Voiceless Stops: /p/,/t/,/k/

These phonemes in Tagalog are unaspirated in all positions, unlike English, in which they are aspirated at the beginning of stressed syallbles (ex. "spill" vs. "pill"). Other than this difference, /p/ is made in the same position in the mouth. This is not the case with /t/ and /k/.

/t/

The /t/ in Tagalog is dental, while the /t/ in English is alveolar. Additionally, the /t/ in Tagalog is never voiced (in comparison to English, where it is voiced in words such as "shutter" or "latter"). Below, there are recordings of "tao" (person), "botas" (boots), and "boda" (wedding). ADD AUDIO

/k/

In English, the point of articulation varies depending on the following sound, for example: "coop" (velar) and "keep" (palatal). However, in Tagalog, there is only one point of articulation of /k/, which is further back in the vellum than in any English reiteration of /k/. Below are two examples from Tagalog: "kirot" (twinge) and "kurot" (pinch). ADD AUDIO

/k/ also has a fricative allophone, denoted by Schachter and Otanes as [x]. The point of aritculation is the same as [k], except there is space left between the back of the toungue and the velum in [x], in which air is pushed through. [x] is often used between low and back vowels. Examples are "ako" (I), "wakas" (finish), and "suka" (vinegar).

Voiced Stops: /b/, /d/, and /g/

The articulation position of /b/, /d/, and /g/ are the same as /p/, /t/, and /k/ respectively.

basa (wet)

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pasa (bruise)

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ambon (drizzle)

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ampon (adopt)

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gulang (age)

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kulang (lacking)

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