Hey everyone,
I’m coming up on 5 ½ months left of service, and as time
winds down I’ve spent a lot of time thinking on the various things about
Filipino culture I’ve come to appreciate. The emphasis on strong family ties,
the general trustfulness and hospitality, and the nearly unbreakable good
spirit of Filipinos in the face of enormous life challenges are just a few
things that I will always admire about this country.
As I’ve become more accustomed to the culture, language has
also been a source of fascination for me. One thing you discover while learning
a language from the opposite side of the world is that a lot of it just doesn’t
translate directly. Meaning, if you ask a Filipino what a certain English word
translates to in Tagalog, their answer might sound like, “Well it’s basically this… but it could be this
or that depending on the context.” This
is why learning culture goes hand in hand with learning language; it’s much
easier to learn Tagalog when you are thinking like a Tagalog speaker, rather
than an English speaker. If you take a complex English sentence and translate
it word-for-word into Tagalog, it’s going to sound awkward and ridiculous.
Instead, you have to ask yourself, “How would a Tagalog speaker convey the
message of this sentence?”
It takes a while to think like that without it feeling
weird. But living your daily life in the midst of the culture definitely speeds
up the process. Learning Tagalog continues to be pretty fun, so I want to share
ten words with you that I like, whether it’s because they have no direct
translation or because they’re just really useful. J
Basta- This is a
word that is sort of an equivalent to “whatever.” It’s a little more specific
though, and used more when you’re tired of talking about something. Or when
someone asks you about something that is too complicated to explain. “How exactly
are you related to that person?” “…basta!”
Ewan- A single
word used to indicate you don’t care about something, or just general
indifference. In other words, that place
in between yes and no. “Should we stay in and cook or go out to eat?” “Ewan…”
Kilig- A super
popular word here that describes the feeling you get when you’re with your
crush. Can be used in other contexts too, it basically describes the feeling of
having “butterflies in your stomach” in a good way.
Tampo- This is
one that really has no direct translation. It’s that feeling of being mad at
someone, but not really mad. You’re
more just salty at them for something they did or the way they treat you. When
someone you care about puts you in a bad mood.
Makulit- The best
way I can describe this word is that it’s used for calling someone “annoying”
in an affectionate or cute way. Think of the little kid from the movie UP and
you’ve got the right idea.
Pasaway- A word
for someone who misbehaves, also in an affectionate/cute way. I use it most
when I’m talking about my site mate’s dog, after she rips apart some couch
cushions or wreaks havoc on the neighbor’s cat.
Gigil- A very
popular example of a Tagalog word with no direct English translation. This is
the feeling you get when you witness something of incredible cuteness. As a
language teacher once put it “when you want to squeeze a baby’s cheeks.”
Maarte- A word I
probably overuse that indicates when someone is being a snob. When you refuse
to try a kind of food, when you only wear the nicest clothes, when you don’t
want to stay at a cheaper hotel… one could make the argument that you are
maarte. ;)
Paasa- Someone
who promises you something and is a no-show. Basically this is a word for flaky
people.
Naman- A word
with no actual meaning! Haha. Naman is really a particle that you use to put
emphasis on something. Often used in response to a question or in an argument.
Anyway, I hope there are some language nerds out there that
enjoyed this. I’m hoping that I’ll have the opportunity to use or at least
retain the language I’ve learned here, because it’s really been one of my
favorite parts of service.
One last note! My site mate Dorothy and I have been working
to set up a Special Olympics for Intellectually Disabled individuals here in
Sorsogon City. This will be our last major project before we complete service. We
are receiving funds from community sources, but we are also asking for
donations from our friends and families overseas. We have been able to raise a
good amount of money, but we are still short of our overall goal. If you have
an opportunity, we would greatly appreciate any amount of monetary donation to
realize our dream in time for the event on July 25th. The link below will take
you to a page with a project description and directions on how to donate.
Maraming salamat! Kapayapaan
(Thanks a lot! and peace)
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