34 Tagalog Slang Words for Everyday Use
This guide will provide a long list of fun and useful Tagalog slang words for you to slip in to everyday conversation to sound like a local.
Slang in Tagalog
When you visit a foreign country, it can really be a huge help to learn the local language in order to interact with others and thrive on another level in a new and thrilling setting.
But there's something that adds a bit more excitement to learning a foreign language—slang words! Without them, conversations become stale and boring, and Tagalog is no different.
Whether it's outdated or hip, you'll find it here on this list. So let's dive in and learn all about these 34 Tagalog slang words for you to start with.
If you're already fluent, then let's see if you recognize all of these. Or maybe you can help me out in the comments section by providing an alternate meaning or explanation for any word on this list.
What Are the Differences Between the Languages of Tagalog and Filipino?
Though they are sometimes mistakenly thought to be interchangeable, Tagalog and Filipino are separate, distinct languages that nevertheless have much in common, with the latter actually being based on the former.
Tagalog is the native language of the ethnic group of the same name, based largely in the Central and Southern Luzon provinces of the Philippines. Since the nation's capital and most densely populated city, Manila, resides in that region, Tagalog was deemed in the first Constitution in 1897 to be the nation's official language. When the current Constitution of the Philippines was drawn up in 1987, however, it declared Filipino to be the country's national language.
Although it is based on Tagalog and the two languages are similar in many ways, Filipino is an ever-evolving language and incorporates more words and ideas from other languages, such as English, Spanish, Chinese, Malay, Arabic, and Sanskrit.
For the purposes of this article, we will largely be referring to Tagalog slang words, though many of the selections below are used in Filipino as well.
1. Lodi
This one is currently making a hit, along with #2 on this list. Lodi is the perfect Tagalog slang word for that person you idolize. Yes, idolize is the key word here for this slang word's meaning, as reading lodi backward will give you "idol."
2. Petmalu
Fresh from the oven along with lodi, petmalu is a Tagalog slang word that means extreme, exceptional, cool, excellent, or something extraordinary.
The Tagalog word malupit, also spelled malupet, when jumbled up will give you the slang word petmalu.
"Petmalu" is a Tagalog slang word that translates to "extreme, exceptional, cool, excellent, or something extraordinary," such as these magnificent rice fields.
3. Mumshie
This is a slang word that might either be easy for you to guess or might potentially make you pause, think, and scratch your head. Focus on the first syllable, and that is a good enough clue to hint at what mumshie means in Tagalog. That's right, it's a slang word for mommies.
4. Werpa
Werpa is another newly born Tagalog slang word. The English word "power" spelled as pawer, when jumbled, will give you werpa.
5. Praning
This word is used a lot! It means "crazy" or "cuckoo" and is often used to describe someone who is hallucinating while on drugs.
6. Taratitat
Have you ever talked to someone and the person just goes on and on, like nonstop? Taratitat is the perfect slang word for a talkative person.
Example: Taratitat ka talaga means "you're really talkative."
7. Charot
Charot is another popular entry. So popular, in fact, that if there was a list of the most used Tagalog slang words, this one would be at the top. Use this hip word when you are joking around; it means "I'm just kidding!"
So, the next time you say something and others take you seriously, say: charot!
Example: "As my best friend, you're the one I'll treat first this weekend. I won the lottery. Charot!"
"Charot" is a fun Tagalog slang word that basically means "I'm just kidding!"
8. Bulilyaso
I had a hard time finding an exact English equivalent for this word in order to offer a much better explanation. However, bulilyaso means "a failed or unsuccessful plan due to an unexpected turn of events."
Here's an example from a fellow author:
Dad: We thought Marie was picking you up at 2:30 pm today?
Kara: That was the plan.
Mom: What happened? Why are you still here?
Kara: Bulilyaso, Mom and Dad.
Kara: Marie called me earlier and said her mom asked her to accompany her to a coworker's birthday party. Her mom was supposed to go there with another coworker, but they changed their mind today. Aunt Lily isn't comfortable going all by herself, so she asked Marie to come with her.
Mom: Just help me cook dinner instead.
Kara: Barbecue chicken?
Mom: Dehins (no). I forgot to buy chicken yesterday.
John: What's for dinner? Barbecue chicken?
Kara: Bulilyaso, brother. Mom forgot to buy chicken.
Mom: You two will eat vegetables, OK? Beans, squash, and bitter gourd.
9. Tsekot
In Tagalog, kotse is the word for "car." If you reverse the syllables, you get tsekot, which is the Tagalog slang for car. It's one of those special words that we mentioned before. Memorizing vocabulary is so much easier when the original word and the slang word are inverses.
10. Chibog
Have you ever visited a Filipino home at just the right time? That's right, I mean chibog time! This slang word means "mealtime" or "food." When the syllables are reversed, it gives you bogchi, which is also slang "food" and "mealtime."
Another spelling used is tsibog.
If you're feeling hungry and wondering when your next meal might be, you're likely waiting for "chibog" or "bogchi," which translates to "mealtime."
11. Chika/Chikahan
Chika means "What's up?" or "What's new with you?" (Anong chika?) It can also mean "gossip," depending on the context in which it is used. While chikahan means "conversation," "chit-chat," or "talk."
Example: How was the chikahan with your childhood friend?
12. Albor
Use this word if you ever need or want to borrow something. That's right, this particular word means "borrow." Say it the slang way: albor. Although you may have heard some say arbor, the correct one is albor.