hampas-lupa
hampás-lupâ with stress marks
vagrants; poor (LIT: strike the soil)
Usage Note
Hampas-lupa is a pejorative compound word meaning the destitute or vagrants — literally 'those who strike the earth,' implying people so low they are beaten to the ground. It is used in literature and social commentary to describe extreme poverty and marginalization. Learners should be aware of its derogatory register.
Examples
" Mahirap ang buhay ng hampas-lupa. "
Natural Translation
The life of the destitute is hard.
Literal Translation
Hard the life of-the vagrant.
" Ang mga hampas-lupa ay kailangang tulungan ng pamahalaan. "
Natural Translation
The homeless poor need to be helped by the government.
Literal Translation
The vagrants are needed-to-be-helped by-the government.
" Inilarawan ng manunulat ang mga hampas-lupang natutulog sa lansangan habang nagdiriwang ang mga mayayaman sa kabilang panig ng lungsod. "
Natural Translation
The writer depicted the destitute sleeping in the streets while the rich celebrated on the other side of the city.
Literal Translation
Depicted by-the writer the vagrants who-sleep in-the street while celebrating the rich on the other side of-the city.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
How Tagalog words workRelated Words
- AWOL absence without leave
- Amboy short for American boy
- Ati ethnolinguistic group in Panay
- Balbalan ethnolinguistic group (Kalinga)
- Hiligaynon ethnolinguistic group/language
- Ilokana female native of the Ilocos region; Ilokana woman
- Ilokano Ethnolinguistic group in Ilocos
- Ilonggo Language/People of Western Visayas
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.

Tagalog Verb Focus System Explained (It's Not Active vs. Passive)
The Tagalog verb focus system isn't active vs. passive. Learn actor focus, object focus, and more with clear examples that finally make it click.

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.

Days of the Week and Months in Tagalog
The days of the week and months in Tagalog are Spanish loanwords. Learn all 7 days and 12 months with pronunciation, plus how to say dates and 'every Monday.'

How to Say Sorry in Tagalog: Patawad vs Pasensya
How to say sorry in Tagalog: patawad, pasensya na, and paumanhin compared on a simple severity-and-formality ladder so you pick the right word every time.