How many expats in the Philippines actually learn Tagalog?
I probably won't move to the Philippines (at least not in the near future) because the salaries are too low, but my girlfriend is from Manila and she's pretty insistent that I learn so I can at least talk with her family. It really hit me when I met her family in person: yeah, most Filipinos actually don't use English that much, which makes sense since it's not their first language. I started learning about a week ago, but I'm just curious: how many expats actually learn Tagalog? I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of them never learn it simply because they don't need to, but I still think it could help with getting to know the culture better and so on.
I live in Cebu and I've learned passable Bisaya. People here understand Tagalog, but you'd still be tagged as an outsider. I learned it because it's the one thing that screams 'I'm not a tourist, I live here.' Still, learning a whole new language as an adult is hard.
If you live in Metro Manila, English will get you by just fine, since most people in Manila speak English
I speak both Tagalog and Bisaya. For me it's a must, and they're so easy to learn. Filipinos use a very limited vocabulary.
Most expats don't bother. Only a minority make a serious attempt, and even fewer actually reach casual conversation level or better.
Most Filipinos can speak English, but with other Filipinos they usually prefer their native language. English alone is enough to communicate, but if you want to connect with the family or not get left out of conversations, try learning it or at least understanding some words.
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