Usage Note
Kait means to withhold, deprive, or be stingy. It is used to describe the act of denying something to someone who deserves it or needs it, and can describe both material deprivation and emotional withholding. The adjective form 'makaít' means miserly or ungenerous. The word carries a moral weight, implying injustice or selfishness on the part of the one who withholds.
Examples
" Huwag mong ikait ang pagkain. "
Natural Translation
Do not withhold the food.
Literal Translation
Do-not you withhold the food.
" Huwag mong ikait ang tulong sa nangangailangan. "
Natural Translation
Do not withhold help from those in need.
Literal Translation
Do-not you deprive the help from those-in-need.
" Bilang isang mabuting magulang, hindi niya kailanman ikinait ang kanyang panahon at pagmamahal sa kanyang mga anak. "
Natural Translation
As a good parent, she never withheld her time and love from her children.
Literal Translation
As a good parent, not she ever withheld the her time and love from her children.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
How Tagalog words workObject Focus Verbs
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