Try saying this phrase three times: “pitumpo’t pitong puting pating.” Quite the alliteration, isn’t it? Well, that is an example of a Tagalog tongue twister.
A tongue twister is a word, sentence, or phrase that is made to be difficult to say. These are designed to feature several combinations of sounds, syllables, and phonetic patterns that test the limits of verbal agility and precision.
It’s also usually repeated a number of times to increase the difficulty. By repeating these multiple times, speakers are challenged to repeat the sounds with increasing speed and accuracy. This pushes the boundaries of their verbal capabilities in the process.
Before diving into the Tagalog tongue twisters, let’s first discuss its cognitive benefits.
Cognitive Benefits of Tongue Twisters
You might think that tongue twisters are usually used just for fun, but they also benefit our brains in several ways. Here are just some of them:
1. Speech Therapy
- Unsurprisingly, tongue twisters can be beneficial for those with speech-sound disorders or speech errors. Its alliterative nature corresponds to common errors such as W for R, W for L, and S for Sh.
2. Speech Practice
- Just like how singers do vocal exercises before performing, tongue twisters are excellent for sharpening your pronunciation skills. Whether for a performance or daily use, practicing your speech is always the way to go.
3. Language Learning Tool
- For language learners, tongue twisters are invaluable tools for honing phonetic awareness and mastering pronunciation. By practicing these regularly, learners can improve their articulation, rhythm, and intonation, leading to clearer and more confident speech.
- Additionally, tongue twisters offer a memorable and enjoyable way to reinforce vocabulary and grammar concepts.
Tagalog Tongue Twisters to Try
Now that you know some additional facts about tongue twisters, it’s time to put your tongue to the test. Let’s take a look at these Tagalog tongue twisters along with their English translation:
Word Tagalog Tongue Twister
| Tagalog | English |
|---|---|
|
nakakapagpabagabag |
unsettling |
|
siopao, siomai, suman |
hot bun, dumpling, rice cake |
|
Pasko, paksiw, Pasko, paksiw
|
Christmas, paksiw (a Filipino dish), Christmas, paksiw |
|
takbo, tatlo, takong |
run, three, heel
|
|
nagkakabalakubak, nagbabakbakan
|
having dandruff, fighting
|
Phrase Tagalog Tongue Twister
| Tagalog | English |
|---|---|
|
pitumpo’t pitong puting pating |
seventy-seven white sharks |
|
sampung sirang saranggola |
ten destroyed kites |
|
pitumpo’t pitong butong puting patani |
seventy-seven white lima bean seeds |
|
nawawalang walong walis |
eight missing brooms |
|
mantika’t mantikilya |
cooking oil and margarine |
Sentence Tagalog Tongue Twister
| Tagalog | English |
|---|---|
|
Minikaniko ni Moniko ang makina ni Monika. |
Moniko is repairing Monika’s engine. |
|
Sinusi ni Susan ang sisidlan ng sisiw. |
Susan locked the chicks’ cage. |
|
Ang relo ni Leroy ay Rolex. |
Leroy’s watch is a Rolex. |
|
Binabantayan ang bahay ng baboy. |
The pig pen is being guarded. |
|
Nakakalungkot nang naputol ang aking tungkod. |
It was sad when my cane broke. |
|
Nilinisan ni Lily ang ilalim ng lamesa. |
Lily cleaned the under the table. |
|
Bumili ako ng bituka ng butiki sa botika. |
I bought lizard guts at the drug store. |
|
Kakaba-kaba ka ba? |
Do you get nervous easily? |
|
Palakang Kabkab, kumakalabukab, kaka-kalabukab pa lamang, kumakalabukab na naman. |
A Kabkab frog, croaking, just finished croaking, but now it’s croaking again.
|
|
Sinisisi ni Sisa si Nissi. |
Sisi is blaming Nissi. |
A Twist in Teaching Tagalog
How did you do with the challenging words in Tagalog? Were you successful in saying the tongue twisters? If yes, then give yourself a pat on the back. If not, you can always try again.
A Tagalog tongue twister stands out as a vibrant expressions of Filipino culture and linguistic creativity. From playful phrases to their rhythmic repetitions, these linguistic gems offer a delightful journey into the heart of the Filipino language.
If you’re trying to learn Tagalog, integrating tongue twisters into your learning routine can be an excellent strategy. It can help refine your pronunciation and your knowledge of the language’s word structure.
Tongue twisters also offer a dynamic and enjoyable method to supplement your Tagalog studies. This can provide a refreshing change of pace outside of the usual memorization and other traditional teaching methods.
Do you know what else would be the best partner in learning Tagalog? Turong Wika!
Turong Wika is an interactive app that teaches conversational Tagalog. In addition to teaching vocabulary, it dives deep into the intricacies of sentence structures and what to say in varying scenarios.
Besides the main feature, it also has a Practice feature that allows you to test your current Tagalog skills. You can choose how many items you want to answer from five to 25. It’s a great way to ingrain the Tagalog concepts you’ve previously learned.
Twist up the way you learn Tagalog. Scan the code below to download the app now!
Twist up the way you learn Tagalog. Click on the button below to download the app now!
