anak na lalaki
/ʔaˈnak na laˈlaki/word by word
The Tagalog word for son is anak na lalaki. Wiktionary also lists anak.
Meaning: a male person in relation to his parents (noun)
Ways to say it
| Tagalog | IPA |
|---|---|
| anak na lalaki | /ʔaˈnak na laˈlaki/ (word by word) |
| anak | /ʔaˈnak/ /ˈʔanak/ |
While anak is the general term for a child, you use anak na lalaki specifically when you need to specify that the child is a male.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase anak na lalaki, the part na lalaki functions as a modifier meaning 'who is male'.
Which one should you use?
The word anak is gender-neutral and is used to mean both 'son' and 'daughter' or simply 'child'. In contrast, anak na lalaki is the specific term used when you need to specify that the child is male.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make anak plural, you add the marker mga before it, forming mga anak, which can mean children, sons or daughters.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʔaˈnak na laˈlaki/
Did you know?
- The word anak is used in a wide variety of languages across the globe, from the island of Madagascar where it is ánaka to the coast of Sumatra in Acehnese as aneuk.
- In the Philippines, it is common to address a younger person as anak even if they are not your biological child, as a gesture of affection or mentorship.
- The word lalaki is created through reduplication, a common Tagalog feature where the first syllable of laki is repeated to change the meaning.
Examples in context
- Si Tom ang anak ng pari.Tom is the son of a priest.This sentence shows how to use anak to identify a person's relationship to a priest.Tatoeba #11476723 by qwertzu, translation #9936581 by ddnktr
- Nakita mo ba ang anak ko?Did you see my son?This sentence demonstrates asking about someone's anak.Tatoeba #13652229 by kangkong, translation #3601133 by Jesse
- Ang pamangkin ay anak ng kapatid.A nephew is a son of one's brother or sister.This sentence explains the relationship between a nephew and the anak of a sibling.Tatoeba #11861567 by qwertzu, translation #25708 by CK
- Kumusta po, anak?How are you, son?
- 40 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jasmine and Mark are looking at old family photos.
- JasmineSino itong bata sa larawan?Who is this child in the photo?
- MarkSiya ang anak na lalaki ko.He is my son.
- JasmineAng cute niya talaga!He is really cute!
- MarkSalamat, Jasmine.Thank you, Jasmine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “son” translations and entries anak, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (anak, na, lalaki) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries anak, lalaki, na, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
