Let’s start with the basic, the most common topic when talking to native speakers.
Here are some of the basic ways to introduce your self to others in Tagalog/Filipino or to start a conversation that aims to get to know other people, and a couple more of topics that I can relate with this.
1. Telling your name
Ako si (your name).
“I am (your name).”
“My full name is (your name).”
(Your full name) ang buo kong pangalan. / Ang buong pangalan ko ay (your full name).
- pangalan = name
- buo(ng) = full
- ko = my
- ay = (can be translated as a linking verb)
- ang = (pananda or a noun marker in English, a bit similar to the article “the”)
Tawagin ninyo na lang akong (your nickname of the name you want to be called).
“Just call me ___.”
- Tawag(in) = call
- lang = just/only
Ang palayaw ko ay (your nickname).
“My nickname is ____.”
- palayaw = nickname
Here is a sample script of introducing one’s self using the examples above.
Ako si Ana.
Ana Maria Carmela C. Reyes ang buo kong pangalan.
Carmie ang palayaw ko sa aming bahay. (Carmie is my nickname at home.)
Tawagin ninyo na lang akong ‘Ana.’
2. Asking about others
Anong pangalan mo?
“What is your name?”
- Ano = what affix –ng = (pang-angkop / linker between words)
- mo = your
Sino ka? “Who are you?” But sounds too direct / in your face.
Sino po sila? “Who are you?” Used when talking to someone unfamiliar or older, even if it’s just a single person. Use the plural form of pronouns to express politeness. It’s like adding distance between you and the one you’re talking to or so you wouldn’t sound too direct/in their face.
Sino ito / ‘to? “Who is this?” Commonly used when speaking on the phone or when the person you’re talking to is not in front of you.
Sino = Who
- ka = you (singular, 2nd POV personal pronoun)
- sila = they (plural, 3rd POV personal pronoun)
- ito = this (pronoun for objects)
Anong gusto mong itawag sa iyo/’yo?
literally “What name do you want to be called?” / “How do you want to be called?”
- gusto = want/like
mo = you (nominative case)- sa iyo = to you
3. KILALA vs ALAM
This came up as a thread in one of the Filipino languages FB group, that I’m in where OP (a native speaker) was apparently corrected by a non-native speaker/Tagalog learner about the word kilala. The learner was insisting that OP was wrong to say that kilala is the right Tagalog word for “to know,” that the right word should be alam. And OP seemed to have a bit of trouble explaining the difference between the two.
- alam = to know (something) / knowledge with small ‘k’
- kilala = to know (someone) Use kilala when talking about people. It may both mean knowing about and knowing of. So the person you are talking to might clarify not to know the person you’re talking about personally, or you may want to clarify with the person you’re talking to.
Example convo in Taglish/Filipino:
A: “Kilala mo ba si Manny Pacquiao?”
B: “Oo, kilala ko siya.”
A: “As in kilala mo siya personally? Wow!”
B: “Ah, hindi. Kilala ko lang siya dahil bata pa lang ako napapanood ko na mga laban niya sa TV.”
The word KILALA
So kilala is a root word that means knowing someone. But if you add various affixes to this word, it becomes an entirely different word that still relates to its root meaning. Here are some words you might want to familiarize yourself with.
- magkakilala = know each other
- kakilala = someone I/you know
- kilalanin = get to know
- nagkakilala = have gotten to know each other / have met each other
- pakikipagkilala = introducing one’s self
- pagkakakilanlan = identity
4. Some Naming Observations
There is a noticeable naming conventions that I noticed for my grandparents, parents, and same-age Filipinos that I just want to share. Over the years, I think there’s been a decline with these conventions, and people have moved to relatively “sophisticated” names, some more interesting than the other. Still, I think my observations are still identifiable today. Knowing this context may help you understand some humor in names that are often portrayed in the media, or help you with naming your Filipino characters. Hope it informs you or helps you in any way.
4.1. Having two or more first names by (either or combining some):
- based on mom’s, dad’s, tito and tita’s, grandparent’s names
- by adding Maria, Marie, Joy, Ann/Anne, May, etc. to the names of a baby girl; or Mark/c, John, Christian for baby boys.
4.2. Combining the words from a common phrase or group of words like “Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao” into Luzviminda (a bit of a common name for an elderly woman), “Jesus, Joseph, and Mary” into Jejomar (a high ranking politician’s name), or “Philippine Revolution” for Philip Revo (my cousin’s husband’s name)
4.3. Adding the letter ‘h’ to bizarre places amont the letters in the name, often with names starting in letter J such as Jhona,
4.4. Adding -lyn (in various spelling) to female names for variation “Jhonalyn,” “Donnalyn,” “Edna Lyn,” “Carol Lynne,” etc.
4.5. Nicknames inding in “-ng”
- commonly for older people “Aling Teresing” (Teresa), “Lola Viring” (Veronica), “Manong Carding” (Ricardo), “Lolo Domeng” (Domingo), etc.
- single syllable Ding, Jing, Cong, Mong, Leng, Dang, etc.
4.6. Playful repeated single syllable nicknames Joy-joy, Kat-kat, Mac-mac, Lelei, Ton-ton, Yan-yan, etc.
These are just some top-of-the head naming trends that I remember, which were more common for the older generations (I’m a young-ish millennial, btw). Here is an article giving a bit of an explanation for some of the naming trends among Filipinos and here is a more recent feature of some of the funny ways Filipino parents name their kids. And another one from a few years ago.