magaling
/maɡaˈliŋ/
In Tagalog, "well done" is expressed as magaling.
magaling is an adjective used as an exclamation of praise to mean "well done". It is also used to describe someone who is skilled, good or talented at a particular task, such as singing.
Meaning: exclamation of praise (intj)
Which one should you use?
While magaling is a common way to say "well done", you can use napakahusay to be more emphatic, meaning "very excellent" or "very well done".
How does it change in a sentence?
The word magaling functions as an adjective that can serve as an exclamation of praise.
How do you pronounce it?
/maɡaˈliŋ/
Did you know?
- In a medical context, magaling can describe someone who has recovered from an illness or a wound that has healed. It shifts the meaning from being 'skilled' to being 'cured'.
- While magaling means 'skilled', the root word galing also means 'to come from'. Depending on the context and stress, the same word can describe a person's talent or their place of origin.
- If you say magaling with a sarcastic tone, it functions as a common way to tell someone they have messed up, similar to saying 'Great job!' when something goes wrong in English.
Examples in context
- Magaling.Well done.This example shows how to use magaling as a standalone exclamation.Tatoeba #8665757 by artemio, translation #3825121 by CK
Example conversation
Juan and Maria are at a school talent show.
- JuanMagaling ang iyong pagtatanghal, Maria!Your performance was well done, Maria!
- MariaSalamat, Juan. Medyo kinabahan ako.Thank you, Juan. I was a bit nervous.
- JuanPero magaling ka pa rin.But you were still great.
- MariaMaraming salamat sa suporta mo.Thank you very much for your support.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry magaling, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
