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Learn Tagalog (Filipino) for Beginners

Step 3 of 6 in Language Center

Next in your path: 6.4 Spanish for Beginners

What you'll be able to do
  • Say hello, thank you and goodbye in Tagalog at the right time of day.
  • Introduce yourself and ask someone's name and where they're from.
  • Show respect with "po" and "opo" and use family words like "ate" and "kuya".
  • Count from 1 to 10 and ask "How much is this?"
  • Talk about food and eating, a big part of Filipino conversation.
  • Survive a conversation: ask someone to repeat, slow down or explain.
Words in this course 15
AdoboArticleDriverHTMLHTTPSLetMeanProjectProject (Claude)Show, tell, tryTable (spreadsheet)TaglishTakeWHEREWork
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01

Tagalog, Filipino and your first words

In simple words

Tagalog is a language from the Philippines. Filipino is the national language, and it is built mostly on Tagalog, a bit like how a big tree grows from one strong root. Learning a few words makes Filipino friends and coworkers smile.

Key facts
  • The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines says: the national language is Filipino, and the official languages are Filipino and English (Article XIV, sections 6 and 7).
  • In Canada's 2021 Census, about 275,000 people spoke Tagalog most often at home, up 29% from 2016 (Statistics Canada).
  • Vowels are simple: a (ah), e (eh), i (ee), o (oh), u (oo). Words are mostly read the way they are written.
  • ng sounds like the end of "sing", even at the start of a word. The small word ng is said "nang", and mga (plural marker) is said "mah-NGAH".
TagalogMeaningHow to say it
Kumusta?How are you?koo-moos-TAH
Mabuti naman.I'm fine.mah-BOO-tee nah-MAHN
Salamat.Thank you.sah-LAH-maht
Maraming salamat.Thank you very much.mah-RAH-ming sah-LAH-maht
Walang anuman.You're welcome.wah-LAHNG ah-noo-MAHN
Magandang umaga.Good morning.mah-gahn-DAHNG oo-MAH-gah
Magandang hapon.Good afternoon.mah-gahn-DAHNG HAH-pohn
Magandang gabi.Good evening.mah-gahn-DAHNG gah-BEE
Paalam.Goodbye.pah-AH-lahm
Ingat!Take care!EE-ngaht
Example (dialogue)
  • A: "Magandang umaga! Kumusta?"
  • B: "Mabuti naman, salamat. Ikaw?" (And you?)
  • A: "Mabuti rin." (Fine too.)
Step by step
  1. Learn the five vowels: a (ah), e (eh), i (ee), o (oh), u (oo). Say each one out loud three times.
  2. Practise the ng sound, like the end of "sing", saying it at the start of a word too.
  3. Read the table of greetings out loud, one row at a time, using the how-to-say-it column.
  4. Listen to a native speaker say "Magandang umaga", "Magandang hapon" and "Magandang gabi" in the video, then repeat after them.
  5. Choose the greeting that fits the time of day.
  6. Say it to someone today, or to yourself in the mirror three times a day for a week.
  7. Check: you can say Kumusta, Salamat and the three "Magandang" greetings without reading.
Watch on YouTube
Learn Filipino in three minutes: greetingsLearn Filipino with FilipinoPod101.com · YouTube · youtube.com
Tagalog pronunciation: vowelslearntagalog · YouTube · youtube.com

Videos by other creators on YouTube, for reference. They are not made by or affiliated with The Future Market.

LESSON 01Tagalog, Filipino and your first words
LESSON 01 / ANIMATED LESSON / AI VOICE00:00 / 01:00
Read the video script
[Host] "Let's learn your first Tagalog words."
[Text on screen: Kumusta? = koo-moos-TAH] "Kumusta means How are you? Answer: Mabuti naman, I'm fine."
[Text on screen: Salamat = Thank you] "Salamat is thank you. Maraming salamat is thank you very much."
[Text on screen: Filipino + English = official languages of the Philippines] "Fun fact: the Philippine Constitution makes Filipino and English the official languages."
[Host] "When you leave, say: Ingat! Take care!"
Try it now

Say "Magandang umaga", "Magandang hapon" or "Magandang gabi" (whichever fits the time) to someone today, or to yourself in the mirror three times a day for a week.

ClaudeStuck? Copy a ready-made prompt for Claude

Copy this, open Claude, paste it, and Claude will walk you through the lesson step by step.

For a grown-up: Claude is for adults (18+). Copy this, paste it into Claude, and use the answer to explain the lesson to your child.

I'm learning "Learn Tagalog (Filipino) for Beginners" on The Future Market. Lesson 1: "Tagalog, Filipino and your first words".

What the lesson teaches:
- The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines says: the national language is Filipino, and the official languages are Filipino and English (Article XIV, sections 6 and 7).
- In Canada's 2021 Census, about 275,000 people spoke Tagalog most often at home, up 29% from 2016 (Statistics Canada).
- Vowels are simple: a (ah), e (eh), i (ee), o (oh), u (oo). Words are mostly read the way they are written.
- ng sounds like the end of "sing", even at the start of a word. The small word ng is said "nang", and mga (plural marker) is said "mah-NGAH".
- Tagalog - Meaning - How to say it
- Kumusta? - How are you? - koo-moos-TAH
- Mabuti naman. - I'm fine. - mah-BOO-tee nah-MAHN

The exercise I'm working on:
Say "Magandang umaga", "Magandang hapon" or "Magandang gabi" (whichever fits the time) to someone today, or to yourself in the mirror three times a day for a week.

I'm stuck. Please:
1. Explain the main idea in plain, simple words with one everyday example.
2. Walk me through the exercise one small step at a time. Ask me what I've done so far before giving the next step.
3. Don't just give me the final answer. Help me do it myself, and check my work when I share it.
I'm a parent helping my child (about 8 years old) with a lesson called "Tagalog, Filipino and your first words" from the course "Learn Tagalog (Filipino) for Beginners".

Here's what the lesson says:
Tagalog is a language from the Philippines. Filipino is the national language, and it is built mostly on Tagalog, a bit like how a big tree grows from one strong root. Learning a few words makes Filipino friends and coworkers smile.

The activity:
Say "Magandang umaga", "Magandang hapon" or "Magandang gabi" (whichever fits the time) to someone today, or to yourself in the mirror three times a day for a week.

Please explain this so an 8-year-old understands: short sentences, a fun everyday example, and no hard words.
Then give me 3 simple questions I can ask my child to check they understood, and a way to do the activity together, one tiny step at a time.
Open Claude
Sources
My notes
02

Introducing yourself

This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.

03

Respect words: po, opo and family names

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04

Numbers and shopping

This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.

05

Food talk

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06

Survival phrases

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++

Final project

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??

Quiz

  1. What are the official languages of the Philippines under the 1987 Constitution?

  2. How do you say "Thank you very much"?

  3. What does adding "po" do?

  4. What is the polite word for "yes"?

  5. What do you call an older sister or older woman?

  6. How do you ask "How much is this?" politely?

  7. "Mahal" has two meanings. What are they?

  8. What does "Busog na ako" mean?

  9. About how many people in Canada spoke Tagalog most often at home in the 2021 Census?

EX

Final exam

This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.

CE

Certificate

This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.