alimasag
alimásag with stress marks
blue crab with white dots
Usage Note
Alimasag (Portunus pelagicus, blue swimming crab) is a commercially important crab species in the Philippines, distinguished by its blue coloring with white spots. It is a staple of Filipino seafood cuisine, commonly cooked with coconut milk, steamed, or used in soups.
Examples
" Bumili ako ng alimasag. "
Natural Translation
I bought a blue crab.
Literal Translation
Bought I of blue-crab.
" Bumili kami ng sariwang alimasag sa palengke para sa tanghalian. "
Natural Translation
We bought fresh blue crabs at the market for lunch.
Literal Translation
Bought we of fresh blue-crab at-the market for the lunch.
" Mas mura ang alimasag sa palengke kapag tag-ulan, kaya madalas namin itong niluluto nang may gata sa amin. "
Natural Translation
Blue crabs are cheaper at the market during the rainy season, so we often cook them with coconut milk at home.
Literal Translation
More cheap the blue-crab at-the market when rainy-season, so often our it-that cooked with has coconut-milk at us.
Take Tagalog with you
The full course, a 12,500-word dictionary, and flashcards that make every word stick — free to start on iOS and Android.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
How Tagalog words workRelated Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.
Ang, Ng, Sa: The 3 Tagalog Case Markers Explained
Ang, ng, sa are the three Tagalog case markers every noun takes. Learn what each does, the personal forms si/ni/kay, plurals with mga, and clear examples.
May vs Mayroon vs Meron: Have & There Is
May vs mayroon in Tagalog finally made simple: one rule decides which to use, plus how meron and wala fit the same have and there-is family.
Tagalog Verb Conjugation: Aspects Made Simple
Tagalog verb conjugation uses aspects, not tenses. Learn the three aspects with -um- and mag- verbs, one reduplication rule, and clear example tables.
Na vs -ng in Tagalog: The Linker Rule Made Simple
When do you use na vs -ng in Tagalog? One simple rule, with clear examples, memory tips, and common mistakes explained for English-speaking beginners.