bahay
/ˈbahaj/
The Tagalog word for house is bahay. Wiktionary also lists tahanan and tirahan.
Meaning: human abode (noun)
Ways to say it
| Tagalog | IPA |
|---|---|
| bahay | /ˈbahaj/ /baˈhaj/ |
| tahanan | /taˈhanan/ /tahaˈnan/ |
| tirahan | /ˌtiˈɾahan/ /tiɾaˈhan/ |
All three forms in Tagalog describe a human abode, but they are used to emphasize different aspects of where a person lives, ranging from the physical structure to a sentimental home.
Which one should you use?
bahay is used when referring specifically to the physical building or structure. In contrast, tahanan refers to a 'home' in a sentimental or emotional sense rather than just the building. Finally, tirahan refers to a place of residence or an address, which is often used in more formal or administrative contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The reduplicated form bahay-bahayan is used to refer to the children's game of 'playing house'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbahaj/
Did you know?
- The word tahanan is poetically rooted in the verb tahan, which means to 'stop' or 'cease'. This suggests that a home is a place where one's movement or restlessness finally stops.
- Bahay is a cognate with the Hawaiian word hale and the Māori word whare, both of which mean 'house'.
- In the Philippines, a traditional bahay kubo is an indigenous stilt house made of bamboo and nipa palm. These structures are designed to be elevated to avoid floods and keep the interior cool.
Examples in context
- May bahay sa burol.There is a house on the hill.This sentence shows how to use bahay to indicate a location.Tatoeba #1748728 by nonong, translation #19876 by CK
- Maliit ang bahay ko.My house is tiny.This sentence demonstrates using bahay to describe the size of a building.Tatoeba #11654313 by qwertzu, translation #5672580 by zumley
- Gumuho po ang bahay.The house collapsed.This sentence shows bahay used in the context of a building collapsing.Tatoeba #11743162 by qwertzu, translation #4943531 by AlanF_US
- Maligayang pagdating sa aming tahanan.Welcome to our house
- Pupunta ako sa bahay ng kaibigan ko.I'm going to my friend's house
- Nakatira ako sa isang magandang bahay.I live in a beautiful house.
- Inimbita niya kami sa kanyang tahanan.She invited us to her house.
- Malapit ang aming bahay sa dalampasigan.Our house is near the beach.
- 204 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Juan is visiting Maria at her home.
- MariaTuloy ka sa bahay ko, Juan.Come inside my house, Juan.
- JuanSalamat, Maria. Napakaganda ng bahay mo.Thanks, Maria. Your house is very beautiful.
- MariaSalamat! Maupo ka muna.Thank you! Please have a seat first.
- JuanSalamat. Napakaayos dito sa loob.Thanks. It is very orderly inside here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “house” translations and entries bahay, tahanan, tirahan, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bahay, tahanan, tirahan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
