question about language

[Jack Peterson]

12 minutes ago, Bruce said:

Did it not occur to anyone to just call him by his NAME? He probably has one. Most people do. Usually get a name around the time of birth. Sort of a legal issue.  

 I hope that this is not too far off Topic but in line with this comment, Has any one noticed the way a BC is worded here in the Philippines; So and So, allegedly born on such and Such a date, Criscy! if you are Born you are Born, no rumor in it at all.

[expatriate]

just curious, is it correct for a male to call his female best friend bes, or is it only for female to female only?

[Queenie O.]

4 hours ago, expatriate said:

just curious, is it correct for a male to call his female best friend bes, or is it only for female to female only?

I googled it to a Tagalog blog, and this is what the term was defined as: Bes - Term commonly used to call your best friend especially for girls.

[robert k]

5 hours ago, Bruce said:

Did it not occur to anyone to just call him by his NAME? He probably has one. Most people do. Usually get a name around the time of birth. Sort of a legal issue.  

But then of course there was my father. Born in the 1930s, his name was 'baby boy' on the birth certificate which he did not change until he and my mother traveled to Europe in the 1970s and he needed a passport. If you were to ask my father (a retired attorney) why he waited until he was over 40 to 'correct' the birth certificate, he would tell you that there was no hurry as he always knew who he was!      

Brings to mind the US Olympic athlete Picabo (pronounced peekaboo) Street.

[chris49]

48 minutes ago, Queenie O. said:

I googled it to a Tagalog blog, and this is what the term was defined as: Bes - Term commonly used to call your best friend especially for girls.

I said that in the first post. Expat is still asking the same question.

"Bes" is not even Tagalog and it's not conversational. It is used by girls on social media.

[expatriate]

1 hour ago, chris49 said:

I said that in the first post. Expat is still asking the same question.

"Bes" is not even Tagalog and it's not conversational. It is used by girls on social media.

Yes, I picked that word from FB. so, it's exclusively used by female ? so, it's not correct for male to use it, even to address a female? that's what I was still confused about.

[scott h]

4 minutes ago, expatriate said:

that's what I was still confused about.

Just speak English mate, wont get your self in trouble that way

[chris49]

2 hours ago, expatriate said:

Yes, I picked that word from FB. so, it's exclusively used by female ? so, it's not correct for male to use it, even to address a female? that's what I was still confused about.

You got it now. Kuya is a nice term which covers most situations.

Now to confuse you slightly. When addressing a younger female you may say "Adding" that's a Tagalog word which means younger. Male or female. So if her name is Josie...say "Adding Josie"

And if she's older say "Ate" which means of course Auntie but specifically means older female. "Ate Josie" if she's older.

[Guy F.]

In Cebu one might call a good friend "part" or "parts", short for partner.

[MacBubba]

Kuya is generally a term used to refer to an older male.  Some might use it loosely to refer to someone of a higher rank (in which case "sir" would be more suitable), but as a rule, be careful not to use Kuya with someone younger, lest he take offense.

I think "Ading" is more Ilocano than Tagalog.