LinguaLinx logo
  • Solutions
      • Services
        • Translation
        • Localization
        • Interpretation
      • By Industry
        • Educational
        • Government & Non-Profit
        • Healthcare
        • Legal
        • Banking & Finance
        • Travel & Tourism
        • Manufacturing & Engineering
        • Retail & Consumer Goods
      • By Use Case
        • eLearning
        • Defense
        • Health Insurance
        • Software
        • Human Resources
        • Marketing
  • Technology
    • Connectors
    • Our Platform
    • Artificial Intelligence
  • Resources
    • News and Updates
    • Case Studies
    • Translation Calculator
    • Data Security
  • About
    • Team
    • Careers
  • Contact
  • Client Login
  • Solutions
    • Services
      • Translation
        • Machine Translation
        • Hybrid Translation
        • Multimedia
        • ISO Certified Translation
        • ITAR Translation
      • Localization
        • Transcreation
        • Website
      • Interpretation
        • OTP
        • In-Person
        • VRI
        • ASL
    • By Industry
      • Educational
      • Government & Non-Profit
      • Healthcare
      • Legal
      • Banking & Finance
      • Travel & Tourism
      • Manufacturing & Engineering
      • Retail & Consumer Goods
    • By Use Case
      • eLearning
      • Defense
      • Health Insurance
      • Software
      • Human Resources
      • Marketing
    • Languages
  • Technology
    • Connectors
    • Our Platform
    • Artificial Intelligence
  • Resources
    • News and Updates
    • Case Studies
    • Translation Calculator
    • Data Security
  • About
    • Team
    • Careers
      • Linguist Certification Program
      • Work with LinguaLinx
  • Contact
  • Client Login

News and Updates

    • Language Translation Services
    • Translation
    • World Languages
    • Language Service Provider
    • Localization
    • Translation Guides
    • Website Translation Services
    • Culture
    • interpretation
    • Machine Translation
    • International Business Guides
    • News
    • Healthcare
    • Legal Services
    • AI Translations
    • eLearning
    • ASL
    • Education
    • Employee Handbook
    • Health Insurance
    • Human Resources
    • ITAR
    • VRI
    • government
    • softare
    • Finance and Banking
    • Payroll
    • Uncategorised
Subscribe
  • World Languages

The Differences Between Tagalog and Filipino

March 31, 2016 3 min read
Nicole Piazza, Sales Coordinator
The Philippines islands

People often want to know what the difference is between Tagalog and Filipino. However, asking that question is a bit of a misnomer because Tagalog is actually the basis for the Philippine national language.
Here at LinguaLinx, our team of Language Service Providers
 translate thousands of documents and website pages every year into over 200 languages worldwide. 

And in that time, people often ask us what are the key differences between Tagalog and Filipino.

In this article, we'll outline the similarities and differences between the two languages.

The Differences Between Tagalog and Filipino are Rooted in History

Tagalog had primarily been spoken in Manila and the surrounding provinces in the 1930s when the Commonwealth Constitution was originally drawn up. This constitution had stipulations in it that provided for an official national language, but it did not specifically name Tagalog as that language. When the constitution was drawn up, Tagalog was only spoken by about 25% of the population.

Tagalog was the lingua franca of people who lived in or near the government capital, and by the 1970s, more than half of the Philippine population was using Tagalog to communicate with one another. Then, during the Aquino presidency in the latter half of the 1980s, the national language was officially labelled Filipino.

The Western Influence on Language

The purpose of this was to embrace the widespread preference for a number of words derived from English and Spanish, as well as the incorporation of “Western” letters such as j, c, x, z, and f. These were not natural sounds to the native citizens of those islands before the arrival of foreigners from Spain and the Americas, but they quickly became a part of the Filipino alphabet.

Filipino has incorporated a number of modern words from English and Spanish. For example, the Spanish word “diccionario” has been incorporated into Filipino as “diksyunaryio.” However, a Tagalog purist might insist on the native word for dictionary, which is “talatinigan.”

Language is a fluid and ever-evolving thing, and the evolution from Tagalog to Filipino is taught in schools throughout the region.

Tagalog is the Foundation of Filipino

So, when you ask someone the question, “What is the difference between Filipino and Tagalog?” the answer is that Tagalog is the foundation upon which Filipino was built, and Filipino is the natural evolution of Tagalog. 

LinguaLinx Can Help Translate Your Documents

If you need to translate documents or your website from any language into another language, LinguaLinx can help.

Whether it's Filipino or Tagalog, LinguaLinx works with companies around the world to help localize translations to your customers, so you deliver the right message at the right time.

With LinguaLinx, you won't ever have to worry about your message getting across. You know you're in good hands with our ISO 17100 compliance, twenty years of professional translation experience, and the organizations whose trust we've earned.

To chat with us about your language translation needs, click on the link below.

Continue Learning with these helpful articles:

  • What to Look for in a Website Translation Service Provider
  • 7 Factors Impacting the Cost of Translation Projects
  • How Much Does it Cost to Translate a Website?

New call-to-action

 

Related Articles

Tagalog typed out on paper
9 Essential Tips for Choosing a Tagalog Translation Provider World Languages 3 min read
Farsi vs. Arabic: Comparing the Similarities and Differences World Languages 3 min read
chinese paper lanterns at night
Simplified Chinese vs Traditional Chinese 3 min read
background image

Let's Talk

  1. Request a Quote
  2. Get a Content Review
  3. Choose LinguaLinx

Get a Quote

Subscribe via Email

Subscribe to our blog to get insights sent directly to your inbox.

LinguaLinx logo

518.388.9000

187 Wolf Road, suite 300-33
Albany, NY 12205

  • Services
  • Languages
  • ISO Information
  • Blog
  • Support
ISO 17100 Registered Firm
Certified ISO Company 9001:2015
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Terms of Use & Credits
  • Privacy Policy
©2025 LinguaLinx, Inc. All rights reserved.