Usage Note
Sur comes from Spanish 'sur' (south) and appears most commonly in place names and formal directional references, such as Cotabato Sur (South Cotabato) or Lanao del Sur. In everyday conversational Tagalog, 'timog' is the more common native word for south, but sur is standard in geographic and administrative naming conventions.
Examples
" Nasa sur ang bahay namin. "
Natural Translation
Our house is in the south.
Literal Translation
At south the house our.
" Pumunta sila sa sur. "
Natural Translation
They went to the south.
Literal Translation
Went they to south.
" Galing sa Lanao del Sur ang pamilya niya, kaya pamilyar siya sa mga kaugalian sa bahaging iyon ng Mindanao. "
Natural Translation
His/her family is from Lanao del Sur, so he/she is familiar with the customs in that part of Mindanao.
Literal Translation
From at Lanao del Sur the family his/her, so familiar he/she to the customs in part that of Mindanao.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
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