Do you want to learn to speak Tagalog fluently but need help figuring out how to start? Then, you’ve come to the right place! We understand that it can be daunting to learn a new language, but we’re here to show you that it’s okay once you know the best ways to learn Tagalog.
Join us in this quick Tagalog course, where we detail some crucial things to know when trying to learn Tagalog. Don’t worry – it can be easier than you think!
How To Learn To Speak Tagalog – How To Learn Tagalog Fast
What Is Tagalog?
Tagalog, also known as Filipino, is the national language of the Philippines, a country of over 100 million people in Southeast Asia (that’s a ton of Tagalog speakers!) Filipino vocabulary is rich and contains many words borrowed from the Romantic, West Germanic, and Austronesian language families. So you may think of Tagalog as a bit of a melting pot of many other languages!
While the Philippines traditionally had its own script, the baybayin alphabet, the national language uses the Latin alphabet (with the addition of ñ and ng) to write down its words. There are currently about 1.6 million Tagalog speakers in the United States alone, both as native speakers and second language speakers. So, if you’re living in the US, you’re bound to run into a few native Tagalog speakers who can help you brush up your skills if needed.
Is Tagalog Hard To Learn?
The Tagalog language is rated by the Foreign Service Institute as a Category III language, which takes over 1000 hours to learn — making it more complicated than French, Spanish, or Italian. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to understand! There are tons of resources right here in our blog on learning Tagalog!
Take tenses, for example. As Tagalog is a phonetic language – words that are written how they are supposed to be pronounced – some words use repeating syllables to express the passage of time. Some learners might find this confusing! For example:
| English | Tagalog | Present | Future | Past |
| Eat | Kain (kha-een) | kumakain | kakain | kumain |
| Get off (dismount) | Baba (buh-bah) | baba | bababa | bumaba |
If you want your first Tagalog lesson to be as painless as possible, the Ling App has you covered. We’ve consulted with actual native speakers in developing our Tagalog lessons, creating an easy-to-follow curriculum for people who want to learn Tagalog words!
Suppose you need something to help you enhance your understanding and appreciation of Filipino vocabulary. In that case, this is the app for you.
Tips For Learning Tagalog Words
People who want to learn Tagalog usually find themselves grasping for what to do first. Some go for an entire Tagalog course, and others exist on YouTube tutorials.
Still, others study Tagalog from people they meet online. And don’t worry about learning a new writing system, like with other languages — the Philippines uses the Latin alphabet, which already gives you a head start if you can read this!
Whatever your style of language learning, we’ve got a few helpful tips for you on how to get started with learning the official language of the Philippines:
Make It Part Of Your Routine
Language learning is a journey that isn’t finished in a single day. So make sure you continue your Tagalog learning journey daily, making it part of your routine. Just 15-30 minutes of Tagalog vocabulary practice is enough to help you refresh your memory and eventually start treating it like a second language!
In fact, we’ll even help you get started. Here are your five Tagalog words for today:
| English | Tagalog | Pronunciation |
| To Study | Mag-aral | mag-uh-ral |
| To Learn | Matuto | mah-too-toh |
| To Understand | Maintindihan | mah-een-teen-dee-han |
Use Audio-Video Tagalog Word Lessons
When trying to learn Tagalog on your own, it can be hard to learn how to speak it conversationally, especially if you need someone to practice with. Thankfully, the wonders of the internet have you covered.
YouTube is an excellent resource for video and audio aids made by native speakers who detail lessons in English words and provide grammar notes to help you out, too! You’ll learn Tagalog words and observe how a lot of contemporary Filipino rely a lot on Spanish and English languages to get some points across. Filipino is fascinating!
Use Notebooks
With our smartphones being our primary writing implement, it can be challenging for some of us to remember that notebooks still exist! Note-taking is an essential part of learning and with good reason. Writing down your Tagalog lessons in a notebook (plus points if your notebook is Filipino-themed!) will help you retain new words and phrases you come across in your recent language studies.
And don’t worry – contemporary Filipino vocabulary words do not include the baybayin alphabet, so there is no need to learn a new writing system! Filipino language learning can be easy for you if you let it.
We’ll even give you a freebie: the Filipino word for notebook is kwaderno (koo-wa-there-no)!
Utilize Free Apps For Learning Tagalog
If you want to start learning Tagalog fast, the best way to do it is through free apps like Ling App! With lessons that keep complete beginners in mind, Ling App is a solid foundation for you to start speaking Tagalog on the same level as many Filipinos, for only a few minutes a day.
For those without much time or who prefer an easygoing learning style, the Ling App is the perfect language exchange program for you! from common conversational phrases to Tagalog pronunciation, this app covers all your bases.
Keep It Fun!
If you want to learn Tagalog, remember to keep it fun! Your first lesson may be complicated at the beginning, but take heart: Filipinos are known as some of the happiest people in Southeast Asia, so it makes sense that the official language is fun to learn and use as a second language as well!
Keep it lighthearted, and remember: even native Filipinos also have trouble with their own language! So don’t sweat the small stuff, such as pronunciation – it’s a complex language to learn, especially for people who only speak English as their first language. But keep at your studies, and you’ll find that you’re learning more and more every day.
Oh and by the way, the Filipino word for happy is masaya (muh-sah-yah)!
Speak Tagalog Through Immersion
Immersing yourself in Filipino culture (in turn, the Tagalog language) is one of the best ways to learn to speak Tagalog fluently. This doesn’t mean, however, that you should learn Tagalog by booking a flight to the Philippines today (though we highly recommend that you do.) Instead, you can be immersed in the Tagalog language by doing these things:
Visit Local Filipino Communities
Do you have a Filipino community where you live? Then, join their get-togethers (we promise, there will be a lot.) Hanging out with native speakers will help you pick up Tagalog vocabulary quickly. Plus, you get instant feedback if you need help learning Tagalog! Bonus tip: there’s lumpia in the dining area, too.
Music, Movies, And Tv Shows In The Tagalog language
Most Filipinos, especially those living in the US, are still very up-to-date on the latest music, movies, and TV shows in the Philippines. Most, if not all, of the media they consume will be in the national language. Ask them for recommendations on what to watch.
Filipino shows will also be available on Netflix, which come with subtitles to help you understand the context of what is being said on-screen. So pretty soon, you’ll find that you know much more of the Tagalog language than you think!
Have One-On-Ones With Native Speakers
Nothing makes Filipino an easy language more than having a personal teacher. Conversation with a Filipino is the best immersion you can have. But, of course, this applies to other languages as well!
If you want to get good at pronunciation and vocabulary and have a very productive language exchange, finding a native speaker to talk to you in their first language is the best way to learn Tagalog.
Learn Tagalog Fast With The Ling App
Okay, English speakers! To recap:
- Tagalog is the national language of the Philippines.
- It uses the Latin alphabet, plus two additional letters (ñ and ng)
- The baybayin alphabet is not (widely) used in the Philippines.
- Tagalog may take over 1000 hours to be fluent in.
- Tagalog is best learned when it’s part of your routine
- There are plenty of resources to learn Tagalog (like the Ling App!)
- Immersion will help you enhance your Filipino vocabulary
Keep these quick tips in mind, and you’ll be as good as a native speaker. You might even be called Filipino outright, depending on how good you get!
But if you’re ready to truly get your Tagalog language education going, download the Ling App for Android and iOS today. It contains a fully-fledged Tagalog learning journey designed for total beginners and adept speakers alike, to enhance your vocabulary, improve your pronunciation, and put you on track to fluency!
One Response
I have gone through hell in trying to learn and acquire Tagalog. A long 12 year story of grammar lessons and then about 1,500 hours of reading Tagalog stories to me by others. I know many words but am completely incapable of generating even simple sentences. I have spoken to many and now I think I may need therapy or medications to help the brain, I live a lonely life being alone and lonely in Metro Manila since to depressing be alone in a crowd not understanding anyone. I am at a loss as to what to do. Are you able to help or do you know someone who is able to help.