Skip to content

gatilyo

gatílyo with stress marks

trigger of a gun

noun ga-TIL-yo Spanish origin Less Common

Usage Note

Gatilyo comes from Spanish gatillo and refers specifically to the trigger mechanism of a firearm. It appears in news reporting, crime fiction, and historical accounts, and the phrase pinindot ang gatilyo is a common construction in Philippine crime news.

Examples

Beginner

" Huwag mong hawakan ang gatilyo. "

Natural Translation

Don't touch the trigger.

Literal Translation

Don't you hold the trigger.

Intermediate

" Huwag hawakan ang gatilyo kung hindi ka pa handa. "

Natural Translation

Don't touch the trigger if you're not ready yet.

Literal Translation

Don't hold the trigger if not you yet ready.

Advanced

" Ayon sa pulis, hindi sinasadyang napindot ng bata ang gatilyo ng baril na naiwang nakalantad sa mesa. "

Natural Translation

According to the police, the child accidentally pulled the trigger of the gun that had been left exposed on the table.

Literal Translation

According to police, not intentionally pressed by-the child the trigger of gun that was-left exposed on table.

Free · iOS & Android

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 work

Explore Tagalog by topic

Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.