bimf Emad

In my nearly five years of stay there, I learned some words in the Kapampangan lexicon. I am also proud to say, na nakakaintindi na ako ng mga 66.8% Kapampangan conversation, only if it is spoken in a slow tempo.*confetti*  By slow, parang kasing bagal ng tempo ng Versace on the Floor (naks!) Pero kapag nag-rarap na Kapampangan, uwian na.

So, below is a list of words you can only hear when living in Pampanga or talking with Kapampangan.

1. Instead of asking “bakit,” they ask “buti.”  Here is an example: I don’t know whether or not the Kapampangans are aware of this or would even agree with this but as a banyaga sa kanilang lupain, I hear the word “buti” most of the time used in the context where someone asks why.

2. People call you “soy!” When “pare” and “tol”  are typical placeholder names among Tagalogs and some non-Tagalogs, in Pampanga, it is “soy.”  At first, I thought it was short for “tisoy” but later on I proved that that assumption is wrong because the term is also used for moreno guys. It is even used for women.

O diba, kaloka! So ako, I followed the trend and use it to my male students– tisoy man sila, moreno man o beyond moreno pa.

3.Dana is a household cuss word.

Most Kapampangans say “dana” in almost every conversation you’ll have with them. They use it in different contexts and under different emotions. “Ang saya saya ko, dana!” “Nakakadiri, dana!” “Sipain kita dyan, dana!” “Dana, mamatay na yata ako!”

Of course usually it is used when they speak Kapampangan but it can also be used even when they speak in Filipino. Pwede nga yata kahit English: “Dana man, that hurts!” Hahahaha!

People say that “dana” is short for “puta neydana!” which in Filipino is “p*tang i*a,” but that is not true. I learned from one text I saw on facebook that “dana” is short for “tanay dana” which is short for “antak ning inda na” which in English means, “the vagina of his/her mother.” Well, I guess, not all Kapampangans know that.

Some Kapampangans say “damo” instead of “dana” and I think the former is much offending than the latter (kung nao-offend man sila) because of the presence of the pronoun “mo.” When you use “damo,” it’s like saying, “the vagina of your mother.” Anyhow, I don’t think people are ever offended with “dana” or “damo”.

4. People just call you “malagu” even if you are not. When I first came to Pampanga, “malagu” is one of the very first expressions/words I learned, aside from manyaman ku (masarap ako). *RATED SPG*

In the market, the vendors, especially women, would call you “malagu” and they use it, again, as a placeholder name. I find it peculiar because in my province and even in Manila, people will either call you “teh” or “beh.” I don’t know if Kapampangans are just sweet or mabuladas lang. loljk (peace)

5. The Kapampangan lexicon is filled with words ending in “u”. If Filipino is your first language, words ending in “u” are not really common. Most of the time, in Filipino, “u” is used as a part of an unlapi (prefix). Halimbawa, ginagamit ang patinig na “u” sa mga salitang UMahon, UMuwi, UMalis. Bukod sa “sampu,” hindi ako masyado makapag-isip ng salita na nagtatapos ng “u”.

That is not the case in Pampanga and among Kapampangans. In truth, this distinct way of spelling words distinguishes Kapampangans from other people of other provinces in the Philippines.

Maraming salita ang nagtatapos sa “u” sa lengguwahe ng Kapampangan. Halimbawa na lamang ay ang mga sumusunod: malagu (maganda), tabalu (ewan ko), tamu (tayo), atlu (tatlo), nanu (ano), pitu (pito), apulu (sampu), ali ku (ayaw ko).

See! There are a lots of words ending with “u.” On why Kapampangans would use “u” instead of “o,” I still have not researched about it. Does it have something to do with phonology? I don’t know. It is interesting to know, though.

6. Metung is ONE. Ang hindi ko naiintindihan ay kung bakit naging “METUNG” ang “ISA”. For Tagalog speakers, one is isa. For hiligaynon, one is isa.For  bisaya, one is usa. For ilocano, one is maysa. For most languages in the Philippines (at least for those I have knowledge about), most translations for the word “one” end with “sa.” Pero sa Kapampangan, hindi! Amusing, it is!

Besides metung, numbers 2-10 are similar to Tagalog, only that most of them end with “u”.

These are some of the words I learned in Pampanga.

I have immersed myself in the Kapampangan culture and I enjoyed it. The only regret I have is loving a Kapampangan. Chena! No, seriously, the only regret I have is not exerting more effort in learning the language. Edi sana pwede pa ako maging polyglot tulad ni Rizal. Chena uli!#

Every street is simultaneously grounded in rich history and budding with new stories. Read More… Best of Berkeley. Thursday, April 18, 2019