WATCH: Marj Suarez’s TikTok Video About Being Bilingual Made Us Giggle
Marj Suarez and her husband recently made us laugh! When some words have different meanings in two different languages, a mix-up can happen.
Filipino derived only some words from Spanish. Not all of it. Unfortunately, hilarity ensues as DC and TikTok momfluencer Marj Suarez begans teaching her daughter, Luna, a Filipino word that unfortunately doesn’t translate well in Spanish. We’re just laughing at her husband, Julian’s, expression when he hears the word “puto” for the first time. We, Filipinos, understand “puto” as our favorite rice cake. Unfortunately, that’s not what it means in Spanish.
She posted the said video on her Tiktok:
@marjannesuarez hahaha she loves puto. #lasian #mixedbaby #latino #filipino #babiesoftiktok ♬ original sound – marjanne
This moment in Marj Suarez’s bilingual home is more common than we think!
Even here in the Philippines, some languages like Tagalog and Cebuano don’t translate well with each other. Langgam in Tagalog may mean “ant” but in Cebuano, it means “bird”. There will always be some nuances and variations, depending on where one comes from. But because Tagalog has taken many words from other languages, sometimes, it makes it easier to understand the other languages with the former as our basis.
It just so happens that in Marj Suarez’ bilingual household, Spanish and Tagalog are still working out the kinks. The TikTok video alone garnered 13.1 million likes and 25.5k comments, with some suggesting for Luna to say the word in front of her paternal grandmother.
The funny truths of living in a bilingual household
Kids who grow up learning two or more languages at home do develop an affinity for learning languages. It also helps that some languages share some characteristics, making the learning curve a lot smaller. However, there will always be something funny to laugh at and enjoy when learning a new language. After all, it’s part of the process of making sure that you don’t end up insulting someone when you mean to compliment them!
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