wala
walâ with stress marks
zero; none; absent; nothing; free from
Usage Note
Wala serves as the Tagalog term for the number zero and is commonly used when reading digits, stating a score, or expressing the total absence of something. It is the primary way to indicate non-existence or that an item is missing.
Examples
" Wala akong oras. "
Natural Translation
I have no time.
Literal Translation
None I time.
" Wala akong pera. "
Natural Translation
I have no money.
Literal Translation
Zero I have money.
" Wala kaming natirang pagkain sa ref kaya kailangan naming mamili bago dumating ang mga bisita. "
Natural Translation
We have no food left in the fridge, so we need to go shopping before the guests arrive.
Literal Translation
None we left food in fridge so need we-to shop before arrive the guests.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
How Tagalog words workDerived Words
Actor Focus Verbs
Object Focus Verbs
Related Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.

May vs Mayroon vs Meron: Have & There Is
May vs mayroon in Tagalog finally made simple: one rule decides which to use, plus how meron and wala fit the same have and there-is family.

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.

Tagalog Slang Guide: 20 Words You'll Hear on TikTok
Tagalog slang explained: lodi, petmalu, werpa, astig, chika and more. Decode Filipino TikTok comments, group chats, and pop culture with this practical guide.

Tagalog Verb Focus System Explained (It's Not Active vs. Passive)
The Tagalog verb focus system isn't active vs. passive. Learn actor focus, object focus, and more with clear examples that finally make it click.