Social
Po / Opo
paw / OH-paw
Respect particles added to sentences when speaking to anyone older or senior. Omitting them reads as genuinely rude — this is the first thing to learn.
Salamat po
sa-LA-mat paw
Thank you, respectfully. 'Maraming salamat' is thank you very much.
Kuya / Ate
KOO-yah / AH-teh
Older brother / older sister — used for anyone slightly older, including drivers, servers and shopkeepers. Warm and universal.
Sige
SEE-geh
OK / go ahead / sure. One of the most-used words in the language.
Tara
TA-rah
Let's go. 'Tara na!' is the nudge to actually leave.
Greetings
Kumusta?
koo-MOOS-tah
How are you? From the Spanish '¿cómo está?'. Reply 'mabuti' — fine.
Daily life
CR
see-ar — 'comfort room'
The bathroom. Asking for the 'toilet' or 'restroom' will get you there eventually, but nobody says it.
Sari-sari store
SAH-ree SAH-ree
The tiny neighbourhood shop selling everything in single-serve sachets. Present on every street.
Jeepney
JEEP-nee
The decorated shared minibus that defines Philippine transport, though it's being phased out for modern units.
Barangay
bah-rang-GUY
The smallest administrative unit. You'll need barangay clearance or certification for various pieces of paperwork.
Food
Merienda
mer-YEN-dah
The mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack, taken seriously as a daily ritual.
Emergency
911
Nationwide emergency number
Police, fire and ambulance. The Philippines adopted 911 nationally.
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.