Learn some Filipino phrases your Filipino professor won't teach you
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Betsey: Mabuhay! Hi everyone! Welcome back to FilipinoPod101.com. Betsey here! |
| Becky: And I’m Becky. This is All-About, Lesson 13 - Top 5 Phrases Your Filipino Teacher may Never Teach You. |
Lesson focus |
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| Betsey: This lesson is something that makes FilipinoPod101.com special! |
| Becky: Definitely. It’s five phrases your teacher will probably never teach you! |
| Betsey: They won't teach these, but they’re definitely phrases you can use everyday. |
| Becky: So, let’s get right into it. |
| Betsey: Our first phrase is ‘Para’. ‘Para’ means to “stop” or “stop by”. This is used when you are in a vehicle, especially public transportation like a jeepney or a tricycle. These are both modes of transport in the Philippines where there aren’t clear stops, and you need to tell the driver where your stop is. |
| Becky: Yes. When your stop is close, you can say this word. And even though it might sound like a command, it’s acceptable in hectic situations like these, when a passenger needs to get off quickly. |
| Betsey: To say it more politely, use ‘Para po’ or ‘Paki para po’. You might remember ‘Po’ - it indicates formality or respect. If you want to be a bit more formal and proper, you can say ‘Paki para po’, which means, “Please stop.” Once more, ‘Para po’ or ‘Paki para po.’ |
| Becky: What’s our next phrase, Betsey? |
| Betsey: It’s is ‘Tawad’. This is another practical phrase you can use especially when you are shopping in local markets. |
| Becky: Negotiating prices and trying to get the best bargains is all part of shopping at wet markets. |
| Betsey: ‘Tawad’ means, “to bid”, so you can use it to indicate that you want a discount. You can say ‘Pa tawad’ to say “Please cut the price”, or in this case “Please give a discount”. ‘Pa’ comes from ‘Paki’ which means “please”. |
| Becky: Another good thing to know is that Filipinos always negotiate prices. They’re very good at getting the best with what they have. So, this is a great phrase to learn how to get great deals! |
| Betsey: Once more, ‘Tawad’ and ‘Pa Tawad’. |
| Becky: Ok. Betsey, what’s our third phrase? |
| Betsey: It’s ‘Astig’. I know that when you’re learning a new language, you’re eager to learn the colloquial language and slang words. ‘Astig’ is a slang word that means “cool” or “dope”. |
| Becky: You more or less use it the same way as in English. |
| Betsey: Let’s give an example, “You have a cool ride” would be ‘Astig ng kotse mo’. Once more, ‘astig’. This actually comes from the word ‘Tigas’, which means “Hard” in English. |
| Becky: The last syllable is simply taken to the first syllable to form the word. A lot of slang phrases come from word games like these. |
| Betsey: It’s fun to trace down where these slang words come from. Here’s one example - ‘Astig mo’ for “You’re cool”. |
| Becky: Ok, what’s next? |
| Betsey: Next is ‘Talaga.’ This means “really” in English, and it’s used the same way as well. You can use it as a question ‘Talaga?’ or as a statement ‘Talaga!’ |
| Becky: This is very useful too. I bet you use “really” in English quite a lot, and it’s pretty much the same in Filipino. |
| Betsey: You can use it in any kind of situation to show your surprise, amazement or to emphasize something. ‘Talaga.’ |
| Becky: Alright. And what’s our final phrase? |
| Betsey: It’s ‘Diba’. This is also used all the time. Some people may find it annoying, but you can't deny that everyone uses it. ‘Diba’ means “Right” in Filipino. |
| Becky: It can be used the same way we use “Right” in English, where you add it to the end of a question to seek confirmation. |
| Betsey: The question “You understand it, right?” could be ‘Naiintindihan mo, diba?’ But ‘Diba’ can also be used at the beginning of a sentence. For example, ‘DIBA naiintindihan mo?’ Both ways sound natural and are used a lot. |
| Becky: But, the difference with “Right” in English is, it isn’t used as a statement. |
| Betsey: That’s right. Only as a question, or when seeking confirmation. |
| Becky: Ok listeners, that brings us to the end of the lesson. |
| Betsey: We’re sure you’ll be using these top five phrases all the time! |
Outro |
| Becky: Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you next time! |
| Betsey: Paalam! |
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