babae
/baˈbaʔe/
In Tagalog, the English phrase "girl" can be expressed as babae. Wiktionary also lists batang babae and dalaga.
Meaning: young female person (noun)
Ways to say it
| Tagalog | IPA |
|---|---|
| babae | /baˈbaʔe/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| batang babae | |
| dalaga | /daˈlaɡa/ (Standard Tagalog) |
The term babae is the standard word for a female person, covering both "woman" and "female" regardless of age.
Which one should you use?
While babae is a general term, batang babae is used when you want to specifically specify a "girl" in the sense of a female child. Dalaga is a different term used for a "young lady" or an unmarried woman, often implying a certain level of maturity or social status.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Tagalog, babae functions as both a noun, meaning "woman" or "female" and as an adjective, meaning "female".
How do you pronounce it?
/baˈbaʔe/
Did you know?
- The word dalaga might actually have roots in Sanskrit, specifically from the word dārikā, which means 'girl' or 'daughter'. This reflects the ancient Indian influence on many Philippine languages.
- In traditional Filipino culture, a dalaga is often subject to stricter social chaperoning than a batang babae because of her transition to marriageable age.
- In some contexts, calling a woman a dalaga when she is clearly older can be used as a playful or polite compliment to her youthful appearance.
Examples in context
- Hindi babae si Tom.Tom isn't a girl.This sentence shows how to negate the noun babae.Tatoeba #11774870 by qwertzu, translation #8416458 by CK
- Iyan ay dahil babae ka.That's because you're a girl.This sentence uses babae to state a reason for a condition.Tatoeba #11963063 by qwertzu, translation #1348 by CK
- Paano kung babae si Zelda?What if Zelda was a girl?This sentence uses babae in a hypothetical question.Tatoeba #11575120 by qwertzu, translation #11401384 by shekitten
- Ang babaeng iyon ay kaakit-akit.That girl is attractive.
- Siya ang pinakamagaling na babae sa klase.She is the smartest girl in class.
- Ang mga babae sa pagdiriwang ay magaganda.The girls at the celebration are beautiful.
- Tara, sumama ka sa amin, chikababes!Come on, join us, girl!
- Oy, mare! Tara na, mag-meryenda tayo.Hey, girl! Let's go and have a snack.
- Kumusta na, mare?How have you been, girl?
- 158 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mark and Christina are talking about a new student at school.
- ChristinaKilala mo ba ang bagong babae?Do you know the new girl?
- MarkHindi ko pa siya kilala, Christina.I don't know her yet, Christina.
- ChristinaMabait ang babaeng iyon.That girl is kind.
- MarkSige, kakausapin ko siya mamaya.Okay, I will talk to her later.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “girl” translations and entries babae, dalaga, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries babae, batang, dalaga, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
