How to Speak Tagalog

Lesson 8 Shopping in the Market

1. SAAN ANG BILIHAN = WHERE IS THE STORE

Saan ang bilihan ng pagkain?
Where do you buy groceries?

Saan ang bilihan ng damit?
Where do you buy clothes?

Saan ang bilihan ng sapatos?
Where do you buy shoes?

Saan ang bilihan ng gamit sa bahay?
Where do you buy household stuff?

Saan ang bilihan ng laruan?
Where do you buy toys?

2. MAGKANO = HOW MUCH

Magkano ito?
How much is this?

Ang mahal naman.
My, it's too expensive.

Magkano ang gusto mo?
How much do you want for it?

Kalahati lang sana.
I'll pay half price.
How about half price?

Magkano iyan?
How much is that?

Magkano iyon?
How much is that over there.

Magkano ang dala mo?
How much do you have?

May pera ka ba?
Do you have money?

Kulang ang pera ko.
I don't have enough money.

May pandagdag ka ba?
Can you help me with money?

May pambili ka ba?
Do you have money to buy it?

3. BAYAD = PAYMENT

May pambayad ka ba?
Can you afford it?

Ikaw ang magbayad.
You pay for it.

Hindi, ayaw ko.
No, I don't want to.

O sige, babayaran ko.
Okay, I'll pay for it.

Nasaan ang bayad?
Where is the payment?

Ito ang bayad.
Here is the payment.

4. GUSTO = LIKE

Gusto mo ito?
Do you like this?

Gusto mo iyan?
Do you like that? (the one near him or her)

Gusto mo iyon?
Do you like that? (the one over there)

Hindi ko gusto.
I don't like it.

Oo, gusto ko.
Yes, I like it.

Ay, ayaw ko pala.
Oh, I changed my mind. I don't like it.

Pakibalik ito.
I want to return this.

Ay, gusto ko pala.
Oh, I changed my mind. I like it.

Mayroon pa ba nito?
Are there more of this?

Wala, ubos na.
There are no more.

5. LAKI = SIZE

Tama ba ang laki?
Is it the right size?

Maliit.
It's small.

Malaki.
It's big.

Tama lang.
Just right.

Gusto mong mas malaki?
You want it bigger?

Sobra ang laki.
It's too big.

Gusto mong mas maliit?
You want it smaller?

Sobra ang liit.
It's too small.

Gusto ko iyong pinaka-malaki.
I want the biggest.

Sobra ang laki.
It's too big

Gusto ko iyong pinaka-maliit.
I want the smallest.

6. QUANTITIES

Ilan ang gusto mo?
How many do you want?

Isa lang po.
Just one.

The word NGA, when added in a sentence, makes a statement sound polite. It is like adding, "please" to an English sentence. While this sound is easy for Asians, it is difficult for Americans and Europeans to say. One trick is to think of "SING-ALONG" and say it like one word, SINGALONG.  Take the INGA part of it and that's how you produce the NGA sound.   

Isa pa nga.
One more, please.

Dalawa pa nga.
Two more, please.

Dagdagan mo pa nga.
Give me some more, please.

Isang dosena nga.
One dozen, please.

Kalahating dosena nga.
Half a dozen, please.

In some stores things are cheaper by the dozen. Even half a dozen could save you as much as 25%. Typical retailer mark up is forty percent of the price. Perishables like vegetable, fish, and meat could be discounted by half price towards the end of the day.

One quick and inexpensive way to win friends is to purchase something you need yourself, something like T-shirt or hat. Buy half a dozen and then, after you have paid for it, ask if anyone else wants it. Tell them your luggage is too small or that it's too many for one person. If they ask the reason you bought too many, say "Cheaper by the dozen, di ba? Bale libre itong iba." That means "Cheaper by the dozen, right? So some of this were free."

May tawad ba ang isang dosena?
Is there a discount for one dozen?

Ay, tapat na iyan.
No, that's fixed price.

Patawad naman.
Give me a discount please.

Magkano ang tawad mo?
How much do you want to pay?

Bawasan mo ng isang daang piso.
Take out one hundred pesos.

Hoy, ang barat mo naman.
Hey, cheapskate.

7. CHECKING OUT

May kailangan ka pa?
Do you need anything else?

Tama na ba iyan?
Is that all you need?

Magkano lahat?
How much is the total price?

Pahingi ng resibo.
I want a receipt, please.

Pakisupot nga ito.
Put this in a bag, please.

Sukli po.
Here is your change.

Salamat.
Thank you.

About Ray Colorado

Ray Colorado was born in the island of Mindoro, Philippines, where people speak different Filipino languages. Tagalog was his first language. He also speaks Ilocano, Bicol, English and Spanish. He learned these languages because of his father's job - Methodist Evangelist and Pastor. They moved every two years, living in places where people spoke differently. He had to learn each local language in order to survive and win new friends. He also formally studied English and Pilipino, the national language, in elementary, high school, and the University of the Philippines. He started creating Web-based Tagalog lessons in 1999. He moved to United States in 1984. He lives in Fort Worth, Texas, with his wife, former Lura Eden Alampay, and their three sons Marc Dexter, Maxwell Lucas, and Hexel James. He may be reached at ray@coloradobrothers.com.