Say “Good Luck” in Tagalog

Most Filipinos actually use the English phrase “Good Luck.”  The following Taglish phrase is a common way of wishing a friend good luck:

If you insist on a pure Tagalog phrase (and to many Filipinos’ exasperation, most foreigners do), then you can try a literal translation or an old-fashioned phrase.

Remember: the Philippines was under American rule for half a century and even after independence in 1946, English continues to have a strong influence on Filipino culture, especially the language.

Many Westerners wrongly assume that by translating every single word into Tagalog, they are making things easier for Filipinos to understand. In many cases, it only makes the situation needlessly confusing.

GOODLUCK, goodlock, gudluck