Where the respect word goes in a sentence
Po has no meaning of its own. It adds respect, and it sits near the front of the sentence, usually right after the first word or set phrase, as in Magandang umaga po. Many learners put it only at the very end, which can sound off in longer sentences. These patterns cover almost everything you'll say to your grandparents.
- After the first word, or after small words like lang: Salamat po. / Hindi po. / Okay lang po ako.
- With na or pa: those short words come first, then po. So Aalis na po ako, not Aalis po na ako.
- With the question word ba: po comes before it. Kumain na po ba kayo? In everyday speech, people often drop ba: Kumain na po kayo?
- Before a word that needs a linking -ng, it becomes pong: Ano pong gusto ninyo? (What would you like?)
- In a long sentence you'll hear it more than once, like Opo, kumain na po ako. That's normal, not overdoing it.
Everyday lines for Lola and Lolo
These are the lines you'll use at almost every visit or call, from arriving to saying goodbye.
Mano po, Lola.
Meaning: Your blessing, Grandma.
Said as you take her hand for the hand blessing when you arrive or leave. See the notes below.
Kumusta na po kayo?
Meaning: How have you been?
Respectful. The casual version is Kumusta ka na?, which you'd use with a cousin.
Kumain na po ba kayo?
Meaning: Have you eaten yet?
The question your grandparents will ask you, turned around. Asking it back shows care.
Opo, kumain na po ako.
Meaning: Yes, I've already eaten.
Hindi pa po.
Meaning: Not yet.
Expect to be fed right away.
Salamat po, Lolo.
Meaning: Thank you, Grandpa.
Aalis na po ako. Ingat po kayo.
Meaning: I'm heading out now. Take care.
Often followed by another Mano po on the way out.
When you didn't catch what Lola said
Grandparents often speak quickly, use older words, or switch to their home province's language. These keep the conversation going respectfully.
Ano po ulit, Lola?
Meaning: What was that again, Grandma?
Pasensya na po, hindi ko po naintindihan.
Meaning: I'm sorry, I didn't understand.
Ano po ang Tagalog ng "proud"?
Meaning: What's the Tagalog word for "proud"?
Grandparents usually love being asked. Put any English word at the end.
The respectful you: plural for one elder
Tagalog shows respect by using the plural "you" for one older person, much like French uses its plural "you" as the formal one. With your lola, ka and ikaw become kayo, and the rest of the sentence follows.
- ka / ikaw becomes kayo: Saan po kayo pupunta? (Where are you going?)
- mo becomes ninyo, often said n'yo: Gusto n'yo po ba ng kape? (Would you like some coffee?)
- sa 'yo becomes sa inyo: Para po sa inyo ito. (This is for you.)
- When you talk about an elder to another adult, people often use the plural "they" too: Tulog na po sila (She's asleep now). Addressing someone directly as sila or nila, as in Ano pong kailangan nila? (What do you need?), is extra formal. You'll hear it from shop staff and in very traditional families, but you'll rarely need it with your grandparents.
- In everyday Manila speech you'll hear po paired with ka, for example from young staff to customers. With grandparents, stick with kayo.
The other form you'll hear, and which one to use
Opo is the respectful yes, and it replaces plain oo. You'll also hear ho and oho. They mean the same thing and are common among adults in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, often with strangers, like Para ho! to stop a jeepney. Many people hear them as a touch less formal. Children are usually taught po and opo, and that's the safe choice with your grandparents. Which one your family uses varies, so follow your parents' lead.
Family titles and the hand blessing
How to do the hand blessing
Take the elder's right hand, bow slightly, and touch the back of their hand to your forehead while saying Mano po. The word comes from the Spanish word for "hand." Do it when you arrive and when you leave. Many elders answer with a blessing, often just "God bless" in English. Some families do it with every older relative and godparent; others only with grandparents.
Titles instead of names
Older relatives are almost never called by their first name alone. Use Lola and Lolo for grandparents, Tita and Tito for aunts, uncles, and your parents' friends, and Ate and Kuya for older sisters, brothers, and cousins. Add the name after: Tita Baby, Kuya Jun.
When you forget the respect word
It happens to everyone, especially when you're focused on finding the right verb. Don't stop and apologize; just use it in your next sentence. Most grandparents are simply happy you're speaking Tagalog with them, and some will gently remind you with a smile. If you only remember one thing, make it opo instead of oo.
Mixing in English is fine
Lines like Love you po, Lola! and Happy birthday po, Lolo! are very common in Filipino families, in the Philippines and abroad. Respect comes through the respect word, not through avoiding English.
A video call with Lola
You video-call your grandmother in Quezon City from the US. The connection freezes for a moment.
Lola
Hello? Apo, naririnig mo ba ako?
Meaning: Hello? Can you hear me, my grandchild?
You
Opo, Lola! Naririnig ko na po kayo. Kumusta na po kayo?
Meaning: Yes, Grandma! I can hear you now. How have you been?
Lola
Eto, mabuti naman. Medyo masakit lang ang tuhod ko. Ikaw, kumain ka na ba?
Meaning: I'm doing fine. My knee just hurts a little. And you, have you eaten?
You
Opo, kumain na po ako. Kayo po, Lola? Kumain na po ba kayo?
Meaning: Yes, I've eaten. How about you, Grandma? Have you eaten?
Lola
Oo, nagluto si Tita Baby mo ng sinigang. Kailan ka ba uuwi rito?
Meaning: Yes, your Aunt Baby cooked sinigang. So when are you coming home?
You
Pasensya na po, Lola, nag-freeze po kayo. Ano po ulit?
Meaning: Sorry, Grandma, you froze. What was that again?
Lola
Sabi ko, kailan ka uuwi rito sa Pilipinas?
Meaning: I said, when are you coming home here to the Philippines?
You
Sa December po, sana. Miss na miss ko na po kayo.
Meaning: In December, I hope. I miss you so much.
Lola
Ay, salamat sa Diyos! Mag-ingat ka diyan, ha? Huwag kang magpapagod.
Meaning: Oh, thank God! Take care over there, okay? Don't wear yourself out.
You
Opo, Lola. Ingat din po kayo. Love you po!
Meaning: Yes, Grandma. You take care too. Love you!
The audio uses the AI voice you hear in ChitterChatter conversations.
From a real practice session
Our team ran this situation in ChitterChatter using the description in the practice section below. A synthetic voice spoke the learner's lines; the AI character's replies and the feedback are what ChitterChatter produced. Here are the first lines of the conversation, lightly trimmed.
Lola
Apo! Kumusta ka? Kumain ka na?
Meaning: My grandchild! How are you? Have you eaten?
You
Opo, Lola! Kumain na po ako. Kumusta naman po kayo?
Meaning: Yes, Grandma! I've already eaten. And how are you?
Lola
Ay, mabuti naman ako. Medyo mainit lang kanina. Kumain ako ng tinola at kanin. Ikaw, ano ang kinain mo?
Meaning: Oh, I'm doing fine. It was just a bit hot earlier. I had chicken ginger soup and rice. And you, what did you eat?
You
Nag-toast lang po ako, tapos itlog. Masarap po yung tinola niyo, Lola!
Meaning: I just had toast, and then eggs. Your chicken ginger soup is delicious, Grandma!
Lola
Salamat, apo. Sa susunod na uwi mo, lutuin ko ulit. Kailan ka uuwi?
Meaning: Thank you, dear. Next time you come home, I'll cook it again. When are you coming home?
You
Siguro sa Pasko po, Lola. Miss ko na po kayo. Anong ginagawa niyo ngayon?
Meaning: Maybe at Christmas, Grandma. I miss you. What are you doing right now?
Lola
Nandito lang ako sa bahay, nagdidilig ng halaman sa balkonahe. May bagong dahon ang calamansi ko. Ikaw, anong ginagawa mo?
Meaning: I'm just here at home, watering the plants on the balcony. My lime tree has a new leaf. And you, what are you doing?
You
Nag-aaral po ako, Lola. Tapos minsan naglalakad ako sa park. Ano po ulit yung sinabi niyo tungkol sa calamansi? Hindi ko po narinig.
Meaning: I'm studying, Grandma. And sometimes I go for walks in the park. What was that you said about the lime tree? I didn't hear it.
Lola
Oo, pakitingin, may bagong dahon ang calamansi ko.
Meaning: Yes, take a look, my lime tree has a new leaf.
You
Ay, ang galing po! Gusto ko makita yung calamansi niyo. Malaki na po ba?
Meaning: Oh, how wonderful! I want to see your lime tree. Is it big already?
Lola
Hindi pa masyado, pero lumalaki na. Gusto mo rin ba mag-alaga ng halaman?
Meaning: Not very big yet, but it's growing. Would you like to take care of plants too?
You
Opo, gusto ko din po sana ng halaman. Anong halaman po ang madali alagaan?
Meaning: Yes, I'd like to have a plant too. What plant is easy to take care of?
What the feedback pointed out
What the learner said
Aloe vera po, parang madali lang po alagaan.
A clearer way to say it
Parang madali lang pong alagaan.
Adding a connecting sound to the respect word before the verb makes a description of an action sound more natural.
What the learner said
Ano po ulit yung sinabi niyo tungkol sa calamansi? Hindi ko po narinig.
A clearer way to say it
Pakiulit po, Lola.
This was a polite way to ask for clarification, and it kept the conversation going smoothly. The feedback offered this as another way to ask someone to repeat something.
What the learner said
Opo, Lola! Kumain na po ako. Kumusta naman po kayo?
A clearer way to say it
Mabuti naman po ba kayo?
You used respectful words naturally when answering your grandmother and asking how she was doing. The feedback suggested you keep using them with elders and offered this as another respectful way to ask after her.
Practice a call with your grandparents
The respect words only become automatic when you use them while thinking about something else. A practice call lets you build that habit before the real one.
- Open Create with AI and paste the description below. Change the city and the family news to match your own family.
- Talk out loud with the AI character playing your grandmother. Try to answer every yes-or-no question with the respectful yes.
- After the call, review the feedback: which learning goals you covered, a line you said with a clearer way to say it, and the full transcript, where you can spot any respect words you missed.
- Ask the AI Coach about any suggestion, then call again and try to use the respectful you in every question you ask.
Describe it like this when you create the activity
Tagalog video call with my lola, who lives in Quezon City. The AI plays my grandmother, who is warm, talks a little fast, and asks if I've eaten and when I'm coming home. I need to answer respectfully with po, opo, and kayo, ask how she is, ask her to repeat when I don't understand, and say goodbye. Beginner level, heritage learner.
Questions learners usually ask first
Do I use po with my parents?
It depends on the family. Many Filipinos use it with their parents, especially in more traditional homes and in older generations, while others save it for grandparents and other elders. Listen to how your cousins talk to their parents, or simply ask your mom or dad what they prefer.
What's the difference between po and opo?
The first is a respect word you add inside almost any sentence. The second is a single word that means a respectful yes, and it replaces the plain yes. So you say the polite yes on its own, and you add the respect word to everything else you say to an elder.
Is it rude to forget po when talking to elders?
An occasional slip is not a big deal, especially for someone who grew up outside the Philippines. Elders tend to notice that you are trying. What can come across as disrespectful is never using it at all, or using the casual yes again and again after being reminded.
Can you use po with someone younger than you?
Yes. Store staff, drivers, and call center agents use it with customers of any age, and many parents say it to toddlers so they pick up the habit. It signals politeness, not just age, so using it with a stranger is rarely wrong.