Which one should you use?
Use hindi to negate an adjective, verb or noun. Use wala when you want to express that something does not exist or that there is 'none' of something.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In formal or polite settings, especially when speaking to elders or superiors, you should add the particle po to create hindi po. To be even more formal and soft, you can use the phrase Hindi, pasensya na po, which combines 'no' with an apology. For situations involving a delay, the formal phrase Sa ngayon, hindi po muna. can be used to mean 'not now'. In informal situations, you might use Ayoko to say 'I don't want' or 'I don't like', Hindi pwede to say 'not possible' or Hindi kita matutulungan to say 'I can't help you'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Tagalog (Manila), the phrase Hindi po talaga is used to emphasize the certainty of a refusal. In Visayan (Cebu), the phrase Dili gyud is used to denote a firm refusal.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
As a negative adverb, hindi precedes the word or phrase that it is negating.
How do you pronounce it?
/hinˈdiʔ/
Did you know?
- While hindi is the standard negation, Filipinos often answer 'yes' questions with opo (yes) but then follow it with a statement that actually means 'no' to avoid direct conflict.
- Filipinos may use a facial gesture, such as a slight upward movement of the eyebrows combined with a pout, to signal hindi without speaking a single word.
- The word hindi is inherited from the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian root *hədiq.
Examples in context
- Oo nga, pero hindi.Well yes, but actually no.This example shows how to use hindi to express a contradiction.Tatoeba #11575332 by qwertzu, translation #10134426 by DJ_Saidez
- Hindi mahiyain si Tom.Tom is no shrinking violet.This example uses hindi to negate a description of a person.Tatoeba #11861535 by qwertzu, translation #7217813 by Hybrid
- Hindi, hindi ako! Ikaw!No, it is not me! It is you!This example uses hindi for a direct denial.Tatoeba #5213850 by kanlaon, translation #5296472 by katalex
- 124 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maria and Antonio are discussing their weekend plans.
- MariaAntonio, sasama ka ba sa amin?Antonio, are you coming with us?
- AntonioHindi ako pwede ngayon.I cannot make it right now.
- MariaBakit, may gagawin ka ba?Why, do you have something to do?
- AntonioOo, hindi ako pwedeng umalis.Yes, I cannot leave.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “no” translations and entries hindi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hindi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
