What is the fastest way for me to be fluent in tagalog within a year?

Question

I'm going to the philippines next year in Dec. I need to become fluent in tagalog by that time. Napaprakits ako na sa chat nalang. Ano pa ang gagawin ako? I want to write and speak tagalog as fluent as I can. Na bibili akong software, rosetta stone. atska bibli kong dictionario. parang bata ako na sulat en tagalog, and to speak it. but im trying to practice. my grammar is not correct, but i want to do it right. Nanood ako TFC para maintindihan ko, lahat. What else. give me ideas!

If anyone wants to help me, I need all the help I can get. Naturo ko.

[e-mail]

i know there are lots of filipino english speakers. help me to become fluent.

also, you can send me a YM at
flipside4real2006, so we can chat in tagalog or something, for practice

Answer 1

Greetings:
Magandang Umaga! ( Good Morning!)
Magandang Hapon ( Good Afternoon !)
Magandang Gabi ( Good Evening!)

Maligayang Pasko at Manibagong Bagong Taon
( Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year)

Basic Questions:
Kamusta po? ( How are you? po is used when talking with the elderly to show respect)
Opo! Yes! ( when being questioned by an elder)
Oo! Yes! ( when answering a person of your age or younger persons)
Hindi po! ( No) answering elderly
Hindi! ( No) answering a person of your age or younger persons


Kumain ka na ba? ( Have you eaten already?)
Nag-almusal ka na ba? ( Had you had breakfast already?)
Nagtanghalian ka na ba? ( Had you had your lunch already/)
Naghapunan ka na ba? ( Had you had dinner already)

Salamat po! ( Thank you with the elderly)
Salamat! ( Thank you with your age level or younger)

Maliligo na po ako! ( I will take a bath already!~ when talking with your parents or with the elderly )
You eliminate the po when talking to your age level or younger persons.


When riding a jeep or a tricycle or a bus?
Magkano po ang pamasahe? ( How much is the fare?)
Para na! ( when you want to go down the jeep or bus)

Some adjectives:
Maganda ( beautiful)
pangit ( ugly)
Masarap ( delicious)
Masarap ang pagkain. ( The food is delicious).
Mahal ( expensive)
Mura ( cheap)


Gutom na ako. ( I am already hungry)
Kain na tayo! ( Let's eat)
Nauuhaw na ako! ( I am thristy)

Read Filipino magazines or comics if there is any available in the Filipino stores or rent a dvd tape of a Filipino movie. Buy a cd of songs you like in Tagalog, some comes with the lyrics in it.
A Filipino-English dictionary will help but some words vary when you use it in the sentence.
Ask your cousins or friends who are in elementary about their Tagalog books. While in the Philippines read the newspaper, listen to the news!

Answer 2

I think you are just venting. You feel frustrated and need to vent off the stress. Dude- feel proud of yourself! You have lived there a year! You really are learning it, but you must accept the fact that you will never be able to speak or understand it as a native would. Your brain just locks into a language at an early age and unless you are exposed to the language as a child, you will never be able to completely think in that different language. That is what makes you fluent- when you can think in Tagalog- and not constantly think of word equivalents. It is going to be a difficult road. Just try the best you can. Believe me- the people around you respect you and appreciate your efforts. You really need to hire a maid or cook to come a few times a week and quietly teach you for an hour or two each time. That will help a lot. You may get to be competent someday, but the accent will probably never go away. Relax and just accept it. You're doing more than OK in my opinion.

Answer 3

I think that's really cute whenever someone takes the time and makes the effort to learn Filipino/Tagalog. Many will correct you about which word to use, and they would be right in saying that Filipino is the more politically correct word. From a usage perspective however, Tagalog is more colloquial and at the end of the day, they essentially mean the same thing.
Anyway, going back to topic: read Filipino comics aloud (if you can get them), I have many non-Filipino friends improve their pronunciation this way. Chatting might be good but just like any language, there's a lot of nuance that can only be heard/seen and not captured by visible text. Wait let me help you a bit - Mabuti at nanonood ka ng TFC para naririnig mo kung paano ginagamit ang Filipino dito sa Pilipinas. Subukan mo ring manood ng mga pelikulang Tagalog, kung makakakuha ka sa DVD o internet. Ang pinaka-mainam na paraan ay talagang sanayin ang paggamit ng wika. Makipag-usap sa magulang/kapatid/ kaibigan na Tagalog lang ang gamit. Hindi mo binanggit kung saan ka nakatira - malamang may mga ibang pinoy dyan na nami-miss na ring makipag-usap sa Tagalog, kausapin mo sila para makapagpraktis ka rin! Goodluck!

Answer 4

Just a heads up, the national language is Filipino. Tagalog is a dialect from which the national language is based.

Regularly speaking to someone in Filipino will really help. Chatting is a good start.

take heart that if all else fails, majority of Filipinos can speak/understand English

Answer 5

I'm glad that you are taking this initiative. It is admirable. Here's my very easy suggestions:

1. Make it a point to talk to your parents and siblings ONLY in tagalog. Your parents better still be able to speak the language fluently. If not, shame on them.

2. Subscribe to TFC (the Filipino Channel) and immerse yourself into its shows. This is an easy one and watching those shows is actually great fun!

Good luck.

Answer 6

i'm always looking for you question mr. jordan c. and im really curious about who you are. I really want to help you so much but sad to say im not in the philippines right now, im working here in taiwan.Just dont mind the grammar first because if you're understood, communication was done. hindi ka na mahihirapan kung nasa pinas kana kasi may mga naiintindihan ka naman eh wag ka lang matatakot magsalita wag ka ring magalit kapag pinagtawanan ka dahil sa GRAMMAR mo sigurado ako tanggap ka ng lahat, matutuwa ka rin kapag nandoon ka na. How i wish magkakilala tayo ng personal dahil January 2008 naman ang uwi ko at isang buwan lang ang pagitan. May mga kaibigan din akong kagaya mo, dalawang babae na taga-Oregon, madali silang natuto ng tagalog dihil walang kumakausap sa kanila ng English depende na lang kung malalim ang kahulugan ng tagalog at kailangan naming ipaliwanag. Sa totoo lang, naaliw ako sa kwento mo. Good luck sa pagbisita mo sa pilipinas. Eto pala email add ko. [e-mail]

Answer 7

I guess I am not the only one who wanted to learn Tagalog. Too bad i am only half-filipino. I just feel like i have to learn it. At first, i thought the best way was Rosetta Stone, but do not think so now.. maybe just ask your parents for advice, but that is a problem to ask my filipina mother, cuz she doesn't live with me... lol... but you might live with ya filipino parents... lol

Answer 8

Reading Filipino books and comics that will speed up your comprehension of the language then you just need to practice enunciating the words.

Answer 9

Kung gusto mong matuto, humingi ka ng sagot sa mga katanungan mo sa salitang tagalog. At kung kaya mo, magbigay ka ng tanong sa salitang tagalog. Balutin mo ang mundo mo ng tagalog--mga pelikulang tagalog, mga babasahing tagalog, mga taong magbibigay sa'yo ng mga tamang leksiyon, etc.
Maghanap ka ng taong makapag-ingles nitong kasagutan para sa'yo.

Answer 10

First of all Jordan, you have to eat balut and dinuguan in order to speak Tagalog. These food as you know are only available in Filipino homes and only Filipinos eat these food, with an exemption for some.

Next, this coming holidays, attend Filipino Gatherings such as Christmas party, New Years Party, Rizal's Party, etc etc. Assimilate yourself in your Filipino community. Better yet, move to California or Hawaii.

You can also attend Filipino language class.

Good luck!