kuwentong bayan
kuwéntong báyan with stress marks
folk tale
Usage Note
Kuwentong bayan literally means 'story of the people' and refers to traditional folk tales passed down through generations. These stories often feature mythological creatures, moral lessons, and explanations of natural phenomena. They are a cornerstone of Filipino cultural identity and are studied in Philippine literature classes.
Examples
" Gusto ko ng kuwentong bayan. "
Natural Translation
I like folk tales.
Literal Translation
Like I of folk-tale.
" Maraming kuwentong bayan ang nagsasalita tungkol sa mga diwata. "
Natural Translation
Many folk tales speak about fairies and spirits.
Literal Translation
Many folk-tales the talking about the spirits.
" Ang mga kuwentong bayan na ikinukuwento ng matatanda ay nagtuturo sa atin ng mahahalagang aral tungkol sa buhay. "
Natural Translation
The folk tales told by the elders teach us important lessons about life.
Literal Translation
The plural folk-tale that being-told of elders teaching to us of important lessons about life.
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.
Philippine Christmas Traditions: World's Longest Holiday
Philippine Christmas traditions run four months — from Ber-month carols to Simbang Gabi dawn masses, Noche Buena feasts, and parol lanterns lighting every street.
Tagalog Word Order: Sentence Structure Made Simple
Why Tagalog puts the verb first, and how ang, ng, and sa markers work. A clear guide to VSO word order, forming questions, and negation.
Mano Po and Filipino Etiquette: A Visitor's Guide
Mano po presses an elder's hand to your forehead as a blessing. Learn who to mano, how to lip-point, and the etiquette that wins over a Filipino family.