Did you know that as you learn to speak Tagalog, YouTube videos can be a valuable supplementary resource?
YouTube has been around for fifteen years and it’s one of the most visited websites today, with five billion videos watched per day. While it’s filled with a variety of content, YouTube isn’t only about cat videos, pranks, and celebrity vlogs. When harnessed correctly, YouTube can be a very powerful educational tool—and this certainly applies to language learning!
Regardless of which language you wish to learn and master, you can rest assured that YouTube is one of the best platforms to supplement your studies.
In this article, we’ll present you with ten of the best Filipino YouTube channels for enhancing your Tagalog-speaking skills and overall Filipino language comprehension.
Table of Contents
- FilipinoPod101: The Best Way to Learn Filipino on YouTube
- Learn Tagalog
- Pinoy BK Channel
- Pinoy Mystery Channel
- Learn Tagalog with Fides
- Wil Dasovich
- Filipino Fairy Tales
- GMA Public Affairs
- The Filipino Channel
- Teacher Pher
- FilipinoPod101
- Learn Tagalog Faster with FilipinoPod101.com
1. FilipinoPod101: The Best Way to Learn Filipino on YouTube
There are thousands of language learning channels available on YouTube, plenty of which teach the Filipino language. But if there’s a go-to YouTube channel for learning Tagalog, it’s FilipinoPod101. For one, we offer a unique approach to learning Tagalog. We also upload video lessons regularly, so you’ll always be in the loop! Whether you want to learn new Filipino words or explore Filipino culture, the FilipinoPod101 YouTube channel should be your first stop.
That said, there are other channels on YouTube that you can utilize to gain more knowledge about the language and culture of the Filipinos. The good news is that these are not limited to channels that focus purely on language learning. We’ve collected Filipino language YouTube channels in a variety of categories, including documentary, music, travel, and even news.
So, without further ado, here are the top ten YouTube channels to improve the quality of your Filipino language studies.
2. Learn Tagalog
Category: Education
Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Learn Tagalog provides a fun and practical way to learn the Filipino language. The channel was created by a Filipina based in the United States, and has been up for seven years. It specializes in vocabulary, featuring common Tagalog words as well as words you wouldn’t normally encounter in everyday conversations. Her lessons are presented in a casual yet very applied manner.
From time to time, the channel also features lessons on Ilocano. These lessons are fun because the teacher presents them in a natural manner, just as if she was simply vlogging about her daily life. There are more than two hundred video lessons available on the Learn Tagalog YouTube channel, with fresh content being uploaded at least once a month. Highlights of the channel include Word of the Day and Tagalog Phrases.
- → Take your Tagalog vocabulary to another level with FilipinoPod101’s vocabulary lists.
3. Pinoy BK Channel
Category: Music
Level: Beginner-Intermediate
It’s clear from checking out the videos on this YouTube channel that it’s dedicated to providing its viewers with music videos for Filipino folk songs. In fact, if you check their “About” page, they mention that their main goal is to revive the songs taught by our Lolos and Lolas (Grandpas and Grandmas).
For four years now, Pinoy BK Channel has been providing interested learners with high-quality videos featuring some of the most-loved folk songs in the Philippines, such as Atin Cu Pung Singing, Pen Pen De Sarape, and Leron Leron Sinta. But this channel isn’t only about songs. It also features famous Filipino alamat, or legends presented in a storytelling format.
If you’re a beginner, you won’t have any troubles learning through this channel. All of the videos come with subtitles, so if you want to learn basic Tagalog words while finding out more about Filipino culture, this is the channel for you!
- → Speaking of songs, make sure you check out our entry on how to post comments about songs on social media.
4. Pinoy Mystery Channel
Category: Documentary
Level: Intermediate-Advanced
If you’re into mystery, the Pinoy Mystery Channel will surely sate your cravings for the unexplained. You may or may not be aware of it, but Filipinos are superstitious people. Before the Spaniards came, our ancestors were animists who worshiped animal spirits, spirits of nature, and deities. Perhaps this is the reason that many of us are deeply religious or simply fascinated with things that can not be explained.
Pinoy Mystery Channel is not limited to Filipino mysteries, though, and it’s not even a channel for learning Tagalog at all. However, if you want to get used to hearing Tagalog words while enjoying some mystery-based documentaries, then this is one YouTube channel you shouldn’t miss.
5. Learn Tagalog with Fides
Category: Education
Level: Beginner
One of the most popular Filipino YouTube channels for learners, Learn Tagalog with Fides has been around for six years now. While the channel only has a few videos, most of them are very useful if you’re new to learning Tagalog.
Fides, the owner of this channel, is a Filipina living and working in France. She created the channel as a way of helping non-Tagalog-speaking viewers learn the Filipino language.
On her channel, you’ll find a variety of lessons, such as Tagalog conversations related to eating, as well as lessons on Tagalog verbs and pronouns. What’s interesting about her channel is that Fides offers video tutorials with English, Tagalog, and French subtitles, so if you’re a French- or English-speaking student who wants to learn Tagalog, this is the perfect channel for you.
6. Wil Dasovich
Category: Travel & Culture
Level: All Levels
Wil Dasovich is a Filipino-American television personality, but he’s better known today as one of the most popular Filipino YouTube vloggers. He also joined Pinoy Big Brother, although he started as a model who appeared on print and TV ads.
He started vlogging on YouTube in 2014, and while he speaks English most of the time in his videos, there are instances when he tries to speak Tagalog (he adds subtitles for foreign viewers to help them understand what he’s saying). Not only that, but when he was just starting to learn Filipino, he actually created a series of episodes called The Art of Tagalog.
Follow Wil and improve your Tagalog while learning more about Filipino culture at the same time!
- → Want to perfect your Tagalog like Wil Dasovich did? Our entry on How to Perfect Filipino: Tips for Beginners might be able to help you.
7. Filipino Fairy Tales
Category: Education
Level: All Levels
As the name suggests, Filipino Fairy Tales is a YouTube channel that provides some of the most popular children’s stories and alamat—and not only those of the Philippines, but of other cultures, too.
The channel was launched almost four years ago with an episode featuring the story of the Lion and the Mouse (Ang Leon at ang Daga). Don’t be fooled, though, because while this channel features mostly children’s stories, some of the words used are quite advanced for learners who are just starting out. And since they’re in story form, expect for some of the sentence structures and words to be more formal.
Afraid you won’t be able to follow along? Don’t worry. The subtitles are embedded, so you’ll never have to wonder what the narrator is saying.
- → Our entry on Fairy Tale vocabulary will surely help you become more familiar with words related to this form of literature!
8. GMA Public Affairs
Category: News
Level: Advanced
GMA Public Affairs is the fourth most subscribed-to Philippine-based YouTube channel, with 9.5 million subscribers.
This is not surprising, since it’s owned by one of the largest television networks in the country—GMA Network—and it’s where they post clips from the top shows every day. This channel is a great source of Filipino YouTube content as most of the videos are presented in the Tagalog language. Each upload is a fun way to learn Tagalog words while staying up-to-date with what’s going on in the Philippines.
Unfortunately, the auto-translate from Filipino to English isn’t really that accurate. But that shouldn’t deter you from using this as a tool to amp up your Tagalog, since listening plays a major role in language acquisition.
9. The Filipino Channel
Category: News
Level: Advanced
TFC first started out as a global subscription TV network based in California. It was created to cater to the needs of Filipinos abroad, with most of its shows imported from the ABS-CBN network.
Here, you’ll find full episodes of some of the most popular television shows by ABS-CBN, including the latest news, soap operas, and documentaries.
Just as in the case of GMA Public Affairs, the auto-translation from Filipino to English in most of the videos isn’t accurate. However, TFC is still a great way to learn Tagalog while finding out more about the culture and latest happenings of the Philippines.
10. Teacher Pher
Category: Education
Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Teacher Jennifer (a.k.a. Pher) has been vlogging on YouTube for about three and a half years now. According to her “About” page, she created Teacher Pher as a way of helping her fellow teachers and mothers prepare lessons for their kids.
Her videos are a fun way of learning Filipino, particularly Tagalog phonics and basic pronunciation of words. Her channel is not limited to teaching grammar, though. From time to time, Teacher Pher also teaches mathematics and crafts, and even takes her viewers to her classes. Once in a while, she creates videos featuring her personal life, such as showing what’s inside her teacher bag or even her most recent mountain climb.
- → By the way, don’t forget to check out our entry on Basic Filipino Pronunciation.
11. FilipinoPod101
Category: Language
Level: All Levels
There are many YouTube channels that aim to help non-Tagalog speakers learn the Filipino language, but none are more efficient in their approach than the FilipinoPod101 YouTube channel. Each video by FilipinoPod101 is designed to target a specific learner. For instance, there are videos specifically for those who are just starting out, and others made only for advanced learners (such as this one).
Our channel is also updated almost every day, and you can rest assured that unique content is added regularly to meet the needs of learners regardless of their level. We also ensure that our videos have a variety of presentations and layouts, so that you’ll never get bored watching! Most importantly, our channel features a 24/7 Lesson Stream, which allows beginners to study all they want and all they need about basic grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and learning tips.
12. Learn Tagalog Faster with FilipinoPod101.com
We’ve presented you with the top ten Filipino YouTube channels to help you in your language learning journey. There are multiple ways to master a new language, one of which is watching videos and listening to dialogues or music in your target language. It’s not an overnight process, but spending more time using this method will definitely boost your progress.
Nevertheless, if you’re looking for a more in-depth way of studying Tagalog, then your best course of action is to sign up on FilipinoPod101.com. This is a unique language learning system that offers innovative approaches to learning Tagalog, providing learners with all the resources they need to reach their goals. That includes a comprehensive lesson library, vocabulary lists, and even an English-Tagalog dictionary. FilipinoPod101 also offers fun ways to learn Tagalog through our blog page and YouTube channel. Want to have your own personalized learning program? You can get just that with our MyTeacher feature for Premium PLUS members.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg. You can always sign up to gain access to more exciting and exclusive features!
Oh, and don’t forget to let us know in the comments which of these YouTube channels you want to watch most, and why! Did we leave out any good ones?
