Idioms in Tagalog
It used to be that the only people interested in knowing idioms in Tagalog were Filipino or at least living in the Philippines. These days, things have changed. The U.S. State Department reports that there are about four million Americans of Philippine ancestry in the United States. Most of these American speak English as well as their native Filipino dialect, which, in most cases is Tagalog. Learning a few idioms in Tagalog, is as great way to share some fun conversation with a Filipino.
According to the U.S. Department of State, about 87 languages and dialects are spoken in the Philippines. Of these, eight are spoken by over 85% of the Philippine population. The four most popular are:
- Cebuano - spoken in the Visayas
- Ilocano - spoken in northern Luzon
- Maranao - spoken in Mindanao
- Tagalog - spoken in Manila and the surrounding area
Tagalog is the basis for Pilipino, the official (national) language of the Philippines.
Tagalog is also spoken outside of the Philippines. Around twenty countries have a minority population who speaks Tagalog.
Being as widespread as Tagalog is, it bears some further resemblance to English in that it is a dynamic and rich language full of quixotic quirks and colorful slang.
Origins of Tagalog
Tagalog has borrowed much of its bones from other languages, primarily Spanish, Malay, Sanskrit, and Javanese, historically. Over 330 years of Spanish occupation of the Philippines made Spanish clergymen the custodians of the language for some time; but, now that it's on its own legs, it borrows where it can and must. These days, there are dialects adopting lingual shifts and tropes wherever geography has thrown them.
More and more people are picking Tagalog up as a second language. Its demand is undeniable, and it's easy to learn. The alphabet is Roman, and if you know how to pronounce the vowels in Spanish, picking up a couple of Tagalog idioms can be a piece of cake.
Making Friends with Idioms in Tagalog
Here are some idioms to get you started winning hearts and minds in your Filipino community.
- Magaan ang dugo, literally meaning "light blood," is someone who is easy to get along with. If you tell someone you're a magaan ang dugo, they'll know you're a good person.
- May magandang hinaharap is a person with a bright future. If someone says this about you, you're well on your way to being taken out to dinner.
- Makalaglag-matsing is what you give your dining companion: an enchanting look.
- Ilaw ng tahanan is who you'll meet when you're taken home. Literally, it means "light of the home," which is a really nice way to refer to the spouse.
- Nagbukas ng dibdib is what you'll be when you're really serious; it means "man who has opened his heart," which means "the guy who proposed marriage."
These are just a few of the Tagalog idioms. A broader review of many of the most popular idioms is available on YourDictionary. Many of the educational websites such as the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Northern Illinois University also provide listings of Tagalog idioms.
Beware of These Idioms
Unlike the more positive idioms listed above, these are some of the more popular idioms for casting a negative impression about someone:
- Mahina ang loob is literally "weak-willed." It means coward.
- Balik-harapis a Benedict Arnold, a "two-faced betrayer."
- Bantay-salakayis a person who pretends to be good or an opportunist.
- Halang ang bituka literally means "someone with a horizontal intestine," which is a colorful way of saying a person has no moral compunction.
Insist that you're a magaan ang dugo when you hear these idioms and you might stand a better chance of making it through these slanderous idioms on a positive note.
Have Good Luck with a Good Heart
If you keep an open mind, you'll find that people will meet your slight knowledge of Tagalog idioms with smiles. Everyone finds it charming when a non-native speaker knows a few idioms in their language.