Maritime phrasebook — 7 languages

Modern merchant vessels routinely sail with mixed-nationality crews — Filipino officers standing watch alongside Indian engine ratings, Russian or Ukrainian deck officers, and Indonesian or Chinese AB hands. When fatigue is high and the radio is crackling, a shared vocabulary can be the difference between a smooth evolution and a dangerous misunderstanding. This phrasebook covers 52 phrases across seven categories — bridge wheel orders, engine telegraph commands, deck and mooring operations, safety and emergency, distress, mess-room social phrases, and basic medical — rendered in the natural maritime register of each language.

Note that internationally standardised terms such as Mayday, lifejacket, gangway, and engine telegraph commands (Full ahead, Stop engine) are kept in English even in the translated columns, following merchant-vessel convention. The table is filterable by category; use the chips below to select a second language column alongside English.

· Sound signals — whistle, bell, and gong signals under COLREGs Annex IV.
· Distress procedures — Mayday spoken format, DSC alerting, and Pan-Pan.
· Morse code — SOS signalling and the full character table.
· Philippines seafarer guide — MARINA / POEA process, STCW endorsement, and COC upgrade paths for Filipino mariners.
· India seafarer guide — DG Shipping MMD process, CDC renewal, and rank progression for Indian mariners.

Second language column

Category	English	Filipino (Tagalog)
Bridge	Hard a-starboard	Hard a-starboard
Bridge	Hard a-port	Hard a-port
Bridge	Midships	Midships
Bridge	Steady as she goes	Hawak ang kurso
Bridge	Steady on this course	Hawak ang ganitong kurso
Bridge	What's our position?	Ano ang ating posisyon?
Bridge	ETA next port?	Kailan tayo darating sa susunod na daungan?
Bridge	Reduce speed to 12 knots	Bawasan ang bilis sa 12 knots
Engine	Full ahead	Full ahead
Engine	Slow ahead	Slow ahead
Engine	Slow astern	Slow astern
Engine	Stop engine	Stop engine
Engine	Standby engine	Standby engine
Engine	Engine room, all OK?	Engine room, lahat ay maayos?
Engine	Power loss reported	Naiulat ang pagkawala ng kuryente
Engine	Sound the whistle	Tugtog ang pito
Engine	Full astern emergency	Full astern emergency
Deck	Stand by mooring lines	Ihanda ang mga mooring line
Deck	Slack the bow line	Luwagin ang bow line
Deck	Heave away	Heave away
Deck	Make fast	Ikonekta ang pisi
Deck	Lower the gangway	Ibaba ang gangway
Deck	Cargo hatch open	Bukas ang cargo hatch
Deck	Crane operation in progress	Nagpapatakbo ng crane
Deck	Keep clear of the crane	Lumayo sa crane
Safety	Fire on board	Sunog sa barko
Safety	Sound the alarm	Tugtog ang alarma
Safety	Muster at lifeboat station	Mag-ipon sa lifeboat station
Safety	Don your lifejacket	Isuot ang iyong lifejacket
Safety	All hands to stations	Lahat ng crew sa inyong mga estasyon
Safety	Man overboard	Taong nahulog sa dagat
Safety	Watch out!	Mag-ingat!
Safety	Abandon ship	Iwanan ang barko
Distress	Mayday Mayday Mayday	Mayday Mayday Mayday
Distress	We require immediate assistance	Nangangailangan kami ng agarang tulong
Distress	Our position is lat lon	Ang aming posisyon ay lat lon
Distress	Vessel sinking	Ang barko ay lumalubog
Distress	Persons in the water	May mga tao sa tubig
Distress	Send doctor	Magpadala ng doktor
Distress	We are on fire and require assistance	May sunog kami at kailangan ng tulong
Mess / Social	Good morning	Magandang umaga
Mess / Social	Are you OK?	Kumusta ka?
Mess / Social	What's for dinner?	Ano ang hapunan?
Mess / Social	Coffee please	Kape nga, pakiusap
Mess / Social	I need rest	Kailangan ko ng pahinga
Mess / Social	Family is calling	Tumatawag ang pamilya
Medical	I feel sick	Hindi ako maganda ang pakiramdam
Medical	I have pain in my chest	Masakit ang aking dibdib
Medical	I need medicine	Kailangan ko ng gamot
Medical	Call the doctor	Tawagan ang doktor
Medical	Help me	Tulungan mo ako
Medical	I am injured	Nasugatan ako
anchor	Stand by port / starboard anchor for letting go.
anchor	Walk back port / starboard anchor one shackle in the water.
anchor	Let go port / starboard anchor.
anchor	How is the cable growing?
anchor	Cable is growing aft / forward / abeam.
anchor	Brought up. Anchor holding.
anchor	Anchor is dragging.
anchor	Heave away on port / starboard anchor.
anchor	Anchor is aweigh.
anchor	Anchor is clear of the water. Anchor home.
anchor	Veer / heave to N shackles in the water.
anchor	How many shackles are in the water?
mooring	Stand by fore / aft for mooring.
mooring	Send out the head line / stern line / spring line / breast line.
mooring	Heave on the head line.
mooring	Slack away the spring.
mooring	Hold on the head line.
mooring	Make fast the head line on the bitts.
mooring	All lines fast fore and aft.
mooring	Stand clear of mooring lines — snap-back zone.
mooring	Single up to two and one fore and aft.
mooring	Let go all lines.
mooring	All lines clear of the water.
mooring	Tug fast on the port quarter / starboard bow.
mooring	Tug let go.
pilot	Pilot boarding ground at position [lat / long].
pilot	Pilot ladder rigged on port / starboard side, [N] metres above the waterline.
pilot	What side and what height for the pilot ladder?
pilot	Make a lee for the pilot boat on port / starboard side.
pilot	Pilot has the con.
pilot	Master has the con.
pilot	Steer course one-zero-five.
pilot	Steady on course one-zero-five.
pilot	Mid-ships.
pilot	Half ahead. Slow ahead. Dead slow ahead.
pilot	Stop engine.
pilot	Half astern. Full astern.
pilot	Finished with engines.
helicopter	Helicopter on final approach. All loose objects on deck secured.
helicopter	Maintain course and speed. Wind on port / starboard bow.
helicopter	Vessel ready for winching operation.
helicopter	Stand by the hi-line. Do not make fast.
helicopter	Helicopter clear of the deck.
Distress	Mayday Mayday Mayday. This is [vessel name and call sign], [position], [nature of distress]. We require immediate assistance. Over.
Distress	Mayday Relay Mayday Relay Mayday Relay. This is [station]. Received the following Mayday from [vessel].
Distress	Pan-Pan Pan-Pan Pan-Pan. All stations, this is [vessel], [position]. We have an urgent message.
Distress	Securité Securité Securité. All stations, this is [vessel]. Navigational warning follows.
Distress	Seelonce Mayday. Restrict communications to the distress.
Distress	Seelonce Feenee. Distress traffic ended. Normal working may resume.
cargo	Commence loading at slow rate. Topping-up rate to follow.
cargo	Ramp up to full rate.
cargo	Slow down. Topping-up tank [N].
cargo	Stop loading. Notice of completion.
cargo	Inert gas system on. Tank atmosphere below 8% O2.
cargo	Crude oil washing in progress. No hot work permitted.
cargo	Bonding cable connected before commencing transfer.
cargo	ESD activated. All cargo operations stopped.
cargo	Custody transfer surveyor onboard.
cargo	Bunker barge alongside on port side. Stand by fore mooring station.
cargo	Hose connected. Pre-transfer checklist signed.
cargo	Fuel sample taken at start, mid-transfer, and end.
cargo	Bunker delivery note signed.
Bridge	Hand over the watch to [rank]. All clear, no traffic ahead.
Bridge	Vessel ahead at three points on the port bow, range four miles, closing.
Bridge	Take her to manual steering. Engine on stand-by.
Bridge	Reduce to manoeuvring revs.
Bridge	Restricted visibility. Sound fog signals.
Bridge	ECDIS route is loaded and checked. No alarms.
Bridge	AIS broadcast confirmed. Navigational status: under way using engine.
Engine	Main engine on stand-by. Fuel changeover to MGO completed.
Engine	Auxiliary engine number [N] paralleled and on load.
Engine	Boiler at working pressure. Steam available for cargo heating.
Engine	Engine room manned. UMS operation suspended.
Engine	Fresh-water generator started. Salinity within range.
Safety	Muster station drill at [time]. All hands to your assigned stations.
Safety	Don your immersion suit and lifejacket.
Safety	Lower the lifeboat to embarkation deck.
Safety	Enclosed-space entry permit issued. Atmosphere tested: O2 20.9%, LEL 0%, H2S 0 ppm.
Safety	Hot work permit issued. Fire watch posted.
Safety	Man overboard. Throw the lifebuoy. Mark the position. Initiate Williamson turn.
Medical	Patient is conscious, breathing, with palpable pulse.
Medical	Patient is unconscious. Commence CPR.
Medical	Suspected appendicitis. Pain right lower quadrant for 8 hours, fever 38.5°C.
Medical	Suspected myocardial infarction. Chest pain radiating to left arm. Aspirin administered.
Medical	Crush injury to right hand. Bleeding controlled with pressure bandage.
Medical	Calling TMAS for medical advice.
Medical	Request MEDEVAC at first opportunity. Patient cannot be treated onboard.
Mess / Social	Breakfast at 0700. Lunch at 1200. Dinner at 1800. Standing food in galley.
Mess / Social	Halal / vegetarian / kosher meal requested for [crew member].
Mess / Social	Fresh provisions stored. Cold-room temperature within range.
Deck	Hatch covers closed and secured. All lashings tight.
Deck	Deck wash completed. Scuppers clear.
Deck	Container stack secured. Twist-locks engaged and pinned.
Deck	Pre-departure checklist complete. Ready in all respects to proceed to sea.

146 phrases

Maritime phrasebook — 7 languages

See also

Maritime phrasebook — 7 languages

See also