Tagalog speakers in the Philippines have many ways of greeting other people. It is common also to hear them say “Hi” or “Hello” as a form of greeting, especially among close friends. There are no Tagalog translation for these English greetings because they are basically borrowed terms, and any English-speaking person will be readily understood by Filipinos in general (English is widely spoken in the Philippines, a former colony of the USA for nearly 50 years!). Below are a few Tagalog greetings that are important to learn if one wants to endear himself/herself to Filipinos.