Basics of Tagalog

Tagalog Made Easy for Beginners

by Milany Guab

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Part 2

Essential Words & Phrases

Chapters 2.1 – 2.4 · Speak from day one

Why This Part Comes Early

These four chapters give learners a complete, usable conversational loop — greeting, introducing, being polite, and asking for help — before any formal grammar study begins.

Chapter 2.1

Greetings and Goodbyes

The Universal Greeting: Kumusta?

If you learn only one Tagalog word, make it Kumusta? Borrowed from the Spanish ¿Cómo está? and fully naturalized, it is used at any time of day, with anyone. The variant Kamusta? (with a) is also correct in casual speech.

Table 2.1.1 — Greeting Someone
TagalogEnglishWhen to Use
Kumusta?How are you? / Hi.Any time.
Kumusta ka?How are you? (one peer)Casual, singular.
Kumusta po?How are you? (polite)To elders, strangers.
Kumusta kayo?How are you? (plural/polite)To a group.
Kumusta na?How have you been?After a long absence.

Common Responses

  • Mabuti naman. — I’m fine.
  • Okay lang. — Just okay.
  • Eto, buhay pa. — Still alive (playful).
  • Ikaw? / Kayo? — And you?

The Reciprocity Rule

Always return a greeting with Ikaw? or Kayo?. Skipping this return question feels abrupt — a small detail that marks a foreigner as fluent in more than just words.

Time-of-Day Greetings

All built on maganda (“beautiful”). Where English says “Good morning,” Tagalog literally says “beautiful morning.”

Table 2.1.2 — Greetings by Time
TagalogEnglishTime
Magandang umagaGood morning~5 a.m. – noon
Magandang tanghaliGood midday~11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Magandang haponGood afternoon~1 – 6 p.m.
Magandang gabiGood evening / night~6 p.m. onward

Add po for politeness: Magandang umaga po.

Informal Greetings

  • Uy! / Oi! / Hoy! — “Hey!” (varying intensity)
  • Pre / Pare — “Bro” (between close male friends)
  • Mars / Mare — “Girl / Sis” (between close female friends)
  • Bes / Beshie — “Bestie” (modern youth slang)

Saying Goodbye

Table 2.1.3 — Ways to Say Goodbye
TagalogEnglishRegister
PaalamGoodbyeFormal. Add po for elders.
IngatTake careWarm and everyday — most common.
Ingat po kayoPlease take carePolite, to elders or groups.
Kita tayo mamayaSee you laterBetween friends and colleagues.
Mauna na akoI’ll go firstPolite way to excuse yourself.
Babay!Bye-bye!Casual, borrowed from English.

A Cultural Note on Mauna na ako

Filipinos rarely say “I’m leaving now” directly. Mauna na ako — literally “I’ll go ahead” — is a softer way to excuse yourself. It implies that others are staying and you are merely departing first.

Sample Dialogue — Meeting a Neighbor

A casual morning greeting

Ana
Magandang umaga po, Aling Rosa!
Aling Rosa
Magandang umaga, Ana. Kumusta ka?
Ana
Mabuti naman po. Kayo?
Aling Rosa
Eto, okay lang. Ingat ka, ha.
Ana
Opo. Paalam po!

Chapter 2.2

Introducing Yourself

The Core Pattern: Ako si...

Two frames: Ako si + name (informal) or Ang pangalan ko ay + name (formal). Si is the marker for personal names — for common nouns, Tagalog uses ang instead.

Table 2.2.1 — Self-Introduction
TagalogEnglish
Ako si Maria.I am Maria.
Ako po si Maria.I am Maria. (polite)
Ang pangalan ko ay Maria.My name is Maria.
Ano ang pangalan mo?What is your name?
Ano po ang pangalan ninyo?What is your name? (very polite)

Saying Where You Are From: Taga... ako

The prefix taga- means “from” or “native of.” Same prefix that gives Tagalog its name (taga-ilog = “river dweller”).

  • Taga-Maynila ako. — I’m from Manila.
  • Taga-Cebu ako. — I’m from Cebu.
  • Taga-Amerika ako. — I’m from America.
  • Taga-saan ka? — Where are you from?
  • Taga-saan po kayo? — Where are you from? (polite)

Age and Work

Age: [number] na ako — e.g., Trenta na ako (“I’m thirty”). Ask: Ilang taon ka na?

Work: profession + ako — e.g., Guro ako (“I am a teacher”), Doktor ako, Estudyante ako, Nars ako, Inhinyero ako. Ask: Ano ang trabaho mo?

Chapter 2.3

Polite Words & Courtesy

The Magic of Po

No single word carries as much social weight as po. It is a politeness particle with no direct English translation. Add it to any sentence to signal respect.

Without po

Salamat.
Thanks.
Kumusta ka?
How are you?
Oo.
Yeah.

With po

Salamat po.
Thank you (respectful).
Kumusta po?
How are you? (respectful).
Opo.
Yes (respectful).

When to Use Po

With elders, parents, teachers, strangers, officials, customers, anyone older, and anyone in authority. When in doubt, use po. There is no penalty for being too polite in Tagalog.

Thanks, Apologies, Requests

Table 2.3.1 — Courtesy Phrases
TagalogEnglish
Salamat.Thank you.
Maraming salamat po.Thank you very much. (respectful)
Walang anuman.You’re welcome.
Pasensya na.Sorry / Excuse me (mild).
Patawad.I’m sorry (asking forgiveness).
Paki-usap po.Please. (asking a favor)
Pakisuyo po.Please help me with this.
Puwede po ba?May I? / Is it possible?
Paumanhin po.Excuse me / Pardon me.

Cultural Note — Utang na Loob

Filipino gratitude runs deeper than a simple salamat. Utang na loob (“debt of the inner self”) describes a moral obligation to return kindness. Accepting help creates a lasting bond.

Chapter 2.4

Emergency & Survival Expressions

Calling for Help

  • Tulong! — Help!
  • Saklolo! — Help! (more dramatic)
  • Pulis! / Doktor! / Sunog! / Magnanakaw! — Police! / Doctor! / Fire! / Thief!

National emergency hotline: 911.

When You Don’t Understand

  • Hindi ko naiintindihan. — I don’t understand.
  • Hindi ko alam. — I don’t know.
  • Paki-ulit nga po. — Please say that again.
  • Dahan-dahan lang po. — Slowly, please.
  • May nagsasalita ba ng Ingles? — Does anyone speak English?

Asking Directions: Nasaan ang...?

  • Nasaan ang CR? — Where is the restroom?
  • Nasaan ang ospital? — Where is the hospital?
  • Nasaan ang paliparan? — Where is the airport?
  • Nasaan ang ATM? — Where is the ATM?

Saan vs. Nasaan

Nasaan asks where a person or thing is: Nasaan ang CR?, Nasaan ka? Saan asks where an action happens or is headed: Saan ka pupunta?, Saan ka nakatira? You will also hear Saan ang CR? in casual speech, but Nasaan is the standard form for “where is…?”

Directions Vocabulary

  • kaliwa — left
  • kanan — right
  • diretso — straight ahead
  • kanto — corner
  • malapit — near
  • malayo — far

Part 2 Exercise

Essential Phrases

Try each item aloud before revealing the answer.

Exercise — Part 2
#TaskAnswer
1Greet an elder politely in the morning.
Magandang umaga po.
2Say “I am Maria.”
Ako si Maria.
3Say “I am from Cebu.”
Taga-Cebu ako.
4Say “Thank you very much” politely.
Maraming salamat po.
5Ask where the hospital is.
Nasaan ang ospital?
6Say “I do not understand.”
Hindi ko naiintindihan.