lista
lísta with stress marks
alert; clever; quick
Usage Note
Lista is the feminine form of the Spanish loanword listo and describes a woman who is sharp, quick-witted, or alert. It functions as a genuine compliment for intellectual acuity, though in some contexts it carries a note of caution — suggesting someone is also shrewd or sly; the masculine counterpart is listo.
Examples
" Lista ang bata sa klase. "
Natural Translation
The child is clever in class.
Literal Translation
Clever the child in class.
" Lista ang batang ito. "
Natural Translation
This child is clever.
Literal Translation
Clever the child this.
" Napakalista ng dalagang iyon kaya nakukuha niya agad ang mga sagot bago pa matapos ang tanong. "
Natural Translation
That young woman is so sharp that she gets the answers right away even before the question is finished.
Literal Translation
Very-clever the young-woman that so gets she immediately the answers before yet finished the question.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
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