A collection of useful phrases in Chabacano of Zamboanga, a Spanish-based creole language spoken in parts of the Philippines and Malaysia.
See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.
Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal, com = common, crs = coarse, sg = said to one person, pl said to more than one person
| English | Chabacano de Zamboanga |
|---|---|
| Welcome | Bienvenido (sg) Bienvenidos (pl) |
| Hello (General greeting) | Que tal? Hola! |
| How are you? | Como esta Usted? (frm) Que tal man usted? (inf) Que tal man evos? (inf) |
| Reply to 'How are you?' | Muy bien, gracias. Y tu? (inf) Muy bien, gracias. Y usted? (frm) Bueno man, gracias. Y tu? (inf) Bueno man, gracias. Y usted? (frm) |
| Long time no see | Hace mucho tiempo no hay mira yo contigo Por cuantos tiempo no hay mira |
| What's your name? | Cosa di uste nombre? (frm) Cosa su gracia? (vfrm) Cosa tu nombre? (inf) Cosa de vos nombre? (inf) Vos nombre cosa? (crs) |
| My name is ... | Mi nombre es ... Mi nombre ... |
| Where are you from? | De donde lugar tu? (inf) De donde lugar usted? (frm) De donde lugar vos? (crs) |
| I'm from ... | De ... yo |
| Pleased to meet you | Mucho gusto de conocer contigo Alegre yo conoce contigo |
| Good morning (Morning greeting) |
Buenas dias |
| Good afternoon (Afternoon greeting) |
Buenas tardes |
| Good evening (Evening greeting) |
Buenas noches |
| Good night | Buenas noches |
| Goodbye (Parting phrases) |
Adios Anda ya yo (said by the one leaving) Hasta la Vista Hay vene ya yo (I'll return already) |
| Good luck! | Buena suerte |
| Cheers! Good Health! (Toasts used when drinking) |
Salud |
| Have a nice day | Que tiene un buen dia |
| Bon appetit / Have a nice meal |
Buen apetito Buen aprovecho Come ya |
| Bon voyage / Have a good journey |
Que tiene tu un buen viaje Que tiene vos un buen viaje Que tiene Usted un buen viaje |
| I don't know | No sabe yo |
| Do you understand? | Ta entende, tu? |
| I understand | Ta entende yo Si, ta entende yo |
| I don't understand | Jendeh yo ta entende |
| Please speak more slowly | Por favor habla mas despacio |
| Please write it down | Favor escribi ese |
| Please say that again | Favor, habla otra ves |
| Do you speak English? | Sabe tu combersa Ingles? |
| Do you speak Chabacano? | Habla usted Chabacano? (frm) Habla ba tu Chabacano? (inf) Habla evos Chabacano? (inf) |
| Yes, a little (reply to 'Do you speak ...?') |
Si, un poco |
| How do you say ... in Chabacano? | Como se dice ... en chabacano? Como se habla ... en chabacano? Que modo se dice ... en chabacano? |
| Do you speak a language other than Chabacano? |
Sabe tu combersa otro lenguahe, hinde lang Chavacano? |
| Excuse me | Permiso Con permiso Tabih po |
| How much is this? | Cuanto este? |
| Sorry | Perdona conmigo |
| Thank you | Gracias |
| Reply to thank you | De nada No hay de que |
| Where's the toilet / bathroom? | Donde esta el inodoro? |
| This gentleman will pay for everything | Este caballero hay paga para todo (frm) Este hombre hay paga para todo (inf) |
| This lady will pay for everything | Este dama hay paga para todo (frm) Este mujer hay paga para todo (inf) |
| Would you like to dance with me? | Quiere usted baila conmigo? (frm) Quiere ba tu baila conmigo? (inf) Quiere evos baila conmigo? (inf) |
| I miss you | Tan triste yo kontigo |
| I love you | Ama yo contigo Ta ama yo contigo (frm) Contigo ta ama (inf) Quiere yo Quiere yo contigo |
| Get well soon | Recupera usted pronto! Recupera tu pronto! Recupera vos pronto! |
| Leave me alone! | Deja conmigo! |
| Help! | Socorro! Ayuda conmigo! |
| Fire! | Fuego! |
| Stop! | Para usted! Para tu! Para vos! Basta! |
| Call the police! | Llama con el policia! |
| Christmas greetings | Feliz Pascuas |
| New Year greetings | Prospero Año Nuevo |
| Easter greetings | Felices pascua |
| Birthday greetings | Feliz cumpleaños |
| One language is never enough | Jendeh gayot bastante un idioma lang Jendeh gayot bastante un lenguaje lang |
| My hovercraft is full of eels | Mio banca lleno de anguilas Mio hovercraft lleno de anguilas |
Phrases provided by Arben Anthony Saavedra and Maria Ramona Ledesma
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.
Hear some Chabacano of Zamboanga phrases
Information about Chabacano | Phrases in Chabacano de Zamboanga & Chabacano de Cavite
Another collection of Chabacano phrases
http://www.zamboanga.com/chavacano/chavacano_de_zamboanga_speak.htm
Bislama, Cape Verdean Creole, Chabacano de Zamboanga, Chabacano de Cavite, Haitian Creole, Jamaican, Mauritian Creole, Norfuk, Papiamento, Réunion Creole, Sango, Sierra Leone Creole, Tok Pisin
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