Filipiniana Language Tidbits

As you may have noticed, a lot of my tags and my posts have Filipino in them. I know I may be making life harder for myself and reading my blog harder for all of you, but this is a conscious effort to retain my roots now that I am becoming a true citizen of the world.

Here be a short and sweet primer on the unfamiliar words that I wield often in my posts. As you can guess this is by no means complete and in fact this will be updated sporadically, but I hope this proves useful for you in other places and ways.

  • Ako = me, myself, I
  • Bagong Taon = new + year
  • Bakasyon = from the Spanish loan word for "vacation"
  • Bayan = country
  • Buhay = life
  • Cuaresma = Spanish loan word for Lent (literally "forty days")
  • Galit = anger or rage
  • Hanapbuhay/hanap-buhay = work, occupation, job, making a living (the Spanish counterpart would be "trabaho", and literally means "looking for life" ... weird huh?)
  • Jologs = local slang for "crass", "corny", "cheesy" or "tacky", denoting something that is normally associated with the lower class (the older counterpart would be "bakya")
  • Kaarawan = birthday (literally "THE day", from the root word "araw" which can mean either "day" or "sun" depending on its use)
  • Kabaklaan = gayness, denoting acts, traits, thoughts, and anything that is normally associated with the local gay community
  • Kagalakan = joy or happiness, which will be on all posts made before the conception of Oplan Kaligayahan (from the root word "galak" which means "happy" or "joyful")
  • Kaibigan = friend (note that it has the word "ibig" which can be interpreted as part of "love" in "pag-ibig" or "meaning" as a stand-alone word)
  • Kakikayan = vanity (from the root word "kikay" which is slang for "vain")
  • Kaklase = classmate (from the Spanish loan word "klase" which may mean "class" or "classroom")
  • Kalayaan = freedom (from the root word "laya" or free)
  • Kaligayahan = joy or happiness, the tag which will automatically be associated with Oplan Kaligayahan (from the root word "ligaya" which is also essentially my name ;P)
  • Kalungkutan = sorrow or sadness (from the root word "lungkot" which also means the same thing)
  • Kalusugan = health or fitness (from the root word "lusog" which also means the same thing)
  • Kapaguran = exhaustion or tiredness (from the root word "pagod" which means "tired" or "exhausted")
  • Kapalaran = fate (from the root word "palad", which means "the hand (of fate/God)")
  • Kapamilya = family (taken from ABS-CBN's slogan which emphasizes that their programming is family-oriented, hehehe)
  • Kapatid = sibling (now absorbed into TV 5's slogan which emphasizes that their closeness with their viewers is akin to that of blood siblings)
  • Kapuso = beloved (taken from GMA's slogan which emphasizes that their programming is closest to their viewers' hearts, because "puso" is "heart", hehehe)
  • Kasayahan = joy or happiness (from the root word "saya", which means "happy" or "joyful")
  • Katotohanan = truth
  • Katuwaan = funny or humourous (from the root word "tuwa" which means "fun" or "laughter")
  • Kawang-gawa = good + doing
  • Kayamanan = richness or fortune (from the root word "yaman" which means "rich")
  • Kinahihiligan = liking or desired (from the root word "hilig" which means "liked" or "desired")
  • Labanan = battle, competition or contest (from the root word "laban" which means "fight")
  • Laro = game or play
  • Mahal = a term of endearment that means "beloved" or "loved one" used exclusively to refer to and between lovers and spouses
  • Paalam = farewell or goodbye, a very recent development in the language and often said with a tinge of finality (from the root word "alam" meaning "to know" ... even weirder huh?)
  • Paaralan = school or class, normally denoting the primary (grade school) and secondary (high school) levels (college is usually defined by the Spanish loan word "kolehiyo")
  • Pag-aaral = studies (from the root word "aral" or "study")
  • Pag-ibig = love, normally denoting romance but also regularly used for filial love and agape or providential love
  • Pagkain = food (literally "for eating," from the root word "kain" or "eat")
  • Paglalakbay = travelling or journey (from the root word "lakbay", which means "journey", "travel" or "trip")
  • Pagluluto = cooking (from the root word "luto" or "cook")
  • Pagninilay-nilay = contemplation, pondering, rumination or thought, can be associated with the Jesuit Spiritual Exercises or retreat
  • Pagtanda = growing up (from the root word "tanda" or "age")
  • Palabas = video, normally denoting motion pictures and television series (from the root word "labas" or "showing")
  • Pananampalataya = faith or belief, normally denoting both religiosity and spirituality
  • Panayam = may mean either discussion, interview or inquiry, depending on use
  • Pangangailangan = need (from the root word "kailangan", which means "to need")
  • Pangulo = president or leader (literally "at the head", from the root word "ulo" meaning "head")
  • Pasasalamat = gratitude (from the word "salamat", which means "thanks")
  • Pasko = from the Spanish loan word "pascua" , denoting the Christian feasts but most particularly Christmas
  • Patalastas = advertisement or announcement, normally associated with public service
  • Pera = money
  • Pilipinas = the Philippines
  • Pilipino = Filipino or Philippine, normally denotes both the official language and any trait associated with the Philippines
  • Poon = local shorthand or slang for "Lord" (from the word "Panginoon", which can mean either "Lord" or "God")
  • Tagalog = the language from which most of modern-day Pilipino is derived from. The other derivative language is Bisaya, although to a significantly lesser degree. This is a highly contested topic and I'd really prefer leaving this debate out of my blog, thanks!