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Free Ilocano and Tagalog translation

Ilocano to Hiligaynon Phrasebook

402 everyday phrases, grouped by the situation you need them in. Compiled from published references rather than generated by a translation engine, and marked pending review until native speakers have confirmed it.

No. Speakers of Ilocano and Hiligaynon cannot follow each other without having learned the other language. They share sentence structure and Spanish loanwords, which makes written text look more approachable than it is, and almost none of the high-frequency vocabulary.

Phrases
402
Categories
24
Cited sources
4
Pending review
402

Showing all 402 phrases across 24 categories.

Greetings

The opener changes in every one of these languages — this is the fastest way to tell them apart.

Greetings: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Naimbag a bigatpending reviewMaayong agaGood morningEvery one of these is literally 'good' + 'morning', and the word for 'good' is the giveaway: maayo in the Visayan languages, maupay in Waray, marhay in Bikol, mayap in Kapampangan, maabig in Pangasinan, naimbag in Ilocano.
Naimbag a malempending reviewMaayong haponGood afternoon
Naimbag a rabiipending reviewMaayong gab-iGood evening
Naimbag nga aldawpending reviewMaayong adlawGood day
Kumustaka?pending reviewKamusta ka?How are you?The one phrase that is effectively identical everywhere, because all eight borrowed it from Spanish '¿cómo está?'. Do not read that as evidence the languages are close.
Nasayaat metpending reviewMaayo manI'm fine
Agpakadaakonpending reviewHalongGoodbyeCebuano 'ayo-ayo' and Hiligaynon 'halong' both mean 'take care' rather than 'farewell'; a bare word for goodbye is uncommon in the Visayan languages, and 'bye' is what people actually say.
Naimbag a rabiipending reviewMaayong gab-iGood night (on parting)The word for good behaves here as it does in every greeting on this site; it is the second half worth looking at. Rabii, gabii, gab-i, banggi, bengi and labi are six forms that rhyme more than they match.
Nabayagen a saantayo nagkikitapending reviewDugay na kita wala magkitaayLong time no seeCebuano and Hiligaynon both build this on dugay. Waray reaches for maiha instead — and its sentence carries waray itself, the negator the language is named after.

Courtesy

Thank you, sorry, yes and no.

Courtesy: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Agyamanakpending reviewSalamatThank youIlocano is the odd one out. 'Salamat' is understood in Ilocos, but 'agyamanak' — literally 'I am grateful' — is the native form and the one a speaker will use back to you.
Agyamanak unaypending reviewMadamo gid nga salamatThank you very muchThe intensifier is the tell: daghan (Cebuano), madamo (Hiligaynon), damo (Waray), dakula (Bikol), dakal (Kapampangan), dakel (Pangasinan) — all meaning 'many', none of them the Tagalog 'marami'.
Awan ania manpending reviewWala sang anumanYou're welcomeWaray's own name comes from this construction — 'waray' is the word for 'none', and the language is named after how often outsiders heard it.
Wenpending reviewHuoYesFour 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.
Haanpending reviewIndiNoIlocano also uses 'saan' for no, which is a genuine trap: 'saan' is 'where' in Tagalog. Hiligaynon 'indi' and Waray 'diri' look alike but Waray 'diri' collides with Hiligaynon 'diri', meaning 'here'.
Pakawanennakpending reviewPatawara koSorryIn everyday speech 'sorry' and 'pasensya' are what most speakers actually say in all eight; the native forms above are what you will see written.
Pangngaasimpending reviewPalihogPleaseNone of these behave like English 'please'. They are requests in their own right — Cebuano 'palihug' is closer to 'do me the favour' — and are usually attached to the verb rather than added at the end.
Umisu manpending reviewTabi langExcuse meTabi is the shared form: Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray and Bikol all build on it and differ only in what follows — lang, anay, po. Tagalog makikiraan and Ilocano umisu man share nothing with it, or with each other.
Awan problemapending reviewWala problemaNo problemThe word for 'none' is the giveaway: wala, awan, walay, waray, mayo. Waray-speakers are named after theirs.
Agannadkapending reviewHalongTake careCebuano ayo-ayo and Hiligaynon halong appear again as those languages' entry for goodbye. A Visayan farewell is usually an instruction to look after yourself rather than a word for parting.

Introductions

Names and first meetings.

Introductions: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Ania ti naganmo?pending reviewAno ang ngalan mo?What is your name?Kapampangan shares no root here at all — 'nanu' for what, 'lagyu' for name — which is a fair summary of how far Central Luzon sits from everything else on this list.
Ti naganko ket…pending reviewAng ngalan ko…My name is…
Naragsakak a nakaam-ammo kenkapending reviewNalipay ako nga makilala kaNice to meet you
Taga-anoka?pending reviewTaga-diin ka?Where are you from?Same frame, eight different question words bolted onto it. This single row is the clearest illustration of why machine translation between these languages fails: the shared 'taga-' makes the sentence look translatable while the word that carries the meaning is unique to each.

Understanding

Getting by when you do not follow.

Understanding: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Diak maawatanpending reviewWala ko makaintiendiI don't understand
Makasaoka iti Ingles?pending reviewKabalo ka mag-English?Do you speak English?The verb for 'to know how' differs completely: kamao, kabalo, maaram, tataong. None of them is the Tagalog 'marunong'.
Uliten yo manpending reviewPalihog liwataPlease say it again
In-inuten yo manpending reviewPalihog hinay-hinayPlease speak slowly
Ania daytoy?pending reviewAno ini?What is this?
Maawatakpending reviewNakaintiendi akoI understand
Ania ti awag daytoy?pending reviewAno ang tawag sini?What is this called?
Kasano nga ibaga daytoy?pending reviewPaano ini hambalon?How do you say this?

Numbers

Native numerals one to ten, which diverge sharply between the Luzon and Visayan languages.

Numbers: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Maysapending reviewIsaOneCebuano and Waray 'usa' is a false friend of the highest order: in Tagalog 'usa' is a deer.
Duapending reviewDuhaTwo
Tallopending reviewTatloThree
Uppatpending reviewApatFour
Limapending reviewLimaFiveThe one numeral that survives intact across all eight — and in Pangasinan 'lima' is also the word for 'hand', which is where the numeral came from in the first place.
Innempending reviewAnumSix
Pitopending reviewPitoSevenPito is unchanged in six of the eight. The two that look different are not: Kapampangan pitu is the u-for-o that runs through its whole numeral set, and Pangasinan pitora is pito carrying the -ra counting suffix that makes its numerals longer than everyone else's.
Walopending reviewWaloEightWalo survives untouched in six languages. Kapampangan walu and Pangasinan walora are the same word wearing each language's habits — the u for o, and the -ra that Pangasinan attaches to every numeral.
Siampending reviewSiyamNineSiyam everywhere, and the differences are spelling rather than vocabulary: Ilocano writes siam without the y, Pangasinan siamira adds its counting suffix to the same root. Nine is one of the numerals no language here replaced.
Sangapulopending reviewNapuloTenPangasinan numerals carry a counting suffix -ra that none of the others use, so 'limara' and 'samplora' look longer than their neighbours for a structural reason rather than a phonetic one.
Sangapulo ket maysapending reviewNapulo kag isaElevenThree different strategies for building teens: Tagalog and Kapampangan prefix labing-, the Visayan languages say 'ten and one', and Bikol has a dedicated form (kagsaro).
Sangapulo ket duapending reviewNapulo kag duhaTwelveTwo ways of building it. Tagalog labindalawa, Kapampangan labingadwa and Pangasinan labinduara use a labi- prefix; the Visayan languages and Ilocano spell it out as ten and two — napulog duha, sangapulo ket dua. Bikol kagduwa contracts the same idea.
Duapulopending reviewKaluhaanTwentyCebuano and Hiligaynon 'kaluhaan' bears no visible relation to their own word for two, duha. Waray's 'karuhaan' shows the same form after its regular l→r shift.
Tallopulopending reviewKatloanThirtyThe Visayan languages wrap the root for three in ka- and -an and get katloan. Everyone else counts it out as three tens: tatlumpu, tallopulo, tulong pulo, atlungpulu, talomplo.
Limapulopending reviewKalim-anFiftyKalim-an is the same Visayan ka- -an circumfix seen on thirty, this time around lima. The others say five tens, and Ilocano limapulo shows that construction at its plainest.
Sangagasutpending reviewIsa ka gatosOne hundredKapampangan 'dinalan' and Pangasinan 'sanlasus' share nothing with the gatos/daan the rest use — another reminder that the Luzon languages are not a group.
Sangaribupending reviewIsa ka liboOne thousandSeven of the eight share libo and differ only in the counter in front of it — isang, usa ka, isa ka, sang-, san-. Ilocano sangaribu swaps the l for an r; Kapampangan drops the counter and says libu on its own.

Question words

Who, what, where and when — the words that differ most and trip up readers most.

Question words: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Aniapending reviewAnoWhatAno 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.
Siasinopending reviewSin-oWhoHiligaynon 'sin-o' and Waray 'hin-o' differ by a single consonant, and that s→h shift runs through the whole of Waray. It is the single most reliable way to tell the two apart.
Sadinopending reviewDiinWhereSeven distinct words. Cebuano 'asa' is a false friend in Tagalog, where it means to hope or depend on someone.
Kaanopending reviewSan-oWhenSix of the eight begin with ka-, and three of those carry a glottal stop written as a hyphen — kanus-a, san-o, kakan-o. Bikol nuarin is the outlier, sharing its shape with none of them.
Apaypending reviewNgaaWhyKapampangan 'baket' looks like Tagalog 'bakit' and means the same thing — but it is also the Ilocano word for an old woman or a wife, so the same string means two unrelated things depending on which language you are reading.
Mano?pending reviewTagpila?How much?Two different questions. Tagalog magkano and Kapampangan magkanu ask about price directly. Cebuano and Hiligaynon tagpila, Waray tagpira, Bikol pira, Pangasinan pigara and Ilocano mano are all built on that language's word for 'how many' instead.
Mano?pending reviewPila?How many?Cebuano and Hiligaynon 'pila' means 'how many'. In Tagalog 'pila' is a queue — which makes 'Pila?' one of the most commonly misread words between Manila and Cebu.
kasanopending reviewanhonHow

Time & days

Today, tomorrow, day and night.

Time & days: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Itapending reviewSubongTodayEight 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.
Inton bigatpending reviewBuasTomorrowIlocano builds tomorrow out of 'bigat', the word for morning — the same root as in 'Naimbag a bigat'.
Idi kalmanpending reviewKahaponYesterdayKahapon, gahapon and kasuhapon are one word with the prefix shifting. Waray kakulop, Ilocano idi kalman and Kapampangan napun stand outside it entirely.
Aldawpending reviewAdlawDayIn the Visayan languages 'adlaw' is both the day and the sun. Tagalog keeps the same double meaning in 'araw'; Ilocano does not — 'aldaw' is the day and 'init' is the sun.
Rabiipending reviewGab-iNightGabi is also the Tagalog for taro, separated only by stress — one of the few places where a core time word collides with a vegetable. Ilocano rabii, Bikol banggi, Kapampangan bengi and Pangasinan labi are the same word pulled through each language's consonants.
Lawaspending reviewSemanaWeekThree 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.
Tawenpending reviewTuigYearTuig 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.
Lunespending reviewLunesMondayAll eight took the Spanish weekday names wholesale. Only Sunday diverges — see below.
Martespending reviewMartesTuesdayIdentical in all eight. The Spanish weekday names arrived as a set, and none of these languages had a competing seven-day cycle to defend.
Mierkolespending reviewMiyerkolesWednesdayThe only variation is spelling. Ilocano, Hiligaynon and Pangasinan write -koles; the other five write -kules.
Huebespending reviewHuwebesThursdayHuebes in Ilocano and Pangasinan, huwebes in the rest — the same choice between u and w those two make on Wednesday and again on Friday.
Biernespending reviewBiyernesFridayBiernes in Ilocano and Pangasinan, biyernes elsewhere. Three weekdays running where those two languages spell the Spanish the same way against the other six.
Sabadopending reviewSabadoSaturdaySabado in all eight with no variation whatsoever — the one weekday where even Ilocano and Pangasinan write it exactly as everyone else does.
Domingopending reviewDomingoSundayTagalog is the outlier: 'Linggo' where the rest kept 'Domingo'. Pangasinan went further and uses 'Simba', from the word for churchgoing — the same root Tagalog uses for the verb 'to attend mass'.
Tengnga ti aldawpending reviewUdtoNoonUdto across the Visayan languages and Bikol, with Kapampangan ugtu the same word. Tagalog tanghali stands alone, and Ilocano does not use a single word at all: tengnga ti aldaw is 'the middle of the day'.
Bigatpending reviewAgaMorningAga in Hiligaynon, Waray and Bikol, and Tagalog umaga is that root under a prefix. Cebuano buntag, Ilocano bigat, Kapampangan abak and Pangasinan kabuasan are four separate answers — which is why the greetings built on them share so little.
Madamdamapending reviewKaronLaterThe sharpest time-word trap in the Visayas. Hiligaynon 'karon' means later; Cebuano 'karon' means now. The same word moves an appointment in opposite directions.
Oraspending reviewOrasHourOras in all eight, from Spanish horas, with no language keeping an alternative alongside it.
Kanayonpending reviewPirmeAlwaysPirme and pirmi in Hiligaynon, Waray and Bikol are Spanish firme. Cebuano kanunay and Ilocano kanayon are one word between them; Tagalog lagi, Kapampangan pane and Pangasinan naynay are each on their own.

Family & people

Relationships and forms of address.

Family & people: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Inapending reviewIloyMotherKapampangan 'ima' is a mother; Ilocano 'ima' is a hand. Two Luzon languages a hundred kilometres apart, same three letters, nothing in common.
Amapending reviewAmayFatherAma holds in Tagalog, Ilocano, Bikol and Pangasinan. Cebuano amahan and the Hiligaynon and Waray amay are the same root extended; Kapampangan ibpa is the only one that shares nothing, which is the pattern Kapampangan sets across this whole list.
Nanangpending reviewNanayMumNanay is the near-universal informal form. Ilocano nanang keeps the same shape with its own ending, and Kapampangan ima stands apart — the formal ina sits behind most of these, but nanay is what people actually say.
Tatangpending reviewTatayDadTatay runs through six of the eight, with Ilocano and Kapampangan both saying tatang. That pairing is worth noticing: the two languages agree here while disagreeing on almost every other kinship term on this page.
Anakpending reviewBataChild'Anak' is the offspring relationship in all eight; Bikol 'aki' is the exception and is a child in general.
Kabsatpending reviewUtodSiblingSix unrelated roots. Only Tagalog 'kapatid' and Kapampangan 'kapatad' match, and that is a loan rather than shared inheritance.
Apong baketpending reviewLolaGrandmotherLola is Spanish, and it has taken over Tagalog and all three Visayan languages plus Bikol. What it has not displaced is instructive — Ilocano apong baket, Kapampangan apu and Pangasinan bai all survive in the Luzon languages outside Tagalog.
Apong lakaypending reviewLoloGrandfatherPangasinan 'laki' is a grandfather. In Tagalog, Cebuano and most of the rest, 'lalaki' is simply a man — close enough to mislead.
Gayyempending reviewAbyanFriendEight languages, eight unrelated words. Kapampangan 'kaluguran' doubles as a term of affection, which is why 'Kaluguran daka' means 'I love you'.
Lalakipending reviewLalakiManLalaki, unchanged in seven of the eight. Pangasinan laki is the same word with the first syllable worn away, which it also does to babae — bii.
Babaipending reviewBabayeWomanBabae with local spellings — babai, babaye, babayi — in seven languages. Pangasinan bii is the outlier, and it is the same clipping that turns lalaki into laki.
Asawapending reviewAsawaSpouse'Asawa' covers husband and wife alike in seven of the eight — the sex of the spouse is not marked. Bikol 'agom' is the odd one out.
Naganpending reviewNgalanNameNo single word here, which matters because 'what is your name' is the first sentence anyone learns. Ngalan and ngaran run through the Visayan languages and Bikol, Ilocano nagan is close, and Kapampangan lagyu shares nothing with any of them.
Kaarrubapending reviewKaingodNeighbourEight languages, eight words, no two alike. Everyday social vocabulary diverges far more than the numbers or the animals do, and this row is the clearest example of it on the site.
Maladagapending reviewLapsagBaby
Ulitegpending reviewTiyoUncleTiyo is Spanish and has taken Tagalog, Hiligaynon, Waray and Bikol. The native terms survive where Spanish reached less deeply: Ilocano and Pangasinan both keep uliteg, Cebuano uyoan, Kapampangan bapa.
Ikitpending reviewTiyaAuntThe same split as uncle, and the same languages resist. Tiya covers Tagalog, Hiligaynon, Waray and Bikol; Ilocano and Pangasinan both keep ikit, exactly as they both keep uliteg.
lalakipending reviewlalakiMan (adult male)Lalaki with no variation at all until Pangasinan, which clips it to laki — the same thing it does to the word for woman.
taopending reviewtawoMan (human being)Tao and tawo are one word: the Visayan languages and Bikol keep the w, Tagalog and Ilocano drop it. Pangasinan too and Kapampangan tau are the same again with their own vowels.
anakpending reviewanakChild (a youth)Two different words competing. Anak means offspring and covers most of the list; Tagalog and Cebuano bata means a young person regardless of whose child they are. Bikol aki is a third. Which one a language chose is a choice about what 'child' means.
asawapending reviewasawaWifeAsawa in seven of the eight, and it is gender-neutral in all of them — the same word appears as the entry for husband. Bikol agom is the only language here using a separate term.
asawapending reviewbanaHusbandThe interesting row is this one against wife. Tagalog, Ilocano, Kapampangan and Pangasinan use asawa for both; Cebuano, Hiligaynon and Waray keep a distinct bana for a husband. Bikol agom covers both, like asawa does.

Food & eating

Meals, ingredients and asking for them.

Food & eating: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Bagaspending reviewBugasRice (uncooked)All eight distinguish uncooked grain from cooked rice with separate words — a distinction English has to spell out.
Inapoypending reviewKan-onRice (cooked)Kapampangan 'nasi' is a Malay-shaped word that none of its neighbours share.
Ikanpending reviewIsdaFishBikol and Pangasinan 'sira' is a fish. In Tagalog and Cebuano 'sira' means broken or spoiled — so a Bikolano menu can read alarmingly to a Manila reader.
Karnepending reviewKarneMeatKarne in all eight without a single spelling change. That is unusual for a loan on this list — most leave at least one language holding its own word, and meat left none.
Manokpending reviewManokChickenManok in all eight, with only Kapampangan manuk differing and only in the vowel it always changes. Unlike karne directly above it, nothing displaced this one.
Baboypending reviewBaboyPigBaboy in seven. Bikol urig is the only language here that kept something else, and Kapampangan babi is baboy with its usual syllable lost.
Itlogpending reviewItlogEggOne of the sharpest splits in this file. 'Itlog' covers Tagalog through Hiligaynon, then Waray, Bikol, Kapampangan and Pangasinan each go their own way entirely.
Asinpending reviewAsinSaltThe province of Pangasinan is named for this word — 'pang-asin-an', the place where salt is made.
Natengpending reviewUtanVegetableUtan across the three Visayan languages, gulay in Tagalog and Bikol with Kapampangan gule beside them. Ilocano nateng and Pangasinan pising are each alone.
Manganpending reviewMagkaonTo eatIlocano, Kapampangan and Pangasinan all use 'mangan' — a genuine Luzon isogloss, and one of the very few things the three share against the Visayan 'kaon'.
Mabisinakpending reviewGutom na akoI'm hungryGutom is the shared root through Tagalog, the Visayan languages and Bikol. The three Luzon languages outside Tagalog each have their own — and each folds the 'I' into the verb rather than saying it separately: mabisinak, danupan ku na, naerasan ak.
Naimaspending reviewNamitDeliciousEight languages, eight unrelated words for the same compliment. If you learn one word from this list, learn the local one for this.
Nabsogakonpending reviewBusog na akoI'm fullBusog runs through Tagalog, the Visayan languages and Bikol. Ilocano nabsogakon is the same root with the person attached to it — the construction the pronouns guide sets out, where a whole sentence fits inside one word.
Tinapaypending reviewTinapayBreadTinapay in seven languages. Cebuano alone says pan — Spanish, and shorter.
Asukarpending reviewAsukarSugarAsukal or asukar, and the split is one consonant: Tagalog, Cebuano, Kapampangan and Pangasinan take the l; Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Waray and Bikol take the r. Four against four.
Sabapending reviewSagingBananaSaging in five. Ilocano and Pangasinan both say saba, which in Tagalog names one particular cooking variety rather than the fruit in general. Bikol batag is its own word.
Niogpending reviewLubiCoconutLubi across all three Visayan languages; niyog in Tagalog, Bikol and Pangasinan with Ilocano niog alongside. Kapampangan ungut belongs to neither group.
Manggapending reviewManggaMangoMangga in all eight with no variation, which on a page where sweet, sour and salty all splinter is worth noticing.
Maispending reviewMaisCornMais in all eight, from Spanish maíz. Maize is a New World crop that reached these islands through Spain, and the word came with the plant.
Bawangpending reviewAhosGarlicThe Visayan languages took the Spanish 'ajos'; the Luzon languages kept the native 'bawang'.
Digopending reviewSabawSoup, brothSabaw in six, with Kapampangan sabo the same word shortened. Ilocano digo is the only real outlier.
Nasam-itpending reviewMatam-isSweetTam-is is the root, and almost every language wraps it in its own adjective prefix — ma-, na-. Bikol mahamis differs by a single consonant; Kapampangan mayumu is the one form here unrelated to the rest.
Naalsempending reviewMaaslomSourOne root under everyone's adjective prefix, and the vowels do the moving: aslom, aslam, alsem, alsom. The consonants hold. Tagalog maasim is the same word with the l dropped.
Nagasangpending reviewMaharangSpicy
Naapgadpending reviewMaasinSaltyMaalat in Tagalog, Waray, Bikol and Kapampangan. Hiligaynon maasin builds it on asin — salt itself — while Cebuano parat and Ilocano naapgad are separate words again.
Aglutopending reviewMaglutoTo cookLuto is the root in every one; only the prefix changes — mag-, ag-, man-. Ilocano agluto takes the ag- that marks actor focus, the same prefix the verb table sets out.
Pingganpending reviewPingganPlateA clean split between the Spanish word and the native one. Tagalog, Cebuano and Bikol took plato; Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Kapampangan and Pangasinan all kept pinggan. Five to three, and geography does not predict which.
Kutsarapending reviewKutsaraSpoonKutsara in all eight, from Spanish cuchara — and it sits beside plate, where five languages kept pinggan rather than take plato. The spoon was borrowed everywhere; the plate was not.

Drinks

Water, coffee and what to order.

Drinks: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Danumpending reviewTubigWaterThe Luzon/Visayan split in one word: danum in the north, tubig everywhere else. Tagalog sides with the Visayan languages here despite sitting on Luzon.
Kapepending reviewKapeCoffee
Gataspending reviewGatasMilk
Uminompending reviewMag-inomTo drink
Danum manpending reviewPalihog sang tubigWater, please
Tsaapending reviewTsaTea
Serbesapending reviewBeerBeer
Napudot a danumpending reviewMainit nga tubigHot water
Nalamiis a danumpending reviewMabugnaw nga tubigCold water

Market & money

Prices, haggling, paying.

Market & money: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Kuartapending reviewKwartaMoneyTagalog took 'pera' from Spanish 'perra'; everything north and south of it took 'cuarta' instead. The two are not interchangeable outside Manila.
Nanginapending reviewMahalExpensiveIn Tagalog 'mahal' means both expensive and beloved. Ilocano keeps them apart — 'nangina' for costly, 'ay-ayat' for love — so the pun does not survive translation.
Nalakapending reviewBaratoCheapFour of the eight reach for the Spanish 'barato' rather than a native word, while Tagalog and Ilocano kept their own.
Gumatangpending reviewMagbakalTo buyCebuano 'palit' is to buy; in Tagalog 'palit' is to exchange or swap. Same root, opposite ends of a transaction.
Tiendaanpending reviewTiendahanMarket
Manu daytoy?pending reviewTagpila ini?How much is this?
Nangina unaypending reviewMahal gidThat's too expensive
Mabalin nga ibaba?pending reviewPwede hangyo?Can you lower the price?
Aglakopending reviewMagbaligyaTo sell

Directions

Left, right, here, there and how far.

Directions: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Kannigidpending reviewWalaLeftThe most dangerous word on this page. 'Wala' means left in four of these languages and 'none' in Tagalog — so a Tagalog speaker hearing directions in Cebu can understand the sentence and take the wrong turn.
Kannawanpending reviewTuoRight
Ditoypending reviewDiriHereHiligaynon 'diri' is 'here'. Waray 'diri' is 'not'. The two languages are neighbours and this pair catches people constantly.
Idiaypending reviewDidtoThere
Adayopending reviewMalayoFar
Asidegpending reviewMalapitNear
Ayanna ti banio?pending reviewDiin ang kasilyas?Where is the toilet?
Mapanpending reviewMagkadtoTo go
Diretsopending reviewDiretsoStraight ahead
Ngatopending reviewIbabawUp
Babapending reviewIdalomDown
Unegpending reviewSulodInside
Ruarpending reviewGuwaOutside

Health & emergency

The phrases worth knowing before you need them.

Health & emergency: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Tulong!pending reviewBulig!Help!Worth memorising the local form before you need it. Cebuano 'tabang' is help; Hiligaynon 'tab-ang' is bland or tasteless, which is a poor thing to shout.
Doktorpending reviewDoktorDoctor
Ospitalpending reviewOspitalHospital
Masakitakpending reviewMasakit akoI am sick
Nasakitpending reviewMasakitIt hurtsWaray 'maul-ul' and Bikol 'makulog' share nothing with the 'sakit' the other six use.
Pulispending reviewPulisPolice
Uram!pending reviewSunog!Fire!Bikol shouts 'Kalayo!', which in Tagalog would be parsed as 'distance'. In an emergency that is the worst possible ambiguity.
Mannanakaw!pending reviewKawatan!Thief!
Agannad kapending reviewMaghalongBe careful
Napukawakpending reviewNadula akoI am lost
Gurigorpending reviewHilanatFever
Sakit ti ulopending reviewSakit sang uloHeadache

The body

Head to foot, where several of these languages share nothing at all.

The body: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Ulopending reviewUloHeadBikol 'payo' is a head. In Tagalog 'payo' is advice — which makes it one of the neatest false friends in the country.
Matapending reviewMataEye
Imapending reviewKamotHandThree separate traps in one row: Ilocano 'ima' is Kapampangan for mother, Visayan 'kamot' is Tagalog for scratching, and Pangasinan 'lima' is the numeral five in every other language here.
Sakapending reviewTiilFoot
Ngiwatpending reviewBabaMouthVisayan 'baba' is a mouth; Tagalog 'baba' is a chin, and with different stress it is also 'down'. Neighbouring body parts, different words.
Buksitpending reviewTiyanStomach
Buokpending reviewBuhokHair
Lapayagpending reviewDulungganEar
Agongpending reviewIlongNose
Ngipenpending reviewNgiponTooth
Dayapending reviewDugoBloodIlocano and Kapampangan both say 'daya' for blood — and in Tagalog and Cebuano the same word means cheating. Worth care in any medical setting.
Pusopending reviewTagipusuonHeart
kudilpending reviewpanitSkin (of a person)
bagaspending reviewunodMeat (as in flesh)
tulangpending reviewtulanBone
tabapending reviewtambokFat (noun)
dilapending reviewdilaTongue
kukopending reviewkukoFingernail
gurongpending reviewtiilLeg
tumengpending reviewtuhodKnee
tianpending reviewtiyanBelly
bagispending reviewtinaeGuts
tengngedpending reviewliogNeck
likodpending reviewlikodBack
susopending reviewsusoBreast
dalempending reviewatayLiver

Nature & weather

Sun, rain, sea and mountain.

Nature & weather: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Initpending reviewAdlawSunIlocano 'init' is the sun; Tagalog 'init' is heat. Related idea, different part of speech, and machine translation routinely mixes the two.
Bulanpending reviewBulanMoonSeven of the eight kept 'bulan'; Tagalog alone shifted the l to w. The same word means 'month' in all of them.
Bituenpending reviewBituonStar
Tudopending reviewUlanRainIlocano is alone here. 'Tudo' shares nothing with the ulan/uran the other seven use.
Baybaypending reviewDagatSea
Bantaypending reviewBukidMountainTwo traps at once. Ilocano 'bantay' is a mountain; in Tagalog it is a guard. Visayan 'bukid' is a mountain; in Tagalog 'bukid' is a field or farm.
Balaypending reviewBalayHouse
Apuypending reviewKalayoFireVisayan 'kalayo' is fire; Tagalog 'kalayo' would be parsed as 'distance'. The Luzon languages all keep apoy/apuy.
Karayanpending reviewSubaRiverWaray and Bikol 'salog' looks close to Tagalog 'ilog' but is a separate root — and in Cebuano 'salog' is a floor.
Dagapending reviewDutaLand, soilSix unrelated roots for the ground under your feet, and Ilocano 'daga' collides head-on with Tagalog, where it means a rat.
Kayopending reviewKahoyTree
Sabongpending reviewBulakFlowerIlocano 'sabong' is a flower. In Tagalog 'sabong' is cockfighting — an unusually large gap for two languages spoken on the same island.
Batopending reviewBatoStone
Anginpending reviewHanginWind
Langitpending reviewLangitSkyPangasinan 'tawen' is the sky; Ilocano 'tawen' is a year. Two Northern Luzon languages, one word, no shared meaning.
Gingginedpending reviewLinogEarthquake
Bagyopending reviewBagyoTyphoon
kakayuanpending reviewkagulanganForest
kayopending reviewlipakStick (of wood)
bungapending reviewbungaFruit
bin-ipending reviewbinhiSeed
bulongpending reviewdahonLeaf
ramutpending reviewgamotRoot
ukis ti kayopending reviewpanit sang kahoyBark (of tree)
ruotpending reviewhilamonGrass
danawpending reviewdanawLake
taawpending reviewdagatSea (as in ocean)
daratpending reviewbalasSand
tapokpending reviewyab-okDust
dagapending reviewdutaEarth (as in soil)
uleppending reviewpanganodCloud
angeppending reviewgamhonFog
anginpending reviewhanginWind (as in breeze)
niebepending reviewniyebeSnow
yelopending reviewyeloIce
asokpending reviewasoSmoke
dapopending reviewaboAsh
aldawpending reviewadlawDay (daytime)

Describing things

Big, small, good, beautiful.

Describing things: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Dakkelpending reviewDakuBig
Bassitpending reviewGamaySmall
Nasayaatpending reviewMaayoGood
Dakespending reviewMalainBad
Napintaspending reviewMatahumBeautifulBikol 'magayon' is the root behind Mayon, the volcano. Waray 'mahusay' means beautiful; in Tagalog the same word means skilled or well-arranged.
Napudotpending reviewMainitHot
Nalamiispending reviewMabugnawCold
Napartakpending reviewMadasigFast
Baropending reviewBag-oNew
Daanpending reviewDaanOld (of a thing)Ilocano and the Visayan languages use 'daan' for old — the same string Tagalog uses for a road.
Lakaypending reviewTigulangOld (of a person)Ilocano 'lakay' is an old man specifically; 'baket' is the word for an old woman, and that one collides with Kapampangan 'baket', meaning why.
Adupending reviewMadamoMany
Bassitpending reviewDiutayFew
Atiddogpending reviewMalabaLong
Ababapending reviewMalip-otShort
Nadagsenpending reviewMabug-atHeavy
Nadaluspending reviewMatinloClean
Narugitpending reviewMahigkoDirty
aminpending reviewtananAll
daddumapending reviewibanSome
sabalipending reviewibanOther
lawapending reviewlapadWide
puskolpending reviewmadamolThick
kikidpending reviewmakitidNarrow
ingpispending reviewnipisThin
pudotpending reviewmainitWarm (as in weather)
lamekpending reviewmalamigCold (as in weather)
napnopending reviewpunoFull
daanpending reviewdaanOld
nabanglespending reviewgabokRotten (as a log)
nataruspending reviewtadlongStraight
nagbukelpending reviewbilogRound
natadempending reviewmatalomSharp (as a knife)
namudelpending reviewhabolDull (as a knife)
nalamuyotpending reviewhinloSmooth
basapending reviewbasaWet
magapending reviewkigasDry (adjective)
paysopending reviewsiboRight (correct)
kannawanpending reviewtuoRight (side)
kannigidpending reviewwalaLeft (side)

Feelings

Saying how you are, and how you feel about someone.

Feelings: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Ay-ayatenkapending reviewPalangga ta kaI love youEight languages and eight completely different verbs. This row alone answers the question of whether Philippine languages are 'dialects of each other'.
Naragsakpending reviewMalipayonHappy
Nalidaypending reviewMasuboSad
Nabannogpending reviewKapoyTired
Nakaungetpending reviewAkigAngry
Malmalagipkapending reviewGinahidlaw ako sa imoI miss you
Mabutengpending reviewHadlokAfraid
Nasdaawpending reviewNakibotSurprised
Naumaakpending reviewNatak-anBored

Colours

Basic colour terms.

Colours: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Nalabagapending reviewPulaRedPula covers Tagalog, all three Visayan languages and Bikol. The three that break from it — Ilocano nalabaga, Kapampangan malutu, Pangasinan ambalanga — are exactly the three Luzon languages that sit outside the Central Philippine branch. The family tree showing through a colour word.
Purawpending reviewPutiWhitePuti is the base, and two languages keep it under a prefix: Kapampangan maputi, Pangasinan amputi. The two that abandon it are Ilocano puraw and Waray busag — and busag is one of the words that marks Waray off from its Bisayan neighbours, which both say puti.
Nangisitpending reviewItomBlackKapampangan 'matuling' is black. Tagalog 'matulin' — one letter apart — means fast.
Asulpending reviewAsulBlueIdentical in all eight. That is what a loanword looks like: nothing native survives here, so there is nothing for the languages to disagree about. Compare red, where the native words hold and almost nothing matches.
Duyawpending reviewDalagYellowThree groups, and they follow geography rather than Tagalog. The Visayan languages all say dalag. Ilocano and Pangasinan, both Northern Luzon, both say duyaw. Tagalog dilaw and Kapampangan dilo are what is left over.
Berdepending reviewBerdeGreenOnly Kapampangan kept a native word. The other seven took the Spanish 'verde' and never replaced it.
Kahelpending reviewKahelOrangeThe same word in all eight, which on this list is true only of orange and blue. Borrowed colour terms travel intact; the native ones — red, white, yellow — are where these languages part company.
Dapopending reviewAbuhonGreyEvery one of these is built on the word for ash — abo, dapo — rather than being a colour term of its own.

Everyday verbs

The actions that carry most sentences.

Everyday verbs: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Maturogpending reviewMagtulogTo sleep
Makitapending reviewMakitaTo see
Ibagapending reviewIsilingTo sayIlocano and Pangasinan share 'ibaga' — but in Tagalog 'baga' is an ember, and in Ilocano it is the colour red.
Ammopending reviewKabaloTo know
Kayatpending reviewGustoTo wantKapampangan 'buri' is to want or like. In Tagalog 'buri' is a species of palm.
Mangtedpending reviewMaghatagTo give
Agtrabahopending reviewMagtrabahoTo work
Magnapending reviewMaglakatTo walk
Agsaopending reviewMaghambalTo speakThe Visayan languages disagree with each other completely here — sulti, hambal, yakan — which is a useful corrective to the idea that they are one language.
Dumngegpending reviewMamatiTo listen
Agsuratpending reviewMagsulatTo write
Agbasapending reviewMagbasaTo read
Agtugawpending reviewMaglingkodTo sit
Tumakderpending reviewMagtindogTo stand
Agtaraypending reviewMagdalaganTo run
Aguraypending reviewMaghulatTo wait
Luktanpending reviewBuksanTo open
Irikeppending reviewSirhanTo close
Agugaspending reviewMaghugasTo wash
Umay ditoypending reviewMagkariTo come here
kagatpending reviewkagatTo bite
supsoppending reviewsupsopTo suck
tuprapending reviewduplaTo spit
utapending reviewsukaTo vomit
puyotpending reviewhuyopTo blow (as wind)
angespending reviewginhawaTo breathe
katawapending reviewkadlawTo laugh
dengngegpending reviewpamatiTo hear
ammopending reviewhibaloTo know (a fact)
panunotpending reviewdumdomTo think
angotpending reviewsimhotTo smell (sense odour)
kutengpending reviewsin-oTo fear
biagpending reviewbuhiTo live
mataypending reviewmatayTo die
mangpataypending reviewpatayTo kill
agapapending reviewawayTo fight
anuppending reviewmangayamTo hunt (transitive)
pangorpending reviewlampusTo hit
balsigpending reviewputolTo cut
bisakpending reviewbis-akTo split
dugsolpending reviewdugkalTo stab (or stick)
kudkodpending reviewkalotTo scratch (an itch)
kalipending reviewsuk-ayTo dig
langoypending reviewlangoyTo swim
tayabpending reviewlupadTo fly
umaypending reviewabotTo come
iddapending reviewhigdaTo lie (as on one's side)
likkopending reviewlikoTo turn (change direction)
tinnagpending reviewhulogTo fall (as in drop)
mangiggempending reviewkupotTo hold (in one's hand)
pespespending reviewpisilTo squeeze
radradanpending reviewkuskosTo rub
punaspending reviewpahidTo wipe
guyodpending reviewbutongTo pull
duronpending reviewtulodTo push
ibatopending reviewhaboyTo throw
igalotpending reviewhigotTo tie
daitpending reviewtahiTo sew
bilangpending reviewisipTo count
agkantapending reviewambaTo sing
agay-ayampending reviewhampangTo play
agtapawpending reviewlutawTo float
ayuspending reviewiligTo flow
lumtegpending reviewdaludoTo swell
urampending reviewsunogTo burn (intransitive)

Months

The Spanish-derived month names, and where the spellings part company.

Months: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Eneropending reviewEneroJanuaryThe month names are Spanish in all eight languages. What varies is spelling: Tagalog respells the Spanish f as p (Pebrero), while several of the others keep Febrero.
Pebreropending reviewPebreroFebruary
Marsopending reviewMarsoMarch
Abrilpending reviewAbrilApril
Mayopending reviewMayoMay
Huniopending reviewHunyoJune
Huliopending reviewHulyoJuly
Agostopending reviewAgostoAugust
Setiembrepending reviewSetyembreSeptember
Oktubrepending reviewOktubreOctober
Nobiembrepending reviewNobyembreNovember
Disiembrepending reviewDisyembreDecember

Getting around

Roads, boats, jeepneys and how to get off one.

Getting around: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Dalanpending reviewDalanRoadSeven of the eight use 'dalan'. Tagalog's 'daan' is the same root worn down, and Bikol went its own way with 'tinampo'.
Bangkapending reviewBarotoBoat
Luganpending reviewSalakyanCar
Lumuganpending reviewMagsakayTo ride
Para manpending reviewPara langStop here, please'Para' comes from Spanish 'parar', to stop, and is the universal way to get off a jeepney anywhere in the country.
Papanam?pending reviewDiin ka makadto?Where are you going?
Tiketpending reviewTiketTicket

Somewhere to stay

Rooms, doors, keys — a category where almost nothing carries between languages.

Somewhere to stay: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Tulbekpending reviewYabiKeyAnother row where nothing carries over. Ilocano 'tulbek' and Tagalog 'susi' share no history at all.
Ruanganpending reviewPuertahanDoor
Tawapending reviewBintanaWindowIlocano 'tawa' is a window. In Tagalog it is laughter.
Kuartopending reviewKuwartoRoom
Kamapending reviewKatreBed
Baniopending reviewKasilyasToilet

Things to buy

Everyday items you might need to ask for.

Things to buy: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Badupending reviewPanaptonClothes
Sapatospending reviewSapatosShoes
Agaspending reviewBulongMedicineWorth knowing before a pharmacy visit, and the source of a nasty trap: Tagalog 'gamot' is medicine, but in the Visayan languages the same word means a root.
Sabonpending reviewSabonSoap
Libropending reviewLibroBook
Papelpending reviewPapelPaper

Animals

Everyday creatures, and several of the sharpest false friends on the site.

Animals: Ilocano phrases with Hiligaynon and English translations
IlocanoHiligaynonEnglish
Asopending reviewIdoDogFour unrelated words for the commonest domestic animal. Worth pairing with the Cebuano trap: 'aso' means smoke there, so the Tagalog word for dog is a real Cebuano word meaning something else entirely.
Pusapending reviewKuringCatThe one domestic animal with no agreement at all. Pusa covers Tagalog, Ilocano, Kapampangan and Pangasinan; the Visayan languages each have their own word — iring, kuring, uding — and Bikol ikos shares with none of them.
Nuangpending reviewKarabawCarabaoThe national animal, and three of the eight have their own word for it — Ilocano nuang, Kapampangan damulag, Pangasinan dueg.
Kaldingpending reviewKandingGoatKanding across the Visayan languages, Bikol and Pangasinan; kambing in Tagalog and Kapampangan; Ilocano kalding sits between the two with its own consonant. Three shapes of what looks like one word.
Bakapending reviewBakaCowBaka in all eight without variation. Spanish vaca arrived with the animal itself, so there was no native word for it to displace — which is why this row is flat while cat is not.
Kabalyopending reviewKabayoHorseKabayo everywhere, from Spanish caballo, with only spelling separating them: Ilocano kabalyo keeps the Spanish ll, Kapampangan kabayu takes its usual u. Another animal that arrived with its name.
Ulegpending reviewMan-ugSnakeFive unrelated words, and the one worth memorising before you need it. Ilocano and Pangasinan share 'uleg', which is unusual — the two rarely agree.
Billitpending reviewPispisBirdCebuano 'langgam' is a bird; Tagalog 'langgam' is an ant. One of the most-cited false friends between the two largest languages in the country.
Utotpending reviewIlagaRatTwo traps in one row. Ilocano 'utot' is a rat and Tagalog 'utot' is a fart; Tagalog 'daga' is a rat and Ilocano 'daga' is land or soil.
Lamokpending reviewNamokMosquitoLamok in most, but Hiligaynon and Waray both say namok. The l-to-n shift between those two and their neighbours turns up elsewhere in Bisayan and is regular enough to guess at.
ayuppending reviewhayopAnimalHayop covers Tagalog, Hiligaynon, Waray and Bikol, with Ilocano ayup and Pangasinan ayep as the same word reduced. Cebuano mananap is its own; the Kapampangan cell reads animal, which is worth a speaker's eye before it is trusted.
kutopending reviewkutoLouseKuto in all eight, with only Kapampangan kutu differing and only in its usual vowel. Head lice are old and universal, and the word for them has not moved.
iggespending reviewulodWormUlod across the Visayan languages and Bikol, uod in Tagalog. Ilocano igges and Pangasinan biges share nothing with them or, on the face of it, with each other. Kapampangan bulati is a fourth answer.
sarapending reviewsungayHornSungay holds in Tagalog and most of the Visayas, then falls apart: Ilocano sara, Waray budyong, Kapampangan sagu, Pangasinan saklor. Waray breaking from Cebuano and Hiligaynon here is its habit rather than an exception.
ipuspending reviewikogTailIkog runs through the Visayan languages and Bikol, and Pangasinan ikol and Kapampangan iki are recognisably the same. Tagalog buntot and Ilocano ipus are the two that stand outside it.
dutdutpending reviewbalahiboFeatherBalahibo, balhibo and barahibo are one word — the Waray r for l is the shift that language applies regularly. Ilocano dutdut, Kapampangan bulbul and Pangasinan bago are separate answers, and Bikol balukag is a fourth.
payakpending reviewpakpakWingPakpak in five languages, and Cebuano and Waray pako is the same root without the doubling. Ilocano payak is the only form that has moved far from it.

Words that trap you

These exist in both languages but mean different things. They are where confident readers get caught, and where machine translation is least reliable.

  • apohigh risk
    In Ilocano
    A respectful title for an elder or person of authority — roughly 'sir' or 'ma'am'.
    In Hiligaynon
    A grandchild.

    A generation apart in either direction — the Ilocano term addresses an elder, the Tagalog one names a grandchild.

  • bantay
    In Ilocano
    A mountain.
    In Hiligaynon
    A guard; to watch over.

    Place names carry it: Bantay in Ilocos Sur is not a town named after a guard.

How often the machine gets these right

We ran 402 Ilocano entries from the phrasebook below through the same engine this site uses, and compared each result against the human-written Hiligaynon. Categories are our own; the comparison ignores punctuation and casing. Neither Ilocano nor Hiligaynon is well resourced and the engine routes between them through English, so this measures two stacked translations rather than one.

Machine output matched or came close to the human Hiligaynon for 41.3% of 402 phrases. The rest were partly or entirely wrong.

Least reliable

  • Everyday verbs8%
  • Greetings11%
  • Market & money22%
  • Introductions25%
  • Understanding25%

Most reliable

  • Months75%
  • Health & emergency67%
  • Nature & weather66%

Sources

Last updated 2026-08-06. 402 entries are marked “pending review” — carried on general reference and awaiting confirmation from a native speaker.