mahadero
mahaderó with stress marks
feisty or critical man
Usage Note
Mahadero labels a man as sharp-tongued, overly critical, or prone to finding fault, and carries the same mildly negative Spanish-derived register as its feminine counterpart mahadera. It sits between a genuine insult and a playful jab depending on the relationship — flattering when said affectionately by a friend, unflattering when applied by a stranger.
Examples
" Mahadero talaga ang tito ko. "
Natural Translation
My uncle is really critical.
Literal Translation
Critical really the uncle my.
" Mahadero ang lalaking iyon. "
Natural Translation
That man is feisty.
Literal Translation
Feisty the man that.
" Kahit mahadero ang lolo, alam naming mahal niya kami dahil sa likod ng kanyang masakit na puna ay malasakit. "
Natural Translation
Even though grandpa is sharp-tongued, we know he loves us because behind his cutting remarks is genuine concern.
Literal Translation
Even-if critical the grandpa, know we loves he us because at back of his painful remark is concern.
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.
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.
Tagalog Pronouns Explained: Complete Chart with Examples
Every Tagalog pronoun explained with clear charts: ang/ng/sa forms, tayo vs kami, ikaw vs ka, politeness markers, and the mistakes beginners make.
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.
Days of the Week and Months in Tagalog
The days of the week and months in Tagalog are Spanish loanwords. Learn all 7 days and 12 months with pronunciation, plus how to say dates and 'every Monday.'