Tick, tock! It’s time for another lesson—you guessed it, it’s all about telling time in Tagalog. After all, it is an essential part of any language’s vocabulary. Understanding how to tell time is not only a crucial part of basic conversation but also a key tool when navigating daily life, especially if you’re planning to visit the Philippines or a Tagalog-speaking community.
Understanding Tagalog Time Markers
First, it’s important to know that the Philippines follows the 12-hour clock format. So, the hours of the day are divided into two, hence the need for time markers.
An article from ScienceDirect states that time markers are beneficial for binding features into objects, locating events in time, indicating durations of events within frames of conscious perception, and supporting the perception of things happening. Basically, it allows a more specific perception of time.
Let’s enumerate the time markers used by Filipinos to indicate the time of the day:
| Tagalog | English | Time |
|---|---|---|
Hating-gabi | Midnight | 12:00 AM |
Madaling-araw | Early morning | 1:00 – 5:59 AM |
Umaga | Morning | 6:00 – 10:59 AM |
Tanghali | Noon | 11:00 AM – 12:59 PM |
Hapon | Afternoon | 1:00 – 5:59 PM |
Gabi | Evening/Night | 6:00 – 11:59 PM |
To use these time markers, just indicate the time, add “ng”, and then the corresponding time marker.
For example:
- 3:00 ng madaling araw
- 7:00 ng umaga
- 11:30 ng tanghali
- 2:15 ng hapon
- 8:35 ng gabi
Besides these, there are also other time markers that do not have a specific time period attached to them. These are:
| Tagalog | English | Examples |
|---|---|---|
Ngayon | Now Right Now | Aalis si Ana ngayon. Translation: Ana will leave right now |
Mamaya | Later | Kakain ako mamaya. Translation: I will eat later. |
Bukas (BOO-kas) | Tomorrow | Bukas ang lakad natin. Translation: Our trip is tomorrow. |
Kahapon | Yesterday | Kararating ni Erika kahapon. Translation: Erika just arrived yesterday. |
Oras | Time/Hour | Ilang oras ang lumipas bago dumating si Ryan. Translation: Several hours passed before Ryan arrived. |
Minuto | Minute | Bigyan mo ako ng dalawang minuto. Translation: Give me two minutes. |
Segundo | Second | Nakapikit ang mata ni Gwen matapos ang ilang segundo. Translation: Gwen’s eyes closed after a few seconds. |
The Crossroads of Tagalog Time
The next thing is that there are actually two ways to tell time in Tagalog: one is pure Tagalog and the other is Spanish-influenced. Funny enough, the former is seen as formal and is the least used of the two as the Spanish-influenced one is easier.
Let’s first discuss the native Tagalog way of telling time.
Native Tagalog Numbers
- Naturally, the native Tagalog version uses Tagalog numbers. Thus, it is a must to learn how to count in Tagalog first.
- Instead of o’clock, the native Tagalog way uses ika- before the hour. Here’s a table for reference:
| Time | Native Tagalog Version |
|---|---|
1:00 | ika-isa |
2:00 | ika-dalawa |
3:00 | ika-tatlo |
4:00 | ikaapat |
5:00 | ikalima |
6:00 | ika-anim |
7:00 | ika-pito |
8:00 | ika-walo |
9:00 | ika-siyam |
10:00 | ika-sampu |
11:00 | ika-labing-isa |
12:00 | ika-labindalawa |
- What about the minutes? Here’s where it can become a little bit confusing.
- In the native Tagalog way, you first say the minutes, add either “bago” (before) or “makalipas” (after) before the hour, and then indicate the time marker.
- For “bago”, subtract the remaining minutes before the next hour. For “makalipas”, just translate the minutes in Tagalog.
- Here are some examples:
| Time | Tagalog |
|---|---|
9:15 AM | Labinlimang minuto makalipas ang ika-siyam ng umaga |
11:45 AM | Labin-limang minuto bago ang ika-labindalawa ng umaga |
1:25 PM | Dalawampu’t limang minuto makalipas ang ika-isa ng hapon |
8:55 PM | Limang minuto bago ang ika-siyam ng gabi |
The Spanish-Influenced Way
- 333 years of Spanish colonization left a huge mark on the Philippines, especially in the language. Telling time is one of those language aspects that was affected.
- In the Spanish-influenced way, you use Spanish counting and terms like ala or alas.
- Here’s a table for reference:
| Time | Native Tagalog Version |
|---|---|
1:00 | ala-una |
2:00 | alas-dos |
3:00 | alas-tres |
4:00 | alas-kwatro |
5:00 | alas-singko |
6:00 | alas-sais |
7:00 | alas-siyete |
8:00 | alas-otso |
9:00 | alas-nuwebe |
10:00 | alas-diyes |
11:00 | alas-onse |
12:00 | alas-dose |
- Another Spanish-influenced term used to tell time is y medya. This is used to indicate when the current time is half past the current hour.
- For example:
| Time | Tagalog |
|---|---|
8:30 | Alas-otso y medya |
10:30 | Alas-diyes y medya |
4:30 | Alas-quatro y medya |
12:30 | Alas-dose y medya |
- As for the minutes, simply translate the number to its Spanish counterpart and add it after the hour.
- For example:
| Time | Tagalog |
|---|---|
6:46 | Alas-sais kwarenta’y sais |
11:17 | Alas-onse dies y siyete |
3:25 | Alas-tres bente singko |
9:50 | Alas-nuwebe singkuwenta |
Time-Related Sentences
There’s more to telling time than just learning how to translate it. You should also know time-related phrases you may encounter or need to eventually use. Here are some of the common ones along with their polite version:
| Casual Tagalog | Polite Tagalog | English |
|---|---|---|
Anong oras na? | Anong oras na po? | What time is it? |
Anong oras magsisimula ang [event]? | Anong oras po magsisimula ang [event]? | What time will the [event] start? |
May oras ka ba? | May oras ka po ba? | Do you have time? |
Pwede bang hiramin ang oras niyo? | Pwede po bang hiramin ang oras niyo? | May I borrow your time? |
Mag-aalas dose na. | Mag-aalas dose na po. | It’s almost 12:00. |
Alas-tres y medya na. | Alas-tres y medya na po. | It’s already 3:30. |
Ilang oras pa? | Ilang oras pa po? | How much time left? |
Practicing Your Timing
Mastering how to tell time in Tagalog is a crucial step in your journey to fluency. It’s one of those practical skills that will not only help you navigate conversations with ease but also improve your ability to manage day-to-day activities, such as making appointments, coordinating plans, or catching public transport in a Tagalog-speaking environment.
Beyond its practical benefits, learning how to tell time in Tagalog will also deepen your connection with Filipino culture. Time is an integral part of daily life, and understanding the way it’s expressed in a new language can offer insights into cultural nuances and values.
If you’re serious about mastering time-telling and conversational Tagalog, an excellent resource is Turong Wika. Turong Wika is a language-learning app designed to teach you practical, everyday Tagalog, including how to tell time. With interactive lessons and easy-to-use features, it’s perfect for anyone looking to enhance their language skills.
Don’t be afraid to take your time. Scan the code below to download the app now!
Don’t be afraid to take your time. Click on the button below to download the app now!
