“Today” in every Philippine language
Today across 9 languages, and what the differences tell you.
Last updated
Side by side
| Language | Today |
|---|---|
| English | Today |
| Tagalog | Ngayon |
| Ilocano | Ita |
| Cebuano | Karon |
| Hiligaynon | Subong |
| Waray | Yana |
| Bikol | Ngonyan |
| Kapampangan | Ngeni |
| Pangasinan | Natan |
What the pattern shows
Eight words and no agreement, and two of them are the trap on this site's Cebuano-Hiligaynon page: Cebuano karon means today, while Hiligaynon reaches for subong instead — because karon in Hiligaynon means later.
No two languages here use the same word. That is unusual even on this list, and it is the clearest possible answer to whether these are dialects of one another.
In a phrase
From the Ilocano to Tagalog phrasebook, where every row was checked against published references:
Today
Ilocano Ita nga aldaw
Tagalog Ngayong araw
This week
Ilocano Ita a lawas
Tagalog Ngayong linggo
Can I just pay a fine now?
Ilocano Mabalinak kadi nga agbayad ti multa itan?
Tagalog Puwede ba akong magbayad ng multa ngayon?
Watch out
karon does not mean the same thing everywhere:
- Now, today in Cebuano
- Later, in a while. The word for 'now' is subong in Hiligaynon
The single most consequential word on this list, because it moves appointments. Cebuano karon means now; Hiligaynon karon means later. Both speakers think they have agreed a time.
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.