maasim
/maˈʔasim/
The English word sour translates to Filipino as maasim.
maasim is an adjective used to describe something that has an acidic, sharp or tangy taste. Filipinos often describe lemons as 'maasim'.
Meaning: having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word maasim is composed of the prefix 'ma-' (indicating a quality or having a certain property) and the root 'asim' (sourness).
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
While maasim is the adjective describing the object, the root word asim functions as the noun for the sensation of sourness. To express that something is 'too sour', you can use the adverb 'masyadong' before the adjective 'maasim'.
How do you pronounce it?
/maˈʔasim/
Did you know?
- Filipinos use the word asim to describe the smell of sweat that has lingered on clothing, rather than just the taste of food.
- The concept of asim is central to the flavor profile of Sinigang, a beloved national stew defined by its sour broth.
- The linguistic root of maasim is traced back to Proto-Malayo-Polynesian, the ancient language group that spread across the Pacific.
Examples in context
- Maasim po ang limon.The lemon is sour.This sentence is useful for describing the sourness of a lemon using the form maasim.Tatoeba #11655249 by qwertzu, translation #1079478 by keira_n
- Maasim na prutas ang limon.The lemon is a sour fruit.This sentence shows how to use maasim to identify a lemon as a sour fruit.Tatoeba #11655235 by qwertzu, translation #29486 by CK
- Maasim po ang mga ubas na ito.These grapes are sour.This sentence demonstrates using maasim to describe a group of sour grapes.Tatoeba #11655253 by qwertzu, translation #10746165 by sundown
- Grabe 'yung asim ng manggang hilaw na 'to!Wow, the sourness of this unripe mango is intense!
- Naalala ko tuloy 'yung asim ng kamias sa probinsya!It reminds me of the sourness of kamias in the province!
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Juan and Patricia are tasting a homemade mango salad.
- JuanMaasim ba ang mangga?Is the mango sour?
- PatriciaOo, maasim talaga siya.Yes, it is really sour.
- JuanGusto ko ng matamis.I want something sweet.
- PatriciaHeto ang asukal para sa iyo.Here is some sugar for you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sour” translations and entries maasim, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries maasim, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
