Usage Note
Babà is the anatomical term for the chin, the lower front part of the face. In Filipino gesture culture, raising the chin is a widely recognized non-verbal way of pointing or indicating direction — a cultural shortcut that often surprises foreign visitors.
Examples
" Masakit ang baba ko. "
Natural Translation
My chin hurts.
Literal Translation
Painful the chin my.
" May sugat siya sa babà. "
Natural Translation
He/She has a wound on the chin.
Literal Translation
There-is wound he/she in chin.
" Sa halip na ituro ng daliri, itinaas na lamang niya ang kaniyang baba para ipakita kung saan kami pupunta. "
Natural Translation
Instead of pointing with a finger, he simply raised his chin to show where we should go.
Literal Translation
Instead of point of finger, raised just he the his chin to show where we will-go.
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.

Mano Po and Filipino Etiquette: A Visitor's Guide
Mano po presses an elder's hand to your forehead as a blessing. Learn who to mano, how to lip-point, and the etiquette that wins over a Filipino family.

Ng vs Nang in Tagalog: The Spelling Rule
Ng vs nang sound identical but spell differently. Use ng to mark nouns (of, the object), and nang for how, when, repetition, and counting time.

How to Say Sorry in Tagalog: Patawad vs Pasensya
How to say sorry in Tagalog: patawad, pasensya na, and paumanhin compared on a simple severity-and-formality ladder so you pick the right word every time.

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.