Instituto Cervantes to host talk on Spanish influence in Filipino languages

Instituto Cervantes de Manila will host a public lecture examining the deep linguistic ties between Spanish and Filipino languages as part of a new academic lecture series opening this month.

On 11 February 2026, at 5 p.m., the Intramuros branch of Instituto Cervantes will hold the inaugural talk of Charlas de la Academia, a lecture series presented by the Academia Filipina de la Lengua Española. The talk, titled “Vínculos lingüísticos: El español en el filipino” (Linguistic Links: Spanish in Filipino), will be delivered by Academia Director Daisy López.

The lecture revisits the lasting influence of Spanish on Filipino languages, highlighting how centuries of shared history continue to shape everyday speech in the Philippines.

Founded in 1924, the Academia Filipina de la Lengua Española promotes the use and study of Spanish in the country through research, education, and public engagement. In her talk, López will focus on Hispanicisms in Tagalog and other Filipino languages.

The discussion will trace how Spanish presence in the archipelago left an enduring mark on vocabulary, expressions, and cultural identity. Common words such as mesa, silya, sapatos, and bintana, as well as numbers, time expressions, and surnames, remain widely used in daily conversation, media, education, and governance.

Beyond vocabulary, the lecture will also explore Spanish influence on linguistic patterns, naming conventions, and aspects of Filipino discourse. Rather than replacing native languages, Spanish blended with them, contributing to the development of a distinct Filipino linguistic identity.

Organizers said the talk underscores how language serves as a living record of history and how recognizing Spanish influences allows Filipinos to better understand their multicultural heritage and its continuing evolution.

The event is presented by the Academia Filipina de la Lengua Española and Instituto Cervantes de Manila, in collaboration with the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines, AECID Philippines, and the Intramuros Administration.