Day 21: Iced Barako Is Not Barako
At her coffee stall in the public market of Lipa, Batangas, Lola Estrella (A), who still roasts barako the old way, tastes the iced cold brew her grandson Ryle (B), home from Manila, wants to sell.
How to study this lesson 3 steps
- Read the situation under the title. It says who is talking and how they know each other, which decides how politely they speak.
- Read the dialogue line by line with its translation, until every line makes sense.
- Spend at least 30 minutes listening to native Tagalog. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it yet.
Dialogue
Audio for this lesson is coming soon. For now, read the dialogue and its translation.
Keys: E hide English · ← → previous / next day
-
A
Ryle, ano ga ire, kape o tubig na dinaanan lamang ng kape?
Ryle, what's this supposed to be? Coffee, or water that coffee just walked past?
-
B
Cold brew po 'yan, La. Labingwalong oras ko pong ibinabad sa malamig na tubig ang barako ninyo.
It's cold brew, La. I steeped your barako in cold water for eighteen hours.
-
A
Labingwalong oras? Ang barako'y pinakukuluan, hindi pinatutulog sa pridyider na parang tirang ulam.
Eighteen hours? Barako gets boiled, not put to bed in the fridge like leftovers.
-
B
Iba na po kasi ang hanap ng mga estudyante, La, 'yung malamig, naka-plastic cup, at pang-Instagram.
Students want something different now, La: cold, in a plastic cup, and good for Instagram.
-
A
Ay sus, dalawang taon ka lamang sa Maynila, pati dugo mo'y nanlamig na.
Good grief, two years in Manila and even your blood's gone cold.
-
B
Hindi po, Batangueño pa rin ang dugo ko, kape lang po ang naka-aircon.
No, my blood is still Batangueño. It's only the coffee that's air-conditioned.
-
A
Ang barako ay matapang, apo, ikaw ay matapang lamang sa aircon.
Barako, the coffee or the man, is bold, my boy. You're only bold in the air-conditioning.
-
B
Mali po kayo, La, taal po ang tapang ko, tapang Taal pa nga, may kasamang sinangag at itlog.
You're wrong, La. My tapang, my boldness, is taal, the genuine article. Tapang Taal, even, like Taal's famous tapa, with garlic rice and egg on the side.
-
A
Nakaisa ka, apo. Sige, isang linggo, pero sa tabi ng kawali ko ang mesa mo.
You got me there, my boy. Fine, one week, but your table goes right next to my roasting pan.
-
B
Kahit katabi pa po ng kawali, La. Kapag naubos po ang cold brew bago magtanghali, libre ko kayo ng tapang Taal.
Right next to the roasting pan is fine, La. If the cold brew sells out before noon, the tapang Taal's on me.
Your progress is saved in this browser only, with no sign-up. The course page and the menu show where you left off. Well done! Next up: Day 22: Two Diaries, Thirty Years Apart
If this free course has helped you in your Tagalog journey, please consider supporting the project. It's a one-person effort, and even small contributions help keep it running and free for everyone.