Tagalog

[vita32]

Tagalog (Pilipino) is the national language of the Philippines. Philippines has so many different dialects that it is necessary to have a national language so that Filipinos from different regions can communicate and bring unity to the nation which comprises of so many islands (big and small). Tagalog is the language spoken in Manila and surrounding area. I guess it makes sense to make Tagalog as the national language because Manila is the capital city of the Philippines at that time and the seat of the Philippine government.

Example of Tagalog Language:

Kumusta 'ka? = how are you?
Magandang umaga =good morning.
Magandang araw = good day.
Magandang gabi = good evening.

Magandang gabi po sa inyong lahat = good evening everyone.

The "po" is a polite expression usually used in formal speech or communication. It is usually omitted if the person speaking is addressing an equal, a friend or a younger person or a younger family member.

Sometimes the "po" is replaced by "ho" which is not as formal as the "po".

Ano po'ng (po ang) pangalan ninyo? What is your name?

Saan po kayo nakatira? = where do you live?

Gusto ko ang sitiong ito dahil karamihan ng miembro ay mahilig makipagkaibigan = I like this site because most of the members are friendly.

Counting in tagalog = pagbilang sa Tagalog

isa = one
dalawa = two
tatlo = three
apat = four
lima = five
anim = six
pito = seven
walo = eight
siyam = nine
sampo = ten

Bicol Dialect which is the dialect of Southern Luzon is another matter. It varies from town to town or province to province.

[poli]

I have heard Phillipinos speaking and was sure that their speech was peppered with Spanish vocabulary. Do you find this to be true? I have read that there is a Phillipino language called Chabacano which is largely
Spanish. I don't know how widely spoken it is.

[irmamar]

I find difficult Tagalog (tagalo, in Spanish ), although I can see some Spanish words (miembro, gusto, sitiong). Y me gusta cómo se dice el siete: pito (whistle, horn).

[vita32]

Originally Posted by poli

I have heard Phillipinos speaking and was sure that their speech was peppered with Spanish vocabulary. Do you find this to be true? I have read that there is a Phillipino language called Chabacano which is largely
Spanish. I don't know how widely spoken it is.

Originally Posted by irmamar

I find difficult Tagalog (tagalo, in Spanish ), although I can see some Spanish words (miembro, gusto, sitiong). Y me gusta cómo se dice el siete: pito (whistle, horn).

It is true that Spanish words are mixed in with the different dialects. It seems that Filipinos cannot compose a whole paragraph of native dialect without the use of one or two Spanish words. But this is as it should be, it only reflects our history.

I'm aware of the Chavacano/chabacano language but I have not had the chance to hear native speakers of this.

@Irmamar,
It's good, you recognize the Spanish words in my sentence with native suffix added to it. "Kumusta" or "Kumusta 'ka" is also a Filipinized version of "Como estas". Whistle (noun) = silbato; whistle (verb) = sipol; horn = sungay. The Filipino word sungay refers only to the literal horn (of animals) but not to the sound that it makes.

http://filipinokastila.tripod.com/chaba3.html

[irmamar]

Kumusta 'ka, vita? Gusto ko pito.

[vita32]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Kumusta 'ka, vita? Gusto ko pito.

Kumusta 'ka rin = how are you also?
Ako ay mabuti. Eh ikaw? = I'm fine and you?
Talaga ba? = really?
talagang gusto mo ng pitong sipol?= do you really want 7 whistles?. In the Philippines, young men usually whistle at young ladies as they pass by hoping to get their attention. Usually the young ladies ignore these gestures. I'm sure it is still practiced in the provinces. But I'm not sure

O, sige, biro lang natin ito ha? = Ok, we are both joking?

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by vita32

Kumusta 'ka rin = how are you also?
Ako ay mabuti. Eh ikaw? = I'm fine and you?
Talaga ba? = really?
talagang gusto mo ng pitong sipol?= do you really want 7 whistles?. In the Philippines, young men usually whistle at young ladies as they pass by hoping to get their attention. Usually the young ladies ignore these gestures. I'm sure it is still practiced in the provinces. But I'm not sure

O, sige, biro lang natin ito ha? = Ok, we are both joking?

A whistle is a silbido. Un pito is what a referee of football uses. Un pito is also the horn of a car.

Does ka mean you (tú)?
Do you join the words or use declensions? For instance 'ka and ikaw. I think there is a "you". Ko looks like I (yo). Iis biro we (nosotros)?

And I'd like to know how you pronounce "ng".

[vita32]

Originally Posted by irmamar

A whistle is a silbido. Un pito is what a referee of football uses. Un pito is also the horn of a car.

Does ka mean you (tú)?
Do you join the words or use declensions? For instance 'ka and ikaw. I think there is a "you". Ko looks like I (yo). Iis biro we (nosotros)?

And I'd like to know how you pronounce "ng".

@Irmamar:
You are correct
Ka/ikaw=tú=you; ko/ako=yo=I
Ng=by itself is pronounced as "nang". It is pronounced like "bang" in English with initial "n" sound instead of "b". When it is added as ending to words it is prounounced like any English word ending in ng like: song, king, ring, tong, etc.

There are so many uses of ng.

Biro=chiste=joke/tease
Tayo=nosotros=we/us

Thanks for your interest in the Tagalog language and making me remember my unused Tagalog vocabulary

[irmamar]

Unused Tagalog? Don't you speak Tagalog?

I find curious that "nang" is pronounced "bang" in English.

How do you say: "I don't speak Tagalog?

And, out of curiosity, which is the word you like most in Tagalog?

[vita32]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Unused Tagalog? Don't you speak Tagalog?

I find curious that "nang" is pronounced "bang" in English.

How do you say: "I don't speak Tagalog?

And, out of curiosity, which is the word you like most in Tagalog?

No, because there is no one to speak it with, except in Pilipino websites that I sometimes visit.

I'm sorry about the "nang" I did not explain it clearly. It is pronounced nang and you sound off the initial n. letter "a" is pronounced like a Spanish "a".

Ako'y (ako ay) hindi nagsasalita ng Tagalog= I don't speak Tagalog/I'm not speaking Tagalog.

Kumusta 'ka? (how are you?) or kumusta kayo (kayo=2nd person plural or formal equivalent of ka).

You said. Are you teasing? I try to avoid spicy words Tagalog or English but I might say spicy Spanish words innocently for lack of knowledge of Spanish ( which is a good excuse!). My mama will spank me.