Basic Greetings

Learn essential greetings and politeness markers

Welcome to your third Tagalog lesson! Let's learn how to greet people and introduce yourself properly in Filipino culture.

Common Greetings

Filipinos are known for their warmth and hospitality, which is reflected in their everyday greetings:

The All-Purpose Greeting: "Kumusta"

The most common greeting in Tagalog is "Kumusta" (How are you):

  • Kumusta? - How are you?
  • Kumusta ka? - How are you? (singular, informal)
  • Kumusta po kayo? - How are you? (singular or plural, formal)

Responses to "Kumusta?"

  • Mabuti / Mabuti naman - Good / I'm good
  • Okay lang - I'm okay / Just fine

Time-of-Day Greetings

Tagalog has specific greetings depending on the time of day:

  • Magandang umaga - Good morning
  • Magandang tanghali - Good noon
  • Magandang hapon - Good afternoon
  • Magandang gabi - Good evening

Other Useful Expressions

  • Salamat - Thank you
  • Salamat po - Thank you (formal)
  • Walang anuman - You're welcome
  • Paalam - Goodbye
  • Ingat - Take care

Introducing Yourself

Basic Self-Introduction

To introduce yourself, you can use these phrases:

  • Ako si [name] - I am [name]
  • Ang pangalan ko ay [name] - My name is [name]

Asking Someone's Name

  • Ano ang pangalan mo? - What is your name? (informal)
  • Ano po ang pangalan ninyo? - What is your name? (formal)

Simple Introduction Dialogue

Basic Introduction:

A
Magandang umaga! Kumusta ka?Good morning! How are you?
B
Magandang umaga rin! Mabuti naman, salamat. Ikaw?Good morning too! I'm fine, thank you. You?
A
Mabuti rin. Ako si Carlos. Ano ang pangalan mo?I'm fine too. I'm Carlos. What's your name?
B
Ako si Maria. Salamat, Carlos.I'm Maria. Thanks, Carlos.

Politeness Markers: "Po" and "Opo"

Filipino culture highly values respect, especially for elders and people in authority. Two important politeness markers are:

Po

"Po" is added to sentences to show respect:

  • Kumusta ka?Kumusta po kayo? (How are you? - formal)
  • SalamatSalamat po (Thank you - formal)

Opo (Yes, formal)

"Opo" is the formal way to say "yes" in Tagalog:

  • Opo - Yes (formal)
  • Oo - Yes (informal)

When to Use Po and Opo

Use "po" and "opo" when speaking to:

  • Elders (parents, grandparents, older relatives)
  • People in authority (teachers, bosses)
  • People you're meeting for the first time
  • Anyone you want to show respect to

Conversation Practice

Let's put everything together with a more comprehensive dialogue:

Meeting Someone New:

Ana
Magandang hapon po! Kumusta po kayo?Good afternoon! How are you?
Ginoong Santos
Magandang hapon din! Mabuti naman, salamat. Ikaw?Good afternoon too! I'm fine, thank you. You?
Ana
Mabuti rin po, salamat. Ako po si Ana Cruz.I'm fine too, thank you. I am Ana Cruz.
Ginoong Santos
Ako naman si Ginoong Santos. Salamat, Ana.I am Mr. Santos. Thanks, Ana.
Ana
Taga-saan po kayo?Where are you from?
Ginoong Santos
Taga-Makati ako. Ikaw?I'm from Makati. You?
Ana
Taga-Quezon City po ako.I'm from Quezon City.
Ginoong Santos
Sige. Paalam! Ingat.Okay. Goodbye! Take care.
Ana
Paalam po! Ingat din po kayo.Goodbye! Take care too.

Cultural Tips

  1. Mano po - A traditional way of showing respect to elders where a younger person takes the elder's hand and brings it to their forehead

Quiz

Let’s put your new skills to the test! Try the quiz below to check your understanding of basic greetings and politeness markers in Tagalog.

Basic Greetings Quiz

Test your knowledge of Tagalog greetings

1How do you say 'Good afternoon' in Tagalog?
2Which phrase means 'My name is...' in Tagalog?
3What is the purpose of adding 'po' to sentences in Tagalog?
4How do you formally say 'yes' in Tagalog?

Wrap-Up

Excellent job! You've learned how to greet people and introduce yourself in Tagalog. These expressions will be your gateway to starting conversations with Filipino speakers. Remember to use "po" and "opo" to show respect when needed.

Share this lesson