Tagalog is spoken in the Philippines and is the official language, along with English. Tagalog is a local language in the Manila area, and has become a lingua franca for the Philippines. It is the most important language in a country of dozens of native languages.
Related to Indonesian and Malay, Tagalog borrows from Spanish (due to hundreds of years as a Spanish colony), Chinese and English. It is spoken in pockets around the world and is one of the most commonly spoken foreign languages in the US.
The only major obstacle to learn Tagalog comes from the lack of learning materials. Few publishers make anything available. There are some choices, and the internet provides a few extra free resources, so all is not lost!
Internet/FreeSeasite Tagalog
This is a supersite for leaners of languages of south-east Asia and tagalog is no exception. There are tutorials, phrases and idioms, a dictionary, readings, culture, games and music. Lots of free resources for learning Tagalog.
Internet/FreeThe Pinoy Podcast
The Pinoy Podcast is a short but good quality podcast. There are dozens of episodes which equals a few hours of free audio with phrases and vocabulary to learn Tagalog for free.
Internet/FreeTagalog 1
This is another site for learning Tagalog with basic tutorials with audio, and tests to gauge your progress.
Audio Pimsleur Tagalog Comprehensive I
Pimsleurs Tagalog Comprehensive Level 1 is a new addition to the Pimsleur line. Pimsleurs all-audio format is a great introduction to the language, and with it you'll develop a better accent and conversation ability than with any other published language method. It's a great way to begin to learn Tagalog. For a more in-depth look at how Pimsleur products work, read
my review of Pimsleur products
, or you can listen to the first lesson of Pimsleur Tagalog free below!
Software
This inexpensive software program to learn Tagalog is a great tool to have in your arsenal. Lots of vocabulary and phrases, dialogues, audio from native speakers, games and activities and much more to get you started on your path to learn Tagalog.
Software
Rosetta Stone Tagalog
Rosetta Stone Tagalog Level 1 is one of the most comprehensive beginning language methods for Tagalog. Native audio, text and images immerse the learner into an enriching environment. The flexibility of the software allows the user to build a strong foundation to further learn Tagalog. Read my
review of Rosetta Stone.