ire
iré with stress marks
straining effort (bowels/birth)
Also means
Ire can also serve as a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this thing near the speaker' in some regional Tagalog dialects.
Usage Note
Ire, as a noun, refers to the physical effort of straining during defecation or childbirth. It is a clinical or neutral term in medical contexts but may be considered blunt in polite conversation; midwives and healthcare workers use it matter-of-factly.
Examples
" Masakit ang ire ng buntis. "
Natural Translation
The pregnant woman's straining is painful.
Literal Translation
Painful the straining-effort of-the pregnant.
" Isang malakas na ire pa. "
Natural Translation
One more strong straining effort.
Literal Translation
One strong that straining-effort more.
" Sinabi ng komadrona na kailangang dahan-dahan ang ire upang hindi mapagod agad ang ina sa panganganak. "
Natural Translation
The midwife said the straining should be gentle so the mother does not tire too quickly during childbirth.
Literal Translation
Said by-the midwife that needs slow the straining-effort so-that not tire quickly the mother in childbirth.
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.
Tagalog Greetings: How to Say Hello, Goodbye & Po/Opo
Master Tagalog greetings with pronunciation: kumusta, magandang umaga, po and opo polite forms, time-of-day phrases, and the mano po tradition.
Tagalog Verb Conjugation: Aspects Made Simple
Tagalog verb conjugation uses aspects, not tenses. Learn the three aspects with -um- and mag- verbs, one reduplication rule, and clear example tables.
Tagalog Numbers 1-100: Counting, Time & Money Explained
Learn Tagalog numbers 1-100 and beyond. Master both native and Spanish-derived counting systems, plus telling time, reading prices, and ordinals.
Magkano: How to Ask "How Much" in Tagalog
Magkano means how much in Tagalog. Learn to ask a price, tell it apart from ilan and gaano, sound polite with po, and haggle at the palengke.