Filipinisms

Only In the Philippines Vocabulary

1. Bold:
Correct: Usage: 2. Celebrant: Correct: Usage: 3. commute: Correct: Usage: 4. Pictorial Correct Usage: 5. salvage: correct usage: 6. traffic: Correct Usage: Shes a bold star. porn star Shes the birthday celebrant. celebrator I have a car so I dont commute. take public transportation The model is doing a pictorial. photo shot The mayor was salvaged by armed men on his way home last night. killed It was so traffic this morning. heavy/light traffic

Brand Names commonly Used by Filipino as Generic Terms

Band-aid Correct term: medical plastic strip Coleman Correct term: water jug Liquid paper Correct term: paper correction fluid Post-it-notes Correct term: (self-adhering) notepad Scotch tape Correct term: Adhesive tape Styrofoam Correct term: polystyrene filler Thermos Correct term: Insulated bottle (Other examples: colgate, xerox, tupperware

Misused Words or Wrong Phrases

12 items or less Correct rendering: 12 items or fewer A couple of days Correct rendering: a few days Alibi Correct rendering: excuse/s Anyways Correct rendering: anyway Architect Correct rendering: So-and-so is an architect ATM Machine Correct rendering: ATM unit or ATM Celebrate death anniversary Correct rendering: observe or commemorate

Misused Words or Wrong Phrases

Free gift It cannot be a gift if its not a free. Correct rendering: gift you miss-called me this morning. Correct rendering: I missed your call this morning. Pizza pie (Pizza is Italian word for pie.) Correct rendering: pie Winnable (theres no such word.) Correct rendering: High chances of winning Whos this? (sino po sila?/ Sino ito?) Correct rendering: May I know whos calling?

Lost in Translation
A lot of Filipinos have difficulty explaining themselves because they cant translate their Filipino thoughts into English. A lot of us struggle for words and end up saying What do you call that? or in Filipino, Ano na nga ba tawag doon? We also make up for the lack of words by saying uh and

uhm..,

Commonly Misused Words and Phrases-1

1. Did you kill the light?

Change it to:
2. Did you open the light?

Pinatay mo ba ang ilaw? Did you turn the light off? Binuksan mo ba yung ilaw? Did you turn the light on?

Change it to:

3. I hope you are in good condition. Sana nasa mabuti kang kalagayn. Change it to: I hope you are doing well. 4. Go straight forward.

Change it to:

Diretso-diretso ka lang. Just go straight down the road.

5. I dont like onion skin people. Ayoko sa taong balat sibuyas. Change it to: I dont like people who are overly sensitive.

Commonly Misused Words and Phrases-2

1. I have brothers and sisters outside." May kapatid ako sa labas. Change it to: I have half-brothers and half sisters.
2. I dont watch bold movies. Hindi ako nanonuod ng bold. Change it to: I dont watch porn movies. 3. Were vibes.

Change it to:

Vibes kami. We get along very well.

4. I am brushing my teeth everyday. Nagsisipilyo ako araw araw. Change it to: I brush my teeth everyday. 5. I look like a wet bird.. Para akong basang sisiw. Change it to: I was drenched. Or I was soaked to the skin.

Commonly Misused Words and Phrases-3

1. I dont like him also."

Change it to:

Hindi ko rin sya gusto. I dont like him either.

2. I am going there everyday. Pumupunta ako dyan araw araw. Change it to: I go there everyday.

3. Ill pass you at six..

Change it to:

Dadaanan kita ng ala sais. Ill pick you up at six.

Ewan ko sa kanya. I dont know. Or I have no idea about

4. I dont know to her. it.

Change it to:

5. Why are you now only?. Bakit ngayon ka lang?. Change it to: Why are you late?

From Filipino to English

(How do you translate your thoughts to English?

Gusto kong mawala ang sakit ng ulo ko.

Find the doer of the action or the speaker and put it in the beginning of the sentence.

Example:

Ako- I gusto - want

Look for the action and put it after the doer.

Example:

Put other words at the end of the sentence.

mawala ang sakit ng ulo ko- my headache to disappear ( go away) Correct Translation: I Want my headache to go away.
Example:

From Filipino to English 2

(How do you translate your thoughts to English?

Hindi ko sya gusto kasi sipsip sya.

Doer : AkoI Action hindi gustodont like Other words: her because shes a?

We probably stop here because we dont know the English word for sipsip. This is why having a wide vocabulary is important. Build your vocabulary by reading books and newspaper.

Translation: I dont like her because shes a sycophant. Synonyms: bootlicker, ass-kisser (slang); suck up (slang)

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