dapa
dapâ with stress marks
lying on one's stomach
Usage Note
Dapa describes the posture of lying face down or prostrating oneself. It is used both literally — a child lying on the floor — and figuratively in expressions of defeat or submission. The command dumapa or dapa! is commonly heard in military and police contexts.
Examples
" Nakahiga nang dapa ang aso. "
Natural Translation
The dog is lying on its stomach.
Literal Translation
Lying as on-stomach the dog.
" Dapa sa sahig ang bata habang naglalaro. "
Natural Translation
The child lay on their stomach on the floor while playing.
Literal Translation
Lying-on-stomach on floor the child while playing.
" Nang marinig ang putok, agad na dumapa ang lahat sa sahig hanggang sa tumigil ang kaguluhan. "
Natural Translation
When the gunshot was heard, everyone immediately dropped to the floor on their stomachs until the commotion stopped.
Literal Translation
When heard the shot, immediately lay-on-stomach the all on floor until stopped the commotion.
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
Related Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.
Mano Po and Filipino Etiquette: A Visitor's Guide
Mano po presses an elder's hand to your forehead as a blessing. Learn who to mano, how to lip-point, and the etiquette that wins over a Filipino family.
Tagalog Verb Conjugation: Aspects Made Simple
Tagalog verb conjugation uses aspects, not tenses. Learn the three aspects with -um- and mag- verbs, one reduplication rule, and clear example tables.
Tagalog vs Filipino: What's the Difference & Which to Learn
Tagalog and Filipino aren't the same language — but they overlap almost completely. Here's the real difference and which one you should actually learn.
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.