Kapampangan Words

Lisangan Though the Philippines’ hot season occurs during the drier half of the year, the country’s oppressive tropical humidity makes it all the more sticky and uncomfortable, with some cities reaching heat indices of more than 50 degrees Celsius (more than 120 deg F) during this season! LISÁNGAN • (lih-SAH-nguhn)uncomfortable heat and humidityTagálog (Filipino): alinsángan … Read more

Saya This a little reminder to keep doing what makes you happy! SAYÂ • (suh-YA’)merriment, happinessTagálog (Filipino): sayá Pronunciation DifferencesTagálog: sayáKapampángan: sayâBoth words mean happiness, but the Kapampángan word differs by a glottal stop at the end. Homonyms:SÁYA (SAH-yuh) – skirt (from Spanish saya)SAYÂ (suh-YA’) – merriment SUÉLU vs. TÚLÂ vs. SAYÂThese words roughly mean … Read more

Tanam It’s World Planting Day! How do you say “plant” in your language? Throughout the pandemic, a lot of Filipinos have become home Plantitos and Plantitas (Plant Uncles and Plant Aunts so this one’s for you this World Planting Day! TANAM • (tuh-NUHM)(to) plantTagálog (Filipino): taním Derived WordTANÁMAN • (tuh-NAH-muhn)plantTagálog (Filipino): haláman Verb Conjugation:mananam, mánanam, … Read more

Tupa It’s Aries season! How do you say “sheep” in your language? Did you know that the Kapampángan word for “sheep” is the same as its word for “chance upon”? (although they are considered separate roots!) TÚPA • (TOO-puh)(1) sheepTagálog (Filipino): túpa (2) (to) chance upon or come across by chanceTagálog (Filipino): tagpô Possible Etymology … Read more

Danum It was World Water Day yesterday! How do you say “water” in your language? Here’s the Kapampángan word for the most essential substance on Earth, and from whose bodies the names of many different ethnic groups in the Philippines are taken. DANUM • (duh-NOOM)waterTagálog (Filipino): túbig DANUMAN • (duh-NOO-muhn)waters, body of waterTagálog (Filipino): tubigán, … Read more