Joanna Marie O. Santos
July 04, 2023

In the international scene, the Philippines is widely regarded as a foreign-friendly destination, filled with English-speaking people who can make vacation trips easier with fewer language barriers. However, just one trip to the Philippines and one can already catch a glimpse of the county’s complicated and colorful interpretation of various foreign words that have created their own life in the Filipino vernacular. 

 

No foreigner expects such a genderless “mamser” greeting, and many express such delight when they experience it. In the Philippines, where English is widely adapted and influenced by various local contexts, languages, and dialects, there is now a surplus of interesting English words that have strayed very far from their original meaning, and taken on a new life as another. Below are some of the most interesting Filipino English words that do not mean exactly what they do in the States.

 

• Bold

 

In other English-speaking countries, the word “bold” is usually meant to describe a brave action that is done with full confidence. In the Philippines, the word technically also means those exact same things, but in an entirely different context. 

 

When you use the word “bold” in the Philippines, get ready to hear some snickers and giggles from the Filipinos around you because the word is almost exclusively used as a synonym for the word “naked.” In the pop culture context, the word “bold” can also refer to adult movies or sex scenes. 

 

• Frigidaire

 

A common misnomer, some young Filipinos might also not be aware of the real meaning behind the word “Frigidaire.” In reality, at least in its original setting, the word “Frigidaire” is actually the name of a brand of refrigerator. The brand, which still exists today, is one of the most popular kitchen appliances in the country during the early 50s to 60s, standing as a status symbol for those Filipinos who were able to afford it. 

 

Nowadays, the word Frigidaire is commonly used by older Filipinos who grew up calling their refrigerators by brand. Although now, younger generations have picked up a new term for the appliance, referring to it with an equally confusing word “ref” which a lot of foreigners claim to think is used as a shortcut for the word “referee.”

 

• Gimmick

 

How many times have you heard the sentences “Gimmick tayo!” or “Gimmick na naman?” and thought they were referring to a clever or unique method used to attract attention and generate interest? Zero, probably. 

 

In English-speaking countries, the word “gimmick” usually refers to marketing methods that are attention-grabbing in nature in order to capture curiosity and create memorable experiences. In the Philippines, only the “memorable experiences” are retained. The word has picked up a new meaning, especially in the party scene. Here, when a gimmick is mentioned, the person is highly likely referring to a party or an exciting event.

 

• Busted (Basted)

 

Popular especially with action film fans, being “busted” means that you have been caught and taken down by the law, and rightfully so. In the Philippines, the word “busted” or “bust” also has the same meaning, but it has another different definition that is completely unrelated to crimes, police-chasing, and crime-busting. 

 

Busted, or locally pronounced as “basted,” often refers to the experience of being rejected romantically. Usually, being “basted” means that the person who was wooing has been shooed. 

 

• Bad Shot

 

This term does not refer to a bad picture, but it is very obvious why foreigners will assume that it does. In the Philippines, the term “bad shot” refers to a situation where one person has annoyed someone or has shown a bad first impression. 

 

In English pop culture terms, this word can be in relation to the term “shoot your shot,” with the word “shot” referring to the introduction or the chance of a friendship. In the Philippines, a “bad shot” literally means a person has made a bad attempt at an introduction or did something to blow a chance of friendship. 

 

• Chancing

 

Another uniquely Filipino-English term, the word “chancing” locally pronounced as “tsansing,” actually refers to minor sexual harassment. The word is properly used when applied to the nuance of committing the crime when the perpetrator and a victim are in a situation where the harassment can be attributed to an external factor. As derived from the word “chance,” the term “chancing” literally refers to a person taking a chance to take advantage of a person.

 

When a person is “chancing” it means that the person has taken advantage of another person and will most likely blame their actions on a circumstance that is out of their control. “Chancing” can occur in congested areas or can be a result of activities where body contact is required or can not be avoided.

 

• Arbor

 

The word “arbor” has three different meanings in the English language, yet none of them comes even close to the definition that it has in the Philippines. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word arbor can refer to the shelter of vines in a garden, a trellis to support plants, or a shady resting spot in a park. Take all of these definitions and throw them out of the window because, in the Philippines, arbor means to take something or gain possession of something for free.

 

“Pa-arbor naman.” or “In-arbor na naman damit ko.” are sentences that definitely do not refer to anything garden-related, but Filipinos understand exactly what the word “arbor” here means. Just like the word “arbor,” Filipinos have “arbored” the word “arbor.”

 

• Traffic

 

For English speakers, traffic usually refers to the movement of vehicles on a road. While the word is also used within the same context, the noun is more often used as an adjective. It might cause some confusion with foreigners who assume that Filipinos have failed to use the word correctly, but in reality, the word is widely accepted in the Philippines and actually refers to the congested state of the traffic rather than the vehicles on the road.

 

• Bes (Best)

 

Probably one of the most commonly used English-derived Filipino words in pop culture, the word “bes'' is simply a short form of the word "best" for "best friend.” Due to the friendly culture of Filipinos, “bes'' can actually be used as a term of endearment for everybody, even strangers. 

 

You don’t have to be actually best friends with someone to call them “bes.” Related to this unique term is the way Filipinos also use the word “friend” to call someone who is closer to a stranger than an actual friend.

 

• Birdie

 

Possibly one English word that received the weirdest new definition from its Filipino users, the word “birdie” definitely does not refer to a cute little bird or a baby bird. In a Philippine setting, be very careful and gauge your audience before using this term lest you want some unwanted laughs or receive some offended stares from the titas and the lolas. 

 

In the Filipino language, the word “birdie” actually has a very explicit connotation, directly translating to a male’s genitalia. Of course, this term does not have a serious subtlety, and the term is often more of an innuendo or a joke rather than a serious term.

 

The Colorful World Of The Filipino Language

 

Understanding the connotations of words and phrases is important for effective communication, and of course, cultural sensitivity. Language is more than just the literal meaning of words. Countries, cultures, and subcultures have been picking up words and transforming their definitions into something that has more value and meaning. These words are used not only to describe unique ideas, but they represent what is unique to a country’s culture and the people who use them. Regardless of where we grew up and what languages we are accustomed to understanding, the richness of the Filipino language deserves to be recognized and appreciated by people from all over the world.