Tagalog Arts & Culture Words

to dance with (someone)

dance partner

dancing

dance

dance party

to dance (a specific routine)

to dance

traditional farmers' dance with bamboo

to dance

dance movement of the feet

cotillion

Philippine courtship dance

choreography

dancer

choreographer

crustacean; courtship dance

waltz

bamboo poles for dancing

to dance the tinikling

to shake; dance

to shake; to sway rhythmically

Visayan courtship dance/song

traditional Southern Philippine bamboo dance

indigenous warrior song and dance

slow dance from Cuba

art (skill/creativity)

to watch

hanging out

show or movie

to make famous

scene

to watch

show or spectacle

photograph

story

book

collective applause

contest

doll

balloon; wolf

drawing; painting

movie; film

hobby; leaning

to act or fake something

to watch

design

to design

to design

to bank against someone

talent; intellect

story

picture; photograph

to portray

kite

to bet [it]

to create

to bet

bet; wager

viewer or audience member

extra

contestant

crayon

to play

a series or chain

gamble; gambling

theme

to travel

playing house

magic

collection

to create

act; episode; stage

lead character

to use a camera on something

to film or photograph someone

to use a camera

style; fashion

to stage [it]

presentation; exhibit; to exalt

version

to play hooky

to amuse oneself

to use for play

to read

to read to someone

to use for reading

to let someone read

to kill; win in gambling

to perform

reading material

to read

rehearsal

to play with someone

toy or playground

comedian

to play something

to tell a story

estimate; calculation; to bet; stake

to bet on [it]

poem

to bet

to show or release

villain

paint

riddle; only one

to entertain [someone]

to color

documentary

hanging toys and prizes game

checkers; lady-in-waiting

to gamble

chapter

hide-and-seek

to hang out

humor, comedy

poet

act of reading

to become a hit

soap opera

competition

to create art

artistic

art

collaboration

collection

collection

entertainment; distraction

amusement; diversion; pastime

storytelling

literature

paint

a scene; meeting someone; an encounter

toy car

to draw

to paint

to go for a stroll

to film

camera station

artistic

play (drama)

magic

mahjong

audition

pastime

act of watching

a local pebble-dropping game

toy top

to chisel something

to cause to be famous

creation; work of art

media

novel

elimination

intermission

script

to feature [it]

climax

critic

work; literary or artistic piece

referring to a draw or tie in a game

slingshot; assassin (colloq)

edition

exhibition

line; drawing

to draw or sketch something

lottery; form of gambling

to show

collect (hobby items or objects)

to collect

lens; flashlight

monologue

night club

autograph

fable

acting; pretense

creation

to walk a ramp; display oneself

circus; acrobatics; somersault

local stick-hitting game

solitaire game

to act as a star

to collect

theater

cameo role/scene

famous person

muse

masterpiece

elevation; feature; attraction

contest; competition

theater

fellow actor; co-worker in film

watercolor

to gamble [it]

hand-drawn

nightclub, cabaret

coin-tossing game

caricature

fiction

cinematic; for movies

wheel of fortune; roulette

a specific card game for betting

slingshot; light stroke/flick

stilt

curtain or hanging screen on stage

trilogy

stage

to draw or mark on something

to draw or sketch something

calligraphy

fiction

minimalism

mural

malling activity

act of drawing

photography

act of painting

act of reciting or writing poetry

to paint (a surface)

poetry contest or collection

to collect

full of applause

engraving; engraved

scriptwriter

to walk a runway

drawing tool

illustrator

to be the banker

to design

to create for

to recite a poem

to play solitaire

anthology

to adapt [it]

impressionism

characterization

checkmate (chess)

ode; a poem

sonnet

groom; person in charge of horses

to add flair to

to weave

to act something out

to collect

to paint (an image)

to adapt into a film

to carve

pro-artist

art-oriented

theatrical or dramatic

musketeer

autobiography

theater arts or acting

for radio use

related to media

art-related

toy butterfly

in poetic form

toy cat

radio station

television station

ferris wheel; carousel

toy water or water game

toy monkey

nightclub, cabaret

to write a novel

to perform in theater

to recite poetry

clapping device

to write poetry

intermission

to turn into a novel

to use as a marker

to adapt for the theater

to recite a poem to

intellectualism

to do acrobatics

originality; creativity

to scoop up [it]

to scoop up winnings

toy knife

toy wallet

toy boat

toy ship

toy jeepney

to weave something

to carve a specific thing

to have something woven

toy horse

clown; jester

to work with clay

theater actor or practitioner

modernist

the act of designing

writing instrument

theatrical or for theater use

toy or imitation rice cake

toy radio

toy train

to fly things together

to write into a novel

star-shaped Christmas lantern

New Year

to celebrate Christmas

Christmas

midnight feast on Christmas Eve

occasion; event or reason

celebration

noisemaker

fireworks or lighting display

to celebrate as a feast

to celebrate a feast

to celebrate a feast for

Christmas gift

Maundy Thursday

crown

May procession for the Holy Cross

anniversary

Christmas season

carnival

giant, huge

for Christmas

Muslim celebration after Ramadan

feast day

coronation

firecracker

raffle; lottery

firecracker

to spend for Christmas

adornment; attire; ready

sparkler (firework)

to celebrate an anniversary

merrymaking event

chosen "queens" in a festival procession

torch

to give a Christmas gift

rice wafer decoration

festival-goer

festival-going

May celebration

to attend a feast

guitar

musical band

bandmate

to play in a band

to play something

to play music

music being played

music; playing of an instrument

to play music

music

to sing for

song

singing session

to sound something

concert

melody

to sing

act of singing

to sing

tone

big bell

classical

song

carol

drum; to pound

to play a song

musical piece

instrument (musical)

to whistle

to whistle

off key; out of tune

serenade

string (musical)

musical

male musician

rhythm

trumpet

orchestra

violin

rhythm

to beat (music); to gesture

sad love song

melody

female musician

accompaniment

soprano

to whistle a specific tune

duet

composition

lullaby; cradle song

rhyme; match; coordination

music session

interpretation

ability to play music by ear

octave; musical scale of eight

to make something sound

harmonica

improvise

hand-bell, small bell

chime

to play the drum

melodic

folk music

octavina (musical instrument)

music-making

musical instrument

composer

musician

to play music for

to play an instrument

whining sound; tone; pitch

instrumentalist

resonance or acoustic quality

conservatory

set of eight gongs

to conduct (music)

to improvise

act of playing in a band

instrumental

repertory

rhythmic

musical theater form

assigned player

overture; musical introduction

operetta; short musical drama

organist

elegy

to improvise [it]

male singer; male cantor

female singer; female cantor

string orchestra

bugle made from animal horn

bass player

tolling of bells

clarinet

jingling sound; vibration

castanet

two-stringed boat-shaped instrument, boat-lute

to conduct [it]

troubadour

to provide lyrics for

bayur tree; Maranao chant

musicologist

musicology

a trumpet made of horn

harp

to set to music

to provide instruments for

microphone stand or holder

modulation

to set to music

refrain of a song or poem

mournful singing depicting grief; peaceful music

instrument strings, anchor wires

bamboo buzzer instrument

Kalinga rice-pounding song

to redeem; redemption; ransom

boxing

speed contest

to lose

swarm; simultaneous assault

ball

cockfight

to kick

win; victory

to win

defeat; to beat; to argue

referee

score

game or play

organized games or sports fest

team

champion

to win

to defeat

Filipino martial arts

sport

medal

a place for rehearsal or practice

sports racket

kick; a traditional rattan ball game

to dive or swim underwater

athlete

stadium

championship

relief; substitute

trophy

league; coalition

to dive

to dominate [someone]

to score

a whistle; sound of a siren

to defeat [him/her/it]

to defeat

skate

runner

swimmer

swimming gear

racetrack

tournament

to kick [it]

to wrestle

scorer

swimming pool

to skate

to wrestle

act of parrying or warding off a blow

favorite to win

to sharpen or compete

arm wrestling

to wrestle [him/her]

skater

skating

to compete

to parry or block

a billiard cue

trampoline

rattan palm; to be beaten with a stick

offensive; attack

to dive for [it]

climbing gear

running field

endurance contest; test of strength

mutual parrying of blows

to parry [it] or block [it]

to arm-wrestle someone

to compete or pit against

to pit [it] in competition

to edge ahead; to take the lead

jockey

lifting and throwing with force

to whistle

to strike [someone] with an uppercut

to strike upward

to catch [it]

to catch a handoff

something used for jumping

hit mouth/chin with uppercut

souvenir; homecoming gift; anything brought home from a trip

blessing request gesture phrase

handshake or hand-eating feast

king

gesture of respect to elders

nativity scene

farewell party

spirit; soul

foghorn; siren; mermaid

historical; significant

to decorate with flowers

to use as a ring

to put a ring on

curse; oath

kissing ritual

legend; folklore

mythical tree-dwelling creature, a folklore giant in tree

history

mystery

miracle

dye; to color

fairy; forest deity

statue; monument

amulet, talisman

wake for the dead

enchanted being; spell

caroling

custom; habit

All Souls' Day; All Saints' Day

throne

tradition

to curse

hero

wedding ceremony

a spear; a sudden escape (slang)

queen

ancient; archaic

biography

opening ceremony or act

side by side

current style; fashion

to haunt

magic

to haunt

ghost

fiber, thread

act of kissing

fairy; enchanted being

evil spirit

mythical centaur-like creature

huge precolonial boat

to swear

talisman

to carve; to engrave

ritual

culture

shape-shifting ghoul

butterfly knife (Batangas)

dwarf

witchcraft (sorcery); curse, hex

myth

ancestor; nature spirit; mythical man in anthill

act of attending mass

sewing/stitching

to sew

blood sacrifice

to whip

blowgun

cultural

witch

memorial

superstition

mythical creature imitating a child

zodiac

stomach gas/fever from another's greeting; a sickness or evil eye hex

canon; criteria or body of work

to adorn with jewelry

to wear as jewelry

creation

niche; tomb; grave

blood compact; alliance

shield

large religious float

customs, habits

folk tale

stanza

to wear as a necklace

to put a necklace on

Filipino indigenous system of writing

native Filipina dress

love potion; charm

to wave

to ask for Christmas gifts

mythology

circumcision

merman

string of beads; skewer; to thread

coffin

G-string, loincloth

to sew

cremation

haunted place

commemorative

sorcery practice

emblem; symbol

illegal cockfighting

legendary; rich in folklore

sewing

joined together; spirit possession

to play karagatan game

invention

double-edged blade weapon

Maranao geometric artwork designs

haunting

act of using a love potion

love charm or potion

spirit possession; joining a group

a sepulchre; tomb

to share a cover or shelter

short poem (monorhyme quatrain)

landslide; demolition; a religious play

sacred Tiboli abaca cloth

to carve; engraving; groove

to turn into a legend

weave (variant of habi)

to be attacked by an aswang

weave; texture of fabric

quoted; from a literary work

commemoration

komedya play; theater

to haunt

realism

a round of cockfight

to weave

blade attached to a fighting cock's leg

astrology

palm fibre; a punch

to unfurl [it]

single-edged long sword

muse

infested with aswangs

spell caster or potion maker

prone to seeing ghosts

act of haunting

mythological; relating to legends

traditional caroling

witchcraft materials

romanticism

process of weaving fibers; sinamay fabric

showing respect or disrespect

a scepter

an omen or fatal sign

ninth-day prayer

figure of speech; parable; mystery

something used to tame or pacify

to plate with silver

to wave [it]

sword, chalice

weaving process

head cover; turban

to put earrings on someone

inscription

to play siyatong

numerology

oil; oil painting

opal (semi-precious stone)

process of dyeing threads

printing press

fretwork, open work

metrical romance (8-syllable lines)

Muslim martial arts

carving of wood

wood carver

to whip [it]

to weave

octosyllable; eight syllables per line

act of being an aswang

blowgun with air pump

row; line of verse

to carve [it]; to engrave [it]

pseudonym of Severino Reyes

dagger; indigenous weapon

armor, breastplate

ivory

to charm

glossy silk-like textile

woven material

metrical romance play; moro-moro

to bewitch

carving; sculpture

to tell a legend

to act as a ghoul

to kneel in supplication

to prey as a ghoul

to charm using a love spell

to bewitch

act of weaving

the art of carving

to possess [someone]

to weave

to carve

oral or passed down verbally

religious poem or chant

pretend or toy aswang

smoker's pipe

to weave [it]

long spearlike pointed weapon

short literary form

indigenous 8-syllable poem

to wear as an earring

nymph

to put a bracelet on someone

religious play

rice granary deity

something given upon arrival

enchanted or full of spirits

octosyllabic

ritual for spirits

an amulet for invisibility

hand fight using swords

aquatic reed used for mats/hats

indigenous verbal joust

to gild

to use as a charm

to put on as a bracelet

classicism

to act like a goddess

to hex

modernism

naturalism

sultan's head gear cloth

healing ritual

to perform a spirit ritual

traditional poetry of the Mangyan

epic storyteller (trained from childhood)

realm of goddesses

fond of legends

Ivatan headgear

T'boli concept of paradise

indigenous three-line wedding poem

indigenous eulogy song

to turn into gold

striped colorful cloth made by Yakans