dalâ
fear of repeating bad experience
Also means
Dalá (with acute accent) means 'thing brought or carried,' a completely separate word sharing the same base syllables.
Usage Note
Dalâ captures a specific psychological state — the lingering caution or fear that arises after a traumatic or painful experience. It is close in meaning to being 'gun-shy.' The word appears in literary contexts and thoughtful conversation; it is not as common in casual everyday speech.
Examples
" Dala pa rin siya sa nakaraan. "
Natural Translation
He is still wary because of the past.
Literal Translation
Wary still he from the past.
" Dalâ sa nakaraan, nag-aatubili siyang magtiwala muli. "
Natural Translation
Because of what happened before, he/she hesitates to trust again.
Literal Translation
Fearful-from the past, hesitates he/she to-trust again.
" Dala sa masamang karanasan noon, ayaw na niyang mangutang muli kahit kanino mang kaibigan. "
Natural Translation
Wary because of the bad experience before, he no longer wants to borrow money again from any friend.
Literal Translation
Wary-from the bad experience before, not-want already he to-borrow again even from-any friend.
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.

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.

Po and Opo in Tagalog: Where to Put Them Right
Po and opo confuse learners — but placement follows one rule. Where po goes in a sentence, why it's opo not 'oo po', and the pronoun shift to learn.

How to Say "I Love You" in Tagalog: Phrases & Meaning
Learn how to say I love you in Tagalog. Mahal kita, Iniibig kita, and Filipino terms of endearment for partners, family, and friends — with cultural notes.

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.