Are you a coffee lover? Why not learn how to order coffee in different languages, like Tagalog? Here are some easy ways to order coffee in Tagalog!
To all the coffee lovers out there, it’s important to learn how to order coffee in different languages, such as “Un café, por favor,” in Spanish, “Un caffè, per favore.” in Italian, and コーヒーをください (koohiii o kudasai) in Japanese. But, if you’re going to the Philippines, where there are abundant coffee bean plantations, you might want to learn how to order coffee in Tagalog.
Coffee is one of the most famous drinks in the Philippines. Locals usually start their day with a cup of coffee. For most Filipinos, coffee is part of their everyday lives. It is not just a drink for every morning either, Filipinos also drink coffee during merienda.
There are still a lot of coffee shops opening up throughout Metro Manila and in the heavily urbanized cities and provinces nowadays. Going to coffee shops is a favorite pastime for Filipino customers, many of whom are students doing their homework, digital nomads working from home (particularly during this pandemic), and, of course, those who just want to unwind and enjoy their favorite coffee drink.
So, today, let’s learn some vocabulary to order coffee in Tagalog.
Phrases To Order Coffee In Tagalog
Almost everyone in the Philippines starts their day with a cup of coffee. Coffee is more than just a beverage to a Filipino. The fact that it is a great fuel to kick-start the day is frequently cited as the key factor in the popularity and love for coffee among Filipinos. It is, after all, their preferred beverage.
Although there’s a translation for the word “coffee” in Tagalog, a lot of coffee vocabulary doesn’t have a Tagalog translation. But don’t worry, if you’re going to order coffee in Filipino cafes, you’ll never get a hard time, since baristas are trained to communicate well in English.
Nonetheless, here are some simple phrases to order coffee in Tagalog:
Hi/Hello (Or Any Greeting)
First, start with a greeting. The baristas will usually greet you first with a smile. Simple greetings like “Hi” and “Hello” are important to express politeness.
You can use basic greetings such as Magandang umaga (Good morning), Magandang hapon (Good afternoon), and Magandang gabi (Good evening).
I Want To Buy Coffee. – Gusto ko pong bumili ng kape.
Coffee shops also offer tea, pastries, and frappés aside from coffee. So, if you want to specify your coffee order, you can just say, “Gusto ko pong bumili ng kape” (I want to buy coffee).
You will also be asked what kind of coffee you want to order. Then you’re on your own! You’ll have to simply read what’s on the menu because coffee flavors in the Philippines don’t really have translations.
One (Insert Order), Please. – Isang nga pong (Insert order).
Another easy way to say your coffee order is “Isa nga pong (Insert order)” (One [insert order], please.). You can just read what is on the menu and add it to the phrase.
To help you out, below are some common menu items that you will see when ordering coffee in Tagalog:
| English | Tagalog |
| Cappuccino | Cappuccino |
| Espresso | Espresso |
| Black Coffee | Kapeng Barako |
| Iced Coffee | Iced Coffee |
What Is Your Best Seller? – Ano po ang pinakamabenta ninyong kape?
Starbucks is not the only coffee shop that you’ll see in the Philippines. You should also try going to a local cafe. But of course, you might not be familiar with the menu.
When you are in local coffee shops, and you’re not quite familiar with the menu, you can use this sentence to ask for their bestseller.
How Much Is This? – Magkano po ito?
The prices of coffee drinks are usually written on the menu. But, if by chance you are getting additional orders or requests, and they’re not on the menu, you can just say, “Magkano po ito?” (How much is this?) or simply “Magkano po” (How much?).
Less Ice, Please. – Pakibawasan po ng yelo.
Some people want less ice when they are ordering iced beverages. If you have the same request, you can just say, “Pakibawasan po ng yelo” (Less ice, please).
Please Lessen The Sweetness. – Pakibawasan ng tamis.
If you want to request to lessen the sweetness of your drink, you can simply say “Pakibawasan ng tamis” (Please lessen the sweetness.) The word “bawas” means “less.”
The Tallest Size. – Iyong pinakamalaki.
Sizes of coffee and other drinks vary. Even though Filipinos don’t usually translate the sizes of drinks, when they do, you can refer to these words below:
- Pinakamaliit – Smallest size
- Katamtaman – Medium size
- Pinakamalaki – Tallest size
Can You Add More Water? – Pakidagdagan pa nga po ng tubig.
Another common request that you might have to use is adding more water. To do that, you can say “Pakidagdagan pa nga po ng tubig” (Can you add more water?).
There are also other questions you might encounter when ordering coffee in Tagalog. Please check them out below:
| English | Tagalog |
| Next in line, please./Who’s next? | Sunod po. Sinong po ang susunod? |
| What are you having? | Ano po ang order ninyo? |
| What would you like? | Ano po ang gusto ninyo? |
| What can I do for you? | Ano po ang maipaglilingkod ko para sa into? |
| Is that for here or to go? | Dito po ba iinumin o hindi? |
Decaf, Please. – Decaf po.
There is no translation of the word “decaf” in the Philippines, it’s the same as in English. So, you just need to add the word “po” to indicate politeness and request.
For Here?/To Go?
In the Philippines, they don’t translate these two options on where you want to drink your coffee either. But you can sometimes hear “Dito po ba iinumin?” which means “Are you going to drink it here?”. If this is the case, it’s just a matter of a yes or no answer. So, you can say “opo/oo” to indicate “yes” and “hindi” if “no.”
Thank You! – Salamat!
Of course, you should always say “Thank you” after the transactions or when your coffee is being served. It’s a polite thing to do, and surely, the baristas will appreciate this from you.
Coffee Vocabulary
After learning the common vocabulary used in ordering coffee in Tagalog, you should also learn these additional words and phrases:
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