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!
