Tagalog Idiomatic expressions
Terms
undefined, object
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- agaw-buhay -- naghihingalo
- between life and death (literal=life about to be snatched away)
- anak-pawis -- magsasaka; manggagawa
- farmer; laborer; blue-collar worker
- anak-dalita -- mahirap
- poor
- alilang-kanin -- utusang walang sweldo,
- house-help with no income, provided with food and shelter
- balitang kutsero -- hindi totoong balita
- rumor, gossip, false story
- balik-harap -- mabuti sa harapan, taksil sa likuran
- double-faced person, one who betrays trust
- bantay-salakay -- taong nagbabait-baitan
- a person who pretends to be good, opportunist
- bungang-araw -- sakit sa balat
- prickly heat (literal=fruit of the sun)
- bungang-tulog -- panaginip
- dream (literal=fruit of sleep)
- balat-sibuyas -- manipis, maramdamin
- a sensitive person (literal=onion-skinned)
- balat-kalabaw -- mahina ang pakiramdam, di agad tinatablan ng hiya
- one who is insensitive; with dense-face (literal=buffalo-skinned)
- buto't balat -- payat na payat
- malnourished (literal=skin-and-bone)
- tulak ng bibig -- salita lamang, di tunay sa loob
- insincere words (literal=pushed-by-the-mouth)
- dalawa ang bibig -- mabunganga, madaldal
- nagger, talkative person (literal=two-mouthed)
- halang ang bituka -- salbahe, desperado, hindi nangingiming pumatay ng tao
- a person with no moral compunction (literal=with a horizontal intestine)
- mahapdi ang bituka -- nagugutom
- a hungry person (literal=sore intestine)
- makapal ang bulsa -- maraming pera
- rich, wealthy (literal=with a thick pocket)
- butas ang bulsa -- walang pera
- poor (literal=with a hole in the pocket)
- sukat ang bulsa -- marunong gumamit ng pera, marunong magbayad at mamahala ng kayamanan
- someone who knows his ability to pay
- nagbabatak ng buto -- nagtatrabaho ng higit sa kinakailangan
- one who works hard
- matigas ang buto -- malakas
- a strong person
- kidlat sa bilis -- napakabilis
- exceedingly fast
- kusang palo -- sariling sipag
- initiative
- mabigat ang kamay -- tamad magtrabaho
- a lazy person (literal=heavy-handed person)
- magaan ang kamay -- madaling manuntok, manapok, manakit
- one who easily hits another person, easily provoked (literal=light-handed person)
- mabilis ang kamay -- mandurukot
- a snatcher, pickpocket (literal=fast-handed)
- malikot ang kamay -- kumukuha ng hindi kanya
- one who has the habit of stealing things (literal=listless hand)
- di makabasag-pinggan -- mahinhin
- a very demure, prim-and-proper person (literal=someone who can't break a plate)
- di mahulugang-karayom -- maraming tao
- overcrowded place (literal=where one cannot throw a pin)
- pag-iisang dibdib -- kasal
- wedding (literal=to be of one heart)
- kabiyak ng dibdib -- asawa
- spouse (literal=the other half of the heart)
- daga sa dibdib -- takot
- worry, fear (literal=mouse in the chest)
- nagbukas ng dibdib -- nagtapat na nais pakasalan ang kasintahan
- a man who proposed marriage (literal=opened his heart)
- bulaklak ng dila -- pagpapalabis sa katotohanan
- exaggeration (literal=flower of the tongue)
- magdilang anghel -- magkatotoo sana
- to wish that what has been said will come true
- makati ang dila -- madaldal, mapunahin
- talkative person (literal = one with itchy tongue)
- matalas ang dila -- masakit mangusap
- one who talks offensively (literal = sharp-tongued person)
- maanghang ang dila -- bastos magsalita
- a vulgar person (literal = spicy-tongued person)
- matamis ang dila -- mahusay mangusap, bolero
- a fast talker (literal = sweet-tongued person)
- kaututang dila -- katsismisan
- a gossip (literal = farting tongue)
- sanga-sangang dila -- sinungaling
- a liar
- may krus ang dila -- nakapanghihimatong
- one who could foretell an event
- kumukulo ang dugo -- naiinis, nasusuklam
- a person who hates somebody (literal=boiling blood)
- magaan ang dugo -- madaling makapalagayan ng loob
- a person with whom one gets along easily (literal=light-blood)
- maitim ang dugo -- salbahe, tampalasan
- an evil or bad person (literal=dark-blooded)
- hampas-lupa -- lagalag, busabos
- a bum person, without any goals in life
- haligi ng tahanan -- ama
- father (literal = post of the house)
- ilaw ng tahanan -- ina
- mother (literal = light of the house)
- itaga sa bato -- tandaan
- to remember (something) forever (literal=cast in stone)
- isulat sa tubig -- kalimutan
- to forget (something) forever (literal=write it on water)
- makitid ang isip -- mahinang umunawa, walang masyadong nalalaman
- someone incapable of understanding (literal=narrow-minded)
- malawak ang isip -- madaling umunawa, maraming nalalaman
- someone who easily understands (literal=broad-minded)
- malakas ang loob -- matapang
- a brave person (literal=strong-willed)
- mahina ang loob -- duwag
- a coward (literal=weak-willed)
- mababa ang loob -- maawain
- merciful person (literal=low-hearted)
- masama ang loob -- nagdaramdam
- a person with a grudge, painful or ill feelings against someone (literal=bad feelings)
- mabigat ang loob -- di-makagiliwan
- a person with whom one could not get along with (literal=heavy vibes or feelings)
- bukal sa loob -- taos-puso, tapat
- a sincere person, or one who gives with a pure heart (literal=pure-hearted)
- mahabang dulang -- kasalan
- wedding
- makalaglag-matsing -- nakaka-akit
- enchanting look
- makuskos-balungos -- mareklamo, mahirap amuin, mahirap pasayahin
- hard to please, always complaining
- mahaba ang buntot -- laging nasusunod ang gusto, kulang sa palo, salbahe
- a person who is a spoiled brat
- malapad ang papel -- maraming kakilala na makapagbibigay ng tulong
- a person who is very influential
- may magandang hinaharap -- may magandang kinabukasan
- a person with a bright future
- may sinasabi -- mayaman, may likas na talino
- a wealthy person or a talented person
- tatlo ang mata -- maraming nakikita, mapaghanap ng mali
- a fault-finder, cynical person (literal=three-eyed person)
- namuti ang mata -- nainip sa kahihintay, matagal nang naghihintay
- a person who was stood up (literal=one whose eyes turned white)
- matigas ang leeg -- mapag-mataas, di namamansin
- snobbish person (literal=stiff-necked)
- matigas ang katawan -- tamad
- a lazy person (literal=stiff-bodied)
- makapal ang palad -- masipag
- a busy-body, industrious person (literal=thick-palmed)
- maitim ang budhi -- masamang tao, tuso
- an evil or bad person (literal=dark-souled)
- mababaw ang luha -- madaling umiyak
- emotional person (literal=tear-on-the-surface)
- makapal ang mukha -- di marunong mahiya
- a shameless person (literal= dense-faced)
- manipis ang mukha -- mahiyain
- a shy person (literal= thin-faced)
- maaliwalas ang mukha -- masayahin
- a joyful person (literal= bright-faced)
- madilim ang mukha -- taong simangot, problemado
- a problematic person (literal=dim-faced)
- dalawa ang mukha -- kabilanin, balik-harap
- a deceptive, two-faced person
- nakahiga sa salapi/pera -- mayaman
- rich, connotes someone who is spoiled by wealth
- nagbibilang ng poste -- walang trabaho
- someone who is jobless, literally counting posts
- namamangka sa dalawang ilog -- salawahan
- a person who is unfaithful
- nagmumurang kamatis -- matandang nag-aayos binata o dalaga
- an old man/woman insecure about his/her looks and dresses up like a young person
- naniningalang-pugad -- nanliligaw
- a man courting a woman
- ningas-kugon -- panandalian, di pang-matagalan
- something that is not permanent, usually connotes a behavior or action not meant to last
- panis ang laway -- taong di-palakibo
- a very quiet person
- pagkagat ng dilim -- pag lubog ng araw
- twilight
- patay-gutom -- matakaw
- glutton
- pulot-gata -- pagtatalik ng bagong kasal
- honeymoon
- putok sa buho -- anak sa labas
- an illegitimate child; out-of-wedlock child
- makati ang paa -- mahilig sa gala o lakad
- a person who is fond of going places (literal=itchy feet)
- pantay ang mga paa -- patay na
- one who just died (literal=level feet)
- nagpupusa -- nagsasabi ng mga kuwento ukol sa isang tao
- telling on somebody
- saling-pusa -- pansamantalang kasali sa laro o trabaho
- temporarily included in a game or work, a term used to refer to little kids fond of joining games or work of grown-ups
- sampid-bakod -- nakikisunod, nakikikain, o nakikitira
- someone who is privileged to lodge and board in house for free
- samaing palad -- malas na tao
- an unfortunate person, unlucky person
- sampay-bakod -- taong nagpapanggap, hindi mapagkakatiwalaan ang sinasabi
- a false, pretentious person
- takaw-tulog -- mahilig matulog
- a lazy person who always wants to stay in bed
- takipsilim -- paglubog ng araw
- Twilight
- talusaling -- manipis ang balat
- a very sensitive person
- talusira -- madaling magbago
- a person who easily changes
- tawang-aso -- nagmamayabang, nangmamaliit
- a person who sneers
- matalas ang tainga -- madaling makarinig
- one who easily hears the news (literal=sharp-eared)
- maputi ang tainga -- kuripot
- miser, scrooge (literal=white-eared)
- nakapinid ang tainga -- nagbibingi-bingihan
- one who plays deaf (literal=closed-eared)
- taingang kawali -- nagbibingi-bingihan
- one who plays deaf (literal=wok-eared: uses metaphor of the handle of a wok)
- utang na loob -- malaking pasasalamat na hindi kayang bayaran ng ano pa man
- (as noun) debt of gratitude
- "utang na loob" -- malaking pakiusap, madalas ginagamit upang ipahiwatig ang masidhing damdamin ng nakikiusap, tulad ng "parang awa mo na"
- (as expression) "please", used to express the deepest feelings of the person asking for a very big favor, equivalent to "have mercy"
- matalas ang ulo -- matalino
- bright, intelligent (literal=sharp-headed)
- mahangin ang ulo -- mayabang
- arrogant person (literal=air-headed)
- malamig ang ulo -- maganda ang sariling disposisyon
- in a good mood (literal=cool-headed)
- mainit ang ulo -- pangit ang disposisyon
- in a bad mood (literal=hot-headed)
- lumaki ang ulo -- yumabang
- someone who became proud, arrogant (literal=one whose head grew big)
- matigas ang ulo -- ayaw makinig sa pangaral o utos
- one who is stubborn (literal=hard-headed)
- basag-ulo -- gulo, away
- chaos, quarrel, fight (literal=break head)
- may ipot sa ulo -- taong pinagtaksilan ng asawa
- a person who has been cheated by his/her spouse (literal=one with shit on his/her head)
- sira ang ulo/sira ang tuktok -- taong maraming kalokohan ang nasa isip
- a crazy or foolish person
- utak-biya -- bobo, mahina ang ulo
- stupid, brainless (literal=fish-brained)
- matalas ang utak -- matalino
- bright, intelligent person (literal=sharp-brained)