“Yes” in every Philippine language
Yes across 9 languages, and what the differences tell you.
Last updated
Side by side
| Language | Yes |
|---|---|
| English | Yes |
| Tagalog | Oo |
| Ilocano | Wen |
| Cebuano | Oo |
| Hiligaynon | Huo |
| Waray | Oo |
| Bikol | Iyo |
| Kapampangan | Wa |
| Pangasinan | On |
What the pattern shows
Four different words for yes across eight languages. Kapampangan 'wa' and Pangasinan 'on' are unrecognisable to a Tagalog speaker, and machine translation frequently passes them through untouched.
Where they agree
- Oo — Tagalog, Cebuano, Waray
Standing alone: English (Yes), Ilocano (Wen), Hiligaynon (Huo), Bikol (Iyo), Kapampangan (Wa) and Pangasinan (On).
More courtesy
Where this comes from
This row is one of 84 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.