Ho and Po in Tagalog
Hello! Simple question today about "po" and "ho" in Tagalog.

First of all,

I think that I have read that they are perfect synonyms, thus always interchangeable because they show the same amount of respect. Correct?

Second of all,

are they more native to one part or to another of the Philippines?

Personally, I've been in Luzon, and I heard "po" a lot, and I didn't notice any "ho" (perhaps I wasn't fully aware of its existence back then)

Salamat!I could extend my question to "oho" and "opo" ^_^Actually, I read somewhere that "po" has higher regards. Therefore, it is probably more used everywhere...

Question

Ho and Po in Tagalog
Hello! Simple question today about "po" and "ho" in Tagalog.

First of all,

I think that I have read that they are perfect synonyms, thus always interchangeable because they show the same amount of respect. Correct?

Second of all,

are they more native to one part or to another of the Philippines?

Personally, I've been in Luzon, and I heard "po" a lot, and I didn't notice any "ho" (perhaps I wasn't fully aware of its existence back then)

Salamat!I could extend my question to "oho" and "opo" ^_^Actually, I read somewhere that "po" has higher regards. Therefore, it is  probably more used everywhere...

Answer

"Po" and "ho" are just the same.  "Opo" and "oho" are the respectful ways of saying "oo".  We may tend to use "po" more often because it is easier to say, especially if we are at a distance from the person who should hear it.  That's because it requires more effort to make the aspiration for the "h" to be heard at a distance.  When speaking calmly to a person face-to-face, "po/opo" and "ho/oho" get a fair shake.

Answer

I use the two depending on who is it I am talking to.
For immediate and intimate family members and elders I am close or directly associated with, I go with "Po" "Opo". When I want to put distance between me and an elder that I am not really familiar with or can't use honorifics for (e.g., Tita, Tito) I go with "Ho" or "Oho".

Answer

Po sounds more personal and friendly and intimate. Ho sounds like more for the old ones in the old days. SOunds distant and impersonal, like you are jsut forced to respect this person but you really do not like him or love him. But these are just impressions and there are no really hard and fast and authoritative rule about this.  when i was younger, many people used ho. But now, only  a few and only seldom is it used. It also sounds like you came from the older eras, or the olden times. No, not particular to any region. But the Visayans neoither use ho or po, they are not Tagalog's.