“Week” in every Philippine language
Week across 9 languages, and what the differences tell you.
Last updated
Side by side
| Language | Week |
|---|---|
| English | Week |
| Tagalog | Linggo |
| Ilocano | Lawas |
| Cebuano | Semana |
| Hiligaynon | Semana |
| Waray | Semana |
| Bikol | Semana |
| Kapampangan | Dominggo |
| Pangasinan | Simba |
What the pattern shows
Three Spanish routes to one word. The Visayan languages and Bikol took semana; Tagalog linggo and Kapampangan dominggo both come from domingo, the Sunday that bounds the week. Pangasinan simba arrived the same way — and it is why simba means a week there and 'to attend mass' in Tagalog.
Where they agree
- Semana — Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Bikol
Standing alone: Tagalog (Linggo), Ilocano (Lawas), Kapampangan (Dominggo) and Pangasinan (Simba).
In a phrase
From the Ilocano to Tagalog phrasebook, where every row was checked against published references:
This week
Ilocano Ita a lawas
Tagalog Ngayong linggo
Next week
Ilocano Intono umay a lawas
Tagalog Sa susunod na linggo
Watch out
simba does not mean the same thing everywhere:
- To attend mass, to worship in Tagalog
- A week in Pangasinan
Both descend from the Sunday-to-week association, but only Pangasinan generalised it to the seven-day span.
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.