10 08

6 Top Major Used Languages in the Philippines

It’s fun to travel and it feels like “a local” when you really can talk the language in that particular place. One time when went to Albay for Mayon volcano and nearby tourist spots, we conversed with the local vendor as if we were from that town. Feels like they won’t misguide you since they can’t talk any that you can’t understand even if you’re coming from different place in the country. What more, we’ve got discounts! The only thing is that, we just learned common ones! 🙂 🙂

Multiple dialects in one country

Most of the countries have dozens or even hundreds of local dialects depending on how big or small and the number of population. Philippines which consists of over 7,000 islands is a host of around 170 languages. The reason why we have the national language the “Filipino” which is mostly derived from “Tagalog”.

Top Common Local Dialects in the Philippines

Out of the 170 languages, here are the most commonly used ones.

Tagalog

Tagalog is the language that can generally be spoken and understood around almost every part of the country. It’s the national language as mentioned above. Mainly spoken in Manila area and neighboring provinces like Batangas, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Cavite, etc.

Bisaya or Visayan

Bisaya is the second most spoken native language of Philippines. Majorly articulated in Cebu and other areas like Butuan, Northern Mindanao, Davao, General Santos and Cagayan de Oro. It is generally interchanged with “Cebuano language” which for wider sense outside of Cebu, it is called Bisaya.

Ilocano

Ilocano or Ilokano is a blend of several other languages from different countries like Indonesia, Hawaiian, Malay, Tahitian, Samoan and Chamorro of Guam. Mostly used in the Northern part of the country in Ilocos area, Ilocano is the third most spoken language in the Philippines

Waray-Waray

Waray is the next on the list of most spoken regional language of the Philippines. It is broadly oral in provinces in Eastern Visayas, Eastern and Northern Samar, Biliran, etc.

Hiligaynon

Also known as Ilonggo, Hiligaynon is articulated in Iloilo, Bacolod, Panay Islands, Antique, North & South Cotabato in Mindanao and Aklan. This language is marked by its sweet intonation.

Kapampangan

Pampangan or Kapampangan is spoken in the province of Pampanga, Southern Tarlac and Central Luzon, Bataan, etc. Kapampangan is one of the major languages of the Philippines that is taught formally in schools and universities.

 

It’s really fun to learn these local languages. It will let you roam over the country as if you’re a local, since most of the places used these top 6 local dialects.

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