Pangasinan to Ilocano Phrasebook
217 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, despite sharing a province border and a branch of the family. Both are Northern Luzon languages, but Ilocano and Pangasinan sit in different subgroups within it and the everyday vocabulary shows it: agew against aldaw for day, abung against balay for house, on against wen for yes. Pangasinan's numerals carry a counting suffix Ilocano does not use at all. Many people in northern Pangasinan speak both, which is bilingualism rather than intelligibility.
- Phrases
- 217
- Categories
- 24
- Cited sources
- 2
- Pending review
- 217
Showing all 217 phrases across 24 categories.
Greetings
The opener changes in every one of these languages — this is the fastest way to tell them apart.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Maabig ya kabuasanpending review | Naimbag a bigat | 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. |
| Maabig ya ngarempending review | Naimbag a malem | Good afternoon |
| Maabig ya labipending review | Naimbag a rabii | Good evening |
| Maabig ya agewpending review | Naimbag nga aldaw | Good day |
| Kumusta ka?pending review | Kumustaka? | 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. |
| Maabig akpending review | Nasayaat met | I'm fine |
Courtesy
Thank you, sorry, yes and no.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Salamatpending review | Agyamanak | 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. |
| Dakel ya salamatpending review | Agyamanak unay | 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'. |
| Onpending review | Wen | 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. |
| Andipending review | Haan | 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 lapending review | Pakawanennak | 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. |
Introductions
Names and first meetings.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Anto so ngaran mo?pending review | Ania ti naganmo? | 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. |
| Say ngaran ko…pending review | Ti naganko ket… | My name is… |
| Taga-iner ka?pending review | Taga-anoka? | 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.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ag ko natatalosanpending review | Diak maawatan | I don't understand |
| Anto ya?pending review | Ania daytoy? | What is this? |
| Natatalosan kopending review | Maawatak | I understand |
Numbers
Native numerals one to ten, which diverge sharply between the Luzon and Visayan languages.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Sakeypending review | Maysa | OneCebuano and Waray 'usa' is a false friend of the highest order: in Tagalog 'usa' is a deer. |
| Duarapending review | Dua | Two |
| Talorapending review | Tallo | Three |
| Apatirapending review | Uppat | Four |
| Limarapending 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. |
| Anemirapending review | Innem | Six |
| Pitorapending review | Pito | Seven |
| Walorapending review | Walo | Eight |
| Siamirapending review | Siam | Nine |
| Samplorapending review | Sangapulo | 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. |
| Labinsakeypending review | Sangapulo ket maysa | 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). |
| Labinduarapending review | Sangapulo ket dua | Twelve |
| Duamplopending review | Duapulo | 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. |
| Talomplopending review | Tallopulo | Thirty |
| Limamplopending review | Limapulo | Fifty |
| Sanlasuspending review | Sangagasut | 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. |
| Sanlibopending review | Sangaribu | One thousand |
Question words
Who, what, where and when — the words that differ most and trip up readers most.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Antopending review | Ania | What |
| Siopapending review | Siasino | 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. |
| Inerpending review | Sadino | WhereSeven distinct words. Cebuano 'asa' is a false friend in Tagalog, where it means to hope or depend on someone. |
| Kapiganpending review | Kaano | When |
| Akinpending review | Apay | 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. |
| Pigara?pending review | Mano? | How much? |
| Pigara?pending review | Mano? | 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. |
Time & days
Today, tomorrow, day and night.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Natanpending review | Ita | Today |
| Nabuaspending review | Inton bigat | TomorrowIlocano builds tomorrow out of 'bigat', the word for morning — the same root as in 'Naimbag a bigat'. |
| Agewpending review | Aldaw | 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. |
| Labipending review | Rabii | Night |
| Simbapending review | Lawas | Week |
| Taonpending review | Tawen | Year |
| Lunespending review | Lunes | MondayAll eight took the Spanish weekday names wholesale. Only Sunday diverges — see below. |
| Martespending review | Martes | Tuesday |
| Mierkolespending review | Mierkoles | Wednesday |
| Huebespending review | Huebes | Thursday |
| Biernespending review | Biernes | Friday |
| Sabadopending review | Sabado | Saturday |
| Simbapending review | Domingo | 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'. |
| Kabuasanpending review | Bigat | Morning |
| Oraspending review | Oras | Hour |
Family & people
Relationships and forms of address.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Inapending 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. |
| Amapending review | Ama | Father |
| Nanaypending review | Nanang | Mum |
| Tataypending review | Tatang | Dad |
| Anakpending review | Anak | Child'Anak' is the offspring relationship in all eight; Bikol 'aki' is the exception and is a child in general. |
| Agipending review | Kabsat | SiblingSix unrelated roots. Only Tagalog 'kapatid' and Kapampangan 'kapatad' match, and that is a loan rather than shared inheritance. |
| Baipending review | Apong baket | Grandmother |
| Lakipending review | Apong lakay | GrandfatherPangasinan 'laki' is a grandfather. In Tagalog, Cebuano and most of the rest, 'lalaki' is simply a man — close enough to mislead. |
| Kaaropending review | Gayyem | FriendEight languages, eight unrelated words. Kapampangan 'kaluguran' doubles as a term of affection, which is why 'Kaluguran daka' means 'I love you'. |
| Lakipending review | Lalaki | Man |
| Biipending review | Babai | Woman |
| 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. |
| Ngaranpending review | Nagan | Name |
| Ulitegpending review | Uliteg | Uncle |
| Ikitpending review | Ikit | Aunt |
Food & eating
Meals, ingredients and asking for them.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Belaspending review | Bagas | Rice (uncooked)All eight distinguish uncooked grain from cooked rice with separate words — a distinction English has to spell out. |
| Sirapending review | Ikan | 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 | Meat |
| Manokpending review | Manok | Chicken |
| Baboypending review | Baboy | Pig |
| Iknolpending 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. |
| Pisingpending review | Nateng | Vegetable |
| Manganpending review | Mangan | 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'. |
| Naerasan akpending review | Mabisinak | I'm hungry |
| Masamitpending review | Naimas | DeliciousEight languages, eight unrelated words for the same compliment. If you learn one word from this list, learn the local one for this. |
| Asukalpending review | Asukar | Sugar |
| Sabapending review | Saba | Banana |
| Niyogpending review | Niog | Coconut |
| Manggapending review | Mangga | Mango |
| Maispending review | Mais | Corn |
| Bawangpending review | Bawang | GarlicThe Visayan languages took the Spanish 'ajos'; the Luzon languages kept the native 'bawang'. |
| Sabawpending review | Digo | Soup, broth |
| Masamitpending review | Nasam-it | Sweet |
| Manlutopending review | Agluto | To cook |
| Kutsarapending review | Kutsara | Spoon |
Drinks
Water, coffee and what to order.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Danumpending review | Danum | 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 |
| Oninumpending review | Uminom | To drink |
Market & money
Prices, haggling, paying.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Kuartapending review | Kuarta | MoneyTagalog took 'pera' from Spanish 'perra'; everything north and south of it took 'cuarta' instead. The two are not interchangeable outside Manila. |
| Mablipending review | Nangina | 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. |
| Manaliwpending review | Gumatang | To buyCebuano 'palit' is to buy; in Tagalog 'palit' is to exchange or swap. Same root, opposite ends of a transaction. |
| Tindaanpending review | Tiendaan | Market |
| Pigaray?pending review | Manu daytoy? | How much is this? |
| Manlakopending review | Aglako | To sell |
Directions
Left, right, here, there and how far.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Kawigipending review | Kannigid | 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. |
| Kawananpending review | Kannawan | Right |
| Diapending review | Ditoy | HereHiligaynon 'diri' is 'here'. Waray 'diri' is 'not'. The two languages are neighbours and this pair catches people constantly. |
| Dimanpending review | Idiay | There |
| Arawipending review | Adayo | Far |
| Asinggerpending review | Asideg | Near |
| Onlapending review | Mapan | To go |
| Diretsopending review | Diretso | Straight ahead |
| Tageypending review | Ngato | Up |
| Leksabpending review | Baba | Down |
Health & emergency
The phrases worth knowing before you need them.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Tulong!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 akpending review | Masakitak | I am sick |
| Pulispending review | Pulis | Police |
The body
Head to foot, where several of these languages share nothing at all.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ulopending 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 |
| Limapending review | Ima | 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. |
| Salipending review | Saka | Foot |
| Egespending review | Buksit | Stomach |
| Buekpending review | Buok | Hair |
| Layagpending review | Lapayag | Ear |
| Elengpending review | Agong | Nose |
| Ngipenpending review | Ngipen | Tooth |
| Dalapending review | Daya | BloodIlocano and Kapampangan both say 'daya' for blood — and in Tagalog and Cebuano the same word means cheating. Worth care in any medical setting. |
| Pusopending review | Puso | Heart |
Nature & weather
Sun, rain, sea and mountain.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Agewpending review | Init | SunIlocano 'init' is the sun; Tagalog 'init' is heat. Related idea, different part of speech, and machine translation routinely mixes the two. |
| Bulanpending review | Bulan | MoonSeven of the eight kept 'bulan'; Tagalog alone shifted the l to w. The same word means 'month' in all of them. |
| Bitewenpending review | Bituen | Star |
| Uranpending review | Tudo | RainIlocano is alone here. 'Tudo' shares nothing with the ulan/uran the other seven use. |
| Dayatpending review | Baybay | Sea |
| Palandeypending review | Bantay | 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. |
| Abungpending review | Balay | House |
| Apoypending review | Apuy | FireVisayan 'kalayo' is fire; Tagalog 'kalayo' would be parsed as 'distance'. The Luzon languages all keep apoy/apuy. |
| Ilogpending review | Karayan | RiverWaray and Bikol 'salog' looks close to Tagalog 'ilog' but is a separate root — and in Cebuano 'salog' is a floor. |
| Dalinpending review | Daga | Land, soilSix unrelated roots for the ground under your feet, and Ilocano 'daga' collides head-on with Tagalog, where it means a rat. |
| Kiewpending review | Kayo | Tree |
| Batopending review | Bato | Stone |
| Dagempending review | Angin | Wind |
| Tawenpending review | Langit | SkyPangasinan 'tawen' is the sky; Ilocano 'tawen' is a year. Two Northern Luzon languages, one word, no shared meaning. |
| Yegyegpending review | Ginggined | Earthquake |
| Bagyopending review | Bagyo | Typhoon |
Describing things
Big, small, good, beautiful.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Balegpending review | Dakkel | Big |
| Melagpending review | Bassit | Small |
| Maabigpending review | Nasayaat | Good |
| Maugespending review | Dakes | Bad |
| Marakeppending review | Napintas | BeautifulBikol 'magayon' is the root behind Mayon, the volcano. Waray 'mahusay' means beautiful; in Tagalog the same word means skilled or well-arranged. |
| Ampetangpending review | Napudot | Hot |
| Ambetelpending review | Nalamiis | Cold |
| Maplespending review | Napartak | Fast |
| Balopending review | Baro | New |
| Daanpending review | Daan | Old (of a thing)Ilocano and the Visayan languages use 'daan' for old — the same string Tagalog uses for a road. |
| Masikenpending review | Lakay | 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. |
| Dakelpending review | Adu | Many |
| Daisetpending review | Bassit | Few |
| Andukeypending review | Atiddog | Long |
| Antikeypending review | Ababa | Short |
| Ambelatpending review | Nadagsen | Heavy |
| Malinispending review | Nadalus | Clean |
| Marutakpending review | Narugit | Dirty |
Feelings
Saying how you are, and how you feel about someone.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Inaro ta kapending review | Ay-ayatenka | I love youEight languages and eight completely different verbs. This row alone answers the question of whether Philippine languages are 'dialects of each other'. |
| Maliketpending review | Naragsak | Happy |
| Maermenpending review | Naliday | Sad |
| Naksawanpending review | Nabannog | Tired |
| Pasnokpending review | Nakaunget | Angry |
| Antakotpending review | Mabuteng | Afraid |
Colours
Basic colour terms.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ambalangapending review | Nalabaga | Red |
| Amputipending review | Puraw | White |
| Andeketpending review | Nangisit | BlackKapampangan 'matuling' is black. Tagalog 'matulin' — one letter apart — means fast. |
| Asulpending review | Asul | Blue |
| Duyawpending review | Duyaw | Yellow |
| Berdepending review | Berde | GreenOnly Kapampangan kept a native word. The other seven took the Spanish 'verde' and never replaced it. |
Everyday verbs
The actions that carry most sentences.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Onugippending review | Maturog | To sleep |
| Nengnengpending review | Makita | To see |
| Ibagapending review | Ibaga | To sayIlocano and Pangasinan share 'ibaga' — but in Tagalog 'baga' is an ember, and in Ilocano it is the colour red. |
| Amtapending review | Ammo | To know |
| Labaypending review | Kayat | To wantKapampangan 'buri' is to want or like. In Tagalog 'buri' is a species of palm. |
| Mangiterpending review | Mangted | To give |
| Mankimeypending review | Agtrabaho | To work |
| Manakarpending review | Magna | To walk |
| Mansalitapending review | Agsao | 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. |
| Mansulatpending review | Agsurat | To write |
| Manbasapending review | Agbasa | To read |
Months
The Spanish-derived month names, and where the spellings part company.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | 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. |
| Pebreropending review | Pebrero | February |
| Marsopending review | Marso | March |
| Abrilpending review | Abril | April |
| Mayopending review | Mayo | May |
| Huniopending review | Hunio | June |
| Huliopending review | Hulio | July |
| Agostopending review | Agosto | August |
| Setiembrepending review | Setiembre | September |
| Oktubrepending review | Oktubre | October |
| Nobiembrepending review | Nobiembre | November |
| Disiembrepending review | Disiembre | December |
Getting around
Roads, boats, jeepneys and how to get off one.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Dalanpending review | Dalan | RoadSeven of the eight use 'dalan'. Tagalog's 'daan' is the same root worn down, and Bikol went its own way with 'tinampo'. |
| Balotopending review | Bangka | Boat |
| Lugananpending review | Lugan | Car |
| Onluganpending review | Lumugan | To ride |
| Iner so laen mo?pending review | Papanam? | Where are you going? |
Somewhere to stay
Rooms, doors, keys — a category where almost nothing carries between languages.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Puertapending review | Ruangan | Door |
| Bintanapending review | Tawa | WindowIlocano 'tawa' is a window. In Tagalog it is laughter. |
| Kuartopending review | Kuarto | Room |
Things to buy
Everyday items you might need to ask for.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Kawespending review | Badu | Clothes |
| Sapatospending review | Sapatos | Shoes |
| Sabonpending review | Sabon | Soap |
| Libropending review | Libro | Book |
| Papelpending review | Papel | Paper |
Animals
Everyday creatures, and several of the sharpest false friends on the site.
| Pangasinan | Ilocano | English |
|---|---|---|
| Asopending 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 | Cat |
| Duegpending review | Nuang | CarabaoThe national animal, and three of the eight have their own word for it — Ilocano nuang, Kapampangan damulag, Pangasinan dueg. |
| Kandingpending review | Kalding | Goat |
| Bakapending review | Baka | Cow |
| Kabayopending review | Kabalyo | Horse |
| Ulegpending review | Uleg | SnakeFive unrelated words, and the one worth memorising before you need it. Ilocano and Pangasinan share 'uleg', which is unusual — the two rarely agree. |
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.
- limahigh risk
- In Pangasinan
- A hand. The numeral five is limara.
- In Ilocano
- Five.
The numeral came from the word for hand originally, and Pangasinan is the one language here that kept the older sense alongside the newer one.
- tawen
- In Pangasinan
- The sky.
- In Ilocano
- A year.
Two Northern Luzon languages, one spelling, no shared meaning at all.
How often the machine gets these right
We ran 217 Pangasinan entries from the phrasebook below through the same engine this site uses, and compared each result against the human-written Ilocano. Categories are our own; the comparison ignores punctuation and casing. Neither Pangasinan nor Ilocano 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 Ilocano for 63.6% of 217 phrases. The rest were partly or entirely wrong.
Least reliable
- Courtesy20%
- Getting around20%
- Question words29%
- Family & people40%
- Things to buy40%
Most reliable
- Health & emergency100%
- Months92%
- Animals86%
Sources
- Ilocano phrasebook — Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-07-26.
- 52 Useful Ilocano Words & Phrases to Learn for Travelers — Chill and Travel. Accessed 2026-07-26.
Last updated 2026-08-06. 217 entries are marked “pending review” — carried on general reference and awaiting confirmation from a native speaker.