nipa
nípa with stress marks
nipa palm tree
Usage Note
Nipa is the native palm (Nypa fruticans) that grows abundantly in Philippine coastal and riverine areas, its leaves traditionally woven into roofing and walls for the iconic bahay kubo. The term is also widely recognized internationally through the compound 'nipa hut'.
Examples
" Gawa sa nipa ang bubong. "
Natural Translation
The roof is made of nipa palm.
Literal Translation
Made of nipa the roof.
" Gawa sa nipa ang bubong ng aming bahay kubo. "
Natural Translation
The roof of our nipa hut is made of nipa palm.
Literal Translation
Made of nipa the roof of our house hut.
" Sa probinsya, marami pa ring bahay na ang dingding at bubong ay yari sa hinabing dahon ng nipa. "
Natural Translation
In the province, there are still many houses whose walls and roofs are made from woven nipa palm leaves.
Literal Translation
In-the province, many still houses that the wall and roof are made of woven leaf of nipa.
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.
May vs Mayroon vs Meron: Have & There Is
May vs mayroon in Tagalog finally made simple: one rule decides which to use, plus how meron and wala fit the same have and there-is family.
Spaced Repetition for Tagalog: How Flashcards Make Words Stick
Cramming Tagalog vocabulary fails. See how spaced repetition — the science behind smart flashcards — makes words stick for the long term.
Na vs -ng in Tagalog: The Linker Rule Made Simple
When do you use na vs -ng in Tagalog? One simple rule, with clear examples, memory tips, and common mistakes explained for English-speaking beginners.
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.