Learn Waray Online with the Vocabo Chrome Extension
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Master Waray vocabulary while browsing the web. Free Chrome extension for language learners. Waray is spoken by around 3.6 million people. Waray is the third-largest Bisayan language and, alongside Cebuano and Tagalog, unlocks a large part of everyday spoken life in the central Philippines, especially around the historic Leyte Gulf region.
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About Waray
The name 'Waray' comes from a word speakers use constantly in ordinary speech, 'waray', meaning 'none' or 'there isn't any', which outsiders heard so often they started using it as the language's name.
Also known as: Waray-Waray, Lineyte-Samarnon
Speakers
around 3.6 million
Language Family
Austronesian (Central Philippine, Bisayan/Visayan branch)
Writing System
Latin alphabet
Difficulty
Medium
Spoken in
Why Learn Waray?
Waray is the third-largest Bisayan language and, alongside Cebuano and Tagalog, unlocks a large part of everyday spoken life in the central Philippines, especially around the historic Leyte Gulf region.
Common Waray Words
Start your Waray journey with these essential words and phrases.
Maupay
Hello (lit. 'good')
mah-oo-PAI
Salamat
Thank you
sah-LAH-mat
Oo
Yes
OH-oh
Diri
No
DEE-ree
tubig
Water
TOO-big
balay
House
BAH-lai
sangkay
Friend
SANG-kai
gugma
Love
GOOG-mah
pagkaon
Food
pahg-kah-ON
adlaw
Sun, day
AHD-lao
Winaray
The Waray language
wee-nah-RAI
History of Waray
Eastern Samar was the site of the first recorded landfall of Ferdinand Magellan's expedition in the Philippines in 1521, on the island of Homonhon, making Waray-speaking territory the first part of the archipelago to have sustained contact with Europeans. Centuries later the region returned to the center of world attention when General Douglas MacArthur's forces landed at Leyte in October 1944 to begin the liberation of the Philippines from Japanese occupation. Waray literature has a long tradition of balak (poetry) and drama societies (comedia) that kept the language alive through the Spanish and American colonial periods.
Is Waray Hard to Learn?
Like Tagalog and Cebuano, Waray uses a verb-focus system, where the verb's affix changes to mark whether the subject of the sentence is the doer, the thing acted on, or the location or instrument of the action, a grammatical concept English does not have. Its sound system is otherwise simple, with only three vowel qualities, and its Latin spelling is very regular, which makes pronunciation easier than the grammar.
Learning Waray Online: FAQ
Can I learn Waray online for free?
Yes — Vocabo is a free Chrome extension that teaches you Waray vocabulary while you browse the web. It replaces words and short phrases on pages you already read with their Waray equivalents, so you pick up vocabulary passively — no sign-up, no ads, and no daily lesson grind.
Is Waray on Duolingo?
No — Duolingo doesn't currently offer a Waray course for English speakers. You can still learn Waray online for free: Vocabo supports Waray and builds your vocabulary naturally while you browse.
Similar Languages to Waray
If you're interested in Waray, you might also want to explore these related languages:
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