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kamote

kamóte with stress marks

sweet potato

noun ka-MO-te Spanish origin Common
Food & Drink Vegetables
Illustration of "kamote" (sweet potato)

Usage Note

Kamote is a staple food in the Philippines, often enjoyed boiled or as a caramelized snack called 'kamote cue.' It is also used colloquially to describe someone who is performing poorly or being reckless, most notably in the term 'kamote driver.'

Examples

Beginner

" Masarap ang nilagang kamote. "

Natural Translation

Boiled sweet potato is delicious.

Literal Translation

Delicious the boiled sweet-potato.

Intermediate

" Kumain tayo ng nilagang kamote. "

Natural Translation

Let's eat boiled sweet potato.

Literal Translation

Eat we of boiled sweet-potato.

Advanced

" Noong wala kaming bigas, kamote muna ang aming kinakain hanggang sa makaipon kami para sa pagkain. "

Natural Translation

When we had no rice, we ate sweet potato for the time being until we could save up for food.

Literal Translation

When none our rice, sweet-potato first the our eating until be-able-to-save we for to food.

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How Tagalog words work

Actor Focus Verbs

magkamote AF VERB

to plant sweet potatoes

mangamote AF VERB

to fail or fumble

Object Focus Verbs

ikamote OF VERB

to cause someone to fail (slang)

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