How Much?

We have covered the basics in numbers and counting. When roaming the streets of the Philippines, you will find street vendors, kantinas (small convenience stores), and you will also bump into a few vendors who carry their products with them as they walk along like this guy:


This photo is upload from kalandrakas photostream

In any case, you'll need to learn how to purchase something...for example: a snack from the kantina, or a bananaque from a street vendor.

Sagmamano ti...... bananaque, Manang? How much is..... the bananaque, Sister?

or

Ania iti presyo na daytoy/dayta? What is the price of this/that?

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Of course we've covered "titles" in our previous lessons so use the appropriate title to the vendor..

Manang = Older Female
Manong = Older Male
Ading = Younger Male or Female

These three titles are the most common that you will be using on the street.

When you are riding a bus or a jeepney or tricycle, you would say:
Mano ti plete?.....How much is the fare?
translate to "Magkano ang bayad?" inTagalog

Kanyam dayta baryan.....Keep the change

translate to....Sa iyo na yan barya in tagalog.

In this lesson, we've covered the "How-to in How Much"
On the street...
1. Sagmamano ti.....? How much is the.......?
2. Ania iti presyo na daytoy/dayta? What is the price of this/that?

In a vehicle....
3. Mano ti plete? How much is the fare?
4. Kanyam dayta baryan. Keep the change (the change is yours)

And don't forget how to say, "Para! Para!".....which means Stop! Stop!...only do so if you are in a jeepney and if the driver does not know where you are actually wanting to get off. Otherwise, they will keep going on their way.

This will get you by for now....

Sorry for the absence

We are currently working a couple of big things, that have had our hands tied. We should have some new study material up next week, so make sure to check back. We look forward to seeing you again.

Baybayin or Alibata

As you may have noticed by now Ilokano uses the standard roman alphabet. So you may be wondering what those symbols up in the clouds of our header image are, or the little icon next to our site address. That is the old Filipino script called baybayin or alibata. The particular ones I put there spell out Ilokano, and simply the symbol for "I" respectively.

Baybayin is a relativly easy script to learn. Each symbol represents either just a vowel or a consonant plus a vowel combination. The base vowel for each consonant pairing is "a" adding a dot above changes it to "e/i" and a dot below changes it to "o/u."

If you are a serious student of language or simply want to get a feel for how things used to be I suggest learning the script. It is rewarding and can benefit you learning. Also, it is a great way to encrypt your notes and messages as few people would actually be able to read them.

For more information check out the sites Baybayin.com as well as Sarisari . Also, click Read more to see a video from Baybayin.com on writing.

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If video doesn't load click HERE.

In the future we will include more on writing, simply as a way to take your Ilokano to a new level.

Until next time. Ditakayon.