amba
ambâ with stress marks
threatening gesture
Usage Note
Amba refers to a threatening gesture or feint — raising a hand, weapon, or object as if to strike without necessarily following through. In martial arts contexts like arnis it describes a feinting movement, and colloquially it can describe someone bluffing or posturing.
Examples
" Isang amba lang iyon. "
Natural Translation
That was just a threatening gesture.
Literal Translation
One threatening-gesture only that.
" Isang amba lang ang ginawa niya. "
Natural Translation
He/She only made one threatening gesture.
Literal Translation
One threatening-gesture only the did he/she.
" Sa arnis, mahalagang maunawaan na ang amba ay maaaring panloloko lamang upang malinlang ang kalaban bago dumako ang tunay na hampas. "
Natural Translation
In arnis, it's important to understand that a feint can be just a trick to deceive the opponent before the real strike comes.
Literal Translation
In arnis, important to-understand that the feint is can-be trickery only in-order-to deceive the opponent before arrives the real strike.
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.
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.
Po and Opo in Tagalog: Where to Put Them Right
Po and opo confuse learners — but placement follows one rule. Where po goes in a sentence, why it's opo not 'oo po', and the pronoun shift to learn.
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.
Tagalog Time Expressions: Past, Present & Future Guide
Tagalog has no tenses — it uses aspect. Learn time words, days of the week, clock time, and the aspect system, with vocabulary tables and cultural notes.