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
31 core words in Bikol Central
Water
tubig
/tubiɡ/
Fire
kalayo
/kalajo/
Sun
saldang
/salˈdaŋ/
Moon
bulan
/bulan/
Star
bitoon
/bituʔon/
Mother
nanay
/nanaj/
Father
tatay
/tataj/
I
ako
/ʔako/
You
ika
/ʔika/
Name
ngaran
/ŋaran/
Eye
mata
/mata/
Hand
kamot
/kamot/
Heart
puso
/puso/
Love
pagkamoot
/paɡkamoʔot/
Tree
kahoy
/kahoj/
House
harong
/haɾoŋ/
Dog
ayam
/ajam/
Cat
ikos
/ikos/
Eat
kakanon
/kakanon/
Drink
inumon
/inumon/
One
saro
/saɾo/
Two
duwa
/duwa/
Hello
kumusta
/kumusta/
Thank you
dios mabalos
/dios mabalos/
Good
marhay
/maɾhaj/
Computer
kompyuter
/komˈpjutɛr/
Sushi
sushi
/ˈsuʃi/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Austronesian (Central Philippine, Bikol) languages
| Meaning | Bikol Central | Iriga Bicolano | Waray | Cebuano | Hiligaynon | Tausug | Maranao |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | tubig /tubiɡ/ | tubig /tubiɡ/ | tubig /tubiɡ/ | tubig /tubiɡ/ | tubig /tubiɡ/ | tubig /tubiɡ/ | ig /iɡ/ |
| Fire | kalayo /kalajo/ | kalayo /kalajɔ/ | kalayo /kalajɔ/ | kalayo /kalajo/ | kalayo /kalajɔ/ | kayu /kaju/ | apoy /apoj/ |
| Sun | saldang /salˈdaŋ/ | aldəw /aldəw/ | adlaw /ʔadlaw/ | adlaw /adlaw/ | adlaw /ʔadlaw/ | adlaw /adlaw/ | alongan /aloŋan/ |
| Moon | bulan /bulan/ | bulən /bulən/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bolan /bolan/ |
| Star | bitoon /bituʔon/ | bitóon /bituʔon/ | bitoon /bituʔon/ | bituon /bituˈʔon/ | bituon /bituˈʔon/ | bituun /bituʔun/ | bito-on /bitoʔon/ |
| Mother | nanay /nanaj/ | ina /ina/ | nanay /nanaj/ | inahan /inahan/ | nanay /nanaj/ | inaꞌ /inaʔ/ | ina /ina/ |
| Father | tatay /tataj/ | ama /ama/ | tatay /tataj/ | amahan /amahan/ | tatay /tataj/ | amaꞌ /amaʔ/ | ama /ama/ |
| I | ako /ʔako/ | akó /ʔako/ | ako /ʔako/ | ako /ʔaˈko/ | ako /ʔaˈko/ | aku /aku/ | ako /ako/ |
| You | ika /ʔika/ | ikā /ʔika/ | ikaw /ʔikaw/ | ikaw /ʔiˈkaw/ | ikaw /ʔiˈkaw/ | ikaw /ikaw/ | seka /sɵka/ |
| Name | ngaran /ŋaran/ | ngaran /ŋaran/ | ngaran /ŋaran/ | ngalan /ˈŋalan/ | ngalan /ˈŋalan/ | ngan /ŋan/ | ngaran /ŋaran/ |
| Eye | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hand | kamot /kamot/ | kamət /kamət/ | kamot /kamɔt/ | kamot /kamot/ | kamot /kamɔt/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ |
| Heart | puso /puso/ | puso /puso/ | kasingkasing /kasiŋkasiŋ/ | kasingkasing /kasiŋkasiŋ/ | tagipusoon /taɡipusɔʔɔn/ | pusuꞌ /pusuʔ/ | pusoʔ /pusoʔ/ |
| Love | pagkamoot /paɡkamoʔot/ | pagkaibəg /paɡkaʔibəɡ/ | gugma /ɡuɡma/ | gugma /ɡuɡma/ | gugma /ɡuɡma/ | lasa /lasa/ | kalimo /kalimo/ |
| Tree | kahoy /kahoj/ | kahoy /kahɔj/ | kahoy /kahɔj/ | kahoy /kahoj/ | kahoy /kahɔj/ | kahuy /kahuj/ | kayo /kajo/ |
| House | harong /haɾoŋ/ | baləy /baləj/ | balay /balaj/ | balay /balaj/ | balay /balaj/ | bāy /baːj/ | walay /walaj/ |
| Dog | ayam /ajam/ | ayam /ajam/ | ayam /ˈʔajam/ | iro /iɾo/ | ido /ʔidɔ/ | iruꞌ /iruʔ/ | aso /aso/ |
| Cat | ikos /ikos/ | kuting /kutiŋ/ | misay /misaj/ | iring /iɾiŋ/ | kuting /kutiŋ/ | kuting /kutiŋ/ | pusa /pusa/ |
| Eat | kakanon /kakanon/ | kaən /kaʔən/ | kaon /kaʔon/ | kaon /kaʔon/ | kaon /kaʔɔn/ | kaun /kaʔun/ | mangan /maŋan/ |
| Drink | inumon /inumon/ | inum /inum/ | inom /ʔinɔm/ | inom /inom/ | inom /ʔinɔm/ | minum /minum/ | minom /minom/ |
| One | saro /saɾo/ | əsad /əsad/ | usa /ʔusa/ | usa /usa/ | isa /ʔisa/ | isa /isa/ | isa /isa/ |
| Two | duwa /duwa/ | darwā /darwaː/ | duha /duha/ | duha /duˈha/ | duha /duˈha/ | duwa /duwa/ | dowa /dowa/ |
| Hello | kumusta /kumusta/ | kumusta /kumusta/ | kumusta /kumusta/ | kumusta /kumusta/ | kamusta /kamusta/ | kumusta /kumusta/ | kapian /kapijan/ |
| Thank you | dios mabalos /dios mabalos/ | dyos mabalos /djos mabalos/ | salamat /salamat/ | salamat /salamat/ | salamat /salamat/ | magsukul /maɡsukul/ | salamat /salamat/ |
| Good | marhay /maɾhaj/ | marhəy /maɾhəj/ | maupay /maʔupaj/ | maayo /maʔajo/ | maayo /maʔajɔ/ | marayaw /marajaw/ | mapia /mapija/ |
| Computer | kompyuter /komˈpjutɛr/ | kompyuter /komˈpjutɛr/ | kompyuter /komˈpjutɛr/ | kompyuter /komˈpjutɛr/ | kompyuter /komˈpjutɛr/ | kompyuter /komˈpjutɛr/ | kompyuter /komˈpjutɛr/ |
| Sushi | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ |
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