Skip to content

suwail

suwáil with stress marks

stubborn; disobedient

adjective su-WAIL Native origin Less Common

Usage Note

Suwail describes a person — usually a child or subordinate — who persistently refuses to follow instructions or obey authority. It carries a stronger tone of moral disapproval than simply being stubborn, implying a willful rejection of guidance. Parents and teachers use it to scold children who repeatedly misbehave.

Examples

Beginner

" Suwail siyang bata noon. "

Natural Translation

He/she was a disobedient child before.

Literal Translation

Disobedient he/she child before.

Intermediate

" Huwag maging suwail sa magulang. "

Natural Translation

Do not be disobedient to parents.

Literal Translation

Don't be disobedient to parents.

Advanced

" Ayaw makinig sa payo ng kanyang mga magulang ang suwail na binata, kaya laging may away sa kanilang tahanan. "

Natural Translation

The disobedient young man refuses to listen to his parents' advice, so there is always conflict in their home.

Literal Translation

Doesn't-want listen to advice of his parents the disobedient young-man, so always has quarrel in their home.

Free · iOS & Android

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 work

Explore Tagalog by topic

Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.