You’ve downloaded three apps, bought two books, and binged on Youtube videos, yet somehow, you still don’t know where to begin with learning Tagalog. What you do know is that you want to learn it as fast as you can to finally join your family’s conversations or be able to communicate and connect more easily to other Filipinos.
To help anyone get started to learn Tagalog, I came up with this five-step beginner roadmap. This roadmap shows beginners how to learn Tagalog in five simple steps to help you start with intention and turn it into a practice you actually stick with.
Step 1: Identify your starting point as a beginner Tagalog learner.
Like pursuing most things, you need to answer the essential questions to make it meaningful.
Why do you want to learn Tagalog? How do you see yourself after learning it? Where are you now in your Tagalog skills and how will you get to being able to speak it comfortably?
Let us use the metaphor of going for a drive or on a journey for the pursuit to learn Tagalog.
Starting to learn Tagalog as an absolute beginner without knowing your why, target outcome, and current Tagalog skill level is like opening your navigation app without typing your destination or your current location. You might drive around but you won’t know where you’re headed or how long it will take. Knowing these three cornerstones of your starting point will help you direct your focus and guide your path to learning, especially if you are a self-learner.
Why you want to learn Tagalog
In our driving metaphor, knowing your why is akin to knowing the reason you’re on the road in the first place and typing your destination on the navigation app. Are you going for a ride to visit your friends or family? Do you want to see the place that keeps on appearing on your social media feed, recommended by influencers?
Knowing why you’re learning Tagalog makes it meaningful and intentional. Your why will point you toward the right direction and will ground your motivation to achieve your goal, instead of driving around aimlessly.
Without a personal reason, your navigation app will keep rerouting every 5 minutes like, “Are you sure you don’t want to learn Korean instead?” It would be easy to give up as soon as you reach the boring or difficult parts.
Define your Tagalog learning goals
While your why gives meaning and purpose, your goal is your target outcome for learning Tagalog. The goal is the exact pin drop on the map of your navigation app. Where do you want your journey to take you? What exactly do you want to achieve? What concrete goal will move you to fulfill your reason to learn Tagalog?
Imagine yourself, already knowing how to use Tagalog. What is that picture like? Visualize what you’re doing, saying, and feeling. Who are you talking to or who are you with? To make this more achievable, decide on a time frame on when you would like to achieve this, and assess if it’s doable. If it seems too big for your time frame, adjust by breaking down your goal into smaller ones or extend your time frame.
Your goal does not only serve as your destination but also provides checkpoints to track, each small goal are like milestones that show your effort is moving somewhere.
Assess your current Tagalog skills
Just like a navigation app needs your current location before giving directions, your learning plan needs a starting point.
Identifying your current skill level or what you already can/can’t do before you start the official process of learning sets you to realistic expectations. You will be able to identify the things you still need to learn, or avoid skipping any foundational skills and knowledge that you actually need to succeed. It also lets you know that you’re moving instead of getting stuck. Just like driving, we want to make sure that we’re always moving along.
By covering your why, setting clear learning goals, and assessing your current Tagalog skills, you’ve mapped out the cornerstones of your starting point. Again, your starting point creates clarity that keeps your Tagalog journey from stalling when things get tough. With this in place, you are now ready to explore the next step: choosing your learning path.
Step 2: Choose your learning path.
You open the navigation app, you type your destination (your why and learning goals) and check your current location (your starting level). Now, the app shows you multiple routes: fastest, most scenic, toll-free. Choosing your path in learning Tagalog is just like deciding if you want speed, depth, or a scenic, culture-rich route.
The 3 main learning approaches to learning Tagalog
There are three common paths to choose from: the input-focused approach, the output-driven approach, and grammar-structured approach. Each path has a different approach that could suit your current need. This may change over time as you progress in your learning and in most cases, you will be taking each one during the different phases of your learning.
1. The input-focused approach
This path is influenced by Dr. Stephen Krashen’s Language Acquisition through Comprehensible Input Theory. This involves absorbing various types of media to be familiar with how the language is structured, how it is written or spoken, and even learn the native culture to understand different contexts.
– It emphasizes understanding the language first through listening, reading, and viewing/watching; helping learners acquire or naturally absorb vocabulary, structure, and meaning before speaking.
– Most common techniques for this approach are watching local TV shows with subtitles, listening to podcasts and OPMS songs, reading news articles and social media posts, and other comprehensible media.
2. The output-driven approach
This path prioritizes speaking and/or writing from the start, helping learners build confidence and fluency by actively using the language, even with limited knowledge.
– It pairs well with immersion strategies, where learners place themselves in real or simulated environments requiring active communication. Learning is reinforced through necessity or urgency of the situation, and repetition.
– The most common method is having a language conversation partner to practice the language with and receive feedback from.
3. The grammar-structured approach
This path follows a systematic study of rules and sentence patterns, often supported by textbooks and exercises, providing a clear framework for building accurate language skills.
This is commonly used by learners as preparation for output by learning the rules of sentence structures and memorizing vocabulary.
Match your learning style with the right approach
After setting your destination map and choosing the best path, you should also consider how you want to travel. It’s not just about which road you take but also about the style of travel that suits you best.
One path might be the best for your destination, but might not be one you enjoy. You may think that taking the fastest freeway is best, but you might end up feeling bored on that route, getting at risk of snoozing while driving, when you actually prefer stopping along the way to explore. Language learning is the same where your learning style comes in. The method you deem best works, but whether you actually stick with it depends on how well it fits your personality and preferences.
Do you prefer a more passive learning approach with lots of variety? Are you an introvert who gets easily tired with prolonged human interaction? Then the input-focused path might suit you more.
Do you prefer to have someone to help you improve as quickly as possible or to hold you accountable to match your tendency to be inconsistent with learning? The output-driven path might be a better match for you.
Put simply, without knowing your travel style, even a GPS route can feel frustrating.
Step 3 and 4: Learn Tagalog basics and choose 1-2 beginner-friendly learning resources
Your destination, chosen route, and travel style are set. You’re now set to begin your drive but is faced with another decision:
- Do you want to drive a little first and get a feel for the road?
- Would you rather let the navigation app guide you step by step from the very beginning ?
You may want to dip your toes in first by picking up a few basics before choosing a structured resource. Or you may prefer starting with one resource to guide you through the basics. Either way works. The key is not to get stuck in the research stage. This is why Step 3 and 4 could be interchangeable. Simply choose the path that feels less overwhelming for you.
Tagalog basics to learn first
Start learning common phrases used for greeting and introducing yourself. These are standard expressions that are easy to memorize and always handy to know and use. Then learn other basic expressions or phrases according to theme, purpose, or usage. Pay attention to how the phrases are structured. Observe any pattern among all the expressions and phrases you have learned.
Next, learn about the Tagalog noun markers. This will serve as your foundational knowledge of sentence structures, for the concepts of Tagalog pronouns and focus of verbs rely on these concepts.
Know how to ask questions answerable by yes, no, or maybe, and how to respond as such; followed by learning some basic words or expressions of agreement or affirmation, and negation.
Familiarize yourself with heavily used words in Tagalog. These comprise most of the Tagalog function words for everyday conversations, enabling you to understand and respond to small talk, at least. While some of these words used for discourse might be considered advanced for beginners, it will be helpful to get a sense of a speaker’s aim while listening to them.
How to learn Tagalog basics efficiently
In the beginning, you are likely to be memorizing without fully understanding what you’re saying. This is just normal. To make the most out of this, practice saying these words and phrases. Listen to how each word is pronounced and repeat it loudly. Youtube is a great place to search for videos about basic phrases or expressions, with demonstrations on how to pronounce each one. Doing this will reinforce your recall of this new knowledge and help improve retention, until it becomes sort of an instinct.
Armed with these basic knowledge, you will now have better comprehension of input and be able to observe patterns of word, phrase, and sentence formation. Take note of the words that appear repeatedly and how it is used each time. Check for similarities and differences. List it down for study later, to learn how meanings also change.
Use your basic knowledge as tools to learn Tagalog further. Go beyond memorizing by applying what you learned as soon as possible, may it be by using your new vocabulary in writing in your journal or in an imaginary conversation or interview you say out loud. Again, keep your purpose and goals in mind as you study more Tagalog. They will help you decide how to build on what you have learned and deepen your self-study.
Choose your first Tagalog learning resource
Choosing the right app or platform to start learning with is one of the biggest problems faced by beginner learners. The most common recommendations are to watch videos or shows online, listen to OPM music, or go straight to practice using the language. Select Youtube channels and podcasts are also recommended. While there is no shortage of apps and learning platforms to choose from. But not a lot quite hit the jackpot for Tagalog. No wonder this step is the most confusing for learners.
The options are endless, and it would be tempting to check all of them. Imagine switching between five navigation apps while driving. You will crash! Stick to one reliable navigation app to guide you.
Before you get stuck comparing 10 apps, choose one that matches your style, feels enjoyable to use, and offers consistency. The best resource is the one that covers your needs well enough and you use consistently. You only need one or two resources to jumpstart your learning. Here are some of the most recommended resources for learners:
| Books | Structured courses/apps | General practice tools | Conversation-first app | Media immersion |
| – Tagalog for Beginners by Joi Barrios – Basic Tagalog for Foreigners and Non-Tagalogs by Joi Barrios – Travel-specific phrasebooks/guides | – Pimsleur – FilipinoPod101 – Drops (gamified) – Ling App (gamified) – Turong Wika | – Online tutors (Preply, italki) – Vocabulary journals – Flash cards (Anki, Memrise) – Tagalog.com | – Learn Tagalog Fast – Glossika Tagalog | – Filipino films on Netflix – Philippine broadcasters Youtube channels (ABS-CBN, GMA, etc.) – Filipino radio stations – OPM playlists on Spotify |
Which step would you do first?
If you want to drive around the block before hitting the highway. You get a feel for the car, the steering, and the brakes without pressure. In language learning, this means picking up a few Tagalog words and phrases. These quick wins build confidence and make the structured lessons feel less intimidating later.
If you would rather follow your GPS the second you leave your driveway, you don’t waste time circling around and instead go straight to your planned route. A good book, app, or course will teach you the basics in order, so you don’t have to figure out which basics to learn first.
At the end of the day, it’s not about which one is better to do first. What matters is picking one path and sticking with it long enough to see progress.
Step 5: Make a simple study plan.
Think of this step as programming your GPS or chosen navigation app before the drive. You already know where you’re headed, but you still need directions to stay on the right course. Your plan is built on small habits or the routes and stops you choose (techniques, time blocks, tracking). Without it, you risk circling the same block. The key now is to make sure you stay on track as the road unfolds.
Focus on habit formation
First, focus on building habits. Just like driving becomes second nature after enough practice, language learning sticks when the small actions turn automatic.
It will be difficult at first as you face lots of friction. These frictions could be procrastination, fear of failure, overwhelming goals, and other factors that may hinder you from being consistent. It’s undeniable, inevitable, written in the stars that you will need discipline and conscious effort at the start of building a habit. It will pay off once it becomes automatic or once you are able to perform your learning tasks without a significant internal struggle. When this happens, you will no longer need to rely on willpower alone to study.
The key is to take it easy but do it regularly. Start small, like 15 mins of studying per day but do it every day for 2 weeks. As you go along, start increasing your time until you reach the maximum time you can devote to studying.
Build a habit-based Tagalog study routine
Assess your time availability. Write down your daily schedule and indicate what happens every hour of your day. Identify your routines or the consistent parts of your day and do a habit stacking. This involves linking a new habit to an existing one. If part of your daily routine is riding a bus or the subway to work, make it a habit to use this time for learning. Or if every Wednesday is laundry day, stack your new habit of studying your language while or after doing it. This uses an existing cue to trigger a new routine.
Figure out how many minutes you can realistically spend each day on Tagalog. It doesn’t have to look the same daily. Life happens, there would be interruptions or things would just not go according to play, but the key is consistency.
A simple way to structure your time is to mix passive and active learning. Give yourself 15 minutes of easy exposure through passively listening or watching Tagalog media. Watch a Tagalog show, listen to OPM, or put on a podcast in Tagalog. Then set aside about 30 minutes of focused study or active learning where you annotate a text, do drills, or practice speaking. Passive exposure builds familiarity, while focused study hones your skills. Doing both will improve your input and output of Tagalog. Also, don’t forget to include a time to review what you learned the previous day on your focused study.
Track and log your learning progress
Keep a notebook, a real pen and paper one, for yor learning. Writing by hand and reading texts in print helps your brain process language differently than typing or reading from a screen.
Use it to write down your notes and journaling your learning experience. Jot down today’s topic, what challenged you, the lightbulb moments when something finally clicked, the little bits of information that made you excited to know or discover. You can even note how you felt about the resource you used. These small reflections create a record of progress, keeps you motivated, and gives you insights into what works best for you.
This roadmap brings together the essentials of starting your Tagalog journey: finding your why, choosing your path, building skills step by step, and forming habits that keep you moving forward. Each step might look simple by itself, but together all form a foundation that can carry you from being a hesitant speaker to someone whose conversations actually flow.
In the next posts, I’ll be diving deeper into each step. So if one of these steps sparked your interest, watch out for the spin-offs. Each post will give you a closer look at how to make this roadmap really yours.