Mexican Sayings in Tagalog
Dichos Mexicanos en Tagalog
Kasabihang Meksikano sa Tagalog
By: Maria Remedios Layug Zachary
Sa bawat sinungaling may higit pang magaling
A un mentiroso otro mayor
For every liar there is a bigger liar
Pag matigas ang kanin, hasain ang ipin
(Tinapay does not rhyme with ipin but Kanin does)
A pan duro diente agudo
Hard bread, sharp teeth
Adjust your effort to the difficulty of your situation
Camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente
Who among the Tagalog speakers has not heard "Hipong tulog tinatangay ng agos"?
A sleeping shrimp is being taken away by the current
I find it amusing that our Tagalog version is a literal translation of the Spanish version. However, in the USA they say it differently: " If you snooze, you lose" Translated literally into Spanish: Si duermes, pierdes
La subida más alta es la caída más dolorosa
Fall from the highest place is the most painful
Tagalog has something similar: Kung anong taas ng lipad siyang lakas ng lagapak
Hangad ng maganda ang kapalaran ng pangit
La suerte de la fea, la bonita la desea
Fate of the ugly one is the desire of the pretty one
Ang hindi tumitingin sa patutunguhan naiiwan
Quien adelante no mira, atrás se queda
He who does not look forward is left behind
Ang hindi binibigyan ng Diyos ng mga anak, pinahihiraman ni Satanas ng mga pamangkin
A quien Dios no le da hijos, el diablo le presta sobrinos
To him who God doesn’t give children, is loaned nephews by the Devil
Said of someone who has no problems of his own but is dealing with someone else’s. Having no responsibility but the obligation is there.
Kasalan ng mahihirap pabrika ng manglilimos
Casamiento de pobres, fábrica de limosneros
Wedding of poor people, factory of beggars
Poverty breeds poverty
Nawawala ang kalasingan ngunit hindi ang kapangitan
Lo borracho se quita pero lo feo no
Drunkeness goes away, but not ugliness
Mabuti pang matandang dalaga kay sa masama ang asawa
Vale mas quedada, que mal casada
Better unmarried than deal with an a**hole
Sinong loko ang kakain ng apoy
no hay loco que coma lumbre
No fool will eat a fire
Ignorant or lacking in cognitive skills a person may be, he does not choose the worst on his own free will
Pag mura, mahal
lo barato cuesta caro
That which is cheap costs more
Trying to save money by buying at a low price winds up more costly because cheap items don’t last long
Sa serbesa nawawala ang dusa
Con cerveza se quita la tristeza
With beer sorrows go away
Don’t take this saying seriously. We all know what alcohol can do
Pag iilan lang ang kumakain, marami ang kanin
Está bien entre menos burros, mas elotes
It’s okay among fewer donkeys, more corn cobs
When fewer people are using the same resources, everyone can have more
Ang tagal nang kondesa, hindi pa rin marunong mamaypay
tanto tiempo de condesa, y no saber mover el abanico
Long time a countess, and does know how to move a hand fan
Been in a job for too long but still cannot perform his duties
Ang panglabing-isang utos, Hwag mambwisit
EL ONCENO, NO ESTORBAR
Bothering someone should be considered a great offense and should have been the eleventh commandment. I could have used mangistorbo a Tagalog word with Spanish origin estorbar, but to me the word mambwisit has a stronger effect
Kaya binigyan ng Diyos ng pakpak ang langgam ay upang mas madaling mamatay
Dios le da alas a la hormiga, para morir más pronto
God gave wings to the ant so it can die sooner
Just because you don’t have what someone else has it does not mean your fate is worse
May mga taong isinilang sa ilalim ng bituin at mayroon din namang napukpok ang ulo kaya nakakakita ng bituin
Unos nacen con estrella y otros nacen estrellados
Some are born lucky but some are prone to ill-fate
Nakakita ng bituin is a flowery way of saying seeing stars is the effect of being hit in the head. This I know because I grew up hearing it as a kid. Only one in the internet made a reference to this (can be found by typing in:
#(Fair use) lakas ng kamao ni donaire, nakakita ng mga bituin ang kalaban ni donaire
Habang ako ay nasa bahay ko, ako ang hari
Mientras que en mi casa estoy rey soy
It is my house therefore I rule
Malaki ang pagkakaiba ni Pedro kay Pedro
Mucho va de Pedro a Pedro
Everyone is unique. Two people can have the same name but they are not the same
Ang katamaran ay ina ng kahirapan
Pereza es la madre de la pobreza
Laziness is the mother of poverty
Work, so you don’t go hungry but what if you are a trust fund baby?
Sa tumtakbong kaaway, pilak na tulay
A enemigo que huye, puente de plata
To the fleeing enemy, silver bridge
When your enemies are running away from you, make it easier for them to flee
Hindi nakakamatay ang kaunting lason
Poco veneno no mata
Small poison does not kill
Ang demonyo mahilig sa dahlian
Achaques quiere el diablo
Devils always find excuses
Walang magagawa ang mga santo kung ayaw ng Diyos
Cuando Dios no quiere, los santos no pueden
Saints can’t do anything if God doesn’t want it
Rosaryo ang nasa leeg ngunit demonyo ang nasa katawan
El rosario al cuello, y el diablo en el cuerpo
Rosary on his neck, and a devil in his body
He wears a rosary on his neck but he behaves like a devil
Kung hindi magawan ng paraan pagtiisan
Lo que no se puede remediar se tiene que aguantar
If you can’t do anything about it, tolerate it
Pag walang utang walang kinatatakutan
El que nada debe nada teme
He who owes nothing fears nothing
You’ve done right by anyone, what’s there to fear?
Mas kaunti ang daldalan, mas kaunti ang sagutan
A menos palabras, menos pleitos
The fewer the words, the less reason for disputes
Mejor: En boca cerrada no entran moscas
Ingatan ang sariling bahay, hindi ang kapitbahay
Cuida Tu Casa Y Deja La Ajena
Pay attention to your house and leave others alone
This is when you tell your nosy neighbor:
No es asunto tuyo
Saan ka man mapunta gawin ang makita
Adonde vayas haz lo que veas
When in Rome do what the Romans do
Santo man sa pasyensiya’y nauubusan
Hasta la paciencia de los santos tiene limite
Even the patience of saints has its limits.
Even saints lose their patience
Mas mabunganga mas kaunti ang mahihita
El que mucho habla poco logra
One who talks too much accomplish little
Hay que sufrir para merecer
One must suffer in order to deserve
There is a similar Tagalog saying; Hirap bago sarap
Hardship before good life, I.e., if you want good things in life, work hard to get it
Nalalaman ang kaibigan kung may karamdaman o nasa kulungan
Las amistades se conocen al estar enfermo o en la cárcel
Friendship is known when sick or in jail. One does not know his real friends until he is in trouble.
Mas maalam ang tonto sa bahay niya kaysa marunong na hindi naman doon nakatira
Sabe más el tonto en su casa que el sabio en la ajena
A fool is smarter in his own house than a smart person in someone else’s house
Familiarity has its advantage
Hindi makabasag pinggan at ang taas ng mga basag
Parece que no quiebra un plato y tiene el alto roto
Looks like he doesn’t break a plate and he has a tall stack of broken ones
Someone who looks like a firm believer in high morals but does otherwise
Kung gusto mong maging kilala, hwag kang magpaaraw sa kama
Si quieres buena fama, no te de el sol en la cama
If you want a good reputation, don’t let the sun shine on you in your bed.
Oversleeping isn’t a good thing
Loko ang Pebrero, ang Marso mas loko
febrero loco y marzo más loco
During the time when communication system was not like what we have nowadays, this saying was created to warn people that the worst of the winter happens in February and that March isn’t any better
There is an American saying; March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb
Samantalahin mo ang kakaunti habang ang loko ay naghahanap ng higit
Goza de tu poco mientras busca mas el loco
Enjoy what little you found while the others are not enjoying because they’re too busy looking for more
Kung gusto mo akong kumanta, bayad ka muna
Si quieres que yo cante , venga la paga delante
If you want me to sing, pay first
Las malas noticias vuelven
Ang masamang balita nagbabalik
Bad news do come back, i.e. you don’t hear it only once
Bawat ulo ay mundo
Cada cabeza es un mundo
Each head is a world
The world is what we perceive it to be and each person’s head processes reality in this world differently
