We often find foreigners who struggle to learn Tagalog rather amusing. But truth be told, Filipinos–no matter how fluent we are in speaking our native language–still have so much to learn.

Ever heard of haynayan (biology), karumalan (menstrual period), or panghibayo (amplifier)? If you haven’t heard of these words, then welcome to the club! Indeed, we can be strangers even to our own language.

Filipino word: Pook-sapot

English translation: WebsiteDefinition:   A place on the World Wide Web that contains information about a person, organization, etc., and that usually consists of many Web pages joined by hyperlinks. (Source: Merriam-Webster)

Filipino word: Sulatroniko

English translation: E-mail

Definition: A system for sending messages from one computer to another computer. (Source: Merriam-Webster)

Filipino word: Yakis

English translation: “To sharpen”

Definition: To make (something) sharp or sharper.  (Source: Merriam-Webster)

Filipino word: Pang-ulong hatinig

English translation: Headset

Definition: A device that holds an earphone and a microphone in place on a person’s head. (Source: Merriam-Webster)

Filipino word: PanginainEnglish translation: Browser

Definition: A computer program that is used to find and look at information on the Internet. (Source: Merriam-Webster)

Filipino word: Pantablay

English translation: Charger

Definition: A device for charging storage batteries. (Source: Merriam-Webster)

Filipino word: MiktinigEnglish translation: Microphone

Definition: An instrument whereby sound waves are caused to generate or modulate an electric current usually for the purpose of transmitting or recording sound (as speech or music). (Source: Merriam-Webster)

Filipino word: Kawingan

English translation: Hyperlink

Definition: A highlighted word or picture in a document or Web page that you can click on with a computer mouse to go to another place in the same or a different document or Web page. (Source: Merriam-Webster)

Filipino word: Initsigan

English translation: Thermodynamics

Definition: A science that deals with the action of heat and related forms of energy. (Source: Merriam-Webster)

Filipino word: DuyogEnglish translation: Eclipse

Definition: An occasion when the sun looks like it is completely or partially covered with a dark circle because the moon is between the sun and the Earth. (Source: Merriam-Webster)

Filipino word: Danumsigwasan

English translation: Hydraulics

Definition: The science that deals with ways to use liquid (such as water) when it is moving. (Source: Merriam-Webster)

Filipino word: Dagibalniing liboy

English translation: Electromagnetic wave

Definition: One of the waves that are propagated by simultaneous periodic variations of electric and magnetic field intensity and that include radio waves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays. (Source: Merriam-Webster)

Filipino word: Bilnuran

English translation: Arithmetic

Definition: A branch of mathematics that deals usually with the nonnegative real numbers including sometimes the transfinite cardinals and with the application of the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to them. (Source: Merriam-Webster)

Filipino word: Asoge

English translation: Mercury

Definition: A silver metal that is liquid at normal temperatures. (Source: Merriam-Webster)

Filipino word: Anluwage

English translation: Carpenter

Definition: A person whose job is to make or fix wooden objects or wooden parts of buildings. (Source: Merriam-Webster)