VERNACULAR TERMS IN PHILIPPINE CONTRUCTION

CONTACTOR - KONTRATISTA

ADOBE ANCHOR - LIYABE

CORNER - KANTO

ALIGNMENT - ASINTADA

CORRUGATED G.I. SHEETS - YEROCANALADO

ALIGNED - KALINYA

GALBANISADO

ALTERNATE OR STAGGERED - UNOSINOTRA

CRUSHED STONE - ESKONDRO

ANCHOR - LIYABE
ASTRAGAL - BATIDURA

AWNING - MEDIA AGUA

DIAGONAL BRACE - PIE DE GALLO

DIAGONAL BRACE - SINTURON

DIGLEAD - TINGGA , ESTOPA

BALUSTERS - BALUSTER, BARANDILLA

DISH RACK - BANGGUERAHAN

BANISTERS - BARANDILLAS

DOOR FILLET - BATIDORA

BARREL BOLT - TRANKILYA

DOOR HEAD - SOMBRERO PINTUAN

BASEBOARD - RODAPIS

DOOR JAMB - HAMBA PINTUAN

BATH TUB - BANIERA

DOWEL - ABANG

BRACE - PIE DE GALLO

DOWN SPOUT - TUBO DE BANADO

BRICK - LA DRILLO

DRAWBORE PINOR - PUNSOL

BEAM - BIGA

DRAW PIN - PUNSOL

BOLT - PIERNO
BOTTOM CHORD - BARAKILAN

BOTTOM CHORD - TIRANTE

EARTHFILL - ESKUMBRO
EAVE - SIBE

EAVE - ALERO

CANOPY - MEDIA AGUA

EXTERNAL SIDING - TABIKE

CABINET HINGE - ESPOLON

ELECTRICIAN - ELECTRISISTA

CARPENTRY - KARPINTERIA
CAST IRON - PUNDIDO

CEILING - KISAME

FASCIA BOARD - SENEPA

CEILING JOIST - KOSTILYAHE

FAUCET - GRIPO

CEMENT BRICK - LADRILYO

FEET - PIYE

CEMENT TILES - BALDOSA

FILL - TAMBAK

CHAIN BOLT - BARAL DE KADENA

FILLER - TAPAL , DAGDAG

CHB LAYING - ASINTA

FILLET - BATIDURA

CLOSED STRINGER - MADRE DE ESKALERA

FLOORING - SAHIG, SUELO

COLAR PLATE - SINTURON

FLOORBOARDS - DOTAL

COLUMN - KOLUMNA , HALIGUE

FLOOR JOISTS - SOLERAS

CONCRETE SLAB - LARGA MASA

FLOOR SILL - GUILILAN

CONDUCTOR - ALULOD

FLUSH - ALAHADO

Page 1 of 3

FOREMAN - KAPATAS

FRAME WORK - BALANGKAS

NAIL SETTER - PUNSOL

NAILERS - PAMAKUAN

NAILS - PAKO

GABLE ROOF - DOS AGUAS

NEWEL POST - TUKOD

G. I. STRAP - LINGUETA

NICOLITE BAR - ESTANYO

GIRDER - KULING

NUT - TUERKA

GIRT - SEPO
GROOVE - KANAL

GUTTER - KANAL

OAKUM - ESTOPA
OPEN STRINGER HARDINERA

OVERHANG OR PROJECTOR - BOLADA

HALL - CAIDA
HANDRAIL GABAY

HINGE BISAGRA
HORIZONTAL STUD PABALAGBAG

PANEL DOOR DE BANDEHA

PATTERN OR SCHEDULE - PLANTILYA

PEA GRAVEL - GRABITA

INCHES PULGADA

PENDULUM (KING POST) - PENDULON

IRON - HIERO

PICK WORK ON MASONRY PIKETA

PLAIN G.I. SHEET - YERO LISOGALBANISADO

PLAIN G.I. STRAP - LINGUETA

JAMB - HAMBA

PLANK BOARD - SENEPA

JOIST SULERAS

PLASTER - PALITADA
PLASTERED COURSE KUSTURADA

PLUG - TAPON
PLUMBING - TUBERIA

PLUMB LINE - HULOG

LABORER PIYON

PLUM BOB - HULOG

LEAN-TO ROOF SIBE

POST - HALIGE / POSTE

LOW TABLE DULANG

PROJECTION BOLADA
PURLINS - REOSTRA
PUTTY - MASILYA

M
MASON - KANTERO

MASONRY FILL LASTILYAS

QUARTER ROUND - MEDIA CANA

MITER - CANTO MESA

MIX OF CEMENT & GRAVEL - LASTILYAS

MORTAR - PAUPO

RABBET - VACIADA

MORTAR JOINTS - KOSTURA

RAFTERS - KILO

MOULDING - MULDURA

REINFORCING BAR - CABILLA BAKAL

RIDGE ROLL - CABALLETE

Page 2 of 3

RISER - SENEPA, TAKIP , SILIPAN

RIVETS - RIMATSE

WAINSCOTING TILES - ASOLEHOS

ROOF - ATIP , BUBONG RISER TAKIP SILIPAN

WALL POST BAGAD

WASHER - PITSA

W. I. STRAP - PLANCHUELA

SCAFFOLDING - ANDAMIYO

WINDOW HEAD - SUMBRERO

SCRATCH COAT - REBOCADA

WINDOW SILL - PASAMANO

SCREW - TURNILYO

WIRING KNOB POLEYA

SHEET - PLANTSA

WINDOW OR DOOR JAMB HAMBA

SHOWER - DUTCHA

WOOD GRAIN HASPE

SIDING (EXTERNAL) - TABIKE

WOOD PLANK TABLA

SINK - PRIGADERO

WROUGHT IRON STRAP PLANTSUWELA

SKETCH PLAN - KROKIS

SLAB (ROUGH) - LARGA MASA

SLOPE - BAHADA
SOLDER - HINANG

SOLDER BAR - ESTANIYO

SOLDERING LEAD - ESTANYO

SPACING OF GAP - BIENTO

STAKE - ESTAKA
STRINGER (CLOSED) - MADRE (DE ESCALERA)
STRINGER (OPEN) - HARDINERA
STUCCO OR PLASTER - PALITADA
STUD (HORIZONTAL) - PABALAGBAG
STUD (VERTICAL) - PILARETE

T
TEMPER(METAL WORK) SUBAN, SUBUHAL
TINSMITH - LATERO
TRELLIS - PERGOLA
TRUSS - KILO
TOP CHORD - TAHILAN
TREAD - BAYTANG

V
VARNISH FINISH - MONYEKA
VERTICAL STUD PILARETE

Page 3 of 3

+jeremiah sunga queddeng

center for the designed environment professions
+vernacular terms
Abutment tulay
Arc arko, balantok
Baseboard rodapis
Beam biga
Bottom chord barakilan
Brace (diagonal) - pie de gallo
Bolt pierno
Brick tisa
Butted tumbok
Canopy pabilyon
Ceiling joist kostilyahe
Chb laying asinta
Chb layed asintada
Clinch mag-rematse
Collar beam ternate
Concrete slab larga masa
Conductor/gutter - alulod
Conduit padaluyan
Corrugated G.I. sheet yero galbanisado
Cross bracing krusete
Crushed stone - escombro
Design debuho
Door case hambahe
Door frame marko ng pinto
Door head trabesanyo, sombrero
Door fillet batidora
Door jamb hamba
Door panelled de bandeha
Door sill umbral
Drip mould gwardya agwa
Earth fill escombro, lastilyas
Eave sibe
Easement rekudo
Facade patsade
Facia senepa
Feet piye, pye
Floor suelo/ sahig
Flush alahado/ lahado
Frame balangkas
Gable sibi
Gable roof dos aguas
Girt sepo, barote
Girder guililyan

Groove kanal
Ground sular
Gutter alero, alulod
G.I strap lingueta
Half circle medya luna, medya kunya
Hinge bisagra
Hinge (cabinet) espelon
Inch - pulgada
Jack rafter sobre kilo
Jamb hamba
Joist soleras, suleras
King post pindulo
Landing mesa, pahingahan
Lath, wood strip listong kahoy
Lathing pagliliston
Lattice sala-sala
Mason mason, kantero
Masonry fill lastilyas
Mezzanine entresuelo
Mortar paupo
Moulding (quater round) mediacana
Nail setter punsol
Oakum estopa
Parapet kuta, muralya
Pattern plantilya, padron
Pavement pabimento
Pickwork piketa
Pile pilote
Plastered line course kusturada
Plate sepo
Plumb panghulog
Plumb line hulog
Post halige
Purlin reostra, parlina
Putty masilya
Projection - bolada
Queen post sobre pindulo
Rabbet vaciada, basyada
Rafter kilo, tahilan
Ramp sumyinta
Rebar - kabilya
Ridge palupo
Ridge roll caballete
Rise senepa
Riser takip
Rivet - rimatse
Roof atip
Rubble eskombro, tigkal-tigkal

Scaffolding, platform andamyo

Scratch coat rebokada
Septic tank poso negro
Sheet - plantsa
Sketch krokis
Siding (external) tabike
Sill (floor) guililan
Sink prigadero
Skirt senepa
Slab kustado
Soffit sepeto, intrados
Slope bahada
Solder - hinang
Spacing beinto
Stake estake, estaka
Steel asero
Stirrup, ties anilyo
Stringer sepo, tahilan
Stringer (close) madre
Stringer (open) hardinera
Stud pamakuan
Stud (vertical) pilarete
Stud (horizontal) pabalagbag
Tenon mitsa
Tile baldosa
Tinsmith - latero
Top chord kilo
Thread roskas
Tread - baytang
Truss kilo
Varnished varnisado, monyeka
Vault balantok, bodega
Wainscoat entablemento, arimadilyo
Washer pitsa, tsapa
Weatherstrip baryete
Window grille - rehas
Wood grain haspe
Wood plank - tabla
Yoke sinturon, pamatok

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FILIPINO CONSTRUCTION VERNACULAR TERMS

Lets put this straight. Did you ever experience conversing to a carpenter or a
handy man that turned to a guessing game? Well, it goes like this. I have a
problem with my ceiling. During the discussion I will point the ceiling to the guy
who will do the work. But after saying the magic word he immediately reacts in
split seconds by saying the vernacular term of what I pointed out. Sounds good
but, heck never to me.
I have a defective ceiling.(kisame ser, - the guy) yah! Kisame. The ceiling joist
ha. (kostilyahe) what the hell is that? Kostilyahe ser. Ceiling joist? No, ser
kostilyahe
For those who experience these and for those who does not want to look lousy
to the work man rather to effectively communicate here are the list of building
parts and its Filipino vernacular term.
ENGLISH -- TAGALOG
POST - halige / poste
GIRDER - gililan
JOIST - soleras
FLOORING sahig/suwelo
GIRT - sepo
BEAM biga
TRUSS kilo
BOTTOM CHORD barakilan
TOP CHORD tahilan
PURLINS - reostra
COLAR PLATE - sinturon
FASCIA BOARD senepa
EXTERNAL SIDING tabike
VERTICAL STUD pilarete
HORIZONTAL STUD pabalagbag
CEILING JOIST kostilyahe
WINDOW SILL pasamano
WINDOW HEAD sombrero
WINDOW OR DOOR JAMB hamba
OPEN STRINGER - hardinera
CLOSED STRINGER madre de eskalera
TREAD baytang
RISER takip silipan
HANDRAIL gabay
MOLDING muldora
EAVE sibe
PROJECTION bolada
FRAMEWORK balangkas
GUTTER kanal
CONDUCTOR alulod
WROUGHT IRON STRAP plantsuwela
BOLT pierno
SCAFFOLDING plantsa
STAKE staka
PLASTERED COURSE kusturada
STUCCO or PLASTER - palitada
SCRATCH COAT - rebokada

PICHWORK on MASONRY piketa

VARNISH FINISH monyeka
SPACING or GAP biyento
CONCRETE SLAB larga masa
ALIGNMENT - asintada
PLUMB LINE - hulog
CEMENT TILES baldosa
CEMENT BRICK ladrilyo
DOOR FILLET batidora
GROOVE kanal
WOOD GRAIN haspe
PATTERN or SCHEDULE - plantilya
HINGE bisagra
PANELED DOOR de bandeha
EARTHFILL - eskumbro
MASONRY FILL lastilyas
ADOBE ANCHOR liyabe
SOLDER hinang
SOLDERING LEAD estanyo