gitla
gitlâ with stress marks
shock, surprise
Usage Note
Gitla describes a sudden, visceral shock — closer to a startle reflex than mere surprise. It is used in formal and literary contexts; in everyday speech, nagulat is more common.
Examples
" Halata ang gitla sa mukha niya. "
Natural Translation
The shock on his/her face is obvious.
Literal Translation
Obvious the shock in face his/her.
" Pansin ang gitla ni Maria. "
Natural Translation
Maria's shock is noticeable.
Literal Translation
Noticeable the shock of Maria.
" Hindi maitatago ang gitla sa kanyang mga mata nang biglang sumulpot ang kaibigang akala niya ay matagal nang pumanaw. "
Natural Translation
The shock in his eyes could not be hidden when the friend he thought had long since passed away suddenly appeared.
Literal Translation
Not could-be-hidden the shock in his eyes when suddenly appeared the friend thought he is long already passed-away.
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 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.

Seasons in the Philippines: A Tagalog Guide
The Philippines has two seasons, not four. Learn tag-araw, tag-ulan, and taglamig, the generative tag- prefix, and the weather vocabulary to match.

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.

Tagalog Pronouns Explained: Complete Chart with Examples
Every Tagalog pronoun explained with clear charts: ang/ng/sa forms, tayo vs kami, ikaw vs ka, politeness markers, and the mistakes beginners make.