About This Site
BaybayinTranslator.site is a free set of tools and guides for writing and reading Baybayin, the pre-colonial Philippine script.
Why This Site Exists
Search for a Baybayin translator and you will find a dozen tools that give a dozen different answers for the same name. Some leave out the kudlit. Some ignore how a word is actually pronounced. Almost none of them mention that Baybayin has more than one writing convention, or that an English name does not have a single correct spelling in the script.
That gap is why we built this site. We wanted tools that are quick to use and honest about what they can and cannot do, sitting next to guides that explain the rules in plain English.
What You Will Find Here
- A converter that turns English or Tagalog text into Baybayin. Our Baybayin Translator is the best place to start.
- A name tool for writing personal names, with notes on pronunciation.
- A reader that works in the other direction, from Baybayin back to Tagalog letters.
- A keyboard and a number converter for typing the script and writing numbers.
- Guides on the alphabet, the kudlit and virama, and the history of the names Baybayin and Alibata.
How We Build the Tools
Sound first, spelling second
Baybayin writes sounds. So our converters work from pronunciation instead of looking words up in a dictionary. That is why a name like Michael is written by how it sounds, not by how it is spelled in English.
Traditional and modern styles
Older Baybayin left out final consonants, and modern writing adds a mark called the virama to show them. We let you pick, because neither style is wrong.
Your text stays in your browser
The converters on this site run in your browser. What you type into them is not sent to our server. Our Privacy Policy explains what we do collect, such as basic visit statistics.
What We Will Not Promise
We will not tell you a result is 100 percent correct, because it cannot be. Pronunciation, regional habits and writing conventions all change the answer.
If your result is going on a tattoo, a sign or anything permanent, please have someone who reads Baybayin check it first. Our Disclaimer says more about this.
How We Treat History
Baybayin is part of Filipino heritage, and we try to treat it that way. We keep what is documented separate from what is simply popular belief. A good example is the name itself. Baybayin is the historical name of the script, while Alibata is a twentieth century label that most historians consider inaccurate.
When we get something wrong, we fix it and say so.
Who Runs This Site
BaybayinTranslator.site is an independent project. We are not connected to any government office, museum or school, and we do not speak for any of them.
Found a Mistake or Have an Idea?
Tell us. Corrections, bug reports and suggestions are all welcome, and you can reach us through the Contact page.