9 Facebook stickers that help express traditional Filipino feelings

MANILA, Philippines — The Filipino language has unique words that articulate seemingly complex feelings.

Feeling kilig when we see our crushes, uttering the word “sayang” when we miss out on something, or internalizing tampo whenever our special someone gives us the cold shoulder – those are just some of the Filipino words we use to express emotions – that don’t always have a direct English translation.

In spite of the language barrier, these are emotions that you can communicate even on an online platform such as Facebook. With Facebook stickers – visual aids one can use to enhance text-based chatting – it’s easier to say what you mean.

To illustrate, we have a quick roundup of these stickers that let you express traditionally Filipino experiences such as kilig, sayang,and tampo.

Kilig

Kilig consumes us when we romantically connect with a person. It’s the excitement you feel when your crush says “Hi!” or that feeling of giddiness when a person you like does something nice for you.

These are the stickers that best represent the feeling: 

Meep sees love: Facebook’s classic, direct to the point “in-love” sticker never fails. 

The white bear Opi is peppered with kiss marks: The cute bear filled with kiss marks sends the message that you are experiencing just the right amount of kilig  – and can still hold your composure…kind of. 

Mim is reunited with her car: Absence makes the heart grow fonder. That’s what this sticker seems to say. It’s the one to use when you get in touch with a dear friend/special someone that you haven’t talked to in a looong while. 

Sayang

Sayang is a feeling we are all too familiar with. It’s the word Filipinos use to describe missed opportunities.

Experiencing this? Here are a few sticker suggestions to express that feeling of disappointment, or that lingering “what if?” in your mind:

Ice cream creature Napoli wonders: Don’t let this three-flavored ice cream’s happy veneer fool you; Napoli also feels disappointment. His expression sums up what we look like every time “what if?” moments visit our minds. 

Confused Bun the bunny: This happy-go-lucky rabbit usually has goofy and cheesy expressions. But when he feels dazed and confused? He certainly has a way of showing it. When it seems like you’ve done everything but you still missed an opportunity, this may be a good sticker to use.

Pusheen the cat lies down: The fat cat that everyone loves is usually adventurous, but when circumstances do not seem to go his way, Pusheen lies down and reflects. Great for when you are feeling the #QuarterLifeBlues.

Tampo

Tampo stems from a feeling of being taken for granted.

People show it by being reprehensive or by refusing affectionate advances such as a hug or kiss from someone dear to us.

Below are specific stickers you may want to consider to express this complicated emotion:

Mim is not happy: This sticker may be the closest to how a fit of tampo looks like. Nearly every Filipino rom-com movie has a moment like this, typically in a cutesy, she’s-not-really-mad kind of way. 

Tuzki the rabbit just cannot right now: A seemingly emotionless rabbit because of his permanently squinted eyes uses big movements to express emotions. Tuzki’s stance definitely sends the message that he just can’t deal with you right now.

The fish means business: Like Mim above, Business Fish also knows how to do the classic tampo stance. The question mark adds a “what now?” element to the whole affair. This may come in handy when you want to urge that person to do something about the situation.

These are just some examples of the stickers that can help communicate traditionally Filipino emotions. What emotions were easier for you to express online thanks to these visuals? – Rappler.com