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Learn Tagalog

Learn Tagalog verbs, markers and politeness, then speak with Filipinos.

Free to start. Built from a single prompt. No credit card.

Tagalog is the basis of Filipino, the national language of the Philippines, and is written in the Latin alphabet with mostly phonetic spelling. It borrows heavily from Spanish and English, so words like kotse (car) and kompyuter look familiar, and everyday speech often mixes in English, a style known as Taglish. Its grammar is unusual: sentences often start with the verb, markers like ang, ng and sa show each word role, and verbs change focus with affixes and infixes such as -um- and -in-. Respect is shown with po and opo. Learnr builds a personalized Tagalog course from a single prompt and teaches it in short lessons.

How to learn Tagalog, step by step

Learn the sounds and stress. Tagalog spelling is mostly phonetic, but stress and the glottal stop can change meaning, and they are usually not written. Learn words from audio, and note that ng is one sound, also used at the start of words like ngayon (now).
Learn the case markers. Ang marks the focus of the sentence, ng marks other participants and sa marks location or direction. For names, use si, ni and kay. These little words carry much of the grammar.
Learn verbs by aspect, not tense. Tagalog verbs show whether an action is completed, ongoing or not yet started: kumain (ate), kumakain (is eating) and kakain (will eat). Notice the infix -um- and the repeated first syllable.
Understand verb focus. Actor focus verbs (-um-, mag-) highlight who does the action, while object focus verbs (-in, i-) highlight what is acted on: Kumain ako ng mangga versus Kinain ko ang mangga. Practice switching between them.
Use linkers and word order. Linkers connect adjectives and nouns: magandang bahay (beautiful house) uses -ng, and mabait na bata uses na. Sentences usually start with the predicate, so practice putting the verb or description first.
Speak politely and practice daily. Add po and opo when speaking with elders or strangers. Short daily Learnr lessons build the core grammar, while Filipino shows, music and conversations help you follow natural Taglish.

What you'll learn

Pronounce Tagalog, including the glottal stop and stress patterns
Use the markers ang, ng and sa, and si, ni and kay for names
Conjugate actor-focus verbs with -um- and mag-
Express completed, ongoing and future actions
Speak politely with po and opo in everyday conversations

What's inside your Tagalog course

A sample path Learnr builds for Tagalog. Your real course adapts to your goal and level.

1. Sounds, stress and greetings
2. Pronouns, markers and simple sentences
3. Actor focus verbs with -um- and mag-
4. Aspect: completed, ongoing and contemplated
5. Object focus verbs and linkers
6. Politeness, Taglish and real conversation

How long does it take to learn Tagalog?

Familiar Spanish and English loanwords help, so simple conversations often come within 6 to 12 months of regular study. The verb focus system takes longer to use fluently, often a couple of years of regular speaking practice.

What you need before you start

None beyond English. Some Spanish helps with vocabulary, and the Latin alphabet means there is no new script to learn.

Common mistakes to avoid

Ignoring verb focus and using only actor focus forms, which makes your sentences sound unnatural and sometimes changes meaning.
Leaving out po and opo with elders, which can come across as disrespectful in Filipino culture.
Studying only formal Tagalog and then struggling with everyday Taglish, where English words mix freely into sentences.

How Learnr builds your course

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Tagalog questions, answered

What is the difference between Tagalog and Filipino?

Filipino is the national language of the Philippines and is based on Tagalog, with additional vocabulary from English, Spanish and other Philippine languages. In everyday use, the two are largely the same.

Does Tagalog have its own script?

Tagalog is written today in the Latin alphabet. A historical script called Baybayin was used before Spanish colonization and is sometimes seen in art and cultural settings.