COMMON

MISTAKES

IDIOMS COMMONLY MISTRANSLATED

Ako na lang (ang gagawa niyan).
= Ill do it or Ill take care of it. Or Let me
do it. (*not Ill be the one to do it.)

Bababa ako.
= Im getting off (from a vehicle). (*not Im
going down.)

Dito sila madalas naka(is)tambay.

= They usually hang out here. (*not They
usually stand by here.)

Mago-ocular (inspection) kami.

= Well take a look. Or Well go and have a
look. (*not We will make an ocular
inspection. The phrase ocular inspection
may be more suitable in technical reports.

Mauuna na ako.
= Good(bye). (*not Ill go ahead, which implies
that the hearer is expected to follow.)

May nakaubo ba rito?

= Is this seat taken? (*not Is someone sitting
here?)

Nagcommute lang ako.

= I (just) took the bus/jeep. Or I came by bus or
jeep. (*not I (just) commuted.) The English
commute means to travel regularly from one
place to another, such as from home to school or
place of work, by any means of transportation,
including private vehicles.)
Noong isang araw.
= Day before yesterday. (not *the other day, which
means a few days ago.)
Sandali lang.
= Hold your line. or Hold/Hang on. (when speaking
on the phone) or Just a second/minute/moment).

LIST OF IDIOMS FOUND TO BE USED

WRONGLY BY FILIPINO
PROFESSIONALS:

In behalf of vs. On behalf of

In behalf of means for the benefit of
or for the sake of.
Example: We are raising funds in behalf of
the flood victims.
On behalf of means as the agent of
or on the part of.
Example: We are raising funds on behalf of
the Red Cross.

At this point/At this time (*not at this

point in time)
Cope with (*not cope up)
Fill vs. fill in ( a blank)
vs. fill in for s.o. (=substitute)
vs. fill out (a form)
vs. fill up (a container, a position)
Die of (*not die from)
Excuse from (*not excuse in)
Consequent on (*not consequent to)
With/in regard, as regards (*not with/in
regards)

Accompanied by (persons) vs.

accompanied with (things)
Convenient for (a purpose) vs.
Convenient to (a person)
Share s.t with s.o
Agree with a person (= have the same
idea as that person) vs. Agree to s.t
(=accept something)
Differ from
Abide by (a rule) vs. adibe in (a place)
vs. abide with (a person)
Absent from s.t

COMMONLY MISSPELLED WORDS

Accommodate, accommodation
Advice, advise
Altogether (adv.), all together
(adj phrase)
Assassin, assassination
Asymmetrical
Checkup (n)
Commission
Full-time

Holdup
Idiosyncrasy (*not idiosyncracy)
Occasion
Part-time (*not partime, parttime)
Pastime (*not past-time, pasttime)
Privilege (*not priviledge)
Transferred (*transfered)
Subcommittee (*not subcommittee)

Subculture (*sub-culture)
Lifestyle
Millennium
Envelop (v.) vs. Envelope (n)
Turn over (v.) vs.
turnover (n)
Tryout
Extracurricular (*not extracurricular)

 Ongoing

(*on-going)
Vice versa
Diphtheria
In spite of (not *inspite of)
Occurrence (*not
occurence)
Battalion

 Signaled

(*not signalled)
Soft drink (*not softdrink)
Insofar as (*not in so far
as)
Inasmuch as (*not in as
much)
Data bank (*not databank)

Redundancy
Each and everyone
First and Foremost
Not unless
But unfortunately
Other Common Mistakes
There will be a meeting today.
Today will be the ______.

LEXICAL CHANGE
Further- it is now used in the sense of farther.
Example: Nothing could be further from the north.

Xerox-from the copying process technically labeled as

xerography. Now we have the noncount noun and verb
xerox.
Examples:
The lecturer handed out xerox copies of his outline.
Many graduate students xerox whole books out of
necessity.

Fax- short form for facsimile that is electronically

transmitted. It is now used as verb as well.
Example: The clerk was faxing the deed of sale when a
brownout occurred.

Reference: Malicsi, Jonathan. 2003. The ELP

English Manual. 6th ed. Quezon City: The
Classic Foundation