Basic Nouns

1. Tubig

   Tu-big

   Water

   Usage

   The basic word for drinking water; works with a gesture

2. Pagkaon

   Pag-ka-on

   Food

   Usage

   The general word to use when you are looking for something to eat

3. Kwarta

   Kwar-ta

   Money

   Usage

   The basic word when talking about paying or changing money

4. Kasilyas

   Ka-sil-yas

   Toilet

   Usage

   This single word is usually enough for someone to point the way

   Grammar Note

   In the Philippines "CR" (comfort room) is also widely understood

5. Tisyu

   Ti-syu

   Tissue

   Usage

   For asking for paper at an eatery or a public toilet

6. Tambal

   Tam-bal

   Medicine

   Usage

   The general word to lead with at a pharmacy

7. Bagahe

   Ba-ga-he

   Luggage

   Usage

   For storing, carrying, or collecting your bags

8. Yawe

   Ya-we

   Key

   Usage

   At a hotel front desk when handing over or collecting a key

9. Tiket

   Ti-ket

   Ticket

   Usage

   Covers both travel tickets and entry tickets

10. Pasaporte

    Pa-sa-por-te

    Passport

    Usage

    Comes up at check-in, money changers, and immigration

11. Telepono

    Te-le-po-no

    Phone

    Usage

    Used both for the device and for making a call

12. Charger

    Usage

    When you want to borrow one at a hotel or café, or buy one

13. Estasyon

    Es-ta-syon

    Station

    Usage

    The most common landmark word when asking for directions

14. Ospital

    Os-pi-tal

    Hospital

    Usage

    The first word to say when you feel seriously unwell

15. Pulis

    Pu-lis

    Police

    Usage

    Who to ask for after a theft or an accident

16. Tindahan

    Tin-da-han

    Shop

    Usage

    The general word when asking where you can buy something

17. Kwarto

    Kwar-to

    Room

    Usage

    For booking, changing, or checking availability at a hotel

18. Dalan

    Da-lan

    Road

    Usage

    For asking the way, usually while showing a map

19. Pamilya

    Pa-mil-ya

    Family

    Usage

    Comes up constantly in introductions and small talk

20. Ngalan

    Nga-lan

    Name

    Usage

    For confirming a booking or introducing yourself

21. Ulo

    Head

    Usage

    Point at your own head while showing this to say where it hurts

22. Mata

    Eye

    Usage

    Point at this at a clinic or pharmacy for eye trouble

23. Ngipon

    Tooth / teeth

    Usage

    Point at this at a dentist or pharmacy for tooth pain

24. Tutunlan

    Throat

    Usage

    Point at this to say your throat hurts

25. Tiyan

    Stomach / belly

    Usage

    Point at this for stomach ache or diarrhoea

26. Likod

    Back

    Usage

    For back pain; also useful at a massage shop

27. Hawak

    Waist / lower back

    Usage

    Points at the waist and lower back; upper back is likod

28. Tiil

    Foot / leg

    Usage

    Covers both foot and leg; point at the exact spot on your own body

29. Kamot

    Hand

    Usage

    Point at this for pain or injury in the hand

30. Dughan

    Chest

    Usage

    The chest as in the rib cage — for chest pain or tightness

31. Dalunggan

    Ear

    Usage

    Point at this for ear pain or hearing trouble

32. Liog

    Neck

    Usage

    For neck pain; the inside of the throat is tutunlan

33. Abaga

    Shoulder

    Usage

    For shoulder pain; also useful at a massage shop

34. Tuhod

    Knee

    Usage

    Point at this for knee pain or injury

35. Tudlo

    Finger

    Usage

    The noun for finger; the same form is a verb meaning to point or to teach, so point at your finger as you show it

36. Panit

    Skin

    Usage

    Point at this for rashes, sunburn and other skin trouble

37. Bukton

    Arm

    Usage

    Point at this for pain or injury in the arm

38. Ilong

    Nose

    Usage

    Point at this for a blocked nose or a nosebleed

39. Hotel

    Usage

    Show this to a taxi or tricycle driver as your destination

40. Airport

    Usage

    In Cebu both signs and speech use the English word; show it as a destination

41. Terminal sa bus

    Bus terminal

    Usage

    In Cebu long-distance buses leave from terminals rather than marked stops

42. Embahada

    Embassy

    Usage

    Show this as a destination if you lose your passport

43. Labhanan

    Laundry shop

    Usage

    In Cebu drop-off laundry shops are the norm rather than coin machines

44. Bomberohan

    Fire station

    Usage

    A fire station: "bombero" (firefighter) plus the place suffix -han

45. Konsulado

    Consulate

    Usage

    The consulate; an embassy is "embahada"

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