“Wag niyo akong pagligpitan ng hapagkainan. Gusto ko pang mag-asawa!” Raise your hand if you’ve ever blurted this out before.
Superstitious beliefs may not be as sworn by now as they were years ago, but many of us continue to subconsciously abide by a lot of these for assurance and security. As Filipinos put it, “Wala namang masama. Better safe than sorry!”
Interestingly, a lot of Filipino superstitions are related to relationships. Some warn against specific practices to avoid singlehood. Others discourage certain behaviours to prevent bad luck in marriage. But with all of the Filipino superstitions about relationships, it’s hard to keep track of what we should and shouldn’t be doing!
Also read: 8 ‘Travel Superstitions’ Your Asian Mom Probably Warned You About
If you’re interested in learning more about superstitious beliefs about relationships, fret not. Here’s a list we’ve compiled for you.
Filipino superstitions that will curse you to stay single forever
1. If you’re still left eating while the dining table is being cleared, you’ll never marry
So if you take a while to finish your food, you’ll stay single forever. We’re not sure where this belief comes from, but it has surely helped slow eaters chew faster.
2. If you sing while cooking, you’ll stay single forever
Unless they’re not interested in marriage, single women shouldn’t sing while cooking. Another version of this belief is that you’ll be fated to marry someone much older if you sing while you’re cooking.
3. If you have leftovers on your plate, you’ll be doomed to a life of unmarried loneliness
According to a superstitious belief, leftovers symbolise a life of loneliness. This is why it is believed that you must make sure to eat each grain of rice if you want to get married.
4. If you usually sit at the head of the table, you’ll never marry
In the Philippines, the father typically sits at the head of the table. But if you’re unmarried and take this spot, it is said that you’ll remain single your whole life.
Filipino superstitions about relationships falling apart
5. If you and your partner eat from the same plate, you’ll break up
While eating with your significant other, make sure you have separate plates. If you share food on one plate, you are bound to fight and end the relationship.
6. If you give your partner a pair of shoes, he or she will run away from you
Shoe giving as bad luck in relationships is a popular superstition across Asia. Apparently, you can’t give your significant other a pair of shoes because this will urge them to walk away from (or walk over!) you.
If you’re on the receiving end of the gift, you can negate this bad luck by giving your partner a coin in return. The coin would symbolise you “buying” the gift.
7. If you give your partner a handkerchief, you’ll make him or her cry
At least this superstition provides a less grave consequence than a breakup. You can also nullify this “bad luck gift” with a coin.
8. If you eat chicken neck as a single woman, you’ll end up watching over your partner forever
Like a chicken always pecking for food, you’ll be perpetually hovering over your partner. Your relationship will end up toxic and you’ll eventually break up.
Also read: The Baguio Breakup Curse — How Real Is It?
Filipino superstitions about weddings
9. If you try on your gown before your wedding day, the wedding won’t push through
Don’t be too excited about your wedding gown. Superstition says that if you try on your dress for a final fitting, your wedding won’t happen. Some also believe that you can’t take photos of your gown fitting, regardless of how far it is from the wedding date.
10. If you travel before your wedding, you’ll be prone to accidents
There are many superstitions against travelling before a big day, be it your graduation or your wedding day. This said, superstition advises against engaged couples travelling prior to their wedding to prevent accidents from happening.
11. If you get married in the same year as your sibling, you’ll have a bad marriage
Many of us are familiar with sukob, the wedding curse that discourages siblings to get married in the same year. According to this belief, luck would be divided among the two couples who wed in the same year.
12. If you wear a piece of jewellery shaped like a teardrop, you’ll have a miserable marriage
Brides who wear teardrop-shaped jewellery will have a marriage that brings tears. On that note, brides are also advised against wearing pearls during their wedding, as these are “oyster tears.”
13. If you receive an arinola as a wedding gift, you’ll have a good marriage
On the other hand, sharp objects will curse you into a broken marriage. So if you’re planning your wedding registry around these superstitions, forget the knives and ask for an arinola instead!
Bonus: If you wear red underwear, you’ll find love soon
In a vlog Kim Chiu uploaded before Chinese New Year, she revealed that she tried the superstition of wearing brand-new red underwear to find love.
“Maswerte rin mag-wear ng red underwear para sa mga single diyan na gusto magka-love life. Ito proven and tested talaga ito kasi ginawa ko ito. And then shinare ko ito sa mga friends ko and nagkaroon sila ng love life. Kailangan brand-new red underwear para brand new you, brand new feeling,” the actress revealed.
Also read: Couples Who Fell in Love While Travelling
Whether you believe in these Filipino superstitions about relationships or not, it’s fascinating to look at how these beliefs came to be. Did we miss any superstition your grandparents passed on to you? Let us know in the comments!
Facebook image credits (L-R): Kim Chiu | Official Instagram Page; pixelshot via Canva Pro
