Here are some examples of idiomatic expressions Tagalog and what each means.
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS TAGALOG – These are the commonly used Tagalog idiomatic expressions and their meaning.
Idioms or idiomatic expressions are “sawikain o kawikaang Tagalog” in Filipino. It is naturally a part of the language of the native speakers and it is the figurative meaning of a word or phrase, not the literal meaning.
To non-native speakers of a certain language, studying this is quite tricky. Although difficult, this is considered an essential part because of the strong relation it holds to the culture of the land.
Here are some Filipino idioms and their meaning:
| FILIPINO IDIOMS | MEANING |
| bungang-araw | prickly heat |
| buto’t balat | very skinny or malnourished |
| butas ang bulsa | broke or no money |
| kabiyak ng dibdib | partner or spouse |
| makati ang dila | being talkative |
| haligi ng tahanan | father |
| ilaw ng tahanan | mother |
| may magandang hinaharap | someone who has a bright future ahead |
| mahina ang loob | coward |
| halang ang bituka | a person has no moral compunction |
| matalas ang ulo | someone is intelligent or smart |
| balat sibuyas | being sensitive |
| balat kalabaw | someone is being insensitive or shameless |
| isang kahig isang tuka | poor status in life |
| magsunog ng kilay | to study very hard |
| tulog mantika | very deep sleep |
| matamis ang dila | a sweet talker |
| gintong kutsara | someone who is born wealthy |
| panakip butas | someone who is in a rebound relationship |
| pagputi ng uwak | being impossible or something that will never happen |
| balitang-kutsero | fake news |
| nagbabatak ng buto | working too hard |
| kumukulo ang dugo | anger or annoyance |
| malawak ang isip | open-mindedness |
| isulat sa tubig | to forget |
| malakas ang loob | bravery |
| bukal sa loob | sincerity |
| matigas ang katawan | laziness |
| nakahiga sa salapi/pera | being rich or wealthy |
| nagbibilang ng poste | being jobless |
| nagmumurang kamatis | someone who is not acting his or her age |
| ningas-kugon | short-lived |
| samaing-palad | unlucky person |
| takipsilim | twilight |
| utang na loob | debt of gratitude or to have mercy |
| mahangin ang ulo | arrogance |
READ ALSO:
- Prepositional Phrase – What Is A Prepositional Phrase?
- Active Voice Examples – Uses and Examples Of The Active Voice
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