Philippine Culture — By Maricar on November 10, 2009 at 12:30 am

Filipino Riddles (Bugtong) Revisited 2

Someone told me that they once spent hours looking up and trying to solve Filipino riddles (bugtong). Riddles are a lot of fun, but I also remember having these as homework in my grade school Filipino classes, and no wonder! They are a great exercise for the mind and one’s language skills.

So, let’s see what you’ve got! Answers to the riddles below are after the cut:

1. Kasama ko siya, kasunod ko siya, saan man ako mapunta. (He’s with me, he’s following me, everywhere I go.)

2. Dalawang magkaibigan, unahan nang unahan. (Two friends who are always in a race.)

3. Kung kailan tahimik, saka nambubuwisit. (When it’s quiet, that’s the time it annoys people.)

4. Aling paa ang nasa ulo? (Whose feet are on one’s head?)

5. Maliit pa si Kumpare, nakakaakyat na sa tore (My friend is yet small, but he can climb a tower.)

6. Baboy sa pulo, ang balahibo ay pako. (The pig on the island has fur like nails.)

7. Nagdaan si Tarzan, nabiyak ang daan. (Tarzan passed by, and the road was split.)

8. May puno walang bunga, may dahon walang sanga. (It has a trunk but no fruit, it has a leaf but no stem.)

9. Nang bata pa ay apat ang paa, nang lumaki ay dalawa, nang tumanda ay tatlo na. (When young, he had four feet; when he grew up, he had two; when he grew old, he had three feet.)

10. Hindi pari, hindi hari, nagdadamit ng sari-sari (He’s not a priest nor a king, but he wears a mix of clothes.)

ANSWERS:

1. anino (shadow)

2. paa (feet)

3. lamok (mosquito)

4. kuto (lice)

5. langgam (ant)

6. langka (jackfruit)

7. zipper

8. sandok (ladle)

9. tao (man/humans)

10. sampayan (clothesline)