pagtatae
/paɡtataˈʔe/
The Tagalog word for diarrhea is pagtatae. Wiktionary also lists bululos and talasok.
Meaning: medical condition (noun)
Ways to say it
| Tagalog | IPA |
|---|---|
| pagtatae | /paɡtataˈʔe/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| bululos | /buluˈlos/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| talasok | /taˈlasok/ (Standard Tagalog) /talaˈsok/ (Standard Tagalog) |
pagtatae is the standard, most common term used in both medical and everyday conversation to describe the condition.
What does it mean word for word?
The word pagtatae is derived from the root word tae, which means 'feces'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To describe someone who is currently experiencing diarrhea, use the verb form nagtatae.
How do you pronounce it?
/paɡtataˈʔe/
Did you know?
- In traditional Filipino folk medicine, some believe that diarrhea is caused by na-usog, a condition where a person is affected by the 'strong energy' of a greeting from a stranger or a compliment.
- Because the root tae is so direct, many Tagalog speakers might use euphemisms like 'naramdaman ang tiyan' meaning 'feeling the stomach' to avoid saying it explicitly.
- The word tae is considered much more blunt than 'feces' in English and is often replaced by the euphemism dumi in polite or formal social settings.
Examples in context
- Mayroon akong madalas na pagtatae na may kasamang dugoI have frequent diarrhea with blood
- May pagtatae ang bata.The child has diarrhea.
- Inom ka ng maraming tubig dahil sa pagtatae.Drink plenty of water because of the diarrhea.
- Mabilis mawala ang pagtatae kung iinom ng gamot.The diarrhea will go away quickly if you take medicine.
Example conversation
Angela tells Ricardo why she cannot go to work.
- AngelaRicardo, hindi ako makakapasok ngayon.Ricardo, I cannot come in today.
- RicardoBakit, Angela? May sakit ka ba?Why, Angela? Are you sick?
- AngelaOo, malala ang pagtatae ko.Yes, my diarrhea is severe.
- RicardoSige, magpahinga ka na lang.Okay, just get some rest.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “diarrhea” translations and entries pagtatae, bululos, talasok, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
