English mistakes Filipinos make in work chats and emails, and the fix
English is an official language in the Philippines, and you use it at work every day. These are the small habits, many from Tagalog, that can confuse a client or manager abroad.
The English mistakes Filipinos make most at work are mixing up “he” and “she” (Tagalog siya is both), “borrow” for “lend” (hiram and pahiram), “open/close the light” for “turn on/off”, “cope up” for “cope”, and “until now” meaning “still”. Most come from Tagalog or other Philippine languages, and each has a simple fix.
First, a fair note. Philippine English is a recognised variety of English, with its own words: comfort room, rest day, for a while on the phone. Inside the Philippines they're perfectly clear. This page is about the moment you write to a client in the US, a manager in Australia or a team in the UK, and you want them to understand you the first time.
1. “He” and “she” mixed up
Why: Tagalog siya means both he and she, and niya means both his and her. When you write fast, the English pronoun can come out wrong.
- ✗ I talked to Maria from accounting. He said the invoice is ready.
- ✓ I talked to Maria from accounting. She said the invoice is ready.
This is the most important one to check, because a client may think you are talking about a different person.
2. “Can you borrow me your laptop?”
Why: Tagalog uses one root for both directions: hiram (borrow) and pahiram (lend). English uses two different verbs. You borrow from someone; you lend to someone.
- ✗ Can you borrow me your charger?
- ✓ Can you lend me your charger? / Can I borrow your charger?
3. “Open the light” and “close the aircon”
Why: Tagalog buksan and isara (open, close) work for lights and machines. In English, things with a switch are turned on and off.
- ✗ Please close the aircon before you leave the office.
- ✓ Please turn off the air conditioning before you leave the office.
4. “Cope up with”
Why: it mixes cope with and keep up with.
- ✗ I'm still trying to cope up with the new system.
- ✓ I'm still trying to cope with the new system. / I'm trying to keep up with the workload.
5. “Until now” meaning “still”
Why: hanggang ngayon translates as “until now”, but in Tagalog it often means “still”. In English, “until now” suggests the situation has just ended.
- ✗ Until now, I haven't received the payment.
- ✓ I still haven't received the payment.
Read the wrong version again as a native speaker would: it sounds like the payment just arrived. That's the opposite of what you mean.
6. “For a while” on chat
Why: on the phone, “please hold for a while” is normal in the Philippines. In writing, “for a while” sounds like a long, unknown time.
- ✗ For a while, I will check the file.
- ✓ One moment, I'll check the file. / Give me a few minutes to check the file.
7. “Result to” and “based from”
Why: prepositions are hard in every language, and these two pairs are very common in Philippine writing.
- ✗ The delay resulted to extra costs. Based from the report, sales are up.
- ✓ The delay resulted in extra costs. Based on the report, sales are up.
8. “Same with”
Why: “same with” is used for agreement, as in “Same with me.” International English uses same as for comparison and so do I / me too for agreement.
- ✗ The new design is same with the old one.
- ✓ The new design is the same as the old one.
- ✓ A: I can join at 3. B: Me too.
9. “Please be guided accordingly” and “Noted with thanks”
These are not grammar mistakes. They're formal office phrases that sound old-fashioned or cold to readers abroad, especially at the end of a short chat.
| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| Please be guided accordingly. | Let me know if you have any questions. |
| Noted with thanks. | Thanks, got it. |
| For your perusal. | Here's the file for you to review. |
| Kindly advise. | Could you let me know? |
| Sir / Ma'am (to a client you work with daily) | Their first name, if they sign with it |
On the last one: if your client signs “Thanks, Dave”, it's fine to write “Hi Dave”. Using Sir every time can feel distant to someone who wants a friendly working relationship.
10. Missing “-s” and tense in fast messages
Why: Tagalog verbs don't change for he/she and don't use English-style tenses. So in a quick chat, the endings drop.
- ✗ He always send the report late. Yesterday I call the supplier.
- ✓ He always sends the report late. Yesterday I called the supplier.
A real work chat, before and after
Hi Ma'am, until now the client did not send the files yet. For a while I will follow up him. Please be guided accordingly.
Hi Jen, the client still hasn't sent the files. I'll follow up with him now and update you by 3 pm.
The second version is shorter, has one clear action and a time. If you're writing on WhatsApp, Viber or Slack, the WhatsApp grammar check can flag these before you send, with a one-line reason for each. If you're late answering, see what to write instead of “sorry for the late reply”. Indian colleagues share some of these habits; see Indian English phrases at work.
Quick self-check
“Can you borrow me 500 pesos until Friday?”
Can you lend me 500 pesos until Friday? You lend to someone and borrow from someone.
“My manager is on leave. He will be back on Monday.” (The manager is Ana.)
She will be back on Monday. Check pronouns whenever you mention a person by name.
“Until now, the system is down.”
The system is still down. “Until now” suggests it just came back up.
Questions
What are the most common English mistakes Filipinos make?
Pronoun mix-ups (he/she, his/her), borrow for lend, open/close the light, cope up with, result to, based from, and “until now” meaning “still”. Most come from how Tagalog and other Philippine languages work.
Is Philippine English wrong?
No. Philippine English is a recognised variety with its own vocabulary, such as comfort room and rest day. The point is clarity: some local phrases confuse readers abroad, so it helps to know the international version when you write to them.
Why do Filipinos mix up “he” and “she”?
Because Tagalog uses one word, siya, for both, and niya for both his and her. Your brain doesn't need to choose in Tagalog, so in fast English it sometimes picks the wrong one.
Is it OK to call a client “Sir” or “Ma'am”?
In the first email, it's polite. Once a client signs with their first name, using it is usually warmer and more natural in the US, UK and Australia.
