bara
bará with stress marks
blockage
Usage Note
Bara refers to a clog or obstruction in a pipe, drain, or passage, and is widely used in household contexts — a clogged sink, a blocked toilet, or a congested road. The verb form is magbara or barahan. In Metro Manila, nabara ang trapik (traffic is jammed) is a common phrase. The word can also describe someone who is tongue-tied or mentally blocked.
Examples
" May bara ang lababo. "
Natural Translation
The sink has a clog.
Literal Translation
Has clog the sink.
" Alisin mo ang bara sa tubo. "
Natural Translation
Remove the blockage in the pipe.
Literal Translation
Remove you the blockage in pipe.
" Tumagas ang tubig sa sahig dahil hindi naayos kaagad ang bara sa imburnal kahapon. "
Natural Translation
Water leaked onto the floor because the clog in the drain wasn't fixed right away yesterday.
Literal Translation
Leaked the water on floor because not fixed immediately the clog in drain yesterday.
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 workActor Focus Verbs
Object Focus Verbs
Related Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.
Filipino Family Words and Honorifics: Ate, Kuya & Tita
Filipino family words like ate, kuya, tita, tito, lolo, and lola go far beyond family — learn how Filipinos use them with strangers, plus mano po etiquette.
Na vs -ng in Tagalog: The Linker Rule Made Simple
When do you use na vs -ng in Tagalog? One simple rule, with clear examples, memory tips, and common mistakes explained for English-speaking beginners.
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.