alisto
alísto with stress marks
always ready, alert
Usage Note
Alisto is borrowed from Spanish listo (ready, clever) and emphasizes quick responsiveness and preparedness — often used as a command or praise. Parents and teachers use it to encourage attentiveness, and it carries the added nuance of being sharp-witted.
Examples
" Alisto ka palagi. "
Natural Translation
Always stay alert.
Literal Translation
Alert you always.
" Kailangan mong maging alisto sa trabaho. "
Natural Translation
You need to be alert at work.
Literal Translation
Needed you to-be alert in-the work.
" Dapat alisto ang isang sundalo upang agad na matugunan ang anumang biglaang panganib. "
Natural Translation
A soldier must be alert so that any sudden danger can be addressed right away.
Literal Translation
Should alert a soldier so-that immediately be-addressed the any sudden danger.
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.
Magkano: How to Ask "How Much" in Tagalog
Magkano means how much in Tagalog. Learn to ask a price, tell it apart from ilan and gaano, sound polite with po, and haggle at the palengke.
Spaced Repetition for Tagalog: How Flashcards Make Words Stick
Cramming Tagalog vocabulary fails. See how spaced repetition — the science behind smart flashcards — makes words stick for the long term.
Tagalog Pronouns Explained: Complete Chart with Examples
Every Tagalog pronoun explained with clear charts: ang/ng/sa forms, tayo vs kami, ikaw vs ka, politeness markers, and the mistakes beginners make.
Tagalog Question Words: Ano, Sino, Saan & More
Tagalog question words like ano, sino, and saan need the right frame to work. Learn the ang-vs-pronoun rule, confusable pairs, and the ba particle with audio.