liban
líban with stress marks
absence; omission; to skip
Usage Note
Liban means to be absent, to skip, or to omit. It is commonly used in school or work contexts — 'lumiban sa klase' (to skip class) or 'walang liban' (no absence). It can also introduce exceptions, similar to 'except for' in phrases like 'liban sa iyo.'
Examples
" Walang liban ang bata. "
Natural Translation
The child has no absence.
Literal Translation
No absence the child.
" May liban siya ngayon. "
Natural Translation
He/She has an absence today.
Literal Translation
Has absence he/she today.
" Dumalo ang lahat ng mag-aaral sa pagtitipon liban sa dalawang may sakit kaninang umaga. "
Natural Translation
All the students attended the gathering except for the two who were sick this morning.
Literal Translation
Attended the all of students in gathering except for two who-have sickness earlier morning.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
How Tagalog words workActor Focus Verbs
Related Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.

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.

How Long Does It Take to Learn Tagalog?
Survival Tagalog takes ~3-4 weeks and comfortable conversation 6-12 months. FSI's 1,100 hours is the professional bar, not the talking-to-family bar.

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.

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.