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dayo

dayò with stress marks

foreigner; stranger

noun DA-yo Native origin Less Common

Usage Note

Dayo refers to someone who comes from elsewhere — a visitor, migrant, or outsider to a community. It can be used neutrally or with mild suspicion depending on context. In modern usage it often describes internal migrants (people from other provinces) as much as foreign nationals.

Examples

Beginner

" Dayo lang ako rito. "

Natural Translation

I'm just a stranger here.

Literal Translation

Stranger only I here.

Intermediate

" Maraming dayo ang pumunta sa probinsya para sa pista opisyal. "

Natural Translation

Many outsiders came to the province for the town fiesta.

Literal Translation

Many strangers the ones-who-came to-the province for fiesta official.

Advanced

" Bilang dayo sa bayan, unti-unti niyang natutunan ang mga kaugalian ng mga taga-roon upang hindi niya maramdamang siya ay iba. "

Natural Translation

As an outsider in the town, he slowly learned the customs of the locals so that he wouldn't feel out of place.

Literal Translation

As stranger in town, little-by-little his learned the customs of the locals so-that not his can-feel he is different.

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