Usage Note
Miserable is an English loanword used in informal Tagalog speech, most often in code-switched conversation. Filipinos frequently borrow English emotional descriptors in casual contexts when a Tagalog equivalent feels too formal or less expressive.
Examples
" Miserable ako ngayon. "
Natural Translation
I am miserable today.
Literal Translation
Miserable I now.
" Naging miserable ang kanyang buhay simula nang siya ay mawalan ng trabaho. "
Natural Translation
His/Her life became miserable since he/she lost his/her job.
Literal Translation
Became miserable the his/her life since when he/she is lost of job.
" Kahit anong gawin niya para magmukhang masaya, halatang miserable pa rin siya pagkatapos ng kanilang paghihiwalay. "
Natural Translation
No matter what he does to appear happy, it is obvious he is still miserable after their breakup.
Literal Translation
Even whatever do he to appear happy, obviously miserable still also he after of their separation.
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 vs Filipino: What's the Difference & Which to Learn
Tagalog and Filipino aren't the same language — but they overlap almost completely. Here's the real difference and which one you should actually learn.
Filipino Food: 12 Essential Dishes (With Tagalog Names)
Filipino food, from adobo to halo-halo: learn the Tagalog names, pronunciations, and ingredients behind 12 dishes you'll want to try on your first trip.
How to Say Sorry in Tagalog: Patawad vs Pasensya
How to say sorry in Tagalog: patawad, pasensya na, and paumanhin compared on a simple severity-and-formality ladder so you pick the right word every time.
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.'