Yes, no and the essentials in Tagalog
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it. 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
- OoOH-oh
- Yes
- HindiHAHN-dee
- No
- Okayoh-KAY
- Okay
- Hindi ko maintindihanHAHN-dee ko ma-in-TIN-di-hahn
- I don't understand
- Nagsasalita ka ba ng English?nag-sa-SA-lee-ta ka BA ng ENG-lish
- Do you speak English?
- Pakiulit popa-kee-OO-lit po
- Can you repeat that?
- Dahan-dahan lang poda-HAN da-HAN lang po
- Slowly, please
- Ano ito?a-NO ee-TO
- What is this?
- Kailangan ko ng...kai-LA-ngan ko nang
- I need...
- Puwede mo ba akong tulungan?PWEH-deh mo ba a-KONG too-LOO-ngan
- Can you help me?
Simple and direct. Often said twice: "oo oo" with a slight nod. Filipinos are agreeable by culture, so yes is heard more often than no.
Used but often softened. "Hindi kaya" (not possible) or "hindi alam" (do not know) are the indirect versions locals prefer. Saying flat no is seen as harsh.
Borrowed straight from English and used constantly. "Okay lang" is the warmer version, meaning roughly okay enough or no problem. Filipinos cushion everything with lang.
A word-long escape hatch. Most Filipinos speak English at least passably, so this often prompts a helpful code-switch to English or a rephrasing in simpler Tagalog.
Asking shows respect. The answer is usually yes, at least enough to help. Philippines is English-heavy due to colonial history and education.
Literally "please repeat".
Literally "just slowly".