taliba
talíba with stress marks
guard; sentinel
Usage Note
Taliba refers to a guard, watchman, or sentinel — someone posted to keep watch. It is used in military, literary, and historical contexts to describe a sentry on duty. In modern usage it is largely formal and literary; everyday Tagalog speakers use 'guwardya' (from Spanish 'guardia') for a security guard. Taliba also names a prominent Philippine newspaper.
Examples
" May taliba sa pinto. "
Natural Translation
There is a guard at the door.
Literal Translation
There guard at door.
" Nakatayo ang taliba sa harap ng pinto. "
Natural Translation
The guard is standing in front of the door.
Literal Translation
Standing the guard in front of door.
" Buong gabing nakabantay ang taliba sa tarangkahan ng kuta upang walang kalaban na makapasok nang palihim. "
Natural Translation
The sentinel kept watch the whole night at the gate of the fort so that no enemy could enter undetected.
Literal Translation
Whole night kept-watch the sentinel at gate of fort so-that no enemy can-enter secretly.
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.

How Long Does It Take to Learn Tagalog?
Survival Tagalog takes ~3-4 weeks and comfortable conversation 6-12 months. FSI's 1,100 hours is the professional bar, not the talking-to-family bar.

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.

Languages of the Philippines: Tagalog, Cebuano, and More
Languages of the Philippines: one national language (Filipino) plus 180+ regional languages. Here's who speaks what, where, and why it matters to you.

Filipino Family Words and Honorifics: Ate, Kuya & Tita
Filipino family words like ate, kuya, tita, tito, lolo, and lola go far beyond family — learn how Filipinos use them with strangers, plus mano po etiquette.