We calculate chiral corrections to the semileptonic vector and axial quark coupling constants using a manifestly Lorentz covariant chiral quark approach up to order O(p4) in the two- and three-flavor pictures. These couplings are then used in the evaluation of the corresponding couplings which govern the semileptonic transitions between octet baryon states. In the calculation of baryon matrix elements we use a general ansatz for the spatial form of the quark wave function, without referring to a specific realization of hadronization and confinement of quarks in baryons. Matching the physical amplitudes calculated within our approach to the model-independent predictions of baryon chiral perturbation theory allows us to deduce a connection between our parameters and those of baryon chiral perturbation theory.