Usage Note
Kumpesyon is from Spanish confesión and refers specifically to the Catholic sacrament of confession, which is central to Filipino Catholic life. The word is commonly heard in the lead-up to major religious seasons like Lent and Christmas, when parishes see high demand for the sacrament.
Examples
" Pupunta ako sa kumpesyon mamaya. "
Natural Translation
I will go to confession later.
Literal Translation
Will-go I to-the confession later.
" Pumunta siya sa simbahan para sa kumpesyon. "
Natural Translation
He/She went to church for confession.
Literal Translation
Went he/she to-the church for confession.
" Tuwing papalapit ang Kuwaresma, humahaba ang pila sa kumpesyon dahil nais ng marami na malinis ang kanilang konsensya bago ang Pasko ng Pagkabuhay. "
Natural Translation
Whenever Lent approaches, the line for confession grows longer because many want their conscience cleared before Easter.
Literal Translation
Every approaches the Lent, lengthens the line at-the confession because want of many that clean the their conscience before the Easter.
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 Affixes Explained: A Beginner's Guide to Word Building
Tagalog affixes turn one root word into dozens of meanings. Learn prefixes, infixes, suffixes, and circumfixes with clear examples for beginners.
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.
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.
Tagalog Slang Guide: 20 Words You'll Hear on TikTok
Tagalog slang explained: lodi, petmalu, werpa, astig, chika and more. Decode Filipino TikTok comments, group chats, and pop culture with this practical guide.