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Philippine kinship uses the Generational system (see Kinship terminology) to define family. Within common typologies, the Philippine system is one of the most simple classificatory systems of kinship compared to the complex U.S. kinship system (see Cousin). The literal genetic relationship, or whether the person being addressed is in the actual bloodline or not, is often overridden by the desire to show proper respect that is due in the Philippine culture to age and the nature of the relationship, which are considered more important.
In it, the literal differences are distinguished by generation, age, and in some cases by gender. However, non-Filipinos can be confused by apparently similar relationships being handled verbally differently by the same person, which generally occurs because of the circumstantial relationship or because some authority is represented by the addressee. Other factors that affect how a person is addressed are whether the two are familiar with each other, new to each other's acquaintance, or perhaps involved in a secondary relationship that imparts authority, such as one person being the supervisor of another at work.
As an example, a teenage girl would call her older brother "kuya". She would also tend to call her older male cousin "kuya". The fact that he is an older, blood-related male is more important than the fact that a brother is not genetically related to the same degree that a cousin is. The term "kuya" is actually likely to applied to any older male who is within her generation and should be treated with respect, perhaps even the very close friends of her brother. Thus, the terms used are often intended to show the degree of the relationship and the type of relationship, rather than literal biological relationship.
This can be seen in social settings such as Facebook when Filipino teenagers use the standard "brothers" and "sisters" categories to list any contemporary who is what USA culture would more likely call a "best friend".
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Scholars generally disagree on the genetic origin of the "original" Filipino people, if there is any one dominant progenitor. For centuries there have been migrations from Asia, the Middle East, all the nearby Island countries, and Europe (primarily the Spanish) who have all given something genetically and etymologically to the Philippines. Over 170 dialects are recognized, but Tagalog, which is not spoken by the majority of the population, is the official language and is the dialect most recognized in the area of the capital, Manila, often referred to as Metro Manila. The unofficial second language is English, and rudimentary use of English is often more successful for communication among far-flung peoples in the Philippines than any one dialect including Tagalog. The primary reasons for the prominence of English throughout the culture is the relationship with the USA since World War II and the fact that television reaches across the country and broadcasts are sent in a mix of Tagalog and English.
The Tagalog language is considered one of the Austronesian languages, borrowing heavily from the Philippines geographical neighbors but also from Spanish, due to the Spanish colonization of the previous three centuries, adapting such terms as "Kamusta" as a greeting, taken from the Spanish "Cómo está", and also from Polynesian dialects and Cantonese. Familial greetings tend to be borrowed from Cantonese.
| English | Tagalog/Filipino | Bikol | Bisaya/Binisaya | Hiligaynon | Ilocano | Kapampangan | Tausug | ||
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| I | ako | akó | ako | ako | siák, ak | aku | aku | ||
| Sibling | kapatid | túgang1 agóm2 |
ígsuón | utod | kabsát1 áding2 |
kapatad | langgud taymanghud |
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| Brother | kapatid na lalaki lalaking kapatid |
manoy | utod nga lalaki | mánong | aputul kapatad a lalaki |
langgung usog | |||
| Sister | kapatid na babae babaing kapatid |
manay | utod nga babayi | mánang | kaputul kapatad a babai |
langgung babai | |||
| Cousin | pinsan | pínsan | íg-agaw, agaw | pakaisa | kasinsín | pisan | pangtangud | ||
| Male cousin | pinsan na lalaki pinsang lalaki |
pisan a lalaki | |||||||
| Female cousin | pinsan na babae pinsang babae |
pisan a babai | |||||||
| Notes: 1 General term for older sibling. |
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As a child you would refer to your parents as Ama (Tagalog formal for Father) or Tatay (Tagalog informal for Father) and Ina (Tagalog formal for Mother) or Nanay (Tagalog informal for Mother). Your parents' siblings and their cousins would be your "mga Tito" (Tagalog for Uncles) or "mga Tita" (Tagalog for Aunts) as well as "Ninong" (Tagalog for Godfather) and "Ninang" (Tagalog for Godmother).
Your "mga kapatid" (Tagalog for siblings) would be your brothers or sisters. The terms "Kuya" and "Ate" are used to address an older brother and sister respectively as a sign of respect. Any children of your Ninong/Tito (Uncle) or Ninang/Tita (Aunt) would be your "mga pinsan" (cousins). The term "Kuya" is used in Tagalog for older brother and "Ate" is used in Tagalog for older sister.
The children of your "mga kapatid" (siblings) and "mga pinsan" (cousins) would be your "mga pamangkin" (nephews/nieces).
If you are a "Amang/Lolo" (Tagalog for Grandfather) or "Inang/Lola" (Tagalog for Grandmother), your "mga apo" (Tagalog for grandchildren) would be the offsprings not only of your "mga anak" (Tagalog for children) but also the offspring of your children's "mga pinsan" (Tagalog for cousins).
The following tree represents the Philippine kinship system, focusing on YOU.
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Ninuno 1 Ancestor |
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Ninuno 2 Ancestor |
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Lolo Grandfather |
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Lola Grandmother |
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Tiyo Uncle |
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Tiya Aunt |
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Ama Father |
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Ina Mother |
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Hipag Sister-in-law |
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Kuya Eldest brother |
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Ate Eldest sister |
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Bayaw Brother-in-law |
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YOU |
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Asawa Husband/Wife |
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Bunso Youngest sibling |
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Pamangkin Nephews/Nieces |
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Anak Son/Daughter/Children |
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Manugang Son-in-law/ Daughter-in-law |
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Apo Grandson/Granddaughter/ Grandchildren |
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Apo sa tuhod Great grandson/Great granddaughter/ Great grandchildren |
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| Relation | English equivalent | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lalake | Babae | Male | Female |
| Grandparent | |||
| Lolo | Lola | Grandfather | Grandmother |
| Magulang | Parent | ||
| Ama | Ina | Father | Mother |
| Biyenan | |||
| Biyenang Lalake | Biyenang Babae | Father-in-law | Mother-in-law |
| Asawa | Spouse | ||
| Husband | Wife | ||
| Balo | |||
| Biyudo | Biyuda | Widow | Widower |
| Anak | Child | ||
| Anak na Lalake | Anak na Babae | Son | Daughter |
| Manugang | |||
| Manugang na Lalake | Manugang na Babae | Son-in-law | Daughter-in-law |
| Apo | Grandchild | ||
| Apong Lalake | Apong Babae | Grandson | Granddaughter |
| Kapatid | Sibling | ||
| Kuya | Ate | Brother | Sister |
| Bayaw | Hipag | Brother-in-law | Sister-in-law |
| Pinsan | Cousin | ||
| Tito | Tita | Uncle | Aunt |
| Pamangkin | |||
| Pamangking Lalake | Pamangking Babae | Nephew | Niece |
"Kuya" and "Ate" are also titles used to address older male and female cousins (regardless if they are the eldest or not, but older than cousin addressing them) as a sign of respect. It may also be used for people who aren't necessarily relatives but are older. The criteria would be gender (first), age (second), degree of affiliation (third), with actual blood or non-blood relationship being the least important.
"Tito" and "Tita", used literally for uncle and aunt, can also used in reference to your parents' close friends. Again, the degree of affiliation in the relationship overrides the literal meaning.
This hierarchy of conditions would be consistently applied to other familial terms that are used for relationship of further distance, such as "Nanay" and "Ninong", which are often applied to people who have no actual blood relationship but have earned a showing of respect which also defines their age and gender and station in life.
Filipinos would generally greet each other using their title like: "Kamusta Ate Jhen", or "Kamusta Kuya Jay"; because doing otherwise is considered rude and disrespectful.