bahay-bata
báhay-bátà with stress marks
womb
Usage Note
Bahay-bata literally means 'house of the child' and is the Tagalog term for the uterus or womb. It is used in medical and educational contexts as the nativized alternative to the Spanish 'matris' or English 'uterus'. It is anatomically straightforward and not considered vulgar.
Examples
" May sakit sa bahay-bata ang ate. "
Natural Translation
My older sister has an illness in her womb.
Literal Translation
Has illness in womb the older-sister.
" Sinuri ng doktor ang kondisyon ng bahay-bata ng pasyente. "
Natural Translation
The doctor examined the condition of the patient's womb.
Literal Translation
Examined by-the doctor the condition of-the womb of-the patient.
" Ipinaliwanag ng doktor na lumalaki ang sanggol sa bahay-bata sa loob ng siyam na buwan bago ipanganak. "
Natural Translation
The doctor explained that the baby grows in the womb for nine months before being born.
Literal Translation
Explained by-the doctor that growing the baby in womb inside of nine months before born.
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.
Filipino Food: 12 Essential Dishes (With Tagalog Names)
Filipino food, from adobo to halo-halo: learn the Tagalog names, pronunciations, and ingredients behind 12 dishes you'll want to try on your first trip.
Tagalog Word Order: Sentence Structure Made Simple
Why Tagalog puts the verb first, and how ang, ng, and sa markers work. A clear guide to VSO word order, forming questions, and negation.
Philippines Geography for Learners: Islands & Language
Philippines geography for Tagalog learners: 7,641 islands, three island groups, and the Southern Luzon heartland where the Tagalog language was born.
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.