gago
/ˈɡaɡo/
The Tagalog word for jerk is gago.
While it literally means a stupid person, gago is most commonly used as an insult for someone behaving like a jerk or an idiot.
Meaning: unlikable person (noun)
Which one should you use?
Gunggong refers to someone who is foolish, absurd or annoyingly ignorant. Bastos can be used to describe behavior that is rude, vulgar or offensive.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
gago is an informal and vulgar term, so it should be used with caution in polite company.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of the word is gaga. To make the noun plural, add the marker mga before the word.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡaɡo/
Did you know?
- Among close male friends in the Philippines, gago is often used as a term of endearment or a casual greeting rather than an insult.
- While gago is used today to mean a 'jerk', its Spanish origin actually refers to someone who has a speech impediment, specifically a 'stutterer'.
- In some contexts, saying gago with a rising intonation can express disbelief or shock, similar to saying 'No way!' in English.
Examples in context
- Gago ka talagaYou're such a jerk!
- Gago talaga siya.He is such a jerk.
- Huwag kang maging gago.Don't be a jerk.
- Ang gago ng lalaking iyon.That man is a jerk.
Example conversation
Mark and Angela are talking about a rude coworker.
- MarkAng gago talaga ni Ben sa opisina.Ben is such a jerk in the office.
- AngelaOo, napakabastos niya kanina.Yes, he was very rude earlier.
- MarkHindi ko na siya kakausapin.I won't talk to him anymore.
- AngelaTama iyan, Mark.That's right, Mark.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jerk” translations and entries gago, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gago, CC BY-SA 4.0.
