ilang
ílang with stress marks
wilderness, desert
Also means
Ilang also means restless or uncomfortable when used as an adjective describing a person's emotional state.
Usage Note
Ilang in its noun sense refers to a remote, uninhabited wilderness — forest, desert, or open wasteland. It appears frequently in folklore and religious texts, including Tagalog Bible translations where Jesus goes to the ilang, evoking isolation and spiritual testing.
Examples
" Tahimik ang ilang sa gabi. "
Natural Translation
The wilderness is quiet at night.
Literal Translation
Quiet the wilderness in night.
" Naligaw siya sa malalim na ilang ng bundok. "
Natural Translation
He/She got lost in the deep wilderness of the mountain.
Literal Translation
Lost he/she in-the deep wilderness of-the mountain.
" Maraming araw siyang naglakbay sa ilang bago niya narating ang malayong nayon. "
Natural Translation
He traveled through the wilderness for many days before he reached the distant village.
Literal Translation
Many days he traveled in wilderness before he reached the distant village.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
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