Can't really blame people who don't know any better but it can be tiresome to have to reply to those who insist that there be an exact Tagalog equivalent for every English phrase.
"But what do Filipinos say when they want to say good night?"
They say: Gudnayt!
In English, but with Filipino pronunciation.
Westerners have a hard time wrapping their minds around the fact that English and Spanish are an integral part of Filipino conversation. The Philippines was a colony of Spain and the United States for a very, very long time. Look at Mexico and other Latin American countries -- they speak Spanish almost exclusively now. Do you see anyone insisting that Mexicans translate English words and phrases into a native Aztec language?
Maybe a hundred years ago, Filipinos said Buenas Noches when turning in at night. Or maybe they said, like they still do, one of the following phrases:
Matutulog na ako.
I'm going to sleep now.
(when at home)
Matulog ka na.
Go to sleep already.
(informal)
Matulog na po kayo.
Go to sleep now.
(to old people)
I'm going to sleep now.
(when at home)
Matulog ka na.
Go to sleep already.
(informal)
Matulog na po kayo.
Go to sleep now.
(to old people)
Aalis na ako.
I'm leaving now.
(when bidding farewell)
Magkita tayo bukas.
(Let's meet tomorrow.)
Hanggang sa susunod.
(Until next.)
I'm leaving now.
(when bidding farewell)
Magkita tayo bukas.
(Let's meet tomorrow.)
Hanggang sa susunod.
(Until next.)
It really depends on the context. But there are those who will still insist on a literal translation. But what's the Tagalog word for good? What's the Tagalog word for night?
mabuti
good
gabi
night
good
gabi
night
No one says "Mabuting gabi" though you can say Magandang gabi as a translation for "Good evening" when meeting people at night. No, you don't say "Magandang gabi" to say "Good night" although you will frequently come across webpages and even Filipinos that offer this translation because they ignorantly think equivalence is possible between the meanings of words and phrases from different language families.
- TagalogLang.com
- TagalogLang.com
