What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is broken down as follows: may means 'to have', 'crush' is a borrowed English noun, ako means 'I' and sa iyo means 'on/to you'.
Which one should you use?
You may also encounter the colloquial version crush kita, which is a shorter, more common way to say it in casual settings by using the English word as a verb-like object.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase may crush ako sa iyo is informal and common in everyday conversation, especially among younger people. For a more formal way to express the sentiment, you can say Gusto kong sabihin sa'yo na may pagkahumaling ako sa'yo. In very informal settings, you might simply say May gusto ako sa'yo. or use the phrase Pasensya na, pero may paghanga talaga ako sa'yo. to say 'I'm sorry, but I really admire you.'
How does it change in a sentence?
When speaking to someone older or someone in a position of respect, you can replace the pronoun iyo with the more polite form inyo.
Did you know?
- Tagalog has a cultural concept called torpe, used to describe a person who is too shy to tell their crush how they feel.
- In modern slang, saying someone is crush ng bayan means they are the 'crush of the town' or universally admired by everyone.
- In the Philippines, crush is often used as a noun to describe the person themselves, such as saying Siya ang crush ko to mean 'He/She is my crush'.
Examples in context
- Aaminin ko na, may crush ako sa iyo.I'll admit it, I have a crush on you.
- Alam mo ba na may crush ako sa iyo?Do you know that I have a crush on you?
Example conversation
Jose confesses his feelings to Maria at a cafe.
- JoseMaria, may crush ako sa iyo.Maria, I have a crush on you.
- MariaTalaga? Seryoso ka ba, Jose?Really? Are you serious, Jose?
- JoseOo, matagal na.Yes, for a long time.
- MariaAng cute naman ng lalaking ito.This guy is so cute.
