Lesson 008

 

Common Confusing Filipino Expressions (Spanish Edition)

Filipinos speak English and Spanish, being subjugated by both the U.S. and Spain. Filipino languages have incorporated Spanish words and phrases in theirs but some of the words do not necessary have the same meaning as in the original Spanish.

Over 333 years of Spanish colonial history, roughly a third Filipino vocabulary was taken from Spanish words but through time many of these words have changed its meaning or have fallen out of normal use.

For expats and visitors to the Philippines or to anyone speaking with a Filipino anywhere in the world it is a good idea to be familiarized with these words so to avoid confusion.

There is a long list and here are a few of them:

Spanish, Seguro - sure, safe
Siguro - maybe, perhaps

Spanish, Siempre - always
Siempre - of course

Spanish, Delicado - delicate
Delikado - risky, dangerous

Spanish, Basta - enough
Basta - just because, whatever happens

Spanish, Almorzar - to have lunch
Almusal - breakfast

Spanish, Bajo - low
Baho - smelly, stinky

Spanish, Cubeta - bucket, pail
Kubeta - toilet, restroom

Spanish, Palenque - stockade, palisade
Palengke - wet market

Spanish, Barcada - a boatload of people, cargo
Barkada - a clique, group of friends

Spanish, Llave - key
Liyabe - exclusively wrenches, not keys

Spanish, Pasamano - handrail, banister
Pasamano - windowsill

Spanish, Visita - the act of visiting
Bisita - the act and the person visiting

Spanish, Encanto - enchantment, charming
Engkanto - mystical, mythical

Spanish, Mano - hand
Mano - gesture of pressing to your forehead an elder's hand, as a sign of respect

Spanish, Corazonada - hunch, gut feel
Kursonada - strong interest, crush

Spanish, Diligencia - diligence
Dilihensiya - hustling

Spanish, Hacer caso - to pay attention, listen, heed
Asikaso - take care, manage

Spanish, Bolsa - bag
Bulsa - pocket in clothing

Spanish, Paño - cloth, wipe
Panyo - handkerchief

Spanish, Salvaje - savage
Salvage - naughty

Spanish, Puede - can
Puwede - allowable, possible

Spanish, Estorbo - obstacle, hindrance
Istorbo - nuissance

Spanish, Dejado - neglectful, lazy
Dehado - underdog

Spanish, Verraco - wild board
Barako - type of coffee, manly guy

Spanish, Vivo - alive, living
Bibo - energetic

Spanish, Vida - life
Bida - lead actor, protagonist

Spanish, Contra vida - against life
Kontrabida, supporting actor, antagonist

Spanish, Demasiado - too much
Di masyado - not too much 

Masyado - too much

Spanish, Asar - to roast, grill as in cooking meat
Asar - to tease or annoy

Spanish, Andar - to walk
Andar - to start, operate, move a machine

Spanish, Pareja - partner, couple
Parehas - similar, pair, fair
Pareho - similar, the same

Spanish, Manteca - lard, butter
Mantika- cooking oil

But Mantequilla - butter
Mantikilya - means the same

Spanish, Bizcocho - sponge cake
Biskotso - crunchy, toasty bread

Spanish, Leche - milk
Leche - means the same but also means darn it

Spanish, Paciencia - patience
Pasensya - means the same but also means pardon me

Spanish, Tabla - board/plank
Tabla - means the same but also means it's a tie or draw

Spanish, Vaca - cow
Baka - means the same but also means maybe

Spanish, Verde - green
Berde - also means green but also a lewd or dirty joke

There are other Spanish swear or lewd words in Filipino languages and we will not go into those.

 

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Lesson 007

Common Confusing Filipino Expressions

Filipinos speak English but to non-Filipinos some words and phrases are peculiar to the Philippines or will be cause for misunderstandings.

For expats and visitors to the Philippines or to anyone speaking with a Filipino anywhere in the world it is a good idea to be familiar with certain words that they may commonly say.

There is a long list and here are a few of them:


Open/Close the light - Turn on/Turn off the light

Open/Close the computer - Turn on/Turn off the computer (and any other appliance)

Go down - Get off (the bus)

Nosebleed – Used when a Filipino feels overwhelmed by having to speak English for a long time.

Out of stock - Response if store clerk did not really understand you, they are lazy to look, they don't want to continue explaining in English (aside from the item being actually out of stock)

Napkin - Table Tissue
Napkin - Sanitary Napkin

Take out - To go, Food to go

Dine in - For here

Eat all you can - All-you-can-eat

He/She, His/Her - Can refer to either gender

Ma'am-Sir - Generic greeting, Can refer to either gender

Fill up (the form) - Fill out

Fall in line - Get in line

Brownout – Power outage

Ballpen – Pen

Coupon bond - A piece of white paper

Commute - Taking public transportation

Trapik - Heavy traffic

Change oil - Oil change

Condolence (one word) - used to express condolences, Sorry for your loss

Next next week - The week after next

Tuck out - Untuck shirt

Rubber Shoes - Sneakers, Athletic shoes

Jobus (Joe Bush) - Shoe dye

For a while – Please hold, One moment

Kodak, Kodakan, Picture-picture, Pictorial – Taking a photo, Taking a selfie

Concert - Singing

Office mate - Coworker

School mate - Classmate

Hand Carry - Carry-on luggage

Aircon - AC

Ref - Fridge

CR - Restroom

Stick - One piece of cigarette 

Softdrink or Kok - Soda, even if it's Pepsi

Colgate - Toothpaste (any brand)

Xerox – To photocopy (even if the machine isn't a Xerox machine)

Frigidaire - Fridge (any brand)

Note: Filipinos may commonly refer to the actual brand name of anything

High Blood – To be angry or frustrated

Blow out – To treat someone (to a meal or drinks or anything), My treat

Bedspacing – Renting a single bed in a shared room

Bedspacer - Person renting

Load, Pa-load – Adding prepaid credit to a phone card

Actually... – Used frequently as an introduction to a statement

Already, Yet – Commonly used at the end of sentences

Noted – Understood

Malling – Hanging out, walking inside, window shopping at the mall

Viand – Main dish, eaten with rice

Merienda - Snack

Unli - Unlimited

Adidas – Grilled chicken feet

Betamax – Grilled, coagulated pig or chicken blood cut into rectangular blocks

Walkman – Grilled pig's ears

Helmet – Grilled chicken head

Dirty Ice Cream – Not actually dirty. It’s the local sorbetes sold by street vendors

Dirty Kitchen – Not actually dirty. It’s a secondary, back and commonly outdoor kitchen used for hardcore cooking

Up and down - Two story house

Double Deck – Bunk bed

Plastic - Two faced, Faker

Chancing – To make a subtle and unwanted sexual move,  grope

Bold – Refers to a porn movie

Toro - same as Bold

Drawing – Plans that were made but never happened

Charot, Chariz – Just kidding

Lodi – Idol (in reverse). Many Filipinos do this for several words

Hostess - May refer to a female sex worker

Salvage – May refer to summary execution

Obigayni - Ob, O b g y n

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