Kumusta, kaibigan
/kumusˈta kaʔiˈbiɡan/word by word
The English phrase "hello, my friend" is translated into Tagalog as Kumusta, kaibigan.
Kumusta, kaibigan is a friendly greeting used to say hello to a person you know well. While Kumusta literally means "how are you", it serves as the standard way to say "hello" in Tagalog.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a combination of Kumusta (how are you) and kaibigan (friend).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Kumusta, kaibigan is an informal phrase used between peers or people who share a close relationship.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase more literally "How are you, my friend", you can add the possessive pronoun ko (my) after kaibigan to form Kumusta, kaibigan ko.
How do you pronounce it?
/kumusˈta kaʔiˈbiɡan/
Did you know?
- The root of the word kaibigan is ibig, which means 'love' or 'to want'.
- The word kumusta is a phonetic adaptation of the Spanish phrase cómo está, which asks how someone is.
- Depending on the social hierarchy, a person might avoid saying kaibigan and instead use titles like kuya for an older brother or ate for an older sister to be polite.
Examples in context
- Kamusta, kaibigan?Hello, friend
- Kumusta, kaibigan, matagal tayong hindi nagkita.Hello, my friend, we haven't seen each other in a long time.
Example conversation
Mark and Angela meet unexpectedly at a coffee shop.
- MarkKumusta, kaibigan! Anong ginagawa mo rito?Hello, my friend! What are you doing here?
- AngelaNaghihintay lang ako ng kasabay.I am just waiting for a companion.
- MarkGusto mo bang magkape muna?Do you want to have some coffee first?
- AngelaSige, salamat Mark!Sure, thank you Mark!
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (kumusta, kaibigan) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kaibigan, kumusta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
