Learning Tagalog

Replaceable Tagalog Vowel Sounds

Some vowel sounds in native words can be replaced under certain conditions.

change	example	alternative pronunciation	meaning
from /i/ to /e/	lalaki	“lalake”	man, male
from /e/ to /i/	sige na	“sigi na”	come on, please…
from /o/ to /u/	total	“tutal”	after all, anyway

change	from /i/ to /e/
example	lalaki
alternative pronunciation	“lalake”
meaning	man, male

change	from /e/ to /i/
example	sige na
alternative pronunciation	“sigi na”
meaning	come on, please…

change	from /o/ to /u/
example	total
alternative pronunciation	“tutal”
meaning	after all, anyway

When the changes usually occur:

1. From /i/ to /e/: when /i/ is in the final syllable of a native Tagalog word that is followed by a pause*

example	alternative pronunciation	meaning
Gabi.	“Gabe.”	Evening.
Itlog.	—	Egg.
Abril.	—	April.
Gabi na.	—	It’s already dark.

example	Gabi.
alternative pronunciation	“Gabe.”
meaning	Evening.

example	Itlog.
alternative pronunciation	—
meaning	Egg.

example	Abril.
alternative pronunciation	—
meaning	April.

example	Gabi na.
alternative pronunciation	—
meaning	It’s already dark.

2. From /e/ to /i/: when /e/ is in the final syllable of a word that is not followed by a pause*

example	alternative pronunciation	meaning
Sige na.	“Sigi na.”	Come on, please.
Sige.	—	OK.
Perlas.	—	Pearl.
Eleksyon.	—	Election.

example	Sige na.
alternative pronunciation	“Sigi na.”
meaning	Come on, please.

example	Sige.
alternative pronunciation	—
meaning	OK.

example	Perlas.
alternative pronunciation	—
meaning	Pearl.

example	Eleksyon.
alternative pronunciation	—
meaning	Election.

3. From /o/ to /u/: when /o/ is short (unstressed) and not followed by a pause*

example	alternative pronunciation	meaning
Ano pa?	“Anu pa?”	What else?
Botika’.	“Butika’.”	Drugstore.
Biyolin.	“Biyulin.”	Violin.
Ano?	—	What?
Bola.	—	Ball.

example	Ano pa?
alternative pronunciation	“Anu pa?”
meaning	What else?

example	Botika’.
alternative pronunciation	“Butika’.”
meaning	Drugstore.

example	Biyolin.
alternative pronunciation	“Biyulin.”
meaning	Violin.

example	Ano?
alternative pronunciation	—
meaning	What?

example	Bola.
alternative pronunciation	—
meaning	Ball.

* pause – e.g. comma, period

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This grammar guide is part of the Learning Tagalog Course.
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From Essential Tagalog Grammar: A Reference for Learners of Tagalog, Second Edition
By Fiona De Vos

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