sikyu
síkyu with stress marks
security guard
Usage Note
Sikyu is a colloquial shortening of the English word security, referring to the security guard who is a ubiquitous and respected figure in Philippine daily life — stationed at malls, banks, offices, schools, and even fast-food restaurants. The clipped form reflects the Filipino tendency to shorten English loanwords in casual speech.
Examples
" Nagtatanong siya sa sikyu. "
Natural Translation
He is asking the security guard.
Literal Translation
Asking he to security-guard.
" Nagtanong siya sa sikyu tungkol sa direksyon. "
Natural Translation
He/she asked the security guard about the direction.
Literal Translation
Asked he/she to security guard about direction.
" Mabait ang sikyu sa mall, kaya lagi niyang tinutulungan ang mga matatandang naghahanap ng tamang sakayan. "
Natural Translation
The security guard at the mall is kind, so he always helps the elderly who are looking for the right ride.
Literal Translation
Kind the security-guard at mall, so always by-him helping the elderly looking of correct ride.
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.
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.
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.
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 Verb Conjugation: Aspects Made Simple
Tagalog verb conjugation uses aspects, not tenses. Learn the three aspects with -um- and mag- verbs, one reduplication rule, and clear example tables.