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