13 Tagalog Grammar.pdf

Galo B. Ocampo

Tagalog Sounds

Introduction

MAGTANIM AY DI BIRO

Magtanim ay di biro

Maghapong nakayuko

Di naman makatayo

Di naman makaupo

Halina, halina mga kaliyag

Tayo'y magsipag-unat-unat

Magpanibago tayo ng lakas

Para sa araw ng bukas

TAGALOG has 16 consonant sounds, 5 vowel sounds, and 5 diphthongs. Syllable stress is used

to distinguish between words that are otherwise similar. With the exception of the glottal stop

( ' ), all of the sounds are represented by letters in writing. TAGALOG is a highly phonetic

language. Generally, words are spelled as they are pronounced.

Consonant

The Tagalog consonants are b , d , k , g , h , l , m , n , ng , p , ( ' ) , r , s , t ,

w , and y . Ng represents the velar nasal, and the apostrophe ( ' ) represents the glottal stop. The

charts below show the articulatory description of the consonant sounds

Sounds/Positions

Labial Dental Palatal Velar Glottal

Stops, voiceless

t -- k

Stops, voiced

d -- g --

Fricatives, voiceless

-- -- s -- h

Nasals, voiced

n -- ng --

Lateral, voiced

l -- -- --

Flap, voiced

-- r -- -- --

Semi-vowels, voiced

w -- y -- --

Click on the audio icon to listen to the consonant sounds in the following pairs of words:

p / b

lapis

(pencil)

labis (too much)

t / d

kutkot

(scratch) kudkod (scrape)

k / g

titik

(letter)

titig

(stare)

k / '

balik

(return)

bali'

(broken)

h / '

hipon

(shrimp)

'ipon

(save)

s / h

sipag (diligence) hipag

(sister-in-

law)

m / n

masa

(masses)

nasa

(desire)

n / ng

nayon

(town)

ngayon

(now)

n / l

nayon

(town)

layon (purpose)

d / r

dilis (kind of fish) rilis

(railroad)

l / r

balat

(skin)

barat

(stingy)

w / y

wari'

(seems)

yari'

(finish)

The Glottal Stop

The glottal stop is produced when the glottis (the opening between the vocal chords) is tightly

closed, stopping the air coming from the lungs. It contrasts with other consonants in Tagalog as

shown by the following examples (click on the audio icons to listen):

bata

(bathrobe)

bata'

(child)

batay

(based on something)

baga

(ember)

baga'

(lungs)

bagay

(object)

The glottal stop is generally not indicated in conventional spelling. Words beginning with a

vowel in written form, when pronounced in isolation, actually begin with the glottal stop. A

sequence of vowels actually has the glottal intervening between them, as in aalis ['a'alis] "will

go." When the stop occurs between a consonant and a vowel, conventional spelling represents

it with a hyphen, as in nag-aaral [nag'a'aral] "studying."

The Consonant Ng

Ng occurs in word-initial, -medial, and -final positions. English also has the consonant ng , but it

only occurs at the end of words like sing and ring . On the other hand, in Tagalog ng can occur

at the beginning, middle, or end of a word. Because English speakers are only accustomed to ng

in the word-final position, they may have difficulty pronouncing ng when it occurs at the

beginning or middle of a word. Click on the audio icons to listen to the following examples:

word-initial

word-medial

word-final

ngayon

(now)

langit

(heaven)

magaling

(good)

ngiti

(smile)

hangin

(air)

singsing

(ring)

ngipin

(tooth)

bangin

(cliff)

kinang

(sparkle)

P, T, and K

These consonants are never aspirated in Tagalog, even in word-initial position. Click on the

audio icons to listen to the following examples:

Sounds

word-initial

word-medial

word-final

ulap

(clouds)

lapis

(pencil)

palay

(rice)

guhit

(draw)

bata'

(child)

tatay

(father)

balik

(return)

bakal

(iron)

kamay

(hand)

The Consonant R

This sound in Tagalog is a tap. It is produced with the tip of the tongue slightly tapping the

alveolar ridge (the area above the teeth or the gum ridge). Click on the audio icons to listen to

the following examples:

word-initial

word-medial

word-final

rito

(here)

aral

(to study)

lugar

(place)

roon

(there)

pera

(money)

andar

(to run)

riles

(railway)

pero

(but)

altar

(altar)

The Consonant L

This sound in Tagalog is produced with the tongue flat from the tip to the back with the tip

touching the back of the upper teeth. Click on the audio icons to listen to the following

examples:

word-initial

word-medial

word-final

langit

(heaven)

alay

(offering)

bukal

(spring)

lupa

(earth)

kaluluwa

(soul)

sanggol

(baby)

limot

(forget)

balot

(to wrap)

butil

(grain)

T, D, N, and S

These sounds in Tagalog are produced with the tongue tip at the back of the upper teeth. Click

on the audio icons to listen to the following examples:

Sounds

word-initial word-medial

word-final

tayo

(we)

atay

(liver)

apat

(four)

dahon

(leaf)

duda

(doubt)

tulad

(similar)

nayon

(village)

sana

(hoping)

saan

(where)

sulat

(letter)

asin

(salt)

landas

(path)

Other Tagalog Consonants

The consonants h, b, g, m, y, and w are similar to the corresponding sounds in English. Click

on the audio icons to listen to the following examples:

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