Kapampangan is one of the major languages of the Philippines. It is the language spoken in the province of Pampanga, most parts of the province of Tarlac, and some parts of Bataan, Bulacan and Nueva Ecija. Kapampangan is also understood in some municipalities of Bulacan and Nueva Ecija and by the Aitas or Aeta of Zambales. The language is also called Pampango, and honorifically in the Kapampangan language: Amánung Sísuan, meaning "breastfed/nurtured language".
Kapampangan is a member of the Austronesian language family, with its closest relatives being Sambal languages of Zambales province and the Bolinao language spoken in the town of Bolinao, Pangasinan. share the same reflex (IPA: /j/) of the Proto-Austronesian consonant *R.
Due to European influences in the Philippines, it has loanwords from both Spanish and English.
Pronunciation guide
editStandard Kapampangan has 21 phonemes: 15 consonants and five vowels. Some western dialects of Kapampangan have six vowels. Syllable structure is relatively simple. Each syllable contains at least a consonant and a vowel.
Vowels
editKapampangan is complete in vowel phonemes; they are:
- (IPA: /a/) an open front unrounded vowel similar to English "father"
- (IPA: /ɛ/) an open-mid front unrounded vowel similar to English "bed"
- (IPA: /i/) a close front unrounded vowel similar to English "machine"
- (IPA: /o/) a close-mid back rounded vowel similar to English "forty"
- (IPA: /u/) a close back rounded vowel similar to English "flute"
In addition to those, some dialects also had (IPA: /ə/). In some western accents, there is a sixth monophthong phoneme (IPA: /ɯ/), a close back unrounded vowel, found in for example (IPA: [atɯp]) "roof" and (IPA: [lalɯm]) "deep". However, this sound has merged with (IPA: /a/) for most Kapampangan speakers.
There are four main diphthongs; (IPA: /aɪ/), (IPA: /oɪ/), (IPA: /aʊ/), and (IPA: /iʊ/). However, in most dialects, including standard Kapampangan, (IPA: /aɪ/) and (IPA: /aʊ/) are reduced to (IPA: /ɛ/) and (IPA: /o/), respectively.
The monophthongs have allophones in unstressed and syllable-final positions:
- (IPA: /a/) is raised slightly in unstressed positions except final syllables
- Unstressed (IPA: /i u/) are usually pronounced (IPA: [ɪ ʊ]) as in English "bit" and "book" respectively, except final syllables.
- At the final syllables, (IPA: /i/) can be pronounced (IPA: [ɛ, i]), and (IPA: /u/) can be pronounced (IPA: [o, u]).
- deni/reni (meaning "these") can be pronounced [ˈdɛnɛ]/[ˈɾɛnɛ] or [ˈdɛni]/[ˈɾɛni], seli (meaning "bought") can be pronounced [ˈsɛlɛ] or [ˈsɛli], kekami (meaning "to us" [except you]) can be pronounced [kɛkɐˈmɛ] or [kɛkɐˈmi], suerti can be pronounced [ˈswɛɾtɛ] or [ˈswɛɾti], sisilim (meaning "dusk") can be pronounced [sɪˈsilɛm] or [sɪˈsilim].
- kanu (meaning "he said, she said, they said, it was said, allegedly, reportedly, supposedly") can be pronounced [kaˈno] or [kaˈnu], libru (meaning "book") can be pronounced [libˈɾo] or [libˈɾu], ninu (meaning "who") can be pronounced [ˈnino] or [ˈninu], kaku (meaning "to me") can be pronounced [ˈkako] or [ˈkaku], kamaru (meaning "cricket") can be pronounced [kamɐˈɾo] or [kamɐˈɾu].
- Unstressed (IPA: /e, o/) are usually pronounced (IPA: [ɪ, ʊ]) respectively, except final syllables.
Consonants
editAll the stops are unaspirated. The velar nasal occurs in all positions including at the beginning of a word.
Unlike other Philippine languages, Kapampangan lacks the phoneme /h/.
Bilabial | Dental / Alveolar |
Palatal | Velar | Glottal | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nasal | m | n | (IPA: ŋ) | |||
Stop | voiceless | p | t | (IPA: tʃ) | k | (IPA: ʔ) |
voiced | b | d | (IPA: dʒ) | g | ||
Fricative | s | (IPA: ʃ) | ||||
Trill | r | |||||
Approximant | l | (IPA: j) | w |
- (IPA: /k/) has a tendency to lenite to (IPA: [x]) between vowels.
- (IPA: [d]) and (IPA: [ɾ]) are allophones in Kapampangan, and thus sometimes interchangeable. So, Nokarin la ring libru? can be Nokarin la ding libru? (Translation: Where are the books?)
- A glottal stop that occurs at the end of a word is often omitted when it is in the middle of a sentence.
Common diphthongs
editPhrase list
editBasics
edit- How are you?
- Komusta ka? (ko-moos-TA kə?)
- Fine, thank you.
- Mayap ku, salamat. (ma-YAP ku sa-LA-mət)
- What is your name?
- Nanung lagyu mu? / Nanu kang lagyu? (NA-noong la-GYOO moo? / NA-noo kang la-GYOO)
- I am ______ .
- I aku pu i ______ . (YA-koo poo i _____ .)
- Thank you.
- Salamat. (sa-LA-mət)
- You're welcome.
- Alang nanu man. (a-LANG NA-noo-man)
- Yes.
- Wa. / Awa. (Wə / a-WƏ)
- No.
- Ali. (a-LEE)
- I can't speak Kapampangan.
- E ku biyasang Kapampangan. (e ku BYA-səng ka-pam-PA-ngən)
- Do you speak English?
- ? ( ?)
- Is there someone here who speaks English?
- ? ( ?)
- Help!
- Saup! ( !)
- Look out!
- ! ( !)
- Good morning.
- . ( )
- Good evening.
- . ( )
- Good night.
- . ( )
- Good night (to sleep)
- . ( )
- I don't understand.
- . ( )
- Where is the toilet?
- ? ( ?)
Problems
edit- Leave me alone.
- . ( .)
- Don't touch me!
- ! ( !)
- I'll call the police.
- . ( .)
- Police!
- ! ( !)
- Stop! Thief!
- ! ! ( ! !)
- I need your help.
- . ( .)
- It's an emergency.
- . ( .)
- I'm lost.
- . ( .)
- I lost my bag.
- . ( .)
- I lost my wallet.
- . ( .)
- I'm sick.
- . ( .)
- I've been injured.
- . ( .)
- I need a doctor.
- . ( .)
- Can I use your phone?
- ? ( ?)
Numbers
edit- 1
- metung (MEH-toong), pesus (PEH-soos)
- 2
- adwa (a-DWƏ)
- 3
- atlu (at-LOO)
- 4
- apat (AH-pət)
- 5
- lima(li-MƏ)
- 6
- anam (AH-nəm)
- 7
- pitu (pi-TOO)
- 8
- walu (wa-LOO)
- 9
- siyam (SHƏM)
- 10
- apulu (a-POO-loo)
- 11
- pulung metung (poo-LOONG MEH-toong)
- 12
- pulung adwa (poo-LOONG a-DWƏ)
- 13
- pulung atlu ( )
- 14
- pulung apat ( )
- 15
- pulung lima ( )
- 16
- pulung anam ( )
- 17
- pulung pitu ( )
- 18
- pulung walu ( )
- 19
- pulung siyam ( )
- 20
- ( )
- 21
- ( )
- 22
- ( )
- 23
- ( )
- 30
- ( )
- 40
- ( )
- 50
- ( )
- 60
- ( )
- 70
- ( )
- 80
- ( )
- 90
- ( )
- 100
- ( )
- 200
- ( )
- 300
- ( )
- 1,000
- ( )
- 2,000
- ( )
- 1,000,000
- ( )
- 1,000,000,000
- ( )
- 1,000,000,000,000
- ( )
- number _____ (train, bus, etc.)
- ( )
- half
- ( )
- less
- ( )
- more
- ( )
Time
edit- now
- ( )
- later
- ( )
- before
- ( )
- morning
- ( )
- afternoon
- ( )
- evening
- ( )
- night
- ( )
Clock time
edit- one o'clock AM
- ( )
- two o'clock AM
- ( )
- noon
- ( )
- one o'clock PM
- ( )
- two o'clock PM
- ( )
- midnight
- ( )
Duration
edit- _____ minute(s)
- ( )
- _____ hour(s)
- ( )
- _____ day(s)
- ( )
- _____ week(s)
- ( )
- _____ month(s)
- ( )
- _____ year(s)
- ( )
Days
edit- today
- ( )
- yesterday
- ( )
- tomorrow
- ( )
- this week
- ( )
- last week
- ( )
- next week
- ( )
- Sunday
- ( )
- Monday
- ( )
- Tuesday
- ( )
- Wednesday
- ( )
- Thursday
- ( )
- Friday
- ( )
- Saturday
- ( )
Months
edit
- January
- ( )
- February
- ( )
- March
- ( )
- April
- ( )
- May
- ( )
- June
- ( )
- July
- ( )
- August
- ( )
- September
- ( )
- October
- ( )
- November
- ( )
- December
- ( )
Writing time and date
editColors
edit- black
- ( )
- white
- ( )
- gray
- ( )
- red
- ( )
- blue
- ( )
- yellow
- ( )
- green
- ( )
- orange
- ( )
- purple
- ( )
- brown
- ( )
Transportation
editBus and train
edit- How much is a ticket to _____?
- ( )
- One ticket to _____, please.
- ( )
- Where does this train/bus go?
- ( )
- Where is the train/bus to _____?
- ( )
- Does this train/bus stop in _____?
- ( )
- When does the train/bus for _____ leave?
- ( )
- When will this train/bus arrive in _____?
- ( )
Directions
edit- How do I get to _____ ?
- ( )
- ...the train station?
- ( )
- ...the bus station?
- ( )
- ...the airport?
- ( )
- ...downtown?
- ( )
- ...the youth hostel?
- ( )
- ...the _____ hotel?
- ( )
- ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate?
- ( )
- Where are there a lot of...
- ( )
- ...hotels?
- ( )
- ...restaurants?
- ( )
- ...bars?
- ( )
- ...sites to see?
- ( )
- Can you show me on the map?
- ( )
- street
- ( )
- Turn left.
- ( )
- Turn right.
- ( )
- left
- ( )
- right
- ( )
- straight ahead
- ( )
- towards the _____
- ( )
- past the _____
- ( )
- before the _____
- ( )
- Watch for the _____.
- ( )
- intersection
- ( )
- north
- ( )
- south
- ( )
- east
- ( )
- west
- ( )
- uphill
- ( )
- downhill
- ( )
Taxi
edit- Taxi!
- ( )
- Take me to _____, please.
- ( )
- How much does it cost to get to _____?
- ( )
- Take me there, please.
- ( )
Lodging
edit- Do you have any rooms available?
- ( )
- How much is a room for one person/two people?
- ( )
- Does the room come with...
- ( )
- ...bedsheets?
- ( )
- ...a bathroom?
- ( )
- ...a telephone?
- ( )
- ...a TV?
- ( )
- May I see the room first?
- ( )
- Do you have anything quieter?
- ( )
- ...bigger?
- ( )
- ...cleaner?
- ( )
- ...cheaper?
- ( )
- OK, I'll take it.
- ( )
- I will stay for _____ night(s).
- ( )
- Can you suggest another hotel?
- ( )
- Do you have a safe?
- ( )
- ...lockers?
- ( )
- Is breakfast/supper included?
- ( )
- What time is breakfast/supper?
- ( )
- Please clean my room.
- ( )
- Can you wake me at _____?
- ( )
- I want to check out.
- ( )
Money
edit- Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars?
- ( )
- Do you accept British pounds?
- ( )
- Do you accept Euros?
- ( )
- Do you accept credit cards?
- ( )
- Can you change money for me?
- ( )
- Where can I get money changed?
- ( )
- Can you change a traveler's check for me?
- ( )
- Where can I get a traveler's check changed?
- ( )
- What is the exchange rate?
- ( )
- Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?
- ( )
Eating
edit- A table for one person/two people, please.
- ( )
- Can I look at the menu, please?
- ( )
- Can I look in the kitchen?
- ( )
- Is there a house specialty?
- ( )
- Is there a local specialty?
- ( )
- I'm a vegetarian.
- ( )
- I don't eat pork.
- ( )
- I don't eat beef.
- ( )
- I only eat kosher food.
- ( )
- Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard)
- ( )
- fixed-price meal
- ( )
- a la carte
- ( )
- breakfast
- ( )
- lunch
- ( )
- tea (meal)
- ( )
- supper
- ( )
- I want _____.
- ( )
- I want a dish containing _____.
- ( )
- chicken
- ( )
- beef
- ( )
- fish
- ( )
- ham
- ( )
- sausage
- ( )
- cheese
- ( )
- eggs
- ( )
- salad
- ( )
- (fresh) vegetables
- ( )
- (fresh) fruit
- ( )
- bread
- ( )
- toast
- ( )
- noodles
- ( )
- rice
- ( )
- beans
- ( )
- May I have a glass of _____?
- ( )
- May I have a cup of _____?
- ( )
- May I have a bottle of _____?
- ( )
- coffee
- ( )
- tea (drink)
- ( )
- juice
- ( )
- (bubbly) water
- ( )
- (still) water
- ( )
- beer
- ( )
- red/white wine
- ( )
- May I have some _____?
- ( )
- salt
- ( )
- black pepper
- ( )
- butter
- ( )
- Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)
- ( )
- I'm finished.
- ( )
- It was delicious.
- ( )
- Please clear the plates.
- ( )
- The check, please.
- ( )
Bars
edit- Do you serve alcohol?
- ( )
- Is there table service?
- ( )
- A beer/two beers, please.
- ( )
- A glass of red/white wine, please.
- ( )
- A pint, please.
- ( )
- A bottle, please.
- ( )
- _____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please.
- ( )
- whiskey
- ( )
- vodka
- ( )
- rum
- ( )
- water
- ( )
- club soda
- ( )
- tonic water
- ( )
- orange juice
- ( )
- Coke (soda)
- ( )
- Do you have any bar snacks?
- ( )
- One more, please.
- ( )
- Another round, please.
- ( )
- When is closing time?
- ( )
- Cheers!
- ( )
Shopping
edit- Do you have this in my size?
- ( )
- How much is this?
- ( )
- That's too expensive.
- ( )
- Would you take _____?
- ( )
- expensive
- ( )
- cheap
- ( )
- I can't afford it.
- ( )
- I don't want it.
- ( )
- You're cheating me.
- ( )
- I'm not interested.
- (..)
- OK, I'll take it.
- ( )
- Can I have a bag?
- ( )
- Do you ship (overseas)?
- ( )
- I need...
- ( )
- ...toothpaste.
- ( )
- ...a toothbrush.
- ( )
- ...tampons.
- . ( )
- ...soap.
- ( )
- ...shampoo.
- ( )
- ...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen)
- ( )
- ...cold medicine.
- ( )
- ...stomach medicine.
- ... ( )
- ...a razor.
- ( )
- ...an umbrella.
- ( )
- ...sunblock lotion.
- ( )
- ...a postcard.
- ( )
- ...postage stamps.
- ( )
- ...batteries.
- ( )
- ...writing paper.
- ( )
- ...a pen.
- ( )
- ...English-language books.
- ( )
- ...English-language magazines.
- ( )
- ...an English-language newspaper.
- ( )
- ...an English-English dictionary.
- ( )
Driving
edit- I want to rent a car.
- ( )
- Can I get insurance?
- ( )
- stop (on a street sign)
- ( )
- one way
- ( )
- yield
- ( )
- no parking
- ( )
- speed limit
- ( )
- gas (petrol) station
- ( )
- petrol
- ( )
- diesel
- ( )
Authority
edit- I haven't done anything wrong.
- ( )
- It was a misunderstanding.
- ( )
- Where are you taking me?
- ( )
- Am I under arrest?
- ( )
- I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen.
- ( )
- I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate.
- ( )
- I want to talk to a lawyer.
- ( )
- Can I just pay a fine now?
- ( )