Greetings and politeness in Tagalog
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the ten openers everything else builds on. 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 11 Tagalog phrases in this lesson
- Kumustakoo-MUS-ta
- Hello
- Magandang umagama-gan-DANG oo-MA-ga
- Good morning
- Magandang gabima-gan-DANG ga-BEE
- Good evening
- Paalampa-A-lam
- Goodbye
- IngatEE-ngaht
- See you
- Pakiusappa-ki-OO-sap
- Please
- Salamatsa-LA-mat
- Thank you
- Walang anumanwa-LANG a-NOO-man
- You're welcome
- Pasensya napa-SEN-sha na
- Sorry
- Makikiraan poma-kee-kee-ra-AN po
- Excuse me
- Ikinagagalak kitang makilalaee-kee-na-ga-ga-LAK kee-TANG ma-kee-LA-la
- Nice to meet you
The standard greeting, used any time. Filipinos will respond "kumusta ka?" back at you, so expect the volley. In person it is warm and used constantly.
Literally "beautiful morning". Used until around noon. Evening greeting is magandang gabi (beautiful night), which sounds odd in English but is the standard.
Literally "beautiful night", the evening greeting.
The proper goodbye, with a sense of care implied. Filipinos often add "tara na" (lets go) when leaving a group. Casual goodbye among friends is just "bye" in English.
Literally "take care", how Filipinos actually say goodbye. Paalam is formal and sounds final.
Formal but used. In casual speech, Filipinos often soften requests with "pwede ba?" (can we?) or "ayaw mo ba?" (would you?). Tone matters more than the word itself.
The workhorse gratitude word. Works for everything from receiving a gift to stepping aside for someone. Filipinos say it constantly, often with a slight nod.
Literally "nothing at all". The casual brush-off to thanks, warm and expected. Shorter version is "walang problema" (no problem) or just "okay lang".
Literally "patience", the everyday sorry. "Paumanhin" (pa-oo-MAN-hin) is more formal.
Literally "may I pass through". Many Filipinos also simply say excuse me in English.
Formal. In daily life many people say "nice to meet you" in English.