dale
dalé with stress marks
hit; criticize
Usage Note
Dale is an informal root verb meaning to strike, hit, or lay into someone verbally. In colloquial speech, 'dale' or 'dale nang dale' describes relentless hitting or criticizing. The phrase 'dale ka nang dale' means 'you just keep going at it' and can be either admiring or exasperated in tone.
Examples
" Dale lang nang dale ang bata. "
Natural Translation
The kid just keeps at it.
Literal Translation
Hit just (repeatedly) hit the child.
" Dale nang dale ang mga kritiko sa bagong pelikula. "
Natural Translation
The critics just kept hammering the new film.
Literal Translation
Hit-repeatedly the critics at-the new film.
" Tuwing may pagkakamali ako, dale nang dale ang aking amo at parang wala nang katapusan ang kanyang batikos. "
Natural Translation
Whenever I make a mistake, my boss just keeps hammering away and his criticism seems endless.
Literal Translation
Every-time there-is mistake I, hit-repeatedly the my boss and like none already ending the his criticism.
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.
Tagalog Numbers 1-100: Counting, Time & Money Explained
Learn Tagalog numbers 1-100 and beyond. Master both native and Spanish-derived counting systems, plus telling time, reading prices, and ordinals.
Ang, Ng, Sa: The 3 Tagalog Case Markers Explained
Ang, ng, sa are the three Tagalog case markers every noun takes. Learn what each does, the personal forms si/ni/kay, plurals with mga, and clear examples.
Tagalog Question Words: Ano, Sino, Saan & More
Tagalog question words like ano, sino, and saan need the right frame to work. Learn the ang-vs-pronoun rule, confusable pairs, and the ba particle with audio.
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.