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Are you planning a trip to the Philippines or starting a new Tagalog language journey? If so, learning a few Tagalog phrases is a great start. Learn how to greet people you meet on your travels, order delicious Filipino foods like adobo or lumpia, and speak sweet nothings to your Filipino sweetheart.
Tagalog greetings
If you know even a little Spanish, learning Tagalog may be pretty straightforward. Many common Tagalog phrases come from Spanish influences, such as Kumasta (How are you?) Say it out loud and you may hear Como esta?—the Spanish phrase for the same greeting!
Other Tagalog phrases that you’ll hear every day in the Philippines include:
| Tagalog | English |
| Magandáng áraw. | Good day. |
| Magandáng umága. | Good morning. |
| Magandang tánghalí | Good afternoon. |
| Magandang hápon. | Good afternoon. |
| Magandang gabí. | Good evening. |
| Kumustá | How are you? |
| Mustá. | How are you? (informal) |
| Paumanhín pô. | Excuse me (as an apology). |
| Pakiraán pô. | Excuse me (to pass through). |
| Mawaláng-gálang pô. | Excuse me (to interrupt or speak). |
| Salámat. | Thank you. |
| Maráming salámat. | Thank you very much. |
| Walang anuman. | You’re welcome. |
| Maligayang bati! | Happy birthday! |
| Pagbati! | Congratulations! |
| Paálam. | Goodbye. |
| Sa muling pagkikita. | Until we meet again. |
- Add pô to make these phrases more polite or formal, such as Magandang umaga pô (Good morning) or Salamat pô (Thank you).
- Adding sa inyo (to you) or sa kanila (to them) directs them to the right person or people.
- When reciprocating a greeting, such as “Good morning to you, too,” add rin or naman to the end of your phrase (Magandang umaga rin sa iyo).
Tagalog phrases to use in conversation
Once you’ve said Magandang umaga, it’s time to get to know your new friends a little more. Use these common Tagalog phrases and questions to learn more about someone, clarify a situation, or explain that you understand (or that you don’t).
| Tagalog | English |
| Ano ang pangálan mo? | What is your name? (informal) |
| Ano po ang pangálan nila? | What is your name? (formal) |
| Ako si (your name) | My name is (your name) |
| Kinagagalak kong makilala ka | Nice to meet you. |
| Saan kayo nakatira? | Where do you live? |
| Anòng oras na? | What time is it? |
| Ano itô? | What is this? |
| Ano iyon? | What is that? |
| Síno ang táong lyán? | Who is that person? |
| Síno ba an kasáma mo? | Who is the person you’re with? |
| Ano pô? | What did you say? |
| Táma ba itô? | Is this correct? |
| Hindi ko alam | I don’t know. |
| Bahala na! | Come what may! |
| Saan ka pupuntá? | Where are you going? |
| Nauunawaan mo? | Do you understand? |
| Naiintinidihan ko | I understand. |
| Hindi ko naiintindihan | I don’t understand. |
| Pakiúlit mo yon. | Please say it again. |
| Paano mo sabihin ang (word) salita sa Tagalog? | How do you say (word) in Tagalog? |
Asking for directions in Tagalog
Whether you’re spending your afternoon basking on Alona Beach or touring Mayon Volcano, you’ll need to know where to go next. Try these basic Tagalog phrases to get you from point A to point B as efficiently as possible.
| Tagalog | English |
| Saan ang (location) lokasyon? | Where is the (location)? |
| Saan ang banyo? | Where is the bathroom? |
| Saan ang hotel? | Where is the hotel? |
| Saan ang istasyon ng tren? | Where is the train station? |
| Hindi ko mahanap (ang lokasyon). | I can’t find the (location). |
| Naliligaw ako. | I am lost. |
| Lumiko sa kaliwa. | Turn left. |
| Lumiko sa kanan. | Turn right. |
| Malayo ba? | Is it far? |
| Malapit ba? | Is it close? |
| Malayo ito. | It’s far away. |
| Malapit na. | It’s close. |
| sa kalye | down the street |
| sa paligid ng kanto | around the corner |
| hilaga | north |
| timog | south |
| silangan | east |
| kanluran | west |
It’s not a trip to the Philippines until you’ve shopped at Baguio City Market and enjoyed some halo-halo (ice cream with fruity toppings). Add these Tagalog phrases to your vocabulary when buying souvenirs or ordering lunch with your kaibigan (friend).
| Tagalog | English |
| Bukas ba kayo? | Are you open? |
| Gusto ko po sanang magpareserba. | I’d like to make a reservation. |
| Pwede ko bang makita ang menu? | May I see a menu? |
| Ano ang espesyalidad niyo dito? | What are your special dishes here? |
| Anô’ng gustô mo? | What do you like? |
| Anong mairerekumenda mo? | What do you recommend? |
| Magkáno po ito? | How much is this? |
| Anong gusto mong kainin? | What would you like to eat? |
| Handa na kaming umorder. | We are ready to order. |
| Gusto ko (item) ang bagay or aytem. | I would like (item). |
| Gusto ko nito. | I would like this. |
| Mukhang masarap ang pagkain! | The food looks good! |
| Masarap! | Delicious! |
| Mabuhay! | Cheers! |
| Sobrang sarap ng mga pagkain dito! | The food here is delicious! |
| Pakiabot ng (item) bagay or aytem. | Please pass the (item). |
| Pwedeng magpadagdag ng iba pang bagay or iba pang aytem(item)? | May I have another (item)? |
| Pakibigay na lang ng bill (bayad) namin. | We are ready to pay the bill. |
| Bayad ko. | Here is the money. (here is my payment) |
| Bibilhin ko ito. | I will buy this. |
| Gusto ko sanang magbigay ng tip. | I would like to leave a tip. |
Romantic and flirtatious Tagalog phrases
As the sun sets over the pink sand of Great Santa Cruz Island, you look into your beloved’s eyes and say … what? Have a few romantic Tagalog phrases ready for the perfect moment (or to impress your Filipino spouse).
| Tagalog | English |
| Pwede bang hingin ang phone number (ang numero ng telepono) mo? | May I have your phone number? |
| Pwede ba kitang i-add sa social media? | May I add you on social media? |
| Gusto kita. | I like you. |
| Mahál kitá. | I love you. |
| Hindi kita mabura sa isipan ko. | I can’t get you out of my mind. |
| Maganda ka. | You’re so beautiful. |
| Guwapo ka. | You’re so handsome. |
| Ang bango mo. | You smell wonderful. |
| Gusto kitang yakapin. | I want to hug you. |
| Kahit ano para sa iyo. | Anything for you. |
| Matagal na rin kitang gusto. | I feel the same way. |
| Sabik na sabik na ako sa iyo. | I miss you so much. |
| May gusto ako sayo. | I have a crush on you. |
| Sobrang in lab ako sa iyo. | I’m in love with you. |
| Papayag ka bang magpakasal sa akin? | Will you marry me? |
| ang aking isa at natatangi | my one and only |
| Mamahalin kita habang-buhay. | I will love you my whole life long. |
| Ang pag-ibig ko ay walang hangganan. | My love has no end. |
Funny Tagalog phrases and idioms
Every language has those sayings that mean something specific to native speakers and make language learners wish they existed in their own language! Feel free to use these funny Tagalog phrases and idioms in your conversations, texts, or social media posts.
Makalaglag-Matsing (you’re hot/attractive)
A Tagalog phrase meaning “You’d make a monkey fall,” Makalaglag-matsing is reserved for someone so good looking that even a monkey would forget how to climb a tree.
Wala kang masasabunot sa kalbo. (You can’t make something out of nothing.)
Wala kang masasabunot sa kalbo literally means “You can’t take hair from a bald man,” meaning that you can’t make something out of nothing. It’s similar to the English saying “You can’t squeeze blood from a turnip” but with a very different mental picture.
Suntok sa buwan (out of reach)
Some goals feel so out of reach and impossible. While English speakers describe these goals as “shooting for the stars,” a Tagalog speaker may describe them as Suntok sa buwan, “A punch at the moon.”
Ang lalagyang walang laman ay maingay.
Have you ever noticed that people who have no idea what they’re talking about do the most talking? Filipinos describe this as Ang lalagyang walang laman ay maingay: ”The empty jar makes the loudest noise.”
Walang dumura sa langit na di sa kanyang mukha nagbalik.
Walang dumura sa langit na di sa kanyang mukha nagbalik means “When you spit upward, you spit on your own face.” It discourages people from speaking poorly about others, since those words reflect much more on the speaker than the person they’re gossiping about.
Tagalog phrases are easy to learn with Rosetta Stone
Tagalog and English aren’t as different as they may seem! Both languages include influences from Spanish, and the vocabulary similarities between these two languages make learning Tagalog straightforward and simple.
Additional language qualities that make Tagalog easy to learn are:
- Most Tagalog dialects are non-tonal (words don’t change meaning with verbal tones). There are only a few pronunciations that change a word’s meaning.
- Similar to English, Tagalog has five vowels and 18 consonants, and it includes syllables that follow a simple and straightforward structure.
- Most Tagalog syllables are open, meaning they end either in a vowel or they end in /m, n, ŋ/.
- Tagalog nouns don’t vary based on case or number.
- Only a few nouns (mostly words that originated with the Spanish language) are gendered nouns.
- Several English words come from Tagalog, including boondocks and yo-yo.
When you’re ready to learn Tagalog or another language, methods like Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion make it feel like you’re living among speakers of your new language.