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Conyo is often spoken by wealthy individuals | © hahanriji / Pixabay
Conyo is often spoken by wealthy individuals | © hahanriji / Pixabay | © hahanriji / Pixabay
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Conyo: The Philippine Language That Defined a Social Class

Picture of Ronica Valdeavilla
Updated: 12 March 2018

What conyo really means


Conyo is a type of language in the Philippines
Conyo is a type of language in the Philippines | © / Pexels

Yet in the Philippine context, the word has an entirely different meaning. The word conyo often refers to a language where people speak Taglish — a combination of the English and Filipino languagesin a fussy way. Using this language may also exhibit that speakers have limited knowledge of either language and have to code-switch.

It’s not just a language



Common conyo phrases and signs

Do you know someone who unintentionally speaks conyo or who proudly speaks this way? Here are common phrases you’ve probably heard or characteristics you’ve observed from them:

They insert words such as make or so into their sentences.

You’ve probably heard some students say, “Let us make pasok to class,” or “Let’s go to class.” They also say, “Don’t make me lakad na,or “Don’t make me walk any further.” In some cases, they use so, such as “It’s so sarap,” or “It’s very delicious.”

They love to reply in abbreviations.

Ask them if they’re coming to the party tonight, and you’ll get a message that says “G!” which means they’re game for it. Having an unfortunate moment? They’ll tell you it’s “BV” or “bad vibes.”

They usually don’t know how to commute.

Because people who are identified as conyo usually come from wealthy families, they are often unaware of how to use public transportation. They’ll either bring a car or take a cab to get to their destination.

They know the latest trends and the most expensive brands.

You’ll probably observe that they replace their phones every time a new smartphone model is available on the market. And, when it comes to signature brands? They know how to distinguish a fake item from an original one.