Having spent some time in the southern Philippines, I’ve learnt that Visayan (or Bisaya) language share many common words with the Malay language. The Filipinos I’ve met express surprise when I mention this. I’m sure many Malaysians would be surprised too.

Visayan is also known as Cebuano and you’ll find its purer form spoken on the island of Cebu. Other than the national language, which is Tagalog, Visayan is the second most widely spoken language spoke in the country. Tagalog and Malay share many common words too. I would guess, to a lesser extend,that this would be the same for some of the other Filipino languages.

Filipinos have to learn Tagalog and will also speak their local language, which might be Visayan, Ilocano, Waray, Ilongo, Bikol or one of the other hundred or more languages. Other than that they also learn American English at school. So the Philippines is a country of multi-lingual speakers.

It’s interesting too that in Visayan the word for tiger is “tigre”, whereas a harimau happens to be a demon! Also the word of milk is gatas and the word “susu” is breast!

Languages just evolve.

Anyway, here are the common words I’ve come across so far. There are, I’m sure, many others.

Melayu ….. Bisaya

Aku ….. Ako
Anak ….. Anak
Angin ….. Hangin
Api …. Apo
Asap ….. Aso
Atap ….. Atop
Atas …… Taas

Babi …. Baboy
Bahu …. Baho
Baldi ….. Baldi
Balik …. Balik
Bangun ….. Bangun
Baru ….. Bago
Batu ….. Bato
Bayar …. Bayad
Beras ….. Bugas
Berat ….. Bugat
Berita …. Balita
Buaya ….. Buaya
Basah ….. Basak
Beras …. Bugas
Bola …. Bola
Buat ….. Buhaton
Bulan ….. Bulan
Buta ….. Buta

Cermin ….. Samin

Daun ….. Dahon
Dua ….. Duha
Durian ….. Durian

Engkau ….. Ikaw
Empat ….. Upat
Enam ….. Unom

Gunting ….. Gunting

Harga ….. Halaga
Hitam ….. Itom
Hujan ….. Ulan
Hutang ….. Utang

Jalan …… Dalan

Kambing ….. Kanding
Kami ….. Kami
Ketawa …. Ketawa
Kerbau …. Kalabau
Kita ….. Kita

Langga ….. Bangga
Langit ….. Langit
Langsat ….. Langsones
Lelaki …. Lalaki
Lima ….. Lima

Mahal ….. Mahal
Mangga ….. Mangga
Manis …. Tamis
Mata ….. Mata
Minum ….. Inom

Nyamuk ….. Lamuk

Pahit ….. Pait
Payung ….. Payung
Pintu ….. Pintu
Putih …. Puti

Sabun …. Sabun
Sakit ….. Sakit
Salah ….. Sala
Sandar …… Sandiri
Senyum ….. Pahiyum

Takut ….. Hadlok
Tanam ….. Tanum
Timbang ….. Timbang
Tuwala …. Twala

It’s possible that some of the Bisaya words have come from the Tagalog, or perhaps visa versa!

You’ll find the Malay/Tagalog common words here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_loanwords_in_Tagalog#Malay_and_Indonesian

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