“Night” in every Philippine language
Night across 9 languages, and what the differences tell you.
Last updated
Side by side
| Language | Night |
|---|---|
| English | Night |
| Tagalog | Gabi |
| Ilocano | Rabii |
| Cebuano | Gabii |
| Hiligaynon | Gab-i |
| Waray | Gab-i |
| Bikol | Banggi |
| Kapampangan | Bengi |
| Pangasinan | Labi |
What the pattern shows
Gabi is also the Tagalog for taro, separated only by stress — one of the few places where a core time word collides with a vegetable. Ilocano rabii, Bikol banggi, Kapampangan bengi and Pangasinan labi are the same word pulled through each language's consonants.
Where they agree
- Gab-i — Hiligaynon, Waray
Standing alone: Tagalog (Gabi), Ilocano (Rabii), Cebuano (Gabii), Bikol (Banggi), Kapampangan (Bengi) and Pangasinan (Labi).
In a phrase
From the Ilocano to Tagalog phrasebook, where every row was checked against published references:
Good evening
Ilocano Naimbag a rabii
Tagalog Magandang gabi
Midnight
Ilocano Kaltaang rabii
Tagalog Hatinggabi
I'll stay two nights
Ilocano Agyanak ti dua nga rabii
Tagalog Mananatili ako ng dalawang gabi
Watch out
labi does not mean the same thing everywhere:
- Lips; also leftover or excess in Tagalog
- Night in Pangasinan
Pangasinan labi is a time of day; the Tagalog senses are a body part and an excess.
More time & days
The whole category as a word list: Ilocano Days, Months and Time Words · Tagalog Days, Months and Time Words
Where this comes from
This row is one of 161 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.