Naming Colors in Tagalog: The 3 Best Ways
The world is filled with colors, so why not try to dazzle your Filipino colleagues and friends using the naming colors in Tagalog? In this article, we will walk you through two primary sets of how native Tagalog speakers point out colors. Officially, there is no exact rule when you should use a specific term. In this sense, it would be great if you can learn the traditional Tagalog colors and its updated Filipino counterparts. If you are up for that, then off we go!
Can you imagine living in a place that is only in black and white? Sounds boring, right? Lucky for us, we live in a world wherein vibrant colors exist- from different shades of yellows to crisp oranges and reds, we got it all! In fact, there are millions of colors in the world, and some do not even have their names yet. It is amazing how specific colors even evoke special meanings and emotions. In the Philippines, colors are even used to define specific characteristics.
Let’s take the color of the Philippine flag for example. You see, the color blue represents peace and justice, while red symbolizes valor and patriotism. The triangular white color on the left side reflects equality and liberty.
In the Tagalog language, color is directly translated as “kulay.” Here are some examples of how to use the word appropriately:
*Note: As you can see from the table above, what makes Tagalog a unique language is the fact that the meaning of words can significantly change just by adding a few extra letters.
Naming Colors in the Tagalog language
Since English is also the second widely used language in the country, do not be surprised if you hear Filipinos usually use the English versions of various colors during casual conversations. In fact, the Philippines does not have a huge number of translations for different colors. Instead, we make use of this formula: “Kulay” + the thing commonly associated with that color. Here are some examples:
As you have probably learned from our painless list of Tagalog numbers, most of the Filipino words are heavily infused with Spanish counterparts. In fact, even the common names reflect the influence of Spain in the country. At present, there are three major ways by which you can name a color: the traditional Tagalog translation, the formal Filipino translation, and the Spanish counterparts.
The Philippines is the home of over 111 dialects. The translations from the first column contain the basic Tagalog colors that are taught in schools. In the third column we also have the translations that are recently included in the UP Diksiyonaryong Filipino– a Filipino dictionary, maintained and updated by the top university in the Philippines, which contains the oldest, newest, and colloquial forms of Filipino words.
As of writing, the words from the third column are considered as poetic ways by which you can say the traditional Tagalog colors. Additionally, these words originated from different places in the Philippines. Here are some examples:
Learning basic phrases in the Tagalog language
Which among those is your favorite color in Tagalog? Is it “mabaya,” “kahel,” or “dagtum”? In case you forgot what the translation is, always remember that you can use the basic English words since most of the Filipino natives will still be able to understand you. And honestly, this is what makes the Philippines a good country to visit.
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With your newfound vocabulary in expressing goodbye in Tagalog, you are one step closer to achieving full Tagalog fluency! Remember that the key to learning a language is time, continuous practice, and consistency. With that being said, gain confidence today and master the language by checking out the Ling App.
