kandidato
kandidáto with stress marks
candidate
Usage Note
Kandidato is a Spanish loanword used primarily in political contexts to refer to a person running for public office. Election season in the Philippines is highly festive, and kandidato is one of the most frequently heard words in news media and street-level political discourse during campaign periods.
Examples
" Sino ang kandidato mo? "
Natural Translation
Who is your candidate?
Literal Translation
Who the candidate your?
" Maraming kandidato ang nagtatakbo para sa pwesto ng mayor. "
Natural Translation
Many candidates are running for the position of mayor.
Literal Translation
Many candidates are-running for-the position of-the mayor.
" Bagama't bata pa ang kandidato, marami siyang nakuhang boto dahil sa kanyang tapat na pangako. "
Natural Translation
Although the candidate is still young, he received many votes because of his sincere promises.
Literal Translation
Although young still the candidate, many his got vote because of his sincere promise.
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.

Seasons in the Philippines: A Tagalog Guide
The Philippines has two seasons, not four. Learn tag-araw, tag-ulan, and taglamig, the generative tag- prefix, and the weather vocabulary to match.

Filipino Food: 12 Essential Dishes (With Tagalog Names)
Filipino food, from adobo to halo-halo: learn the Tagalog names, pronunciations, and ingredients behind 12 dishes you'll want to try on your first trip.

Tagalog Root Words: Learn a Few Hundred, Understand Thousands
Tagalog root words unlock vocabulary fast: learn a few hundred and recognize thousands. Real word families, examples, and a practical study strategy.

Days of the Week and Months in Tagalog
The days of the week and months in Tagalog are Spanish loanwords. Learn all 7 days and 12 months with pronunciation, plus how to say dates and 'every Monday.'