Usage Note
Hapis is a poetic and literary word for deep sorrow or grief, more formal and evocative than the everyday 'kalungkutan.' It appears frequently in classical Tagalog literature, folk songs (kundiman), and elegies. 'Puno ng hapis' (full of grief) is a common expression in mournful contexts.
Examples
" Puno ng hapis ang awit. "
Natural Translation
The song is full of sorrow.
Literal Translation
Full of grief the song.
" Damdam ko ang hapis sa kwento. "
Natural Translation
I feel the grief in the story.
Literal Translation
Feel I the sorrow in-the story.
" Bawat taludtod ng kundiman ay punong-puno ng hapis ng isang pusong sinaktan ng pag-ibig na hindi natupad. "
Natural Translation
Every verse of the kundiman is full of the grief of a heart wounded by a love that was never fulfilled.
Literal Translation
Each verse of-the kundiman is very-full of grief of a heart wounded by-the love that not fulfilled.
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.

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.'

Tagalog Root Words: Learn a Few Hundred, Understand Thousands
Tagalog root words unlock vocabulary fast: learn a few hundred and recognize thousands. Real word families, examples, and a practical study strategy.

Po and Opo in Tagalog: Where to Put Them Right
Po and opo confuse learners — but placement follows one rule. Where po goes in a sentence, why it's opo not 'oo po', and the pronoun shift to learn.

Filipino Food: 12 Essential Dishes (With Tagalog Names)
Filipino food, from adobo to halo-halo: learn the Tagalog names, pronunciations, and ingredients behind 12 dishes you'll want to try on your first trip.