Ha? [hah´] What? Our equivalent of huh?  One’s mouth is more open when ha is said!

Habal-habal. [ha bal´ ha bal´] A means of public transport involving a single motorcycle that can have as many as five passengers in extended seats.
Habhab. [hab hab´] A kind of noodle made in Lucban, Quezon province. Usually put in paper or cardboard cones, then slurped into one’s mouth. A definite no-no for Miss Manners.

Hadlang. [hud lang´] A barrier or a difficult situation that needs to be overcome.

Hacienda. [as yen´da] Vast land holdings tilled by tenants. A
feudal system abolished by land reform begun by Pres. Diosdado Macapagal in the 1960’s. This became the current Land Reform Law. The Spaniards put up haciendas when they were given land by royal decree.
Haching! [ha ching´] A Pinoy sneeze. Even the way we sneeze is different. Westerns say achoo!

Hakot. [ha´kot] To come together. The slang (noun)
means a captive audience. When politicians cannot get a crowd together, they get hangers-on promised money and a meal. That’s a hakot crowd.

Hagdanan. [hag da´nan] Stairs that come in all shapes and sizes. There are regular ones made of concrete and wood, but there are simple ladders made of bamboo typical in a bahay kubo.

Hala ka! [ha lah] You’re sunk!

Halal. [ha lal´] From the Muslim language to mean lawful, not
forbidden.  Muslims have rules on slaughtering and contamination prevention. Similar to the Jewish kosher.

Halalan. [ha la´lan] From the same Arabic word to mean an election or to proclaim the winner of an election. Sometimes it takes years before electoral protests are decided. A winner deprived of position, may just have a couple of days in office before the next one.

Haler! [hah lur´] Pinoy version of hello! or duh! Everyone below 60 uses this.

Halik. [ha lik´] The noun or verb for kiss. We “make” halik or mano when we make an elder’s right hand touch our foreheads as a sign of respect. In some cases, we kiss our elders instead; some on both cheeks (the European way) or just one cheek (the North American custom).

Halimuyak. [ha lee muh´yak] The scent or fragrance of something. It sure doesn’t sound like that.

Halina [ha lee´nah] . The verb for come here or welcome. In the song, Pilipinas Kong Mahal, there is a line that says, “dayuhan ay nahalina” : foreigners have been enticed to come. True enough, you find all sorts of non-Filipinos who are living all over the Philippines.

Halo-halo. [ha loh´ ha loh´] The best iced dessert in the world. When Pinoys didn’t have electricity, ice was made and bought from the town’s ice plant. Some creative cook must have invented this heavenly dessert. Here’s the recipe: grated ice is put into tall glasses, but not before candied and cubed saging na saba (a kind of banana) and camote (sweet potato), sago (soy balls), langka (jackfruit), ube (a purple root crop), nata de coco (coagulated coconut juice), all sorts of candied beans, gulaman (jello) and evaporated milk are mixed with a long teaspoon. Perfect for hot and humid afternoons. PS. If you can’t get the fresh ingredients, go to the nearest Asian store and find most ingredients put together in a bottle. Just add crushed ice and milk then mix well.

Hamak. [ha´ mak] Lowly, menial, wretched. But when you say, pahamak ang isang tao you mean, that person causes some kind of inconvenience, injury, or worse—grief. Mapanghamak means disdainful or showing contempt.

Hampas. [ham pas´] To hit or be hit with force.  A frequent term you will find in sworn affidavits at family courts.

Handa. [han dah´] Means to get ready  but it also means a party—with lots of food! Whether one lives in a hovel or a mansion; or whether one is a domestic in Hong Kong, or a CEO in Manhattan, Pinoys spare nothing when it comes to their handa.

Hanap buhay. [hah´nup  boo high] To literally mean look for life but really means one’s livelihood or occupation.

Hanga. [hung´ah] To esteem, or the honor felt. Hangarin is the person.

Hangal. [hung ul´] Naive to the point of stupidity.

Hanep! [ha´nep] An exclamation of surprise over a good thing. Some people say hayop (animal) which usually means the same. See hayop.

Hangin! [hang´in] This is an expression of disdain towards someone who is so full of oneself. The literal translation is wind, so you get the drift. Kids also say lakas ng hangin or the wind’s sure strong when talking about a boastful person.

Hapdi. [hap dih´] A hurtful, stinging pain. No exact equivalent in English. We still use it in lieu of masakit because it is so exact.

Hapi-hapi. [hah´pee  ha´pee] A corruption of the words happy-happy to mean fun, usually implying that there is liquor involved. From the notion of happy hours in western bars. Maghapi-hapi tayo means let’s have a good time.

Haplos. [hap los´]  To touch or a loving, gentle touch. We see
this often in baby product commercials on TV.

Happening. [hah´peh ning] An event. In kids’ lingo, they can call anything a happening…a party, an after school gathering, to playing video games.

Harana. [ha rah´nah] A serenade. The old fashioned way of a swain’s showing affection for his lady love. Ordinarily, the lovesick man and some friends serenade her below her bedroom window. If the suitor’s lucky, the girl invites the whole gang for some refreshments. If not, the girl simply thanks them, closing her window after!

Harang. [hah´rhung] a rip off.

Hari. [hah´ree] A king; or the head of a group, big or small, in a figurative sense.One can be the hari ng mga mababait (good) or the opposite, hari ng masasama (evil).

Hatak. [ha´tak] To pull in a quick, strong fashion. One can do this to an object or person. If done to a fellow human, it may prove painful.

Hati. [ha´tee] To cut in half or to cut into portions. It can also be the portion itself (noun).  If the object described has already been apportioned, the accent is on the second syllable.

Hatid. [ha tid´] To take or accompany someone or something to a destination. Pinoys do more of this than westerners, as part of our concern for the people we love. We like to take our children to school, to work, or to their new homes—even if it’s half a continent away.

Hatol. [hah´tol]  Is a decision, usually from a court of law.

Hawak. [hah´wak] To hold. But it can also mean I have this person by the neck.

Hayaan mo. [hah ya´un moh] Let it be… You tell this to a little kid after he’s lost his puppy and that you’ll get him two new onesin its place. Hamo is the contraction of this phrase.

Hayop. [ha´yop] Animal. This word can be used as an exclamation of surprise without a negative slant. It can also be used to call someone a beast (hayop ka!).Frequently uttered in Filipino soaps.

Heh! [heh] A neutral interjection, meaning of which is determined by how it is said.

Hele. [heh´leh] A lullaby to put an infant to sleep.

Hele-hele bago quiere. [heh´leh heh´leh  ba go  kee yer reh] Non committal. An old Pinay trick of playing hard to get and keeping the suitor wondering.

Hep! [hep] A warning to prevent some mistake or avoid some danger. Look out! is its English equivalent.

Heto na! [he´toh nah´] Here it is! Usually used to excitedly announce a much anticipated person or event.

Hikaw. [hee´kaw] A word of Chinese origin to mean earrings. Pre-colonial Philippines had men and women using pierced earrings. Years ago, Americans who wore only faux jewelry (usually painful clipped earrings) found pierced ears barbaric. Almost 50 years later, westerners have taken it to an extreme, piercing their navels and tongues as well!

Hikbi. [hik bih´] A sobbing expression common among babies after a good cry. They’ve stopped the howling, but the involuntary spasms are still there. You feel really bad for them.

Hija/hijo. [ee´ha/ee´ho] The Spanish word for daughter/son, pronounced with the H silent. Users of these terms are the Spaniards themselves, and the wannabes of the Iberian Peninsula. Regular folks say anak.

Hila. [hee´lah] To pull. To make someone do something one is not willing to do.

Hilaw. [hee law´] Half-cooked or  raw. A greenhorn in anything.

Hilig. [hee´ lig] One’s passion, avocation. We parents should realize (myself included) that without the passion, our children will never have the needed drive. Met many a kid who said he or she only became a lawyer because “my folks
wanted me to”.

Hilo. [hee loh´] For dizzy. The accent on the first syllable for dizziness. Can be used figuratively to mean confused.  Like when a girl can’t decide whom to go with to the prom.

Hilot. [hee´lot] To massage not just for relaxation, but also as form of alternative therapy. A masseuse may be called this.

Himala. [hi mah lah´] A miracle, a rare event. This is when your teen offers to pick up his sister from her classmate’s house. Your son may need something from you, or the classmate is really pretty.

Himas. [hee´mas] To massage. To convince by acting gently, coyly. Another way of getting what one wants.

Himay. [hee migh´] To unravel. May mean removing the bones from fish. You can also use this word to mean figuring out by sorting information.

Hindi. [hin dee´] Means a plain and simple no. Pinoys can also say ‘di and they are understood.

Hindi ko maubos maisip. [hin di´ ko  ma u´bus  ma i´sip] I really can’t stop thinking is the literal translation but I really can’t figure out... is another meaning. It’s like a husband wondering why his wife needs another dress when she has closets full of them.

Hindi sanay. [hin dee  sah nigh] Not used to... Mostly refers to someone not used to wealth or poverty. Feeling out of place. Not knowing the social norms of
the situation.

Hipag. [hee´pag] A sister-in-law. There’s a 50-50 chance one gets along with the in-laws. The odds vary from person to person!

Hito. [hee´to] A fresh water fish that either one loves or hates. This eel-like creature spawns in rivers, canals and rice paddies. My Cabalen in-laws have a tasty recipe for dried hito, appreciated by anyone who’s ever tried it. Some people say they are carnivorous, so eating hito found in cemetery streams is a no-no
for some.

Hiya. [hee ya´] The word means shy, ashamed. It can also mean guilt for past transgressions. Hiya plays heavily on the Pinoy psyche. Many of us are bashful, apologetic and obsequious, all at the same time. We are also a
non-confrontational people. We would rather run away than face the music; talk behind someone’s back; or worse, keep it inside till the dam breaks!

Hiwalay. [hee wah lie´] Separated, usually referring to one’s civil status. Ever hear of Pinoy movie stars married more than a year? Email us so we can add it to the Guinness Book.

Hiyas. [hee yas´] This means culture. Because we are a hodgepodge of peoples,
our culture is as diverse as it is dynamic.

Hopia. [hop´yah] A Chinese sweet cake about 3 inches in diameter, made of mung beans (mongo). The filling is found in the center of the pastry itself. The crust is nice and flaky.

Hototay [ho´toh tay] . A savory clear soup of vegetables and meat served piping hot at Chinese restaurants.

Hoy! [hoi] The Filipino version of hey.  Commonly used to call attention. It may also be part of an altercation when words are rapidly exchanged and then the parties can’t think of anything better to say.

Hubad. [hoo bad´] Naked. Undressed. We use it to describe anything without a cover, such as spring roll filling without the wrapper. Heard a coined term for adult shows: hubadis.

Hukom. [hoo kom´] A judge. A pretty hazardous job in this country, what with all the unsolved murders of government officials and journalists.

Hudas. [hoo´das] A traitor from the name Judas, the apostle who betrayed Christ. Also means a big time snitch that can get the others into deep trouble.

Hugas. [hoo´gas] To wash. Hugas bigas, is the water that has been used to clean uncooked rice. This is used for a base for different soups, or as a kind of liquid fertilizer.

Hugis [hoo´gis] . An object’s shape or the status of a situation.

Huli. [hoo lee´] This can mean the last when the accent is on the last syllable. When the accent is on the first syllable, it means to catch or what
was caught.

Huli na. [hoo lee´ nah] It’s too late. It happens all the time. Like when the
weather bureau announces a storm in the offing when there’s just an hour before
it hits land.

Hulugan. [hoo loo gan´] Many Pinoys just don’t have any disposable income. To buy on installment is the only way to go when acquiring pricier items. This practice cuts across socio-economic lines. The rich use their VISA cards, the poor borrow from shrewd merchants charging exorbitant interest rates.

Humanda ka [hu man da´ kah] Get ready, prepare is a warning—usually an ominous one.

Husay Mo! [hoo sigh´mo] You’re good! You’re capable and shrewd in a good way. To put a negative slant, use the inflection of your voice.

Husto. [hoos´ toh] An exact fit. Just right…just enough. Such a nice word to hear or utter!

Huwad. [hoo wad´] Someone or something that’s fake. Bayaning huwad is a false patriot.

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