bandila
bandílà with stress marks
flag
Usage Note
Bandila is the Tagalog word for flag, most prominently the Philippine national flag (watawat or pambansang bandila). It carries a strong patriotic charge and is used in civic ceremonies, Independence Day celebrations, and expressions of national pride. The phrase 'itaas ang bandila' (raise the flag) is used both literally and as a rallying call.
Examples
" Itaas mo ang bandila. "
Natural Translation
Raise the flag.
Literal Translation
Raise you the flag.
" Ibinaba ang bandila sa kalahating poste bilang tanda ng pagdalamhati. "
Natural Translation
The flag was lowered to half-mast as a sign of mourning.
Literal Translation
Lowered the flag to half mast as sign of mourning.
" Tuwing umaga, iwinawagayway ng mga estudyante ang bandila habang umaawit sila ng pambansang awit. "
Natural Translation
Every morning, the students wave the flag while they sing the national anthem.
Literal Translation
Every morning, waved-by the plural student the flag while singing they of national anthem.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.