Tagalog greetings: good morning, how are you & more
The first words you need in Filipino — and the “Tao po!” called at the door.
Every Tagalog conversation opens with beauty — literally: maganda (“beautiful”) plus the time of day. Master the greetings below and the standard kumusta exchange and you can open a conversation anywhere in the Philippines. Keep the vowels crisp: magandang umaga is ma-gan-DANG oo-MA-ga.
All built on maganda — “beautiful”. Filipinos literally wish each other a beautiful morning.
Magandang umagaGood morning
Magandang tanghaliGood noon (noon gets its own greeting)
Magandang haponGood afternoon
Magandang gabiGood evening
Magandang arawGood day (works any time)
Kumusta ka?How are you?
Kumusta po kayo?How are you? (respectful, to elders)
Mabuti namanI'm fine
Mabuti naman, salamat!I'm fine, thanks!
Okay lang akoI'm okay
Ikaw, kumusta ka?And you, how are you?
Kumusta na? Ang tagal nating hindi nagkita!How have you been? It's been so long!
The Filipino door-knock is spoken: visitors call out “Tao po!” — literally “a person here, po!”
Tao po!“Hello, anyone home?” — called at the gate or door
Tuloy po kayo!Please come in! — the welcoming reply
Upo po kayoPlease have a seat
PaalamGoodbye (formal, a little dramatic)
Sige, una na akoOkay, I'll go ahead (the everyday goodbye)
Ingat ka!Take care!
Ingat po kayoTake care (respectful)
Kita tayo bukasSee you tomorrow
Babay!Bye! (casual)
Maligayang kaarawan!Happy birthday!
Maligayang Pasko!Merry Christmas! (the Philippines celebrates from September)
Manigong Bagong Taon!Happy New Year!
Maligayang bati!Congratulations / best wishes!
How do you say hello in Tagalog?
Tagalog has no exact word for "hello". Filipinos greet with the time of day — magandang umaga (good morning), magandang hapon (good afternoon), magandang gabi (good evening) — or simply "Kumusta?" (how are you?). On the phone, everyone just says "Hello?" in English.
How do you say good morning in Tagalog?
Good morning is "magandang umaga" (ma-gan-DANG oo-MA-ga) — literally "beautiful morning". Make it respectful with po: "Magandang umaga po!"
How do you respond to "kumusta ka"?
The standard reply is "Mabuti naman" ("I'm fine"), usually followed by "Ikaw, kumusta ka?" ("And you?"). Casual alternative: "Okay lang ako".
What does "tao po" mean?
Tao po (literally "a person, po") is what you call out at a Filipino door or gate instead of knocking — announcing yourself politely. The reply "Tuloy po kayo!" means "please come in".
Ready to actually speak Bisaya?
Bisdak na! takes you from zero to conversational with bite-size lessons, audio, stories, and smart flashcards. No account needed. Free forever.
Start learning free 🌞Bisdak na! · Free forever · About · Contact · Privacy · Terms