Greeting Norms

Although Tagalog is spoken in many countries, in the Philippines the typical greeting is “kumusta kayo” which is Tagalog for “how are you?” How you greet someone depends on the age of the person you are greeting and the familiarity you have with that person.

• When greeting someone they do not know, men tend to give a light handshake with a smile. Women simply smile and wave.

• When greeting a close friend or family member, men tend to give a handshake and a pat on the back. Women will greet each other with a hug and a kiss.

• When greeting a person older than you that is within your generation, you must refer to that person as “kuya” if it is a man and “ate” if it is a woman.

A gesture that is a common greeting is the one called “mano”. It is done only with elders and is sign of respect towards them or a way of accepting a blessing from them. In this gesture, the person bows down and presses his/her forehead on the hand of the elderly person offering it.

Communication styles

In the case of Filipinos, they use indirect communication very often. They do this to avoid embarrassment or humiliation on either side because of something that was said. They are not direct and they do not speak harshly. They are very polite and hardly ever interrupt someone else. When they do share their opinion, they do so humbly to avoid seeming haughty.

Because they do not speak directly, what they say normally has an underlying meaning and it takes effort to understand clearly what they are really trying to communicate.

When speaking to those who are older or of high status, at the end of the sentence they say “po” in order to be respectful. In Tagalog, “thank you” is “salamat” but if you were speaking to someone older or of high status you would be expected to say “salamat po”.

Personal space and touching

When interacting with people they are familiar with, Filipinos tend to prefer standing at an arm's length from one another. Around strangers this distance is farther. However, in public areas like a market or subway, personal space is often limited and pushing is common.

Eye contact and gestures

While Filipinos often laugh in conversations, the meaning of laughter tends to depend on the situation. At times, laughing may indicate happiness or pleasure, while other times it may be used to relieve tension. In some circumstances, laughter is used as an attempt to cover embarrassment.

Putting one’s hands on their hips is a sign of anger. Filipinos may point to objects by puckering their lips and moving their mouths in the direction they are pointing to. If a Filipino wants someone’s attention, it is common for them to make a sound like ‘pssst’.