ate
/ˈʔate/
In Tagalog, the phrase "big sister" is ate.
ate is used to refer to one's older sister or an older female relative. Beyond biological siblings, it serves as a respectful honorific for any woman who is slightly older than the speaker.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the term plural, place the marker mga before the word to get mga ate. When addressing an older sister or an older female directly by her name, place ate before the name, such as Ate Maria.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʔate/
When do people say it?
In Filipino culture, it is common to use ate when addressing strangers or service workers, such as waitresses, as a way to show politeness and respect.
Did you know?
- The term ate is actually a linguistic guest from the Hokkien Chinese word á-chí, meaning 'eldest sister'.
- In some traditional households, the eldest ate is expected to take on a quasi-parental role for her younger siblings, a cultural expectation embedded in the title.
- Using ate can actually be a way to show 'pakikisama', a Filipino cultural value of maintaining harmony and smooth interpersonal relationships.
Examples in context
- Nagluto sina ate at nanay ng pananghalian namin.Our big sister and mother cooked our lunch.
- Sino ang ate mo?Who's your big sister?Tatoeba #12186125 by Adelpa, translation #12186126 by Adelpa
- Mabait ang ate ko.My big sister is kind.
Example conversation
Maria is asking her brother about their older sister.
- MariaJose, nakita mo ba si ate?Jose, have you seen big sister?
- JoseWala siya rito sa bahay.She is not here at home.
- MariaKailan babalik si ate?When will big sister be back?
- JoseBabalik siya mamayang gabi.She will return later tonight.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ate, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ate, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
