The Philippines has a lot to offer to visitors from wonderful beaches to the scenery, and nightlife. Some visitors wonder if the terms Filipino and Tagalog are the same. Most people will have come across the term Filipino in identifying people from the Philippines but not really Tagalog. So, are Filipino and Tagalog the same?
Filipino is often used to call people who are from the Philippines, but it can also refer to the Filipino language. Tagalog is a regional language with about a quarter of the population that speaks use it. Tagalog was standardized and this was officially named the Filipino language. Where the Filipino language was made the national language of the Philippines, along with English.
In this post, we will go through if Filipino and Tagalog are the same. Let’s get started!
Learn More On The Philippines
- Do They Eat Rats In The Philippines?
- Do The Philippines Speak Spanish?
- Can You Flush Toilet Paper In The Philippines?
- Is There Tipping In The Philippines?
- Can A Foreigner Drive A Scooter In The Philippines?
- Can You Go Surfing In Boracay?
Are Filipino And Tagalog The Same?
While Filipino is the noun used to call people from the Philippines, it can also refer to the Filipino language. There are around 180 languages in the Philippines, with Tagalog being one. It is a regional language with about a quarter of the population speaking it.
Tagalog was standardized and was officially named Filipino. Today, Filipino is the national language of the Philippines, along with English. Back in 1987, the constitution selected Filipino which is a standardized version of Tagalog, as the national language.
Tagalog is also spoken as a second language in the Philippines by the rest of the population.
Do Filipinos Speak English Well?
Yes, English is part of the curricula in the schools in the Philippines, So many Filipinos can write and speak English at a good level.
Do The Philippines Speak Spanish?
Not many in the Philippines speak Spanish but there are around half a million Spanish speakers in the Philippines. Which is about 0.45% of the population. Filipino and English are the main languages used in the country.
Not everyone in the Philippines can speak English especially outside of the main cities and tourist spots.
Is It Safe To Drink The Tap Water?
No, it is NOT advised to drink tap water in the Philippines this is due to the lack of infrastructure needed to clean and make the water drinkable. Also, the water has been polluted with contaminants, agricultural waste, domestic waste, bacteria, viruses, and pathogens in the water.
You should only drink bottled water.
Is The Philippines Expensive To Visit?
Generally speaking, the Philippines is a cheap travel destination. Getting to the Philippines can be expensive but hotels, activities, and transport are cheaper than in most other countries in Southeast Asia.
Is The Philippines Dangerous To Visit?
The Philippines is a safe place to visit as long as travelers use common sense. There are certain basic rules that travelers should follow to stay safe such as not wandering into non-touristy at night-time, especially if alone. Crimes against visitors to the Philippines do happen.
In saying that you do need to local if there are any travel warnings to the Philippines. There are issues with terrorist groups and criminals in certain areas of the Philippines mainly on the second-largest island of Mindanao. You also need to listen for warnings on if there are any typhoons going to hit the Philippines.
USEFUL TRAVEL RESOURCES
Book Accommodation
Booking.com has a large range of properties from hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts where you will find the best deals. Airbnb and Hostelworld also have a good range of places to stay at good prices.
Booking Flight
Skyscanner is a flight search comparison website that searches millions of flights all at once. Ultimately it is the best flight comparison website online at the moment.
Booking Transportation & Things To Do
Rome2rio and 12Go are useful to plan how to get anywhere by searching train, bus, car, and ferry routes. Especially useful in countries like Vietnam or Thailand. While Klook is great for exploring things to do in each place.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is cheap and more than likely you will never need to use it but you will have peace of mind if something does happen, you are covered in case of an emergency. World Nomads have great customer service and competitive prices.
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use when you travel.
Wrapping Up
Finally, Tagalog is a regional language with about a quarter of the population that speaks use it. Tagalog was standardized and this was officially named the Filipino language. Where the Filipino language was made the national language of the Philippines, along with English.
And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on if Filipino and Tagalog are the same has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.
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