Tagalog is the base of Filipino, the national language of the Philippines, and Wikipedia calls Filipino the standardized form of Tagalog. This page says Tagalog because that is the word most people search for, and our other pages, like how to say thank you in Filipino, call the same language Filipino. What you learn here works for both.
| Tagalog | English | Style | Where you use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kumusta ka? | How are you? | Casual | Friends, people your age, younger people |
| Kumusta po kayo? | How are you? | Polite | Older people, bosses, adult strangers |
| Kumusta po? | How are you? | Polite | The same people, with kayo left out |
| Kumusta ka na? | How have you been? | Casual | Friends |
| Kumusta na po kayo? | How have you been? | Polite | Older people |
comes from the Spanish cómo está, according to Wiktionary. Wiktionary lists kamusta as the colloquial spelling, so you will see both. Friends also clip it to musta, and texts shorten it to kmsta. This page writes kumusta.
Ka is the everyday "you" for friends and people your age. Kayo is the polite "you", and it goes with , a small word that shows respect. Wikivoyage says using with a superior you do not know well is a breach of etiquette.
| Tagalog | English | Say it to |
|---|---|---|
| Kumusta ka? | How are you? | A friend |
| Kumusta po kayo? | How are you? | An older person |
| Magandang umaga po. | Good morning. | An older person, politely |
| Opo. | Yes. | An older person, politely |
is the polite yes, and Wikivoyage says it and oho are used mainly to show respect to elders. In Southern Luzon, especially Batangas, Cavite and Laguna, many people say ho where others say , and Wikivoyage says the two usually swap.
| Tagalog | English | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Mabuti naman. Ikaw? | I am fine. And you? | Casual |
| Mabuti naman po. Kayo po? | I am fine. And you? | Polite |
| Ayos lang. | I am fine. | Casual |
| OK lang. Ikaw, kumusta? | I am okay. How are you? | Casual |
| I am fine, thank you. | Polite |
means "good" or "well". The Learning Tagalog guide lists both mabuti and OK lang as ways to say you are fine, and Wikivoyage also lists ayos naman. Ikaw is the casual "and you?", and kayo po is the polite one.
You meet a friend's grandmother:
| Tagalog | English |
|---|---|
| Magandang umaga po. Kumusta po kayo? | Good morning. How are you? |
| Mabuti naman po. Kayo po? | I am fine. And you? |
Two classmates meet:
| Tagalog | English |
|---|---|
| Kumusta ka? | How are you? |
| Ayos lang. Ikaw? | I am fine. And you? |
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Saying Kumusta ka po. | Wikivoyage says po and ka do not go together. Say Kumusta po kayo. |
| Saying Kumusta ka to a boss or an older stranger. | Use Kumusta po kayo. Wikivoyage calls ka with a superior a breach of etiquette. |
| Using po with a friend your age all the time. | Keep po for elders, bosses and strangers. Friends use ka. |
Basic Greetings and Polite Conversations in Filipino has the greetings inside a conversation. For a plan, read the easiest way to learn Filipino and the best way to learn Filipino.
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Is It Kumusta or Kamusta?
Both are used. Wiktionary lists kumusta as the main spelling and kamusta as the colloquial one.
Does Kumusta Also Mean Hello?
Yes. Wikivoyage lists kumusta as the standard greeting for hello, and the same word is how you ask how someone is.
Which Tagalog App Should a Beginner Choose?
If you are serious about learning Filipino, start with Bubblegum. Poppy, your AI tutor, writes lessons at your level about things you like. For other apps, see our Filipino app comparison.
Is Bubblegum Free?
Yes. Lessons Poppy wrote for other learners are free for everyone to read. Custom lessons cost us money to make, so you need Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons.
Sources
- Wikivoyage: Tagalog phrasebook (kumusta ka and kumusta po kayo, replies, po, opo, ho, ka and kayo, musta)
- Wiktionary: kumusta (from Spanish cómo está; kamusta is colloquial, musta is clipped; kumusta ka na)
- Learning Tagalog: how are you (kumusta ka na, mabuti naman, OK lang, ikaw kumusta)
- Learning Tagalog: polite expressions (po with older people, superiors and adult strangers; kayo instead of ikaw or ka)
- Wikipedia: Tagalog language (Filipino is the standardized form of Tagalog and the national language)
- The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, Article XIV, Section 6 (Filipino as the national language)
