hukbo
hukbó with stress marks
army
Usage Note
Hukbo is the standard Tagalog word for an army or military force. It appears frequently in news, history, and formal writing. The term is used broadly for any organized military body, and forms the root of compound words for the navy, army, and air force in formal Filipino.
Examples
" Malakas ang hukbo nila. "
Natural Translation
Their army is strong.
Literal Translation
Strong the army their.
" Ang hukbo ng Pilipinas ay nagbibigay ng tulong sa mga nasalanta. "
Natural Translation
The Philippine army provides aid to those affected by disasters.
Literal Translation
The army of-the Philippines gives help to the those-affected.
" Ipinagtanggol ng hukbo ang ating bansa noong digmaan kaya marami ang nagpapasalamat sa kanilang katapangan. "
Natural Translation
The army defended our country during the war, which is why many are grateful for their bravery.
Literal Translation
Defended by-the army the our country during war so many the thankful for their bravery.
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 workRelated Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.
Filipino Family Words and Honorifics: Ate, Kuya & Tita
Filipino family words like ate, kuya, tita, tito, lolo, and lola go far beyond family — learn how Filipinos use them with strangers, plus mano po etiquette.
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.
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.
Is Tagalog Hard to Learn? An Honest Answer
Tagalog takes around 1,100 hours to reach professional proficiency. Here is what is easy, what is hard, and what to expect at 3, 6, and 12 months.