ampunan
ampunán with stress marks
orphanage
From root: ampon
Usage Note
Ampunan is derived from ampon (adopted person) with the locative suffix -an, designating a place where children are taken in and cared for. Many ampunan in the Philippines are run by religious organizations or the government's DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development). It is the standard formal and informal term for orphanage.
Examples
" Malaki ang ampunan dito. "
Natural Translation
The orphanage here is big.
Literal Translation
Big the orphanage here.
" Pumunta kami sa ampunan. "
Natural Translation
We went to the orphanage.
Literal Translation
Went we to orphanage.
" Nag-donate ang kompanya ng mga laruan sa ampunan tuwing kapaskuhan. "
Natural Translation
The company donates toys to the orphanage every Christmas season.
Literal Translation
Donated the company of toys to-the orphanage every Christmas-season.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
How Tagalog words workRelated Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.

Is Tagalog Hard to Learn? An Honest Answer
Tagalog takes around 1,100 hours to reach professional proficiency. Here is what is easy, what is hard, and what to expect at 3, 6, and 12 months.

How Long Does It Take to Learn Tagalog?
Survival Tagalog takes ~3-4 weeks and comfortable conversation 6-12 months. FSI's 1,100 hours is the professional bar, not the talking-to-family bar.

Philippines Geography for Learners: Islands & Language
Philippines geography for Tagalog learners: 7,641 islands, three island groups, and the Southern Luzon heartland where the Tagalog language was born.

Tagalog vs Filipino: What's the Difference & Which to Learn
Tagalog and Filipino aren't the same language — but they overlap almost completely. Here's the real difference and which one you should actually learn.