This content is being continuously updated here: Bayambang Municipal News: Glossary of Pangasinan Idiomatic Expressions
"Lupa'y Aga Mamarigo," "Sinmabo'y Dala," and other Idiomatic Expressions in Bayambang, Pangasinan
Pangasinenses, particularly Bayambangueños, have very colorful everyday expressions, especially when it comes to idiomatic expressions.
To review our English class lesson... Idioms are words and phrases that mean something else, often very far away, from their literal meaning. They are a fascinating feature of speech in that they spice up the language and always have interesting backstories. How each idiomatic expression came about and eventually put into common usage needs a lot of historical research it would be like digging into a town's history.
Discovering the meaning of each idiom is revelatory, for it never fails to show the local color when the place was still young: what things surrounded our ancestors' daily lives, what they did for a living, and how they lived their life in general.
How many of these idiomatic expressions that have been "bunga'y sangi" (literally, "fruit of the mouth") or traditionally often used in Bayambang, Pangasinan, can we still hear being used these days?
Ampetang so sangim (literal translation: "You have a hot mouth.") – a more negative version of "Magdilang anghel"
Amputi'y layag (white-eared) – pala-away; war freak
Aga nalukso'y duweg (A carabao can't leap over it.) – matao, mataas; many/crowded; too high to hurdle
Anggapo’y kaasi-asin mo (You don't have an iota of salt in you.) – walang respeto; disrespectful
Umpepeket su bisukol (The snail sticks to it.) – mabagal; ever-so-slow
Singa manaakar ed bulan (like walking on the moon.) – mabagal; slow
Loob-loob ya singa aso (entering like a dog) – pumapasok nang walang paalam; entering without permission
Singa kinaykay na manok (like the chicken has scratched it) – magulo o pangit ang sulat; refers to messy handwriting
Manasewek so eleng (nose smoking) – galit; angry
Manngangalngal na ngalab (chewing on hot coals) – walang preno ang bibig pag nagalit; trash talker
Atagey so tikyab (matayog ang lipad; high-flyer) – mataas ang pangarap; dreaming of things too great or too big for oneself
Paatageya'y sirit (pataasan ng ihi; pissing contest) – payabangan; as though trying to outdo one another in boastfulness or pride
Matalker so tenger to (stiff-necked) – di namamansin; snob
Tangay-tangay ed Pozorrubio (Looking up hopelessly lost somewhere in Pozorrubio [a town in northern Pangasinan]) – nawawala; lost one's way
Makarinyon inpanmata (karinyosong mata; coquettish eyes) - refers to a person who amorously attracts somebody through the eyes
Pekpek ed duweg, batil ed baka (the carabao takes the hit, but the cow gets the bruise) - refers to a person who got hurt by words that were directed at someone else
Impaduweg ya trabaho (like a carabao's work) - refers to a person who spends a lot of time working
Balbaleg so ulom (You're swell-headed.) - used to refer to someone boastful
Matarakin lalong (handsome rooster) - handsome man
Anggatel so dilam (your tongue is itchy) - refers to a person who talks too much and spreads gossip
Nanbukas ya pagew (opens his/her breast) - a person who expresses or shows his/her feeling from the heart
Di bato'y duweg (a carabao with stone) - refers to a person who eats a lot
Mata’y pantat (catfish eyes) - refers to someone chinky-eyed
Anaw-awet so ulo (hard-headed) - refers to someone whose ways are stubbornly difficult to change
Matdem so dila (matalim ang dila; has a sharp tongue) - refers to a person who talks too much, often below the belt
Bulsa ya abutaw (butas na bulsa; pocket with a hole) - walang pera; refers to a person who doesn’t have money
Alauka'y t*e (like sh*t suddenly got mixed with it) - yung biglang nasira ang seryosong usapan sa pagpasok ng isang panira sa usapan (maaaring komiko na karakter); refers to a conversation that is ruined with the arrival of an interloper
Wala'y sakit ya manok, Mansasakit so manok (The chicken is sick.) - makakaugip, inaantok, sleepy, looking drowsy all the time
Inibong to'y digo (He/she spilled the broth.) - "guminhawa na, napakawalan pa ang swerte"; unintentionally revealed something confidential
Namagaa'y dika (The grass will get dry.) - it takes one too long to do something
Naksel so kalsada, narasa'y kusina. (The street is full, the kitchen is hungry.) - being showy in an unseemly way
Inyanak ya maeta (born raw or uncooked) - born ugly
Samal (poison) - unwanted fellow, like one who uses his badge to get a free ride
Sangkakutdang (Kayang-kaya ng isang hakbang; You can reach it with just one step) - so near
Kalkalnaa'y dalan (slowly ease one's way to the road) - parting shot signaling to go ahead and go home
Ambete-betel so dalikan. (The clay stove is so cold.) - walang kaprepara-preparasyon; no preparation at all
Uusila'y apangat (a fly is running after something/someone) - mabaho; stinky
Manduruwa'y kanunutan (having two thoughts) - di sigurado; not sure, could hardly decide
Sansangkarangan (just a span) - sobrang liit; too small/too tiny
Martir ya ina/asawa, etc. (martyr mother/spouse) - ever patient
Agka la akilem! (how come the edge of your teeth is not in pain?; di ka na nangilo!) - di ka na nahiya; daring or not ashamed of bragging
Mansasnit (scorchingly hot) - tapos agad/ubos agad; easily done/easily sold out
Asasnit (scorched) - biglang naglaho/nawala; hastily gone
Ayaman to'y dalan (always on the road) - layas, laging umaalis; always on the go, or always on travel
Apatikey to'y kuldon to (had his/her shoelaces short) - madaling napikon; got easily irritated/impatient
Patageya'y sirit (having a pissing contest) - payabangan; competing as to who is smartest/best
Mabmabli'y imis (one's smile is expensive) - bihira kung ngumiti; hardly smiles
In-garahe (kept in the garage) - itinabi; set aside because it is no longer usable
Kinmamatis (turned tomato-like) - namaga; swollen
Nabilang na gamet (can be counted with one's fingers) - kaunti lang; few, can be counted
Aga nabilang na gamet (can't be counted with one's fingers) - di mabilang; innumerable
Dukol-dukol ed inawa (lying in comfort) - resting in one's riches
Napantanema'y agat (can be planted with ginger) - sobrang duming damit; so soiled/so dirty (referring to clothes)
Inabet da ed sangi'y buwaya (was met at the crocodile's mouth) - rescued by the skin of his teeth
Nalibre'y kinalat na uleg (the one bitten by a snake will receive a free treat) - aga nalibre; surely will not get a free treat
Nansementod pagew (cemented in the breast) - like truth that could hardly be accepted
Nanbuknol ed beklew (caused a knot inside the neck) - caused one to choke (like water)
Inyupot to'y pinanpisingan to (exhausted his or her source of vegetables) - tinodo ang handaan, ibinuhos na ang lahat ng pera at resources para sa engrandeng okasyon o handaan; threw all caution to the wind
Alaldis (struck or stricken with such ferocity or accuracy) - diretso sa punto; straight, direct to the point
Magata-gata (oozing with coconut milk) - "feel na feel"; very juicy; very expressive; e.g., Magata-gata'y ayew to. (Rough translation: He/she swears like a sailor.)
Bangaw (from the Tagalog word for blowfly?) - one who is always present during celebrations or gatherings that involve food; usually this person looks for one where he could eat for free. Ex.: Galila ta mi-bangaw tayo'd kakaabay. (Roughly: Let's go have free lunch at our neighbor's house.)
Inapuna'y kitat (possessed by a local species of frog that bloats its stomach) - magulo; unruly, uncontrollable, excessively playful
Aga makabini (can't sow a seed) - di makahintay; can’t wait for one’s turn; very impatient
Nikarunyas so dila (The tongue slipped.) - ay nadulas!; used to refer to someone when he or she unintentionally lets out a secret
Masangi-sangi (literally, too 'mouthy', large-mouthed, or speaks in a very loud voice) - matabil ang dila; refers to someone who mindlessly spills the beans (unmindfully reveals a secret to someone who is not supposed to know)
Sinmabo’y dala (blood boils over) - nagalit ng todo; got enraged/extremely furious
Akagatin na t*e (stepped on poop) - mankitley; naglalakad na parang pilay; walks with a limp
Aga unkura-kurap (not batting an eyelash) - matigas sa kanyang desisyon; standing by his word, undeterred
Malmalet ya... (sturdy) - matibay na...; die-hard; Ex.: malmalet ya Katoliko, malmalet ya kaaro, etc. (Die-hard Catholic, die-hard friend, etc.)
Awet (tough) - kuripot; stingy
Ambon (gang up) - pagtulung-tulungan; exert combined effort/strength; Ex. Ambon yo la ta'y trabaho. (Get it done by working together as one.)
Dumalagan siwsiwan (young female chick) - marikit a nananak; gives birth while being single
Singa saksakulap (like an owl [Philippine frogmouth]) - angkakabaleg so mata to, nasilip, nalikas, naimano ton amin; has such big eyes that he can notice everything
Apataa'y lurem (hit by a cloud) - ambagel, makulang-kulang; crazy
Maragem (mahangin; windy) - mapangta; mayabang; boastful
Ag nabuwag na aso (can't be eaten by a dog) - masyadon maramsak a panagsalita; hyper-violent speech
Usila'y danganan (the pillow is chasing after him/her) - makakaugip odino mangiras
Binmuenlag ed layag (humarang ng pahalang sa tenga; blocked the ears horizontally) - something heard which can cause one to react violently
Ansaksakket so linggis (malagkit ang tingin; having a sticky in-a-glutinous-rice-kind-of-way gaze) - enticing, seductive look
Inmawe-awet (tumigas ng todo; hardened to the extreme) - hard-to-convince, die-hard
Anawnawet so bikking (ang tigas ng paa; having such hard feet) - when praised and the person being praised is sort of proud
Lupa'y anyani (mukhang multo; has the face of a ghost) - has an excessively made-up face, which doesn't look nice
Lupa'y aga mamarigo (may mukhang ayaw mamigay ng sabaw; has the face of someone who will not share some broth) - mahirap maloko o mapakiusapan; somebody who won’t give in to something;
someone whom you can’t fool or take advantage of, or simply someone who has a stern face
Makmakdem so matam (ang talim ng mata mo; you have such sharp eyes) - matalas ang paningin; has a keen eyesight
Itangay ed tawen (itaas ang noo sa langit; lift one's head up to the heavens) - used when one is offended but doesn't plan to retaliate; leave it to God
Kalima-lima ([dumating na] tanging kamay lang ang dala; [showing up] with just his hands, empty-handed - coming in with nothing useful
Makapagew (nakakaumay sa dibdib; gets you feeling sickly full in the breast) - cloyingly sweet; to refer to an undesirably/excessively sweet/sugary food
Nantrabahon singa duweg (nagtrabahong parang kalabaw; worked like a carabao) - worked so hard with all his/her strength
Inmaltey (naging parang matigas na atay; has turned livery/liver-like in hardness) - not fluffy, like the consistency of the kutsinta rice cake
Kinmakalangakang - (naging mala-sampalok; has become like tamarind) - refers to feet that have turned like tamarinds
Piglatan la'y obet to, Andeket la'y obet to (scar- or black-bottomed) - dakel la'y pasantes/eksperiyensya to ed bilay; experienced
Akar bakokol (snail's walk) - kereg-kereg; usad pagong; painfully slow
Too'y polong o kalsada (taong daan; a fellow frequenting the street) - paakar; layas; someone always going out
Pananga'y tiki (pagkain ng butiki; house lizard's food) - maomit; mahinang kumain; eats sparingly
Ombak la'y lupa to (odino baog to) (old-faced) - matatken la; matanda na; already old
Misasalaok ya balaok (a meddling ladle) - mabetbet a miakan ed arom ya abong (see also Bangaw); malimit makikain sa ibang bahay; pakialamero; someone who often takes meals in someone else's household
Bunga'y sangi (literally, fruit of the mouth) - laging sinasabi; popular expression
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Other Expressions That May be Non-Idiomatic
The following may serve as similes, hyperboles, and metonyms:
Singa akagatin na ararawan (like you stepped on a mole cricket) - walks like doing a crazy dance
Singa
manok ya kakalasan (like an undomesticated chicken; synonym: Singa
maatap ya manok) - maatap; sobrang mahiyain; takot sa tao; unusually shy
Singa mata'y duweg (parang mata ng kalabaw; like a carabao's eyes) - incredibly big
Singa mata'y kulayot (parang mata ng kuwago; like an owl's eyes) - incredibly big
Singa agat (parang luya; like ginger) - refers to webbed feet with deformed toes
Singa
napantanema'y agat so salim (parang pwedeng pagtaniman ng luya ang paa
mo; looks like one can plant ginger in your feet) - you have such dirty
feet
Singa duweg (parang kalabaw; like a carabao) - huge and untidy
Singa ginawan kanen (like some sort of rice cake) - nalnala; kuhang-kuha; done perfectly
Singa
inapunan (as though possessed by spirits) - parang wala sa sarili;
refers to someone who is not his usual self, or to someone acting
strangely or weird
Singa ka inkutkot a kamote (you are like a sweet potato that was buried) – mostly refers to a child who gets dirty after playing
Singa ka mantatanem na belas (You are like planting rice.) - refers to a person who walks so slow
Singa tayo managlako'y tuka (We are like vinegar vendors.) - patunda-tunda, patigil-tigil, stops every now and then
Salin singa agat (o kinmakalangakang) - ginger or tamarind-looking toes or feet
Singa inani ed sirom (like harvested in a shady place) - refers to someone abnormal or with developmental deficit
Singa uong a onsasabi (like a mushroom when coming) - refers to a person that turns up unexpectedly
Singa ka manyekew a manok ("You're like a chicken that is sickly.") – maysakit o mahina; weak or sick
Singa nalad salarek/salaret (like one caught in a bird trap; [salarek is
panghuli ng ibon or bird trap]) - siguradong kuha o huli; sure hit
Man-munggo tayo (Let's have mung beans.) - eat halo-halo
Kodakan mo kami pa. (Shoot us with your Kodak camera.) - take our picture
Apaterter to'y luac (Caused my tears to fall) - has caused me to cry
Nu adiwit, nala. Nu akablit, akila (when touched, it is hit; when nudged by fingers, it goes with it) - "Parehas lamlamang!"; "Yun din yun!"; even if a word is not pronounced or spelled correctly, if it’s used and pronounced similarly as it should be, then the meaning is the same
Ambalbalanga syanga - (so red) - came from a local riddle: "Ambalbalanga syanga, andekereket syaket, say makabitla, nakewet; Answer: Bugayong"
Puera anto ca man - "May nothing (bad) happens!"; expressed when someone says something ominous to you
Anac na lasi; Anac na lasi ka; Lasi ka (anak ka ng kidlat; child of lightning) - local version of "Anak ng pating!"; a filler expression that has a range of meanings, from mock irritation to being a mild expletive
Gumarangandyang (?) - used to refer to noisy girls who are having fun too much, in an unlady-like way
Maksil ya onsiyangob (malakas ang radar o pang-amoy; has a strong sense of smell) - has a strong sense of where a nice opportunity lies, as in he/she knows where every party is
Mandyalteng (?) - restless not because one is sick but just to get the attention of others, so she flits from one point to another
Talampyaw (?) - ill-mannered flirt
Sumayet (malandi; ) - flirt
Bandyaw (?) - sa mga kababaihan, baduy na pagdadala ng damit; lousy dressing style among women, i.e., those who love wearing ill-fitting because extra-loose skirts and the like
Dadarayet (?) - haggard-looking
Sirin? (ah ganun?; oh yeah?) - a local version of ngarud in Ilocano, gani in Visayan, and na in Tagalog; a sentence filler serving an intensive or emphatic purpose; Ex. Onla ti la sirin -- instead of just Onla ti la
Anggapo'y wala (walang meron; nothing there) - that's nothing; don't mention it (equivalent of "you're welcome")
Mangkungkuanan (nagkukunwari; pretending) - to pretend
Kuatit (baliw; crazy person) - a fool, and this includes her manner of dressing, grooming, and gestures
Ag ka pad 'tan! (Huwag ka nga diyan!; roughly, Don't you be so...?) - roughly, scram or leave me alone
Imbaga-bagam ("Sinabi mo pa!") - "You said it!"
Anigang met!/Animas! (euphemism for "Animal!") - exclamatory element in a situation like, Anigang met. Akin inbagam lan tampol? Animas la yan traffic, na-late ak la lamet! (roughly, What the heck! Why did you say it right away? What the heck, I'll be late again!)
Mataldit (?) - food that you least prefer to eat
Tunggal daiset (per little bit) - utay-utay, unti-unti; bit by bit; Ex.: Tunggal daiset ya napelag
Agka mangitaltalek; Aga mangabkabilang ("Di ka sumusunod [sa utos]!"?) - "You're not giving due respect, as though you hear nothing [I say]!"
Mamaong (roughly, domineering) - siga-siga, may kayabangan at pagkadominante; pretending to be somebody, domineering
Batot-banting ([no translation]) - burloloy; tiny, insignificant adornment; Ex.: Nambabangil ya batot-banting to!
Bakes; Bakes ka? (Unggoy!; Unggoy ka?; Monkey!; Are you a monkey?) - ekspresyong gamit upang pagsabihan ang kabataan na bastos, hindi nagmamano, dumadaan sa harap ng mga matatanda na nag-uusap nang walang "Excuse me!"; an expression used against a child who gives no reverence to elders
Anggales, Anggale-gales (madulas; slippy, slick) - Ex.: Angale-gales ya bii (Sexy woman)
Mareen la'y panamaley to (has a peaceful married life) - refers to a person who has settled down (gotten married and started his/her own family)
Agabangatan (short for “Aga abangatan”; literally, haven't been taught
good manners [by one's parents]) - may refer to someone who is pilyo, naughty, playful or downright mean
Maka-tetano , Maka-tetanus (You can catch tetanus with it.) - latian, kinakalawang, rusty
Sarsarit, Saro-saro ([no literal translation]) - nakikisawsaw sa usapan;
unnecessarily being around a group of people or a conversation where a
person’s presence is not being sought
PROFILERS/MAPPERS: Marie B. Macaraeg, Lyka Mae S. Neri, Theresa M. Cayabyab, Via G. Garcia, Teddy Boy S. Cayabyab, Jerhome P. Ramos, Freda Joy R. Del Monte, Brix Adam Palarca, Renalyn Siapno, Princes Geen Andoy, Jandrei Frias, Rosemarie Macam, Grade 12 HUMSS-Psalms, Bayambang National High School
ADVISER: Mr. Christopher Q. Gozum (Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions)
Date Profiled: January 15, 2019
RESOURCE PERSONS: Lucida Ali, 63, Brgy. Telbang; Ma. Teresa D. Macaraeg, 60, Brgy. Tanolong; Rosalinda Jacalne, 63, Brgy. Tamaro; Erlinda dela Cruz, 62, Brgy. Bical Sur; Raul Garcia, 44, Brgy. Buayaen; Natividad Cayabyab, 83, Brgy. San Gabriel 1st; Pedro B. Lucena, 80, Nalsian Norte; Remedios I. Siapno, 63, Poblacion, Basista; Myrie M. Andoy, 58, San Gabriel 2nd; Leonora S. Rivera, 81, Tambac; Crispina Rives Malicdem, 88, M.H. Del Pilar; Susana S. Macabulos, 57, Nalsian Norte,
ADDITIONAL RESOURCE PERSONS: Dr. Leticia B. Ursua; Dr. Nicolas Miguel; Lily Luz Ursua-Abella; Flora Eve; Oscar Ora; Gloria Valenzuela; Mildred Odon; Resty S. Odon; Romeo J. Odon; Verna M. Ferrer
CONSULTANTS: Santiago Villafania, Melchor Orpilla
TRANSLATOR: Resty S. Odon
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