The fact that you’re here to master advanced Tagalog words is proof that you’re ready to be as fluent in Filipino as you are in your mother tongue. It also means you’ve been studying Filipino for about a thousand hours already! Yes, according to the Foreign Service Institute, a language like Filipino takes approximately 1100 hours to learn.

What does this step forward mean for you? It means that you’ll be more comfortable producing well-structured sentences regardless of the subject matter. You’ll also have an easier time understanding texts with implicit meaning. Most importantly, you’ll be more confident expressing your ideas spontaneously because you won’t have to grasp for the right words anymore.

In this article, we’ve prepared a list of advanced Tagalog vocabulary words that you can use in the academic field, the business field, the medical field, and even the legal field. Also, we’ve put together a small collection of alternative words you can use to make your writing more vivid and to express yourself better in various situations.

Express yourself with more confidence by learning advanced Tagalog words.

Table of Contents

1. Advanced Academic Words
2. Advanced Business Words
3. Advanced Medical Words
4. Advanced Legal Words
5. Alternative Words to Make an Impression
6. Learn More Advanced Tagalog Words with FilipinoPod101!

1. Advanced Academic Words

The following is a list of advanced Tagalog academic words. The words here are generally acceptable for academic use in the Philippines and may come in handy if you wish to apply to a university in the country. Many of these are high-frequency vocabulary words, which means they don’t have multiple meanings as regular Filipino words do. Others are considered part of a “rich vocabulary,” which means they are finer forms of familiar Tagalog words that may have more than one meaning. And finally, there are some words here that are specific and often found in textbooks and other forms of informational texts.

akademya (noun)	Meaning	Nakapagtapos siya sa akademya noong isang taon.
academy	A place of study in a special field	He graduated from the academy last year.

pangangalap (noun)	Meaning	Mahirap ang kalagayan ng pangangalap ngayong panahon ng pandemya.
recruitment	The act of finding new people to join an organization	The situation of recruitment is difficult during this time of pandemic.

kontrobersiya (noun)	Meaning	Napapaligiran tayo ng mga hamon at kontrobersiya.
controversy	A public discussion involving strong disagreement	Challenges and controversies surround us.

magkaugnay (adjective)	Meaning	Ang isip at ang puso ay lubhang magkaugnay.
related	Belonging to the same group or family	The mind and the heart are closely related.

magkawing (adjective)	Meaning	Ang dalawang ideya na ito ay magkawing.
interlocked / linked	Two things interconnected or locked together	These two ideas are linked together.

pangkalahatan (adverb)	Meaning	Ang mga kasamahan niya sa pangkalahatan ay maaasahan.
generally	In a general manner	His colleagues are generally dependable.

ulat (noun)	Meaning	Huwag basta-basta maniniwala sa mga ulat nila.
report	A written or spoken account regarding an event	Do not easily believe their report.

pahayag (noun)	Meaning	Ito ang nakasulat sa kanyang pahayag.
article	A piece of writing included in publications	This is what was written in her article.

paksa (noun)	Meaning	Iyon daw ang pinakamagandang na nabasa ni Lisa hinggil sa paksa.
topic	The matter being dealt with in a text or discourse	It was the best Lisa had read on the subject, according to her.

sanhi (noun)	Meaning	Ano ang sanhi ng kanyang biglaang pagkamatay?
cause	A person or thing that gives rise to a certain condition	What was the cause of his sudden demise?

kataliwasan (noun)	Meaning	Lahat ng tuntunin ay may kataliwasan.
exception	Something that is not included	All rules have an exception.

unibersidad (noun)	Meaning	Nagtapos siya sa isang prestihiyosong unibersidad.
university	An institution of higher learning	He graduated from a prestigious university.

pagpipilian (noun)	Meaning	Maraming pwedeng pagpilian sa mga produkto niya.
option	Something that may be chosen	There are many options from (among) her products.

dalas (noun)	Meaning	Pinahalagahan ni Ted ang dalas ng pagdalaw ni Diane.
frequency	The rate at which something occurs	Ted appreciated the frequency of Diane’s visits.

porsyento (noun)	Meaning	Malaking porsyento ang nabawas sa kita niya.
percent / percentage	An amount that is the proportion of a larger whole	A large percentage was deducted from his income.

Nagtapos siya sa isang prestihiyosong unibersidad. (“He graduated from a prestigious university.”)

→ Be sure to check our list of Essential Vocabulary for Talking About Education in Filipino.

halimbawa (noun)	Meaning	Kaunti lang ang naibigay niya na mga halimbawa.
example	A written exercise for illustrating a rule	She was only able to give a few examples.

taya (noun)	Meaning	Ayon sa taya ng mga dalubhasa, ang krisis na ito ay hindi magtatapos sa lalong madaling panahon.
estimate	An approximate calculation of the value of something	According to the estimates of experts, this crisis is not going to end soon.

suma (noun)	Meaning	Nagulat siya sa suma ng kanyang dapat bayaran.
sum	The total resulting from the addition of two or more numbers	He was surprised at the sum of the amount he had to pay.

saklaw (noun)	Meaning	Limitado ang saklaw ng kanilang artikulo.
range / scope	The extent included or covered	Their article was limited in scope.

larangan (noun)	Meaning	Sabik si Sheldon gumawa ng pangalan para sa kanyang sarili sa larangan ng pisika.
domain / field	A field of knowledge	Sheldon was eager to make a name for himself in the field of physics.

mungkahi (noun)	Meaning	Nakinig siya sa mungkahi ng kanyang guro.
recommendation / suggestion	An idea put forth for consideration	She listened to her teacher’s suggestion.

palabaybayan (noun)	Meaning	Mahina si Raul sa palabaybayan.
spelling	The accepted forming of words from letters	Raul is not that good at spelling.

proyekto (noun)	Meaning	Natapos ang proyekto makalipas lamang ang tatlong buwan.
project	A planned undertaking designed for achieving a particular goal	The project was completed after only three months.

tagumpay (noun)	Meaning	Nakamit niya ang matagal nang inaasam na tagumpay.
success	The desired outcome of an undertaking or accomplishment of a purpose	He finally achieved the long-awaited success.

punong-guro (noun)	Meaning	Binisita ni Dan ang punong-guro na si Mrs. Zamora.
head teacher / principal	The chief executive officer or director of an educational institution	Dan visited Mrs. Zamora, the principal.

kwalipikado (adjective)	Meaning	Hindi siya kwalipikadong magtrabaho.
qualified	A person recognized as having the quality to perform a particular job	He was not qualified to work.

talata (noun)	Meaning	Basahing mabuti ang talata bago sagutin ang mga katanungan.
paragraph	A series of sentences dealing with a topic	Read the paragraph carefully before answering the questions.

talaan (noun)	Meaning	Hindi mahanap ni Elsa ang talaan ng mga kailangan niyang gawin.
list / record	A piece of paper used for recordkeeping	Elsa could not find the list of things she needed to do.

paraan (noun)	Meaning	Wala nang mas mainam na paraan kaysa dito.
method	A systematic procedure for accomplishing something	There is no better method than this.

ranggo (noun)	Meaning	Mataas na ang ranggo niya sa hukbo.
rank	A position in a hierarchy, especially of the armed forces	He had a high rank in the army.

lagda (noun)	Meaning	Kailangan ang iyong lagda sa mga papeles na ito.
signature	A person’s name written with his or her own hand	Your signature is needed on these papers.

takdang-aralin (noun)	Meaning	Ayaw niyang gawin ang kanyang takdang-aralin.
homework	Schoolwork required to be done at home	He doesn’t want to do his homework.

pananaliksik (noun)	Meaning	Ang pananaliksik ay pinamunuan ni Dr. Gomez.
research	A systematic investigation aimed at the establishment of facts	The research was headed by Dr. Gomez.

pagsusulit (noun)	Meaning	Kailangan nilang makapasa sa pagsusulit.
exam	A formal test of a person’s knowledge regarding a particular subject	They need to pass the exam.

Nakinig siya sa mungkahi ng kaniyang doktor. (“She listened to her doctor’s recommendation.”)

→ Don’t miss this list of Tagalog Words and Expressions to Help You in an Emergency.

asignatura (noun)	Meaning	Kalaunan, naging malinaw ang mga mahihirap na asignatura para kay Alfonso.
subject	A branch of knowledge taught in academic institutions	The difficult subjects eventually became clearer to Alfonso.

kaalaman (noun)	Meaning	Ang pag-aalaga ng mga bata ay nangangailangan ng higit pa sa iyong sariling kaalaman.
knowledge	Information acquired by an individual through education or experience	Rearing children needs more than your own knowledge.

talakayan (noun)	Meaning	Ang koponan ay nagkaroon ng isang mahabang talakayan.
discussion	A conversation regarding a certain topic	The team had a lengthy discussion.

paglilinang (noun)	Meaning	Ang lupa ay sumailalim sa isang mahirap na proseso ng paglilinang.
cultivation	The act of cultivating	The land underwent a difficult process of cultivation.

pagsasalaysay (noun)	Meaning	Walang nakinig sa kaniyang pagsasalaysay.
narration	The process of narrating a story	No one listened to his narration.

dalubhasa (noun)	Meaning	Siya ay dalubhasa sa usapin ng politika.
expert	A person who has authoritative knowledge and skill in a particular area	He was an expert in matters of politics.

2. Advanced Business Words

As you become more advanced in Tagalog, you might start considering a job or career in the Philippines. The words below will help you make a solid impression and succeed in your chosen field, wherever your dreams take you. 

negosyo (noun)	Meaning	Nakapagsimula siya ng sariling negosyo sa murang edad na dalawampu’t apat.
business	A commercial operation	He was able to start his own business at the young age of twenty-four.

salapi (noun)	Meaning	Ang proyekto ay nangangailangan ng malaking halaga ng salapi.
money	A medium of exchange used for payment	The project requires a large amount of money.

tubo (noun)	Meaning	Hindi niya inasahan ang ganoon kalaking tubo.
profit	A financial gain	He didn’t expect such a huge profit.

buwis (noun)	Meaning	Palagi niyang binabayaran ang kanyang buwis.
tax	An obligatory contribution to state revenue	He paid his taxes regularly.

samahan (noun)	Meaning	Si Arnel na ang bagong pinuno ng kanilang samahan.
organization	An organized body of people with a specific aim or purpose	Arnel is the new leader of their organization.

propesyon (noun)	Meaning	Tanong ni Dan, “Ano ang pinakamahusay na propesyon para sa akin?”
profession	A paid occupation	Dan asked, “What is the best profession for me?”

propesyonal (noun)	Meaning	Isa nang propesyonal na basketbolista si Marlou.
professional	A person engaged in a learned profession	Marlou is now a professional basketball player.

kumpanya (noun)	Meaning	Ipinamana sa akin ni Papa ang kanyang kumpanya.
company	A commercial organization	Dad bequeathed his company to me.

dokumento (noun)	Meaning	Nabigo siyang isumite ang mga dokumento.
document	A piece of writing conveying important information	He failed to submit the documents.

papeles (noun)	Meaning	Natambakan si Karla ng mga papeles sa opisina.
paperwork	Routine recordkeeping work involving documents	Karla was overwhelmed with paperwork in the office.

tagapamahala (noun)	Meaning	Nawalan sila ng magaling na tagapamahala.
supervisor	An administrative officer in charge of a business operation	They lost a great supervisor.

pagpupulong (noun)	Meaning	Dumalo silang lahat sa pagpupulong.
meeting	An assembly of organization members for discussion	They all attended the meeting.

promosyon (noun)	Meaning	Nakuha ni Roger ang promosyon noong nakaraang linggo.
promotion	The act of being raised in rank or position	Roger got the promotion last week.

Natambakan si Ben ng mga papeles sa opisina. (“He was overwhelmed with paperwork in the office.”)

→ Have you seen our list of the most common Office-Related Words in Filipino?

pag-aari (noun)	Meaning	Ibinenta niya ang lahat ng kanyang pag-aari at bumalik sa sariling bansa.
asset	The property of a person	He sold all his assets and returned to his country.

nalugi (verb)	Meaning	Muntik na siyang malugi.
bankrupt / suffered loss	To be reduced to bankruptcy	He almost went bankrupt.

kita (noun)	Meaning	Malaki ang kita sa negosyong ito.
earning	Money obtained in return for offering a product or service	The profit in this business is considerable.

diskarte (noun)	Meaning	Anong diskarte ang ginamit mo para sa pagpapaunlad ng iyong kumpanya?
strategy	A careful method or plan	What strategy did you use for growing your company?

kasunduan (noun)	Meaning	Naging matagumpay ang nangyaring kasunduan.
negotiation	A discussion aimed at reaching an agreement	The negotiations were successful.

ahente (noun)	Meaning	Si Joey ay mapagkakatiwalaang ahente.
agent	One authorized to act in the place of another	Joey is a trustworthy agent.

kontrata (noun)	Meaning	Pumirma siya ng bagong kontrata sa kumpanya.
contract	A binding agreement between two or more parties	He signed a new contract with the company.

kalakal (noun)	Meaning	Hindi madali ang paghakot ng mga kalakal sa ganitong panahon.
goods	Commodities sold in a business	Transporting goods is not easy during these times.

produkto (noun)	Meaning	Natatangi ang kanilang mga produkto.
product	Anything manufactured for sale	Their products are unique.

taghirap (noun)	Meaning	Ngayon ay panahon ng taghirap para sa maraming tao.
economic difficulty	A period of economic decline	These are difficult times for a lot of people.

industriya (noun)	Meaning	Nasa isang dekada na sila sa industriya.
industry	A group of profit-making enterprises	They have been in the industry for a decade now.

puhunan (noun)	Meaning	Ang negosyong ito ay nangangailangan ng isang malaking puhunan.
capital	Money used for starting a business	This business requires huge capital.

→ Don’t forget to familiarize yourself with these Must-Know Business Words and Phrases in Tagalog.

3. Advanced Medical Words

Below are several medical words in Filipino for advanced learners. You’ll find these terms useful whether you plan to study medicine in the Philippines or have an upcoming doctor’s appointment. 

pagamutan (noun)	Meaning	Halos dalawang buwan din siya sa pagamutan.
hospital	An institution providing medical care	He was confined to the hospital for almost two months.

impeksyon (noun)	Meaning	Gumaling na ang impeksyon na dulot ng kanyang sugat.
infection	The process or state of being infected	The infection caused by his wound has healed.

dugo (noun)	Meaning	Kinailangan ni Jane magpasalin ng dugo.
blood	Body fluid in humans and animals that transports oxygen and nutrients throughout the body via the circulatory system	Jane had to have a blood transfusion.

nalapnos (verb)	Meaning	Nalapnos ang malaking bahagi ng kanyang balat dahil sa sunog.
peeled off	The process of the skin being peeled off due to extreme heat	A large part of his skin was peeled off as a result of the fire.

bakuna (noun)	Meaning	Tumulong sila sa pagbibigay ng bakuna sa daan-daang katao.
vaccine	A substance used to stimulate antibodies for the purpose of providing immunity against sickness	They helped give the vaccine to hundreds of people.

duwal (verb)	Meaning	Ang kanyang pagsusuka ay sinusundan ng isang pakiramdam ng labis na pagduwal.
nausea	The sensation of wanting to vomit	His vomiting was followed by a feeling of extreme nausea.

plema (noun)	Meaning	Ang paghinga ng tuyong hangin ay maaaring maging sanhi ng pamumuo ng plema sa baga.
phlegm	A viscous substance secreted by the mucous membrane	Breathing in arid air can cause a buildup of phlegm in the lungs.

pigsa (noun)	Meaning	Isang misteryosong karamdaman ang nagbalot sa kanyang katawan ng mga pigsa.
a boil on the skin	An inflamed swelling on the skin	A mysterious illness enveloped his body with boils.

sipon (noun)	Meaning	Huwag kang magpaulan at uso na naman ang sipon ngayon.
common cold	A viral infection of the upper respiratory tract	Don’t get yourself wet in the rain as it’s the cold season already.

bukol (noun)	Meaning	May nakapang maliit na bukol si Nora sa kanyang likod.
lump or tumor	A localized area of swelling in any part of the body	Nora felt a small lump on her back.

virus (noun)	Meaning	Hindi siya nahawa ng virus.
virus	An infectious agent of small size and composition that causes illness or disease	He was not infected with the virus.

ubo (noun)	Meaning	Gumaling na ang matinding ubo ni ate.
cough	A sudden expulsion of air from the lungs that serves as the body’s natural mechanism of clearing the air passages	My sister’s severe cough has healed.

katarata (noun)	Meaning	Inoperahan siya dahil sa katarata.
cataract	An eye condition that gradually causes the lens of the eyes to become opaque	He was operated on for cataracts.

binat (noun)	Meaning	Manatili ka sa kama para hindi ka mabinat.
relapse	A deterioration in someone’s health after a temporary improvement	Stay in bed so you won’t have a relapse.

benda (noun)	Meaning	Binalot nila ng benda ang kamay niyang nasugatan.
bandage	A strip of cloth used to bind an injured part of the body	They wrapped his injured hand with a bandage.

gamot (noun)	Meaning	Kailangan kong mag-imbak ng mga gamot para sa hika.
medicine	A compound used for the prevention or treatment of an illness	I need to stock up on asthma medications.

sintomas (noun)	Meaning	Unti-unting nawala ang mga sintomas niya.
symptom	A manifestation of an underlying sickness	His symptoms gradually disappeared.

buntis (adjective)	Meaning	Nagalak silang malaman na buntis si Laura.
pregnant	Having a child developing in the uterus	They were excited to learn that Laura was pregnant.

impatso (noun)	Meaning	Ang tsaa ay mabuti para sa impatso.
indigestion	A difficulty in digesting food	Tea is good for indigestion.

bituka (noun)	Meaning	May sakit siya sa bituka.
intestine	The tubular part of the digestive tract connecting the stomach and the anus	He has a disease in the intestines.

kombulsyon (noun)	Meaning	Huwag maglagay ng anuman sa bibig ng iyong anak para subukang pigilin ang kombulsyon.
convulsion	A sudden violent, often involuntary, movement of the body	Never put anything in your child’s mouth to try to stop the convulsion.

turok (noun)	Meaning	Ang mga turok ng insulin ay tumutulong na makontrol ang antas ng glucose sa dugo.
injection	A thing being injected into the body as a form of medical treatment	Insulin shots help regulate blood glucose levels.

butlig (noun)	Meaning	Tinubuan ng makati at mahapding butlig ang braso ni Karen.
rash	An area of redness and slight swelling on the skin	An itchy, burning rash developed on Karen’s arm.

Tanging ang bakuna na lamang na ito ang makakatulong sa kanya. (“Only this vaccine will be able to help him now.”)

pulikat (noun)	Meaning	Nagkaroon siya ng pulikat habang tumatakbo.
cramp	A painful, involuntary muscle contraction	He had a cramp while running.

kirot (noun)	Meaning	Nakaramdam siya ng kirot sa kanang bahagi ng kanyang tiyan.
sharp pain	A sudden, intense spike of localized pain	He felt pain in his right abdomen.

manggagamot (noun)	Meaning	Sa wakas! Nakahanap din sila ng magaling na manggagamot.
doctor	One who is qualified to practice medicine	Finally! They were able to find a good doctor.

reseta (noun)	Meaning	Nakalimutan niya ang reseta niya sa bahay.
medical prescription	A written instruction by a doctor authorizing a patient to be provided medicine	He forgot his prescription at home.

trangkaso (noun)	Meaning	Hindi siya nakalabas nang dahil sa trangkaso.
flu	A contagious viral infection of the respiratory passages	He was not able to leave because of the flu.

operasyon (noun)	Meaning	Bukas nakatakda ang kanyang operasyon.
operation	Surgery performed on a patient	His operation is scheduled for tomorrow.

pangunahing lunas (noun)	Meaning	Sa Red Cross Club natutunan ni Lea kung paano magbigay ng pangunahing lunas.
first aid	Initial help given to an injured person	Lea learned how to apply first aid at the Red Cross Club.

4. Advanced Legal Words

Whether you’re preparing for law school in the Philippines, want to learn more about the Philippine judicial system, or find yourself in the middle of an unfortunate misunderstanding, these advanced Filipino words will prove useful. 

abogado (noun)	Meaning	Si Rommel ay isang magaling na abogado.
lawyer	A person qualified to practice law	Rommel is a great lawyer.

naabswelto (verb)	Meaning	Naabswelto siya dahil napatunayan na wala siyang sala.
acquit	To free someone of a criminal charge	He was acquitted because he was found to be innocent.

akusado (noun)	Meaning	Pinalaya nang pansamantala ang akusado.
defendant / accused	An individual or company accused in a court of law	The accused was briefly released.

alegasyon (noun)	Meaning	Hindi totoo ang kanilang mga alegasyon.
allegation	An assertion that a person has done something illegal	Their allegations were false.

areglo (noun)	Meaning	Ang kumpanya ay nagbayad ng humigit-kumulang isang milyon sa mga multa at areglo.
settlement / compromise	An official agreement made to resolve a dispute	The company paid approximately one million in fines and settlements.

asunto (noun)	Meaning	Limang asunto ang naihain laban kay Edgar.
lawsuit / case	Legal action to be decided in a court of law	Five lawsuits had reportedly been filed against Edgar.

benepisyaryo (noun)	Meaning	Tatlong benepisyaryo ang naghihintay sa kanya.
beneficiary	A person receiving a benefit or advantage from something	Three beneficiaries are waiting for him.

kapabayaan (noun)	Meaning	Ang kapabayaan sa mga anak ay maaaring humantong sa malaking problema ng pamilya.
negligence	Failure to take proper care of someone or something	Neglect of children can lead to serious domestic problems.

kapatawaran (noun)	Meaning	Nakatanggap siya ng kapatawaran para sa kanyang mga krimen.
pardon	The remission of legal consequences of a conviction	He received pardon for his crimes.

karapatang-pantao (noun)	Meaning	Ang ginawa nila ay labag sa karapatang-pantao.
human rights	Fundamental rights belonging to a human being	What they did was a human rights violation.

kasabwat (noun)	Meaning	Nahuli ang kasabwat ni Cardo sa krimen.
accomplice	A person associated with another in performing a crime	Cardo’s accomplice was caught.

kolateral (noun)	Meaning	Inilagay niya ang kanyang tindahan bilang kolateral upang makalikom ng pera.
collateral	Property pledged by a borrower to protect the lender	She put up her store as collateral to raise the money.

kaso (noun)	Meaning	Pagkalipas ng sampung taon, muling binuksan ang kaso.
case	Legal action to be decided in a court of law	After ten years, the case was reopened.

kustodiya (noun)	Meaning	Si Jane ay inilagay sa kustodiya ng kanyang ina.
custody	An immediate charge exercised by a person	Jane was placed under her mother’s custody.

danyos (noun)	Meaning	Nagbayad siya ng dalawang milyong piso bilang danyos sa pamilya ng biktima.
damages	Monetary compensation imposed by law for injury or loss	He paid two million pesos in damages to the victim’s family.

magdemanda (verb)	Meaning	Napilitan siyang magdemanda laban sa kanyang amo.
to sue / to file a lawsuit	A process by which a legal court makes a decision to settle a dispute	He was forced to file a lawsuit against his boss.

depensa (noun)	Meaning	Mahina ang naging depensa niya sa kaso.
defense	A challenge against allegations proposed regarding a criminal action	His defense in the case was weak.

desisyon (noun)	Meaning	Kailangan maihain ang desisyon ng korte bago pa matapos ang araw.
verdict	The decision of a jury on an issue in a criminal case	The court’s verdict must be filed before the end of the day.

ebidensya (noun)	Meaning	Nasa kanila ang lahat ng ebidensya na kailangan nila.
evidence	Information used to establish facts in a legal investigation	They have all the evidence they need.

hatol (noun)	Meaning	Ang kanyang hatol ay habambuhay na pagkakulong.
sentence	The punishment assigned to an individual found guilty by a court	His sentence was life in prison.

Ang dalawang bata ay inilagay sa kustodiya ng kanilang ina. (“The two children were placed in the custody of their mother.”)

hukom (noun)	Meaning	Bihira ka lang makahanap ng mabuting hukom.
judge	A public official who decides cases in a court of law	You rarely find a good judge.

lisensya (noun)	Meaning	Ang kanyang lisensya ay nakumpiska dahil sa isang paglabag.
license	A permit issued by authority to do a particular thing or to own and use something	His license was confiscated due to a violation.

litigasyon (noun)	Meaning	Nagawa nilang makaiwas sa litigasyon.
litigation	The process of settling a dispute in a court of law	They were able to avoid litigation.

maysala (noun)	Meaning	Ayaw makipagtulungan ng biktima sa maysala.
guilty / offender	A person justly chargeable with a crime	The victim refused to cooperate with the offender.

motibo (noun)	Meaning	Inaalam pa rin ang motibo sa krimen.
motive	A reason for doing something	The motive for the crime is still being determined.

multa (noun)	Meaning	Malaki ang multa sa paglabag ng batas na ito.
fine	Money exacted by authority as a penalty for breaking the law	There are large fines for violating this law.

nasasakdal (noun)	Meaning	Tinanggihan ng hukuman ang katwiran ng nasasakdal.
plaintiff	One who brings a case against another in a court of law	The court rejected the plaintiff’s argument.

paglilitis (noun)	Meaning	Mabilis natapos ang paglilitis.
trial	The formal examination of the facts of a case before a competent tribunal	The trial ended quickly.

5. Alternative Words to Make an Impression

Whether you’re taking a Tagalog proficiency exam, writing an essay for school, or giving an oral presentation, one way you can make an impression is by showcasing a broad selection of stellar vocabulary. In this section, we present to you a list of Filipino adverbs, verbs, conjunctions, prepositions, and other words you can use as more compelling alternatives to simpler words. 

1 – Alternative Adverbs

tama	wasto	Gamitin ng wasto ang iyong kaalaman.
correctly	correctly	Use your knowledge correctly.

espesyal	natatangi	Siya ay isang natatanging musikero.
uniquely	uniquely	He is a uniquely talented musician.

magkahiwalay	magkabukod	Magkabukod silang dumating.
separately	separately	They arrived separately.

talaga	sadya	Sadyang mabilis magsalita si Aristotle.
very	simply	Aristotle simply talks fast.

kaunti	bahagya	Ibinaba niya ng bahagya ang bintana ng kotse.
slightly	slightly	She slightly lowered the window of her car.

doon	sa dako roon	Sa dako roon ay maraming tubig.
over there	over there	There is a lot of water over there.

kahit saan	sa lahat ng dako	Mayroong mga paalala ng kaligtasan sa lahat ng dako.
everywhere	everywhere	There are safety reminders everywhere.

mabilis	matulin	Tumakbo siya nang matulin para mahabol ang bus.
fast	fast	He ran fast to catch the bus.

dahan-dahan	banayad	Banayad na umihip ang hangin sa mukha ni Mandy.
slowly	softly / gently	The wind blew lightly on Mandy’s face.

malapit na	sa lalong madaling panahon	Malalaman nila ang katotohanan sa lalong madaling panahon.
soon	soon	They will know the truth soon.

kaagad	kagyat	Ang iyong mungkahi ay maaaring kagyat na makaantig ng interes.
immediately	immediately	Your proposal may arouse immediate interest.

hindi masyado	bahagya	Ang mga petsa ay magkaiba nang bahagya.
barely	a little	The dates vary a little.

kamuntik	halos	Naaalala niya kahit pagkalipas ng halos isang dekada.
almost	almost	She remembers even after almost a decade.

palagi	pirme	Pirme niyang pinagmamasdan ang larawan ng asawa.
always	constantly	He constantly looked at his wife’s picture.

kadalasan	karaniwan	Karaniwan ay wala siyang imik.
usually	usually	He is usually silent.

hinding-hindi	hindi kailanman	Ang pag-ibig ko sa’yo ay hindi kailanman magbabago.
never	never	My love for you will never change.

2 – Alternative Verbs

inabuso	minaltrato	Naalala niya kung paano siya minaltrato ng kanyang asawa.
abused	mistreated	He remembers how his wife mistreated him.

pinatay	kinitilan ng buhay	Limang katao ang kinitilan ng buhay sa trahedyang naganap.
killed	killed	Five people were killed in the tragedy.

magnakaw	mandambong	Sinamantala niya ang sitwasyon upang mandambong at manloob.
to steal	to plunder	He took advantage of the situation to plunder and loot.

kumilos	umayos	Umayos kang kagalang-galang.
to act	to act	Act like a gentleman.

umalis	lumisan	Huwag kang lumisan nang basta-basta.
to leave	to leave	Don’t just leave.

kantahin	awitin	Awitin natin ang paborito mong kanta.
to sing	to sing	Let’s sing your favorite song.

namatay	pumanaw	Pumanaw ang matalik mong kaibigan.
died	passed away	Your best friend has passed away.

umiwas	lumayo	Lumayo ka sa masamang impluwensya upang hindi ka mapahamak.
to avoid	to flee	Stay away from bad influences so you won’t get in trouble.

nasira	napinsala	Dalawampu’t-dalawang bahay ang napinsala ng bagyo.
broken	damaged	Twenty-two houses were damaged by the typhoon.

sumali	umanib	Umanib sila sa hari.
to join	to enlist / to be allies with	They allied themselves with the king.

bumisita	dumalaw	Dumalaw ka sa amin palagi.
to visit	to visit	Come and visit us always.

nakatira	nananahan	Nananahan kami nang matiwasay bago sila dumating.
living	dwelling	We were dwelling in the land peacefully before they arrived.

gustuhin	hangarin	Hangarin mo na maging katulad niya.
to want	to aspire	Go and aspire to be like him.

magtago	magkimkim	Mahirap magkimkim ng sama ng loob.
to hide	to harbor	It is difficult to harbor resentment.

sinayang	nilustay	Nilustay niya ang pera ng kanyang ama.
wasted	squandered	He squandered his father’s money.

isinaksak	itinarak	Itinarak niya ang tabak sa lupang tigang.
stabbed	thrusted	He thrusted his sword into the parched ground.

itinayo	itinatag	Itinatag niya ang kumpanya para makatulong sa mga mahihirap.
built	established	He established the company to help the poor.

ikutin	pihitin	Pilit mang pihitin ang busol ay hindi niya mabuksan ang pinto.
to rotate	to twist	Even if he tried to turn the knob, he could not open the door.

3 – Alternative Conjunctions

dahil	sapagkat	Huwag kang matakot sapagkat ako’y naririto.
because	for	Do not be afraid, for I am here.

pero	datapuwat	Ang sabi niya ay mahal niya ako. Datapuwat, kailangan niyang lumayo.
but	however	He said he loves me. However, he had to stay away for a while.

kahit	bagaman	Bagaman wais, hindi matalino si Lumen.
even though	although	Although clever, Lumen was not that intelligent.

kahit na	gayunman/gayunpaman	Hindi ako mayaman. Gayunpaman, alam kong magtatagumpay ako.
even though	nevertheless	I am not rich. Nevertheless, I know I will succeed.

ngunit	subalit	Bulag si Sabel, subalit nakikilala niya ang tinig ko.
but	however	Sabel is blind, but she recognizes my voice.

kahit ano	anuman	Anuman ang sabihin nila, susuportahan pa rin kita.
whatever	whatever	Whatever they say, I will still support you.

kaya	dahil diyan	Wala siya dito. Dahil diyan, iminumungkahi ko na bumalik ka bukas.
so	therefore	He is not here. Therefore, I suggest you come back tomorrow.

para	upang	Kailangan mong magtrabaho upang makaraos.
so that	to	You have to work to survive.

kung kaya	anupa’t (ano pa at)	Mabagal siyang kumilos. Anupa’t hindi niya sila naabutan.
that is why	therefore	He moved very slowly. Therefore, he was not able to catch up with them.

imbes	bagkus; sa halip	Hindi lamang ito isang laro, bagkus ito ay buhay ko.
instead	rather	This is not just a game; rather, it is my life.

kung	kapag	Kapag nahanap mo ang tamang daan, huwag ka nang lilingon pa.
if	once	Once you find the right path, do not ever look back.

4 – Alternative Prepositions

tungkol	ukol	Ano ang pananaw mo ukol sa sitwasyong ito?
about	on	What is your view on this situation?

laban sa	labag sa	Labag sa kalooban niya ang nangyari.
against	against	What happened was against his will.

ayon sa	alinsunod sa	Alinsunod sa patakaran ng paaralan, kailangan masuspende ng mag-aaral.
according to	in accordance with	In accordance with school policy, the student must be suspended.

sa tabi	sa piling	Ang gusto ko ay palagi kang nasa piling ko.
beside	with	I want you to always be with me.

iyan	yaon	Yaon ang sabi niya kay Sebastian.
that	that	That’s what he told Sebastian.

Awitin natin ang paborito mong kanta! (“Let’s sing your favorite song!”)

Learn More Advanced Tagalog Words with FilipinoPod101!

There you have it: our list of advanced Tagalog words! This is not an exhaustive list, so if you feel like we missed any good words you know, please share with us in the comments! 

We know that you’re excited to apply what you’ve learned here, but you also probably know that this is not the end of your Filipino learning journey. There is still so much more to learn, not only about the language but also about the culture of the Philippines. That’s where FilipinoPod101 comes in.

At FilipinoPod101, you can expand your vocabulary and refine your grammar skills with the help of various free resources, blog posts, word banks, and more! FilipinoPod101 employs an innovative approach to helping students learn Filipino, so you can rest assured that all the lessons are unique and dynamic. Not to mention that you can have lessons tailored to your needs, as well. All that via our MyTeacher service. Go ahead and sign up now!

It takes 200 hours of studying basic Filipino grammar and vocabulary for students to reach the intermediate level. So, if you’re reading this right now, you deserve a round of applause—it means you’re ready to take things to the next level!

By the end of this lesson, you’ll find it a lot easier to comprehend everyday words and expressions about people and work. You’ll also learn new words in a variety of categories that you can use to describe people, things, your emotions, and even the weather. 

We’re talking about around 300 intermediate Tagalog words and phrases, which is a lot. A great way to master these words is to use them in context. It’s also ideal to study them by theme, which is why we’ve categorized them this way throughout the article. 

Now, we have a lot of words to learn and get down pat. Let’s get started!

A great way to master intermediate Filipino words is to use them in context.

Table of Contents

1. Mga Bilang (Numbers)
2. Mga Pangngalan (Nouns)
3. Verbs
4. Adjectives
5. Pang-abay (Adverbs)
6. Pang-Ukol (Prepositions)
7. Mga Pangatnig (Conjunctions)
8. Auxiliary Words and Particles
9. Refine your Tagalog vocabulary skills with FilipinoPod101!

1. Mga Bilang (Numbers)

Now that you’ve mastered the basic numbers from 1 to 10 in Filipino, it’s time to learn the teens and the numbers beyond them. When counting from 11 to 19 in Filipino, just add the prefix labing to the numbers 1-9. Labing is a contraction of labi (“excess”) and ng (“of”), and it refers to the excess of ten. For instance, the number 11 is one unit in excess of ten, so that would be labing + isa (“one”), or “one more than ten.”

1 – From 11 to 19

11	labing-isa
12	labindalawa
13	labintatlo
14	labing-apat
15	labinlima
16	labing-anim
17	labimpito
18	labingwalo
19	labinsiyam

2 – From 20 to 90

Counting beyond the teen numbers is not difficult in Filipino. The formula is to add the suffix -pu, which is short for sampu (“ten”), to the numbers in the tens place. For instance, the number 20 is dalawampu, which basically means “two tens” or “two multiplied by ten.” Keep in mind that some numbers need the linker na.

30	tatlumpu
40	apatnapu
50	limampu
60	animnapu
70	pitumpu
80	walumpu
90	siyamnapu

3 – Counting to the Thousands (and Beyond)

“Hundred” is daan in Tagalog, so counting in hundreds simply means adding this word to the numbers in the hundreds place. Keep in mind that we use the linker ng in number words that end in vowels. Moreover, the d in daan changes to r when the linker used is na, which is placed after words that end in consonants. 

100	isang daan
200	dalawang daan
300	tatlong daan
400	apat na raan
500	limang daan
600	anim na raan
700	pitong daan
800	walong daan
900	siyam na raan

Counting in thousands and millions is just as easy. For thousands, you just use the word libo (“thousand”), and for millions, you use the word milyon (“million”).

1,000	isang libo
2,000	dalawang libo
5,000	limang libo
7,000	pitong libo
10,000	sampung libo
100,000	isang daang libo
1,000,000	isang milyon

Ang Pilipinas ay may mahigit pitong libong mga isla! (“The Philippines is made up of over 7,000 islands!”)

→ Need a refresher on the basic Filipino numbers? We’ve got you covered!

2. Mga Pangngalan (Nouns)

Here’s a list of intermediate-level nouns, or pangngalan, to add to your vocabulary.

1 – Time

Filipino	English
dekada	decade
siglo	century
milenyo	millenium
semestre	semester
panahon	period
hating-gabi	midnight
madaling-araw	wee hours

2 – People

Filipino	English
pangalan	name
apelyido	family name
palayaw	nickname
magulang	parent
balae	parent of one’s son- or daughter-in-law
biyenan	father- or mother-in-law
manugang	son- or daughter-in-law
bayaw	brother-in-law
hipag	sister-in-law
amain	stepfather
inain	stepmother
dalaga	single woman
binata	single man
kasintahan	lover
nobyo	boyfriend
nobya	girlfriend
kamag-anak	relative
kaibigan	friend
barkada	gang
kalaro	playmate
kapamilya	family member
kapitbahay	neighbor
ninong	godfather
ninang	godmother
bilas	brother-in-law’s wife or sister-in-law’s husband
kaklase	classmate
mama	man
ale	woman
bata	child
tao	person
kakilala	acquaintance
katrabaho	coworker
amo	boss / employer
katulong	maid
tauhan	staff

3 – Professions

Filipino	English
basurero	garbage collector
guwardiya	security guard
tsuper	driver
tindero	male merchant / salesman
tindera	female merchant / saleslady
barbero	barber
manikurista	manicurist
bumbero	fireman
artista	actor / actress
abugado	lawyer
karpintero	carpenter
magsasaka	farmer
tubero	plumber
mekaniko	mechanic
magnanakaw	burglar
kusinero	cook
tagalinis	janitor
piloto	pilot
manggagawa	worker
mangingisda	fisherfolk
dentista	dentist
pari	priest

4 – Various Nouns

Filipino	English
awtoridad	authority
batas	law
alaga	pet
halaman	plants
puno	trees
pananim	crops
kotse	car
bahay	house
telepono	telephone
bisikleta	bicycle
motor	motorbike
dyip	jeepney
sasakyan	vehicle
pitaka	wallet
damit	clothing
pantalon	pants
sapatos	shoes
tsinelas	flip-flops

Paki-iwan ng madumi mong tsinelas sa may pintuan. (“Please leave your dirty flip-flops by the door.”)

→ Remember to check out this page, too, for more practical Filipino nouns.

3. Verbs

At the beginner level, you learned a number of commonly used action words and auxiliaries. But what if you want to express a more nuanced idea or add flair to your writing? Below, you’ll find several intermediate Tagalog verbs you can start practicing right away! 

The great thing about Filipino verbs is that the rules for conjugation remain the same, no matter the verb’s level of difficulty. Filipino verbs are grouped according to how they’re conjugated. You’ll observe that most of the verbs we used in this list are -UM verbs. We’re not going to go into detail regarding what -UM verbs are, but you can always visit our blog entry on Filipino verb conjugation to learn more about them. 

Filipino	English
magtalaga	to assign
magpakabait	to behave
manatili	to remain
magpaiwan	to stay
huminga	to breathe
sumabog	to burst / to explode
kumbinsihin	to convince
maniwala	to believe
gumuhit	to draw
magpintura	to paint
mag-alaga	to take care
magdesisyon	to decide
tumuklas	to discover
magsaya	to enjoy
magbura	to erase
matakot	to be afraid
lumipad	to fly
umurong	to shrink / to move back
sumuko	to surrender / to give up
sumuka	to vomit
magbiro	to joke; to pull a prank
humalik	to kiss
magpaalam	to ask permission / to say goodbye
umorder	to give an order
umutos	to give a command
magtipon	to gather
kumulekta	to collect
maglagay	to put
magtanggal	to eliminate / to get rid of
mag-alis	to remove
sumuntok	to punch
magdagdag	to add
magbawas	to subtract
mag-ayos	to fix / to arrange
umikot	to rotate
lumingon	to look back
baliin	to break
sirain	to destroy
ayusin	to fix
kumanta	to sing
sumayaw	to dance
sumunod	to follow
pumusta	to place a bet
maglaro	to play
maglinis	to clean
umasikaso	to attend to
gumamot	to mend
pumatay	to kill
gumanti	to take revenge
magpatawad	to forgive
magmahal	to love
magsanay	to train
manganak	to have a child
manalo	to win
matalo	to lose
mamalengke	to go to the market
mag-igib	to fetch some water

Mabuti at umulan. Hindi ko na kailangang mag-igib. (“Thank goodness it rained. There’s no need for me to fetch some water.”)

→ Our Comprehensive Guide to Filipino Verbs will surely give you a leg-up on your journey to mastering Filipino!

4. Adjectives

We’ve already introduced you to a few basic Filipino adjectives in our previous articles. For the intermediate level, we’ve doubled the number of items on our list. And if this is still not enough, you can always check out our list of the 50 most common Filipino adjectives with audio recordings. 

1 – Adjectives Describing Objects

Filipino	English
tumpak	accurate
sinauna	ancient
pangkaraniwan	ordinary / average
magkapareho	similar
kumplikado	complicated
napakalaki	huge / very large
napakaliit	tiny / very small
sapat	sufficient
bago	new
luma	old
malambot	soft
matigas	hard
magaspang	rough
makinis	smooth
maliwanag	bright
madilim	dark
sariwa	fresh
mabigat	heavy
magaan	light
mahal	expensive
mura	cheap
abot-kaya	affordable
malabo	blurry / hazy
makitid	narrow
tuyo	dry
basa	wet

2 – Adjectives Describing People

Filipino	English
magaling	awesome / great
matalino	intelligent
mahirap	poor
mayaman	rich
matapang	brave
duwag	cowardly
malakas	strong
madaldal	talkative
mabait	kind
mabuti	good
masama	bad
gastador	spender
matipid	thrifty
kuripot	stingy
singkit	with slanted eyes
kulot	with curly hair
malandi	flirty
bobo	dumb
mayabang	arrogant / humbug
mapagpakumbaba	humble
kalbo	bald
bata	young
matanda	old

3 – Adjectives Describing Emotions

Filipino	English
natatakot	afraid
nag-aalala	worried
naiinggit	envious
kalmado	calm
naiinis	annoyed
nababagot	bored
nandidiri	loathsome / grossed out
nagulat	shocked / surprised
natatawa	amused
naaaliw	entertained
sabik	excited
mapayapa	peaceful
kabado	nervous
mahinahon	relaxed
kuntento	satisfied
nasasaktan	hurting
pagod	tired
naguguluhan	confused
naiirita	irritated
balisa	anxious

4 – Adjectives Describing the Weather

Filipino	English
mabagyo	stormy
napakainit	very hot
napakaginaw	very cold
napakalamig	very cool
presko	cool
mahamog	foggy
hindi maulap	cloudless

Hindi pa siya kuntento kaya nag-aral pa siya ng nag-aral. (“He wasn’t satisfied, so he studied more and more.”)

5. Pang-abay (Adverbs)

Adverbs are called pang-abay in Filipino. While there are only five types of adverbs in English, the Filipino language has up to twelve types. We have a separate article covering Filipino adverbs in more detail if you’d like to study the topic further. In the meantime, here’s a list of the most useful everyday Filipino adverbs for the intermediate level.

1 – Time & Frequency

Filipino	English
kadalasan	usually
tuwing	every time / whenever
kinabukasan	tomorrow / the day after
araw-araw	every day / daily
palagi	always
minsan	once in a while
bihira	rarely
isang beses	once
dalawang beses	twice
sa	on
kapag	when / whenever
hanggang	until
kahapon	yesterday
bukas	tomorrow
ngayon	now
ngayong araw	today
mamaya	later

2 – Manner

Filipino	English
mabilis	quickly
dahan-dahan	slowly
mahinahon	calmly
puwersahan	forcefully
kaagad-agad	immediately
mahigpit	tightly
malakas	loudly
tahimik	silently

3 – Place

Filipino	English
wala saanman	nowhere
kahit saan	anywhere
kung saan-saan	somewhere / everywhere
sa itaas	above
sa ibaba	below
sa ibabaw	over / on top
sa dulo	at the end
doon	there
dito	here

4 – Measure

Filipino	English
marami	many / plenty
kaunti	few / a little
sapat	enough
kalahati	half
halos	almost

Mahigpit niyang niyakap ang kanyang anak. (“He hugged his daughter tightly.”)

6. Pang-Ukol (Prepositions)

The next set of intermediate Tagalog words we’ll look at are prepositions, or pang-ukol in Filipino. They help expand the meaning of a sentence by stating where or when something is, what time something occurred, what caused an action to happen, and so on, in relation to another person or thing. Here’s a list of the most common Filipino prepositions.

Filipino	English
ng	of
sa	on
ni	of (non-focus marker)
kay	to (singular)
kina	to (plural)
ayon sa	according to
para sa	for
tungkol sa/kay	about

7. Mga Pangatnig (Conjunctions)

We already covered some of the most common Filipino conjunctions in our entry on Filipino beginner words. As mentioned, there are as many of them in Filipino as there are in English. Here are more words to add to your arsenal.

Filipino	English
saka, pati	and
o	or
ngunit	but
kapag	if
dahil	because

The thing about Filipino conjunctions is that their difficulty lies not in their function but in how often they’re used. For instance, the conjunction ngunit (“but”) means the same thing as kasi. However, between the two, the latter is more commonly used in everyday speech, while the former is often used in literature.

8. Auxiliary Words and Particles

The Filipino language has enclitic particles that convey important nuances in meaning. Some of them don’t have direct translations in English, and some are used in conjunction with other enclitic particles. The following is a short list of some of the most common and most important Filipino enclitic particles used in everyday speech. Learning how to incorporate these into your conversations is a great way to improve your Tagalog as you approach the intermediate level. 

Filipino	English
pa	still
nga	indeed
na	now / already
din/rin	too / also
daw/raw	it is said / I’m told
ba	interrogative marker

The meaning of each particle varies slightly depending on how it’s used in a sentence. Let’s take the particle pa, for example:

• Ayaw ko pa. (“I don’t want to yet.”)

In this example, pa is used to emphasize that the speaker is not yet ready to do something.

• Dagdagan mo pa. (“Please add more.”)

In this example, pa is used to emphasize that the speaker is requesting that a particular action be continued or that its intensity be increased.

Meanwhile, the particle ba is one of those untranslatable Tagalog words. It’s often found at the end (or near the end) of an interrogative sentence, particularly yes-no questions.

• Kumain ka na ba? (“Have you eaten yet?”)
• Nagluto ka ba? (“Did you cook?”)
• Naririnig mo ba ako? (“Can you hear me?”)

Bababa ba? (“Going down?”)

9. Refine your Tagalog vocabulary skills with FilipinoPod101!

Allow us to give you a pat on the back for reaching the end of this intermediate Tagalog vocabulary guide! If you believe there are more words that should have been on this list, let us know in the comments below.

Wait, don’t leave just yet! We know you’re excited to use your newly acquired knowledge, but what if we told you that you can learn even more? That’s right! With FilipinoPod101, you can learn more than just vocabulary. We can help you refine your grammar skills and broaden your cultural knowledge, so that you can reach the advanced level soon and become a fluent Tagalog communicator!

Yes, that is possible with all the free resources available here on our website—not to mention all of our audio and video lessons, our list of over 2000 Filipino vocabulary words, and our Filipino-English dictionary! And if you sign up, you’ll gain access to one of our most sought-after features—MyTeacher. MyTeacher is a Premium PLUS service that allows learners like you to enjoy 1-on-1 lessons with a professional Filipino teacher. It’s designed to tailor lessons according to the needs of our students, so you can enjoy learning at your own pace and in your own style. 

We can’t wait to see you become part of the FilipinoPod101 community!

The Philippines is home to over 50,000 different animal species, many of which are endemic to the archipelago. In the last decade, sixteen new species of mammals have been discovered in the country, and the rate of endemism is likely to rise. Because of this, it’s only natural for Tagalog learners to study the names of animals in Filipino—especially those animals that are native to the Philippines. 

Filipinos are animal lovers by nature. Because the Philippines is primarily an agricultural country, a large portion of the population lives in rural areas where animals (both domesticated and wild) roam free.

In this guide, you’ll learn the names of over 80 animals in Filipino, from common housepets (and pests) to farm animals…and from the largest mammals to the tiniest bugs and insects. We’ll also teach you the names of animal body parts in Filipino, as well as a few useful animal-related idioms in Tagalog. (For instance, what does itim na tupa mean?)

I know you’re excited, so let’s get started!

Filipinos are animal lovers by nature.

Table of Contents

1. Animals in the Home
2. Animals on the Farm
3. Animals in the Wild (Land Animals)
4. Animals in the Water (Marine and Freshwater Animals)
5. Bugs and Insects
6. Birds, Reptiles, and Amphibians
7. Animals at the Zoo
8. Animal Body Parts
9. Filipino Animal-Related Idioms and Expressions
10. Improve Your Vocabulary with FilipinoPod101!

1. Animals in the Home

Filipinos have long been considered dog lovers, and you’ll seldom see a home in the Philippines without one. 

In many cultures, dogs are considered best friends—but in the Philippines, the practice of keeping dogs as pets goes beyond this concept. Here, dogs are primarily kept as a means of warding off burglars and intruders. They’re like a furry alarm system of sorts. 

Over the past two decades, the practice of keeping cats has also become popular in the country. And while it’s illegal to keep exotic animals as pets, it’s not unusual to find a tarantula or scorpion in glass enclosures in some homes.

aso	“dog”
pusa	“cat”
kuneho	“rabbit”
daga	“rat” / “mouse”
loro	“parrot”

In case you’re wondering if it’s common for Filipino families to keep guinea pigs, hamsters, or bearded dragon lizards, the answer is yes. However, there are really no Tagalog equivalents for their names.

→ Have you ever wondered what sounds dogs in the Philippines make? We have a lesson about that here!

2. Animals on the Farm

Half of the population of the Philippines is found in rural areas. This means it’s not uncommon to see children playing with goats or sheep, or riding behind water buffalos and horses. Many Filipino families whose main source of income is farming (i.e., planting crops) also raise fowls, including chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys. Some families also raise pigs and cows to supplement the family income. Below is a list of the names of common farm animals in Tagalog.

kalabaw	“water buffalo”
Although the carabao, or the Philippine water buffalo, has long been held as the country’s national animal, it is not recognized as such by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Though its national status is unofficial, it’s one of the most significant animals in Filipino culture; many claim that it symbolizes the hardworking nature of the Filipinos.
baka	“cow”
kambing	“goat”
baboy	“pig”
manok	“chicken”
tandang	“rooster”
sisiw	“chick”
kabayo	“horse”
tupa	“sheep”
pato	“duck”
bibi	“duckling”
gansa	“goose”
pabo	“turkey”
pugo	“quail”

→ Speaking of family, this lesson will help you learn how to talk about your family in Filipino.

The carabao is a symbol of the hardworking and persevering nature of the Filipino people.

3. Animals in the Wild (Land Animals)

The forest area of the Philippines has significantly decreased since the 1960s. Today, only seven million hectares of the country’s land is forested. What’s sad is that less than one million hectares of forested land remain untouched. The good news is that the country is making significant advances toward reforestation. Having said that, here’s a list of animals you’ll find in the wild and their names in Filipino.

usa	“deer”
baboy-ramo	“boar”
paniki	“bat”
unggoy	“monkey”
oso	“bear”
lobo	“wolf”
ardilya	“squirrel”
There’s a species of squirrel that’s endemic to the Philippines—the Philippine tree squirrel—which can be found in the islands of Palawan, Bohol, Samar, Leyte, and Siargao. Interestingly, there has been a squirrel invasion in Metro Manila lately, which experts believe is the result of some people illegally breeding squirrels in the city. About the Filipino name, the word is of Spanish origin, meaning “chipmunk.” Today, Filipinos usually refer to the animal as iskwirel.

→ Palawan is a top destination for tourists in the Philippines. Learn more about this beautiful island teeming with wildlife in this lesson here.

4. Animals in the Water (Marine and Freshwater Animals)

The waters of the Philippines are a popular destination for divers, considering their impressive range of marine life. The country’s list of freshwater animals is just as impressive. Here are the most common marine and freshwater animals in the Philippines with their equivalent Filipino names.

pating	“shark”
balyena	“whale”
dugong	“sea cow”
lumba-lumba	“dolphin”
pugita	“octopus”
pusit	“squid”
hipon	“shrimp”
ulang	“lobster”
alimango/alimasag	“crab”
salungo	“sea urchin”
The sea urchin is also referred to as santol-santolan in Tagalog, which is a reference to the round-shaped fruit of the Santol tree.
talaba	“oyster”
tahong	“mussel”
kabibe	“clam”
tulingan	“tuna fish”
bangus	“milkfish”
igat	“eel”
hito	“catfish”
karpa	“carp”

→ The Philippines has some of the most beautiful beaches! Here’s a list of 20 Filipino words you’ll need when going to the beach!

5. Bugs and Insects

There are over 20,000 species of insects in the Philippines, 70% of which are native to the archipelago. Many of them (like the red fire ant) are quite invasive. Nevertheless, one cannot deny that a lot of these bugs actually make the world a better place to live in. Familiarize yourself with the Filipino names of the most common insects and bugs you’ll find in the Philippines.

langgam	“ant”
langaw	“fly”
lamok	“mosquito”
kuto	“head lice”
pulgas	“flea”
gagamba	“spider”
putakti	“hornet” / “wasp”
ipis	“cockroach”
bubuyog	“bee”
paru-paro	“butterfly”
gamu-gamo	“a small moth”
alitaptap	“firefly”
salagubang	“beetle”
The term kuliglig is most commonly associated with cicadas, although it’s also used to refer to crickets. It’s probably because of the chirping sound the cricket makes, which is sometimes mistaken for the same noise produced by cicadas.
garapata	“tick”
tipaklong	“grasshopper”
tutubi	“dragonfly”
For red perchers, which are a larger species of dragonfly, the term used is tutubing baka or tutubing kalabaw. As you’ve learned, baka is Filipino for “cow,” while kalabaw is Filipino for “water buffalo.” Both terms are rather appropriate for describing this larger-sized variety of the insect. Meanwhile, for the smaller cousin of the dragonfly, which is the damselfly, the term is tutubing karayom. Karayom is the Filipino term for “needle,” which perfectly describes the needle-like appearance of the damselfly’s abdomen.
uod	“caterpillar” / “insect larva”
In Filipino, any worm-like creature is referred to as uod, whether it’s an earthworm, a caterpillar, or a maggot.
higad	This refers to caterpillars, too, but most particularly to itchy worms.
anay	“termite”
alupihan	“centipede”
suso	“snail”
surot	This refers to bugs in general, but most particularly to bed bugs.

In Filipino, any worm-like creature is referred to as ‘uod.’

6. Birds, Reptiles, and Amphibians

There are over 600 species of birds that are endemic to the Philippines, as well as up to 80 species of amphibians and over 150 species of reptiles. The following lists of animals in Filipino represent but a few of them. 

A- Birds

agila	“eagle”
lawin	“hawk”
tagak	“heron”
kalapati	“pigeon” / “dove”
sisne	“swan”
buwitre	“raven”
uwak	“crow”
kuwago	“owl”
maya	“sparrow”

B- Reptiles and Amphibians

ahas	“snake”
sawa	“python”
bayawak	“monitor lizard”
pagong	“turtle”
hunyango	This refers to any tree-dwelling lizard that can change the color of its skin at will. Most Filipinos use this term to refer to chameleons.
butiki	This is a general term for small lizards or the common house gecko.
tuko	“tokay gecko”
The term tuko is derived from the sound the tokay gecko makes. According to superstitions, you can know if it’s going to rain or not by counting the number of times the tokay gecko croaks. If it ends in an odd number, then it’s definitely going to rain soon.
palaka	“frog”

In the Philippines, it’s believed that the number of times a tokay gecko croaks will tell you whether it’s going to rain soon or not.

7. Animals at the Zoo

Many animals that are popular around the world are not endemic to the Philippines. That doesn’t mean you won’t find any of them here. Here’s a list of wild animals in the Philippines you’ll only find in captivity:

leon	“lion”
tigre	“tiger”
elepante	“elephant”
soro	“fox”

If you’re wondering about animals like giraffes, cheetahs, jaguars, chimpanzees, and hippopotamuses, you’ll also find them in captivity here, usually in zoos. However, there really aren’t any Filipino terms for these animals. We just call them by their English names, sometimes with a Filipino accent. For instance, you’ll hear “giraffe” being pronounced as dyirap.

8. Animal Body Parts

Now, let’s look at some words you might use while describing or talking about animals in Filipino. Here’s a vocabulary list of animal body parts you need to become familiar with:

buntot	“tail”
pakpak	“wing”
balahibo	“feather” / “fur”
kaliskis	“scale”
palikpik	“fin”
pangil	“fang”
kuko	“nail” / “claw”
sungay	“horn”
tuka	“beak”
galamay	“tentacle”
talukab	the shell of a turtle, in particular
korona	the crown of birds or fowls

9. Filipino Animal-Related Idioms and Expressions

Like most cultures, that of the Philippines has no shortage of animal-related idioms and expressions. Here are the most common ones:

Filipino expression	May daga sa dibdib
Literal translation	“Having a mouse inside one’s chest”
This expression is often used to refer to someone who’s being fearful or nervous. Para kang may daga sa dibdib.  “You’re such a coward.”

Filipino expression	Kasing dulas ng hito
Literal translation	“As slippery as a catfish”
This refers to a clever person who just can’t be caught in the act. A similar idiom in English would be “as slippery as an eel,” which refers to a person from whom you can’t get a straight answer—a person who cannot be trusted. Ang dulas talaga ni Cardo. Parang hito.  “Cardo is as slippery as a catfish.”

Filipino expression	Balat-kalabaw
Literal translation	“Carabao-skinned” or “Carabao hide”
This expression refers to a person with skin as thick as that of a carabao or water buffalo. In other words, one who is insensitive and shameless. Balat-kalabaw ka. Hindi ka na nahiya.  “You’re such a thick-skinned person. Don’t you ever feel shame?”

Filipino expression	Utak bolinao
Literal translation	“Bolinao-brained” or “Fish brain”
This is an idiom used to mock someone with low intelligence. Utak means “brain” in Filipino, and bolinao is the Tagalog name of the Philippine anchovy, a very small marine water fish. Hindi mo nasagutan? Utak bolinao ka talaga.  “You weren’t able to answer it? You’re such a fish-brain.”

Filipino expression	Utak-talangka
Literal translation	“Crab-brained”
Yes, there’s “fish brain” in Filipino, and there’s also “crab brain.” Unfortunately, this expression has been associated with Filipinos for a long time now, with Filipinos themselves claiming many of their countrymen have what’s referred to as a “crab mentality,” or the attitude of pulling others down just to get to the top. Huwag tayong maghilahan pababa. Huwag tayong utak-talangka.  “Let’s stop pulling each other down. It’s time we got rid of our crab mentality.”

Filipino expression	Itim na tupa
Literal translation	“Black sheep”
This is the exact equivalent of the English idiom used to describe a disreputable member of a family or community. Sa mata ng Ama ako’y isang itim na tupa.  “I’m a black sheep in the eyes of the Father.”

Filipino expression	Ahas
Literal translation	“Snake”
Like in most cultures, the snake is often associated with people who have a questionable reputation—someone who would strike you without you knowing it. A traitor, in other words. Ahas ka talaga, Manuel. Niloko mo ako!  “You’re such a snake, Manuel! You tricked me!”

Filipino expression	Mabahong isda
Literal translation	“Stinky fish”
This is from a line of a famous poem wrongly attributed to Dr. Jose Rizal. This is not a common Filipino idiom, but based on the context of the poem, someone is mabahong isda if they should be ashamed of their lack of love for their own language and country.

Filipino expression	Kapag pumuti ang uwak at umitim ang tagak
Literal translation	“When the crow turns white and the heron turns black”
This is an expression that means something is impossible and will never happen. Sometimes, using only the first part (or only the second part) is enough to make your point. Pakakasalan lang kita kapag pumuti na ang uwak.  “I will marry you when the crow turns white.”

→ Learn more Filipino idioms and expressions here.

Kasing dulas ng hito (“As slippery as a catfish”)

10. Improve Your Vocabulary with FilipinoPod101!

Did you find this list of the names of Filipino animals helpful? Let us know in the comments! 

Know that this is just a small part of what you should master when learning the Filipino language. If you want to learn more than just a vocabulary list of Tagalog animal names, FilipinoPod101 is here to help.

At FilipinoPod101, you can enjoy a wide range of free resources to help you take your Filipino vocabulary to the next level. Whether you need material for learning grammar, practicing your pronunciation, or exploring the Philippine culture, you can rest assured that FilipinoPod101 has it all.

FilipinoPod101 is unique in the sense that we employ an advanced approach that caters to the specific needs of our students. For instance, we provide students with our MyTeacher service, which is designed to help learners master the Filipino language in the shortest amount of time possible. With this feature, students can have 1-on-1 lessons with a professional Filipino teacher and receive real-time feedback to help them fast-track their learning.

All this and more if you sign up now with FilipinoPod101!

Hearing the phone ring can be exciting, especially when we’re expecting to receive some good news. However, for people in a foreign country who are still learning the language, the experience might not be so thrilling. 

This is especially true in professional settings. Imagine being the only one in the room when the phone suddenly rings, and you’re not even sure how to say “hello” in Tagalog—let alone put together any useful Filipino phone call phrases! How terrifying would that be?

I know. I’m just exaggerating. But you get my point. Not knowing what to say when answering the phone can be stressful (not to mention awkward).

But you can rest your worries here. In this post, you’ll learn the essential Tagalog phone call phrases for a variety of situations. This list should give you the confidence to make calls or answer the phone in Tagalog, as well as help make your phone conversations less awkward.

Me: Excited to call my friend in the middle of the night to practice Tagalog phone call phrases I’ve just learned.

Table of Contents

1. The Opening Line
2. Introducing Yourself
3. Stating Your Reason for Calling
4. Asking to Speak to Someone
5. Asking Someone to Wait
6. Leaving a Message
7. Asking for Clarification
8. Ending the Phone Call
9. Sample Phone Conversations
10. Learn More Than Just Phone Call Phrases with FilipinoPod101!

1. The Opening Line

The Philippines ranks high in terms of business English, so it’s not unusual for phone calls here to be made or answered using English phrases in both professional and informal settings. Nevertheless, it’s still useful to know how to say these phrases in Tagalog. In the Philippines, we make phone calls the same way that people in most countries do—starting with a “hello.”

In informal situations, a common way to answer the phone in Tagalog is:

• Hello, sino ‘to? (“Hello, may I know who this is?”)

The word “hello” in Tagalog is kumusta. In some cultures, it’s common for the words used in telephone greetings to differ from those used in real life. But in the Philippines, we greet one another with kumusta both over the phone and in person. You’ll learn more about this in our entry How to Say Hello in Tagalog.

1 – When you’re the one calling…

• Hello. Kumusta? (“Hello. How are you?”)
• Hello. Magandang araw / umaga / hapon / gabi. (“Hello. Good day / morning / afternoon / evening.”)

You can follow this up with:

• Pwede ko bang makausap si… (“May I speak with…”)
• Nandiyan ba si… (“Is [name] available?”)
• Gusto ko sanang makausap si… (“I would like to speak with…”)

These initial greetings can be used in both formal and informal situations.

2 – When you’re the one receiving the call…

Informal

There are a couple of ways to answer the phone in casual settings:

• Hello. Kumusta din po? (“Hello. How are you, too?”)
• Hello. Magandang araw / umaga / hapon / gabi. (“Hello. Good day / morning / afternoon / evening.”)
• Hello. Sino ‘to? (“Hello. Who’s this?”)

You can then wait for the person to express their reason for calling or go ahead and ask them their reason for making the call.

Formal

As mentioned, answering the phone in professional settings is normally done using the English language or a combination of English and Filipino. While someone may use Tagalog or a dialect to answer the phone in formal settings, English is used in very formal settings like in hotels or high-end restaurants. In most cases, you’ll hear a combination of English and Filipino, such as in the following examples:

• Hello. Magandang araw / umaga / hapon / gabi. (“Hello. Good day / morning / afternoon / evening.”)
• Maaari ko bang malaman kung sino ang tumatawag? (“May I know who’s calling, please?”)
• I.T. Department. Magandang araw! (“I.T. Department. Good day!”)
• ABC Company. Magandang araw! (“ABC Company. Good morning!”)

2. Introducing Yourself

When making or taking a phone call in Tagalog, you’ll need to give a brief introduction at some point after the greeting. Let’s take a look at the nuances of introducing yourself as the caller versus as the receiver. 

1 – When making the call…

Informal

• ‘Tol, si Edwin ito. (“Bro, it’s me, Edwin.”) 

The word ‘tol is a contraction of the word utol, which is slang for “brother” or “sister.” The usage of this term is common between very close friends, particularly males. Here are other examples:

• Pare, si Rudy ito. Naaalala mo pa ako? (“Bro, it’s Rudy. Still remember me?”)

The term pare is short for kumpare, which was borrowed from the Spanish word compadre, which refers to a male friend. The female version is mare, short for kumare.

• Ate Lorie, ako ito, si Rowena. (“Ate Lorie, it’s me, Rowena.”)

The word ate here is a term used to address an elder sister. It can also be used to refer to any female relative, friend, or even stranger, who is older than the speaker. For males, the term is kuya.

• Itay, si Mark po ito. (“Dad, it’s Mark.”)

Formal

The main difference between introducing yourself in a formal scenario and an informal one is that in a formal setting, you often need to state your full name or family name. In most cases, the word po, which indicates politeness, is also necessary. Consider these examples:

• Ako po pala si Edwin Marquez. (“I’m Edwin Marquez, by the way.”)
• Si Mr. Marquez itong tumatawag. (“It’s Mr. Marquez calling.”)

Speaking of politeness, here’s a quick lesson about Filipino manners.

Pare, si Rudy ito. Baka pwede mo ako pasahan ng load.
(“Hey bro, it’s Rudy. Perhaps you could send me some mobile credits?”)

2 – When receiving a call…

In informal settings, the receiver of the call doesn’t usually have to introduce themselves unless asked to do so by the person calling.

Formal

In more formal settings, such as in the workplace, the appropriate way to answer a phone call would be with a “hello” followed by “May I know who’s calling, please?” or “Thanks for calling [name of company], it’s [name] speaking.”

In Tagalog, that would sound something like:

• Magandang araw. Maraming salamat sa pagtawag. Ito po si [name]. Ano po ang aking maipaglilingkod? (“Good day. Thank you so much for calling. This is [name]. What can I do for you?”)

• Magandang umaga / hapon. Si Shirley po ito. Bakit po sila napatawag? (“Good morning / afternoon. This is Shirley. May I know the purpose of your call?”)

Have you learned how to properly introduce yourself yet? Check out our entry on self-introductions and learn the different ways you can introduce yourself in Filipino!

3. Stating Your Reason for Calling

Depending on the nature of your call, there are different phrases you can use to let the other person know why you’re calling. 

Informal

Informal calls usually involve friends checking up on each other or inviting each other out for an activity.

• Gusto lang kitang kamustahin. (“I just want to check on you.”)
• Yayayain sana kita sa laro namin bukas. (“I wanted to invite you to our game tomorrow.”)

Formal

Meanwhile, formal calls often involve inquiries about a product/service or setting up an appointment with a client.

• Tumawag ako para pag-usapan yung… (“I called to talk about the…”) 
• Tumawag ako tungkol sa… (“I’m calling regarding the…”)
• Ako yung tumawag kanina. (“I was the one who called earlier.”)
• Gusto ko sanang mag-set ng meeting kay… (“I’d like to set a meeting with…”)
• May gusto akong itanong tungkol sa produkto / serbisyo na binibigay ninyo. (“I’d like to ask some questions regarding a product / service you’re offering.”)

May gusto sana akong itanong tungkol sa binenta niyong laptop sa akin. Ayaw mag-on.
(“I’d like to ask something regarding the laptop you sold me. It won’t boot up.”)

4. Asking to Speak to Someone

If the person who picked up the phone is not who you intended to speak with, you can ask to be handed over to the right person. Here are some Filipino phone call phrases you can use to do this: 

Informal

• Nandiyan po ba si…gusto ko sana siyang makausap tungkol sa… (“Is [name] there? I’d like to talk to him/her about…”)
• Gusto ko sanang makausap si… (“I was wondering if I could speak with…”)
• Pakisabi hinahanap siya ni Bernadette. (“Please tell her it’s Bernadette.”)

Formal

• Gusto kong makausap si… (“I’d like to speak with…”)
• Maaari ko bang makausap si… (“May I speak/have a word with…”)

5. Asking Someone to Wait

If you’re the one receiving the call and have to ask the caller to wait, you can use the following phrases:

Informal

• Sandali lang…tatawagin ko siya. (“Wait a minute, I’ll just call him/her.”)
• Sandali lang ha, ibibigay ko sa kanya ang telepono. (“Wait, I’ll hand the phone over to him.”)

Formal

• Pwede po ba kayong maghintay ng kaunti? (“Could you wait a bit?”)
• Ililipat ko po ang tawag… (“Allow me to transfer the call…”)

6. Leaving a Message

When the person you’re looking for is not around, you can leave a message for them with the person who received your call. Here are a few ways you can do that:

Informal

• Pakisabi na lang na tawagan niya ako. Pakisabi importante. Salamat. (“Please tell him to call me. Please tell him that it’s important. Thank you.”)
• Sabihin mo tumawag ang kaibigan niyang si Edwin. Salamat. (“Tell him his friend Edwin called. Thanks!”)

Formal

• Maaari ba akong mag-iwan ng mensahe? (“Can I leave a message?”)
• Maaari mo bang sabihin sa kanya na tawagan ako? (“Can you tell him to call me back, please?”)

Keep in mind that the word maaari is the more formal term for pwede and is seldom used even in formal situations. In most cases, using pwede instead of maaari won’t affect the formality of your call or make you come off as unprofessional.

7. Asking for Clarification

As a non-native speaker conversing over the phone in Filipino, you’ll likely need to ask for clarifications at some point. While this might be because you received a lengthy or complex explanation that you need reiterated, it could also be that the line is too noisy or you can’t hear the other person clearly. 

Informal

• Pasensya na, ano yun ulit? (“I’m sorry, what was that again?”)
• Hindi ko narinig. Pakiulit nga. (“I didn’t hear you. Please say that again.”)
• Pwedeng paki ulit yung sinabi mo? Medyo maingay kasi dito. (“Could you repeat what you just said? It’s a bit noisy here.”)

Formal

• Pasensiya ka na,  pero pwede mo bang ulitin yung sinabi mo? (“I’m sorry, but could you repeat what you just said?”)
• Pwedeng paki ulit nung huli mong sinabi? (“Would you mind repeating the last line?”)
• Maaari mo bang ulitin yung address? (“Would you mind stating the address again?”)
• Ang sinasabi mo… (“What you were saying was…”)
• Ang ibig mong sabihin…tama ba ako? (“What you’re trying to say is…am I correct?”)
• Uulitin ko yung sinabi mo. Pakisabi kung tama ang pagkakaintindi ko. (“I’m going to reiterate what you just said. Please let me know if I understood it correctly.”)

If you want to confirm that you’re calling the right number, you can say something like this:

• Ito po ba ang opisina ni Mr. Aquino? (“Is this Mr. Aquino’s office?”)

Or:

• Tama po ba itong numero na tinawagan ko? (“Did I dial the correct number?”)

And then state the phone number you’re trying to call.

→ The Filipino language should not be difficult to comprehend. Here’s an entry to help you master some basic Filipino sentence patterns.

8. Ending the Phone Call

End the phone call successfully and appropriately with the following words and expressions:

1 – Ending a call as the caller…

Informal

• Sige, magkita na lang tayo. (“Alright, I’ll just see you on…”)
• O siya, mauna na ako. Bye! (“Okay, I’ll go now. Bye!”)

Formal

• Maraming salamat. Paalam. (“Thank you so much. Bye!”)
• Maraming salamat sa tulong mo. Hanggang sa muli. (“Thank you so much for your help. Until next time.”)

2 – Ending a call as the recipient…

Informal

• Ingat ka. (“You take care.”)
• Sige. Kitakits. (“Alright. See you!”)

Formal

• Maraming salamat din. (“Thank you, too.”)
• Salamat sa pagtawag. (“Thank you for calling.”)
• May maitutulong pa po ba ako? Kung wala na, maraming salamat sa pagtawag. Paalam. (“Is there anything else I can help you with? If there is none, I’d like to thank you for calling us. Goodbye!”)

One of the first things to do when arriving in the Philippines is to set up a phone plan. Here’s a list of related words and phrases about phone plans to help you with that.

Sige. Kitakits sa Sabado! (“Alright. See you on Saturday!”)

9. Sample Phone Conversations

Now, let’s take a look at two sample phone call conversations involving two friends setting up a brunch date on a weekend. The first scenario is an informal phone call conversation between Rain and her friend Athena. They haven’t seen each other for a while, and Rain has decided to call Athena to ask if she’s free the coming weekend for a date.

1 – Informal Phone Conversation

Rain: Hello, Athena, kumusta ka na? (“Hello, Athena. How are you?”)

Athena: Uy, Rain! Napatawag ka! Anong meron? (“Hey, Rain! You called! What’s up?”)

Rain: Yayayain sana kitang magkape sa Sabado, tutal walang pasok. Brunch na lang din tayo. (“I was wondering if I could invite you for coffee this coming Saturday since it’s a weekend. Let’s have it over brunch.”)

Athena: Magandang ideya yan. Sige! Saan ba plano mong kumain? (“That’s a wonderful idea. Sure! Where do you plan to eat?”)

Rain: May alam akong bagong bukas na kainan malapit lang kina Aaron. Sasama din pala siya. (“I know a place near Aaron’s. He’s coming with us, by the way.”)

Athena: Wow! Excited na ako. Sino-sino pa nandun? (“Wow! I’m excited already! Who else will be there?”)

Rain: Niyaya ko din si Raymund, actually, kaso sasamahan niya daw ang mom and dad niya. (“I actually invited Raymund, as well, but he said he needs to accompany his mom and dad.”)

Athena: Ah okay. So tayong tatlo lang nina Aaron? Okay lang sa akin. Miss ko na din yung isang yun eh. (“Oh okay. So it’s just the three of us? That’s fine with me. I actually miss that guy, too.”)

Rain: O ano? Okay na tayo sa Sabado? Sunduin na lang kita para hindi ka na magmaneho. Hatid na din kita pauwi. (“So, it’s final. We’ll meet this Saturday. I’ll just come and fetch you so you won’t have to drive. I’ll then drop you home afterward.”)

Athena: Oo ba. Tamang-tama lang ang alas-nuebe at tapos na ako sa mga gawain ko dito sa bahay. (“Sure. I should be done with my house chores before nine, so nine in the morning would be perfect.”)

Rain: Ayos! Kitakits sa Sabado. Babay! (“All right. See you on Saturday then. Bye!”)

Athena: Kitakits! Bye! (“See ya! Bye!”)

2 – Formal Phone Conversation

After Rain and Athena have agreed on the time and date of their meeting, Rain calls the restaurant she told Athena about so she could have a table reserved for them.

Keep in mind that it’s not common for phone calls in the Philippines to be purely in Tagalog. In fact, people hardly use Tagalog when making formal conversation. More often than not, it’s always a combination of Filipino and English. First, let me show you what a purely Tagalog conversation would sound like:

Attendant: Magandang umaga. Salamat sa pagtawag sa Doña Maria Cafe. (“Good morning. Thank you for calling Doña Maria Cafe.”)

Rain: Magandang umaga. Gusto ko po sanang magpareserba para sa tatlong tao. (“Good morning. I’d like to make a reservation.”)

Attendant: Sige po. Para sa anong petsa po ito? (“Of course. For what date will the reservation be?”)

Rain: Para sa darating na Sabado. (“It will be for this coming Saturday.”)

Attendant: Anong oras po? (“And the time?”)

Rain: Alas-nuebe ng umaga. (“Nine in the morning.”)

Attendant: Ilang tao po ang kailangan ng reserbasyon? (“How many people will you need the reservation for?”)

Rain: Para sa tatlong tao lang. (“For three people, please.”)

Attendant: Maaari ko po bang makuha ang pangalan nila? (“Would you kindly give me your name, please?”)

Rain: Rain Ledesma.

Attendant: Maraming salamat po. Ginawan ko na po kayo ng reserbasyon para sa tatlong tao sa darating na Sabado, alas-nuebe ng umaga. Mayroon pa po ba akong maipaglilingkod? (“Thank you so much. I made a reservation for three people for this Saturday at nine a.m. Will there be anything else I can help you with?”)

Rain: Yun lang po. Maraming salamat. Paalam. (“That is all. Thank you. Bye.”)

Attendant: Paalam. (“Bye.”)

3 – Formal Phone Conversation (Taglish)

Now, here’s what a more typical phone conversation would sound like when making a reservation at a restaurant in the Philippines.

Attendant: Thank you for calling Doña Maria Cafe. How may I help you?

Rain: Hello. Gusto ko sanang magpa-reserve. (“Hello. I’d like to make a reservation.”)

Attendant: Sige po. Para kailan po ito, ma’am? (“Sure. For what date will the reservation be?”)

Rain: Sa darating na Sabado sana. (“It’s for this coming Saturday.”)

Attendant: Anong oras po ang gusto nila? (“And the time, please?”)

Rain: Nine a.m.

Attendant: Sige po. Ilan po sila? (“Got that. This is for how many people?”)

Rain: Ah, tatlo lang kami. (“Oh, it’s just the three of us.”)

Attendant: Pwede ko pong makuha yung pangalan nila? (“May I have your name, please?”)

Rain: Rain Ledesma.

Attendant: Thank you po, ma’am. Ginawan ko na po kayo ng reservation for this coming Saturday, 9 in the morning, for three persons. Is there anything else po? (“Thanks, ma’am. I made a reservation for you for this coming Saturday at nine in the morning. It’s for three people. Is there anything else?”)

Rain: Wala na. Yun lang. Thank you! Bye! (“Nope. That’s all. Thank you. Bye!”)

Attendant: Sige po. Thank you! Bye! (“Okay. Thank you. Bye!”)

Notice how the speakers switched between Filipino and English throughout the conversation. Also note the excess use of po, which is typical for when someone doesn’t want to come across as rude or impolite.

Ginawan ko na po kayo ng reservation. (“I already made a reservation for you.”)

→ Don’t forget to check out our other list of Filipino phone call phrases!

Learn More Than Just Phone Call Phrases with FilipinoPod101!

In this lesson, you’ve learned some of the most useful Filipino phone call phrases to help you gain more confidence when making or taking a call. Do you feel more prepared to handle your next all-Filipino phone call, or are there some phrases or situations you’d still like to see covered?

If you wish to further improve your Tagalog and learn more than just phone call phrases, sign up for FilipinoPod101 today.

Here at FilipinoPod101.com, you can have access to a range of free resources including PDFs, audio lessons, and video recordings that will assist you in your studies. Not to mention hundreds of useful Tagalog vocabulary words to enrich and widen your mental wordbook.

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Having a commendable vocabulary list to study is imperative when you’re learning a new language. That said, mastering core Filipino words is crucial if you want to become fluent in the language of the Philippines. 

Tagalog beginner words are simple everyday words that form the foundation of a much larger vocabulary. Learning and mastering them will help you if you’re going to pursue a career or education in the Philippines or if you simply want to move to the country.

The good news about Filipino vocabulary is that most of the words have an equivalent in English. And if you commit to studying for at least an hour every day, you’ll be able to master all the basic Filipino words and apply them in daily conversations after only 200 hours.

Tagalog takes 1100 hours to learn, though, which means you’ll still have a long way to go. So, if there’s a good time to start, it’s now! Let’s do it!

Table of Contents

1. Mga Panghalip (Pronouns)
2. Mga Bilang (Numbers)
3. Mga Pangngalan (Nouns)
4. Mga Pandiwa (Verbs)
5. Mga Pang-Uri (Adjectives)
6. Mga Pangatnig (Conjunctions)
7. At iba pa… (More beginner words)
8. Catch More Filipino Beginner Words at FilipinoPod101.com!

1. Mga Panghalip (Pronouns)

Pronouns are among the core parts of speech that one should master first when learning any new language. 

In Filipino, pronouns are called panghalip. There are six categories of Filipino pronouns. Most of them have direct equivalents in English, although some have more uses than their English equivalents.

You can visit our comprehensive guide to Filipino pronouns if you wish to delve deeper into the subject.

As a beginner in Filipino, you just need to focus on the three basic pronoun categories: personal, demonstrative, and interrogative. 

Personal Pronouns (Panghalip Panao)

These are pronouns that replace the proper names of people in sentences. The keyword is panao, which is derived from tao, meaning “human.”

Person	Filipino	English
1st person sg.	ako	I
2nd person sg.	ikaw	you
3rd person sg.	siya	he/she
1st person pl.	tayo	we
2nd person pl.	kayo	you all
3rd person pl.	sila	they

Take note that Filipino grammar doesn’t use gender pronouns, which is why “he” and “she” are both siya in Tagalog.

• Nag-aaral siya ng bokabularyong Filipino. (“She’s studying Filipino vocabulary.”)
• Nagbabasa siya palagi ng diksyunaryo. (“He always reads the dictionary.”)

Demonstrative Pronouns (Panghalip Pamatlig)

While English grammar only has four demonstrative pronouns (if we don’t include “yonder,” that is), Filipino has more than a dozen. Nevertheless, we’ll only focus on the most common ones, which are the pronominals.

Filipino	English
ito	this
dito	here
iyan	that
niyan	that
diyan	there
iyon	that
doon	there

Both iyan and niyan are translated as “that” in English. The difference between the two is that iyan is often found at the beginning of a sentence, while niyan is usually found at the end.

• Iyan ang gustong kong matutunan. (“That’s what I want to learn.”)
• Gusto kong matuto niyan. (“I want to learn that.”)

Interrogative Pronouns (Panghalip Pananong)

Filipino	English
ano	what
alin	which
sino	who/whom
kanino	whose

There are five interrogative pronouns in the English language. All of them have an equivalent in Filipino grammar, although “who” and “whom” share the same word, which is sino.

• Sino ang estudyante mo sa Pilipino? (“Who is your student in Filipino?”)
• Sino yung sinasabi mo na nagtuturo sa iyo ng Pilipino? (“Whom did you say was teaching you Filipino?”)
  

2. Mga Bilang (Numbers)

Numbers may seem rather insignificant when you’re learning a new language. You may even be tempted to learn them last. However, learning numbers is crucial because we encounter and use them in everyday life. That said, here are the numbers 1-10 in Filipino. You can always check our blog entry on numbers and how to count in Filipino for more detailed information. 

• 1       isa
• 2       dalawa
• 3       tatlo
• 4       apat
• 5       lima
• 6       anim
• 7       pito
• 8       walo
• 9       siyam
• 10       sampu

May tatlong bibi akong nakita. (“I saw three ducklings.”)

3. Mga Pangngalan (Nouns)

Nouns are one of the fundamental word groups in Filipino for beginners to study. They can be used alone to convey an urgent point or with verbs and objects to form a complete thought. 

The Tagalog word for “noun” sounds like the Tagalog word for “name.” However, pangngalan literally means “for naming,” and yes, we know that’s what nouns are for. We use nouns to name people, places, things, events, actions, ideas, and states of existence. There are so many Filipino nouns we could cover here, but let’s focus on the most basic ones first. 

Time

Filipino	English
oras	hour/time
minuto	minute
segundo	second
umaga	morning
tanghali	noon
hapon	afternoon
gabi	night/evening
araw	day
linggo	week
buwan	month
taon	year

→ Learn more about how to talk about time in Filipino right here at FilipinoPod101.com.

Days of the week:

Filipino	English
Lunes	Monday
Martes	Tuesday
Miyerkules	Wednesday
Huwebes	Thursday
Biyernes	Friday
Sabado	Saturday
Linggo	Sunday

Notice that the Filipino translations for “week” and “Sunday” are the same: linggo. 

• Mag-iisang linggo ka na dito sa Linggo. (“You will have been here for a week this Sunday.”)

People

Filipino	English
ama/tatay	father
ina/inay/nanay	mother
anak/bata	child
anak na lalaki	son
anak na babae	daughter
asawa	spouse
pamilya	family
kuya	older brother
ate	older sister
panganay	eldest
bunso	youngest
pinsan	cousin
tiyuhin	uncle
tiyahin	aunt
lolo	grandfather
lola	grandmother
guro	teacher
mag-aaral	student
doktor	doctor
nars	nurse
pulis	policeman

Places

Filipino	English
palengke	market
ospital	hospital
paaralan	school
opisina	office
munisipyo	municipal hall
bangko	bank
botika	drugstore
simbahan	church
istasyon ng bus	bus station
himpilan ng pulis	police station

School and Office Essentials

Filipino	English
lapis	pencil
bolpen	ballpoint pen
panulat	pen
papel	paper
kuwaderno	notebook
gunting	scissors
pambura	eraser
pandikit	glue
sobre	envelope

Body Parts

Filipino	English
ulo	head
buhok	hair
mata	eyes
tainga	ears
ilong	nose
bibig	mouth
leeg	neck
dibdib	chest
braso	arm
siko	elbow
kamay	hand
binti	thigh
hita	leg
tuhod	knee
paa	feet

Food

Filipino	English
bigas	rice
ulam	viand
pampalasa	condiment
gulay	vegetable
prutas	fruit
karne	meat
gatas	milk
itlog	egg
baboy	pork
baka	beef
manok	chicken
isda	fish

Beginner words form the foundation of a much larger vocabulary.

4. Mga Pandiwa (Verbs)

The most basic Filipino sentence cannot stand without a verb. Known as pandiwa in Filipino, verbs are what give life to any speech. Here are 50 common Filipino verbs with which you can build your vocabulary. You can also visit our blog page for a more detailed guide to Filipino verbs.

Filipino	English
gumising	to wake up
bumangon	to get up
kumain	to eat
uminom	to drink
magsipilyo	to brush one’s teeth
maligo	to bathe
magluto	to cook
maglaba	to do the laundry
magtrabaho	to work
mag-aral	to study
magmaneho	to drive
sumakay	to ride
umakyat	to climb
bumaba	to go down
magpahinga	to rest
matulog	to sleep
magbigay	to give
kumuha	to get
tumanggap	to receive
maglakad	to walk
tumakbo	to run
umupo	to sit
humiga	to lie down
tumayo	to stand
umalis	to go/leave
bumalik	to come back/return
dumiretso	to go straight ahead
umatras	to move backward
umabante	to move forward
lumiko	to turn left or right
tumalon	to jump
ngumiti	to smile
lumangoy	to swim
gumawa	to make/do something
magtanong	to ask
maghanap	to find/look for something
magsulat	to write
pumayag	to allow
pumikit	to close one’s eyes
magbilang	to count
mag-isip	to think
tumawa	to laugh
umiyak	to cry
sumigaw	to shout
magalit	to get angry
manghingi	to ask for something
pumunta	to go somewhere
dumalo	to attend
sumama	to come along
humawak	to hold

Verbs can make anything come alive!

5. Mga Pang-Uri (Adjectives)

In Filipino grammar, the ligatures na, ng, and g are used to connect adjectives to the words they’re modifying. We use na when the adjective ends in a consonant (except for “n,” in which case we used the ligature g). We then use ng if the word ends in a vowel.

• Matangkad na tao (“A tall person”)
• Malaking alon (“A big wave”)
• Balingkinitang nilalang (“A slender creature”)

We have more lessons explaining the use of Filipino adjectives here at FilipinoPod101.com. Check them out for more examples!

Adjectives Describing Objects

Filipino	English
malaki	big
maliit	small
mahaba	long
maikli	short
mataas	high
malapad	wide
mababa	low
manipis	thin
pabilog	circular

Adjectives Describing People

Filipino	English
maganda	beautiful/pretty
guwapo/pogi	handsome
matangkad	tall
maliit/mababa	short
maputi	light-skinned
maitim	dark-skinned
moreno	brown-skinned
balingkinitan	slender
mataba	fat
payat	slim/thin

Adjectives Describing Emotions

Filipino	English
masaya	happy
maligaya	joyful
malungkot	sad
galit	angry
nasusuklam	disgusted
takot	afraid/fearful
gigil	eager

Adjectives Describing the Weather

Filipino	English
maaraw	sunny
mainit	humid
maulan	rainy
mahangin	windy
maaliwalas	clear
maulap	cloudy
mabagyo	stormy
makulimlim	shady
maginaw	cold
malamig	cool

You’ve probably noticed that most Filipino adjectives start with the prefix ma-, although some may end in a suffix instead. Filipino adjectives that are formed using prefixes and suffixes are called maylapi. The adjective maganda (“beautiful”) for instance, is formed by adding the prefix ma- to the root word ganda, which means “beauty.”

Maginaw! Malapit ng mag-Pasko! (“It’s cold! The Christmas season must be near!”)

6. Mga Pangatnig (Conjunctions)

When you start learning Tagalog, you’ll find that knowing a few conjunctions can make your speech sound more fluid, even with a limited vocabulary. 

Conjunctions are called pangatnig in Filipino, and they’re used to connect words, phrases, or clauses. There are as many conjunctions in Filipino as there are in English, but here are the most common ones used in daily conversations.

Filipino	English
at	and
o	or
dahil/kasi	because
pero	but
kaya	so
para	for/so that/to

It’s normal for some conjunctions to have more than one equivalent in Filipino and vice-versa. Take “because,” for instance.

• Ayaw niyang kumain dahil/kasi busog na siya. (“He doesn’t want to eat because he’s already full.”)

In the same manner, some Filipino conjunctions, such as para, have more than one use in English.

• Pumunta kami para makita siya. (“We came here to see her/so that we could see her.”)

The conjunction “but” also has more than one equivalent in Filipino, although pero is the one that’s mostly used in ordinary conversations. Its other equivalents are subalit, ngunit, and sapagkat, which are more formal or literary. 

• Dumalaw ako sa inyo pero wala ka. (“I went to your place, but you were not around.”)

Another word that’s used to substitute pero as a colloquial term is kaso.

• Hinabol kita kaso ambilis mo. (“I tried to run after you, but you were too fast.”)

7. At iba pa… (More beginner words)

Filipino grammar does not use auxiliary verbs like the ones we’re accustomed to in English. However, there are several words in Tagalog (called “linkers”) necessary for connecting thoughts.

na, ng, and g

We’ve already talked about how ng, na, and g are used with adjectives. These three linkers are also used with Filipino adverbs.

• Natulog siya na gutom. (“He slept with an empty stomach.”)
• Tumakbo siya ng mabilis. (“He ran fast.”)
• Naglarong mag-isa ang bata. (“The child played alone.”)

ang and si

The words ang and si are among the most basic markers in Filipino grammar. The ang marker is used to point out a word as the focus of a sentence.

• Guro ang babae. (“The woman is a teacher.”)
• Magaling ang estudyante. (“The student is good.”)
• Nasa labas ang kotse. (“The car is outside.”)

The marker si, on the other hand, is used to indicate the name of a person as the focus.

• Guro si Rodel sa UP. (“Rodel is a teacher at UP.”)
• Estudyante si Ace sa Ateneo. (“Ace is a student at Ateneo.”)
• Si Andrew ang nagmamaneho ng kotse. (“Andrew is the one driving the car.”)

The marker si becomes sina if the subject is plural.

• Nag-aaral sina Emily and Jonas. (“Emily and Jonas are studying.”)
• Aalis na sina Jordan at yung kaibigan niya. (“Jordan and his friend are leaving.”)
• Nakarating na sina mama at papa ng Maynila. (“Mom and Dad have arrived in Manila.”)

mga

The Tagalog particle mga is one of the most useful basic Filipino words to learn. In English grammar, the pluralization of words means either adding -s or –es to the end of a word, changing the spelling of the word altogether, or retaining its original spelling. In Tagalog, the only way you can transform a word into its plural form is by adding mga before it. 

• mga tao (“people”)
• mga kamay (“hands”)
• mga bahay (“houses”)

There are cases when the number of the noun is understood from the context, and mga is not necessary.

• Kumakain ba ng gulay? (“Do you eat vegetables?”)
• Maraming basura sa daan. (“There’s a lot of trash on the road.”)
• Magpunas ka ng paa. (“Wipe your feet.”)

Hinabol kita, kaso ambilis mo. (“I tried to run after you, but you were too fast.”)

8. Catch More Filipino Beginner Words at FilipinoPod101.com!

Today, you’ve learned some of the most useful Tagalog beginner words! If you feel that we’ve missed anything, or if there are other basic words you want us to cover next time, do let us know in the comments section.

Before you leave, don’t forget to check out other articles and Filipino lessons for beginners here at FilipinoPod101.com. You’ll be happy to find out that there are more resources like this blog post that can help you build your vocabulary and practice your Filipino grammar skills.

Here at FilipinoPod101, our goal is to make learning the Tagalog language a lot easier and more convenient for you. For example, our MyTeacher service for Premium PLUS members allows you to have 1-on-1 lessons with a Filipino teacher. 

So, what are you waiting for? Sign up now and begin your journey to Filipino language fluency!