Tagalog-English Glossary

ano what
A apat four
aalamin ko ho; titingnan ko ho apatnapu forty
I will find out… apo grandchild
aalis to depart/leave araw sun; another meaning is “day”
abala busy araw-araw daily
Abril April arkitekto architect
abugado lawyer asukal sugar
adobong manok chicken stewed in ate elder sister
vinegar ayon sa according to
Agosto August
ako first person singular B
alagang aso pet dog bababa to get off
alagang hayop pet bago before
alagang pusa pet cat bago matulog before sleeping
alak liquor; alcohol bago umabot before reaching
Alam mo ba…? Do you know…? bagyo storm
alas-diyes ten o’clock bahay house
alas-dos two o’clock baka beef
alas-dose twelve o’clock bakit why
alas-kuwatro four o’clock balakang hips
alas-nuwebe nine o’clock balat skin
alas-onse eleven o’clock balikat shoulder
alas-otso eight o’clock balita news
alas-otso ng umaga/ika-walo ng bandang around
umaga 8:00 a.m. bangka banca (small boat)
alas-sais six o’clock bansa country
alas-sais ng umaga/ika-anim ng banyo bathroom
umaga 6:00 a.m. barangay smallest political unit in the
alas-singko five o’clock Philippines
alas-siyete seven o’clock barko large ship
alas-siyete ng umaga/ika-pito ng baso glass
umaga 7:00 a.m. bata young
alas-tres three o’clock bayad payment
ala-una one o’clock bayan town; country; people
alis leave bayaw brother-in-law
almusal breakfast baywang waist
Amerikano American bentilador electric fan
Ang sarap! It’s delicious! bestida dress
Ang tamis! So sweet! bibig mouth
anibersaryo anniversary bihira rarely
anim six bihon rice noodles
animnapu sixty bilang count
258 Tagalog-English Glossary

bilas sister-in law dress bestida (refers only to a woman’s

bili buy one-piece dress)
binyag baptism dugo blood
bisikleta bicycle dumarating arriving
biyahe travel Dumiretso ka! Go straight!
Biyernes Friday dyipni jeepney; a custom-made
blusa blouse Filipino vehicle made from surplus US
bote ng tubig water bottle army jeeps
braso arm
Briton British E
buhok hair Enero January
bulak cotton ensalada salad
bumabagyo stormy ensaladang kamatis at sibuyas
Bumalik ka sa Faculty Center! tomato and onion salad
Go back to the Faculty Center! eroplano airplane
bumbero fireman Espanya Spain
buong pangalan complete name/full estado state
name Estados Unidos United States
bus bus estudyante student
busog full etnisidad ethnicity

D G
daan road, pass gaano kadalas how often
dadaanan will pass by; will pick up gaano karami how much
[someone] gagawin will do
dadalo attend galing (with accent on the first syllable)
daigdig world from
dalawa two galing sa coming from
dalawampu twenty Ganoon ba? Is that so?
dalawampu’t dalawa twenty-two ganun/ganoon how/that is how
dalawampu’t isa twenty-one garahe garage
daliri finger gatas milk
damit clothing gawa sa/ yari sa made in/made of
dapat should guisado sauteed
darating to arrive guisadong pansit bihon sauteed rice
deposito deposit noodles
dibdib chest/breast gulay vegetables
dilaw yellow gumising woke up
din/rin also/too guro/titser teacher
Disyembre December gusto ko hong bumili I want to buy
dito/rito/nandito/narito here gusto ko hong magbukas I want to
diyan/riyan/nandiyan/nariyan there open
doktor doctor gusto ko hong umupa I want to rent
dolyar dollars gusto ko sana I hope to
doon/roon/nandoon/naroon over there gusto mong kainin you want/would
drayber driver like to eat
 Tagalog-English Glossary 259

gusto niyong orderin you want/ inumin/maiinom drink

would like to order isa one
gutom hungry isa pang slice another slice
gutom na gutom very hungry isang bilyon one billion
guwapo/makisig beautiful (used for isang kutsarita a teaspoon
men) isang milyon one million
isda fish
H iskinita alley
halaga cost isla island
hanggang to/until nasa bandang it is somewhere
hangin wind around…
Hapon Japan itim black
Hapon/Haponesa Japanese ito this
hapunan dinner ito si this is…
hardin garden iyan that (closer to the person
hatinggabi midnight addressed)
heto here it is... iyon that (far from both the speaker
hinahanap (object focus), naghahanap and the person addressed)
(subject focus) looking for
hindi kailanman never K
hiwalay separate ka second person singular
honey honey kaano-ano how [are you] related to
huli (pronounced with accent on the Kailan ako puwedeng lumipat?
last syllable) late When can I move in/transfer?
Hulyo July kailangan need
Huminto ka! Stop! kain (root word) eat
Hunyo June kainin eat
huwag don’t kalamansi native lemon
Huwebes Thursday kalendaryo calendar
kalsada road
I kalye street
ikinagagalak pleased kama bed
ilan how many kamatis tomatoes
Ilan ho ang kuwarto? How many kamay hand
rooms (are there)? kanin rice
Inglatera Great Britain kanto corner
Ingles English kapatid brother/sister
inhinyero engineer karatula sign
inihaw grilled/roasted kare-kare meat and vegetables in
inihaw na manok grilled/roasted peanut sauce
chicken kasal wedding
inom drink, root word kasama included
interbyu interview Kastila Spaniard
inumin take (literally, drink) katabi beside
inumin mo ang tabletas take these katamtaman moderate
tablets katas/dyus/juice juice
260 Tagalog-English Glossary

kawani employee lalamunan throat

kawani ng gobyerno government lang just
employee lapis pencil
kayumanggi/kulay kape brown libing funeral
klaseng blusa type of blouse libro book
ko first person singular, possessive likod back
komedor/silid-kainan dining room lila purple/violet/lavender
kompyuter computer lima five
kontinente continent limampu fifty
kotse car limon lemon
kulay abo gray linggo Sunday
kulay ginto gold lipunan society
kulay kahel orange lipunang Filipino Philippine society
kulay pilak silver lola grandmother
kulay rosas pink lolo grandfather
kumain ate LRT Light Rail Transit
kumakanta sings Lumampas ka ng sinehan! Go past
Kumaliwa ka! Turn left! the movie theater!
Kumanan ka! Turn right! Lunes Monday
kumpirmahin to confirm lungsod city
Kumusta ka? (informal; casual) How luntian/berde green
are you?
kung if M
Kung puwede… If it’s possible/If it’s maaga early
okay… maalat salty
kusina kitchen maanghang spicy
kutsara spoon maaraw sunny
kutsilyo knife mababa low
kuwaderno/notebook notebook mabagal slow
kuwarto bedroom/room mabait good
kuwelyo collar mabilis fast
kuya elder brother mabuti fine
madalas often
L madaldal talkative
labimpito seventeen madaling-araw dawn
labindalawa twelve madilim dark
labing-anim sixteen mag- used when the focus is on the
labing-apat fourteen doer of the action
labing-isa eleven maganda beautiful (used for women)
labingwalo eighteen Magandang araw! Good day!
labinlima fifteen Magandang gabi! Good evening!
labinsiyam nineteen Magandang hapon! Good afternoon!
labingtatlo thirteen Magandang tanghali! (literally,) Good
lahi race noon!
lakad literally, walk; used to meet Magandang umaga! Good morning!
“have somewhere” magbayad to pay
 Tagalog-English Glossary 261

magbukas to open manggagawa worker

maggo-golf will play golf mangkok bowl
maging to become manipis thin (only to objects, not
magkano how much people)
magkita to meet; to see each other manok chicken
maglalaro will play (a game) manonood ng telebisyon will watch
magpa-eksamen have something television
examined manugang in-law
magpahinga rest manunulat writer
magpapalit to exchange money; maong denim pants
have money mapait bitter
magpa-xray have your x-rays taken mapakla tangy
magpupulong hold a meeting Marso March
magsasaka farmer Martes Tuesday
mag-set to set-up mas bata younger
magtagpo to meet up mas mababa lower
mahaba long mas malapit nearer/closer
mahaba ang manggas long-sleeved mas malayo farther away
mahangin windy mas maliit smaller
mahirap poor mas mataas ang palitan the exchange
maikli short rate is higher
maiksi short mas matangkad taller
mainit hot masarap delicious
makakapag-party have a party/will masikip tight
party masipag hard-working
makalipas after masungit grouchy
makapal thick masyadong mahaba/napakahaba
makikinig ng musika will listen to too long
music masyadong mapait too bitter
makilala to meet mata eye
makita to see mataas ang palitan the exchange rate
makitid narrow is high
makuha get matabang bland
malakas ang hangin winds are strong matalino intelligent
malaki big/large matanda old
malamig cold matangkad tall (used for people)
malapad wide matematika mathematics
malapit close/near matulungin helpful
malasa tasty matutuloy ang plano plans will push
malayo far through
maliit small maulan rainy
maliwanag bright may there is
maluwang loose may collar na pabilog has a round
mamamayan citizen collar
mananaliksik researcher may dala bringing/brought (literally,
manedyer ng bangko bank manager have bring)
262 Tagalog-English Glossary

may dalawang kuwarto there are two nagtatae having diarrhea

rooms nagtatrabaho working
may kuwelyo/may collar has a collar nagtetennis plays tennis
mayaman rich nagyoyoga practices yoga
mayo may nahawa was infected
Mayroon ho ba kayo nito sa…? nakatira living in (referring to place of
Do you have this in…? residence)
merienda snack nakita have you seen
mesa table naku expression equivalent to “oh”
minsan/paminsan-minsan naliligo/nagsa-shower takes a bath/
sometimes shower
minuto minute namamasyal goes around
Miyerkules Wednesday namimili shops
MRT Metro Rail Transit namumuno heads (used as a verb)
mula from napakaasim very sour
muna yet; expression used to mean napakaiksi/masyadong maiksi/
“first” or “to do” napakaikli/masyadong maikli too
mundo world short
napakaliit/masyadong maliit too
N small
na already napakaluwang/masyadong
nabali got broken (for example, an maluwang too loose
arm or a leg) napakapait/mapait na mapait very
nag-aaral studying bitter
nagbabakasyon taking a vacation napakasikip/masyadong masikip
nagbabasa reads too tight
nagbibihis dresses up napaso/nasunog got burned
nagbibisikleta riding a bicycle nars nurse
nag-eehersisyo exercises (referring to nasa preposition; in, on; at
physical exercise) nasa harap in front
nag-eensayo practices (for example, nasa ibaba below/lower part
practices a musical instrument or a nasa ibabaw on top of
sport) nasa ilalim under
naghihilamos washes one’s face nasa itaas above/top part
naghihintay waiting nasa kanan… on the right
naglalakad walking nasa labas outside
naglilinis cleans nasa loob inside/in
nagluluto cooks nasa tabi on the side of
nagmamaneho driving nasaan where
nag-master’s studied for a Master’s nasugatan was wounded
degree nasyonalidad nationality
nagpapraktis used for activities such negosyante business person
as yoga, martial arts ng preposition; linker
nagsasoccer plays soccer ng gabi in the evening
nagsesepilyo brushes teeth ng hapon in the afternoon
nagsusuka vomiting ng tanghali at noon
 Tagalog-English Glossary 263

ng umaga in the morning pansit noodle

ngayon now pantalon pants
ngipin teeth panyo handkerchief
ni possessive marker papel paper
nilaga boiled papuntang going to
nilagang baka boiled beef payong umbrella
Nobyembre November Pebrero February
noon in the past permanente permanent
pinakamababa lowest
O pinakamaganda most beautiful
Oktubre October pinakamalapit nearest/closest
oras time; hour pinakamalayo farthest
orasan clock pinakamaliit smallest
orderin order pinakamataas ang palitan the
exchange rate is highest
P pinakamatangkad tallest
pa used to mean “still”; another/more pinasingaw steamed
paa feet pinasingaw na gulay steamed
paano how vegetables
pabili ask to buy pinuno head
pagbibiyahe traveling piso peso (referring to the Philippine
pagkain food peso)
pagkatapos after pitaka wallet
pagkatapos kumain after eating pito seven
pagkatapos ng klase ko after my class pitumpu seventy
pagtatapos graduation platito small plate; saucer
paki- affix; please plato plate
pakibigyan please give (us) prito fried
pakibilang please count pritong isda fried fish
pakipirmahan please sign probinsiya province
pakisagutan please answer pruweba proof
palagi always pruweba ng tirahan proof of
palakaibigan friendly residence
palda skirt pula red
palitan exchange rate pulis police officer
pamangkin niece/nephew pulong meeting (noun; as in a group
pamasahe fare meeting)
pamaypay fan pumapasok goes to (class/work)
pampublikong transportasyon public pumasok sa klase go to class (literally,
transportation enter class)
panahon weather punta go, come
panghimagas dessert puso heart
pangit ugly puti white
paunang bayad advance puwede can/may
panitikan literature Puwede ba akong humingi? Can I
panitikang Filipino Philippine literature ask?
264 Tagalog-English Glossary

Puwede ba akong magtanong? Can I sino who

ask a question? sinturon belt
Puwede ko bang sukatin? Can I try on? sipon runny nose
puwedeng makuha can get siyam nine
siyamnapu ninety
R siyempre of course
relo watch siyensiya science
Ruso Russian sofa sofa
Rusya Russia sopas soup
Setyembre September
S sukat size
sa preposition; in/on/at/during sukatin try on
sa hinaharap in the future sumabay to escort/go with
sa tapat in front of sumakay ka na sa akin sa kotse ko
saan where just ride with me in my car
Saan ka pupunta? Where are you sumama go with; join
going? sumasayaw dances
Sabado Saturday sumbrero hat
sabaw broth susi key
sagutan answer susunod next
sala living room susunod na Sabado next Saturday
sampu ten
sampung libo ten thousand T
sana hope tabletas tablets
sandaan one hundred taga-Los Angeles from Los Angeles
sandaang libo one hundred thousand tag-araw summer (also dry season)
sandali lang one moment taga-saan from (literally, from-where)
sandalyas sandals taglagas fall
sanlibo one thousand taglamig winter
sapatos shoes tagpuan place of meeting.
sasakay to ride/ get on tagsibol spring
sasama join tag-ulan rainy or wet season
seda/sutla silk taksi taxi
segundo second (time) talaga really
sentimos cents tamis (root word) sweet
shirt polo shirt tanghalian lunch
sapatos shoes tanghaling tapat exactly at noon
si subject marker tanong question
sibuyas onions tapat in front of
sige okay tasa cup
sige na come on/please tatawagan will call
siguro perhaps tatlo three
silya chair tatlong beses isang araw three times
sinigang na baboy pork in sour broth a day
sinigang na salmon salmon in sour tatlumpu thirty
broth tela fabric/cloth
 Tagalog-English Glossary 265

telepono phone U
tenga ear ubo cough
tiket ticket ulan rain
tinidor fork uli again
tirahan residence Umikot ka sa Rotonda! Go around
tiyan stomach the Rotonda!
tiyo/tiyuhin/tito uncle uminom drank
trak truck uminom ng bitamina take vitamins
trankaso flu umuuwi goes home
traysikel tricycle (a motorcycle or a uniberso/kalawakan universe
bicycle with a sidecar) uulan will rain
tren train
t-shirt t-shirt V
Tsina China V ang neckline has a V neckline
Tsino/Tsina Chinese
tubig water W
tuhod knee walang kuwelyo no collar
tumatakbo runs walang manggas sleeveless
tumawag called walo eight
tutugtog will play (a musical walumpu eighty
instrument)
tutugtog ng gitara will play the guitar Y
tuwing every y medya half (used for thirty minutes)
tuwing alas-siyete every[day] at seven
o’clock