Day 70: That's Not What I Said
At the barangay hall in Santa Ana, Manila, Zeke (A), a young barangay staff member, takes down a complaint from Milagros (B), who has lived on her street for fifty years, about the new street light in front of her house.
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
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A
Sa madaling salita po, gusto ninyong ipalipat ang posteng nasa tapat ng bahay ninyo?
In short, you want the light post in front of your house moved?
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B
Hindi ko sinabing ilipat. Limampung taon na ako roon, at ngayon lang lumiwanag ang kalye namin.
I didn't say move it. I've lived there fifty years, and this is the first time our street's been lit.
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A
Samakatuwid po, ang reklamo ninyo, sobrang liwanag at hindi kayo makatulog?
So then, your complaint is that it's too bright and you can't sleep?
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B
Hindi ang ilaw ang umiistorbo sa tulog ko, iho. Ang bola.
It's not the light that's keeping me up, iho. It's the ball.
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A
Bola po? May naglalaro po ba sa ilalim ng ilaw?
The ball? Is somebody playing under the light?
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B
Mga apo ng kapitbahay ko, nagba-basketball hanggang hatinggabi sa tapat mismo ng bintana ko.
My neighbor's grandkids, playing basketball till midnight right outside my window.
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A
Sa kabuuan po, hindi ang ilaw ang problema kundi ang ingay ng basketball sa gabi?
So, all in all, the problem isn't the light but the basketball noise at night?
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B
Tama, isulat mo 'yan, pero huwag mong ilagay ang pangalan ko. Ninang ako ng kalahati sa kanila.
Right, write that down, but don't put my name on it. I'm godmother to half of them.
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