Skip to content

tapang

tápang with stress marks

bravery; courage

noun adjective TA-pang Native origin Less Common
Descriptions & Qualities Personality

Usage Note

Tapang means bravery, but it is most commonly used in its adjective form, 'matapang,' to describe a courageous person or a strong, intense flavor like that of coffee, vinegar, or liquor. It is a versatile word used to discuss both personal character and the potency of food and drinks in daily Filipino life.

Examples

Beginner

" Hangaan mo ang kanyang tapang. "

Natural Translation

Admire her courage.

Literal Translation

Admire you the her courage.

Intermediate

" Ipinakita niya ang tapang. "

Natural Translation

She showed bravery.

Literal Translation

Showed she the bravery.

Advanced

" Kailangan ng tunay na tapang upang harapin ang katotohanan kahit masakit itong pakinggan. "

Natural Translation

It takes real courage to face the truth even when it is painful to hear.

Literal Translation

Need of true courage to face the truth even painful this to-hear.

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.

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play

Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.

How Tagalog words work

Derived Words

matapang DERIVED

brave; strong flavor

katapangan DERIVED

bravery; courage

tapang-tapangan DERIVED

pretending to be brave

Actor Focus Verbs

magtapang AF VERB

to muster courage

tumapang AF VERB

to become brave

Object Focus Verbs

tapangan OF VERB

to make stronger

Explore Tagalog by topic

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

Vocabulary5 min read

Tagalog Greetings: How to Say Hello, Goodbye & Po/Opo

Master Tagalog greetings with pronunciation: kumusta, magandang umaga, po and opo polite forms, time-of-day phrases, and the mano po tradition.

Grammar5 min read

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.

Grammar6 min read

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.

Vocabulary5 min read

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.

View all articles