Hi. "Po" is only "Sir" or "Madam" ?

I think it is only "sir" or "madam (ma'am)" in the sense that we would say "Yes, sir" or "Yes, ma'am." Think of it this way: you would not say "Yes, sir" to your son, but you would say "Yes, sir" to your boss. Similarly, you would say "Opo" (short for "Oo po") to an elder or a superior - in fact, it would be expected - but you would not say "Opo" to a child. Think of "po" as a "particle" that connotes respect, not as a word that can be literally translated as "sir" or "madam." BTW, I am not a native Tagalog speaker, so this post invites correction or amendment.

@stevesmi
@Diegocorry is correct. If you try to translate it literally, it can mean sir or ma'am or miss (as in a polite address to a woman). It should not be used as a synonym for "young lady," though.Generally, in my opinion, you should try to think in Filipino and avoid translating "po" into an English word at all...just recognize it as a word in a sentence that indicates politeness.

Think of "po" as an untranslatable "po"lite marker in your sentence. Also, if you're not familiar with Philippine society and culture, realize that politeness and respect are woven much more deeply into the fabric of life than they are in the U.S. For instance, no child would (or should, anyway) dream of addressing an adult without "po." My personal rule of thumb when addressing an adult, Tagalog-speaking stranger is to always use "po." If it's a friend or more-than-casual acquaintance, or they tell you it's okay not to use it, then no.

@TLDCAdmin
@Diegocorry
Thanks guys. What you say makes sense. I have vacationed here many times and now I have been in the Philippines for three months and considering retiring here. Due to my silver-grey hair, hearing "po" almost all of the time takes some getting used to because back home in the UK it was only used with a boss or a teacher or in the military (and some policemen used to expect it). When just about everybody who does not have silver hair uses it on me then it really does take some getting used to it.

@stevesmi
; ) Don't feel too bad, I don't know how old you are, but I remember getting a lot po's on my trip at 35 years old, too. I think it's especially common to use with foreigners and in retail/service settings.Of course...the median age in the Philippines is just 24 years old, below many western countries' medians (US = 38yo, Australia = 37 years old, UK = 40 years old)...so by the age of 35 I was already 50% older than the median, haha.I distinctly remember coming back to the US and reflecting that I felt older than average and fatter than average when I was there. ; )

As an American living in the Philippines, I use the article "po" quite extensively. I do not limit its use to my elders. I use it to anyone in authority or when I appreciate what someone has done for me. Many are younger than my 56 years.

I like the po"lite" marker notion of DiegoCorry - magaling. I think of it as a masarap dallop of respect whenever I want to move someone's chin up. Style Ko! Enjoy poh.