bahaghari
/bahaɡˈhaɾiʔ/
The English word 'rainbow' is bahaghari in Tagalog. Wiktionary also lists bahagsubay and balangaw.
Meaning: multicoloured arch in the sky (noun)
Ways to say it
| Tagalog | IPA |
|---|---|
| bahaghari | /bahaɡˈhaɾiʔ/ (Standard Tagalog) /bahaɡˈhaɾeʔ/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| bahagsubay | /bahaɡˈsubaj/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| balangaw | /balaˈŋaw/ (Standard Tagalog) |
The word refers to a multicolored arch seen in the sky.
What does it mean word for word?
The word bahaghari is a compound of bahag (loincloth) and hari (king), literally translating to 'king's loincloth'.
Which one should you use?
bahaghari and bahagsubay are usable terms for a rainbow, while balangaw is an obsolete form that is no longer used in modern conversational Tagalog.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form balangaw is obsolete and should be avoided in contemporary conversation.
How do you pronounce it?
/bahaɡˈhaɾiʔ/
Did you know?
- The use of balangaw to mean 'congratulation' is thought to be influenced by the biblical story of the Noahic Covenant.
- While bahaghari is the common modern term, some scholars suggest it might actually be a corruption of an older word, balaghadi, which lost its 'l' over time.
Examples in context
- Nakita mo ba ang bahaghari?Did you see the rainbow?This sentence is useful for asking if someone saw the bahaghari.Tatoeba #11868233 by qwertzu, translation #8394209 by CK
- Pito ang kulay ng bahaghari.The rainbow has seven colors.This sentence is useful for stating that the bahaghari has seven colors.Tatoeba #11868246 by qwertzu, translation #281035 by CK
- Nakakita ka na ba ng bahaghari?Have you ever seen a rainbow?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has ever seen a bahaghari.Tatoeba #11868256 by qwertzu, translation #6545241 by Hybrid
- Ang bahaghari ay nagtuturo sa atin na may liwanag sa kabila ng ulan.The rainbow teaches us that there is light beyond the rain.
- 53 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Juan and Christina are looking at the sky after a rainstorm.
- JuanTingnan mo, Christina! May bahaghari sa langit.Look, Christina! There is a rainbow in the sky.
- ChristinaAng ganda naman ng bahaghari!The rainbow is so beautiful!
- JuanSana ay makita natin ang dulo nito.I hope we can see its end.
- ChristinaImposible iyon, Juan.That is impossible, Juan.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rainbow” translations and entries bahaghari, bahagsubay, balangaw, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bahaghari, bahagsubay, balangaw, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
