Usage Note
Harmonika is borrowed from Spanish 'armónica' and refers to the small wind instrument popularized in the Philippines through Spanish and later American influence. While not a traditional Filipino instrument, it is associated with folk music and rural settings and occasionally appears in OPM recordings.
Examples
" Tumutugtog siya ng harmonika. "
Natural Translation
He is playing the harmonica.
Literal Translation
Playing he/she of harmonica.
" Maganda ang tunog ng harmonika. "
Natural Translation
The sound of the harmonica is beautiful.
Literal Translation
Beautiful the sound of harmonica.
" Tuwing gabi sa probinsya, umuupo ang lolo sa labas at tumutugtog ng lumang harmonika habang nakatingin sa mga bituin. "
Natural Translation
Every night in the province, grandfather sits outside and plays his old harmonica while gazing at the stars.
Literal Translation
Every night in province, sits the grandfather at outside and plays of old harmonica while looking at the stars.
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.

Tagalog Word Order: Sentence Structure Made Simple
Why Tagalog puts the verb first, and how ang, ng, and sa markers work. A clear guide to VSO word order, forming questions, and negation.

Tagalog Root Words: Learn a Few Hundred, Understand Thousands
Tagalog root words unlock vocabulary fast: learn a few hundred and recognize thousands. Real word families, examples, and a practical study strategy.

Tagalog Verb Conjugation: Aspects Made Simple
Tagalog verb conjugation uses aspects, not tenses. Learn the three aspects with -um- and mag- verbs, one reduplication rule, and clear example tables.

Tagalog Question Words: Ano, Sino, Saan & More
Tagalog question words like ano, sino, and saan need the right frame to work. Learn the ang-vs-pronoun rule, confusable pairs, and the ba particle with audio.