If you've been seeing the words lodi, werpa, and petmalu on your news feed lately, or if they have come up during your conversations with your tweens or teens, don't be too confused—you might actually be familiar with these terms already.
There seems to be a resurgence of the use of colloquial terms in the country, especially online, by millennials trying to express themselves. The style in which these words are fashioned, however, is an old school trick, where the syllables of a particular word are switched around to form a new one.
If the '70s had amats, astig, epats, and olats, and the '80s had jeproks, bagets, and senglot, what kind of words are the kids of today using? Here are some of the most popular slang terms you should know right now:
1. LODI
Meaning: Someone you look up to.
Origin: Lodi is the reverse form of the word 'idol'
In a sentence: 'Iba ka talaga, lodi! Galing!'
2. PETMALU
Meaning: Something that is super amazing.
Origin: Petmalu is the reversed order of syllables of the word 'malupet'
In a sentence: 'Petmalu 'yung shot ni LeBron kanina!'
3. ORB/ORBSKI
Meaning: A guy friend.
Origin: Orb/Orbski is the reverse form of the word 'bro'
In a sentence: 'Let's go, mga orb!'
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4. ENKA
Meaning: To eat.
Origin: Enka is the reversed order of syllables of the word 'kain'
In a sentence: 'Lunch break! Enka na!'
5. ERP
Meaning: A guy friend.
Origin: Erp is the reverse form of the word 'pare'
In a sentence: 'Nice to see you, erp!'
6. REMA
Meaning: A girl friend.
Origin: Rema is the reversed order of syllables of the word 'mare'
In a sentence: 'Kitakits later, rema'
7. RAPSA
Meaning: Something that is delicious.
Origin: Rapsa is the reversed order of syllables of the word 'sarap'
In a sentence: 'Rapsa ng ulam! Yaaas!'
8. WERPA
Meaning: To give support.
Origin: Werpa is the reversed order of syllables of the word 'power'
In a sentence: 'Kaya mo yang ipasa! More werpa, rema!'
9. MATSALA
Meaning: To show gratitude.
Origin: Matsala is the reversed order of syllables of the word 'salamat'
In a sentence: 'Matsala sa allowance!'
Sources: Social Variation Language, Filipiknow, and The Manila Millennial
This story originally appeared on Fhm.com.ph.
* Minor edits have been made by the Smartparenting.com.ph editors.
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