nobyo
/ˈnobjo/
The Tagalog word for boyfriend is nobyo.
Nobyo refers to a male partner in a romantic relationship.
Meaning: male partner in a romantic relationship (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While nobyo is a formal or literary term, it is less common in everyday spoken Tagalog. In casual conversation, Filipinos almost always use the English word 'boyfriend' instead of the Tagalog term. For a strictly formal way to say boyfriend, you can also use kasintahan.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the feminine counterpart, girlfriend, use nobya. To make nobyo plural, add the particle mga before it, resulting in mga nobyo.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈnobjo/
Did you know?
- In many parts of the Philippines, romantic relationships are often described using the term 'MU', which stands for 'Mutual Understanding'. It describes the stage before someone becomes a formal nobyo.
- The word nobyo shares a common ancestor with the English word 'new', as both originate from the Latin root 'novus'.
- In very formal Tagalog literature, you might encounter the word irog, a highly romanticized and old-fashioned way to refer to a beloved, which functions much more deeply than just a word for 'boyfriend'.
Examples in context
- May mayaman siyang nobyo.She has a rich boyfriend.This sentence shows how to describe someone's boyfriend as rich using nobyo.Tatoeba #13877070 by qwertzu, translation #3165705 by Hybrid
- Pasensiya na, may nobyo na ako.Sorry, I already have a boyfriend.This sentence is useful for stating that you already have a boyfriend using nobyo.Tatoeba #12149784 by qwertzu, translation #11658837 by Pacific
- Walang alam si Tom na may nobyo si Mary.Tom had no idea that Mary had a boyfriend.This sentence illustrates a situation where someone was unaware of a person's boyfriend using nobyo.Tatoeba #11270329 by qwertzu, translation #5915272 by CK
- Ang kasintahang lalaki koMy boyfriend.
- Ang aking kasintahanMy significant other.
- Ang lalaking kasama koThe guy I'm with.
- Mahal ko ang aking kasintahan.I love my boyfriend.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Christina and Jose are chatting about a mutual friend.
- ChristinaSino ang nobyo ni Sarah ngayon?Who is Sarah's boyfriend now?
- JoseHindi ko alam, bago raw ang nobyo niya.I don't know, they say her boyfriend is new.
- ChristinaMukhang mabait naman ang nobyo niya.Her boyfriend seems kind enough.
- JoseOo, mukhang masaya sila.Yes, they look happy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boyfriend” translations and entries nobyo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nobyo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
