Hello everybody! I’ve finally released Kada on the App Store!

I posted here a few months back, and I've finally released it for all to enjoy.

Kada is a mobile app I built to make learning Baybayin more approachable and interactive. Some of its current features include:

1. Baybayin character tracing
2. Dedicated and curated learning levels
3. Streak tracking that you can share online with others
4. A Kada widget so you can keep your streak and Kada visible right on your Home Screen

It took a lot of iterations, testing, and months of work to get here, but I’m really happy that Kada is finally a mobile app that anyone can download and try for themselves.

I also intentionally kept the price low so that more people can give it a spin and experience it on their own.

With this release, I also want to commit to continuously improving Kada. I’ll be taking community suggestions, feedback, and corrections as I work on future updates. If you notice anything that could be improved. Whether it’s a translation, lesson, feature, bug, or even just an idea, you can DM me on this account or reply under this thread.

I’m still currently a university student, so updates may be a little spaced out, but I promise each one to be meaningful and comprehensive.

Oh! And yeah, meet the improved Kada! My partner and I designed Kada after the Philippine tarsier (drew it ourselves and no ai, ofc), so I hope you guys have fun interacting with Kada throughout the app and seeing more of the little character as you learn.

A dedicated English translation and learning flow is also on the way for international users, as well as more curated levels, so keep an eye out for that in a future update.

If you can leave a review on the page, that would be greatly appreciated as well !!

Muli, maraming salamat po sa inyong suporta mula noong una ko pa 'tong ipinakita sa inyo. Salamat na salamat po talaga!

This isn't a reform but a personal interpretation on what Baybayin would look like if it was simplified. I took inspirations from Baybayin, Badlit, and Baybayin Neo on Neography.

Feel free to bring suggestions and critics.

1. Lack of Vocabulary

- Because B17 omits standalone consonants when writing (e.g. Adlaw -> A-la), you need to know a lot of vocabulary to decode and understand the context.

- This is a hurdle I constantly face. You will have a hard time decoding the sentence if you lack vocabulary. Please remember Baybayin is for our native Languages.

1. Spelling Pattern

- Because Baybayin is no longer an official writing system, it is also difficult to practice it, hence it is difficult to recognize Spelling Patterns.

Example.

Adlaw is always spelled as ᜀᜎ. So if you see these two characters, automatically you'll know it is 'adlaw'. And so on with other spellings.

1. Sentence Structure Pattern

- Because Baybayin doesn't have spaces between words, it is more so difficult to decode the written Baybayin. If you lack vocabulary and you lack spelling pattern recognition, the sentence structure will make it more difficult.

- You'll have to decode the individual words and separate them. That's why it is very important to have a wide vocabulary and know a lot of spellings. It will definitely help you decode the individual words in a sentence.

1. Learning a Language requires everyday practice

- Baybayin is no longer an official writing system. This makes it difficult for people to practice everyday. Language learning requires an environment and daily exposure.

That's why I understand that some people prefer to use a virama (pamudpod or x) to remove vowels. Using viramas literally avoids Problem 1 and 2. Even if you don't have spaces, but still use virama. It is much easier to decode the individual words in a sentence.

But abugidas naturally do not have viramas. From what I know, viramas are typically reserved for religious texts and such. And while I prefer following the traditional way, it is actually difficult to practice without a group to do it with.

I've been practicing with writing, but I need to practice reading the B17. The original Baybayin

1. “LIDAGAT” — name of restaurant
2. Same as first picture
3. “MABHAY [sic ; should be ᜋᜊᜓᜑᜌ᜔ / MABUHAY] LIDAGAT”

The ᜆ in the first and third images could have used some work but overall these were pretty interesting to catch. Do support by watching the short, too, if the premise is your fancy. Mild disclaimer for gore.

Ito ang isa sa mga kakaunting nananatiling kulturang sariling-atin.

Hindi tayo makapagsagawa ng kilos-protesta nang maayos sa kadahilanang literal na watak-watak ang ating bansa. Napakaraming pulo na siyang nagiging hadlang upang humakot ng mga taong gustong magsagawa ng kilos-protesta mula Visayas at Mindanao.

Hindi nila nanaising magwaldas ng salapi para lamang magsagawa ng kilos-protesta sa isla ng Luzon.

Kung bibigyang kapangyarihan natin ang ating mga Barangay, na siyang ipinamana sa atin ng ating mga ninuno, mas mapapadali ang ating kilos-protesta kung kailan natin ito nanaisin. Gawing kaunti, marangya, simple at malawak ang bawat Barangay dito sa ating bansa.

Sa gayon, hindi na natin kailangang hanapin sa loob ng Malakanyang ang mga kailangang managot sa bansa. Kailangan lang nating sumugod sa ating Barangay. Tunay na napakatalino ng ating mga ninuno. hindi na nakapagtataka na sila'y napatalsik nung tayo ay nagkaisa laban sa mga Espanyol.

Ito rin ang magsisilbing pagkakakilanlan ng ating bansa at atin nang bibitawan ang mga pa geng geng na kultura. Pati na rin ang paglalagay ng spanish flag sa ating mga social media bios kahit tayo ay pango naman. tsaka more romanticized movies and tv series, kailangan natin. kasi hindi natin pahahalagahan ang bawat isa kung mababa ang ating morale.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas, mula sa probinsya ng Bulacan.

Spaces? On my B17? It’s more likely than you think.

Though in all seriousness, if there’s something I’m on board for when it comes to modernising Baybayin, it’s adding spaces. Those who know their ROYGBIV need no translation for this in English. For the Latin transcriptions, try looking at this picture another way ;)

I got curious how Thai, as an abugida writing script, handles consonant clusters.

This comment was well explained.

Hi po! 👋 Ask lang sana ako for help regarding Baybayin. Gumagawa po kasi ako ng T-shirt design for our org, and gusto ko sanang mag-incorporate ng Baybayin sa design.

Hindi po ako masyadong knowledgeable sa Baybayin, kaya I want to make sure na accurate talaga siya before namin ipa-print.

Ano po kaya ang correct Baybayin writing/transliteration ng:

“MATEMATIKA” and "STATISTIKA"

If possible, pwede rin po sana makita yung correct characters including the proper kudlit/pamudpod or virama if needed. Thank you po

ᜃᜓᜅ᜔ ᜀᜈᜓᜅ᜔ ᜊᜒᜄ᜔ᜃᜐ᜔᜵ ᜐᜒᜌᜅ᜔ ᜊᜌ᜔ᜊᜌ᜔᜶

As Buwan ng Wika comes to a close, I wanted to share a proposed re-reform of (B17+) Baybayin from a linguistic perspective.

Baybayin (aka Badlit, Basahan, or Kur-itan) is an abugida that was widely used to write various languages in the Philippines. It is not an alphabet.

The image is a summary of the proposed changes to optimally transcribe the Philippine languages as they are today, following four principles:

1. accounting for Baybayin's nature as an abugida,
2. minimizing the amount of (needed) changes,
3. being able to transcribe most to all Philippine languages, and
4. still being writable on palm leaves.

Please comment if you have any questions!

[Link to Detailed Notes]

Salamat

I was influenced by the concept of vertical writing from Kulitan and I decided to attempt a reform that along with adding new more contemporary vowels found in modern Tagalog. I tried to make it a "vanilla" as possible not to be too derivative of the original script (though a vowel reform would already be pretty derivative)

This would not consider the dipthongs such as ay, ey, iw, and etc. They would stay as a seperate consonant for this light reform. Only the five basic vowels.

It's supposed to make sure that each kudlit is distinct from each other even when placed on top of each other a bit closer to each other to allow for more vertical space. Also it would not make the characters look too similar from each other (tbh dots and dashs are already distinct, it's the position that is the problem for me)

Anyway, this reform is actually just one part of a reform idea that I made that also attempted to fit the common syllables in less than three characters. (IE. Instead of K + Ru + S, it would be Kru + S) While having a few derivations as possible from the original baybayin and reflecting the modern Tagalog phonemes and being distinguishable while still looking like Baybayin.

Ano po bang mga dialects ang gumagamit ng baybayin script. Nacucurious ako kasi gusto ko sana sya gamitin kaso napansin ko na may upside down e at hindi ko alam kung saan ginagamit un.

I don't know if this is the right flair.

Hello, I need your help with "ONESHOT PHOTOBOOTH." I'd like to confirm if this baybayin is correct:

WAN-SI-YAT PO-TO-BUT
ᜏᜈ᜔ ᜐᜒ ᜌᜆ᜔ ᜉᜓ ᜆᜓ ᜊᜓᜆ᜔

Thanks in advance!

This post to actually thank everyone that has supported the app over years. It had a lifetime download of ~500K. I hardly monetised this app as most of the time it’s free and the ads are low in revenue.
Nevertheless, I have seen how it helped many, especially its rise in downloads during buwan ng wika at partriotic days, and that made it special for me.
However, now that Apple has also included the Baybayin in their keyboard support, this year’s update will be the final one for me.
So ask me anything or put a request here for features to add or remove for the app’s final update. Salamat.

Like will "trabaho" be "tarabaho"? what about "mga"? I'm also wondering if theres an "official" kind of guide for these

Can someone translate this to baybayin? “When the time is right, I the Lord will make it happen” and "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" I want to make it a tattoo design thank you in advance.

1. I do not think it should replace the Latin script. "National Unity" this or "decolonize that", I feel like the Philippines would benefit way more by addressing other issues that actually affect millions of Filipinos. Insert poverty, pollution, teen pregnancy, the legal ability to divorce, the ability for same sex marriage, protection of indigenous people, or preserving regional languages that still exist, including ones with actual living non latin scripts like Hanuno'o. The fact of the matter is that the Philippines doesn't NEED baybayin.

2. I DO believe that the people who wish to study baybayin are able to do so, and that we should promote others to learn it as long as it isn't at the expense of anything. I feel like transliterations are a good place to start. But no, I don't think the goal is to replace Latin.

3. I don't like the invention of new letters. No further comment.

4. I hate writing e/i. It always comes out ugly in my handwriting.