On a scale of one to 10, how proficient are you in the Filipino language? While it may be true that majority of Pinoys are English speakers in this day and age, life gets richer if one knows at least the basics of Filipino—which, in this text, will solely refer to the national language of the Philippines.
It is essential to study balarila o grammatiko or grammar, the structural rules of language, for one to be an efficient communicator. Language proficiency is a vital asset that lets us improve the way we build relationships and navigate through life. Language mirrors the culture and history of a country, which means good knowledge of Filipino equates to a deeper understanding of the Philippines itself.
Filipino is commonly used in Manila. It is the primary or secondary language throughout the entire country. Not to be confused with Tagalog, the dialect in Luzon, Filipino could be considered its advanced version. It is an amalgamation of foreign languages Malay and Spanish. This Malayo-Polynesian language can be a bit tricky to learn, even for locals or common Pilipino. For educational purposes, here are a couple of things to bear in mind that might help you improve your Filipino.
Alpha-bet mo?
Initially, the Abakada, introduced in Lope K. Santos’ book Ang Balarila ng Wikang Pambansa or The Grammar of the National Language, consisted only of 20 letters, particularly five patinigs or vowels a, e, i, o, u, and 15 katinigs or consonants b, k, d, g, h, l, m, n, ng, p, r, s, t, w, y.
In the late 19th century, Dr. José Rizal was among the few proponents of reforming the orthographies of the Philippine languages. He suggested to indigenize the alphabet by replacing the letters C and Q with K. The reforms gradually became popular into the early 20th century.
The modern Filipino alphabet, however, now has 28 letters based on the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino’s or the Filipino Language Commission’s Ortograpiyang Pambansa or National Orthography, a set of guidelines released in 2013. We therefore recognize the following titik or letters: a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, ñ, ng, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z.
Do you get it? Gets mo?
The Filipino sentence pattern is different from English or other European languages since it does not follow the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) structure. The order of words is different in the sense that Filipino sentences usually begin with verbs followed by objects or sentence functions. For example, “have you studied yet?” translated to Filipino would be “nag-aral ka na ba?” Nag-aral refers to the verb or pandiwa study, while ka is the subject or simuno you.
Gets na gets?
Pinoys are extremely creative and fun people. These traits are reflected in the language. Unlike other vernaculars, denoting superlative adjectives or pang-uri is amusing in Filipino. You can simply repeat a few pang-uri to show intensity. For instance, Mabisang mabisa means very effective, mahusay na mahusay is very good. Another way of expressing intensity is by adding prefixes napaka for very, and pinaka for most. Examples are napakaganda for very beautiful, and pinakapangit for ugliest.
Only in the Philippines
Pinoys are conversationalists. There are terms exclusive to Filipino that do not have direct translations to other languages, and expressions such as the po and opo, and other slangs.
Po is inserted in a sentence as a show of respect. Opo, meanwhile, is respectful affirmation and corresponds to “yes.” It is Pinoy custom for younger people to use the two expressions when addressing their elders. “Naiintindihan mo po?” is the polite way of asking “do you understand?” Opo, hence, is the courteous answer.
Ang hangganan ng aking wika ay ang hangganan ng aking mundo—Ludwig Wittgenstein, 20th century philosopher
Most Filipino slang is what we refer to as tadbalik or reversed words, which became popular in the ’70s. Some examples are ermat and erpat, terms for mother and father respectively. The trend of flipping words has been revived in contemporary Filipino with words like lodi and petmalu.
Another trend in Filipino is gay lingo or swardspeak, an argot invented by the LGBT people in the Philippines. Swardspeak takes elements from Tagalog, English, Spanish, and Japanese, as well as names of celebrities and trademark brands, giving them new meanings in different contexts. It is largely localized within gay communities, making use of words derived from local languages Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Waray, and Bicolano.
Here are some of the other Filipino slangs:
| Word | Meaning |
| Kilig | Giddy, tingly, butter-fly-in-your-stomach feeling. |
| Susmaryosep | A combination of the names of the Holy Family Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Used as an abrupt reaction to shocking news. |
| Charot or Char | Gay lingo for joke, added to sentences you don’t want to seem serious |
| Lodi | Reversed word for idol, used to express admiration for a person. |
| Petmalu | One of the more modern tadbalik words. This Millennial coined term rearranges malupet which means very good or cool. |
| Bes, Besh, Beshie, Beh | Shorted term for bestfriend. |
| Chibog or Bogchi | A portmanteau of chi from the Chinese word "to eat" and bog from “busog.” It could either mean a meal, a dish, or the act of dining. |
| Syota | These days it means boyfriends/girlfriends. It is the shortened form of “short time,” which is believed to refer to short-term relationships. In the past, however, short time is euphemism for sex as American GIs used the phrase to indicate such. |
| Jowa | The synonym of syota. |
| Werpa | Another Millenial term that twists the word power. It is used to show support for another. |
| Keri | Doable. Slang for carry used as affirmation. |
Gandang Filipino
Another reason to study Filipino is because it is a charming language. It offers unique words that read and sound beautiful, as well as powerful ones with profound meanings. Here are examples of terms you may or may not be familiar with:
| Word | Meaning |
| Mutya | A precious gemstone, or a pearl. Could also be a term of endearment equivalent to darling. |
| Kalinaw | Tranquility, serenity, peace. |
| Kinaadman | Knowledge or wisdom. |
| Dayang | Synonym of darling. Used to refer to ladies of nobility and princesses. |
| Ulayaw | A noun for intimate companion. It does not necessarily mean romantic relations, but could also describe a very close friend. |
| Alpas | To break loose or set free. |
| Silakbo | Outburst or overwhelming emotion. |
| Marahuyo | To be enchanted. |