First Conversations in Tagalog: Common Scenarios

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As a beginner speaker, diving into your first conversations in Tagalog can be both exciting and challenging. After all, there’s always the chance of mixing up words, forgetting what to say, or even unknowingly committing a faux pas. On the positive side, this could be the starting point for new connections, funny memories, and learning from your mistakes.

While it’s important to first know the grammar rules and basic vocabulary, there’s nothing wrong with memorizing basic sentences to help you out in conversations. And that’s exactly what this article is about.

Tagalog is rich and expressive. Getting comfortable with it begins with understanding some common statements like the following:

Greetings and Pleasantries

Of course, one has to start with opening statements like Tagalog greetings and other pleasantries. Greetings are the cornerstone of polite conversation in Tagalog. Knowing how to greet someone is crucial, as it sets the tone for the rest of your interaction.

Here are some common scenarios you might find yourself in:

1. Greeting A Stranger

    • When it comes to people you don’t know, one usually adopts a more polite tone. Thus, the use of the particle po in your sentence. Here’s how it may go:
Tagalog English

Speaker 1:

Kumusta*, ang pangalan ko ay Nina.

Hello, my name is Nina.

Speaker 2:

Ako si Sisa. Ikinagagalak kong makilala ka.

I am Sisa. Nice to meet you.

*“Kumusta ka?” means “How are you?” However, when kumusta is used to open a greeting, it can mean “Hi” or “Hello” in Tagalog language.

    • Besides kumusta, here are other opening statements in Tagalog you can use:
Tagalog English

Magandang araw. 

Good day.

Magandang umaga.

Good morning.

Magandang hapon.

Good afternoon.

Magandang gabi.

Good evening.

2. Informally Greeting Someone You Know

    • Greeting a friend or a friendly acquaintance usually employs a more casual tone. Here’s how it may go:
Tagalog English

Speaker 1:

Uy Sisa, kumusta ka na?

Hey Nina, how have you been?

Speaker 2:

Ayos lang. Ikaw?

I’m doing fine, how about you?

Speaker 1:

Mabuti rin.

I’m doing good too.

3. Formally Greeting Someone You Know

    • Here’s a scenario for when you come across someone you know, but with a higher standing or position:
Tagalog English

Speaker 1:

Magandang araw po, Binibining Sisa. Kumusta po kayo?

Good day, Miss Sisa. How are you?

Speaker 2:

Mabuti. Ikaw po?

I’m fine (thank you). How about you?

Speaker 1:

Mabuti rin po, salamat.

I’m fine too, thank you.
Tagalog English

Binibini

Bb.

Miss

Ms.

Ginang

Gng.

Missus/Missis

Mrs.

Ginoo

G. 

Mister

Mr.

*Note: Taglish is more common among Filipinos nowadays, thus the Tagalog honorifics are seldom used in conversations. You can use the English equivalents instead.

Introducing Yourself and Asking Basic Questions

After greeting someone, the next step is usually introducing yourself and getting to know the other person. This usually includes asking for their name and additional information like age, general location, school, or workplace if these are relevant.

Here is a scenario:

Tagalog English

Speaker 1:

Ako si Nina. Anong pangalan mo?

I am Nina. What’s your name?

Speaker 2:

Ako si Sisa. Ilang taong gulang ka na?

I’m Sisa. How old are you?

Speaker 1:

Dalawampu’t pito. Ikaw?

Twenty-seven. How about you?

Speaker 2:

Ako’y dalwampu’t pito rin. Taga-Maynila ka rin ba?

I’m twenty-seven too. Are you from Manila as well?

Speaker 1:

Hindi, taga-Baguio ako.

No, I’m from Baguio.

Speaker 2:

Ganun ba? Saan ka nagtatrabaho? Guro ako sa UP.

Is that so? Where do you work? I’m a teacher at UP.

Speaker 1:

Grabe, hanga ako sa’yo. Tagapamahala ako sa kompanya namin. 

Wow, I admire you for that. I’m a manager at my company.

Speaker 2:

Uy, maganda rin yan.

Hey, that’s good too.

Basic Courtesy Statements

Politeness is a big part of Filipino culture, so learning basic courtesy statements in Tagalog will help you communicate respectfully. Here are some scenarios you may encounter:

1. Thanking Someone

    • Whether it’s part of pleasantries or basic courtesy, there are plenty of situations where you need to thank someone. For that, you say:
Tagalog English

Speaker 1:

Salamat po.

Thank you.

Speaker 2:

Walang anuman.

You’re welcome.

2. Requesting Something to Someone

    • The polite way of requesting something involves adding paki- to a verb’s root word. Adding paki- is the equivalent of adding please in a sentence. Here are some examples:
Tagalog English

Pakisara mo ang pinto. 

Please close the door.

Pakikuha mo nga ang maleta ko. 

Please bring me my luggage.

Pwedeng pakikuhanan mo ako ng litrato?

Can you please take a picture of me?

Pwedeng pakibili mo ako ng maiinom? 

Can you please buy me something to drink?

3. Saying “Excuse Me”

    • Basic courtesy also involves situations in which you may need to catch someone’s attention or apologize for a social indiscretion or a faux pas. 
    • For instance, if you want to pass by two conversing people in the middle of a narrow corridor, you can simply say:
Tagalog English

Paumanhin po.

Excuse me.
    • However, if you want to be more specific, say something like:
Tagalog English

Paumanhin po, makikiraan lang po ako. 

Excuse me, I’ll just be passing through.
    • Adding makiki- to the root word of a verb already implies “Excuse me, may I…?” So, you can also say:
Tagalog English

Makikiraan lang po ako.

(Excuse me) I’ll just be passing through.

May I pass through?
    • Other scenarios:
      • Joining someone’s table to eat:
Tagalog English

Speaker 1:

Paumanhin po, makikikain lang po kami. 

Excuse me, we would just like to join you (in eating).

Speaker 2:

Sige lang, walang problema.

Sure, no problem.
      • Taking shelter from the rain at someone’s property:
Tagalog English

Speaker 1:

Makikisilong lang po ako. 

Excuse me, may I take shelter (from the rain)?

Speaker 2:

Sige lang, pasok ka.

Sure, come inside.

4. Apologizing

    • Interactions aren’t always smooth. There will be times when you might make a mistake and need to apologize. For that, you could simply say:
Tagalog English

Speaker 1:

Pasensiya na po. 

I’m really sorry.

Speaker 2:

Ayos lang. 

It’s okay.

Speaker 1: (optional)

Di na po mauulit. 

It won’t be happening again.

Polite Concluding Statements

As good as your conversation with another may be, it will eventually have to end. Thus, you’ll need to know some polite concluding statements you can use as you walk away from the other person. 

Knowing how to gracefully end a conversation is just as important as starting one. Here are some useful statements for wrapping things up:

Tagalog English

Paalam!

Goodbye!

Kita-kits! (slang) 

Let’s see each other sometimes!

Ingat!

Take care!

Stating Your Lack of Fluency In Tagalog

There’s no shame in admitting that you’re still not that good at speaking Tagalog. There’s also no shame in stating it bluntly, like so:

Tagalog English

Hindi ko po alam magsalita ng Tagalog. 

I don’t know how to speak Tagalog.

Hindi po ako ganung kagaling magsalita ng Tagalog.

I’m not that good at speaking in Tagalog.

Saying It Like You Mean It

Learning how to engage in basic conversations in Tagalog is a fantastic starting point for any language learner. These fundamental phrases and questions will not only boost your confidence but also help you connect with native speakers on a more personal level.

The basics are taught for a reason. If ever you’re in a pinch, you can always fall back on those to help you out.

To expand your vocabulary and prepare you for more complex conversations, why not give Turong Wika a try?

Turong Wika is a language-learning app that centers on teaching conversational Tagalog. This is perfect for beginners who want to establish their grammar and vocabulary. The emphasis on conversational Tagalog also means that the app’s examples and exercises are applicable to real-world situations.

Besides the lessons, Turong Wika also has other additional features, like the Practice feature. It’s where you go to test your current knowledge in Tagalog. Simply choose a topic and the number of items you want to answer.

Good practice makes perfect. Scan the code below to download the app now!

Good practice makes perfect. Click on the button below to download the app now!

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