kuya-kuyahan
person treated like an older brother
From root: kuya
Usage Note
Kuya-kuyahan is a term for a male friend or acquaintance who acts as or is treated like an older brother despite no blood relation.
Examples
" Kuya-kuyahan ko siya sa eskuwela. "
Natural Translation
He is like an older brother to me at school.
Literal Translation
Older-brother-like my he at school.
" Siya ang kuya-kuyahan ko sa trabaho. "
Natural Translation
He is like an older brother to me at work.
Literal Translation
He the older-brother-like my at work.
" Kahit hindi kami magkadugo, naging kuya-kuyahan ko siya nang tumulong siya sa akin noong bago pa lang ako sa lungsod. "
Natural Translation
Even though we are not related by blood, he became like an older brother to me when he helped me back when I was still new to the city.
Literal Translation
Even-though not we blood-related, became older-brother-like my he when helped he to me when new still just I in city.
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 workWord family
kuya has 3 related forms built from the same root.
Related Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.
Magkano: How to Ask "How Much" in Tagalog
Magkano means how much in Tagalog. Learn to ask a price, tell it apart from ilan and gaano, sound polite with po, and haggle at the palengke.
Na vs -ng in Tagalog: The Linker Rule Made Simple
When do you use na vs -ng in Tagalog? One simple rule, with clear examples, memory tips, and common mistakes explained for English-speaking beginners.
Languages of the Philippines: Tagalog, Cebuano, and More
Languages of the Philippines: one national language (Filipino) plus 180+ regional languages. Here's who speaks what, where, and why it matters to you.
Filipino Family Words and Honorifics: Ate, Kuya & Tita
Filipino family words like ate, kuya, tita, tito, lolo, and lola go far beyond family — learn how Filipinos use them with strangers, plus mano po etiquette.