oo

Yes

Level 1

Oo is the most common way to say 'yes' in Filipino. It is used in casual or neutral settings with friends, family, and peers.

How It Works

The word oo serves as a standalone affirmative response or a particle to start a sentence.

  • Pronunciation: It is not a long 'ooh' sound. It consists of two syllables separated by a glottal stop: /ʔo.ʔoʔ/. While there are glottal stops at the beginning and end, the medial glottal stop is the most critical for learners to distinguish the word from a single vowel sound.
  • Social Register: Use oo only with people of your own age or younger. If you are speaking to someone older or in a position of authority, you must use opo instead. There is also an intermediate level of respect using oho (the equivalent of ho), which is used for older but familiar individuals.
  • Backchanneling and Repetition: In conversation, oo is frequently used as a backchanneling particle (like 'uh-huh') to signal you are listening. It is also common to repeat it—'Oo, oo'—to emphasize that you fully understand or agree.
  • Enclitics: It is often paired with enclitic particles to add nuance, such as oo nga (yes indeed), oo naman (yes of course), or oo na (fine/already), which can imply giving in to a request.
  • Negative Questions: In Filipino, you agree with the truth of the statement. If someone asks 'Hindi ka ba gutom?' (Aren't you hungry?), answering oo means 'Yes, [it is true that I am not hungry].'

Examples (6)

  1. Oo, pupunta ako.

    Yes, I am going.

    Word by Word: Yes, going I.

    A simple affirmative response followed by a statement.

  2. Oo nga, tama ka.

    Yes indeed, you are right.

    Word by Word: Yes indeed, right you.

    Using the particle 'nga' to add emphasis and agreement.

  3. Gusto mo ba nito? Oo, salamat.

    Do you want this? Yes, thanks.

    Word by Word: Want you [question] this? Yes, thanks.

    A standard casual response to a 'yes/no' question.

  4. Oo naman!

    Yes, of course!

    Word by Word: Yes, of course!

    Adding 'naman' makes the 'yes' sound more enthusiastic or obvious.

  5. Oo na, gagawin ko na.

    Fine, I'll do it now.

    Word by Word: Yes already, will-do I already.

    The pairing 'oo na' often signals that the speaker is giving in or showing slight impatience.

  6. Hindi ka pa ba tapos? Oo.

    Aren't you finished yet? Yes (I am not yet finished).

    Word by Word: Not you yet [question] finished? Yes.

    In Filipino, 'oo' confirms the truth of the negative statement, meaning 'Yes, it is true that I am not yet finished.'

Common Mistakes

  • Pronouncing 'oo' as a single long vowel.

    Oooo
    Oo

    Learners often pronounce it like the English 'oh' or 'ooh.' It must have a break in the middle, similar to the English 'uh-oh.'

  • Using 'oo' with elders or superiors.

    Lolo, oo.
    Lolo, opo.

    Using 'oo' with a grandparent (Lolo) is considered disrespectful. Always use 'opo' in respectful contexts.

  • Writing 'o' when you mean 'yes'.

    Different MeaningO, sige.
    Oo, sige.

    'O, sige' is a normal phrase, but the 'o' in it is an interjection ('okay then'), not the word for 'yes'. To say 'yes, okay', write 'oo' with two letters: 'Oo, sige.'

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

ooLevel 1Yes

Words in This Pattern