In the Philippines, there are two official languages: Filipino and English
. Filipino is the national language, while English has official status due to the Philippines being a colony of the United States between 1898 and 1946
. Tagalog and Cebuano are the most commonly spoken native languages, together comprising about half of the population of the Philippines
. Some other major regional languages spoken in the Philippines include:
- Aklanon
- Basian
- Bikol
- Cebuano
- Chavacano (a Spanish-based creole)
- Hiligaynon
- Ibanag
- Ilocano
- Ilonggo
- Ivatan
- Maranao
- Tagalog
In addition to these languages, there are over 120 languages spoken in the Philippines, with Filipino being the standardized form of Tagalog
. The country is home to a vast number of languages due to its 7,641 individual islands, which have given rise to a wide range of indigenous and regional languages
