15 Filipino Words for Different Emotions

(SPOT.ph) As human beings, we have a lot of emotions. There's a word for anything that we feel—from the complex ones like optimism and submission, to simple ones like joy and grief. Psychologists have even come up with aids like the Feeling Wheel by Willcox, the Wheel of Emotions by Plutchik, and the tree-structured list by Parrott. In true complicated-feelings fashion, the Filipino language also has its fair share of a long list of names for different emotions in varying degrees. Being sad is not just malungkot, being happy is not just masaya. There's a word for too much anger and another for only a bit of anger. There’s a word for pain when you lose a loved one, and there’s a word for distress when you’re overpowered by grief.

This Buwan ng Wika, we round up a few Filipino words for every emotion—or at least the ones we know from Inside Out.

HAPPY

Galák

Pronunciation: ga·lák

Dictionary definition: Sayá; damdamin kaugnay ng suwerte, tagumpay, at kasiyahan

You can also use galakgák, which has origins from Sinaunang Tagalog and Kapampangan languages, to refer to loud laughter. That's LOL-ing for you. 

Ligáya

Pronunciation: li·gá·ya

Dictionary definition: Sayá

Aside from a title of a popular Eraserheads song, this noun with Kapampangan and Tagalog roots can be alternatively used as an adjective (maligaya) or another noun (kaligayahan).

Manigò

Pronunciation: ma·ni·gò

Dictionary definition: Maayos at masagana

Now you know what "Manigong Bagong Taon!" means. 

SAD

Lumbáy

Pronunciation: lum·báy

Dictionary definition: Matinding kalungkutan

Sometimes, lungkot is not enough to express your feelings of anguish. 

Dálitâ

Pronunciation: dá·li·tâ

Dictionary definition: Kasalatan sa yaman at iba pang pangangailangan sa buhay; sukdulang hirap; paghihirap ng kalooban; pagtitiis

Matinding kalungkutan makes a whole world of a difference from sukdulang kalungkutan, right? 

Dalamhatí

Pronunciation: da·lam·ha·tí

Dictionary definition: Matinding kalungkutan, karaniwang dahil sa kamatayan ng isang minamahal

There's a kind of sorrow that's specific to losing someone.

ANGER

Poót

Pronunciation: po·ót

Dictionary definition: Sukdulang gálit

This Sinaunang Tagalog word is for when your feelings of hatred are just off the charts. 

Ngitngít

Pronunciation: ngit·ngít

Dictionary definition: Ngapngáp; matinding galit; kasidhian o tindi ng emosyon o pakiramdam

Ngitngít's etymology can be traced from Sinaunang Tagalog, Bikol, Kapampangan, Hiligaynon, and Pangasinan. Were our forefathers really that angry? 

Muhì

Pronunciation: mu·hì

Dictionary definition: Umuusbong na poót

Muhì is the type of anger that's still bubbling to the surface. One wrong move and it shoots all the way to becoming full-fledged poót. 

DISGUST

Suklám

Pronunciation: suk·lám

Dictionary definition: Pakiramdam ng matinding pag-ayaw sa isang bagay na hindi kasiya-siya o nakadidiri

Suklám is a word for when you're just so disgusted that it's bordering on anger. 

Díri

Pronunciation: dí·ri

Dictionary definition: Pagkarimarim sa anumang madumi o mabaho

Díri (stress on first syllable) and dirí (stress on second syllable) have two different origins. The first is from Kapampangan and Tagalog, while the second is from Sinaunang Tagalog, particularly the one spoken in Batangas. The words also have two different meanings: the former refers to being disgusted, while the latter refers to being the subject of said disgust. 

Suyà

Pronunciation: su·yà

Dictionary definition: Yamót; sawà       

Interestingly, the word suyà has Chinese roots.

FEAR

Sindák

Pronunciation: sin·dák

Dictionary definition: Labis na pagkatákot

Yes, it's that word in the movie title Patayin sa sindak si Barbara. Sindák comes from Bikol, Kapampangan, and Sinaunang Tagalog languages.

Hilakbót

Pronunciation: hi·lak·bót

Dictionary definition: Pakiramdam na pagtinghas ng balahibo dahil sa sindak

Goosebumps is just overrated. Why not use hilakbót instead?

Pangambá

Pronunciation: pa·ngam·bá

Dictionary definition: Tákot; pagkatakot; álinlángan

Used as a noun, pangambá is a combination of the unlapi (prefix) pa and salitang ugat (root word) ngambá.

Reference: UP Diksiyonaryong Filipino (Anvil Publishing, 2010)