From Wikitravel
Ilocano or Iloco (also
Iluko) is the main language of the Northern Philippines. According
to the 2005 Census, there are about 8 million people who speak
Ilocano as a mother tongue (locally called kabakketan a
dildila) and still another 2 million who speak it as a second
language. Although it has no official status in the country, those
who use it often call it the National Language of the
North. From their traditional homeland (the
Ilocandia), Ilocanos have migrated southward, now forming large
communities in Central Luzon, Metropolitan Manila and even in the
main Urban centres of General Santos City and Zamboanga City in
the Island of Mindanao.
There are also a sizable number of Ilocano speakers in the United States,
especially in Hawaii, California, Alaska and Washington, as the Ilocanos were the
first Filipinos to migrate en masse to the US. Speakers of this
language are also found in Canada, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom
and Australia.
Belonging to the Austronesian family of languages, it is related
to all the other languages in the Philippines like the larger Tagalog
and Cebuano. It is also distantly
related to Malagasy, Malay, Tetum, Hawaiian and other Polynesian
languages.
Alagadan or Grammar
Ilocano is an agglutinative language. Meaning, it employs a
number of affixes to signify changes in meaning. If you are having
a hard time looking for a word in the dictionary, try dropping the
following suffixes:
- --ak or -k
- I or my
- --tayo
- we or our
- --mo
- you or your (singular)
- --yo
- you or your (plural)
- --na
- his, her or its
- --da
- their
- --en or -n
- already
Pronunciation guide
Like all its sister languages, Ilocano is fairly easy to
pronounce. And although there are two orthographic systems that are
in common use, the one based on Tagalog is more commonly found in
publications. The general rule is one sound for each
letter. However, the language, like all the
Borneo-Philippine Languages, employ the digraph
ng to represent an initial velar nasal
consonant (the ng in English sing).
Accents are very unpredictable and must be learnt while learning
the new word. Although books about the language will show these
signs, they are often not found in publications like
newspapers.
Vowels
The Ilocano language has either five or six vowels, depending on
what dialect you choose to speak. The language is generally divided
into the Amianan (Northern) and Abagatan (Southern) Dialects. The
only difference however between these two dialects is the way they
pronounce the letter 'E'. In the Abagatan Dialect, only five vowels
are present and they are pronounced as follows:
- a
- open front unrounded vowel IPA [a]; like the
a in
father
- e
- open-mid front unrounded vowel IPA [ɛ]; like the
e in bed
- i
- close front unrounded vowel IPA [i]; like the
ea in beat
- o
- close-mid back rounded vowel IPA [o]; like the
au in
author
- u
- close back rounded vowel IPA [u]; like the
oo in boot
On the other hand, the Amianan Dialect has another vowel for the
symbol 'e'. For the speakers of the Abagatan Dialect, the 'e' that
was given above is used for words of foreign origin (e.g. elepante
from Spanish). For native words, the sound of a close back
unrounded vowel is used. There is no equivalent for this sound in
English so some dictionaries use the IPA symbol for the schwa sign.
But the proper symbol must be:
- e
- close back unrounded vowel IPA [ɯ]; like the
ao in the Scots Gaelic
caol.
Historically, Ilocano has only 3 vowels and this reality is
still evident until today as the sounds of
e and i and
o and u' often
merges.
When the letter i precedes another
letter, its sound will glide resulting to the sound of [j]. This
happens also to the letter u where it
glides into the sound of [w].
Spanish cities such as Vigan were in contact with Spanish,
hence, the additional open-mid front unrounded vowel "e".
Consonants
In modern written Ilocano (based on Tagalog Ortography), there
are 16 symbols for the consonnts but there are more than 16
consonant sounds in the language. Here, we include the other
letters that may likely occur in some prints.
- b
- like the English bed
- c
- like the k in
sky not as in
kite
- d
- like the d in the Japanese
dojo
- f
- (in proper nouns only) like the English
feather
- g
- like the English go
- g
- (in foreign words from Spanish only) like the English
house
- h
- like the English house
- j
- (in foreign words from Spanish only) like the English
house
- k
- like the k in
sky not as in
kite
- l
- like the l in
London
- m
- like the m in
mother
- n
- like the n in
nanny
- p
- like the p in
spot not as in
pot
- qu
- like the k in
sky not as in
kite
- r
- like the r in
right
- r
- (in foreign words from Spanish only) like the
r in rojo
- s
- like the s in
seven
- t
- like the d in the Chinese
Dao De
Jing
- v
- like the English bed
- v
- (in proper nouns only) like the v in
vase
- w
- like the w in
water
- x
- (in proper nouns only) like the x' in
six'
- x
- (in proper nouns only) like the x' in the
Spanish Mexico
- y
- like the y in
yam
- z
- like the s in
seven
- z
- like the z' in
zebra
Some consonants change their sounds when followed by a vowel.
The the following sounds are produced:
- di
- like the j in
jack
- si
- like the sh in
shampoo
- ti
- like the ch in
ch'urch
As mentioned above the digraph ng
represents the sound of the same digraph in
Singer. However, unlike in English, this
sound may be used as initial.
The inital glotal stop is not written. Thus, it appears as if
the word commences with a vowel. When it occurs at the middle of
the word, a hypen (-) is inserted to represent the sound.
Common diphthongs
There are only three commonly used dipthongs in the Ilocano
language. They are as follows:
- ay
- like the i in
high
- iw
- like the iw in
Tiw
- oy
- like the oy in
boy
Other dipthongs are also likely to occur but they are generally
from loaned words. They are usually pronounced as they are
foreign.
- Hello.
- (There is actually no equivalent for this greeting. Instead,
Ilocanos tend to greet in terms of time or by asking
how are you.)
- How are you?
- Kumustak? (also kumustan?)
- Fine, thank you.
- Nasiyaat met, agyamanak!
- What is your name?
- Ania ti naganmo? (often contracted ania't
naganmo?)
- My name is ______ .
- ______ ti naganko. (or more formally although not usually used
Ti naganko ket _____ . Note: Ilocanos tend to simply give
their names.)
- Nice to meet you.
- . ( )
- Please.
- Pangngaasi . ( )
- Thank you.
- Agyamanak. ( )
- You're welcome.
- Awan ti agyaman. (coll. Awan t'agyaman.)
- Take care
- Ag aluad ka
- Yes.
- Wen.
- No.
- Saan. (in the Abagatan Dialect Haan)
- Excuse me. (getting attention)
- Pakawanen-nak. [also Excuse
me. (Ilocanos don't usually use the native term
anymore.)]
- Excuse me. (begging pardon)
- Dispensar.
- I'm sorry.
- Pakawan. (also Dispensar)
- Goodbye
- Agpakadaakon. (also Kastan or kasta pay lit.
Till then.)
- Goodbye (informal)
- Innakon. (lit. I am going. )
- I can't speak name of language.
- Diak nagsasao ti name of the language.
(meaning: The speaker has no
knowledge of the language.)
- I can't speak name of the language well.
- Diak nalaing iti name of the language.
(meaning: The speaker has a knowledge
of the language but not with enough competence.)
- Do you speak English?
- Agsasao ka iti Inggles? ( ?)
- Is there someone here who speaks English?
- Adda kadi tattao nga agsasao ti Inggles?
( ?)
- Help!
- Tulong!
- Look out!
- Agan-nad! (or Agan-nad ka!)
- Good morning.
- Naimbag a bigat.
- Good afternoon
- Naimbag a malem.
- Good evening.
- Naimbag a rabii.
- Good night.
- Naimbag a rabii. (Note: Ilocano has actually no equivalent
words to express this sentence.)
- Good night (to sleep)
- . ( )
- I don't understand.
- Diak maawatan. (also Diak matarusan )
- Where is the toilet?
- Ayan-na ti banio?
- Leave me alone.
- Ibatidak! (or: Ibatinak!)
- Don't touch me.
- Dinak ig-igaman.
- I'll call the police!
- Agayabak ti pulis!
- Stop! Thief!
- Esardeng! Agtatakaw!
- I need your help.
- Masapulko ti tulong mo. (or when talking to many people:
Masapulko ti tulong yo!)
- I am lost.
- Napukawak! (also: Na-iyaw-awan nak!)
- I lost my bag.
- Mapukaw ti bag ko.
- I lost my wallet.
- Mapukaw ti petakak.
- I am sick.
- agsakitak (Note: Filipinos generally equate this sentence with
I have a fever. To say this, it is more
proper to say, ag-gurigurak)
- I met an accident.
- Naaksidente ak!
- I need a doctor.
- Masapulko ti doktor.
Numbers
There exist two names for the numbers in Ilocano. The native
Ilocano and the Spanish names. Generally, Ilocanos use the Spanish
terms if they are talking about time of very large quantities. You
will however see the native terms if you would read literary books.
If you are going on a shopping, prices of small values are given in
this form.
- 0
- awan or sero
- 1
- maysa
- 2
- dua
- 3
- tallo
- 4
- uppat
- 5
- lima
- 6
- innem
- 7
- pito
- 8
- walo
- 9
- siam
- 10
- sangapulo
- 11
- sangapulo ket maysa
- 12
- sangapulo ket dua
- 13
- sangapulo ket tallo
- 14
- sangapulo ket uppat
- 15
- sangapulo ket lima
- 20
- duapulo
- 30
- tallopulo
- 40
- uppat a pulo
- 50
- limapulo
- 60
- innem a pulo
- 70
- pitopulo
- 80
- walo a pulo
- 90
- siam a pulo
- 100
- sangagasut
- 101
- sangagasut ket maysa
- 150
- sangagasut ket limapulo
- 151
- sangagasut ket limapulo ket lima
- 200
- duagasut
- 300
- tallogasut
- 400
- uppatgasut
- 500
- limagasut
- 1000
- sangaribu
- 10000
- sangariwriw
- 100000
- sangabillion
Time
Telling the time is rather complicated in Ilocano. People use a
combination of the Spanish system and the native style of telling
time. However, even the Spanish system has changed that those who
has learnt how to tell time in Spanish may not understant it quite
easily. Here are some phrases:
Clock Time
Ilocanos use the 12hr clock. So, no more to learn Spanish number
beyond that (for time only).
- 0000
- a las dose iti tenggat rabii (may also be:
Maika-sangapulu ket duwa iti tenggat rabii)
- 0100
- a la una iti bigat (also: maika-maysa iti bigat)
- 0200
- a las dos iti bigat (also: maika-dua iti bigat)
- 0300
- a las tres iti bigat (also: maika-tallo iti
bigat)
- 0400
- a las kwatro iti bigat (also: maika-uppat iti
bigat)
- 0500
- a las singko iti bigat (also: maika-lima iti
bigat)
- 0600
- a las sais iti bigat (also: maika-innem iti
bigat)
- 0700
- a las siete iti bigat (also: maika-pito iti
bigat)
- 0800
- a las otso iti bigat (also: maika-walo iti bigat)
- 0900
- a las nuebe iti bigat (also: maika-siam iti
bigat)
- 1000
- a las dies iti bigat (also: maika-sangapulu iti
bigat)
- 1100
- a las onse iti bigat (also: maika-sangapulu ket maysa
iti bigat)
- 1200
- a las dose iti tenggat adlaw(also: maika-sangapulu ket
duwa iti tenggat adlaw)
- 1300
- a la una iti malem(also: maika-maysa iti malem)
- 1400
- a las dos iti malem (also: maika-dua iti malem)
- 1500
- a las tres iti malem (also: maika-tallo iti
malem)
- 1600
- a las kwatro iti malem (also: maika-uppat iti
malem)
- 1700
- a las singko iti malem (also: maika-lima iti
malem)
- 1800
- a las sais iti rabii(also: maika-innem iti rabii)
- 1900
- a las siete iti rabii (also: maika-pito iti
rabii)
- 2000
- a las otso iti rabii (also: maika-walo iti rabii)
- 2100
- a las nuebe iti rabii (also: maika-siam iti
rabii)
- 2200
- a las dies iti rabii (also: maika-sangapulu iti
rabii)
- 2300
- a las onse iti rabii (also: maika-sangapulu ket maysa
iti rabii)
To say half-past an hour or a quarter of an hour, we may use the
Spanish system or:
- Half-past one
- Maika-maysa ket kagadua
- Quarter past one
- Maika-maysa ket sangapulu key lima
- now
- ita
- later
- madamdama
- before
- sakbay
- after
- kalpasan
- morning
- bigat
- this morning
- ita bigat
- noon
- tenggaat adlaw
- afternoon
- malem
- evening
- rabii
- night
- rabii
- today
- ita nga adlaw
- yesterday
- idi kalman
- the day before yesterday
- idi sakbay kalman
- tomorrow
- inton bigat
- the day after tomorrow
- sumaruno a bigat
- this week
- ita lawas
- next week
- sakbay a lawas
- seconds
- segundo
- minutes
- minuto
- hours
- oras
- day
- aldaw
- week
- lawas
- month
- bulan
- year
- tawen
Days
Days of the Week (Adlaw iti Lawas) follow their corresponding
Spanish counterparts:
- Domingo
- Sunday
- Lunes
- Monday
- Martes
- Tuesday
- Mierkoles
- Wednesday
- Juebes
- Thursday
- Biernes
- Friday
- Sabado
- Saturday
Months
Months of the year (dagiti Bulan iti Tawen) follows the names of
their Spanish counterparts:
- January
- Enero
- February
- Febrero
- March
- Marso
- April
- Abril
- May
- Mayo
- June
- Junio
- July
- Julio
- August
- Agosto
- September
- Setiembre
- October
- Octubre
- November
- Noviembre
- December
- Disiembre
Writing time and date
Once we have leart how to say time and date, writting them is
very simple. In writing the date, one genreally gives the day
first, followed by the month and the year. If we have to indicate
the time, it follows ifter the date.
- 07 March 1983 at 2245
- Maika-pito iti Marso 1983 iti maika-sangapulu ket uppat a pulu
ket lima iti rabii.
- blue
- asul
- red
- baga (or as an adj. nalabaga or
nalabbasit)
- yellow
- duyaw
- green
- berde (or more poetically nalangto)
- orange
- kahel (or simple orange)
- violet
- violet
- black
- ngisit
- white
- pudaw
- brown
- kayumanggi
- grey
- dapo
Note: As adjectives may be places at
either sides of the noun, one must not forget the ligature
nga (if the next word begins with a
vowel) or a (if the next word begins with
a consonant) to establish the connection.
Sample: yellow dress may be rendered
as bado a duyaw or duyaw a
bado.
Transportation
Like the rest of the Philippines, busses and taxis are not the
primary mode of transportation in Ilocandia (i.e.
the Northern Philippines). For short distances, the tricycles
remain to be the most available form of transportation. For average
distance travels, the modified Filipino jeep will be the best way
to navigate the area. Indeed, these jeepneys dominate the streets
of the Philippines that they are often called The King
of the Streets throughout the archipelago. Busses and
trains are only used for very long distances.
- How much is the fare to name of the place?
- Manu ti plete inggana idiay name of the place?
(Literally: How much to the name of the place.)
- How many people can take a ride?
- Manu nga tao ti mabalin nga sumakay?
- Stop!
- Para! (This is used only for modes of transportation and never
for people.)
- How much is the ticket for name of the
place?
- Manu ti ticket nga mapan didiay idiay name of the
place?
- I'll take one ticket.
- Maysa nga ticket ti alaek , Mangalanak ti maysa nga ticket
- Where does this bus/ train go to?
- Papanan 'toy bus/ tren? (Note: Busses in the Philippines tend
to have signboards so you won't be needing to ask this question
frequently.)
- Does this bus/ train stop at name of the
place?
- Agsardeng kadi 'toy bus/ tren idiay name of the
place?
- What time does this bus/ train leaves?
- Kaano nga pumanaw 'toy bus/ tren? (also: Anya ti oras nga
pumanaw 'toy bus/ tren? lit. What time
does this bus/ train leave?)
- What time does this bus/ train arrive at name of the
place?
- Kaano nga sumangpet 'toy bus/ tren idiay name of the
place? (also: Ania ti oras nga
sumangpet 'toy bus/ tren idiay name of the place?)
- Excuse me sir, how do I go to name of the
place?
- Excuse me Manong, kasano ti mapan idiay name of the
place?
- _____ bus station
- _____ estasyon ti bus
- _____ airport
- _____ airport
- _____ market
- _____ palengke
- _____ town proper
- _____ ili
- _____ American (Australian, British, Canadian)
Consulate
- Konsulado ti Amerika (Australia, Britania, Canada)
[note: There is actually no Embassy or
Consulate in the Ilocandia as almost all of them are in Manila.]
- Where are there many _____?
- Ayanna nga lugar ti adu ti _____?
- _____ hotels
- _____ hotel
- _____ restaurants
- _____ restaurant (note: When visitng
the Philippines, a foreigner might want to eat at the Philippine
cafetiria called carinderia.)
- _____ bars
- _____ bar
- _____ sights to see
- _____ mabuya
- Can you show me in the map?
- Mabalin nga pakitam kaniak ayanna idiay mapa?
- street
- kalye (also dalan)
- You turn left.
- Kumannigidka.
- You turn right.
- Kumannawka.
- You go straight ahead.
- Lumintegka.
- Near the name of the place
- Asideg iti name of the place
- Before the name of the place
- Sakbay iti name of the place
- After the name of the place
- Kalpasan iti name of the place
- Intersection
- Rotonda
- North
- Amianan
- East
- Daya
- South
- Abagatan
- West
- Laud
- North-West
- Amianan nga Laud
- North-East
- Amianan nga Daya
- South-West
- Abagatan nga Laud
- South-East
- Abagatan nga Daya
- D you an available room?
- Adda pay ti kwartoyo?
- How much is a single room?
- Manu ti kwarto para iti maysa a tao?
- How much is a room for two/ three people?
- Manu ti kwarto para kadagiti dua/ tallo nga tattao?
- Is a __________ included in the room?
- Adda ti __________ idiay kwarto?
- blanket
- ules
- bathroom
- banio
- telephone
- telepono
- television
- telebisyon (or simply TV)
- May I see the room?
- Mabalin nga makitak ti kwarto?
- Have you any room that is more quiet?
- Adda ti kwartoyo nga naul-ulimek?
- bigger
- dakdakkel
- cleaner
- nadaldalus
- cheaper
- nalaklaka
- I'll stay for one/ two nights.
- Agyanak ti maysa/ dua anga rabii.
- Can you suggest another place?
- Adda ti sabali a lugar?
- Do you have a safe?
- Adda ti safeboxkayo?
- Do you have a locker?
- Adda ti lockerkayo?
- Please clean my room.
- Pakidalus man toy kwartok.
- Can you wake me up at time?
- Mabalin nga riingemak inton time?
- I am going to check out.
- Ag-check-outnak.
- Do you accept American Dollars?
- Ag-alakayo ti Dolar nga Amerikano?
- How much is a dollar here?
- Manu ti maysa a dolar daytoy?
- Do you accept credit cards?
- Ag-alakayo ti credit card?
- Is there an ATM here?
- Adda ti ATM daytoy?
- A table for one/ two person, please.
- Maysa a mesa para maysa/ dua a tao, please.
- Can I see the menu?
- Mabalin a makitak ti menu?
- What is the your specialty?
- Ania ti specialty-yo?
- I am vegetarian.
- Vegetarianak.
- I don't eat pork.
- Diak mangan ti baboy.
- I don't eat beef.
- Diak mangan ti baka.
- chicken
- manok
- pork
- baboy
- beef
- baka
- fish
- ikan (or sida)
- ham
- ham
- sausage
- longganisa
- cheese
- keso
- egg
- itlog
- salad
- salad
- vegetables
- nateng
- fruits
- prutas
- bread
- pan
- noodles
- pancit (if there is broth soup mami)
- rice
- kanen
- May I have a glass of water please.
- Maysa a baso ti danom. Please.
- Have you wine/liqueur?
- Adda ti arakyo?
- One/ Two bottle/s of beer, please.
- Maysa/ Dua a bote ti beer, please.
- Water
- Danom
- Food
- Tarangen
- Coffee
- Kape
- Milk
- Gatas
- Chocolate
- Tsokolate
- Another one, please.
- Maysa pay, please.
- What time do you close?
- Ania ti oras nga agrikepkayo?
- Do you have something bigger/ smaller?
- Adda dakdakkel/ basbassit?
- Expensive
- nangina
- Cheap
- nalaka
- I don't wan't it.
- Diak kayat.
- I'll take it.
- Alaekon.
- I need _____ .
- Masapulko ti _____.
- toothpaste
- toothpaste
- toothbrush
- sepilyo
- condom
- kondom
- sanitary napkin
- napkin
- soap
- sabon
- shampoo
- siampo
- razor
- labahas
- umbrella
- payong
- post card
- post card
- stamps
- selyo para iti surat
- battery
- bateria
- paper
- papel
- pen
- bolpen
- English Book
- libro nga Inggles
- English Magazine
- Magasine nga Inggles
- English Newspaper
- Diario nga Inggles
- English-Ilocano Dictionary
- Diksyonario nga Inggles
- I want to rent a car.
- Kayatko nga agrenta ti kotse.
- Can I get an insurance?
- Mabalin nga ag-ala-ak ti insurance?
- Stop!
- Sardeng!
- gasoline
- gasolina
Note: As Ilocano enjoys no official
status in the Philippines, no street sign is written in the
language. Street signs and even public notices are posted in
English.
- What's the problem, Sir?
- Ania ti problema, Manong?
- Where are you taking me?
- Ayanna ti pangipanam kaniak?
- I am an American Citizen.
- Amerkanoak.
- I need a lawyer.
- Masapul ko ti abugado.
- Can I pay the fine here?
- Mabalin nga agbayadak ti multa daytoy?
- President
- Presidente
- Vice-President
- Vice Presidente
- Secretary of the Cabinet
- Secretario ti Gabinete
- Senator
- Senador
- Representative
- Diputado
- Judge
- Huwes
- Police
- Pulis
- Soldier
- Soldado
- How do I say English Word in Ilocano?
- Kasano sabien ti English Word iti Ilocano?
- What
- Ania
- Who
- Asino
- Where
- Ayanna
- When
- Kaano
- Why
- Apay
- How
- Kasaso (used when you expect an adverb manner as an
answer)
- How much?
- Manu
- How many?
- Manu
- How long?
- Kasatno kabayag?
- How big?
- Kasatno kadakkel?
Wikis
Search
