patayin
/pataˈjin/
The English phrase 'slay' translates to Tagalog as patayin or paslangin.
Meaning: to kill, murder (verb)
Ways to say it
| Tagalog | IPA |
|---|---|
| patayin | /pataˈjin/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| paslangin |
Both words mean to kill or murder.
Which one should you use?
While patayin is the common word for 'to kill', paslangin is a more formal or literary term often used in the context of assassination or slaying.
How does it change in a sentence?
When describing the act of someone killing someone else, the actor-focus form pumatay is used instead of the object-focus patayin. The past tense of the common form patayin is pinatay. The future tense of the common form patayin is papatayin.
How do you pronounce it?
/pataˈjin/
Did you know?
- The word patayin is used for both killing a person and turning off an electrical device, such as a light or a fan.
- While 'slay' in modern English slang means 'to do something exceptionally well', using the Tagalog equivalent patayin in that context would be nonsensical and confusing.
- In Tagalog, the word patay can be used as an adjective to describe something that is 'dead' or 'extinguished', but it is also used colloquially to mean someone is 'doomed'.
Examples in context
- Ang hot mo ngayon!You look hot today!
- Bongga ka sa outfit mo!You're fabulous in your outfit!
- Lakas ng dating mo!You have a strong presence!
- Sinubukan niyang patayin ang peste sa hardin.He tried to kill the pest in the garden.
- Huwag mong patayin ang mga insekto.Do not kill the insects.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are looking at a large spider in their living room.
- JoseAngela, patayin mo ang gagamba!Angela, kill the spider!
- AngelaNatatakot ako, Jose.I am scared, Jose.
- JoseAko na ang papatay dito.I will be the one to kill it.
- AngelaSalamat, pero dahan-dahan lang.Thank you, but go slowly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “slay” translations and entries patayin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
