Hello po!

Hello po! kamusta? Salamat po. Masarap… maganda… words that we Filipinos usually introduce to foreigners, providing other nationalities a peak into Tagalog, our national language. But as our relationships with them develop, whether friendships or partnerships, we continue to introduce more common expressions that become useful in conversations phrases like “hay naku” and “ano ba yan?!” (literally meaning what is that?) that may connote frustration, anger, or even a sigh of relief. Or “kain na po” (come let’s eat) which is always a sign of Filipino hospitality.  Slowly these expressions become part of a normal conversation with someone who is not Filipino, a loved one perhaps or someone special in our lives. Then words of endearment are learned like “mahal kita” (I love you) or “payakap” (give me a hug).

At this stage, non-Tagalog speakers become intrigued and interested in the language and may start inquiring about learning the language or maybe simply watching or reading Tagalog posts on social media.  They would probably pick up the odd word and feel good that they have understood it.

Tagalog is not an easy language to learn.  It does not have gender preferences.  For example, the pronoun “siya” can mean “he” or “she”.  The verbs when conjugated in the actor focus and object focus forms can be interchanged in one sentence where a non-native speaker can be totally confused.  “kagabi nagluto ako ng adobo at niluto ko rin ang sinigang”. In this case, the verb luto (to cook) is conjugated twice.

However, Tagalog allows itself to be less intimidating than other foreign languages as it becomes acceptable to be spoken alongside English. For instance, an English noun can be converted into a Tagalog word like nagTesco (to go to Tesco) forming an adaptable language called Taglish, where conversational Tagalog becomes a mixture of Tagalog and English words and sentences.

Taglish makes it easier for a non-native speaker to feel comfortable and included in conversations with Filipinos.  The combination provides non-Filipinos a context of the conversation where they can respond in English.

So, the next time you meet a Filipino, don’t be scared to try Tagalog.  We are very warm, welcoming and open to others.  You might even be surprised to be joining our conversations.

About the Author

Stella Sait teaches Tagalog, specifically the children’s classes, at ILAW LTD., an online school dedicated to teaching Filipino, one of the official languages of the Philippines, to both children and adults. https://www.ilaw-ltd.com