Basic Greetings & Introductions

Welcome to your second Tagalog lesson! Now that you're familiar with Tagalog sounds, 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:

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)
• Salamat → Salamat 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:

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
2. Smile and eye contact - Filipinos are friendly, and a smile goes a long way
3. Use titles - Address people with appropriate titles like "Ginoo" (Mr.), "Ginang" (Mrs.), or "Binibini" (Miss)

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.

In our next lesson, we'll learn about numbers, dates, and telling time in Tagalog.

Next up: Learn about numbers, dates, and telling time in Tagalog!