Ways to say it
| Tagalog | IPA |
|---|---|
| pag-ibig | /paɡˈʔibiɡ/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| pagmamahal | /paɡmamaˈhal/ (Standard Tagalog) |
In Tagalog, there are different ways to express love. The term pagmamahal describes the common act of loving or showing affection toward someone. You can also use the related verb gusto or nais to mean being strongly inclined towards doing something. For a euphemistic way to say 'make love', the term makipagmahalan is used. To intensify any phrase, you can add sobrang before it to mean 'very' or 'extremely'.
What does it mean word for word?
The word pag-ibig is derived from the root word ibig, which means 'to want' or 'to desire'. The word pagmamahal comes from the root word mahal, which means 'expensive' or 'dear/beloved'.
Which one should you use?
While both refer to love, pag-ibig is used for the more formal, poetic or abstract concept of love often found in literature and songs. In contrast, pagmamahal is the more common, everyday term for the act of loving or showing affection.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/paɡˈʔibiɡ/
Did you know?
- Because mahal means both 'expensive' and 'beloved', the same word is used to describe a high-priced luxury item and a cherished partner.
- The term pagmamahal is built through a process of syllable reduplication, a common morphological feature in Philippine languages.
Examples in context
- Ipaglaban mo ang pag-ibig mo.Fight for your love.This sentence is useful for practicing the form pag-ibig.Tatoeba #11533300 by qwertzu, translation #10799512 by ddnktr
- Pinag-usapan nila ang pag-ibig.They talked about love.This sentence shows how to use pag-ibig.Tatoeba #11647509 by qwertzu, translation #306144 by CK
- Ang sabi nila, bulag daw ang pag-ibig.They say love is blind.This sentence uses pag-ibig.Tatoeba #11647570 by qwertzu, translation #1578 by CK
- Mahal ko po kayo.I love you (formal).
- Iniibig kita nang lubos.I love you deeply.
- Minamahal kita nang tapat.I love you sincerely.
- Mahal kita.I love you (informal).
- Iniibig kita.I love you.
- Mahal na mahal kita.I love you very much.
- MahalLove
- Mahal koMy love
- Sobrang mahal kita.I love you so much.
- 27 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is talking about their relationship.
- JoseAng lalim ng aking pag-ibig sa iyo.My love for you is deep.
- ChristinaNararamdaman ko rin ang iyong pag-ibig.I feel your love too.
- JoseHinding-hindi magbabago ang pag-ibig na ito.This love will never change.
- ChristinaSalamat sa iyong tapat na pag-ibig.Thank you for your sincere love.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “love” translations and entries pag-ibig, pagmamahal, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pag-ibig, pagmamahal, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
