My mom strictly imposed on us the usage of Po and Opo in our sentences when speaking to someone older.
To answer a call, she taught us to say “Po!” “Opo, nadyan na po”.
We never said “bakit?” It was always “bakit po?”
If she calls me and I instead answer a plain “bakit?” naku, she would scold me.
Speaking in Tagalog to older people or someone of authority without using the words po and opo, ho, and oho, could be considered disrespectful.
Of course, when you are conversing in English or in dialects that don’t use these words, I guess it’s okay. But if you are speaking in Tagalog, please use po and opo, ho and oho.
The following are examples of its usage:
1. Magandang umaga po Tita Nena. Tumawag daw ho kayo kahapon?
2. Lola, kumain na ho ba kayo?
3. Ikakasal ho ako sa isang buwan, gusto ko ho sana kayong imbitahin.
4. Kailan ho kayo uuwi sa inyong probinsya?
5. Iniwan ko po sa inyong anak yung mga prutas.
6. Panginoon Dyos, ako po ay humihingi ng tulong sa inyo…
