salbabida
salbabída with stress marks
life-saver; buoy, life preserver
Usage Note
Salbabida is borrowed from Spanish salvavidas and refers to a life preserver or buoy used in water safety. Figuratively, it describes anything that rescues someone from a dire situation, and the expression ikaw ang aking salbabida is a common way to voice deep gratitude.
Examples
" Suotin mo ang salbabida. "
Natural Translation
Put on the life-saver.
Literal Translation
Wear you the life-saver.
" Kailangan ko ng salbabida. "
Natural Translation
I need a life-saver.
Literal Translation
Needed I of life-saver.
" Bago kami sumakay sa bangka, tiniyak ng gabay na kumpleto ang salbabida para sa bawat pasahero. "
Natural Translation
Before we boarded the boat, the guide made sure there was a life preserver for every passenger.
Literal Translation
Before we rode in boat, ensured the guide that complete the life-saver for each passenger.
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 Root Words: Learn a Few Hundred, Understand Thousands
Tagalog root words unlock vocabulary fast: learn a few hundred and recognize thousands. Real word families, examples, and a practical study strategy.

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.

Seasons in the Philippines: A Tagalog Guide
The Philippines has two seasons, not four. Learn tag-araw, tag-ulan, and taglamig, the generative tag- prefix, and the weather vocabulary to match.

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.