Kapampangan to Tagalog Phrasebook
372 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, and this surprises people, because Pampanga borders the Tagalog provinces. Kapampangan belongs to the Central Luzon branch, not Central Philippine, and it is the deepest split on this site: nanu for what, ninu for who, lagyu for name, wa for yes, ali for no. Almost nothing in a Kapampangan sentence is guessable from Tagalog. The proximity on a map is not proximity in the family tree.
- Phrases
- 372
- Categories
- 24
- Cited sources
- 3
- Pending review
- 372
Showing all 372 phrases across 24 categories.
Greetings
The opener changes in every one of these languages — this is the fastest way to tell them apart.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Mayap a abakpending review | Magandang umaga | Good 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. |
| Mayap a gatpanapunpending review | Magandang hapon | Good afternoon |
| Mayap a bengipending review | Magandang gabi | Good evening |
| Mayap a aldopending review | Magandang araw | Good day |
| Komusta ka?pending review | Kumusta 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. |
| Mayap ku namanpending review | Mabuti naman | I'm fine |
| Mako na kupending review | Paalam | GoodbyeCebuano '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. |
| Mayap a bengipending review | Magandang gabi | Good 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. |
Courtesy
Thank you, sorry, yes and no.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Salamatpending review | Salamat | Thank 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. |
| Dakal a salamatpending review | Maraming salamat | Thank 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'. |
| Ala yang anumanpending review | Walang anuman | You'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. |
| Wapending review | Oo | YesFour 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. |
| Alipending review | Hindi | NoIlocano 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'. |
| Pasensya napending review | Paumanhin | SorryIn everyday speech 'sorry' and 'pasensya' are what most speakers actually say in all eight; the native forms above are what you will see written. |
| Pakisuyupending review | Pakiusap | PleaseNone 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. |
| Alang problemapending review | Walang problema | No problemThe word for 'none' is the giveaway: wala, awan, walay, waray, mayo. Waray-speakers are named after theirs. |
| Mingat kapending review | Ingat ka | Take 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.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Nanu ing lagyu mu?pending review | Ano ang pangalan 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. |
| Ing lagyu ku…pending review | Ang pangalan ko ay… | My name is… |
| Taga-nokarin ka?pending review | Taga-saan 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.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| E ku aintindianpending review | Hindi ko naiintindihan | I don't understand |
| Balu meng mag-English?pending review | Marunong ka bang mag-Ingles? | Do you speak English?The verb for 'to know how' differs completely: kamao, kabalo, maaram, tataong. None of them is the Tagalog 'marunong'. |
| Nanu ini?pending review | Ano ito? | What is this? |
| Aintindian kupending review | Naiintindihan ko | I understand |
Numbers
Native numerals one to ten, which diverge sharply between the Luzon and Visayan languages.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Metungpending review | Isa | OneCebuano and Waray 'usa' is a false friend of the highest order: in Tagalog 'usa' is a deer. |
| Adwapending review | Dalawa | Two |
| Atlupending review | Tatlo | Three |
| Apatpending review | Apat | Four |
| Limapending review | Lima | FiveThe 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. |
| Anampending review | Anim | Six |
| Pitupending review | Pito | SevenPito 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. |
| Walupending review | Walo | EightWalo 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. |
| Siyampending review | Siyam | NineSiyam 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. |
| Apulupending review | Sampu | TenPangasinan 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. |
| Labing metungpending review | Labing-isa | ElevenThree different strategies for building teens: Tagalog and Kapampangan prefix labing-, the Visayan languages say 'ten and one', and Bikol has a dedicated form (kagsaro). |
| Labingadwapending review | Labindalawa | TwelveTwo 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. |
| Adwangpulupending review | Dalawampu | TwentyCebuano 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. |
| Atlungpulupending review | Tatlumpu | ThirtyThe 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. |
| Limangpulupending review | Limampu | FiftyKalim-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. |
| Dinalanpending review | Isang daan | One hundredKapampangan 'dinalan' and Pangasinan 'sanlasus' share nothing with the gatos/daan the rest use — another reminder that the Luzon languages are not a group. |
| Libupending review | Isang libo | One 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.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Nanupending review | Ano | WhatAno 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. |
| Ninupending review | Sino | WhoHiligaynon '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. |
| Nokarinpending review | Saan | WhereSeven distinct words. Cebuano 'asa' is a false friend in Tagalog, where it means to hope or depend on someone. |
| Kapilanpending review | Kailan | WhenSix 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. |
| Baketpending review | Bakit | WhyKapampangan '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. |
| Magkanu?pending review | Magkano? | 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. |
| Pilan?pending review | Ilan? | 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. |
| makananupending review | paano | How |
Time & days
Today, tomorrow, day and night.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ngenipending review | Ngayon | TodayEight 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. |
| Bukaspending review | Bukas | TomorrowIlocano builds tomorrow out of 'bigat', the word for morning — the same root as in 'Naimbag a bigat'. |
| Napunpending review | Kahapon | YesterdayKahapon, gahapon and kasuhapon are one word with the prefix shifting. Waray kakulop, Ilocano idi kalman and Kapampangan napun stand outside it entirely. |
| Aldopending review | Araw | DayIn 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. |
| Bengipending review | Gabi | NightGabi 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. |
| Dominggopending review | Linggo | WeekThree 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. |
| Banwapending review | Taon | YearTuig 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 review | Lunes | MondayAll eight took the Spanish weekday names wholesale. Only Sunday diverges — see below. |
| Martespending review | Martes | TuesdayIdentical in all eight. The Spanish weekday names arrived as a set, and none of these languages had a competing seven-day cycle to defend. |
| Miyerkulespending review | Miyerkules | WednesdayThe only variation is spelling. Ilocano, Hiligaynon and Pangasinan write -koles; the other five write -kules. |
| Huwebespending review | Huwebes | ThursdayHuebes in Ilocano and Pangasinan, huwebes in the rest — the same choice between u and w those two make on Wednesday and again on Friday. |
| Biyernespending review | Biyernes | FridayBiernes in Ilocano and Pangasinan, biyernes elsewhere. Three weekdays running where those two languages spell the Spanish the same way against the other six. |
| Sabadopending review | Sabado | SaturdaySabado in all eight with no variation whatsoever — the one weekday where even Ilocano and Pangasinan write it exactly as everyone else does. |
| Dominggopending review | Linggo | SundayTagalog 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'. |
| Ugtupending review | Tanghali | NoonUdto 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'. |
| Abakpending review | Umaga | MorningAga 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. |
| Oraspending review | Oras | HourOras in all eight, from Spanish horas, with no language keeping an alternative alongside it. |
| Panepending review | Lagi | AlwaysPirme 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.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Imapending review | Ina | MotherKapampangan 'ima' is a mother; Ilocano 'ima' is a hand. Two Luzon languages a hundred kilometres apart, same three letters, nothing in common. |
| Ibpapending review | Ama | FatherAma 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. |
| Imapending review | Nanay | MumNanay 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 review | Tatay | DadTatay 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 review | Anak | Child'Anak' is the offspring relationship in all eight; Bikol 'aki' is the exception and is a child in general. |
| Kapatadpending review | Kapatid | SiblingSix unrelated roots. Only Tagalog 'kapatid' and Kapampangan 'kapatad' match, and that is a loan rather than shared inheritance. |
| Apupending review | Lola | GrandmotherLola 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. |
| Apupending review | Lolo | GrandfatherPangasinan 'laki' is a grandfather. In Tagalog, Cebuano and most of the rest, 'lalaki' is simply a man — close enough to mislead. |
| Kaluguranpending review | Kaibigan | FriendEight languages, eight unrelated words. Kapampangan 'kaluguran' doubles as a term of affection, which is why 'Kaluguran daka' means 'I love you'. |
| Lalakipending review | Lalaki | ManLalaki, 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 review | Babae | WomanBabae 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 review | Asawa | Spouse'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. |
| Lagyupending review | Pangalan | NameNo 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. |
| Bapapending review | Tiyo | UncleTiyo 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. |
| Darapending review | Tiya | AuntThe 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 review | lalaki | Man (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. |
| taupending review | tao | Man (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 review | bata | Child (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 review | asawa | WifeAsawa 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 review | asawa | HusbandThe 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.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Abiaspending review | Bigas | Rice (uncooked)All eight distinguish uncooked grain from cooked rice with separate words — a distinction English has to spell out. |
| Nasipending review | Kanin | Rice (cooked)Kapampangan 'nasi' is a Malay-shaped word that none of its neighbours share. |
| Asanpending review | Isda | FishBikol 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 review | Karne | MeatKarne 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. |
| Manukpending review | Manok | ChickenManok 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. |
| Babipending review | Baboy | PigBaboy in seven. Bikol urig is the only language here that kept something else, and Kapampangan babi is baboy with its usual syllable lost. |
| Ebunpending review | Itlog | EggOne 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 review | Asin | SaltThe province of Pangasinan is named for this word — 'pang-asin-an', the place where salt is made. |
| Gulepending review | Gulay | VegetableUtan across the three Visayan languages, gulay in Tagalog and Bikol with Kapampangan gule beside them. Ilocano nateng and Pangasinan pising are each alone. |
| Manganpending review | Kumain | To 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'. |
| Danupan ku napending review | Gutom na ako | I'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. |
| Manyamanpending review | Masarap | DeliciousEight languages, eight unrelated words for the same compliment. If you learn one word from this list, learn the local one for this. |
| Mabsi na kupending review | Busog na ako | I'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. |
| Tinapepending review | Tinapay | BreadTinapay in seven languages. Cebuano alone says pan — Spanish, and shorter. |
| Asukalpending review | Asukal | SugarAsukal 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. |
| Sagingpending review | Saging | BananaSaging 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. |
| Ungutpending review | Niyog | CoconutLubi across all three Visayan languages; niyog in Tagalog, Bikol and Pangasinan with Ilocano niog alongside. Kapampangan ungut belongs to neither group. |
| Manggapending review | Mangga | MangoMangga in all eight with no variation, which on a page where sweet, sour and salty all splinter is worth noticing. |
| Maispending review | Mais | CornMais 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 review | Bawang | GarlicThe Visayan languages took the Spanish 'ajos'; the Luzon languages kept the native 'bawang'. |
| Sabopending review | Sabaw | Soup, brothSabaw in six, with Kapampangan sabo the same word shortened. Ilocano digo is the only real outlier. |
| Mayumupending review | Matamis | SweetTam-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. |
| Maaslampending review | Maasim | SourOne 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. |
| Maalatpending review | Maalat | SaltyMaalat in Tagalog, Waray, Bikol and Kapampangan. Hiligaynon maasin builds it on asin — salt itself — while Cebuano parat and Ilocano naapgad are separate words again. |
| Maglutupending review | Magluto | To 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 review | Plato | PlateA 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 review | Kutsara | SpoonKutsara 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.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Danumpending review | Tubig | WaterThe 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 review | Kape | Coffee |
| Gataspending review | Gatas | Milk |
| Minumpending review | Uminom | To drink |
| Danum pupending review | Pakiabot ng tubig | Water, please |
| Tsapending review | Tsaa | Tea |
| Serbesapending review | Serbesa | Beer |
| Mapali a danumpending review | Mainit na tubig | Hot water |
| Malamig a danumpending review | Malamig na tubig | Cold water |
Market & money
Prices, haggling, paying.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Salapipending review | Pera | MoneyTagalog took 'pera' from Spanish 'perra'; everything north and south of it took 'cuarta' instead. The two are not interchangeable outside Manila. |
| Maalpending review | Mahal | ExpensiveIn 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. |
| Murapending review | Mura | CheapFour of the eight reach for the Spanish 'barato' rather than a native word, while Tagalog and Ilocano kept their own. |
| Salihanpending review | Bumili | To buyCebuano 'palit' is to buy; in Tagalog 'palit' is to exchange or swap. Same root, opposite ends of a transaction. |
| Pamalengkepending review | Palengke | Market |
| Magkanu ini?pending review | Magkano ito? | How much is this? |
| Maal yapending review | Masyadong mahal | That's too expensive |
Directions
Left, right, here, there and how far.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Kailipending review | Kaliwa | LeftThe 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. |
| Wananpending review | Kanan | Right |
| Kenipending review | Dito | HereHiligaynon 'diri' is 'here'. Waray 'diri' is 'not'. The two languages are neighbours and this pair catches people constantly. |
| Karinpending review | Doon | There |
| Marayupending review | Malayo | Far |
| Malapitpending review | Malapit | Near |
| Nokarin ing banyu?pending review | Nasaan ang banyo? | Where is the toilet? |
| Umepending review | Pumunta | To go |
| Diretsupending review | Diretso | Straight ahead |
| Babopending review | Taas | Up |
| Lalampending review | Baba | Down |
| Lubpending review | Loob | Inside |
| Palualpending review | Labas | Outside |
Health & emergency
The phrases worth knowing before you need them.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Saup!pending review | Tulong! | 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 review | Doktor | Doctor |
| Ospitalpending review | Ospital | Hospital |
| Masakit kupending review | May sakit ako | I am sick |
| Masakitpending review | Masakit | It hurtsWaray 'maul-ul' and Bikol 'makulog' share nothing with the 'sakit' the other six use. |
| Pulispending review | Pulis | Police |
| Api!pending review | Sunog! | Fire!Bikol shouts 'Kalayo!', which in Tagalog would be parsed as 'distance'. In an emergency that is the worst possible ambiguity. |
| Manako!pending review | Magnanakaw! | Thief! |
| Mingat kapending review | Mag-ingat ka | Be careful |
| Masakit ing buntukpending review | Sakit ng ulo | Headache |
The body
Head to foot, where several of these languages share nothing at all.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Buntukpending review | Ulo | HeadBikol 'payo' is a head. In Tagalog 'payo' is advice — which makes it one of the neatest false friends in the country. |
| Matapending review | Mata | Eye |
| Gamatpending review | Kamay | HandThree 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. |
| Bitispending review | Paa | Foot |
| Asbukpending review | Bibig | MouthVisayan 'baba' is a mouth; Tagalog 'baba' is a chin, and with different stress it is also 'down'. Neighbouring body parts, different words. |
| Atyanpending review | Tiyan | Stomach |
| Buakpending review | Buhok | Hair |
| Balugbugpending review | Tainga | Ear |
| Arungpending review | Ilong | Nose |
| Ipanpending review | Ngipin | Tooth |
| Dayapending review | Dugo | BloodIlocano and Kapampangan both say 'daya' for blood — and in Tagalog and Cebuano the same word means cheating. Worth care in any medical setting. |
| Pusupending review | Puso | Heart |
| balatpending review | balat | Skin (of a person) |
| lamanpending review | karne | Meat (as in flesh) |
| butulpending review | buto | Bone |
| tabapending review | taba | Fat (noun) |
| dilapending review | dila | Tongue |
| kukupending review | kuko | Fingernail |
| bitispending review | binti | Leg |
| tudpending review | tuhod | Knee |
| atianpending review | tiyan | Belly |
| bitukapending review | bituka | Guts |
| batalpending review | leeg | Neck |
| gulutpending review | likod | Back |
| susupending review | suso | Breast |
| atepending review | atay | Liver |
Nature & weather
Sun, rain, sea and mountain.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Aldopending review | Araw | SunIlocano 'init' is the sun; Tagalog 'init' is heat. Related idea, different part of speech, and machine translation routinely mixes the two. |
| Bulanpending review | Buwan | MoonSeven of the eight kept 'bulan'; Tagalog alone shifted the l to w. The same word means 'month' in all of them. |
| Batwinpending review | Bituin | Star |
| Uranpending review | Ulan | RainIlocano is alone here. 'Tudo' shares nothing with the ulan/uran the other seven use. |
| Dayatmalatpending review | Dagat | Sea |
| Bundukpending review | Bundok | MountainTwo 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. |
| Balepending review | Bahay | House |
| Apipending review | Apoy | FireVisayan 'kalayo' is fire; Tagalog 'kalayo' would be parsed as 'distance'. The Luzon languages all keep apoy/apuy. |
| Ilugpending review | Ilog | RiverWaray and Bikol 'salog' looks close to Tagalog 'ilog' but is a separate root — and in Cebuano 'salog' is a floor. |
| Gabunpending review | Lupa | Land, soilSix unrelated roots for the ground under your feet, and Ilocano 'daga' collides head-on with Tagalog, where it means a rat. |
| Dutungpending review | Puno | Tree |
| Sampagapending review | Bulaklak | FlowerIlocano 'sabong' is a flower. In Tagalog 'sabong' is cockfighting — an unusually large gap for two languages spoken on the same island. |
| Batupending review | Bato | Stone |
| Anginpending review | Hangin | Wind |
| Bagyupending review | Bagyo | Typhoon |
| gubatpending review | kakahuyan | Forest |
| tingtingpending review | patpat | Stick (of wood) |
| bungapending review | bunga | Fruit |
| butulpending review | binhi | Seed |
| bulungpending review | dahon | Leaf |
| yamutpending review | ugat | Root |
| tangkepending review | balat ng puno | Bark (of tree) |
| dikutpending review | damo | Grass |
| lawapending review | lawa | Lake |
| dagatpending review | dagat | Sea (as in ocean) |
| balaspending review | buhangin | Sand |
| alikabukpending review | alikabok | Dust |
| yatupending review | lupa | Earth (as in soil) |
| bigapending review | alapaap | Cloud |
| ulappending review | hamog | Fog |
| anginpending review | hangin | Wind (as in breeze) |
| yelupending review | niyebe | Snow |
| yelupending review | yelo | Ice |
| asukpending review | usok | Smoke |
| abupending review | abo | Ash |
| aldopending review | araw | Day (daytime) |
Describing things
Big, small, good, beautiful.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Maragulpending review | Malaki | Big |
| Malatipending review | Maliit | Small |
| Mayappending review | Mabuti | Good |
| Marokpending review | Masama | Bad |
| Malagupending review | Maganda | BeautifulBikol 'magayon' is the root behind Mayon, the volcano. Waray 'mahusay' means beautiful; in Tagalog the same word means skilled or well-arranged. |
| Mapalipending review | Mainit | Hot |
| Malamigpending review | Malamig | Cold |
| Malagwapending review | Mabilis | Fast |
| Bayupending review | Bago | New |
| Lumapending review | Luma | Old (of a thing)Ilocano and the Visayan languages use 'daan' for old — the same string Tagalog uses for a road. |
| Matuapending review | Matanda | Old (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. |
| Dakalpending review | Marami | Many |
| Ditakpending review | Kaunti | Few |
| Makabapending review | Mahaba | Long |
| Makuyadpending review | Maikli | Short |
| Mabayatpending review | Mabigat | Heavy |
| Malinispending review | Malinis | Clean |
| Marinatpending review | Marumi | Dirty |
| nganpending review | lahat | All |
| mapilanpending review | ilan | Some |
| aliuapending review | iba | Other |
| lapadpending review | malapad | Wide |
| kapalpending review | makapal | Thick |
| kitidpending review | makitid | Narrow |
| impispending review | manipis | Thin |
| mapalipending review | mainit | Warm (as in weather) |
| marimlapending review | malamig | Cold (as in weather) |
| sapakpending review | puno | Full |
| matuapending review | luma | Old |
| bulukpending review | bulok | Rotten (as a log) |
| matulidpending review | tuwid | Straight |
| mabilugpending review | bilog | Round |
| matarampending review | matulis | Sharp (as a knife) |
| mapurulpending review | mapurol | Dull (as a knife) |
| makinispending review | makinis | Smooth |
| basapending review | basa | Wet |
| malangipending review | tuyo | Dry (adjective) |
| ustupending review | tama | Right (correct) |
| uananpending review | kanan | Right (side) |
| kailipending review | kaliwa | Left (side) |
Feelings
Saying how you are, and how you feel about someone.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Kaluguran dakapending review | Mahal kita | I love youEight languages and eight completely different verbs. This row alone answers the question of whether Philippine languages are 'dialects of each other'. |
| Masayapending review | Masaya | Happy |
| Malungkutpending review | Malungkot | Sad |
| Mapagalpending review | Pagod | Tired |
| Muapending review | Galit | Angry |
| Matakutpending review | Takot | Afraid |
Colours
Basic colour terms.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Malutupending review | Pula | RedPula 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. |
| Maputipending review | Puti | WhitePuti 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. |
| Matulingpending review | Itim | BlackKapampangan 'matuling' is black. Tagalog 'matulin' — one letter apart — means fast. |
| Asulpending review | Asul | BlueIdentical 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. |
| Dilopending review | Dilaw | YellowThree 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. |
| Aluntianpending review | Berde | GreenOnly Kapampangan kept a native word. The other seven took the Spanish 'verde' and never replaced it. |
| Kahelpending review | Kahel | OrangeThe 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. |
Everyday verbs
The actions that carry most sentences.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Matudtudpending review | Matulog | To sleep |
| Akitpending review | Makita | To see |
| Sabianpending review | Sabihin | To sayIlocano and Pangasinan share 'ibaga' — but in Tagalog 'baga' is an ember, and in Ilocano it is the colour red. |
| Balupending review | Alam | To know |
| Buripending review | Gusto | To wantKapampangan 'buri' is to want or like. In Tagalog 'buri' is a species of palm. |
| Mibiepending review | Magbigay | To give |
| Magobrapending review | Magtrabaho | To work |
| Magsalitapending review | Magsalita | To 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. |
| Sumulatpending review | Sumulat | To write |
| Magbasapending review | Magbasa | To read |
| Luklukpending review | Umupo | To sit |
| Manayapending review | Maghintay | To wait |
| Buklatpending review | Buksan | To open |
| Ume kenipending review | Pumunta rito | To come here |
| ketpending review | kagat | To bite |
| sisipanpending review | sipsip | To suck |
| luranpending review | luwa | To spit |
| manyukapending review | suka | To vomit |
| labulanpending review | ihip | To blow (as wind) |
| mangisnauapending review | hinga | To breathe |
| mailipending review | tawa | To laugh |
| damdampending review | dinig | To hear |
| baluanpending review | alam | To know (a fact) |
| isipanpending review | isip | To think |
| bauanpending review | amoy | To smell (sense odour) |
| takutpending review | takot | To fear |
| biepending review | buhay | To live |
| matepending review | patay | To die |
| patenpending review | patay | To kill |
| labanpending review | laban | To fight |
| man-ayuppending review | mangaso | To hunt (transitive) |
| turanpending review | tama | To hit |
| pututpending review | putol | To cut |
| bikapending review | biyak | To split |
| akdakanpending review | saksak | To stab (or stick) |
| gamusanpending review | kamot | To scratch (an itch) |
| kulkulpending review | hukay | To dig |
| kauepending review | langoy | To swim |
| sulapopending review | lipad | To fly |
| umepending review | dating | To come |
| magkerapending review | higa | To lie (as on one's side) |
| mildispending review | liko | To turn (change direction) |
| mitombapending review | hulog | To fall (as in drop) |
| talnanpending review | hawak | To hold (in one's hand) |
| paslanpending review | pisil | To squeeze |
| kaskasanpending review | kuskos | To rub |
| pulisanpending review | punas | To wipe |
| igutanpending review | hila | To pull |
| isubungpending review | tulak | To push |
| iugsepending review | tapon | To throw |
| talipending review | tali | To tie |
| tayanpending review | tahi | To sew |
| mamilangpending review | bilang | To count |
| tumailapending review | awit | To sing |
| mamyalungpending review | laro | To play |
| gatopending review | lutang | To float |
| maguspending review | agos | To flow |
| mangalbagpending review | maga | To swell |
| silabpending review | sunogin | To burn (intransitive) |
Months
The Spanish-derived month names, and where the spellings part company.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Eneropending review | Enero | JanuaryThe 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. |
| Pebrerupending review | Pebrero | February |
| Marsupending review | Marso | March |
| Abrilpending review | Abril | April |
| Mayupending review | Mayo | May |
| Hunyupending review | Hunyo | June |
| Hulyupending review | Hulyo | July |
| Agostupending review | Agosto | August |
| Setyembripending review | Setyembre | September |
| Oktubripending review | Oktubre | October |
| Nobyembripending review | Nobyembre | November |
| Disyembripending review | Disyembre | December |
Getting around
Roads, boats, jeepneys and how to get off one.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Dalanpending review | Daan | RoadSeven of the eight use 'dalan'. Tagalog's 'daan' is the same root worn down, and Bikol went its own way with 'tinampo'. |
| Bangkapending review | Bangka | Boat |
| Kotsipending review | Kotse | Car |
| Nokarin ka munta?pending review | Saan ka pupunta? | Where are you going? |
| Tiketpending review | Tiket | Ticket |
Somewhere to stay
Rooms, doors, keys — a category where almost nothing carries between languages.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Susipending review | Susi | KeyAnother row where nothing carries over. Ilocano 'tulbek' and Tagalog 'susi' share no history at all. |
| Pasbulpending review | Pinto | Door |
| Awangpending review | Bintana | WindowIlocano 'tawa' is a window. In Tagalog it is laughter. |
| Kuartupending review | Kuwarto | Room |
| Banyupending review | Banyo | Toilet |
Things to buy
Everyday items you might need to ask for.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Imalanpending review | Damit | Clothes |
| Sapatuspending review | Sapatos | Shoes |
| Ambunpending review | Gamot | MedicineWorth 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. |
| Sabunpending review | Sabon | Soap |
| Librupending review | Libro | Book |
| Papilpending review | Papel | Paper |
Animals
Everyday creatures, and several of the sharpest false friends on the site.
| Kapampangan | Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
| Asupending review | Aso | DogFour 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 review | Pusa | CatThe 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. |
| Damulagpending review | Kalabaw | CarabaoThe national animal, and three of the eight have their own word for it — Ilocano nuang, Kapampangan damulag, Pangasinan dueg. |
| Kambingpending review | Kambing | GoatKanding 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 review | Baka | CowBaka 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. |
| Kabayupending review | Kabayo | HorseKabayo 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. |
| Ubinganpending review | Ahas | SnakeFive unrelated words, and the one worth memorising before you need it. Ilocano and Pangasinan share 'uleg', which is unusual — the two rarely agree. |
| Ayuppending review | Ibon | BirdCebuano 'langgam' is a bird; Tagalog 'langgam' is an ant. One of the most-cited false friends between the two largest languages in the country. |
| Dagispending review | Daga | RatTwo 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. |
| Amukpending review | Lamok | MosquitoLamok 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. |
| animalpending review | hayop | AnimalHayop 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. |
| kutupending review | kuto | LouseKuto 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. |
| bulatipending review | uod | WormUlod 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. |
| sagupending review | sungay | HornSungay 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. |
| ikipending review | buntot | TailIkog 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. |
| bulbulpending review | balahibo | FeatherBalahibo, 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. |
| pakpakpending review | pakpak | WingPakpak 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 Kapampangan
- A grandparent — the opposite generation to the Tagalog sense.
- In Tagalog
- A grandchild.
A generation apart in either direction — the Ilocano term addresses an elder, the Tagalog one names a grandchild.
- dayahigh risk
- In Kapampangan
- Blood.
- In Tagalog
- Deceit, cheating.
Medical or ritual context makes this one genuinely hazardous to get wrong.
- ari
- In Kapampangan
- A king.
- In Tagalog
- Property; also a coarse term for genitalia.
The Tagalog sense makes the Kapampangan word awkward to read aloud in mixed company, which is precisely why it is worth flagging.
- asan
- In Kapampangan
- A fish.
- In Tagalog
- Where — the colloquial contraction of nasaan.
Colloquial Tagalog drops the na- from nasaan, producing exactly the Kapampangan word for fish.
- buri
- In Kapampangan
- To want, to like.
- In Tagalog
- A palm used for weaving mats and hats.
Low-risk but frequent: buri is one of the commonest verbs in Kapampangan and a plant in Tagalog.
- bale
- In Kapampangan
- A house.
- In Tagalog
- Worth or value; colloquially 'so', 'meaning'.
Kapampangan bale is a house; Tagalog bale is worth, or the discourse filler meaning 'so'.
How often the machine gets these right
We ran 256 Kapampangan entries from the phrasebook below through the same engine this site uses, and compared each result against the human-written Tagalog. Categories are our own; the comparison ignores punctuation and casing. Neither Kapampangan nor Tagalog 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 Tagalog for 60.9% of 256 phrases. The rest were partly or entirely wrong.
Least reliable
- Directions23%
- Everyday verbs29%
- Things to buy33%
- Family & people40%
- Getting around40%
Most reliable
- Months92%
- Colours86%
- Numbers82%
Sources
- Kapampangan phrasebook — Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-08-13.
- Appendix: Austronesian Swadesh lists — Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-08-17.
- Tagalog phrasebook — Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-08-13.
Last updated 2026-08-06. 372 entries are marked “pending review” — carried on general reference and awaiting confirmation from a native speaker.