Tagalog language, Filipino, Philippines, Pilipino
I know, I know, this is a uncalled for – a totally unrelated post. But wait, this post will serve two purposes – one for the the reader and one for the blogger. You, being the reader, will most probably find what you are looking for here.
Learn to speak the Tagalog language
I, the blogger, am Filipino. I speak Tagalog everyday. You, the reader, are a foreigner, who most probably will set foot in the Philippines soon. For a business trip perhaps, for vacation, maybe you don’t even give a rat’s ass about the Philippines, or maybe you are a Filipino, born and raised in a foreign country. Let me just say that Tagalog is a fairly easy language to learn, based in Spanish and English, it is though, a dialect of dialects. Filipino like that which pertains to a citizen of the Philippines, is also what we call our national language.
I’m sure you’ve come across those Learn to speak Tagalog websites all over the internet. Let me just say that most of the sites you would encounter on a “speak Tagalog” search query will land you on a site selling a Tagalog-learning software. Whether you like it or not, nothing comes free nowadays, so be ready to shell out some money if you’re really serious about learning Tagalog. In this post, we’ll try to cover all bases and options.
So seriously though, experience is the best teacher, hang around the streets of Manila and you’ll be speaking Tagalog in no time. We, the Filipinos, speak English very well. It is rather rare to come across someone who does not understand English. But, of course you probably already knew that.
Now let’s go over learning Tagalog via purchasing a software learning course. Here’s where the beauty of the internet comes in. No more going through language classes as if you were back to school. One world renowned language learning software is the one made by RosettaStone (www.rosettastone.com). It is quite pricey starting at $109.95, but there are two levels of proficiency. Then, there is the all-products-carried superstore, Amazon.com, which happens to sell three rather cheaper, but more basic, learn Tagalog books – Learn Filipino, Book One, which sells for $29.95, and Conversational Tagalog: Learn to Speak and Understand Tagalog with Pimsleur Language Programs, which sell for $32.97.
See you around the Philippines! Up next, must-see tourist locations.