How Do You Translate "Pang-ilan ka sa magkakapatid?" — The Filipino Question That Stumps English Speakers

The question “Pang-ilan ka sa magkakapatid?” is the ultimate English translation trap — a rite of passage for every Filipino who dares to claim fluency. It's the final boss in the game of bilingualism. You think you're good at English? Think again. Translating this is like trying to explain why adobo isn't just "meat stew." Most end up mumbling something like, “What number child are you?” — which makes you sound like you were printed in a factory. English just doesn't have the same sibling-ranking obsession. In the West, it's “eldest,” “middle,” or “youngest” — after that, they stop counting. But in the Philippines, being pang-lima is practically a personality type. TV shows love asking this as a trap, hoping someone panics and says, “I am the fifth borned.” So next time someone asks you to translate it, just smile and say, “I’m number 3 — in Tagalog, that’s fluent.”

 

The English translation of "Pang-ilan ka sa magkakapatid?" is:

"What is your birth order among your siblings?" or more naturally, "Where do you fall in the sibling order?" (e.g., "Are you the eldest, middle, or youngest?")

Here are a few other suggestions to translate "Pang-ilan ka sa magkakapatid?" into English:

"What number are you among your siblings?"
"Which child are you in the family?"
"What’s your position among your siblings?"
"Among your siblings, what’s your birth order?"

All of these convey the idea of asking whether someone is the firstborn, second, third, etc., in their family. 

Key words: Pang-ilan ka sa magkakapatid? — Why This Filipino Question Is So Hard to Translate, "Lost in Translation: What ‘Pang-ilan ka sa magkakapatid?’ Really Means in English", "Why ‘Pang-ilan ka sa magkakapatid?’ Is Every Filipino’s English Test", "Translating ‘Pang-ilan ka sa magkakapatid?’ — A Filipino Phrase with No Easy English Equivalent".

Related posts: 
What is "Balae" in English? 
What is "Binara" in English?
What is "Kilig" in English?