* Taste: The tongue is covered in taste buds that detect different flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.
* Speech: The tongue helps form words and sounds by moving around in the mouth and manipulating air flow.
* Chewing and swallowing: The tongue helps push food around the mouth during chewing and moves food to the back of the throat for swallowing.
* Digestion: The tongue aids in the initial breakdown of food with saliva.
* Cleaning the mouth: The tongue helps to move food debris and bacteria from the mouth.
If you were asking about something else related to the tongue, please provide more context or clarify your question.