kasalanan
/kasaˈlanan/
The English word guilt is translated into Tagalog as kasalanan.
kasalanan refers to the regret for having done wrong. You can also use the word Sala as a common translation for guilt. To express that someone is guilty of something, Tagalog speakers typically use the phrase may kasalanan, which literally means "has a sin/fault".
Meaning: regret for having done wrong (noun)
Which one should you use?
While kasalanan refers to the sin or the fault itself, pagkakasala is often used to describe the state of having committed a fault or the act of transgression.
How do you pronounce it?
/kasaˈlanan/
Did you know?
- The word sala can mean 'guilt' or 'sin', but it also refers to the 'living room' in a Filipino home. Context is the only way to tell if someone is talking about a moral failing or a place to sit.
- The term may kasalanan is frequently used in legal settings to denote a defendant's guilt. However, because of the word's root, it carries a stronger moral or spiritual weight than the English 'guilty'.
- The word kasalanan is built using the circumfix ka- -nan, a grammatical structure often used in Tagalog to turn a root into a noun representing an abstract concept or a specific instance of an act.
Examples in context
- Ang pagsisisi ay bumalot sa kanya matapos niyang gawin ang kasalanan.Remorse engulfed him after he committed the offense.
Example conversation
Ricardo apologizes to Christina for forgetting her birthday.
- RicardoChristina, patawad dahil nakalimutan ko ang kaarawan mo.Christina, I'm sorry because I forgot your birthday.
- ChristinaAyos lang, Ricardo. Huwag mo nang isipin iyon.It's okay, Ricardo. Don't think about it anymore.
- RicardoHindi ko maalis ang kasalanan sa aking isip.I cannot remove the guilt from my mind.
- ChristinaPinatatawad na kita, kaya ngumiti ka na.I already forgive you, so please smile now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry kasalanan, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kasalanan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
