hindi
/hinˈdiʔ/
The Tagalog word for "no" is hindi.
hindi is used as a particle to show disagreement or to negate a statement. It can also function as a noun meaning a negating expression.
Meaning: used to show disagreement or negation (particle)
Which one should you use?
Use hindi to negate a statement or to answer a yes/no question. In contrast, use wala when you mean "none", "nothing" or "there is no" in terms of possession or existence.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
hindi functions as a negative adverb used to negate verbs and adjectives.
How do you pronounce it?
/hinˈdiʔ/
Did you know?
- While hindi is the standard 'no', Filipinos often respond to a 'no' question with opo if they are agreeing with the negative statement, which can confuse English speakers.
- In many Filipino social circles, saying hindi directly can be seen as too blunt. People often use hindi po to be polite or use non-verbal cues like a head tilt to soften the rejection.
- While hindi is the standard way to say 'no', if you want to say 'no' to a request or an invitation, you might hear the word ayaw instead. Ayaw expresses a lack of desire or willingness rather than just a factual negation.
Examples in context
- Oo nga, pero hindi.Well yes, but actually no.This sentence 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 sentence uses hindi to negate an adjective.Tatoeba #11861535 by qwertzu, translation #7217813 by Hybrid
- Hindi, hindi ako! Ikaw!No, it is not me! It is you!This sentence uses hindi to negate a person in a response.Tatoeba #5213850 by kanlaon, translation #5296472 by katalex
- Sigurado po ako na hindi ko po kayo matutulungan.I am certain that I cannot help you, sir/madam.
- Hindi po ako makakasama dahil may iba akong prioridad ngayon.I can't join because I have other priorities at the moment.
- Maraming salamat po sa imbitasyon, pero hindi po ako makakapunta.Thank you very much for the invitation, but I won't be able to come.
- 124 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jasmine and Jose are discussing whether or not to eat out.
- JasmineKakain ba tayo sa labas?Are we going to eat out?
- JoseHindi, dahil wala tayong pera.No, because we don't have any money.
- JasmineHindi ba pwedeng mag-budget?Can't we just budget?
- JoseHindi ngayon, Jasmine.Not right now, Jasmine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “no” translations and entries hindi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
