hiya
hiyâ with stress marks
shame; embarrassment
Usage Note
Hiya is a core Filipino value involving a sense of propriety and the avoidance of social embarrassment. It is commonly used to describe feeling shy or hesitant, and appears in key phrases like 'nakakahiya' (embarrassing) or 'walang hiya' (shameless).
Examples
" Wala siyang hiya. "
Natural Translation
He has no shame.
Literal Translation
None he shame.
" Ramdam ang hiya sa kaniyang mukha. "
Natural Translation
The embarrassment on his/her face is felt.
Literal Translation
Felt the shame on his/her face.
" Dahil sa labis na hiya, hindi niya magawang umamin sa harap ng buong klase. "
Natural Translation
Because of intense embarrassment, he could not bring himself to admit it in front of the whole class.
Literal Translation
Because of excessive shame, not he able admit in front of whole class.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
How Tagalog words workDerived Words
Actor Focus Verbs
Object Focus Verbs
Related Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.

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.

Na vs -ng in Tagalog: The Linker Rule Made Simple
When do you use na vs -ng in Tagalog? One simple rule, with clear examples, memory tips, and common mistakes explained for English-speaking beginners.

How Long Does It Take to Learn Tagalog?
Survival Tagalog takes ~3-4 weeks and comfortable conversation 6-12 months. FSI's 1,100 hours is the professional bar, not the talking-to-family bar.

May vs Mayroon vs Meron: Have & There Is
May vs mayroon in Tagalog finally made simple: one rule decides which to use, plus how meron and wala fit the same have and there-is family.