Cooking & Markets

1. Paano niluluto ang adobo?

   How do you cook adobo?

   Usage

   Asking about the recipe for Philippine adobo

   Grammar Note

   "Niluluto" = present object-focus of "luto" (cook). "Paano" = how. Adobo is the Philippine national dish — meat braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and bay leaves. Every family has their own recipe.

2. Ano ang mga sangkap ng sinigang?

   What are the ingredients of sinigang?

   Usage

   Asking about ingredients for sinigang, a Filipino sour soup

   Grammar Note

   "Mga" is the plural marker. "Sangkap" = ingredients. Sinigang is a sour tamarind-based soup with pork, shrimp, or fish, and vegetables — one of the Philippines' most beloved dishes.

3. Kailangan naming mag-marinate ng karne.

   We need to marinate the meat.

   Usage

   Describing a preparation step in cooking

   Grammar Note

   "Mag-marinate" = mag- + English "marinate". "Karne" from Spanish "carne" (meat). Philippine cuisine has many Spanish loanwords due to 300+ years of colonial influence.

4. Lutuin sa mababang apoy nang tatlumpung minuto.

   Cook on low heat for thirty minutes.

   Usage

   Giving cooking instructions about heat and time

   Grammar Note

   "Lutuin" = object-focus imperative of "luto" (cook) with -in suffix. "Mababang apoy" = low fire/heat. "Tatlumpu" = thirty. "-ng" is the linker. Common structure for cooking instructions.

5. Ihalo ang asukal at asin.

   Mix in the sugar and salt.

   Usage

   Recipe instruction to add and mix ingredients

   Grammar Note

   "Ihalo" = i- (object focus) + "halo" (mix), imperative form. "Asukal" = sugar, from Arabic via Spanish. "Asin" = salt (native Tagalog). "At" = and. Common in recipe instructions.

6. Idagdag ang bawang at sibuyas.

   Add garlic and onion.

   Usage

   Adding garlic and onion, essential in most Filipino dishes

   Grammar Note

   "Idagdag" = i- (object focus imperative) + "dagdag" (add). Most Filipino dishes start with garlic (bawang), onion (sibuyas), and sometimes tomato (kamatis) — the holy trinity of Filipino cooking.

7. Mayroon ka bang colander para salain ang pasta?

   Do you have a colander to drain the pasta?

   Usage

   Asking about cooking utensils in the kitchen

   Grammar Note

   "Salain" = to strain/drain (object focus). "Para" = for/in order to. "Pasta" is borrowed from Italian/English. Filipino cuisine reflects Spanish, American, and Asian influences.

8. Handa na ang pagkain.

   The food is ready.

   Usage

   Announcing that the meal is ready to serve

   Grammar Note

   "Handa" = ready. "Na" signals completion = already. "Pagkain" = pag- nominalization of "kain" (eat) = food. "Kain na!" (Let's eat!) is the common call to the dinner table.

9. Magtimpla tayo ng sawsawan.

   Let's make a dipping sauce.

   Usage

   Preparing a dipping sauce, essential in Filipino meals

   Grammar Note

   "Tayo" = we (inclusive of both speaker and listener). "Magtimpla" = to mix/prepare. "Sawsawan" is the Filipino dipping sauce — often vinegar, soy sauce, and calamansi (Filipino lime).

10. Gumagamit kami ng patis bilang pampalasa.

    We use fish sauce (patis) as a seasoning.

    Usage

    Introducing patis, a key Filipino seasoning ingredient

    Grammar Note

    "Gumagamit" = present of "gamit" (use) with -um-. "Bilang" = as/being. "Patis" is Filipino fish sauce, similar to Thai nam pla. "Pampalasa" = seasoning ("pang-", a prefix for instruments or purposes, + "palasa", flavor). Essential in Filipino cooking.

11. Tokwa

    Tofu

    Usage

    Tofu as an ingredient

12. Sabaw

    Soup / broth

    Usage

    Soup or the broth of a dish

13. Prutas

    Fruit

    Usage

    Fruit in general

14. Bawang

    Garlic

    Usage

    Point to buy garlic or ask for a dish without it

15. Sibuyas

    Onion

    Usage

    Point to buy onion or ask for a dish without it

16. Sili

    Chili

    Usage

    Point to check whether a dish has chili

17. Wansoy

    Coriander / cilantro

    Usage

    Coriander leaf; also useful for asking to leave it out

18. Luya

    Ginger

    Usage

    Ginger, also the base of the hot drink "salabat"

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