Taas. [tah as´] Height. Pinoys have always been known for being short people. Not anymore. Perhaps due to good nutrition and the proliferation of the “tall” gene, lots of young people have broken the stereotype. Our youngest girl is just 16 and she’s 5’9.

Taba. [tah bah´] Fat as in the greasy substance or the
adjectives fat or stout. Pinoys can be brutal. They can call even a waif to her face: ang taba mo! as a form of greeting.

Tabi-tabi. [tah bee´tah bee´] By the wayside as tabi means side.

Taga saan ka? [tah gah  sah an  kah?] Where are you from? Asked of a new acquaitance usually start a conversation. Our equivalent of talking about
the weather.

Tagalog. [tah gah´log] The largest linguistic group in the island of Luzon; the basis of the national language Pilipino.

Taglish. [tag´lish] The resultant dialect when one combines Tagalog and English. It can sound pretty bad to pure English and strict Tagalog speakers, but some argue that unless a language is “dead” like Latin, it will continue to evolve as it
is spoken.

Tagpi. [tag pee´] To patch up anything: a torn dress, a cracked dish, a small hole in the wall, even a broken relationship.

Taho. [tah ho´] A soy drink served hot with carmelized sugar and sago (little balls made of tapioca floor). A vendor with two covered tin buckets carries them on a pole slung across his back. He hawks the healthy concoction (so long as you don’t put too much of the sauce) around town. A hundred years ago, Chinese vendors in their traditional dress sold taho.

Taksi. [tak´see] A taxi, of course. Available only in major cities. Many of them have switched to natural gas that would make Al Gore proud.

Takwil. [tuk wil´] To renounce. To disown. To jilt a lover after giving encouragement. A pretty serious list!

Talaga? [tah lah gah´] Really? or are you sure?     

Talaga ikaw! [tah lah gah´ ee kaw´] It’s so…you!

Talagang ganyan [tah lah gung´ gun yan´] That’s the way the ball bounces.

Talagang-talaga. [tah lah gang´tah lah gah´] Believe me…this is for sure.

Talangka. [tah lang kah´] Little crabs about the size of a peso, marinated in a lot of salt. They are allowed to ferment for days, then eaten raw (called burong talangka). Gourmets swear by it. Kapangpangans try to corner the market when they are in season.

Talino. [tah lee´noh]  Intelligence. Smarts. Most likely an inherited trait. So check your prospective spouse’s IQ and EQ before the altar date.

Talsik. [tal sik´] A splash of liquid, but figuratively means a dismissal from work or school.

Tamad. [tah mad´] Lazy. Good for nothing. There is a fictional character called Juan Tamad who is so lazy—that to eat—he stays under a tree and wait for fruits to fall directly into his mouth. Pinoys kid that Juan is a national icon, but let’s hope not.

Tama na. [tah´mah nah] That is enough! or the colloquial quit it!  Used often enough by parents when offspring quarrel. Uttered when Pinoys have had enough of a politician. Should be done via the ballot box and not through a mob.

Tamaraw. [tah´mah raw]  A smaller-than-a-carabao buffalo that is indigenous to the province of Mindoro. On the endangered species list.

Tambak. [tum bak´] To throw in a pile, or the pile itself. When one says, tambak ako sa trabaho: I’m piled up with work.

Tambo. [tum boh´]  A kind of grass with hollow stalks used to make brooms (walis tambo). A must in every Pinoy household. Did you know one broom costs U$15 in some Asian stores in the Bahamas?

Tambok/Tambugak. [Tum bok´/tum boo´gak] Bulkiness, swollen. Tambugak is big and fat. Referring to the usually obese-because-of-a-hormonal-problem woman.

Tamis/matamis-tamis. [tah mis´] Sweetness or sweet quality. It can also mean joy as in kay tamis ng buhay!  (How sweet is life!) Matamis-tamis means a bit sweet.

Tamlay. [tam lie´] An adjective and noun to mean, listlessness or languor. It can also mean sluggishness or disinterestedness. The Pinoy word for depression. When the person needs more exercise, better sleep patterns, chocolate, psychotherapy or anti-depressants—in that order.

Tampal/tampi. [tam pal´] Is a slap with an open palm so not as strong as sampal. A slap on the back is a good example.

Tampi. [tum pee] is a tap.

Tampipi. [tam pee´pee] A woven grass bag shaped like a small suitcase. Too bad it isn’t in vogue these days since it is an all-natural product.

Tampisaw. [tam´pee saw] To take a dip in water.

Tampo/tampuhin. [tam poh´] A verb that means to sulk,  but at the same time an adjective to describe hurt feelings. There isn´t really any English translation because tampo may be unique to the balat sibuyas (onion-skinned) Pinoy. Tampuhin describes the person.

Tampok. [tam pok´] Elevated place of honor; exaltation. It also means a center of attraction.

Tancha. [tun cha´] To estimate, to guess. Ball park figure of how much salt should go into a dish. Used in second guessing people. Tanchahin mo na malamig ang ulo niya: Figure out when he’s cool-headed.

Tanda. [tun duh´] Means chronological age but it can also mean old age or antiquity. Pinoys also use it to mean a sign or a marker of some kind; or an omen or a symptom (palatandaan). The Spanish word originally meant shift work or rotation.

Tandang+  [tun dung´ + ] A title given someone old.

Tanga. [tuh nga´] The Pinoy word for stupid or dumb. Variations of the word include tangegot and tangot. A state of ditsy-ness.

Tangi. [tung i´] Exceptional, special, with the exclusion of all others. But in today´s lingo, tangí  is used to also mean tanga (stupid). I don´t think people remember the original meaning anymore.

Tangis [tung is´] . Mourning, weeping, crying.

Tanim. [tuh nim´] A plant. Itanim is to plant. In the figurative sense, one can say an ill-feeling or grudge that has been planted (nakatanim) in one´s mind or heart. The opposite of forgiving and forgetting.

Tanod. [tuh nod´] A guard. See bantay salakay.

Tanso. [tun soh´] Is the metal bronze. When a person was natanso, the person was lead to believe that the other person was worth his/her weight in gold. This is what happens when an ingénue falls for a guy who turns out to be a jerk.

Tao. [tah oh´] A man or woman. A human being. One of the few Pilipino words like bundok (boondocks) that has reached the English dictionary. A bantog or tanyag na tao is a famous person, while a buktot na tao is a very wicked person or wretch.

Tapa [tah pah´] Cured meat. Like in other hot countries, Pinoys have to find ways to preserve their meat. So we usually cure them in salt, the natural preservative.

Tapakan. [tah pah kan´] A doormat. What some women turn into after marriage.

Tapis. [tah pis´] A piece of cloth about the size of a bed sheet. Worn by women by wrapping it around one´s body as a long skirt or as a strapless gown. In Mindanao it is called a malong. See sarong also.

Tapsilog. [tap see log´] The abbreviation for a meal of tapa (cured meat), itlog (egg) and fried rice. Sold in hole-in-the-walls in many street corners.

Tara! [tah rah´] Let’s go! A shortened version of tayo na!

Taranta. [tah ran tah´] To get confused, befuddled. When we were children visiting our grandma, we’d make her taranta when we’d asked her for things we knew were banned by our parents!

Tarantado [tah ran tah doh´] . From the Spanish atarantado meaning foolish,  disrespectful, silly, shameless. Use of these words is age-restricted:
only seniors can use this indiscriminately.

Taray/mataray. [tah rye´] Usually used to refer to a shrew, a battle axe. It’s easy to enumerate a few if it need be.

Tawa. [tah wah´] Laugh or laughter. What keeps Pinoys going. We laugh at anything, at anytime. Smiles come easily too.

Tawad [tah wad´] . There are two meanings: one is a discount or to bargain. The other is forgiveness or to ask for it. Asking for a discount is easy, but asking for forgiveness is way harder.

T´ay na/tayo na. [tie nah/tah yoh nah´] Let´s get going.

T-bird. As we know it, a lesbian.

Teka. [teh´kuh] Wait. Hold on from hintay ka [hin´tie  kah]. Temuna [teh´moo nah] means the same.

Telebabad. [teh´leh buh bud] To hog the telephone or literally submerse oneself in a telephone call.

Teleserya. [teh´leh ser yah] A television series; usually a soap opera.

Tenkyu. [ten kyu´] Pinoy corruption of thank you.

Tengang kawali. [teng ung´ kah wah´ lee] Ears like a cast iron frying pan to denote that a message fell on deaf ears.  

Tepok. [teh´pok] Dead. Can also be used as verbs: natepok (he died )or tinepok (he was killed). Used as an expression. See patay.

Terno. [ter´noh] What probably comes to mind is the Philippine formal dress with butterfly sleeves worn during formal occasions. It also means a three piece suit
for men or any formal wear for women. Slang for matching as in matching outfits.

Tiangge. [tee yung´geh] A flea market. Popular during the Christmas season, a variety of such places now operate year round. In fact, there are now entire shopping areas solely devoted to flea market stalls.

Tibok. [tee bok´] The pulse of a person. But colloquially, tibok ng puso (heartbeat) can mean someone you love as your pulses are in tune.

Tiis. [tee ees´] To bear with fortitude if the difficulty is
overwhelming. Otherwise, it’s more like accepting the burden. The way parents refrain from correcting a child for something negligible, lest the offspring
say one is OC (obsessive compulsive).
Tikim. [tee kim´] To taste. To take part of only in small portions.

Tinapay. [tee nah pie´] Bread, all sorts. Although we are not really bread eaters, we find at least one bakery in every town. The place makes pan de sal (bread of salt in Spanish). This is a small crusty roll with a soft center, with a tinge of sour in it like San Francisco´s sour dough bread. Through the years, many variations have evolved.

Tingin. [ting in´]A quick glance. Isang tinigin (one look) can mean one stern look (usually from a parent) that should silence the erring child.

[Ma]tindi. [tin dee´] Intense, grave or heavy. Kids say ang tindi! or matindi! to describe what may to them is a serious situation.  

[Ma]tinik. [tee nik´] Although this means thorny like a rose bush, this word can also refer to a smart, very able person. Matinik sa math means the person is a whiz at numbers.

[Ma]tino. [mah tee noh´] Sensible, sane. Your 15 year old sister who wakes you up every morning so you won´t miss your first class.

Tingkad. [ting kad´] There are many shades of meaning of this word. It can mean brightness or depth of color, or heat intensity. But in slang, it means gaudy,
glaring, showy.

Tingi-tingi. [ting ee ting ee´] Bits and pieces. Retail is tingi-tingi as opposed to wholesale. Ever seen the sachets of various products like coffee, shampoo and mayonnaise, sold at the fraction of the price? Because we can´t afford larger portions, some genius thought of selling these items in small quantities. Best for
sari-sari stores.

Tinupad [tee noo pad´] Accomplished. Followed through a commitment.

Tipan/tipanan. [tee pah nun]This means an appointment, but colloquially, a lovers´ meeting. It can also mean a bethrotal. And katipan means sweetheart, fiancée or fiancé.

Tipar. [tee par´] We told you we love to invert syllables! This one´s for party.

Tipid. [tee pid´] Thrift. Matipid is thrifty. A good virtue that should be taught to youngsters early. If you have to eat at Jollibee, teach kids to save the unused ketchup packs and napkins at least! And of course to finish their what’s on their plates.

Tira. [tee rah´] Left-over. Very useful in difficult times. Americans are one of the most wasteful people on earth. If we had the same resources, would we be like that?

Tisay/tisoy. [tee sie/ tee soy´] Slang for half breed. One may
be a mestiza/o of any race, not necessarily Caucasian and (Filipino) Asian.

Titser/titcher. [teet´ ser/cher] Our version of teacher. Try saying “good morning dirty chair” and see what we mean.

TL. True love.

TNT.  For tago ng tago or an illegal. We used to have sole ownership of this term for our compatriots who don’t have legal status in the countries they are living in. Now used also for illegal Chinese, Koreans and assorted westerners who refuse to leave our shores.

Tokaya/tokayo. [toh kah yoh´] Spanish to mean namesake. Or two persons having the same first names.

Tokwa´t baboy [tok wa´t bah boy´] . Fried soy bean curd with bits of pork (most often pig’s ears for the crunch). Cooked with fresh onions and garlic (for the brave). Then marinated in soy sauce and vinegar. Dish usually eaten as a snack, not a regular meal.

Todas. [toh das´] Broken, torn, worn…finished! It’s when you have nothing left. It can also mean wiped-out or killed. My pipe dream for cockroaches in the Philippines.

Tongpa. [tong pah] Patong’s (put on-the-top-of) two syllables inverted. An overprice. What people do to the prices of items that the government will purchase from them.

Topak. [toh pak´] Slang for a sudden change of mind without reason; also too sensitive, hot-headed, can’t be reasoned with. A synonym of sumpong.

Torpe. [tor peh´] Refers to a super timid or shy person. What we call suitors who can´t make the first move.

[May] toyo. [toh yoh´] With soy sauce. But when one says, may toyo, you refer to someone who is not quite crazy but just temporarily so.

Trapik. [tra pik´] Of course this means traffic that has acquired an all-new meaning in Manila’s streets. One can be stuck for two to three hours trying to get from Quezon City to Makati, a total distance of 10 kilometers.

Transistor. The boom boxes of old. Small radios that were battery operated on the AM dial. Used by government and non-government agencies to reach the remotest barangays. Years ago, it was everybody’s dream to have a transistor radio, especially if one lived in the rural areas.

Trapo. [tra poh´] A rag but also a (tra)ditional (po)litician who is usually as dirty as a worn out rag.

Tricycles. Those awfully numerous motorcycles with side cabs. A favorite investment of people who´ve worked abroad. These trikes use two-stroke engines. They pollute by filling the air with toxic fumes and noise. Trust me, we live in an area where they have practically taken over a national road.

Tsino. [tsee noh´] The Spanish for Chinese is spelled Chino  while Pinoys spell it as Tsino.

Tuba. [too bah´] Fermented drink made from the juice of palms or sugar cane.

Tubig at langis. [too´big ut lung is´] Water and oil. Of course it means they don’t mix! Usually refers to two people who are at odds or can’t agree.

Tubong lugaw. [too´bung loo gao] A merchant’s dream: a big ROI. Selling (lugaw) porridge is supposed to be like that. Tubo means profit.

Tulala. [too lah lah´] Astonished, shocked. When you´ve just lost your shirt in a casino.

Tulisan [too lee san´] A bandit, a pirate. We should have a term for white collar tulisans!

Tuloy ang ligaya [too loy´ ang lee gie´ yuh] And the merrymaking goes on. May be said sarcastically when one points out the irony of the happy situation.

Tumpak! [tum pak´] Uttered by game show hosts when a right answer is given. It can also mean the justified, or in proper order of things—something accurate.

Tunog. [too nog´] Sound, ring or tone. But matunog can also mean well-known,  popular.

Tupa. [too pah´] Sheep. An innocuous interjection is anak ng tupa! So is anak ng pating! (shark).

Turbo broiler.The portable convection oven probably invented for the Pinoy in mind. Since we are fond of roasting, this devise does just that indoors.

Turing. [too ring´] Price offered for an item for sale.

Turete. [too reh teh´] Can´t find this in the Filipino or Spanish dictionaries, but naturete means to really get flustered, confused. It must be dated because it is often used by my 78 year-old aunt.

Turo-turo. [too roh tih roh´] Called the point-point by some. Our version of the cafeteria. where you point at the dishes you want to buy.

Turon. [tuh ron´] Spanish sweet treat made of ground different kinds of nuts. Pinoys make it too, called turrones de casoy.  We also have another kind of turon: a slice of banana and a sliver of langka (jack fruit) wrapped in a spring roll wrapper and deep fried. May be cooked at home but those made in the streets are better!

Tuta. [too tah´] A puppy. The tuta has become the symbol of a powerful person´s lackey or brown-noser.

Tuyo. [too yoh´] This means dry. The dried fish of the same name is a Filipino icon. Everyone who is Pinoy eats tuyo, whether you put slivers of it in your rice porridge (see champorado) or whether you dip it in vinegar and eat it with a lot of rice. Pinoy expat’s comfort food  that can only be cooked with open windows, or else one gets thrown out of one’s apartment building.

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