“What” in every Philippine language
What across 9 languages, and what the differences tell you.
Last updated
Side by side
| Language | What |
|---|---|
| English | What |
| Tagalog | Ano |
| Ilocano | Ania |
| Cebuano | Unsa |
| Hiligaynon | Ano |
| Waray | Ano |
| Bikol | Ano |
| Kapampangan | Nanu |
| Pangasinan | Anto |
What the pattern shows
Ano covers Tagalog, Hiligaynon, Waray and Bikol, and Pangasinan anto is close enough to guess. Cebuano unsa, Kapampangan nanu and Ilocano ania are separate words entirely. Question words open most sentences, which is why this is where comprehension between these languages tends to fail first.
Where they agree
- Ano — Tagalog, Hiligaynon, Waray, Bikol
Standing alone: Ilocano (Ania), Cebuano (Unsa), Kapampangan (Nanu) and Pangasinan (Anto).
In a phrase
From the Ilocano to Tagalog phrasebook, where every row was checked against published references:
What is your name?
Ilocano Ania ti naganmo?
Tagalog Ano ang pangalan mo?
What is this?
Ilocano Ania daytoy?
Tagalog Ano ito?
What time do you close?
Ilocano Ania ti oras nga agrikepkayo?
Tagalog Anong oras kayo nagsasara?
More question words
The whole category as a word list: Ilocano Question Words · Tagalog Question 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.