patay-patay
sluggish or slow-moving
From root: patay
Usage Note
Patay-patay describes a person who lacks initiative, energy, or speed in their actions.
Examples
" Patay-patay siya kanina. "
Natural Translation
He/She was sluggish earlier.
Literal Translation
Sluggish he/she earlier.
" Bakit ka patay-patay ngayon? "
Natural Translation
Why are you so sluggish today?
Literal Translation
Why you sluggish now?
" Mula nang magkasakit siya, patay-patay na ang kanyang kilos at parang wala nang gana sa anumang gawain. "
Natural Translation
Ever since he/she got sick, his/her movements have been sluggish and he/she seems to have no appetite for any task.
Literal Translation
From when got-sick he/she, sluggish already the his/her movement and like none already appetite in any task.
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 workWord family
patay has 11 related forms built from the same root.
Related Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.
Mano Po and Filipino Etiquette: A Visitor's Guide
Mano po presses an elder's hand to your forehead as a blessing. Learn who to mano, how to lip-point, and the etiquette that wins over a Filipino 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.
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.
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.