11 Unique Filipino English Expressions

Did you know that English is one of the official languages of the Philippines? The other one is Filipino. You probably already know that the country was under the rule of the USA, from 1898-1946. This was due to Spain’s defeat during the Spanish-American War. What you might not know is that while at war with Spain, England occupied Manila from 1762-1764.

English proficiency is quite high in the Philippines. In one survey, about half of the participants said that they speak English, and about 75% said that they read English. Even if you’re an English-speaking foreigner, you’ll encounter some uniquely Filipino English expressions. Here are some common ones and their explanations:

Expression #1

These expressions are used during casual conversations, prompting the speaker to continue with his or her account. “And then?” is usually used more commonly, while “And so” is added to add variety to the listener’s prompts. The American English translations would be “Then what?” or “Go on.”

    1 Of 11 Next