Every country has its own sayings
that its people follow as a guide. While some of them may have gone old, a lot of them still applies to our lives regardless of the number of decades or centuries that have passed.
that its people follow as a guide. While some of them may have gone old, a lot of them still applies to our lives regardless of the number of decades or centuries that have passed.
Below are some examples of Filipino sayings that most of us have grown up hearing and following.
Filipino Sayings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Original Tagalog Text | English Translation | Meaning |
Filipino Sayings About Perseverance | ||
| Kapag may isinuksok, may madudukot. | If you tucked something away, you’ll have something to retrieve later. | If you don’t spend your money frivolously, you’ll have funds to use in case of an emergency. |
| Kapag may tiyaga, may nilaga. | If there’s perseverance, there’s soup. | If you saved up for the future, you’ll have something to use in case of an emergency. |
| Kung anong itinanim ay siyang aanihin. | You reap what you sow. | If you invest in your future, you will reap the rewards later. |
| Daig nang maagap ang masipag. | The early comer wins over those who work hard. | Hard work can go to waste if you always wait for the best time to make a move. |
| Walang matimtimang birhen sa matiyagang manalangin. | There’s no unwavering virgin to those who keep praying. | There’s no one that cannot be won over if you showed how committed to something you are. |
| Habang maikli ang kumot, magtiis kang mamaluktot. | While the blanket is still short, put up with curling yourself into a ball for the meantime. | If you are going through difficult times, learn to adapt in order to survive. |
| Kung hindi ukol, hindi bubukol. | If it’s not meant to be, it won’t sprout. | Nothing will come out of something it it was not meat to be from the very start. |
| Ang bayaning nasusugatan, nag-iibayo ang tapang. | A hero that gets wounded becomes braver. | Literal meaning. |
Filipino Sayings About Good Manners and Character | ||
| Ang ibinabait ng bata sa matanda nagmula. | A child’s good behavior came from his elders. | A child’s behavior is a reflection of how he was raised. |
| Aanhin ang palasyo kung ang nakatira ay kuwago? Mabuti pa ang kubo na ang nakatira ay tao. | What good would a palace be if it’s occupied by an owl? A nipa hut would be better as long as it’s inhabited by a human. | Material wealth means nothing if you don’t know how to treat other people well. |
| Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan, hindi makararating sa paroroonan. | He does not know how to look back at where he came from won’t reach his destination | You won’t go far in life if you forgot the people who helped you along the way. |
| Ang lalagyang walang laman ay maingay. | An empty container is noisy. | People who talk a lot usually know nothing. |
| Kung anong puno, siya ang bunga. / Ang mangga ay hindi namumunga ng santol. | Whatever the tree is, so is the fruit. / Mango trees do not bear santol fruits. | You take after your parents or the people who raised you up. |
| Ang taong nagigipit, sa patalim kumakapit. | People in dire situations will cling to knives. | People in desperate situations will do anything to survive. |
| Ang magnanakaw ay galit sa kapwa magnanakaw. | The thief hates his fellow thieves. | People don’t think about how their actions affect other people but they are quick to get angry when the same thing is done to them. |
| Ang mabuting halimbawa ay higit na mabisa kaysa pahayag na dakilla. | A good example is better than grand pronouncements. | Living by example is better than talking big. |
| Ang punong hitik sa bunga ay kadalasang pinupukol. | A tree that bears a lot of fruits is often pelted with stones. | People often bring down those who accomplish more than they do. |
| Kung sino ang pumutak, siya ang nanganak. | She who clucked was the one that laid the egg. | The person who is being too defensive is probably the one at fault. |
Filipino Sayings About Honesty | ||
| Sa taong may hiya, ang salita’y panunumpa. | For a person who has a sense of shame, every word is an oath. | A man of honor always keeps his promises. |
| Lahat ng gubat ay may ahas. | All jungles have snakes. | There will always be traitors / bad people wherever you go. |
| Pagsasama ng tapat; pagsasama nang maluwat. | Maintaining an honest relationship is cultivating a lasting relationship. | Honesty is the key to a lasting relationship. |
Filipino Sayings About Gratitude | ||
| Ang palay ay parisan, habang nagkakalaman ay lalong nagpupugay. | Imitate the rice, the fatter its grains become, the more it bows down. | Learn from the humble. The more their lives improve, the humbler they get. |
| Sa paghahangad ng kagitna, isang salop ang nawala. | For wanting half a kilo of rice, he ended up losing a kilo. | If you’re too greedy, you might end up losing more in the long run (essentially equivalent to “A bird on hand is worth two in the bush” |
| Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo? | What good would the grass be if the horse is already dead? | Acts of kindness are useless if the opportunity to do something for someone has already passed. |
Filipino Sayings About Unity | ||
| Ang sakit ng kalingkingan, ramdam ng buong katawan. | The illness of the pinkie is felt by the whole body. | What affects a member of a group, affects everyone. |
| Kaya matibay ang walis, palibhasa’y nabibigkis | The reason the broom is sturdy is because it is bound together | There’s strength in numbers. |
| Ang mabigat ay gumagaan kapag pinagtulung-tulungan. | What’s heavy gets lighter when everyone works together. | Literal meaning. |
Filipino Sayings About Prudence or Caution | ||
| Ubos-ubos biyaya, mamaya’y wala. | Spending blessings in one go. Later, there’s nothing left. | Resources are not infinite. Spend them wisely. |
| Ang naglalakad nang matulin, pag natinik ay malalim. | People who walk fast will get their soles stabbed hard if they stepped on a thorn. | People who make impulsive decisions can get into serious trouble if things went wrong |
| Sa bibig nahuhuli ang isda. | A fish is caught by the mouth. | People who do bad things are exposed by the lies they tell. |
| Huwag magbilang ng sisiw hanggang hindi pa napipisa ang itlog. | Don’t count your chicks while they aren’t hatched yet. | Do not make assumptions because you’ll never know what can happen in the future. |
| Ang maniwala sa sabi-sabi, walang bait sa sarili. | He who believes in rumors does not have a mind of his own. | Don’t believe everything you hear. |
| Ang taong walang kibo, nasa loob ang kulo. | He who does not speak has something boiling up inside. | People who do not talk much are often hiding something inside, so don’t judge them based solely on appearances. |
| May pakpak ang balita, may tenga ang lupa. | The news has wings; the earth has ears. | Rumors spread fast. |
| Kahoy mang babad sa tubig, kapag nadarang sa apoy, sapilitang magdirikit. | Even wood that has been soaked in water will catch fire when it’s kept near the fire for too long. | No matter how steadfast someone may be, if they’re always surrounded by temptations, they might one day give in to them. |
| Ang tunay na anyaya, sinasamahan ng hila. | A real invitation is accompanied by a tug. | If you’re truly sincere about doing something, you will prove it with actions instead of mere words. |
| Mahirap gisingin ang taong nagtu-tulog-tulogan. | It’s difficult to wake up he who is pretending to be asleep. | Reasoning with someone who refuses to listen is useless. |
| Ang nagwiwika nang tapos; kadalasa’y kinakapos. | He who declares things with finality often comes up short. | Don’t be too confident. You might end up falling short of expectations. |
| Pag may usok, may apoy. | Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. | If you see warning signs, there’s something wrong somewhere. |
| Ang walang pagod mag-ipon, walang hinayang magtapon. | He who did not have a hard time saving would have no problem spending. | Teach someone the value of hard work so they will learn to live prudently. |
| Ang bibig na natatakpan, hindi papasukin ng langaw. | Flies won’t enter mouths that are kept closed. | You won’t get yourself in trouble if you don’t blab a lot. |
