Tagalog Absolute Beginner Lesson 4 – Numbers and Time Expressions
Category : Beginner Lessons
Filipino primary schools teach children to count in Filipino and English. As a result of 373 years of Spanish colonization (1521 – 1898) over the Philippines, Spanish derived numbers are used commonly by most of the Filipino population.
4.1 Numbers
Besides counting with Tagalog numbers, Filipinos often use Spanish-derived numbers for telling time and one’s age. Often they provide a faster and simpler way to speak.
For example:
labindalawa (syllables: 5)
twelve
dose (syllables: 2)
twelve (Spanish derived)
| Tagalog | Spanish derived |
isa one | uno one |
dalawa two | dos two |
tatlo three | tres three |
apat four | kuatro four |
lima five | sinko five |
anim six | seis six |
pito seven | siete seven |
walo eight | ocho eight |
siyam nine | nueve nine |
sampu ten | diez ten |
4.2 Numbers in phrases
To express a specific number of an object, add ‘ng’ to the number words that end in vowels and add ‘na’ to the number words that end in consonants.
For example:
pito(ng) isda
seven fish
isang bata
one child
anim na sapatos
six shoes
siyam na libro
seven books
4.3 Time expressions
ngayon
now
bukas
tomorrow
kahapon
yesterday
mamaya
later
umaga
morning
tanghali
noon
hapon
afternoon
gabi
night
hatinggabi
midnight
mamayang umaga
later this morning
mamayang hapon
later this afternoon
mamayang gabi
later tonight
Anong oras?
What time?
Anong oras na?
What time is it?
Anong oras na ngayon?
What time is it now?
Hanggang kailan?
Until when?
