from kain which means eat. Muna means for awhile. As of na, this is tricky actually. This is added to various sentences to mean that an action is already done or in our case here, means a prompt action is expected or that the host is expecting the guess to eat now. Again, kain po sila is the most polite I can think of. Another variation to the most polite expression is Kumain nap o muna sila. Note that sila may mean singular you and that make it very polite.
Kumain ka muna
Kumain muna kayo
Kumain ka na muna
Kumain na muna kayo
Kumain ho muna kayo
Kumain na ho muna kayo
Kumain po muna kayo
Kumain na po muna kayo
Kain ho sila
Kain po sila
These three lines below are related to eating as well. Panghimagas means dessert. The first literally means there is a dessert and actually means the host is inviting the guess to have a dessert.
May panghimagas diyan
Panghimagas ho
Panghimagas po
Filipinos are not only hospitable but also humble. The list below shows some of the hint into Filipino values. Pasensya is derived from the Spanish paciencia or patience in English. Kung is the conditional word if in Filipino. Lang is not a good thing to say actually. This implies that the speaker is looking down (in this case, looking down to his own shortcomings being a not so good host). This is very humble indeed but there are several actions from the government to change this attitude (not to look down on oneself). Maliit means small (liit is the root word for small and the prefix ma make it an adjective). Marumi means dirty. It is derived from dumi which means dirt (the /d/ and /r/ sounds interchange in Filipino). Hindi means no and sometimes di is used for short. Nakapaghanda means prepared and it is derived from handa which means preparation of the food served during special occasions. Nakayanan, from the word kaya which means able.
Pasensya na kung maliit lang ang bahay naming – Our apology that our house is small (even though the house is big enough).
Pasensya na marumi ang bahay naming – Our apology that our house is dirty (even though the house is not really dirty).
Pasensya na hindi ako nakapaghanda – Our apology that we did not have much time to prepare (even though entertaining the guess is very nice and smoothly done).
Pasensya na ito lang ang nakayanan naming – Our apology that this is all we can afford for you (even though the host provides the best they can offer).
We already encountered sige from request and permission in Filipino post that I had. Sige is the word used to allow something to happen. In this case it is also used to make the expression go smooth by giving a hint that you will now go. In the list below, the several expressions means like, ok, I will go now or I will go ahead of you. Remember ha is used to make the sentence sound very human like (there is a hint of a warm heart in the expression). O or oh is added with the same use as in English. Mauna means to do first. Notice that mauna is a combination of ma used in adjectives or adverb and una which means first (discussed in numbers). Na may means now.
Sige, mauna na ko
Sige, una na ko
Sige ha? Mauna na ko
Sige ha? Una na ko
O, sige, mauna na ko
O, sige, una na ko
O, sige ha? Mauna na ko
O, sige ha? Una na ko
O, sige na, Mauna na ko
O, sige na, una na ko
O, sige na ha? Mauna na ko
O, sige na ha? Una na ko
The list below is used to send regards. Notice Ikamusta is actually derived from kamusta, one of the basic Filipino expressions (discussed before). The pattern used for request is also used to send regards.
Ikamusta mo ako
Ikamusta mo ko
Ikamusta n’yo ako
Ikamusta n’yo ko
Ikamusta mo na lang ako
Ikamusta n’yo na lang ako
Ikamusta mo naman ako
Ikamusta n’yo naman ako
Next, we have here a long list of expressions which means take care. Lagi means always. The last one is said only to a close friend and never to the elders. This is use to make a humor out of it. It really means the others should be careful instead of you and may imply that others should not mess with you.
Ingat ka
Ingat ka, ha?
Ingat ka lagi
Ingat ka lagi, ha?
Ingat ho
Ingat ho kayo
Ingat ho lagi
Ingat ho kayo lagi
Ingat ho sila
Ingat ho sila lagi
Ingat po
Ingat po kayo
Ingat po lagi
Ingat po kayo lagi
Ingat po sila
Ingat po sila lagi
Ingat sila sayo (humor)
Paalam means good bye and is derived from alam which means known or to know (you let your loved ones know that you will go to or leave, something like that).
Paalam
Paalam, ha?
Paalam na
Paalam na, ha?
Paalam na ho
Paalam na po
The last list means so long or until our next meeting. Hanggang means until. Muli means again. Nating, which is from natin, means our blah blah blah. Pagkikita means meeting (kita is see).
Hanggang sa muli
Hanggang sa muli nating pagkikita