# What's the difference between Tagalog and Filipino? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 10, 2001, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457 "2001-10-10T00:22:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Clueless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/35a633/32.png) [@Clueless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clueless)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/1 "2001-10-10T00:22:34Z")
Being 95% Irish and 5% Filipino, and living in Philippines for a while when I was young, I occasionally get questioned if I learned how to speak Filipino and sometimes, Tagalog. I don’t speak the language fluently but I can understand some words. Anyway, what is the difference between Tagalog and Filipino? Is it like Mandarin-Cantonese or are the differences less obvious? Or are they the same thing? ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/2 "2001-10-10T00:33:43Z")
Apparently there isn’t any real difference. The [_Columbia Encyclopedia_](http://www.bartleby.com/65) says [Tagalog](http://www.bartleby.com/65/ta/Tagalog.html) “is the legal national language of the Philippines, where it is called Pilipino”; [Pilipino](http://www.bartleby.com/65/x-/X-Pilipino.html) is just a “form of Tagalog”. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/3 "2001-10-10T00:34:46Z")
Filipino native speaking here: They’re the same thing. The only difference is a matter of politics, not linguistics. ---
**Author:** ![upperdeckfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/65b543/32.png) [@upperdeckfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/upperdeckfan)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/4 "2001-10-10T00:36:37Z")
Tagalog is the language of the Phillipines. I think there are nearly 1,000 different dialects of Tagalog. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/5 "2001-10-10T00:39:19Z")
Mabuhay! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/6 "2001-10-10T00:43:39Z")
Must…type…faster… To nitpick: it’s called Filipino now, not Pilipino. The name change is an acknowledgement that the ‘F’ sound (and other sounds like ‘V’) can and should be used in the language. Now I see that **upperdeckfan** has posted in the meantime: Tagalog is **a** language spoken in the Philippines. It’s a major language, one of several. There are also many minor languages as well as innumerable dialects. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/7 "2001-10-10T00:44:59Z")
**Violet** , kamusta? ---
**Author:** ![upperdeckfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/65b543/32.png) [@upperdeckfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/upperdeckfan)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/8 "2001-10-10T00:46:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Terminus Est \* > \*\*Tagalog is **a** language spoken in the Philippines. It’s a major language, one of several. \*\* I stand corrected. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/9 "2001-10-10T03:27:10Z")
**Terminus Est** , uh, magaling? Only a few words known. I once had a drink called “masarap” at a place called Mabuhay something. The drink was indeed masarap! Interesting how “kamusta” is like “como estas” in Spanish. At least to me! ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/10 "2001-10-10T03:42:37Z")
[http://www.csun.edu/~sm5149/sal/tutorials/tagalog1.html](http://www.csun.edu/%7Esm5149/sal/tutorials/tagalog1.html) Tagalog to English Translator [http://bennyhills.fortunecity.com/hope/401/tagalog.htm](http://bennyhills.fortunecity.com/hope/401/tagalog.htm) Tagalog Language Translator Diyan ang bahay ng pulis. ---
**Author:** ![Niobium\_Knight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@Niobium\_Knight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Niobium_Knight)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/11 "2001-10-10T03:47:27Z")
why does Filipino not start with Ph? ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/12 "2001-10-10T05:29:30Z")
**Violet** : Say it like you mean it: Magaling! Great! “Kamusta” is indeed derived from the Spanish phrase “como esta”. Many Tagalog words are actually from Spanish or Chinese. Today, the language is incorporating English as well. You can create some truly hilarious (and untranslatable) double- or triple-puns by mixing all these languages together. **Niobium** : Filipino is derived from the name of the country, Filipinas, named by the Spanish “las islas Felipinas” after the king, Felipe. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/13 "2001-10-10T06:06:02Z")
I must add that Filipinos are warm, hospitable, fun people. Such quick wit, too. And the food!! Masarap, again. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Scene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/14 "2001-10-10T06:35:59Z")
Ano bolita! A long time ago I worked as a file clerk and I had a Filipino boss who would always point to a stack of papers and tell me (because of the P/F thing) to go “pile” them, and I would say, “But they’re already piled!” I have no idea whether he thought that was funny or not. ---
**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/15 "2001-10-10T06:47:43Z")
Well, apparently there was an attempt after the war to incorporate words from other Philippine languages into Tagalog in order to make “Pilipino”. But it didnt really turn out that way and as has been said, Tagalog and Filipino are pretty much interchangeable. Tagalog and Cebuano were actually pretty close in the running. Some one told me that some Cebuanos are still upset it wasnt picked and at least in Cebu, some will pretend they dont know Filipino. Anyhow, Visayan here, i’m half Filipino. My Grandparents are from Aklan (Banga) and Capiz. I have an uncle in Negros Occidental, and some in Quezon city (who married into the Sy family :)). Dad never knew enough Aklanon or Ilongo to teach my brothers and I the languages though. I understand a few Filipino words though. ---
**Author:** ![Chupacabra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chupacabra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chupacabra)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/16 "2001-10-10T07:49:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Violet \* > \*\ ***Terminus Est** ,Interesting how “kamusta” is like “como estas” in Spanish. At least to me! \*\* I always thought that Tagalog was really sort of a creole mix of native Filipino languages and Spanish. Is Tagalog the official language of government in the Phillipines? Is that what people speak on a daily basis? I have a cable channel at home that shows news programs from other countries 24 hours a day and I frequently watch the news from Manila but I can do this because it is in English. I always got the impression from this news program that English and sometimes Spanish is used for official business, but Tagalog was the language of the people. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2001, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/17 "2001-10-10T15:46:25Z")
**Doobieous** : I believe that Cebuano actually has more native speakers than Tagalog. However, Manila is located in the Tagalog-speaking region, so if you want to do business with the central government you’ll have to speak their language. Also, never underestimate the power of media - Tagalog is also the language of movies and television. You’re right, though, that some of the more, er, militant Visayans will pretend not to understand Tagalog. **Chupacabra** : You’ve got that backwards. Pilipino was supposed to be the bastard mix of native languages used for official business. The syntax was Tagalog-based, and it was supposed to incorporate words from other (native) languages as well. However, it really didn’t reflect the way people actually spoke and mandated words like “salum-puwit” (literally, ass-catcher) where everyone else would say “upu-an” (Tagalog - device to sit upon) or “silya” (fr. Spanish silla - chair). The name change to Filipino was an acknowledgement that artificially-creating words was not working; this was also a political decision since this change came about only after Marcos was deposed. The official languages today are Filipino and English; Spanish used to be included, but that was dropped about 15 years ago. You can go anywhere in the country and find that people can speak or understand Filipino (Tagalog, really) and/or English. It’s interesting to note which languages tended to contribute which words. Chinese contributed a lot of words for food and familial relationships. Spanish brought in a lot of words for furniture, time and money (also trash). Filipinos are busily incorporating English into their language. On the streets of Manila today, you can hear a wonderful mix of Tagalog and English, called “Taglish”, where English words are freely borrowed and transformed with Tagalog syntax, and Tagalog words are cheerfully mangled into something resembling English. ---
**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/18 "2001-10-11T06:49:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Terminus Est \* > \*\*It’s interesting to note which languages tended to contribute which words. Chinese contributed a lot of words for food and familial relationships. Spanish brought in a lot of words for furniture, time and money (also trash). Filipinos are busily incorporating English into their language. \*\* Here’s what my Tagalog dictionary says about the various foreign words incorporated into Tagalog (in round numbers, so it’s an estimation): Spanish - 5,000 Chinese languages - 1,500 English - 1,500 Sanskrit - 300 Arabic - 250 Malayo-Indonesian - 3,200 The Philippines was an important trade center in south east asia for thousands of years. The incorporation of words is one example of that. So, Filipinos have been constantly influenced by peoples coming to either trade, or take over the islands, yet Filipinos always “nativize” whatever is brought in. Commenting further on what Terminus said, often in Non-Tagalog areas, people (educated at least) will speak a minimum of three languages (with varying degrees of fluency/proficiency): English, Tagalog, and whatever language is spoken natively in their home region. My grandparents probably spoke both Aklanon, and Ilonggo, as well as English. I dont know if Grandma speaks Tagalog, but i think she does (although she left right after WWII). There are true spanish/philippine language creoles in the Philippines. One used to be spoken in Cavite, but another which my friend Liz speaks, is from Zamboanga in Mindanao. Oddly theyre named “Chabacano” (which Mexican friends tell me is a name for the apricot). Anyway, it’s truly interesting to hear it spoken. If you speak spanish it sounds like it is Spanish, yet at the same time it’s strangely not. ---
**Author:** ![Chupacabra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chupacabra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chupacabra)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/19 "2001-10-11T10:00:00Z")
Thanks for the info Doobieous and Terminus Est. I learn great stuff on this board every day. As far as I know, Apricots are albaricoques not chabacanos, but my Spanish is Cuban and Mexicans may have a different word for them. It may also refer to a specific variety of Apricot. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457/20 "2001-10-11T12:47:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bob Scene \* > \*\*Ano bolita! > > A long time ago I worked as a file clerk and I had a Filipino boss who would always point to a stack of papers and tell me (because of the P/F thing) to go “pile” them, and I would say, “But they’re already piled!” I have no idea whether he thought that was funny or not. \*\* I somehow missed this gem. You made the kind of weak pun that Filipinos commonly make (and enjoy). Odds are that your boss did think it was funny. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-difference-between-tagalog-and-filipino/86457.md?page=2)