bakla ka
/bakˈlaʔ ka/word by word
The phrase "you're gay" in Tagalog is bakla ka.
The phrase is used as a statement to tell someone that they are homosexual.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
bakla ka is informal and can be used as a direct statement or as a casual observation among peers.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this sentence structure, the predicate bakla comes before the subject ka.
How do you pronounce it?
/bakˈlaʔ ka/
Did you know?
- The word bakla can also mean 'fear' or 'worry' in a different context, suggesting a historical connection to the idea of 'cowardice'.
- The subject pronoun ka was historically written using the ᜃ character of the ancient Baybayin script.
- One theory suggests bakla originated from a combination of the words 'babae' (woman) and 'lalaki' (man).
Examples in context
- Ikaw ay bakla.You're gay.
- May pagka-bakla ka.You have a gay side
- Aminin mo, bakla ka.Admit it, you're gay.
- Sinasabi ko, bakla ka.I'm telling you, you're gay.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a person's secret crush.
- MariaBakla ka ba talaga?Are you really gay?
- RicardoOo, bakla ako.Yes, I am gay.
- MariaAlam ko na.I already knew.
- RicardoSalamat sa pagtanggap.Thanks for accepting me.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (bakla, ka) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bakla, ka, CC BY-SA 4.0.
