selos
/ˈselos/
The English word "jealous" is translated into Tagalog as selos.
selos is an adjective used to describe being envious or feeling resentment toward someone for a perceived advantage, whether material or otherwise. To describe the act of becoming or feeling jealous, you can use the verb form nagselos.
Meaning: envious, feeling resentful of someone for a perceived advantage, material or otherwise (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
To express intense jealousy, you can repeat the word with the particle na in between, forming the phrase selos na selos.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈselos/
Did you know?
- The word selos is borrowed from the Spanish 'celos', which shares a root with the English word 'zealous'. Both words originally stem from the Latin 'zelus', meaning an ardent passion or fervor.
- In Filipino culture, selos is frequently associated with 'pagtatampo', a unique emotional state of withdrawing affection to let a partner know they have caused hurt. A person might be selos but express it through the quiet, brooding behavior of 'tampo'.
- In romantic contexts, selos is sometimes viewed as a sign of affection or 'pagmamahal' in traditional settings. A partner might interpret a small amount of selos as proof that their partner truly cares for them.
Examples in context
- Mayroon akong selosong asawa.I have a jealous husband.This sentence is useful for showing how to use the word selos to describe a person's character.Tatoeba #11453704 by qwertzu, translation #2780290 by CK
- Naramdaman niya ang malaking selos sa tagumpay ng kaibigan niya.She felt so jealous of her friend's success.
- Huwag kang mag-inggit sa tagumpay ng kapatid mo, sa halip, hangarin mo ang sarili mong tagumpay.Don't be jealous of your brother's achievements, instead, strive for your own success.
Example conversation
Ricardo and Jasmine are talking about a mutual friend's new car.
- RicardoAng ganda ng bagong kotse niya.His new car is so beautiful.
- JasmineHuwag kang maging selos, Ricardo.Don't be jealous, Ricardo.
- RicardoHindi naman, pero nakakainggit lang.I'm not, it's just enviable.
- JasmineMabuti na lang at hindi ka selos.It's good that you aren't jealous.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry selos, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries selos, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
