Filipinos have several beliefs about the coming New Year. For example, some of us believe that wearing clothes with polka dots will usher in a year of prosperity because the dots look like money (coins). The more dots, the more money.
We’re also asked to eat twelve round fruits (usually grapes). One fruit for each “bong” of the clock at midnight. The round fruits represent money since our coins are round. It also helps if you have money in your pocket.
Children are also asked to jump like crazy at the stroke of midnight. The higher they jump, the taller they will grow in the coming year.
People who owe you money are encouraged to settle their debts before the year ends, lest they stay in debt the rest of the new year.
All the lights in the house are switched on. Doors and windows are also opened to bring in good luck. Unfortunately, that also brings in the smoke from the firecrackers.
Tagalog Words / Phrases
Magsuot ka ng damit na may polka dots - Wear something with polka dots.
Kumain ka ng labindalawang ubas - Eat 12 grapes.
May pera ka na ba sa bulsa? - Do you have money in your pocket?
Tumalon kayong lahat - Jump, all of you.
Taasan ninyo - Higher!
Binayaran mo na ba ang utang mo? - Have you settled your debts?
Buksan lahat ng ilaw - Open all the lights.
Buksan ang pinto - Open the door.
Buksan lahat ng bintana - Open the windows.
Ang ingay! - It’s so noisy!
O, mag-ingat sa paputok - Hey, be careful of firecrackers.
Ang usok… - There’s so much smoke.
Maligayang Pasko - Merry Christmas
at - and a…
Manigong Bagong Taon - Happy New Year!
Maligo kayo - Take a bath
sa bagong taon - In the coming year
Here are Tagalog lessons about hospitals and hospital visits.
saang ospital siya naka-confine? - in which hospital is he confined?
napano si Tito? - what happened to Uncle?
anong nangyari? - what happened?
may lagnat siya - he has fever
isang linggo na - it’s been a week
anong sabi ng doctor? - what did the doctor say?
hanggang kelan siya sa ospital? - until when will he be in the hospital?
ah, lumabas na siya - oh, he was discharged already
nung makalawa pa - since two days ago
pagaling ka, ha? - get well soon, ok?
hinay-hinay lang - take it easy
Here are Tagalog lessons and stories about waiting and getting fetched at the airport.
Quick review:
makulimlim - overcast / hazy
takbo - run
maputik ang daan - the roads are muddy
ubod ng trapik - traffic is terrible
sunduin mo ako sa airport - fetch me at the airport
umikot ka na lang - just keep going around
maghintay ka sa parking - wait in the parking lot
pwedeng mahiram ang cellphone mo? - may I borrow your cellphone?
babayaran ko ang tawag - I will pay for the call
wala pong load - it does not have any load credits
ang tagal kong naghintay - I waited for such a long time.
nalanghap ko na lahat ng usok - I inhaled all the exhaust fumes.
tinawagan kita sa cell mo - I tried calling you on your cellphone.
pero di kita ma-contact - but I couldn’t reach you.
eh syempre! - but of course!
patay na ang baterya - the battery was dead
paano na yan? - so, how’s that?
wala lang cellphone, bagsak na? - if there’s no cellphone, then everything falls apart?
Bugtong (Riddle):
Ibon sa langit (Bird in the sky)
Umiiyak (cries)
Habang lumilipad (while it flies)
Posted by Manuel Viloria under Uncategorized Comments Off
Here are Tagalog lessons, riddles and trivia about the weather.
Kamusta ang panahon? (How’s the weather?)
mainit - hot
mabanas / ang banas - humid
mahangin - it’s windy
malamig - it’s cold
umaambon - it’s drizzling
maulan - rainy
bumubuhos ang ulan - it’s raining very hard
umaanggi ang ulan - it’s raining sideways
umuulan ng yelo - it’s raining ice (ice is falling from the sky)
baha ang mga kalye - the streets are flooded
may bagyo - there’s a storm
kumukulog - there’s thunder
kumikidlat - there’s lightning
may ipu-ipo - there’s a tornado
sumasabog ang bulkan - there’s a volcanic explosion
lumilindol - there’s an earthquake
katamtaman lang - just right
Bugtong (Riddle):
Buhok ni Adan (The hair of Adam)
hindi mabilang. (cannot be counted.)
Sagot (Answer): Ulan (rain)
The elders say that the first rains of the month of May are collected, and this rainwater is turned into holy water. But I won’t dip my fingers in the holy water receptacle in a certain chapel in Novaliches anymore. ;-)