Reference · azifind.com

Wika: Languages of the Philippines

Two official languages. Over a hundred native ones, often loosely called "dialects." This is where azifind.com keeps both straight.

Philippines Wika
Major Wika 2
Katutubong Wika 20

Aklanon

Aklanon is the native language of Aklan province in Western Visayas, closely related to Kinaray-a and Capiznon.

B'laan

B'laan is the language of the B'laan indigenous people, spoken in South Cotabato, Sarangani, and Davao del Sur.

Cebuano

Cebuano is the second most widely spoken native language in the Philippines, used across much of the Visayas and large parts of Mindanao.

Central Bikol

Central Bikol is the most widely spoken of the Bikol languages, concentrated in the Bicol Region of southern Luzon.

Chavacano (Zamboangueño)

Chavacano is a Spanish-based creole language, with its largest variant, Zamboangueño, spoken in Zamboanga City and the surrounding peninsula.

Hiligaynon

Hiligaynon, also known as Ilonggo, is a major regional language concentrated in Western Visayas and parts of Soccsksargen.

Ibanag

Ibanag is the native language of Isabela and Cagayan provinces in Cagayan Valley.

Ilocano

Ilocano is the dominant language of the Ilocos Region and one of the most widely spoken native languages in the Philippines.

Iranun

Iranun is the language of the Iranun people, spoken in parts of Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, and Maguindanao.

Kankanaey

Kankanaey is a native language of the Cordillera Administrative Region, spoken mainly in Benguet and parts of Mountain Province.

Kapampangan

Kapampangan is the native language of Pampanga and parts of Tarlac in Central Luzon.

Karay-a

Karay-a is a language spoken primarily in Antique province and parts of Iloilo in Western Visayas.

Maguindanao

Maguindanao is the native language of the Maguindanao people, concentrated in the Bangsamoro region of Mindanao.

Maranao

Maranao is the language of the Maranao people of Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte, centered around Lake Lanao.

Masbateño

Masbateño is the native language of Masbate province, sharing features with both Bikol and Visayan languages.

Pangasinan

Pangasinan is the native language of Pangasinan province and parts of neighboring areas in Central Luzon.

Sama (Samal)

Sama is the language of the Sama-Bajau people, spoken across Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, and other parts of the southern Philippines.

Surigaonon

Surigaonon is the native language of Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur in northeastern Mindanao.

Tausug

Tausug is the principal language of the Sulu Archipelago, spoken across Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, and parts of Zamboanga Peninsula.

Waray

Waray is the principal language of Eastern Visayas, spoken across Samar and Leyte.

About This Section

The Philippines has 182 native languages according to Ethnologue, with the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino counting 135 living languages using a different classification method. This section keeps the two official languages, Filipino and English, separate from the native regional languages spoken across the country's provinces.

Katutubong Wika covers languages like Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, and Tausug, often called "dialects" in everyday speech despite being linguistically distinct from Tagalog. Each entry links to its own page with household figures, language family classification, and a link to the matching region on the azifind.com directory.

Definitions on this page are written independently for azifind.com, informed by the Philippine Statistics Authority 2020 Census of Population and Housing, Ethnologue, and the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino. About azifind.com →