Cafe and restaurant in Tagalog
A table, the menu, what you cannot eat, and a compliment to the kitchen. Play the ten Tagalog words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Tagalog phrases in this lesson
- Isang mesa para sa dalawaee-SANG MEH-sa PA-ra sa da-LA-wa
- A table for two
- Ang menu, pakiusapang meh-NOO pa-ki-OO-sap
- The menu, please
- Ano ang mairerekomenda mo?a-NO ang ma-ee-reh-reh-ko-MEN-da mo
- What do you recommend?
- Hindi ako kumakain ng...hin-DEE a-KO koo-ma-ka-EEN nang
- I don't eat...
- Allergic ako sa...a-LER-jik a-KO sa
- I'm allergic to...
- KarneKAR-neh
- Meat
- ManokMA-nok
- Chicken
- Isdais-DA
- Fish
- Masarapma-SA-rap
- It's delicious
- Tagay!TA-gai
- Cheers
Mesa is Spanish, used in Filipino. Casual restaurants seat themselves; fancier ones book ahead. Metro Manila restaurants are competitive and good.
Most restaurants in cities have menus in English. Even without English, pointing at pictures or other plates works. Food is a central part of Filipino hospitality.
Pork is the favorite, as in adobo and lechon.
Literally "delicious". "Ang lasa ay masarap" (the taste is delicious) is fuller. Filipinos take pleasure in food and appreciate genuine compliments. Chefs earn real respect.
The drinking-session word: a shared glass is passed around the group, one shot each.