Skip to content

maawa

to feel pity

verb ma-A-wa AF VERB Less Common
Illustration of the root word "awa" (pity; compassion; mercy)
Illustration from root: awa

From root: awa

Conjugations

Past (Completed)

naawa

na-A-wa

felt pity

Present (Incomplete)

naaawa

na-a-A-wa

feels pity

Future (Contemplated)

maaawa

ma-a-A-wa

will feel pity

Usage Note

Maawa is used when expressing deep sympathy or compassion towards someone experiencing hardship or suffering. It often conveys a sense of mercy and is frequently used in both emotional and religious contexts.

Examples

Beginner

" Naawa ako sa bata. "

Natural Translation

I felt pity for the child.

Literal Translation

Felt-pity I at child.

Intermediate

" Nais kong maawa ka sa kaniya. "

Natural Translation

I desire for you to feel pity for him.

Literal Translation

Desire I feel-pity you at him.

Advanced

" Hindi ako mapakali nang gabing iyon dahil naaawa ako sa mga aso na naiwan sa ulan. "

Natural Translation

I couldn't rest that night because I felt sorry for the dogs that were left out in the rain.

Literal Translation

Not I at-ease that night because feeling-pity I at plural dog that left in rain.

Free · iOS & Android

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 work

Word family

awa has 6 related forms built from the same root.

See all

Explore Tagalog by topic

Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.