# Diba, Sandali Lang



## Seb_K

Hey guys!

I've been watching a lot of Filipino movies lately and I'm still trying to learn Tagalog. 



I realised that in the films, the actors tend to end some of the questions asked with "diba". What does it mean and how do you go about using "diba"?

And what about "sandali lang". What does it mean?

Thank you for the help.


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## Chriszinho85

Hey Seb!  

"Diba" is actually short for "hindi ba?"  You usually say it at the end of a sentence to mean something like "right?" "isn't it?" or "Don't you think?"  For example, "Maganda siya 'di ba?"  - "She's pretty, isn't she?" or "She's pretty, don't you think?"

It can also be used at the beginning of a sentence.  For example, "'Di ba pupunta siya dito ngayon?"  -  Isn't he coming here today?

"Sandali lang" means "hold on,"  "wait a minute" or just "wait."

Hope this helps. 

Chris


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## Seb_K

Ah, thank you very much for the explanation. I was guessing that "diba" might be something like, "right" and I guess your explanation cleared my doubts completely. And also for "sandali lang". 



Thanks!!!


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## Qcumber

Sandali lang = *sandalî láng [san da li 'laN]* "just a moment, (please)" comes from isá-ng dalî lámang "one -ligature + instant < quick(ness) + only".

*dalî [da'li?]* : The circumflex accent can only be placed on the last vowel of a word that is not followed by a visible consonant. It is made up of the acute accent (/) and the grave accent (\): / + \ > /\.
1) The acute accent indicates stress.
2) The grave accent represents the phonemic glottal stop [?] that closes the final sylable.

If stress is on the penultimate, the acute accent is placed on it, and the grave accent remains alone on the ultimate, e.g. *lúpà ['lu: pa?]* "earth". For a reason I don't know, the acute accent is erased on the penultimate in official spelling, hence *lupà ['lu: pa?]* (no change in pronunciation).


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