English for Filipino Speakers | San Diego Voice and Accent

I'm Julie Cunningham, MA, CCC-SLP, a licensed speech-language pathologist. I help Filipino and Tagalog speakers speak American English clearly and confidently.

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Are you a native Filipino or Tagalog speaker who:

says the TH sounds in words like think and this as a T or D, so thank sounds like tank?
says F like P and V like B, so fan sounds like pan and very sounds like berry?
says sit and seat, or pull and pool, with the same vowel?
says unstressed syllables with a full vowel instead of the schwa?
finds the dark L in words like feel, milk, and ball difficult?

American English Pronunciation for Filipino Speakers: Top 5 Pronunciation Challenges

These are five pronunciation challenges that are common for Filipino and Tagalog speakers. Read about each one below, then watch the free video lessons to practice.

Filipino Challenge #1: The TH /θ, ð/ Consonants

A common challenge for native Filipino and Tagalog speakers is saying the TH sounds in words like think /θ/ and this /ð/ as a T /t/ or a D /d/, so thank sounds like tank.

Because tank and thank are both real words in English, your listener may hear a different word than the one you meant. I want you to be able to hear and feel the difference, and the lessons below show you how.

How to Pronounce the TH /θ, ð/ Consonants in English

The difference between TH /θ/ and TH /ð/ is vocal cord vibration: /θ/ is voiceless (no vocal cord vibration) and /ð/ is voiced (the vocal cords vibrate). For both sounds, the tip of the tongue is placed lightly against or between the teeth, and the air keeps flowing; the tongue does not stop the air the way it does for T and D.

Watch the videos below to learn how to pronounce the TH consonants.

Filipino Challenge #2: The F /f/ and V /v/ Consonants

Another common challenge is saying F /f/ and V /v/ like P /p/ and B /b/, so fan sounds like pan and very sounds like berry. For F and V, the upper teeth touch the lower lip; for P and B, both lips close.

Because many of these pairs are real words in English, your listener may hear a different word than the one you intended.

How to Pronounce the F /f/ and V /v/ Consonants

Watch the videos below to learn how to pronounce F and V, and how they differ from P and B.

Filipino Challenge #3: The EE /i/ and IH /ɪ/ Vowels (and OO /u/ and UH /ʊ/)

Many native Filipino and Tagalog speakers use the same vowel for EE /i/ and IH /ɪ/, so seat and sit sound alike, and the same vowel for OO /u/ and UH /ʊ/, so pool and pull sound alike. Both words in each pair are real words in English, so this substitution can change the meaning of your message.

How to Pronounce the EE /i/ and IH /ɪ/ Vowels in English

To pronounce the IH /ɪ/ vowel, relax your face and tongue and say the vowel for a shorter duration than EE /i/. Watch the videos below to learn how to pronounce the EE /i/ and IH /ɪ/ vowels, and the OO /u/ and UH /ʊ/ vowels.

Filipino Challenge #4: The Schwa and Unstressed Syllables

In American English, unstressed syllables are shorter and weaker, and the vowel in them is often reduced to the schwa UH /ə/, like the first and last vowels in about and Canada.

A common challenge is saying those unstressed vowels as full vowels, which makes every syllable sound equally strong. I teach the schwa so that the rhythm of your words sounds natural to an American listener.

How to Pronounce the Schwa and Unstressed Syllables

Watch the videos below to learn how the schwa and unstressed syllables work in American English.

Filipino Challenge #5: The Dark L /ɫ/

At the end of a word or syllable, like in ball, feel, and milk, American English uses a “dark” L /ɫ/, where the back of the tongue pulls back and the tip of the tongue may not touch the roof of the mouth at all.

The dark L is a common challenge for native Filipino and Tagalog speakers. The lessons below show how the dark L differs from the light L.

How to Pronounce the Dark L in English

Watch the videos below to learn the difference between the light L and the dark L.

What are common American English pronunciation challenges for Filipino and Tagalog speakers?

Five common challenges are the TH consonants, the F and V consonants, the EE and IH vowels (and OO and UH), the schwa and unstressed syllables, and the dark L. Each one has a free video lesson on this page.

Why does thank sound like tank?

Many native Filipino and Tagalog speakers say the TH /θ/ in thank as a T /t/, so thank sounds like tank. For TH, the tip of the tongue touches the teeth and the air keeps flowing; for T, the tongue stops the air.