Here Are 10 Filipino Words That Have No Exact English Translation Or Equivalent
FILIPINO WORDS – Here are 10 Filipino words that have no exact or actual translation or equivalent in the English language.
There are various terms in different countries that have no exact English translation like the German term schadenfreude which means “pleasure from another person’s misfortune”, or the Japanese term “age-otori” which means “looking worse after a haircut”.
The Philippine also have words that have no exact or actual English translation or equivalent. Here are the following words accoeding to FilipiKnow:
- Bangungot
- Everyone mistaken this one as the Filipino term for nightmare but unlike nightmares, a person experiencing bangungot will end up dead.
- Kilig
- It is from its earlier form “kilig to the bones” but nobody can give the actual English term for kilig. Although the nearest equivalent is tremble, it doesnt have elements of excitement and romance compared to kilig so basically kilig is like trembling with romance or excitement.
- Pitik
- It can mean flip, flick or snap with the use of fingers but it can also mean flicker or steal.
- Usog
- Also known a balis, it is described as a child getting sick after a person leave. It is said that a person has hexed the child via usog and he/she has to put saliva on the kid’s forehead to remove it.
- Tampo
- A feeling with a mixture of sulking in, anger, happiness or being slighted. Like kilig, it cannot be accurately described in English.
- Basta
- This came from the Spanish phrase ¡basta ya! or enough already but here, it’s definitive. We say basta before a statement that is final, valid, or true.
- Gigil
- It is defined as the tendency to pinch or squeeze something or someone that is cute but it also mean the feeling that you are irritated by someone.
- Pagpag
- The closest translation for this means to shake or dust off. It can be described as hitting an object on a surface to remove dust, dirt or something but it could also be associated to scavenged food.
- Pasma
- Our elders describe this as a trembling feeling after our heated bodies are exposed with cold water.
- Lihi
- Experts say lihi is synonymous to pregnancy sickness but it can mean that a pregnant woman feels moody or irritated. It is said that during this stage, she would take a liking to a certain something, it would become the appearance of her unborn child.
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