let’s speak the batangas way.

The term “ala eh” has been a connotation to the Batangas intonation/accent. But personally, I think it all started with this celebrity I dunno if he’s really a Batanguenyo, Leo Martinez. Having resided in Batangas for all of my life(where I was born and lived the first 16 years of my life), I don’t use the term ala eh as a usual expression. Everytime we see him on tv, it has always been a comment that he is just exaggerating it. Well, we use it sometimes when trying to crack a joke.

Anyways, how do you say it the Batangas way(casual talking without all of the kaartehan)?

* Batangenos usually use “ga” instead of “ba”. Ex: “Eh san ka ga pupunta?” instead of “..san ka ba pupunta?”

*We usually drop the last syllable and replace it with a vowel/change the last syllable. Ex” kuhae for kuhanin, puntahe for puntahan.

*”eh” is an inevitable word

Vocabulary 101

ipod – mag-move ka raw! “Pa-ipod nga.”

patulad – pakopya raw! “Uy, patulad mamaya ah!”

garne – ganito “Garne nga plano natin.”

nalaglag – nahulog “Ohh, malalaglag”

papagayo – kite po yun. “Papagayo kaya yun.”

are -ito “Are ga naman hinahanap mo?”

dine – dito “Dine na tayo mag-intay.”

gaya – parang “Gaya nito.”

papar-on – short fot “papunta doon”.

parne – short for “punta ka rine”

Other common terms/expressions:

• anu ga?
• ala naman – if you don’t agree to what the other is saying
• mga?? – if you think the other is trying to bluff you
• ay sus.
• nakupo!
• ay susginoo
• others.. to be updated haha

Meron pa mga mas matatandang/mas malalalim na words. Kelangan ko lang i-recall.