Usage Note
Batya is a Spanish loanword (from batea) for the traditional shallow basin used for hand-washing clothes in Filipino households. Before electric washing machines became widespread, washing by the batya was a daily domestic ritual, and the term remains common in informal and rural settings.
Examples
" May tubig sa batya. "
Natural Translation
There is water in the laundry tub.
Literal Translation
Have water in laundry-tub.
" Naglalaba ang ate sa batya sa labas ng bahay. "
Natural Translation
My older sister is doing laundry in the tub outside the house.
Literal Translation
Doing-laundry the older-sister in-the laundry-tub outside of-the house.
" Bago pa magkaroon ng washing machine, buong umaga kaming naglalaba sa batya sa likod ng bahay. "
Natural Translation
Before we even had a washing machine, we used to do laundry in the tub at the back of the house all morning.
Literal Translation
Before still have of washing machine, whole morning we doing-laundry in laundry-tub at back of house.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
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