Before the chart
Baybayin is a syllabary, not a letter swap
The Baybayin alphabet is more accurately described as an abugida. Each consonant base carries an inherent a vowel: ᜃ is not simply K, but ka. A small vowel mark called kudlit changes that sound. This structure explains why a Baybayin word usually contains fewer visible characters than its Latin spelling.
There are 17 core forms in the standard Tagalog chart: three independent vowels—A, I/E, and U/O—and fourteen consonants. D and R share one traditional base form, while NGA has its own character. The chart below gives each form a stable anchor link, a pronunciation, and a Filipino example so you can learn it in context rather than as decoration.
One base, three vowel patterns
How the kudlit changes a sound
A plain consonant is read with a. Place kudlit above the character to change a into i or e; place it below to change a into u or o. Baybayin does not normally distinguish i from e or u from o because the intended vowel is recovered from the spoken word. A separate cancellation mark can remove the vowel for a final consonant in modern writing.
17 core forms
The complete Baybayin character chart
Every card below is a linkable section. Bookmark one, share its anchor, or move through the full chart in order.
Latin equivalent · A
A in Baybayin: ᜀ
- Sound
- a
- Example
- araw · “sun / day”
- Written
- ᜀᜇᜏ᜔
Use the independent A character when a syllable begins with the open a sound. It is not a silent letter and it does not attach to a consonant. In araw, the first syllable begins with a vowel, so ᜀ starts the word. Say the example naturally: a-raw. The second syllable uses the shared da/ra form because Baybayin traditionally represents those sounds with one base character.
Back to chart ↑Latin equivalent · I / E
I / E in Baybayin: ᜁ
- Sound
- i or e
- Example
- ilaw · “light”
- Written
- ᜁᜎᜏ᜔
The independent I character covers both i and e at the beginning of a syllable. That shared value reflects the sound system Baybayin was built for, rather than the five-vowel spelling system used in modern Latin writing. For the common search “i in Baybayin,” the direct answer is ᜁ. In ilaw, it supplies the opening i before la and the final w.
Back to chart ↑Latin equivalent · U / O
U / O in Baybayin: ᜂ
- Sound
- u or o
- Example
- ulan · “rain”
- Written
- ᜂᜎᜈ᜔
The independent U character represents a syllable-initial u or o sound. If you are looking for “u in Baybayin,” write ᜂ when the vowel stands on its own at the start of a syllable. In ulan, the sequence is u-la-n. A modern cancellation mark makes the final n visible; a traditional spelling may leave that last consonant unmarked and depend on context.
Back to chart ↑Latin equivalent · BA
BA in Baybayin: ᜊ
- Sound
- ba
- Example
- bata · “child”
- Written
- ᜊᜆ
The BA base character already contains the vowel a, so ᜊ is read ba without any kudlit. Add an upper mark for bi or be, and a lower mark for bu or bo. The word bata is a clean beginner example because both syllables use their inherent vowel: ba-ta. Do not add a separate A character after each consonant; the a sound is already built in.
Back to chart ↑Latin equivalent · KA
KA in Baybayin: ᜃ
- Sound
- ka
- Example
- kamay · “hand”
- Written
- ᜃᜋᜌ᜔
KA is one of the easiest characters for practicing kudlit: ᜃ is ka, ᜃᜒ is ki or ke, and ᜃᜓ is ku or ko. Kamay divides into ka-may, not k-a-m-a-y. Write the two spoken syllables first, then make the final y explicit if you are using modern spelling. This sound-first habit prevents the most common letter-by-letter conversion mistake.
Back to chart ↑Latin equivalent · DA / RA
DA / RA in Baybayin: ᜇ
- Sound
- da or ra
- Example
- dagat · “sea”
- Written
- ᜇᜄᜆ᜔
One base form traditionally serves both D and R, whose pronunciation is related in Philippine languages. Context tells a reader whether ᜇ is da or ra. Dagat begins da-ga-t, while a word such as araw uses the same sign for ra. This is not an error or a missing character; it is a normal feature of the historical script and a reminder that Latin-letter categories do not map one-to-one.
Back to chart ↑Latin equivalent · GA
GA in Baybayin: ᜄ
- Sound
- ga
- Example
- gabi · “night”
- Written
- ᜄᜊᜒ
The unmarked GA form is pronounced ga. To write gi or ge, place the i/e kudlit above; to write gu or go, place the u/o kudlit below. In gabi, ga stays unmarked and BA receives an upper vowel mark to become bi. Reading the word as two complete syllables—ga-bi—makes the writing system much easier than trying to match four Latin letters.
Back to chart ↑Latin equivalent · HA
HA in Baybayin: ᜑ
- Sound
- ha
- Example
- hangin · “wind”
- Written
- ᜑᜅᜒᜈ᜔
HA carries its own a vowel until a kudlit changes it. Hangin is pronounced ha-ngin: the second syllable begins with the single NGA character, then uses an upper kudlit for ngi. This example teaches two useful ideas at once—ng is a dedicated Baybayin sound, and the final n needs a cancellation mark only in modern explicit spelling. Keep all small marks clear at display size.
Back to chart ↑Latin equivalent · LA
LA in Baybayin: ᜎ
- Sound
- la
- Example
- lakas · “strength”
- Written
- ᜎᜃᜐ᜔
LA appears in many useful Filipino words. Lakas breaks into la-ka-s, with ᜎ and ᜃ retaining their inherent a sounds. The final s can be shown with a virama in contemporary writing. If you add a mark above LA, it becomes li or le; a mark below produces lu or lo. Give the mark enough space so decorative styling cannot be mistaken for part of the letter.
Back to chart ↑Latin equivalent · MA
MA in Baybayin: ᜋ
- Sound
- ma
- Example
- mahal · “love / dear”
- Written
- ᜋᜑᜎ᜔
MA is the opening character in mahal, one of the most requested Baybayin words. The syllables are ma-hal, followed by a final l in modern spelling. Notice that the word does not require five Baybayin characters for its five Latin letters. The script records pronounceable units. For mi or me, add the upper kudlit; for mu or mo, place the lower kudlit beneath the base.
Back to chart ↑Latin equivalent · NA
NA in Baybayin: ᜈ
- Sound
- na
- Example
- nanay · “mother”
- Written
- ᜈᜈᜌ᜔
NA has the default reading na and changes vowels through the same consistent mark system. Nanay divides into na-nay, so the base NA appears twice before the final y is marked. Repeated characters are useful practice because they reveal inconsistent proportions quickly. Keep both NA forms similar in height and opening, then verify that the final mark belongs to YA rather than floating between signs.
Back to chart ↑Latin equivalent · NGA
NGA in Baybayin: ᜅ
- Sound
- nga
- Example
- ngiti · “smile”
- Written
- ᜅᜒᜆᜒ
NGA is a single Baybayin character for the Filipino ng sound; it should not automatically be split into NA plus GA. The query “nga in Baybayin” is answered by ᜅ. In ngiti, an upper kudlit changes nga to ngi, and TA receives the same mark to become ti. Listen carefully, because ng can begin a word in Filipino even when that position feels unfamiliar to English speakers.
Back to chart ↑Latin equivalent · PA
PA in Baybayin: ᜉ
- Sound
- pa
- Example
- puso · “heart”
- Written
- ᜉᜓᜐᜓ
PA is read pa in its plain form. The example puso uses a lower kudlit on PA for pu and another lower mark on SA for so. Because Baybayin combines consonant and vowel information, four Latin letters become two marked base forms. Compare each mark’s vertical position before exporting artwork; if a lower kudlit disappears in a crop or tattoo line, puso could be read with a different vowel.
Back to chart ↑Latin equivalent · SA
SA in Baybayin: ᜐ
- Sound
- sa
- Example
- saya · “joy”
- Written
- ᜐᜌ
SA follows the same vowel pattern: sa without a mark, si or se with a mark above, and su or so with a mark below. Saya is written as sa-ya using only two base forms. It is a helpful reminder that the Latin letter a after s is not written separately. When practicing, say the syllable as your pen completes the sign so sound and shape become one memory.
Back to chart ↑Latin equivalent · TA
TA in Baybayin: ᜆ
- Sound
- ta
- Example
- tao · “person”
- Written
- ᜆᜂ
TA carries the inherent a sound, making the first syllable of tao with one sign. The second syllable begins with an independent o sound, so the U/O vowel character follows it: ta-o. This distinction matters: a vowel that starts its own syllable uses an independent vowel character, while a vowel belonging to a consonant is shown with kudlit. Spoken syllable boundaries decide which method is correct.
Back to chart ↑Latin equivalent · WA
WA in Baybayin: ᜏ
- Sound
- wa
- Example
- wika · “language”
- Written
- ᜏᜒᜃ
WA is plain wa, while an upper kudlit makes wi or we and a lower kudlit makes wu or wo. Wika begins wi-ka, so WA takes the upper mark and KA remains unmarked. The distinction between W and U sounds depends on syllable structure: use WA when there is a consonantal glide, and the independent U/O form when the syllable begins with a pure vowel.
Back to chart ↑Latin equivalent · YA
YA in Baybayin: ᜌ
- Sound
- ya
- Example
- yakap · “embrace”
- Written
- ᜌᜃᜉ᜔
For “ya in Baybayin,” the direct base character is ᜌ. YA can also represent a y glide inside an adapted name, so pronunciation matters more than Latin spelling. Yakap divides into ya-ka-p: YA and KA keep their inherent vowels, while modern spelling cancels the final vowel on PA. If the word ends at ka in traditional practice, context may carry the unshown final sound.
Back to chart ↑Read with confidence
From a character chart to real words
Start by saying the word naturally. Divide it into spoken syllables, then select a base form for each consonant or an independent character for a vowel-led syllable. Add kudlit only after the skeleton is correct. For borrowed English names, decide on a clear Filipino-friendly pronunciation first; spelling alone cannot tell a Baybayin reader which sounds you intend.
Traditional manuscripts often omitted final consonants, while contemporary educational and design work frequently marks them. Neither approach should be hidden from the reader. When preparing a tattoo, logo, memorial, or public sign, preserve the source phrase, pronunciation, language, and chosen convention beside the artwork. Ask another experienced reader to transcribe the final design back into Latin sounds.
Typography comes after verification. A decorative font may compress openings, move combining marks, or make the upper and lower kudlit difficult to distinguish. Test your phrase in a clear Unicode font, reduce it to its final size, and confirm every mark. The translator can help you practice, but a permanent or culturally important use deserves a human check.
Quick answers
Baybayin alphabet FAQ
01How many letters are in the Baybayin alphabet?+
Baybayin is usually taught through 17 core forms: three independent vowels and fourteen consonants. Calling them letters is convenient, but Baybayin is an abugida, so each consonant form normally represents a full consonant-plus-a syllable.
02What is I in Baybayin?+
The independent I/E character is ᜁ. Use it when an i or e sound begins a syllable. When i or e follows a consonant in the same syllable, use an upper kudlit on that consonant instead.
03What is U in Baybayin?+
The independent U/O character is ᜂ. It represents a syllable-initial u or o sound. For ku, ko, mu, mo, and similar syllables, place the lower u/o kudlit on the relevant consonant.
04What is YA in Baybayin?+
YA is written ᜌ. Its plain form is ya; an upper kudlit makes yi or ye, and a lower kudlit makes yu or yo. Always adapt names according to their spoken syllables.
05Does Baybayin have separate E and O characters?+
Traditional Baybayin groups i with e and u with o. The exact vowel is understood from the word and language context. This is why charts label the vowel forms I/E and U/O rather than inventing separate modern letters.
06How are final consonants written?+
Historical Baybayin often left a final consonant unwritten. Many modern writers use a virama or pamudpod-style cancellation mark to remove the inherent vowel. Choose a convention deliberately and explain it when accuracy is important.
07Is Baybayin read like the English alphabet?+
No. Read Baybayin by syllable. A plain consonant already includes a, and kudlit changes that vowel. English spelling often needs phonetic adaptation because silent letters and dense consonant clusters do not transfer directly.