mabaho ka
/maˈbahoʔ ka/word by word
The English phrase "you smell bad" is translated into Tagalog as mabaho ka.
This phrase is used to inform someone that their body or breath has an unpleasant odor.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase mabaho ka is direct and can be perceived as blunt or rude depending on the social context. If you wish to be more formal, you can use Mabaho po kayo. For a slightly more indirect and polite way to express the same idea in a formal setting, you can say Ang inyong amoy ay hindi mabango, which translates to "Your scent is not pleasant.". In informal settings, you might hear Ang baho mo! or Ang pangit ng amoy mo, which means "Your scent is unpleasant."
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase mabaho ka, the pronoun ka is the second-person singular pronoun used specifically after a predicate in Tagalog.
How do you pronounce it?
/maˈbahoʔ ka/
Did you know?
- If you use the formal version Mabaho po kayo, you are using the plural 'you' (kayo) to show respect. In Tagalog, plural pronouns are often used to address a single person of higher status.
- While mabaho ka describes a bad smell, the word baho is also used in idioms to refer to a 'dirty secret' or a hidden scandal.
- The pronoun ka descends from the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian word *ka, meaning it is one of the most ancient functional words in the language family.
Examples in context
- Paumanhin, pero mabaho po kayo.I'm sorry, but you smell bad (formal).
- Uy, ang baho mo! Maglagay ka naman ng pabango.Hey, you smell bad! Can you put on some perfume/cologne?
- Mabaho ka.You smell bad.
- Mabaho ka dahil sa pawis mo.You smell bad because of your sweat.
- Huwag kang lumapit, mabaho ka.Don't come near, you smell bad.
Example conversation
Jose and Angela are in a crowded room.
- JoseAngela, lumayo ka nang kaunti.Angela, move away a little.
- AngelaBakit? May problema ba?Why? Is there a problem?
- JoseMabaho ka kasi.It's because you smell bad.
- AngelaAy, pasensya na.Oh, I'm sorry.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (mabaho, ka) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ka, mabaho, CC BY-SA 4.0.
