sablay
sáblay with stress marks
failure; blunder; indigenous sash
Usage Note
Sablay carries two distinct senses: traditionally it is a woven sash worn across the body in some indigenous Philippine cultures and at graduations, while in modern colloquial use it means a blunder or fail. Sobrang sablay describes a total failure, and the slang sense is widespread among younger Filipinos.
Examples
" Sablay ang aking pagsusulit. "
Natural Translation
My exam was a flop.
Literal Translation
Failure the my exam.
" Ang kanyang sagot ay sablay. "
Natural Translation
His/Her answer is a failure.
Literal Translation
The his/her answer is failure.
" Pinaghandaan namin nang husto ang programa, pero sablay pa rin dahil bigla na lang umulan. "
Natural Translation
We prepared hard for the event, but it still flopped because it suddenly rained.
Literal Translation
Prepared-for we very the program, but failure still because suddenly only rained.
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 workActor Focus Verbs
Related Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.
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.
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.
Ang, Ng, Sa: The 3 Tagalog Case Markers Explained
Ang, ng, sa are the three Tagalog case markers every noun takes. Learn what each does, the personal forms si/ni/kay, plurals with mga, and clear examples.
Magkano: How to Ask "How Much" in Tagalog
Magkano means how much in Tagalog. Learn to ask a price, tell it apart from ilan and gaano, sound polite with po, and haggle at the palengke.