kambal
kambál with stress marks
twins
Usage Note
Kambal is the standard Tagalog word for twins, used for both identical and fraternal pairs. Twins hold a special place in Filipino folklore — some regional traditions once considered twins a supernatural sign — and today the word is also used playfully for any two things or people that look identical.
Examples
" Magkamukha ang dalawang kambal. "
Natural Translation
The two twins look alike.
Literal Translation
Alike the two twins.
" Nasaan ang kambal ni Ben? "
Natural Translation
Where is Ben's twin?
Literal Translation
Where the twin of Ben?
" Bagaman magkambal sila, magkaiba ang kanilang ugali kaya madali silang makilala ng mga kaibigan. "
Natural Translation
Even though they are twins, their personalities are different, so their friends can easily tell them apart.
Literal Translation
Although twins they, different the their character so easy them recognize by-the friends.
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 Greetings: How to Say Hello, Goodbye & Po/Opo
Master Tagalog greetings with pronunciation: kumusta, magandang umaga, po and opo polite forms, time-of-day phrases, and the mano po tradition.

Filipino Food: 12 Essential Dishes (With Tagalog Names)
Filipino food, from adobo to halo-halo: learn the Tagalog names, pronunciations, and ingredients behind 12 dishes you'll want to try on your first trip.

Languages of the Philippines: Tagalog, Cebuano, and More
Languages of the Philippines: one national language (Filipino) plus 180+ regional languages. Here's who speaks what, where, and why it matters to you.

Ng vs Nang in Tagalog: The Spelling Rule
Ng vs nang sound identical but spell differently. Use ng to mark nouns (of, the object), and nang for how, when, repetition, and counting time.