Tagalog words and phrases for the New Year ~ Continue reading “Year 2025”
BASIC TAGALOG
Months of the Year
The Tagalog word buwan means both ‘month’ and ‘moon.’ Continue reading “Months of the Year”
Vocabulary List: Sports
The English term “sports” has been translated into Tagalog as palakasan or laro, and into Filipino as isports.
arnis
Filipino stick fighting
basketbol
basketball
Top 10 Basic Tagalog Phrases to Know
Make an effort to learn at least a few basic phrases in Tagalog!
This is how Filipinos would say hello. It’s the equivalent of “Good morning!” though you can use it in the early afternoon too.
This is the most common way of saying ‘I Love You.’ This phrase can be used with anyone, from your wife to your grandfather.
The Tagalog word for ‘delicious‘ is also used for something that feels good.
“Good Afternoon” in Tagalog
The Tagalog word for ‘afternoon’ is hapon.
beautiful
Magandang…
Good…
hápon
afternoon
Good afternoon.
Magandang hapon po.
Good afternoon.
(when speaking to older people)
Telling Time in Tagalog
Filipinos most commonly use Spanish numbers to tell time.
Anong oras na?
What time is it?
Ala-una.
One o’clock.
Alas-singko.
Five o’clock.
Alas-singko ng umaga.
Five o’clock in the morning.
Alas-singko ng hapon.
Five o’clock in the afternoon.
Alas-dyes ng gabi.
Ten o’clock at night.
1:00 ala-una – one o’clock
2:00 alas-dos – two o’clock
3:00 alas-tres – three o’clock
4:00 alas-kwatro – four o’clock
5:00 alas-singko – five o’clock
6:00 alas-sais – six o’clock
7:00 alas-siyete – seven o’clock
8:00 alas-otso – eight o’clock
9:00 alas-nwebe – nine o’clock
10:00 alas-dyes – ten o’clock
11:00 alas-onse – eleven o’clock
12:00 alas-dose – twelve o’clock
ala una y medya
half past one
alas dose kwarenta y singko
12:45
Tagalog Numbers 11 – 20
The Tagalog word for ‘number’ is bilang. The Filipino word is numero.
Labing-isa, labing-dalawa, labing-tatlo…
Tagalog Food Words from Chinese
These terms entered Tagalog from Hokkien-speaking Chinese immigrants.
dikyam = salted, preserved plum
bataw = climbing plant with edible pods
