Tagalog language

Austronesian language and the national language of the Philippines

Tagalog[3] is one of the main languages spoken in the Philippines and is the national language of the country. More than 22 million people speak it as their first language.

Tagalog
Wikang Tagalog
Native toPhilippines
RegionCentral and South Luzon
EthnicityTagalog people
Native speakers
28 million (2007)[1]
96% of the Philippines can speak Tagalog (2000)[2]
Standard forms
Dialects
  • Bataan
  • Batangas
  • Bulacan
  • Lubang
  • Manila
  • Marinduque
  • Tanay-Paete
  • Tayabas
  • Balbal
Latin (Tagalog/Filipino);
Historically Baybayin
Official status
Official language in
Philippines Philippines (in the form of Filipino)
Regulated byCommission on the Filipino Language
Language codes
ISO 639-1tl
ISO 639-2tgl, fil
ISO 639-3tgl – inclusive code
Individual code:
fil – Filipino
Linguasphere31-CKA
Predominantly Tagalog-speaking regions in the Philippines. The color-schemes represent the 4 dialect zones of the language: Northern, Central, Southern, and Marinduque. In addition, Tagalog is used as a second language across the entire country.

It was originally spoken by the Tagalog people in the Philippines, who were mainly in Bulacan, Cavite, and some parts of Luzon. Now, Tagalog is spoken nationwide and used by Filipinos from different parts of the country to understand each other.

It originally was used with an abugida, the Baybayin script, but the Latin alphabet is now used.

Sample phrases change

  • Magandang Umaga! - Good Morning!
  • Magandang Gabi! - Good Evening!
  • Magandang Tanghali! - Good Afternoon!
  • Kumusta!/Kamusta? - How are you?/Hello! (Informal)
  • May ______ ba kayo? - Do you have ______?(Formal)
  • Mayroon po: Response to "May ______ ba kayo", meaning "Yes, sir".
  • Wala po - Opposite of "Mayroon po".
  • Kayo - you (formal), informally, it refers to "you all".
  • Magkano ito? - How much is this?
  • po: ma'am or sir (used in sentences to be polite to an elder speaker)
  • Mabuhay! - Long Live
  • Ako po si (Pangalan)... - I am (Name)...
  • Mahal kita - I love you
  • Nanay - Mom
  • Tatay - Dad
  • Hindi - No
  • Bakit? - Why?
  • Saan? - Where?
  • Ano? - What?
  • Kailan? - When?
  • Sino? - Who?

Related pages change

References change

  1. Nationalencyklopedin "Världens 100 största språk 2007" The World's 100 Largest Languages in 2007
  2. "Educational characteristics of the Filipinos". Census.gov.ph. 2005-03-18. Archived from the original on 2008-01-27. Retrieved 2012-06-07.
  3. English, Leo James (1990). "Tagalog, Pilipino". Tagalog-English Dictionary.

Other websites change