bayaw
/baˈjaw/
The Tagalog word for brother-in-law is bayaw.
bayaw refers to either the brother of one's spouse or the husband of one's sibling.
How do you pronounce it?
/baˈjaw/
Did you know?
- While bayaw is the official term for brother-in-law, many Filipinos use the word bayaw as a lighthearted or joking way to address a close male friend who is not actually a relative.
- The word bayaw descends from a Proto-Malayo-Polynesian root, meaning it is related to words for in-laws in languages spoken far beyond the Philippines.
- While bayaw is the standard term, in many Filipino families, a brother-in-law is often called kuya if he is older than the speaker.
Examples in context
- Tara, Bayaw!Come on, Bayaw!
- Ang bayaw ko ay mabait.My brother-in-law is kind.
- Nasaan ang bayaw ni Maria?Where is Maria's brother-in-law?
- Kaibigan ko ang bayaw niya.Her brother-in-law is my friend.
Example conversation
Angela is introducing her family to Mark.
- AngelaSiya ang aking bayaw.He is my brother-in-law.
- MarkKumusta ka, bayaw?How are you, brother-in-law?
- AngelaMabait siya, Mark.He is kind, Mark.
- MarkMukhang masaya siya.He looks happy.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bayaw, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bayaw, CC BY-SA 4.0.
