Tagalog Lang

Chinese New Year Food in the Philippines

Tagalog Lang — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 05:22:10 +0000

For their celebration of the New Year, the Japanese have their rice cake mochi (餅) and the Koreans have their rice cake teok (떡). Do you know the Philippine equivalent of the Chinese New Year rice cake nian gao (年糕)? It’s called tikoy!

How about the most popular fruits to serve and give away during the Lunar New Year season? Remember, the Philippines is a tropical country…

Top 10 Chinese Filipino foods during Lunar New Year celebrations in the Philippines

Happy Chinese New Year of the Earth Ox!

Chinese New Year in the Philippines

Tagalog Lang — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 06:18:43 +0000

Did you know that the Chinese have been in the Philippines even before the Spaniards came in the 16th century? Chinese Filipinos make up only one to two percent of the Filipino population but those numbers don’t match their influence on the country’s history and culture.

Chinese Filipinos used to be referred to as INTSIK in Tagalog, but that word has sort of become unpopular due to negative connotations that were attached to it. The politically correct term these days is TSINOY (sometimes spelled Chinoy).

With the Lunar New Year being on Monday (January 26, 2009), I decided to make a page on how the holiday is celebrated by the Chinese community in the Philippines.

Traditions during the Chinese New Year in the Philippines

The Chinese-Filipino greeting for the New Year: Kiong Hee Huat Tsai — that’s how Tsinoys pronounce 恭喜發財 (Gong Xi Fa Cai in Mandarin; Gong Hei Fat Choi in Cantonese).

Happy New Year! 恭喜發財,紅包拿來

MORE FILIPINO HOLIDAYS

Happy Three Kings!

Tagalog Lang — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:06:34 +0000

A funny greeting, no?

In the Philippines, January 6 is called Araw ng Tatlong Hari (Day of the Three Kings), after the magi or wise men who visited the Christ child bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. In Spanish-speaking parts of the world, the three kings are known as Los Reyes Magos de Oriente or Los Tres Reyes Magos. Also known as the Feast of Epiphany, this day marks the end of the twelve days of Christmas. However, in the United States and in English-speaking Christian countries, Epiphany is usually celebrated on the first Sunday of January, which this year was January 4.

Filipinos also recognize this day as Pasko ng Matatanda (Christmas of the Elderly), a day on which to honor senior citizens.

Maligayang Araw ng Tatlong Hari! Happy Three Kings’ Day!

MORE FILIPINO HOLIDAYS

Tagalog Poems!!! Mga Tula

Tagalog Lang — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 22:55:14 +0000

Recently started a new section on Tagalog Lang for students interested in learning Tagalog poems. Now working on a list of famous Filipino poets and a glossary of poetry terms with English-Tagalog translations.

Visit tagaloglang.com/poems for more on Philippine literature in Tagalog!

Happy New Year in Tagalog

Tagalog Lang — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 23:18:59 +0000

The new year has already arrived in the Philippines. Thursday, January 1, 2009. You should greet your Filipino family and friends a ‘Happy New Year’ in Tagalog!

How to Say ‘Happy New Year’ in Tagalog

Thanks for all your support in 2008. Looking forward to serving you better in the new year. Mabuhay!

Rizal Day (December 30) a Filipino Holiday

Tagalog Lang — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 06:07:23 +0000

Araw ng Kabayanihan ni Rizal is Tagalog for Rizal’s Day of Heroism. It is observed in commemoration of the death of Filipino national hero Jose Rizal on December 30, 1896. He was executed by the Spanish colonial government in the Philippines for inciting rebellion. A firing squad was responsible for his death.

Rizal Day is a public holiday in the Philippines on December 30, 2008 (Tuesday). For the second year in a row, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will lead the commemoration in San Fernando City, La Union. It is the 112th Rizal Day celebration, and the ceremonies will televised live over the Philippine government’s TV stations.

MORE OFFICIAL FILIPINO HOLIDAYS

Tagalog Greetings for the New Year

Tagalog Lang — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 01:43:00 +0000

My page on Tagalog greetings to use on Christmas gifts and cards was such a hit that I decided to do the same for the new year! So if you want to warm the hearts of your Filipino friends with a message in their language, here are a few

Tagalog greetings for the New Year

They’re Tagalog translations I did of English New Year’s greetings I came across on the web. They’re a mouthful. I’d recommend using the longer greetings on cards and notes, and the shorter phrases for maybe a toast on New Year’s Eve. I even included one romantic phrase promising unchanging love in the New Year and beyond.

The least you have to know is how to say “Happy New Year” in Tagalog. The traditional Filipino new year’s greeting is Manigong Bagong Taon, which literally means A Prosperous New Year. Listen to the pronunciation:

How to Say “Happy New Year” in Tagalog

Also, I worked hard on this page outlining Filipino Customs on New Year’s Eve. Hope you like it!

Merry Christmas in Tagalog!

Tagalog Lang — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 14:25:36 +0000

MALIGAYANG PASKO! That’s ‘Merry Christmas’ in Tagalog
http://tinyurl.com/HowtoSay

Tagalog Christmas Words, Phrases and Greetings

Tagalog Lang — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 05:38:59 +0000

It’s hard to find a Tagalog greeting card for Filipino friends this holiday season, so I’ve been encouraging people to simply hand-write a Christmas greeting on holiday cards and gifts for Filipino friends. I even made a page with a couple of Tagalog greetings specifically for use during the Christmas season: http://tinyurl.com/TagGreet

If you need to say “Merry Christmas” in Tagalog, I’ve got that covered here: ‘Merry Christmas’ in Tagalog

While personally handing over a gift to a Filipino friend, wouldn’t it be great to say a few simple Tagalog words and phrases as well? Here are some Tagalog words and phrases related to gifts.

A few important Tagalog words to know off the top of your head: ‘Christmas’ is Pasko. ‘Christmas gift’ is pamasko. The Tagalog translation for ‘Christmas Eve’ is Bisperas ng Pasko, and the dinner feast that Filipinos celebrate on Christmas Eve is Noche Buena.

Maligayang Pasko!

- TagalogLang.com

Simbang Gabi: Filipino Christmas Tradition

Tagalog Lang — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:22:18 +0000

Catholic Filipinos begin a novena (a series of nine masses) on December 16th. The masses are part of the Christmas tradition of Simbang Gabi, a Tagalog phrase that literally means “Night Worship.”

Filipinos go to church before dawn and afterward have breakfast with family or friends. A traditional drink during this season is a warm ginger tea called salabat and a traditional treat is a flat but thick yellow rice cake called bibingka.

The Tagalog word for “Christmas” is Pasko. Want to learn more about Filipino Christmas traditions?

TagalogLang.com/christmas