Skip to content

patay

patáy with stress marks

dead

noun adjective pa-TAY Native origin Common
Body & Health Health & Illness

Also means

Patay can also mean to turn off or extinguish something, such as a light or an appliance.

Usage Note

Patáy functions as an adjective meaning 'dead' and as a noun referring to the deceased or a corpse. It is frequently used in everyday conversation and is central to Filipino cultural customs surrounding the 'lamay' (wake) and funeral services.

Examples

Beginner

" Patay na ang ibon. "

Natural Translation

The bird is dead.

Literal Translation

Dead already the bird.

Intermediate

" Nakita namin ang patay sa kalsada. "

Natural Translation

We saw the dead (body) on the road.

Literal Translation

Saw we the dead on-the road.

Advanced

" Tatlong araw na inilamay ng buong baryo ang patay bago ito inilibing sa libingan kahapon. "

Natural Translation

The whole village held a wake for the deceased for three days before he was buried in the cemetery yesterday.

Literal Translation

Three link day already waked of whole village the dead before it buried in cemetery yesterday.

Free · iOS & Android

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.

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play

Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.

How Tagalog words work

Actor Focus Verbs

mamatay AF VERB

to die

pumatay AF VERB

to kill

magpatay AF VERB

to slaughter

Object Focus Verbs

patayin OF VERB

to kill or turn off

patayan OF VERB

to turn off for someone

ipapatay OF VERB

to have killed or turned off

Explore Tagalog by topic

Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.

Grammar5 min read

Tagalog Word Order: Sentence Structure Made Simple

Why Tagalog puts the verb first, and how ang, ng, and sa markers work. A clear guide to VSO word order, forming questions, and negation.

Vocabulary5 min read

Tagalog Time Expressions: Past, Present & Future Guide

Tagalog has no tenses — it uses aspect. Learn time words, days of the week, clock time, and the aspect system, with vocabulary tables and cultural notes.

Grammar6 min read

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.

Vocabulary5 min read

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.'

View all articles