Cebuano Or Tagalog

[Larry45]

Hi rfhypnos, it all depends on where you are going to live.  IMO, Tagalog is MUCH easier to learn than Bisaya/Cebuano or any other dialect, mainly because the tv shows, music and newspapers are mostly Tagalog.  In hindsight, I kind of wish my wife was Tagalog, as I would probably be fluent by now.  Regardless of where you live and which language you learn, your wife's English will still be better than your grasp of the local language, which will be more of a novelty than anything.  It's just good to learn a little as a sign of respect for the Philippines and it's people. :)

[Thomas]

Tagalog is MUCH easier to learn than Bisaya/Cebuano or any other dialect, mainly because the tv shows, music and newspapers are mostly Tagalog.

Yes. An other reason Tagalog is easier, is it has borrowed many words from Spanish, which has borrowed many words from latin. English has borrowed many words from latin too, and I suppouse some words are borrowed direct between Spain an England too, because of much historic contacts.

 

Despite that I recomend to learn the local language anyway, because the locals like when you talk some, and it can be interesting to know what tsismis (=gossip) they tell about you  :mocking:

[JJReyes]

I would stick to Tagalog (Pilipino). You are more likely to encounter someone who speaks it than Cebuano which is a regional language. Public school teach in the venacular for the region until the third grade and then they switch to English and Pilipino.

[Kuya John]

I am going to try and pick up a smattering of whatever seems useful but l am not going to try to become fluent in any of the more than 100 languages and dialects here. I barely speak American-ized English, my birth language.

Sorry guy's but as robert K pointed out ,with more than 100 different languages/dialects. I thought that was the whole point of making Tagalog the Philippino official language. I would suggest if you are capable of learning Filipino then Tagalog is the one to learn.

Hope I live long enough to see the nation speak one language and I have an interpreter with me, and an Editor for all the mistakes I make typing in my native English :cheersty:

Edited November 17, 2014 by Kuya John

[JJReyes]

Hope I live long enough to see the nation speak one language and I have an interpreter with me, and an Editor for all the mistakes I make typing in my native English

Maybe our webmaster can add a spell check.

[Kuya John]

 

Hope I live long enough to see the nation speak one language and I have an interpreter with me, and an Editor for all the mistakes I make typing in my native English

Maybe our webmaster can add a spell check.

 

Hey JJ that's not a bad idea, excellent :tiphat:

[Americano]

In my opinion its a waist of time to try to learn any one of the 100+ languages spoken in the Philippines.  Partly because most foreigners will never become fluent in any Filipino language and because the 100+ languages are only spoken in the Philippines.  Most Filipinos think their language is spoken everywhere in the world.  Therefore they think they do not need to learn English.  Teach your wife or gf English and forget about the multitude of other languages spoken here.  They are useless in the rest of the world.

[MikeB]

Haven't you heard the locals love it when you try to speak the language? lol.

[Thomas]

In my opinion its a waist of time to try to learn any one of the 100+ languages spoken in the Philippines.  Partly because most foreigners will never become fluent in any Filipino language and because the 100+ languages are only spoken in the Philippines.  Most Filipinos think their language is spoken everywhere in the world.  Therefore they think they do not need to learn English.  Teach your wife or gf English and forget about the multitude of other languages spoken here.  They are useless in the rest of the world.

Yes. But if settle in ONE region in Phils, then that local language is useful.

 

Haven't you heard the locals love it when you try to speak the language? lol.

If not else, I can give them some amusement by my bad pronounsiation  :lol:

[GregZ]

Here is a deck of flash cards to learn some Bisaya (Visaya or Cebuano) or English. They work both ways AND it is free. Right price for me. Works BESTon Android app for me; haven't tried iPhone.