“Year” in every Philippine language
Year across 9 languages, and what the differences tell you.
Last updated
Side by side
| Language | Year |
|---|---|
| English | Year |
| Tagalog | Taon |
| Ilocano | Tawen |
| Cebuano | Tuig |
| Hiligaynon | Tuig |
| Waray | Tuig |
| Bikol | Taon |
| Kapampangan | Banwa |
| Pangasinan | Taon |
What the pattern shows
Tuig across all three Visayan languages, taon in Tagalog, Bikol and Pangasinan, with Ilocano tawen the same word carrying its w. Kapampangan banwa belongs to neither group.
Where they agree
- Taon — Tagalog, Bikol, Pangasinan
- Tuig — Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray
Standing alone: Ilocano (Tawen) and Kapampangan (Banwa).
Watch out
tawen does not mean the same thing everywhere:
- A year in Ilocano
- The sky in Pangasinan
Two Northern Luzon languages, one spelling, no shared meaning at all.
banwa does not mean the same thing everywhere:
- A year in Kapampangan
- A town, a homeland in Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Bikol
The Kapampangan sense is a span of time and the Visayan sense is a place, which makes for confusing translations of dates and addresses alike.
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.