In similar fashion that I would often espouse in my articles at DuLaBoo for a need to learn the conversational aspect of another language, I decided to try using a video simulation that would help in exposing Tagalog in a conversational manner. So for the first lesson that I have decided to use a video clip with transcript, I would be using a clip in tradition of Throwback Thursday: Balakubak
Balakubak is a skit from the defunct gag show "Nuts Entertainment" that used to air on the Kapuso network, GMA. Balakubak is an acronym coined by one of the hosts, Joey de Leon, which means "Balita at Kuwentong Bakla" (Loose Translation: News and Stories So Gay). Prior to writing this blog entry, I even transcribed the interview for the sake of using it for teaching Tagalog. And you know that Tagalog lessons are a lot easier to digest when there is a little gossip inserted in between. We're not in the classroom so take advantage of that little loophole in learning Tagalog.
I will be putting some time marks and mark the quips that entertainment talent manager, Alfie Lorenzo, made to guide you with the things said in the video while learning segment in Filipino culture as you learn Tagalog sentences.
[Alfie] Maglalagay ka kung saan-saan, di ba? Pa-publish mo, ganun, di ba? Sabi ko, ngayon umaani na ako ng tagumpay eh. Namumunga na itong ano ko, di ba? Citrus (laughter) di ba? [You put articles everywhere. You publish them.. I said now I am reaping my success. My "citrus tree" has borne fruit.]
[0:12] [Alfie] Sabi niya, "Bakit Judy Ann na lang? Di ka na nagma-manage ng iba?" Ang sagot ko naman, alam mo naman, suplada ako di ba? When you have the best, why worry about the rest?
Milyones na di ba? ["Why manage only Judy Ann? Why not manage someone else anymore?" I said and you know how much of a snob am i "When you have the best, why worry about the rest?" I'm already earning millions.]
[0:27] Pagusapan natin si Judy Ann, siyempre ikaw nakakaalam ng mga sikreto niya.
Talaga bang sila ni Ryan ikakasal na? [Let's talk about Judy Ann. Of course, you know all of her secrets. Are they of Ryan really getting married?]
[0:37] [Alfie] Ah wala. Diyan ko naman hinahangaan yung dalawa. Hindi yung nagkainlaban sila, they don't just jump into the pool. [No plans. It's where I admire them. Not because they fell in love, they don't just jump into the pool.]
[0:45] Di ba uso ngayon ang lipatan? Si Judy Ann ba eh lilipat dito sa GMA balang araw? [Switching networks is the trend, right? Is Judy Ann transferring to GMA soon?]
[0:54] [Alfie] Matagal nang may alok ang banker kaya lang to my- {There is an offer from the banker but to my-]
[1:00] Parang casino pa rin, may banker? {This is so casino. There is a banker?]
[1:02] [Alfie] Umover dun eh ... Dodoblehin namin. Okay ... Deal. Di ba? [They exceeded the offer. They said they're going to double the offer. Okay. Deal, right?]
Wow
[1:10] Alam mo natutuwa ako kasi kahit madalas siya sa ibang bansa napapanood pa rin niya tayo kaya katulad noong, alam niya yung bangka eh [You know, I am glad since even if he is often in other countries, he still watches us, that's why he knew the banca.]
Ay!
Gusto niya magbangka.Kaya eto na, babangkain na natin. [He wanted to do banca. So here we'll go banca on him.]
Okay
[1:22] Alfie, sasagot ka lang ha? [Alfie, all you got to do is answer okay?]
[Alfie] Sige nga [Go ahead]
Kunwari nasa bangka kayong tatlo. [Let's pretend that there are 3 of you in a banca.]
Nino?
Tumaob yung bangka [The banca flipped over.]
Oh
Tapos yung dalawa mong kasama di marunong lumangoy. [Then both of your companions don't know how to swim.]
So sino una mong isi-save? [Who would you save first?]
Si Lolit Solis o si Douglas Quijano? [Lolit Solis or Douglas Quijano?]
[1:41] [Alfie] Ang sarili ko [Myself.]
Hindi nga. Bukod nga sa yo. Ikaw lang ang marunong lumangoy eh. [No. Other than yourself. You're the only person on the banca that can swim.]
[1:48] [Alfie] Parang ano yata, meron bang dapat pagpilian? Meron bang dapat pagpilian, ganun?
Baka si Douglas na lang kasi helpless yun talaga eh. Si Lolit, can do yun o di ba? Puede siyang bumili ng sarili niyang salbabida. [It seems like ... do I really have a choice? Do I really have a choice? Maybe Douglas because he's really a helpless person. Lolit can survive on her own. She can buy her own floating device.]
[2:06] Hmm, ganun ulit. Tumaob yung bangka. Kanino mo ibibigay yung nagiisang lifevest? Kay Ryan o kay Piolo? [Okay let's do that again. The banca flipped over. To whom would you give the only lifevest? To Ryan or to Piolo?]
[2:16] [Alfie] Siyempre sa Papa* ko ano? [Of course to my Papa right?]
Sino yun? [Who is that?]
[Alfie] Piolo
(laughter)
[2:25] Alam naman natin na isa sa mga best friend mo si Lolit. Nung nangyari itong insidenteng ito*- [We all know that one of your best friends is Lolit. When this incident happened-]
Hindi pinapagalitan pa niyan si Lolit minsan eh [No, he even scolds Lolit sometimes]
Paano mo siyang kinausap? [How did you talk to her?]
[2:35] [Alfie] Ang sabi ko relax ka lang. Yang mga kako, ano yan eh, parang wala akong nakikitang ano dun eh, sabi ko, mali [I said relax. Truth be told, it's like, I don't see much there. I don't see anything wrong there.]
Wala naman ata siyang sinabi talaga- [She didn't really say anything-]
[Alfie] Wala kasi ano binase lang dun sa ano, di naman kasi nag-headline sa ano niya eh [Nothing since they just based those on the headline on her article]
[2:51] Dun sa mga hindi pa naga-out na mga artista, yung mga alam mo na, may bahid ng pagkaberde ang dugo* [To the celebrities that have not come out, those who might have shades of green on their blood-]
[2:58] Kung ikaw nagma-manage sa kanila, halimbawa [If you are their manager]
[3:00] [Alfie] Mga kapatid, magsilabas na kayo sa closet! Mainit diyan! [Sisters, get out of the closet! It's hot in there!]
O kita mo? Sabi sa inyo eh. Iba si Alfie [See? I told you Alfie is unique]
Bigyan mo nga kami ng initials [Give us some initials]
(laughter)
[Alfie] Hindi kasi ano naman. Kasi yung kanya-kanyang trip* lang naman yan eh. [No, here's the thing. It's everyone's choice.]
Pero sa tingin mo marami pang alam mo na ayaw? [But do you think there are still a lot who won't?]
[Alfie] Ang dami naman! [A lot!]
San mas marami? Dito (GMA) o doon (ABS)? [Which network has more closet gays? Here (GMA) or there (ABS)?]
[3:26] [Alfie] Doon! [There!]
Ang tawa ni Wendell! [Boy, did Wendell laugh so hard!]
[Alfie] Oo doon! [Yes, there.]
One is to?
[Alfie] Hindi, yun nga eh. Kanya-kanyang trip yun eh kasi si Rustom, akala niya nun maga-out siya, mas sisikat siya. Wala rin namang nangyari. Kasi nga nowadays, 3-6 months lang ang artista, sabi ko nga di ba? Napilit ba nilang umamin si [name deleted] o di ba? [Name deleted] napilit ba nilang umamin na siya si Rhoda? [No that's the point. It's everyone's choice because Rustom thought that once he comes out, he'd be more famous. But nothing happened. Because nowadays, the celebrity shelf life is only 3 to 6 months as I said before, right? Did they force (name deleted) to come out? Did they get Rhoda to come out?]
[4:03] [Alfie] Pinagdududahan po nila akong bakla talaga yun. Bakla talaga yun. [They are suspicious that he's really gay. He's really gay.]
Bubulungan ba natin si Alfie? Maganda siguro [Shall we whisper questions to Alife? Maybe it's nice]
Bulungan natin [Let's whisper]
Okay
[Alfie] Tapos na ba? [Done?]
Nilalakas eh [You're too loud]
[Alfie] Parang it's not worth it
Wag mong ilalakas yung sagot [Don't say the answer out loud]
Kelangan reaction lang [Just a reaction will do]
Hmm
O sige [Okay]
[Wicked whispers]
[Alfie] Oo naniniwala ako. Bakla nga yun [Yes I believe he's gay.]
HINDEH!!!!! [NOOOOOO!!!!!]
Wala pa nga eh [Nothing's asked yet]
[Alfie] Oh ...
O sige
[4:50] [Alfie] Oh anong itatanong? Nahulaan ko ba? [What are you going to ask? Did I guess it right?]
Oo, parang sinagot mo eh. Pambihira ka eh. [Yes, you answered it. You're one of a kind.]
Pati pandinig ang lakas pa ano? [Even his hearing is so sharp right?]
[5:00] [Alfie] Pinagdududahan po nila akong bakla talaga yun. Bakla talaga yun [They are suspicious to me that he's really gay. He's really gay.]
[5:05] First time nangyari ito [This is the first time that it happened]
[5:10] [Alfie] Ang dami ng mga ebidinsiya. Alam mo, bago mag-out si Rustom, gusto na raw niya mag-out siya. Pero sabi nung ano, nung bading na kaibigan na dati niyang jowa* na nasa San Francisco, "Manghinayang ka sa kinikita mo ano? Saka na lang. Mabuko ka nila e di tumakbo ka na lang. Madami ka nang datung" Sabi. O yun, ga-listen naman. Sino ba yun? [There's a lot of evidence. You know, before Rustom came out, HE (the actor being allegedly whispered) wanted to come out. But his friend that used to be his lover that lives in San Francisco now told him "Feel bad about the lost income. Come out some other time. If ever they get you busted, just run. By that time you have a lot of money" That's what he was told. He listened. Wait was HE the one you're asking about?]
Yun ba yun?
[Alfie] Sino nga ba yun? Siya ba yun talaga? [Who was it anyway? Was it really HIM?]
[5:43] Baka iba yung tinatanong ko [I might be asking of someone else]
Baka iba yung tinatanong niya [He might be asking of someone else]
Alam mo, dapat ibalik talaga natin si Tito Alfie pa sa isa pang episode [You know, we really should bring back Tito Alfie for one more episode]
Sa isang taon [Next year]
[5:52] [Alfie] Kasi siyempre mahihirapan kayong magisip ng itatanong nyo [Because of course, you'd be having a hard time thinking of what to ask me]
Alfie, thank you'ng thank you talaga kasi kulang pa oras natin [Alfie, really really thank you since we ran out of time]
[Alfie] Ano ba? Tapos na ba? [What? It's over?]
Oo [Yes]
Oo dadalawin pa natin si Lolit [Yes, because we still have to visit Lolit]
[Alfie] Ay Dios ko! Kararating ko lang ah [Oh God, I just arrived]
Oo [Yes]
Oy anong message mo kay Lolit? [Any message for Lolit?]
[6:11] [Alfie] Alam mo Lolit hangang-hanga ako sa ginagawa mo. Nung nagi-scam ka, ang premyo mo ... StarTalk. More than 12 years na yan di ba? O kita mo ngayon andyan na naman si Mayor ... tutulungan ka na naman ni Mayor [name deleted]. Magko-contribute na naman yang mga mayors, mga senador, si Bong, si Jinggoy ... hay, ang ending niyan eh pabalik-balik ka na lang ng Spain [You know, Lolit, I admire you a lot for what you do. When you had that filmfest scam, your reward is the talk show, StarTalk. It's more than 12 years now. See. Mayor is now helping you. You will receive contributions again from mayors, senators, Bong, Jinggoy .. in the end you'd just go back and forth to Spain.]
[6:48] Message naman sa mga nagdemanda kay Lolit [Parting words to those who sued Lolit]
[Alfie] Sa mga nagdemanda kay Lolit, condolence. You don't bite the hand that feeds you. Nasa showbiz kayo. Dumating kayo, inabutan nyo lang kami. Magbigay-galang kayo. [To those who sued Lolit, condolence. You don't bite the hand that feeds you. You're in showbiz. You came over and you already found us here. Respect us.]
Ay! Malalim [Oh! That was deep]
[0:12] [Alfie] Sabi niya, "Bakit Judy Ann na lang? Di ka na nagma-manage ng iba?" Ang sagot ko naman, alam mo naman, suplada ako di ba? When you have the best, why worry about the rest?
Milyones na di ba? ["Why manage only Judy Ann? Why not manage someone else anymore?" I said and you know how much of a snob am i "When you have the best, why worry about the rest?" I'm already earning millions.]
[0:27] Pagusapan natin si Judy Ann, siyempre ikaw nakakaalam ng mga sikreto niya.
Talaga bang sila ni Ryan ikakasal na? [Let's talk about Judy Ann. Of course, you know all of her secrets. Are they of Ryan really getting married?]
[0:37] [Alfie] Ah wala. Diyan ko naman hinahangaan yung dalawa. Hindi yung nagkainlaban sila, they don't just jump into the pool. [No plans. It's where I admire them. Not because they fell in love, they don't just jump into the pool.]
[0:45] Di ba uso ngayon ang lipatan? Si Judy Ann ba eh lilipat dito sa GMA balang araw? [Switching networks is the trend, right? Is Judy Ann transferring to GMA soon?]
[0:54] [Alfie] Matagal nang may alok ang banker kaya lang to my- {There is an offer from the banker but to my-]
[1:00] Parang casino pa rin, may banker? {This is so casino. There is a banker?]
[1:02] [Alfie] Umover dun eh ... Dodoblehin namin. Okay ... Deal. Di ba? [They exceeded the offer. They said they're going to double the offer. Okay. Deal, right?]
Wow
[1:10] Alam mo natutuwa ako kasi kahit madalas siya sa ibang bansa napapanood pa rin niya tayo kaya katulad noong, alam niya yung bangka eh [You know, I am glad since even if he is often in other countries, he still watches us, that's why he knew the banca.]
Ay!
Gusto niya magbangka.Kaya eto na, babangkain na natin. [He wanted to do banca. So here we'll go banca on him.]
Okay
[1:22] Alfie, sasagot ka lang ha? [Alfie, all you got to do is answer okay?]
[Alfie] Sige nga [Go ahead]
Kunwari nasa bangka kayong tatlo. [Let's pretend that there are 3 of you in a banca.]
Nino?
Tumaob yung bangka [The banca flipped over.]
Oh
Tapos yung dalawa mong kasama di marunong lumangoy. [Then both of your companions don't know how to swim.]
So sino una mong isi-save? [Who would you save first?]
Si Lolit Solis o si Douglas Quijano? [Lolit Solis or Douglas Quijano?]
[1:41] [Alfie] Ang sarili ko [Myself.]
Hindi nga. Bukod nga sa yo. Ikaw lang ang marunong lumangoy eh. [No. Other than yourself. You're the only person on the banca that can swim.]
[1:48] [Alfie] Parang ano yata, meron bang dapat pagpilian? Meron bang dapat pagpilian, ganun?
Baka si Douglas na lang kasi helpless yun talaga eh. Si Lolit, can do yun o di ba? Puede siyang bumili ng sarili niyang salbabida. [It seems like ... do I really have a choice? Do I really have a choice? Maybe Douglas because he's really a helpless person. Lolit can survive on her own. She can buy her own floating device.]
[2:06] Hmm, ganun ulit. Tumaob yung bangka. Kanino mo ibibigay yung nagiisang lifevest? Kay Ryan o kay Piolo? [Okay let's do that again. The banca flipped over. To whom would you give the only lifevest? To Ryan or to Piolo?]
[2:16] [Alfie] Siyempre sa Papa* ko ano? [Of course to my Papa right?]
Sino yun? [Who is that?]
[Alfie] Piolo
(laughter)
[2:25] Alam naman natin na isa sa mga best friend mo si Lolit. Nung nangyari itong insidenteng ito*- [We all know that one of your best friends is Lolit. When this incident happened-]
Hindi pinapagalitan pa niyan si Lolit minsan eh [No, he even scolds Lolit sometimes]
Paano mo siyang kinausap? [How did you talk to her?]
[2:35] [Alfie] Ang sabi ko relax ka lang. Yang mga kako, ano yan eh, parang wala akong nakikitang ano dun eh, sabi ko, mali [I said relax. Truth be told, it's like, I don't see much there. I don't see anything wrong there.]
Wala naman ata siyang sinabi talaga- [She didn't really say anything-]
[Alfie] Wala kasi ano binase lang dun sa ano, di naman kasi nag-headline sa ano niya eh [Nothing since they just based those on the headline on her article]
[2:51] Dun sa mga hindi pa naga-out na mga artista, yung mga alam mo na, may bahid ng pagkaberde ang dugo* [To the celebrities that have not come out, those who might have shades of green on their blood-]
[2:58] Kung ikaw nagma-manage sa kanila, halimbawa [If you are their manager]
[3:00] [Alfie] Mga kapatid, magsilabas na kayo sa closet! Mainit diyan! [Sisters, get out of the closet! It's hot in there!]
O kita mo? Sabi sa inyo eh. Iba si Alfie [See? I told you Alfie is unique]
Bigyan mo nga kami ng initials [Give us some initials]
(laughter)
[Alfie] Hindi kasi ano naman. Kasi yung kanya-kanyang trip* lang naman yan eh. [No, here's the thing. It's everyone's choice.]
Pero sa tingin mo marami pang alam mo na ayaw? [But do you think there are still a lot who won't?]
[Alfie] Ang dami naman! [A lot!]
San mas marami? Dito (GMA) o doon (ABS)? [Which network has more closet gays? Here (GMA) or there (ABS)?]
[3:26] [Alfie] Doon! [There!]
Ang tawa ni Wendell! [Boy, did Wendell laugh so hard!]
[Alfie] Oo doon! [Yes, there.]
One is to?
[Alfie] Hindi, yun nga eh. Kanya-kanyang trip yun eh kasi si Rustom, akala niya nun maga-out siya, mas sisikat siya. Wala rin namang nangyari. Kasi nga nowadays, 3-6 months lang ang artista, sabi ko nga di ba? Napilit ba nilang umamin si [name deleted] o di ba? [Name deleted] napilit ba nilang umamin na siya si Rhoda? [No that's the point. It's everyone's choice because Rustom thought that once he comes out, he'd be more famous. But nothing happened. Because nowadays, the celebrity shelf life is only 3 to 6 months as I said before, right? Did they force (name deleted) to come out? Did they get Rhoda to come out?]
[4:03] [Alfie] Pinagdududahan po nila akong bakla talaga yun. Bakla talaga yun. [They are suspicious that he's really gay. He's really gay.]
Bubulungan ba natin si Alfie? Maganda siguro [Shall we whisper questions to Alife? Maybe it's nice]
Bulungan natin [Let's whisper]
Okay
[Alfie] Tapos na ba? [Done?]
Nilalakas eh [You're too loud]
[Alfie] Parang it's not worth it
Wag mong ilalakas yung sagot [Don't say the answer out loud]
Kelangan reaction lang [Just a reaction will do]
Hmm
O sige [Okay]
[Wicked whispers]
[Alfie] Oo naniniwala ako. Bakla nga yun [Yes I believe he's gay.]
HINDEH!!!!! [NOOOOOO!!!!!]
Wala pa nga eh [Nothing's asked yet]
[Alfie] Oh ...
O sige
[4:50] [Alfie] Oh anong itatanong? Nahulaan ko ba? [What are you going to ask? Did I guess it right?]
Oo, parang sinagot mo eh. Pambihira ka eh. [Yes, you answered it. You're one of a kind.]
Pati pandinig ang lakas pa ano? [Even his hearing is so sharp right?]
[5:00] [Alfie] Pinagdududahan po nila akong bakla talaga yun. Bakla talaga yun [They are suspicious to me that he's really gay. He's really gay.]
[5:05] First time nangyari ito [This is the first time that it happened]
[5:10] [Alfie] Ang dami ng mga ebidinsiya. Alam mo, bago mag-out si Rustom, gusto na raw niya mag-out siya. Pero sabi nung ano, nung bading na kaibigan na dati niyang jowa* na nasa San Francisco, "Manghinayang ka sa kinikita mo ano? Saka na lang. Mabuko ka nila e di tumakbo ka na lang. Madami ka nang datung" Sabi. O yun, ga-listen naman. Sino ba yun? [There's a lot of evidence. You know, before Rustom came out, HE (the actor being allegedly whispered) wanted to come out. But his friend that used to be his lover that lives in San Francisco now told him "Feel bad about the lost income. Come out some other time. If ever they get you busted, just run. By that time you have a lot of money" That's what he was told. He listened. Wait was HE the one you're asking about?]
Yun ba yun?
[Alfie] Sino nga ba yun? Siya ba yun talaga? [Who was it anyway? Was it really HIM?]
[5:43] Baka iba yung tinatanong ko [I might be asking of someone else]
Baka iba yung tinatanong niya [He might be asking of someone else]
Alam mo, dapat ibalik talaga natin si Tito Alfie pa sa isa pang episode [You know, we really should bring back Tito Alfie for one more episode]
Sa isang taon [Next year]
[5:52] [Alfie] Kasi siyempre mahihirapan kayong magisip ng itatanong nyo [Because of course, you'd be having a hard time thinking of what to ask me]
Alfie, thank you'ng thank you talaga kasi kulang pa oras natin [Alfie, really really thank you since we ran out of time]
[Alfie] Ano ba? Tapos na ba? [What? It's over?]
Oo [Yes]
Oo dadalawin pa natin si Lolit [Yes, because we still have to visit Lolit]
[Alfie] Ay Dios ko! Kararating ko lang ah [Oh God, I just arrived]
Oo [Yes]
Oy anong message mo kay Lolit? [Any message for Lolit?]
[6:11] [Alfie] Alam mo Lolit hangang-hanga ako sa ginagawa mo. Nung nagi-scam ka, ang premyo mo ... StarTalk. More than 12 years na yan di ba? O kita mo ngayon andyan na naman si Mayor ... tutulungan ka na naman ni Mayor [name deleted]. Magko-contribute na naman yang mga mayors, mga senador, si Bong, si Jinggoy ... hay, ang ending niyan eh pabalik-balik ka na lang ng Spain [You know, Lolit, I admire you a lot for what you do. When you had that filmfest scam, your reward is the talk show, StarTalk. It's more than 12 years now. See. Mayor is now helping you. You will receive contributions again from mayors, senators, Bong, Jinggoy .. in the end you'd just go back and forth to Spain.]
[6:48] Message naman sa mga nagdemanda kay Lolit [Parting words to those who sued Lolit]
[Alfie] Sa mga nagdemanda kay Lolit, condolence. You don't bite the hand that feeds you. Nasa showbiz kayo. Dumating kayo, inabutan nyo lang kami. Magbigay-galang kayo. [To those who sued Lolit, condolence. You don't bite the hand that feeds you. You're in showbiz. You came over and you already found us here. Respect us.]
Ay! Malalim [Oh! That was deep]
I have a feeling that you had a lot of fun reading the text. I had a lot of fun too. So I marked some Tagalog slang terms for better learning too with asterisks to further explain what do they mean in the Tagalog context:
- Papa - in Tagalog gay lingo, it means boyfriend
- insidenteng ito - in this interview, they are referring to Lolit Solis' libel case which eventually got settled out of court if my memory serves me right
- may bahid ng pagkaberde ang dugo - literally blood with shades of green, an idiomatic expression referring to some men that may/may not be gay if your gaydar is functioning correctly
- kanya-kanyang trip - a Tagalog expression that is loosely translated as "to each his own"; in this interview, they are referring to leaving the gays on their own if they have not found the courage to come out of the closet just yet
- jowa - in Tagalog gay lingo, it means boyfriend (see Papa)
Also pay attention to how many times the Tagalog word "Talaga" is mentioned. It's not really that often mentioned in Tagalog unless some pointers needed some emphasis. Whenever I write in English, sometimes my being Filipino tends to come out due to constant mention of the word "Really" which is what "Talaga" meant anyway. There are even instances when this word has a tendency to look like one of those filler words when trying to speak in Tagalog. I never considered it as a bad thing.
Knowing that some of you ended up liking some lessons shared here on my blog, don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter to keep yourself updated with the latest Tagalog lessons on your inbox just on the right side of this page. Like, share, tweet this article for everyone to enjoy and post comments too so that I would get to know your feedback. I'd be seeing you on the next lesson. Thanks.
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