Bangka (Boat)

Wala sa langit, wala sa (Not in heaven, not on earth,

lupa it walks on its back)
Kung tumakbo ay
patihaya.

Kandila (Candle)
Kung babayaan mong (If you will allow me to live,
ako ay mabuhay I shall obtain death;
Yaong kamataya'y dagli But if you kill me right away,
kong kakamtan; My life will last longer)
(When I killed it,
Ngunit kung ako'y its life became longer)
pataying paminsan,
Ay lalong lalawig ang (When kept alive, it dies;
ingat kong buhay. when killed, it lives longer)

Kung kailan ko pa
pinatay
Ay saka nagtagal ang
buhay.

Kung babayaan mong

ako ay mabuhay
Yaong kamataya'y dagli
kong kakamtan

Kabaong (Casket)
Binili ko nang di (I bought it against my will
nagustuhan and I used it without
Ginamit ko nang di ko my knowledge)
nalalaman

Kampana ng Simbahan
(Church bell)
Nang hatakin ang baging, (When the vine was pulled,
Nagkagulo ang matsing. there was chaos among the
monkeys)
Relo (Clock)
May kamay, walang (It has a hand [but] it has no
daliri fingers)

Bahay (House)
Sa umaga ay nagtataboy (During the day it drives you
Sa gabi ay nag-aampon away;
in the evening, it lets you in)

Bolador / Saranggola (Kite)

Mataas ang ibinitin (That which was hung is higher
Kaysa pinagbitinan. than that on which it is hung)

Buto't-balat, lumilipad (Skin and bones, flying)

Lampara (Lamp)
Isang uhay na palay (A grain of palay;
Sikip sa buong bahay. fills the whole house to
capacity)

Banig (Mat)
Kung gabi ay malapad (Guess flat at night,
Kung araw ay tube during the day)
matangkad.
(In the evening it is a pool of
Kung gabi'y dagat water,
Sa araw ay bumbong during the day it is a log)

Panitik o Bolpen (Pen)

Lumakad walang paa, (It walks but has no feet,
Tumatangis walang mata. it weeps but has no eyes)

Sapatos (Shoes)
Dala mo, dala ka (You carry it,
Dala ka pa ng iyong dala. it carries you)

Mesa(Table)
May apat na binti, hindi (It has four legs, but cannot
makalakad walk)

Kawayan o Labong
(Banana blossom; Bamboo;
Nang bata ay nagsaya, (When a child she wore a skirt,
bamboo shoot)
at naghubo nang dalaga. when grown up she stripped)

Acacia
Sa init sumasaya (It is happy when it is hot,
Sa lamig ay nalanta it wilts when it is cold)

Amor seco
Nang maalaala'y naiwan (When remembered it was left
Nadala nang malimutan. behind;
when forgotten it was carried)

Labong at kawayan
(Bamboo shoot and bamboo)
Nang maliit ay ulam (When young a vegetable;
Nang lumaki'y when mature, it is made into a
kasangkapan furniture)

Dahon ng saging
(Banana leaves)
Tabla magkabila (Wooden boards on either side,
Alulod ang gitna a canal in the middle)

Camanchile
Putukan ng putukan (It pops open
hindi magkarinigan but no sound can you hear)

(There's plenty of shouting

but they can't hear each other)

Gugo
Nagsaing si Ingkong (Here comes Ingkong
Sumusulak ay wala boiling although there's no fire
namang gatong underneath)

Gumamela (Hibiscus; China

rose)
Tinaga ko ang puno (I stabbed it at the trunk,
Sa dulo nagdurugo it bled at the tip)

Bulaklak (Flower)
Bumubuka'y walang (It opens though it has no
bibig mouth,
Ngumingiti nang tahimik it smiles quietly)
Kangkong
Mapatubig-mapalupa (Whether in heaven or on earth,
Ang dahon ay its leaves freshen up)
nananariwa

Kabuti (Mushroom)
May binti, walang hita (It has a leg but no thigh;
May ulo, walang mukha it has a head but no face)

Pako (Nail driven into the

floor)
Nagtago si Pedro (Pedro hid,
Nakalitaw ang ulo. but his head is showing)

Palay (Rice plant)

Nang wala pang ginto (When it did not have gold,
Ay doon nagpalalo It was proud;
Nang magkaginto-ginto When it had gold,
Ay doon na nga sumuko. It bowed

Makahiya (Sensitive plants)

Kung pabayaan ay (If neglected, it lives;
nabubuhay if caressed, it dies)
Kung himasin ay
namamatay

Aso (Dog)
Mataas kung nakaupo (Tall when sitting;
Mababa kung nakatayo. short when standing)

Pusa (Cat)
Matanda na ang nuno (Grandfather is already old,
Hindi pa naliligo. but he has never taken a bath)

Langgam (Ant)
Maliit pa si kumpare, (Kumpare is still small,
Nakakaakyat na sa tore. but he can already climb the
tower)
Maliit pa si Nene
nakakaakyat na sa tore (Nene is small,
but she can climb the tower)
Paniki (Bat)
Sa araw nahihimbing (In daytime it sleeps,
At sa gabi ay gising at night it flies)

Surot (Bedbug)
Tiniris mo na (You crush it,
inaamuyan pa. but you still smell it)

Bubuyog (Bee)
Heto, heto na si Lelong (Here comes granfather
Bubulong-bulong who is always murmuring)

Manok (Chicken)
Tag-ulan o tag-araw, (Rain or shine,
Hanggang tuhod ang his pants reach only to the
salawal. knees)

Tag-ulan at tag-araw, (In rainy season or dry season,

Putot ang salawal he wears knee-length trousers)

Alimango (Crab)
Bahay ni Ka Huli (Ka Huli’s house,
Haligi’y bali-bali The posts are broken,
Ang bubong ay kawali The roof is a skillet)

Bibe (Duck)
Kay liit pa ni Neneng (Neneng is still small,
Marunong nang but she already knows how to
kumendeng sway her hips)

Elepante (Elephant)
Anong hayop ang dalawa (What animal has two tails?)
ang buntot?

Tipaklong (Grasshopper)
Ang ulo ay kabayo, (Its head is that of a horse,
Ang leeg [balabal] ay its neck [cape] is that of a
pare, priest,
Ang katawan ay uod, its body is that of a worm and
Ang paa ay lagare. its feet, a saw)
Langaw (House fly)
Naghanda ang alila (My servant gave a party;
[katulong] ko the rascal was first at table)
nauna pang dumulog ang
tukso.

Alitaptap (Firefly)
Eto na si bayaw (Here comes brother-in-law
Dala-dala'y ilaw carrying a light)

Palaka (Frog)
May ulo'y walang buhok (It has a head, but no hair,
May tiyan walang pusod a belly, but no navel)

Sungay ng Usa (Horns of a

deer)
Pantas ka man at (Though you be very wise
marunong And have studied long,
At nag-aral nang malaon, Guess what tree in the forest
Aling kahoy sa gubat Grows branches but has no
Nagsasanga’y walang roots)
ugat.

Lisa (Lice)
Alin itlog ang may (What egg has a tail?)
buntot?

Kuto (Louse)
Dala mo siya (You carry him
Pero kinakain ka niya but you're his food)

Unggoy (Monkey)
Yao't dito, roo'y mula (He goes back and forth
Laging ang ginagawa always busy with something;
Magtago at mamulaga he hides and starles
Sa matatanda at sa bata elders and children)

Lamok (Mosquito)
Kung kailan tahimik (When everything is quiet,
Saka nambubuwisit that is the time it teases)
Talaba (Oyster)
Hindi naman platero, (He is not a silver smith
Hindi naman panday, nor is he a blacksmith,
Lapat ang buhay yet his house is well fitted)

Ahas (Snake)
Baston ng kapitan (The cane of the captain
Hindi mahawakan cannot be handled by anyone)

Tungkod ni Kapitan, (The cane of the captain

Hindi mahawakan can not be handled by anyone

Tulya (Species of small

clam)
Kinain ko ang isa (When I ate it, it was one;
Ang itinapon ko ay when I threw it away, it was
dalawa two)

Gagamba (Spider)
Bata pa si Nene (Nene is still small,
Marunong nang manahi but she already knows how to
sew)

Bulate (Tapeworm)
Nang kainin ay patay, (When eaten, it was dead;
iluwa'y buhay when expelled, it was alive)

Pugo (Quail)
Alin sa mga ibon (What bird is it that
ang di nakadadapo sa cannot alight on a tree?)
kahoy?

Saging (Banana)
Bulaklak muna ang (First make a flower,
gawin then eat it)
Bago mo ito kainin

Ampalaya (Bitter melon)

Pagsipot sa maliwanag, (When it was born,
Kulubot na ang balat. its skin was already wrinkled)
Kasoy (Cashew)
Isang senyorita, (A young lady
Nakaupo sa tasa [princess/queen],
sitting on a cup)

Sili (Chilli)
Baboy ko sa parang (My pig of the mountain grown,
Namumula sa tapang red with fierceness)

Niyog (Coconut fruit)

Langit sa itaas, (Sky above,
Langit sa ibaba, sky below,
Tubig sa gitna. water in the middle)

Mais (Corn)
May balbas, walang (It has a beard [but] it has no
mukha face)

Hindi tao, hindi hayop (Neither man nor animal

May buhok na kulay but has golden hair)
ginto
(Neither man nor animal
Hindi tao, hindi hayop but has curly hair)
ngunit kulot ang buhok

Atis (Custard Apple)

Ate mo, ate ko (My ATE, your ATE;
Ate ng lahat ng tao everybody's ATE)

Duhat
Noong (When a small an American;
munti'y Americano, when it grew up, a negro)
noong lumaki ay Negro

Itlog (Egg)
Bahay ni Kiko, (The house of Kiko,
Walang bintana, without window,
Walang pinto. without door)

Bahay ng prinsesa, (House of the princess;

nabuksan ay hindi it was opened but cannot be
 maisara. closed)

Bayabas (Guava)
Hindi tao, hindi hayop, (Not a human being, not an
may korona animal,
but it wears a crown

Dahon ng gabi (Gabi leaves)

Naligo si Kaka (Kaka took a bath,
Ngunit di nabasa but did not get wet)

Bawang (Garlic)
Isang kumpol na ngipin (A cluster of truth
nakabalot sa papel wrapped in paper)

Yelo (Ice)
Tubig na sakdal linaw (Water that is extremely clear,
Ay nadadala sa kamay. can be carried in the hand)

Langka (Jackfruit)
Baboy ko sa Pulo (My pig in Pulo;
Balahibo’y pako. its hairs are nails)

Mangga (Mango)
Hugis puso, kulay ginto (Heart-shaped, golden-colored;
Mabango kung amuyin, fragrant to smell,
masarap kung kanin delicious to eat)

Sibuyas (Onion)
Katawan nito'y hiniwa- (It is cut and chopped,
hiwa but it can make you cry)
Kaya ikaw ay lumuluha

Papaya
Bahay ni Sta. Ines (House of Sta. Ines,
Punong-puno ng Full of bullets [pellets])
perdigones.
(Its trunk has many nodes
Puno ay buku-buko, [joints], its leaves are fans,
dahon ay abaniko, its fruit is a bottle, its seeds are
 Ang bunga ay parasko, shotgun pellets)
perdigones ang buto.

Pinya (Pineappple)
Bahay ni Sta. Maria (House of Sta. Maria,
Naiinog ng sandata. Surrounded by swords)

Isang prinsesa (A beautiful princess

Punung-puno ng mata full of eyes)

Sumusubong kanin (Pot of

boiling rice)
Naupo si Itim, sinulot ni (Black sat down; Red prodded
Pula, from beneath;
Eto na si Puti na bubuga- Out came white)
buga.

Labanos (Raddish)
Nang ihulog ko'y (When I planted it, it was as
ganggabinlid small as a rice grain;
Nang hanguin ko'y when I harvested it, it was as
ganggaihip big as a bamboo fire-blown)

Asin (Salt)
Tubig na nagiging bato (Water that turns to stone,
Batong nagiging tubig stone that turns to water)

Santol (Sandor)
Kung tawagin nila'y (Called a "Santo"
"Santo" and yet not miraculous)
Hindi naman milagroso

Sinigwelas (Spanish plum)

Nang maglihi'y namatay (When it conceived, it died;
Nang manganak ay when it gave birth, it revived)
nabuhay

Kalabasa (Squash)
Ang ina’y gumagapang (The mother is still creeping,
pa, the child already sitting up)
 Ang anak ay umuupo na.

Tubo (Sugarcane)
Patumbalik, patiwarik, (Though it is inverted and
Hindi mabubo ang tubig turned upside down,
its water can't spill [can't be
poured])

Camote (Sweet potato)

Sanga-sanga, buku-buko, (Branch-branch, bud-bud,
nagbubulaklak ay di it flowered without budding;
nagbubuko, it bore fruit without a seed)
naglalama'y walang buto

Singkamas (Turnip)
Nang ihulog ko'y buto (When I dropped it, it was a
Nang hanguin ko'y seed;
trumpo when I pulled it up, it was a top)

Pakwan (Watermelon)
Balat ay berde, buto ay (Green is its skin, its seeds
itim, laman ay pula rande, its flesh red;
Turingan mo kung sino Guess what it is)
siya

Bibingka (Rice cake)

Apoy sa itaas, apoy sa (Fire on top, fire underneath,
ibaba and a magician in the middle.)
At salamangkero sa
gitna. (Hell underneth,
purgatory on top,
Sa ilalim ay impierno in the middle something to eat.)
Sa ibabaw ay purgatoryo
Ang gitna ay makakain.

Suman (Banana-wrapped
sausage-shaped rice cake)
Titi ng pare (Penis of a priest,
tadtad ng tali. tied up all around.)
Kanin (Rice)
Aling kakanin sa (What food on earth is that
mundong which people never get tired
Di pinagsawaan ng tao. of.)

Tainga (Ears)
Dahon ng pinda-pinda,
Singlalapad, singgaganda.

(Leaves of pinda-pinda,
of same width and beauty)
Paa (Feet)
Dalawang magkaibigan
Unahan ng unahan.

(Two friends
racing against each other)
Buhok (Hair)
Halamang di nalalanta
Kahit natabas na.

(A plant that does not wither,

even when it is cut)
Ulo (Head)
Isang bayabas
Pito ang butas.

(One guava
with seven holes)
Binti (Leg and calf)
Dalawang magkaibigan,
Nasa likod ang mga tiyan.

(There are two friends,

their stomachs are behind)
Buhok (Hair)
 Halamang di nalalanta
kahit natabas na.

(A plant that does not wither

even when cut down)
Mukha (Face)
Isang bayabas
Pito ang butas

(One guava with seven holes)

Noo (Forehed)
Isang bundok (A mountain, the top of which cannot be
Hindi makita ang seen.)
tuktok.

Utak (Brain)
Aling parte ng (Which part of the body never gets wet?)
katawan ang di
nababasa?

Mata (Eyes)
Dalawang bolang (Two balls of thread,
sinulid reaching to the sky)
Abot hanggang langit.
Dalawang tindahan (Two stores
Sabay na binubuksan. that open at the same time)

Dalawang batong (Two black stones,

maitim, which reach far.)
malayo ang
nararating.

Bungang araw
(Prickly heat)
Anong prutas ang (What fruit is it that is far from its
malayo sa sanga? branch?)

Utot (Breaking
wind / fart)
Natawa ang nagbigay (The giver laughed,
 nagalit ang binigyan. the receiver became angry.)

Taynga (Ears)
Dahon ng pindapinda (Leaves of pindapinda,
Magsinlapad ang the two are of equal width.)
dalawa.
(Two wells cannot be seen
Dalawang balon by looking back at them.)
Hindi malingon.

Ilong (Nose)
Dalawang libing, (Two tombs, with always a breeze blowing
laging may hangin through them.)

Dalawang kawayan, (Two bamboo tubes,

Puno ng karayom. full of needles)

Bibig (Mouth)
Isang balong malali,.
Puno ng patalim.
Kahit saan ako pumunta,
Dala ko ang aking radyo.
Balong malalim
Puno ng patalim.
(A deep well, full of sharp
blades.)
(Wherever I go, I carry my
radio)
(One deep well,
full of sharp implements)

Ngipin (Teeth)
Aling sangkap ng ating
katawan
ang hindi binyagan?
Isang bakud-bakuran
Sari-sari ang nagdaan
(Which part of our body
was not baptized?)
(A toy fence [yard]
through which all kinds of
things pass)

Dila (Tongue)
Isang pirasong karne, (A piece of meat,
laging basa. always we.)
(Already hidden,
Nakatago na,
 mababasa pa. but still wet.)

Siko (Elbow)
Aling bahagi ng katawan (Which part of the body
Ang di naaabot ng kanang cannot be reached by the
kamay? right hand?)

Kamay (Hand)
Limang magkakapatid, (Five siblings
iisa and dibdib. have but one breast.)

Hintuturo (Forefingers)
"Nandoon, nandoon," ang ("There, there," it says but
sabi it has no eyes.)
wala namang mata.

Daliri (Fingers)
Limang magkakapatid (Five siblings,
Laging kabit-kabit. always attached to each
other.)

Kuko (Nails)
Tatal na munti (A little wood chip
Panggamot sa kati. that cures itchiness.)

Gatas ng Ina (Mother's milk)

Tubig na pinagpala, (Water that is blessed;
Walang makakuha kundi none but a child can get
bata. it.)

Tubig na pinagpala (Water that is blessed;

Walang makakuha none but a child can get it)
Kundi munting bata

Ang dalawang paa (Two feet)

Dalawang magkaibigan (Two friends
Unahan ng unahan. always racing against each
other)
Tae (Feces)
Munting bundok (Small hill
hindi madampot. cannot be picked.)

Anino (Shadow)
Mayroon akong alipin (I have a slave;
Sunod ng sunod sa akin. It always follows me)

Ako’y may isang katotong (I have a dear friend

irog Who follows me wherever
Saan man paroo’y I go;
kasunod-sunod Though I go through
Mapatubig ay di water,
nalulunod, He does not drown,
Mapaapoy ay di Though I go through fire,
nasusunog. he is not burned)

Ako'y may kaibigan (I have a friend,

Kasama ko sa kung saan- he is my companion
saan everywhere)

Kulog (Thunder)
Baka ko sa Maynila (My cow in Manila,
Abot dito ang unga. its mooing can be heard
here)

Ulan (Rain)
Baston ni Adan (Canes of Adam,
Hindi mabilang-bilang. cannot be counted)

Baston ni San Jose, (The walking cane of St.

bilang pero hindi mabilang Joseph,
is counted but cannot be
counted)

Pag-aasawa (Marriage)
Ang nangauna'y nagsisisi (Those who went ahead
kumakarimot ang are repenting,
nahuhuli. those who are late are
 hurrying.)

Matanda (Old Person)

Ang dalawa'y tatlo na, (Two has become three;
Ang maitim ay maputi na black has become white;
Ang bakod ay lagas na. the fence has already
fallen.)

Barbero (Barber)
Pari ma't arsobispo (Priests' and archbishops'
napapagalaw ang ulo. head are under his
control.)

Ulol (Fool)
Kulang sa pito (He's less than seven,
Labis na walo. and more than eight.)

Unano (Dwarf)
Pag malayo ay bata, (From afar, a child;
pag malapit ay matanda. but near, an old man.)

Kuba (Hunchback)
Humangin, at umaraw, (In windy or sunny
daladala'y balutan. weather,
he always carries
his bundle.)

Pangalan (Name)
Sariling-sarili mo na (It is your very own, yet,
Ginagamit pa ng iba others use it
Kahit walang pahintulot without your permission.)
ka.

Sementeryo (Cemetery)
Kain ng kain, hindi (It eats and eats, but never
marunong mabusog gets full)