kailan
/kaʔiˈlan/
The English word 'when' is translated to Tagalog as kailan.
In Tagalog, kailan functions as an interrogative pronoun meaning 'what time' or 'which time', as well as an interrogative adverb meaning 'at what time' in direct questions.
Meaning: as soon as, at the time that (conj)
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish kailan from kapag. While kailan is used to ask questions about time, kapag is the conjunction used in statements to mean 'when' in a conditional or temporal sense, such as 'when it rains' or 'when something happens'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Depending on the sentence structure, kailan can function as an interrogative pronoun or an interrogative adverb.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaʔiˈlan/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use kailan as a conjunction in a statement to mean 'when' (for example, saying 'when it rains'). In those cases, you should use kapag instead.
Did you know?
- The word kailan is built from the prefix ka- and the word ilan, which relates to 'how many' or 'how much' in other contexts.
- Because kailan asks for a specific time, asking kailan about a vague future event can sometimes be perceived as impatient or demanding in certain social contexts.
- While kailan is used for questions, Filipinos use kapag for conditions and noong for past events, meaning English has one word where Tagalog uses three distinct ones.
Examples in context
- Kailan ba ito binili?When was it purchased?This sentence is useful for asking about the time something was purchased using kailan.Tatoeba #11473968 by qwertzu, translation #2646191 by CK
- Kailan si Yanni aalis?When does Yanni leave?This sentence is useful for asking about the time someone is leaving using kailan.Tatoeba #13859548 by kangkong, translation #10026357 by Amastan
- Kailan ka huling kumain?When was the last time you ate?This sentence is useful for asking about the time someone last ate using kailan.Tatoeba #8647804 by England, translation #3826495 by CK
- Kailan ang birthday mo?When is your birthday?
- Kelan tayo magkikita ulit?When will we meet again?
- Kapag umulan, magdala ka ng payong.When it rains, bring an umbrella.
- 108 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ricardo and Angela are discussing a future trip.
- RicardoKailan tayo aalis papunta sa probinsya?When are we leaving for the province?
- AngelaAalis tayo sa Sabado ng umaga.We are leaving on Saturday morning.
- RicardoKailan ba darating ang sasakyan?When exactly will the vehicle arrive?
- AngelaDarating ito nang alas sais ng umaga.It will arrive at six in the morning.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry kailan, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kailan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
