A common ironical expression is, Catalastasan mo aya a! (How very clever!)
The Indian name for the head of a barrio, or barangay, is dato, but the word more commonly used at present is the Castilian cabeza; so that now the Indian generally denominates this native authority cabeza sa balañgay. The Tagal word for the principal locality of a district is doyo, in Castilian, cabazera.
The word cantar has been introduced for the music of the Church, but many of the ancient Indian words have been retained, such as Pinanan umbitanan ang patay.—They sing the death-song; dayao, the song of victory; hune, the song of birds. The noise of the ghiko lizard is called halotictic.
The following may serve as specimens of Tagál polysyllabic words:—
| Anagnalaláqui | son. | |
| Ananababai | daughter. | |
| Cababulaánang | lie. | |
| Malanuingiolog | thunder. | |
| Pagsisisi |  | suffering. |
| Paghahanducan | ||
| Pagsisingsiñgan | finger. | |
| Pagpapahopa | peace. | |
| Palayanglayañgan | swallow. | |
| Pañgañganyaya | damage. | |
| Sangtinacpan | the world. | |
| Solonmañgayao | comet; exhalation. | |
| Magbabaca | | warrior, from baca to light. |
| Tagupagbaca | ||
| Tangcastancasan | faggot. | |
| Masaquit angmangapilipisanco | my head aches. | |
| Hahampasinguita | I will flog thee (thou shalt be flogged byme). | |
| Guiguisiñgincata | I will wake thee (thou shalt be waked byme). | |
| Magpasavalabanhangan | everlasting. | |
| Pananangpahataya | faith. | |
| Mapagpaunbabao | deceitful. | |
| Mapagpalamara | ungrateful. | |
Odd numbers in Tagál are called gangsal, even numbers tocol.
| Affirmative, Yes! | Oo; tango. |
| Negative, No! | Di; dili; houag; dakan. |
Many Malayan words are to be traced, some in their pure, others in a corrupted form, not only in the Tagal and Bisayan, but in other idioms of the Philippines.[12] Such are Langit, heaven; puti, white; mata, eye; vato, stones; mura, cheap; and some others. Slightly modified are dita for lina, language; babi, for babuy, pig; hagin (Tag.) and hangin (Bis.) for angin, wind; masaguit for sakit, sick; patay for mati (Mal.), mat (Pers.), dead; nagcasama for samasama, in company; matacut for takot, fear; ulan for udian, rain; and a few others. The Malay word tuan, meaning honourable, and generally employed to signify the obedience and deference of the speaker to the person addressed, is mostly used by the Tagals in an ironical sense. Ay touan co! Honourable man indeed! “Do not tuan me,” is equivalent to, “None of your nonsense.”
The monks have introduced most of the Castilian words of Greek and Latin origin necessary for the profession of the Catholic faith, or the celebration of its religious rites, for few of which could any representatives be found in the aboriginal tongues.
Considering the long possession of many portions of the Philippines by tribes professing Mahomedanism, the number of current Arabic words is small: I heard salam, salute; malim, master; arrac, wine or spirits; arraes for reis, captain. And among the Mussulmans of Mindanao, Islam, koran, rassoul (prophet), bismillah, kitab, and other words immediately connected with the profession of Islamism, were quite familiar.