When you add po or ho in Tagalog, is it more polite ?

Question

Well, I don't know which one to use..po or ho. And is it good if you use po or ho in every sentence when talking with an adult ? Another problem is I don't know when does these words come....is it at the end of the sentece, middle,beginning?

For example: Ano po ang pagalan mo/ninyo?
For example: Salamat po.
how do we know where to put po or ho in a sentence because the first example is in the middle and the second is at the end after salamat....

Answer 1

Generally, keep this rule in mind:

When you have "Ano" or a verb like "Isulat" (write), you should add "po" after it.

So technically, "Ano po" is equal to "What you".

And "Salamat po" is "Thank you".

And "Isulat po" is "Write you"

(Like Isulat po ang iyong pangalan -- Write your name.)

Generally, always add the po after the main verb (if you are giving a command like "Write your name," "Give your speech")...etc.

And it is almost always "Ano po...." so you can remember that.

I'm sure there are technical grammar issues but I had never studied Tagalog formally at school, so I can't give you the real terms.

And po is generally more often used then ho. It is always nice to use "po" when you are asking someone nicely to do something for you, but I guess excessive use of it might be annoying (unless that person is a revered elder). For example, you might ask a professor with "Ano po", but it's not necessarily to talk to him in po all of the time.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

"Po" and "ho" in Tagalog are what you say to respect elders or those you have met for the first time and ASSUME they are older than you. As far as I know, these 2 words don't begin a sentence. However, they can be in the middle or end of a sentence like the examples you wrote. I hope this helps.

Answer 3

It is more polite to use po or ho when talking to an adult. As far as when to use it in a sentence there is no hard and fast rule to follow. I agree that a sentence could never start with a po or ho.

In your example:
Ano po ang pangalan mo/ ninyo?

You could also say:
Ano ang pangalan po ninyo?
Ano ang pangalan ninyo po?

With the other example: Salamat po.

When asking an adult or older person something, it is polite to add po or ho.
Example:

What? = Ano? (Ano po/ ho?)
When? = Kailan? (Kailan po/ ho?)
Where? = Saan? (Saan po/ho?)
Why? = Bakit? (Bakit po/ ho?)
Who? = Sino? (Sino po/ ho?)
How? = Paano? (Paano po/ ho?)

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

po and ho are a sign of respect not just to elders but also to people that have the same age as you are... opo means yes in tagalog thats very polite and respectful... seeing people like this make oh so very lucky to be a filipino

Answer 5

it is the culture in the philippines that young people say po, opo, ho, oho to adults because that's a sign of respect.

opo is used just like "yes." like if your mom asks if you have finished your assignment, you say "opo. natapos ko na po." its just yes, really. but it is only used when you are talking with adults. Like for instance, you are talking to your parents, grandparents, teachers, aunts and old relatives, even those you dont know that are older than you.

oho is used when the adult you are talking with is not so much older than you. but i suggest that if you are not sure, just use po and opo because it is better to be perceived as a person who gives so much respect to others than be called "walang galang" or no respect.


you may only use opo when the question may be answerable by yes. if the answer is no, you say hindi po. when your answer is none, you say wala po.

when you are asking questions, po goes right after the question word. like what po (ano po), who po (sino po), why po (bakit po), how po (paano po), when po (kailan po) and which po (alin po)..

when the sentence is declarative, that's when it becomes difficult. but as long as yu say po, that's okay.

mayroon pong ice cream sa refrigerator. There's ice cream in the ref.

kumain po kayo. Please eat.

bumili po sila ng mga bag. they bought bags. (mga is used to denote plurality, like adding s or es in english. it is pronounced as manga: m like me + ang from bang but the a is like the a of "altitude" and lastly, a of altitude again. )

lumipat po sila. they transferred.

nilagay ko po sa mesa. I placed it on the table.

Answer 6

i do not know, but if you add ho in american, you add insult to injury.