manggagawa
manggagawâ with stress marks
worker
From root: gawa
Usage Note
Manggagawa is derived from gawa (work) with the mang- prefix and reduplication, denoting a worker. It is frequently used in labor rights discourse and union contexts; May Day is officially called Araw ng Manggagawa, making this word culturally significant beyond the workplace.
Examples
" Pagod na ang manggagawa. "
Natural Translation
The worker is already tired.
Literal Translation
Tired already the worker.
" Masipag ang manggagawa. "
Natural Translation
The worker is hardworking.
Literal Translation
Hardworking the worker.
" Tuwing Araw ng Manggagawa, nagtitipon ang mga manggagawa upang ipaglaban ang kanilang karapatan sa makatarungang sahod. "
Natural Translation
Every Labor Day, the workers gather to fight for their right to a fair wage.
Literal Translation
Every Day of Worker, gather the workers to fight-for the their right to fair wage.
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 workWord family
gawa has 4 related forms built from the same root.
Related Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.
Spaced Repetition for Tagalog: How Flashcards Make Words Stick
Cramming Tagalog vocabulary fails. See how spaced repetition — the science behind smart flashcards — makes words stick for the long term.
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.
Languages of the Philippines: Tagalog, Cebuano, and More
Languages of the Philippines: one national language (Filipino) plus 180+ regional languages. Here's who speaks what, where, and why it matters to you.
Tagalog Affixes Explained: A Beginner's Guide to Word Building
Tagalog affixes turn one root word into dozens of meanings. Learn prefixes, infixes, suffixes, and circumfixes with clear examples for beginners.