I love you in different Philippine languages
Valentine’s Day is coming up, and what better way to share the love than with sweet phrases from across the Philippines?
Last year I made artwork featuring heart candies with “I love you” and other sweet phrases in different Philippine languages. From the classic “Mahal kita” in Tagalog to “Kalasahan takaw” in Tausug, I tried to create a collection of phrases that reflect our linguistic diversity.
The idea came from wanting to celebrate how many beautiful ways there are to express love in the Philippines. We have over 170 languages across the country, and while I couldn’t fit all of them into one design, I chose 12 that represent different regions and language families.
Here are the phrases in the artwork:
- Mahal kita (I love you in Tagalog)
- Nahigugma ko nimo (I love you in Bisaya)
- Ay-ayaten ka (I love you in Ilokano)
- Palangga ko ikaw (I care for you in Hiligaynon)
- Higugmaon ko ikaw (I love you in Waray)
- Kaluguran daka (I love you in Kapampangan)
- Inaro taka (I love you in Pangasinanse)
- Namumuot ako saimo (I’m in love with you in Bicolano)
- Kalasahan takaw (I love you in Tausug)
- Kalinyan ko seka (I like you in Maguindanao)
- Ta ama yo kuntigo (I love you in Chabacano)
- Ichadaw ko imu (I love you in Ivatan)
Each one of these languages has its own history and character. Some are spoken by millions, others by smaller communities fighting to keep their languages alive. All of them deserve to be celebrated, learned, and spoken.
The printable artwork is available as an editable Canva template on my Etsy shop, so you can customize it however you like. Change the colors, add names, adjust the text – make it your own! It comes in sizes from 6×8″ all the way up to 24×32″, perfect for printing at your local print shop and framing as a unique Valentine’s Day gift.
Whether you’re giving this to someone special or just want to celebrate Philippine languages, I hope these sweet words bring a smile. After all, love and language are both things meant to be shared.
You can find the printable template here on Etsy.
