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LESSON THREE

Greetings and Common Expressions

Aside from the borrowed Hi and Hello, Tagalogs have other forms of greetings—peppered with speech suffixes that define courtesy and deference.

I. POLITE FORMS OF ADDRESS— PÔ AND HÔ

Tagalog politeness is a trait worthy to be discussed and taught to learners of the language. Younger generations and junior employees include the terms pô or hô at the start or end of their greetings and responses to express respect for older people—parents, older relatives, and other senior individuals— or persons with honorific titles or authority—clergy, teachers, community leaders, employers, and policemen—regardless of age. Pô and hô approximately mean sir or madam in English and reflect the speaker’s good manners and his respect to the one spoken to.

Pô is not used by an older person when talking to a younger person such as a father talking to his son or daughter. Neither do equals, such as siblings or friends, use the term.

Short positive responses can be just oo or yes when speaking to a younger person or a peer in a familiar manner, but when speaking to an older person, you must use either o-pô or o-hô, both of which are the formal or polite versions of yes.

II. GREETINGS—GOOD DAY, ETC.

Greetings usually start with magandá, which means beautiful. The complete greeting is Magandá ang áraw —often shortened to Magandáng áraw —which literally means beautiful day. The most common greetings from morning to evening, in their polite forms, are:

Magandáng áraw pô.	Good day, sir/madam.
Magandáng umága pô.	Good morning, sir/madam.
Magandáng tanghálì pô.	Good afternoon, sir/madam.
Magandáng hápon pô.	Good afternoon, sir/madam.
Magandáng gabí pô.	Good evening, sir/madam.

Note that tanghálì is noon or midday. The period covers lunch time, from around 11 in the morning to 1 o’clock in the afternoon. This is the time when most Tagalog families prepare and have their lunch.

For equals, it is fine to drop pô and just say:

Magandáng umága.	Good morning.
Magandáng hápon.	Good afternoon.

In addition to the use of pô or hô, another polite way of greeting people is to address them in the plural form by adding sa inyó, which means to you (plural), and sa kanilá, which means to them, at the end of the greeting. In English, however, a greeting with sa kanilá at the end still translates to to you in Tagalog and not literally to them. The plural forms emphasize the greeter’s acknowledgment of the seniority or authority of the person being greeted. On the other hand, equals use sa iyó or to you (singular).

Magandáng umága pô sa inyó.	Good morning to you, sir/madam.
Magandáng hápon pô sa kanilá.	Good afternoon to you, sir/madam.
Magandáng umága sa iyó.	Good morning to you.

The usual responses of both older or senior individuals and equals contain rin and namán, which mean too, indicating that the one who received the greeting meant the greeter to have a similar good day.

Magandáng umága rin sa iyó.	Good morning to you, too.
Magandáng umága namán.	Good morning, too.
Magandáng tanghálì rin pô.	Good afternoon, too, sir/madam.

III. GREETINGS—HOW ARE YOU?

The influence of Spanish is evident in the way Filipinos, particularly Tagalogs, greet people. Derived from the Spanish “como esta,” Tagalogs use a similar greeting when they meet a friend, a relative or an acquaintance of about their age or stature. Older people also use this greeting toward younger people.

Kumustá ka?

How are you?

The Tagalog equivalent for the singular pronoun you is ikáw ; it becomes ka when the pronoun is used in an inverted word order (Refer to discussions on sentence formation and pronouns in Lessons Five and Six).

But when greeting an elder or superior, Tagalogs use the plural kayó and silá instead of ka. This is the polite way of greeting and asking how one is. Kayó and silá are the plural pronouns for you and they, respectively. Pô may be dropped if kayó and silá are used.

Kumustá pô kayó?	How are you, sir/madam?
Kumustá silá?	How are you, sir/madam?

Take note that it is not unusual for Tagalogs to ask about one’s family—parents, spouse, children, and everyone else in the family—when they see each other, whether the speaker is young, old or at about the same age as the person spoken to. Other cultures should see this as a reflection of the thoughtful nature of Filipinos, young and old alike.

The responses to these greetings usually include mabúti which means fine, salámat which means thank you, as well as rin and namán.

Mabúti namán (pô). Salámat (pô).	Fine, too, sir/madam.
Mabúti rin (pô). Salámat.	Thank you, sir/madam.

Salámat is optional at the end of the sentence, thus pô or hô may be attached to the first half of the response. However, it is never wrong to say pô again when salámat is retained. Foreigners and Tagalog alike could never go wrong with an overuse of the term but will only endear them to older or senior people.

Another peculiarity of the Tagalog is the use of the questions Where are you going? or Where have you been? in the same context as Kumustá ka? when meeting people they know. These very common greetings among Tagalogs should not be taken literally by foreigners. Filipinos are not really asking your itinerary—these are the equivalent of the English How is it going? and is simply another way of saying Hello! and striking up a conversation.

Saán ka púpuntá?	(informal) Where are you going?
Saán kayó púpuntá?	(formal) Where are you going, sir/madam?
Saán ka nanggáling?	(informal) Where have you been?
Saán kayó nanggáling?	(formal) Where have you been, sir/madam?

The usual response is Diyán lámang (pô) which means Just nearby (sir/madam). However, you may be specific about the place and say, for example, Sa Quezon City (pô) which means either I’m going to Quezon City (sir/madam) or I’ve been to Quezon City (sir/madam).

IV. VARIOUS WAYS OF SAYING EXCUSE ME

There is no exact equivalent for excuse me in Tagalog. However, there are five different ways of expressing it depending on the situation.

1. Paumanhín pô is used when one apologizes or asks to be excused, or if one bumps into someone else accidentally.

2. Pakiraán pô is used when one asks for permission to pass through.

3. Mawaláng-gálang pô is used when one requests to be heard.

4. Patáwad pô is used when one apologizes for causing physical injury or emotional hurt to someone else.

5. Pasintábi pô is used when one gives a warning of something that may be offensive or distasteful to others.

In which situations can each of the above be used?

1. When a small group is having a formal discussion or meeting and you need to leave, you may say in a modest tone of voice to the nearest person or to the one presiding the meeting, Paumanhin (pô), aalis na ako or Paumanhin (pô), lálabas lamang ako sandalî. The statements mean Excuse me (sir/madam), I will leave now or Excuse me (sir/madam), I will go out for a while. One does not have to say Paumanhin (pô) in a big meeting where one’s absence is not obvious, unless one is the special guest.

Another situation that calls for Paumanhin (pô) is when one bumps into someone unintentionally such as at a party or in a crowded area like a shopping mall. This statement is also equivalent to I’m sorry.

2. When you want to pass through a passage way or hall that is blocked by two persons talking to one another, you say Pakiraán pô (Please let me pass.) then pass.

3. When you are in a meeting and wish to voice requests or opinions, or interrupt the speaker to make a comment, you say Mawaláng-gálang pô and proceed to make the statement. The phrase literally means May I lose my courtesy? but translates as I beg your pardon.

This is also appropriate when one wants to ask directions from somebody who is talking to another person, Mawaláng-gálang pô, paano pumuntá sa Ayala Avenue (Excuse me, how do I get to Ayala Avenue?)?

4. When someone is deeply hurt—either physically or emotionally—by another, the one at fault who realizes his mistake should say Patawad pô or Patawárin ninyó akó, which means Forgive me.

5. Some people cannot withstand unpleasant stories or photos. To warn them of a forthcoming offensive situation, one should say Pasintabi pô. This is commonly used by news reporters when a gruesome film footage is about to be shown on television. The phrase literally means Please set aside.

Can one of the above expressions sometimes be used in place of another?

Yes, Mawaláng-gálang pô may be used for situations 1 and 2 but not for 4.

Can one use Paumanhin pô instead of Patawad pô?

No, Paumanhin pô may mean Sorry but it is is too mild to use in cases of physical or emotional injury.

V. OTHER COMMON EXPRESSIONS

Tagalogs have common everyday expressions that should be memorized by students of this language. The following expressions have shortened forms that are used in everyday speech just as the shortened form of the English Let’s is used in place of Let us. More shortened forms are listed in Lesson Forty-Three.

Saan kayó nakatirá?	Where do you live?
Anó ang pangálan mo?	What is your name?
Aywan ko. (shortened: Èwan ko.)	I don’t know.
Hindí ko alám. (shortened: Di ko alám.)	I don’t know.
Ayaw akó. (shortened: Ayòko.)	I don’t like.
Bahála na!	Come what may!
Kauntî lámang. (shortened: Lang)	Just a little.
Kung mínsan.	Once in a while.
Gísing na!	Wake up!
Hindî bale!	Never mind!
Hindî namán.	Not so.
Hintáy ka! (shortened: Teka!)	Wait for a moment.
Huwag na. Salámat.	No more. Thank you.
Bahálà ka.	It is up to you.
Magmadali ká. (shortened: Dali ka!)	Hurry up! (literally: Be quick, you!)
Mámayá na.	For a while.
Salámat.	Thank you.
Maráming salámat.	Thank you very much.
Anó pô? (or Anó?)	What did you say, sir/madam?
Saká na.	Later.
Sandalî lámang. (shortened: Lang)	Just a moment.
Síge na!	Go on!
Sáyang!	What a pity. What a loss.
Tahímik kayó.	Be silent.
Táma na.	It is all right. It is enough.
Táyo na. (shortened: Tena.)	Let’s go.
Totoó ba? (shortened: Totoò?)	Is it true?
Túlog na.	Go to sleep.
Maráhil.	Maybe.
Sigúro.	Maybe or definitely.

Note that the meaning of sigúro depends on the response to the question being asked. For example, there may be three responses to the question Siguro ka? or Are you sure? :

Oô, sigúro ako.	Yes, I am sure (or Yes, definitely).
Hindî ako sigúro.	I am not sure.
Sigúro.	Maybe.

Remember to include pô or appropriately change ka into kayó or silá to all the above expressions whenever possible to show respect.

Kataká-taká!	It seems incredible!
Magalíng!	Outstanding! (literally: Skilled)
Nakayáyamót!	It is annoying!
Mabúhay!	Welcome! (literally: May you live long!)

Mabuhay, the official greeting of Filipinos to foreign visitors, has also become an expression of collective joy and pride for any occasion, especially when Filipinos are proud of an achievement whether in politics or sports; may also be used to greet newly weds, Mabuhay ang bagong kasal! or literally, May the newlyweds live long!

Maligáyang batì (pô)!

Congratulations (sir/madam)! (literally: Happy greetings! The phrase has now come to be associated with birthday celebrations.)

Exercises

Match a situation from Column B to the appropriate response from column A.

COLUMN A	COLUMN B
Magalíng!	1. Your mother calls out that dinner is ready. You are still tidying up your study table as you have just finished doing your homework.
Anó pô?	2. Your 2-year old nephew sings the song Brother John from start to finish.
Magandáng hápon din pô.	3. Your grandmother asks a question but you did not understand half of the words she was saying.
Sandalí lang pô.	4. You are looking for a building along Ayala Avenue. While looking up at one tall building, you bump into somebody.
Paumanhín pô.	5. The town mayor is leaving the municipal hall just as you were entering. He greets you good afternoon.