asawa
/ʔaˈsawa/
The Tagalog word for husband is asawa. Wiktionary also lists bana and lalaking asawa.
Meaning: male partner in marriage (noun)
Ways to say it
| Tagalog | IPA |
|---|---|
| asawa | /ʔaˈsawa/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| bana | /baˈnaʔ/ (Standard Tagalog) /ˈbana/ |
| lalaking asawa | |
| esposo | /ʔesˈposo/ (Standard Tagalog) |
The primary term used to refer to a male partner in marriage is asawa. The word asawa is gender-neutral and can mean either husband or wife.
Which one should you use?
asawa is a neutral term used for a spouse (either husband or wife). esposo is a formal term for husband, derived from Spanish. bana is used for husband in several Visayan languages, such as Hiligaynon and Cebuano, rather than in standard Tagalog.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because asawa is gender-neutral, the phrase asawa ko can mean either 'my husband' or 'my wife' depending on the context.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʔaˈsawa/
When do people say it?
When addressing a husband with affection, people may use terms of endearment such as beb (baby), labs (love) or mahal (dear).
Did you know?
- In many Filipino households, a spouse might be called mahal, which literally means 'expensive' or 'costly' in addition to 'dear'.
- In the Kapampangan language, the word bana does not mean 'husband' but instead refers to lowland or marshland areas.
Examples in context
- Asawa niya ang pinsan ko.My cousin is her husband.This sentence shows how to identify a person's husband using asawa.Tatoeba #13889193 by qwertzu, translation #12784144 by rul
- Tinawag niya ang asawa niya.He called his husband.This sentence demonstrates the use of asawa to refer to a husband being called.Tatoeba #12149684 by qwertzu, translation #12045784 by Pacific
- Napakalapit kami ng asawa ko.My husband and I are best friends.This sentence shows how to express closeness to one's spouse using asawa.Tatoeba #8776075 by artemio, translation #8760802 by deniko
- 21 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Angela is introducing Mark to her friend.
- MarkSino siya, Angela?Who is he, Angela?
- AngelaSiya ang asawa ko.He is my husband.
- MarkKumusta ka, Mark?How are you, Mark?
- AngelaMabuti naman ako.I am doing well.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “husband” translations and entries asawa, bana, esposo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries asawa, bana, esposo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
