listo
lísto with stress marks
alert; clever; quick
Usage Note
Listo is borrowed directly from Spanish and means alert, clever, or quick-witted when applied to a man. Like its feminine counterpart lista, it can be either a sincere compliment or a mild warning that someone is a little too sharp for comfort — the Spanish feminine and masculine forms are both current in Filipino speech.
Examples
" Listo ang batang iyon. "
Natural Translation
That boy is sharp.
Literal Translation
Sharp the child that.
" Kailangan mong maging listo kapag naglalakad sa madidilim na eskinita. "
Natural Translation
You need to be alert when walking through dark alleys.
Literal Translation
Need you to-become alert when progressive-walk in dark alleys.
" Kailangan mong maging listo sa palengke dahil madali kang malamangan ng mga tusong tindero. "
Natural Translation
You need to be sharp at the market because sly vendors can easily get the better of you.
Literal Translation
Need you-that to-become sharp at market because easy you-that get-advantage-over of plural cunning vendor.
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 Root Words: Learn a Few Hundred, Understand Thousands
Tagalog root words unlock vocabulary fast: learn a few hundred and recognize thousands. Real word families, examples, and a practical study strategy.
Ng vs Nang in Tagalog: The Spelling Rule
Ng vs nang sound identical but spell differently. Use ng to mark nouns (of, the object), and nang for how, when, repetition, and counting time.
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.
Po and Opo in Tagalog: Where to Put Them Right
Po and opo confuse learners — but placement follows one rule. Where po goes in a sentence, why it's opo not 'oo po', and the pronoun shift to learn.