Learn Tagalog
with Ling

It depends on your native language. According to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), Tagalog is classified as a Category III “hard language”. This means that it will take the average learner approximately 1,100 hours to be proficient in Tagalog. However, if you already know English, then learning Tagalog will be easier since they both use the Latin alphabet.

Here are some other important points to remember when you’re learning Tagalog:

• Grammar: Verb-Subject-Object (some Tagalog sentences can even start with adjectives too)
• Vocabulary: Most words are derived from a mix of Spanish and English
• Speaking/Listening: Rolling r sound, nasal ng sound, and glottal stops
• Reading/Writing: Similar to the Latin alphabet with the exceptions of the two letters Ng and Ñ

Consistency is key when it comes to learning a new language. Make sure to practice daily, whether that’s for 15 minutes or 2 hours a day, and use an effective course to study.

If you don’t have the time or budget to join in-person language classes, good thing there are lots of online opportunities. Ling is the perfect choice if you’re looking for the best app on how to learn Tagalog.

Here are some other easy tips for learning Tagalog:

• Learn grammar first followed by short basic Tagalog sentences
• Watch Tagalog movies or TV shows with CC (even better if you have two captions displayed at the same time)
• Listen to local radio stations and podcasts in Tagalog to improve your accent and pronunciation
• Practice with a native Tagalog or Filipino speaker

The Philippines is an archipelago composed of various languages and dialects. Tagalog was the most widely spoken language in the political seat of the Philippines during the 1937 Quezon presidency. However, Filipino ultimately became the official language to ensure inclusivity of all languages in the Philippines.

In short, Filipino is the standard form of Tagalog, and the grammar rules between the two languages are almost identical. Nowadays, Tagalog is still used by 20 million people across the Philippines, and you can also find 40 million native Tagalog speakers globally.

Although you’ll notice various regional dialects of Tagalog, there are significant accent and tonal differences between, for example, Batangas Tagalog and Manila Tagalog. Tagalog is also closely related to the Bikol languages, such as Ilocano, Kapampangan, Visayan, and Pangasinan.

No matter if you’re learning to speak Filipino or Tagalog, it’s essential to have a great app to teach you. That’s where Ling comes in. With the Ling app, you can have access to top-notch language lessons that cover all four language skills.

Filipino and Spanish languages may sound similar initially, but they are not the same. To help you distinguish Filipino from Spanish, you can take a look at the word’s meaning in context. Filipino and Spanish have false cognates or words with identical spelling but different meanings.

Tagalog words are closer to Bahasa Malayu, or the Malay language, than Spanish. That’s because Filipino is classified as an Austronesian language with significant typological traits. On the other hand, the Spanish language is of Latin origin and is part of the Romance languages.

If you want to learn Tagalog free but have a busy schedule, you must use the right learning platform. For learning Tagalog, or even another language, the Ling app is all you need. This Tagalog learning app is free and will help you become fluent with its comprehensive yet short lesson plans, vocabulary exercises and activites to help you retain the information better, and so much more!