agyamanak
/ʔaɡˈjamanak/
To say "thank you" in Ilocano, use agyamanak.
agyamanak is an expression of gratitude. You can intensify the expression by adding unay (very/much) at the end to say "thank you very much" (agyamanak unay).
Meaning: an expression of gratitude (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word agyamanak is composed of the root yaman (thanks/gratitude) with the prefix ag- and the enclitic -ak which means "I". Literally, the word means "I thank".
How does it change in a sentence?
You can modify the phrase to direct your thanks toward a specific person. To say "I thank you" to a single person informally, add kenka after the verb to get agyamanak kenka. To direct the thanks toward someone else more politely or toward a group, add the pronoun kayo after the verb to get agyamanak kayo. Additionally, Agyaman kami is used to say "We thank you".
How do you pronounce it?
/ʔaɡˈjamanak/
When do people say it?
A common religious alternative used to express gratitude is Dios ti agyaman, which means "God will thank/reward" or "God be thanked".
Did you know?
- In the Philippines, Ilocano speakers often code-switch and use the Tagalog word salamat for 'thank you'. However, using agyamanak is a strong marker of regional identity and pride in Northern Luzon.
- In Ilocano culture, saying agyamanak unay is often accompanied by a slight nod or a touch of the hand to the chest to show sincerity.
- Using agyaman kami instead of agyamanak is a subtle way to show humility by de-emphasizing the individual 'I' in favor of the collective 'We'.
Examples in context
- Agyamanak!Thank you!Tatoeba #4629819 by saluyot, translation #374827 by sysko
- Agyamanak unay!Thank you very much!Tatoeba #4629882 by saluyot, translation #1564 by adjusting
- Agyamanak iti tulongmo.Thank you for your help.
Example conversation
Juan hands Rowena a glass of water.
- JuanHeto ti danummo, Rowena.Here is your water, Rowena.
- RowenaAgyamanak, Juan.Thank you, Juan.
- JuanAwan aniamanna.You're welcome.
- RowenaNaimbag a bigat.Good morning.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you” translations and entries agyamanak, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
