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!