ilong
/ʔiˈloŋ/
The Tagalog word for "nose" is ilong.
ilong is used to refer to the protuberance on the face.
Meaning: protuberance on the face (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the noun ilong plural, you add the marker mga before it, resulting in mga ilong.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʔiˈloŋ/
Did you know?
- In some Filipino cultural contexts, mentioning an itchy ilong is playfully interpreted as a sign that someone is talking about you.
- Even the Malagasy word orona, spoken in Madagascar, can be traced back to the same linguistic lineage as the Tagalog ilong.
Examples in context
- Pinaayos ni Mennad ang ilong niya.Mennad got his nose fixed.The first sentence shows how to use ilong when talking about a nose being fixed.Tatoeba #13857506 by kangkong, translation #8057670 by OsoHombre
- Iwasan mong hawakan ang iyong mga mata, ilong at bibig.Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.The second sentence uses ilong in a list of facial features to avoid touching.Tatoeba #11531974 by qwertzu, translation #8634523 by Hybrid
- Makati ang ilong ko.My nose is itchy.The third sentence illustrates how to say that one's ilong is itchy.Tatoeba #2768308 by mervert1, translation #318193 by CK
- Hawakan mo ang iyong ilong.Touch your nose.
- Ang ilong mo ay cute na cute.Your nose is cute.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Angela notices something on Jose's face.
- AngelaJose, may dumi sa ilong mo.Jose, there is some dirt on your nose.
- JoseTalaga? Saan banda?Really? Which part?
- AngelaNasa dulo ng ilong mo.It is on the tip of your nose.
- JoseSalamat sa pagsabi, Angela.Thanks for telling me, Angela.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nose” translations and entries ilong, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ilong, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
