Usage Note
Balát is the general word for skin on people or animals and the peel or rind of fruits and vegetables, used universally in everyday speech. Balatan means to peel and is a very common kitchen verb; the word also appears in idiomatic expressions about sensitivity and resilience.
Examples
" Manipis ang balat ng saging. "
Natural Translation
The banana's peel is thin.
Literal Translation
Thin the peel of banana.
" Alisan ng balát ang mangga bago kainin. "
Natural Translation
Remove the peel from the mango before eating.
Literal Translation
Remove of skin the mango before eat.
" Manipis ang balat niya sa puna, kaya mag-ingat ka sa mga sasabihin mo nang hindi siya masaktan. "
Natural Translation
He is thin-skinned about criticism, so be careful with what you say so you don't hurt him.
Literal Translation
Thin the skin his on criticism, so be-careful you on the will-say your so-that not he hurt.
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.
Languages of the Philippines: Tagalog, Cebuano, and More
Languages of the Philippines: one national language (Filipino) plus 180+ regional languages. Here's who speaks what, where, and why it matters to you.
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.
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.
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.