How to Say "Head" in Tagalog - How To Say Guide

ulo

/ˈʔulo/

The Tagalog word for head is ulo.

ulo refers to the anatomical head. It is also used metaphorically to refer to the leader or 'head' of a group or organization, much like in English.

Meaning: part of the body (noun)

Which one should you use?

While ulo means head, you may use mukha to refer specifically to the face or buhok to refer to the hair.

When expressing ownership of a body part like the head, the possessive pronoun, such as ko for 'my', typically follows the noun ulo.

/ˈʔulo/

In traditional Filipino customs, a gentle pat on the ulo can be seen as condescending or disrespectful, as the head is often viewed as a sacred or private part of the body.
In the Philippines, if someone says sumasakit ang ulo ko, they might not just be describing a medical headache but expressing frustration or stress caused by another person.
In some related Austronesian languages, the word for head evolved into a term for 'formerly' or 'before', as seen in the Tetum word uluk.

Masakit ang ulo ko.
My head aches.
This sentence is useful for describing a headache with ulo.
Tatoeba #5299968 by katalex, translation #280125 by CK
Parang sasabog ang ulo ko.
I feel like my head is going to explode.
This sentence is useful for expressing intense head pain with ulo.
Tatoeba #13879836 by qwertzu, translation #3299713 by Hybrid
Niyuko ni Tom ang ulo niya.
Tom bowed his head.
This sentence is useful for describing the action of bowing one's head with ulo.
Tatoeba #11583615 by qwertzu, translation #2956160 by CK
Ang ulo ng tao ay matatagpuan sa taas ng katawan.
The head of a person is located at the top of the body.
32 more sentences on Tatoeba

Christina notices Juan is wearing a hat indoors.

Sources

Wiktionary, “head” translations and entries ulo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries ulo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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