Filipino alphabet (28 letters) and pronunciation rules
Can recognize and pronounce Filipino letters including ng, ñ, and stress patterns
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Magandang umaga po.
Good morning (respectful).
Ang pangalan ko ay Maria.
My name is Maria.
Ngipin, ngayon, ngiti.
Teeth, now, smile.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Ang alpabetong Filipino ay may 28 titik: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N Ñ Ng O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z.
| Titik | Pagbigkas | Halimbawa |
|---|---|---|
| Ng | [ŋ] — isang titik! | ngipin (teeth) |
| Ñ | [ɲ] — mula sa Espanyol | Señor |
| R | [ɾ] — flap r | rosas (roses) |
Mga patinig: A [a], E [ɛ], I [i], O [o], U [u]. Ang E at I ay madalas magpalit, ganun din ang O at U.
Diin (stress): Ang pagbigkas ng diin ay napakahalaga — báta (bathrobe) vs batá (child). Walang accent mark sa karaniwang pagsulat.
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesThe Ng digraph is ONE letter in Filipino. Stress placement changes meaning but is unmarked.
Treating ng as two separate letters
Ng is ONE letter in Filipino. It comes between N and O in the alphabet.
Wrong stress placement changing meaning
Stress matters: báta (bathrobe) vs batá (child). Listen carefully to native speakers.
Magandang umaga po.
Good morning (respectful).
Magandang umaga = good morning. Po adds respect (like Japanese -desu).
Ang pangalan ko ay Maria.
My name is Maria.
Ang marks the topic. Pangalan = name. Ko = my. Ay links topic to comment.
Ngipin, ngayon, ngiti.
Teeth, now, smile.
Ng at the start of words: ngipin, ngayon, ngiti. Practice the [ŋ] sound.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises