“How many?” in every Philippine language
How many? across 9 languages, and what the differences tell you.
Last updated
Side by side
| Language | How many? |
|---|---|
| English | How many? |
| Tagalog | Ilan? |
| Ilocano | Mano? |
| Cebuano | Pila? |
| Hiligaynon | Pila? |
| Waray | Pira? |
| Bikol | Pira? |
| Kapampangan | Pilan? |
| Pangasinan | Pigara? |
What the pattern shows
Cebuano and Hiligaynon 'pila' means 'how many'. In Tagalog 'pila' is a queue — which makes 'Pila?' one of the most commonly misread words between Manila and Cebu.
Where they agree
- Pila? — Cebuano, Hiligaynon
- Pira? — Waray, Bikol
Standing alone: English (How many?), Tagalog (Ilan?), Ilocano (Mano?), Kapampangan (Pilan?) and Pangasinan (Pigara?).
More question words
Where this comes from
This row is one of 84 concept pages drawn from a parallel set of everyday vocabulary held across nine languages. You can browse all of them, download the whole set under CC BY-SA 4.0, or paste text to find out which language it is.
Compiled from published general reference and pending review by native speakers. If something here is wrong in a language you speak, please tell us.