Frequently Asked Questions

Tarsier is a gamified Tagalog learning app for iPhone. It teaches Filipino through roots, affixes, and real cultural context instead of just flashcards. Lessons are structured like a language course with teaching first, then quizzes.

Yes, Tarsier is free to download and use. Free users have an energy system that refills over time. Super Tarsier removes energy limits and ads for $4.99/month or $29.99/year.

Tagalog is the regional language from the Tagalog regions of the Philippines. Filipino is the national language based on Tagalog with additions from other Philippine languages, Spanish, and English. In everyday conversation, they are nearly identical. Tarsier teaches both interchangeably, including Taglish (Tagalog-English mixing) which is how most Filipinos actually speak.

Absolutely. Tarsier was built for heritage learners - people who grew up hearing Tagalog but never learned to speak it fluently. The app starts with cultural basics like po and opo (respect words) and builds from there. You'll recognize words your family uses and finally understand the grammar behind them.

Duolingo teaches Tagalog through translation drills. Tarsier teaches how Tagalog actually works - the root-and-affix system that lets you build hundreds of words from a single root. Tarsier also includes Filipino cultural context, Taglish examples, and is designed specifically for Tagalog rather than being a generic language platform.

Tagalog words are built by adding prefixes and suffixes (affixes) to root words. For example, the root "luto" (cook) becomes "nagluto" (cooked), "magluluto" (will cook), or "lutuin" (to be cooked). Once you learn the affix patterns, you can understand and create hundreds of words. This is Tarsier's core teaching approach.

Tarsier launches with 10 chapters covering greetings, family, food, emotions, daily routines, places, numbers, time, and word building. Each chapter has multiple lessons with teaching slides, quizzes, and cultural notes. More chapters are added regularly.

Yes. All lessons, quizzes, and vocabulary are stored on your device. You can learn Tagalog without an internet connection.

Tarsier is currently iPhone only (iOS). An Android version is being considered based on demand.

Yes. Tarsier plans to add Cebuano, Ilocano, and Hiligaynon (Ilonggo) in future updates. These are the most widely spoken Philippine languages after Tagalog, and there are very few apps dedicated to teaching them.

The tarsier is a tiny primate native to the Philippines, known for its huge curious eyes. Our mascot Bunso (meaning "youngest child" in Tagalog) is a tarsier who guides you through lessons. The name reflects the app's Filipino roots.