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tato

táto with stress marks

tattoo

noun verb TA-to English origin Less Common

Usage Note

Tato is borrowed from English and has become fully naturalized in Filipino speech. Tattooing has deep pre-colonial roots in Philippine culture — the Visayan 'pintados' were famous for their body art — and the modern loanword coexists with renewed pride in traditional Filipino tattoo traditions.

Examples

Beginner

" Maganda ang tato mo. "

Natural Translation

Your tattoo is nice.

Literal Translation

Nice the tattoo your.

Intermediate

" May malaking tato siya sa braso. "

Natural Translation

He/she has a big tattoo on his/her arm.

Literal Translation

Has big tattoo he/she on arm.

Advanced

" Bawat tato sa katawan niya ay may kuwentong nakaugnay sa mahahalagang yugto ng kanyang buhay. "

Natural Translation

Every tattoo on his/her body has a story connected to important chapters of his/her life.

Literal Translation

Each tattoo on body his/her has story connected to important stages of his/her life.

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