Bikol
Bikol Central
Austronesian (Central Philippine, Bikol)
Bikol Central (Bikol Naga) is the principal Bikolano language of the Bicol Region of southern Luzon (Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon), with ~2.5M speakers (Bikol Naga), part of a wider Bikolano language continuum (~4.5M total). It is one of the major regional languages of the Philippines, recognized as an auxiliary official language. Has 9 vowels (with length contrast) and a strong Spanish loanword layer typical of Philippine languages. Verb-initial Philippine-type focus/voice morphosyntax. Famous for the Ibalong epic (a pre-Hispanic oral epic about giants and folk heroes).
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Bikol Central
Water
tubig
/tubiɡ/
Fire
kalayo
/kalajo/
Sun
aldaw
/aldaw/
Moon
bulan
/bulan/
Mother
nanay
/nanaj/
Father
tatay
/tataj/
Eat
kakanon
/kakanon/
Drink
inumon
/inumon/
Love
pagkamoot
/paɡkamoʔot/
Heart
puso
/puso/
Tree
kahoy
/kahoj/
House
harong
/haɾoŋ/
Dog
ayam
/ajam/
Cat
ikos
/ikos/
Hand
kamot
/kamot/
Eye
mata
/mata/
Hello
kumusta
/kumusta/
Thank you
dios mabalos
/dios mabalos/
One
saro
/saɾo/
Good
marhay
/maɾhaj/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian (Central Philippine, Bikol) languages
| Meaning | Bikol Central | Iriga Bicolano | Waray | Cebuano | Hiligaynon | Old Tagalog | Tausug |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | tubig /tubiɡ/ | tubig /tubiɡ/ | tubig /tubiɡ/ | tubig /tubiɡ/ | tubig /tubiɡ/ | ᜆᜓᜊᜒᜄ᜔ /tubiɡ/ | tubig /tubiɡ/ |
| Fire | kalayo /kalajo/ | kalayo /kalajɔ/ | kalayo /kalajɔ/ | kalayo /kalajo/ | kalayo /kalajɔ/ | ᜀᜉᜓᜌ᜔ /apuj/ | kayu /kaju/ |
| Sun | aldaw /aldaw/ | aldəw /aldəw/ | adlaw /ʔadlaw/ | adlaw /adlaw/ | adlaw /ʔadlaw/ | ᜀᜇᜏ᜔ /araw/ | adlaw /adlaw/ |
| Moon | bulan /bulan/ | bulən /bulən/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | ᜊᜓᜏᜈ᜔ /buwan/ | bulan /bulan/ |
| Mother | nanay /nanaj/ | ina /ina/ | nanay /nanaj/ | inahan /inahan/ | nanay /nanaj/ | ᜁᜈ /ina/ | inaꞌ /inaʔ/ |
| Father | tatay /tataj/ | ama /ama/ | tatay /tataj/ | amahan /amahan/ | tatay /tataj/ | ᜀᜋ /ama/ | amaꞌ /amaʔ/ |
| Eat | kakanon /kakanon/ | kaən /kaʔən/ | kaon /kaʔon/ | kaon /kaʔon/ | kaon /kaʔɔn/ | ᜃᜁᜈ᜔ /kain/ | kaun /kaʔun/ |
| Drink | inumon /inumon/ | inum /inum/ | inom /ʔinɔm/ | inom /inom/ | inom /ʔinɔm/ | ᜁᜈᜓᜋ᜔ /inom/ | minum /minum/ |
| Love | pagkamoot /paɡkamoʔot/ | pagkaibəg /paɡkaʔibəɡ/ | gugma /ɡuɡma/ | gugma /ɡuɡma/ | gugma /ɡuɡma/ | ᜁᜊᜒᜄ᜔ /ibiɡ/ | lasa /lasa/ |
| Heart | puso /puso/ | puso /puso/ | kasingkasing /kasiŋkasiŋ/ | kasingkasing /kasiŋkasiŋ/ | tagipusoon /taɡipusɔʔɔn/ | ᜉᜓᜐᜓ /puso/ | pusuꞌ /pusuʔ/ |
| Tree | kahoy /kahoj/ | kahoy /kahɔj/ | kahoy /kahɔj/ | kahoy /kahoj/ | kahoy /kahɔj/ | ᜃᜑᜓᜌ᜔ /kahoj/ | kahuy /kahuj/ |
| House | harong /haɾoŋ/ | baləy /baləj/ | balay /balaj/ | balay /balaj/ | balay /balaj/ | ᜊᜑᜌ᜔ /bahaj/ | bāy /baːj/ |
| Dog | ayam /ajam/ | ayam /ajam/ | ayam /ˈʔajam/ | iro /iɾo/ | ido /ʔidɔ/ | ᜀᜐᜓ /aso/ | iruꞌ /iruʔ/ |
| Cat | ikos /ikos/ | kuting /kutiŋ/ | misay /misaj/ | iring /iɾiŋ/ | kuting /kutiŋ/ | ᜉᜓᜐ /pusa/ | kuting /kutiŋ/ |
| Hand | kamot /kamot/ | kamət /kamət/ | kamot /kamɔt/ | kamot /kamot/ | kamot /kamɔt/ | ᜃᜋᜌ᜔ /kamaj/ | lima /lima/ |
| Eye | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | ᜋᜆ /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hello | kumusta /kumusta/ | kumusta /kumusta/ | kumusta /kumusta/ | kumusta /kumusta/ | kamusta /kamusta/ | ᜋᜊᜓᜑᜌ᜔ /mabuhaj/ | kumusta /kumusta/ |
| Thank you | dios mabalos /dios mabalos/ | dyos mabalos /djos mabalos/ | salamat /salamat/ | salamat /salamat/ | salamat /salamat/ | ᜐᜎᜋᜆ᜔ /salamat/ | magsukul /maɡsukul/ |
| One | saro /saɾo/ | əsad /əsad/ | usa /ʔusa/ | usa /usa/ | isa /ʔisa/ | ᜁᜐ /isa/ | isa /isa/ |
| Good | marhay /maɾhaj/ | marhəy /maɾhəj/ | maupay /maʔupaj/ | maayo /maʔajo/ | maayo /maʔajɔ/ | ᜋᜊᜓᜆᜒ /mabuti/ | marayaw /marajaw/ |
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