Dalisay, muni-muni, pighati, and 5 more beautiful Filipino words

Photo by Lorenzo Fattò Offidani on Unsplash

Just like our country and our people, the Filipino language is a thing of beauty. As many of you have pointed out in the previous article, there are so many words in Filipino that are beautiful—no matter what the meaning is.

The following words don’t just reflect the beauty of our language, they also give insight to the sheer emotion carried by the meaning behind the melodic expressions. There’s much beauty to be found in joy, but expressions of grief and sorrow are also beautiful in their own right.

So due to popular demand, here are some more beautiful—and beautifully heartbreaking—words in Filipino.

Dalisay

Dalisay may sound like a familiar word, and that’s probably because it’s the last name of Fernando Poe Jr.’s character in “Ang Probinsyano.” The celebrity connection aside, “dalisay” actually means “pure,” “true,” or “sincere” in English. It’s often used to describe someone’s feelings for another person. It can also be used to describe the love you have.

For example, you want to tell your significant other how truly, madly, deeply you love them in Filipino. You can say, “Dalisay kitang iniibig.”

Damdamin

“Damdamin” in English simply translates to “emotions” or “feelings.” It’s a word that digs deep in each syllable, which reflects just how intensely we as a people tend to feel things.

Gigil

Whether you’re Filipino or not, “gigil” is a universal feeling that transcends the boundaries of language. There’s no direct English translation for the word (much like “kilig”), but “gigil” describes the feeling of wanting to crush something because of how cute it is.

The best English translation that exists is probably “cuteness aggression”—like when you see a terribly chubby baby and want to squeeze it as much as you can. The translation doesn’t do the feeling much justice, though.

Halimuyak

“Halimuyak” is Filipino for “aroma” or “fragrance.” Just like the sensation it describes, “halimuyak” sounds like the wafting of a pleasant perfume across the room or walking through a garden of flowers in full bloom.

Lugmok

There are many different translations for “lugmok,” but a common one is “helplessness.” “Lugmok” is a state of being that’s characterized by the inability to physically get up—whether because of a physical illness or just how you’re feeling inside. The word also sounds like you’re being buried alive by the weight of your emotions. How dramatic.

You may also like: Lambing, sulyap, sinta and 9 other beautiful Filipino words

Muni-muni

Aside from being the name of an OPM band, “muni-muni” translates to being deep in thought, “reflecting,” or “pondering”—specifically about your feelings. As of late, it’s also become a term to describe the state you’re in when you’re “in your feelings,” as the kids say.

People usually make “muni-muni” about their crush who hasn’t viewed their story about a song that’s specifically for them. Queue “Sa’yo” by Munimuni.

Pighati

“Pighati” is one of those painfully beautiful words in Filipino. The word describes a deep feeling of sorrow. If you’re fluent in Filipino, you’ll probably also notice the word “hati” or “half” in there. While the two words aren’t linguistically related, uttering the word out loud can also sound like your heart breaking in half.

Sumpa

“Sumpa” isn’t a word that’s thrown around lightly. In English, the simplest translation of the word is a supernatural-related curse. Filipinos can be a superstitious bunch, so to curse or “sumpa” someone is a promise made usually in the name of revenge. If you’re a fan of Filipino dramas, there’s usually a scene where the villain ruins the protagonist’s life and the protagonist says, “Sinusumpa kita!” which means, “I curse you!”

The word itself has a mystic quality to it and uttering it feels like a promise made in blood. Or maybe I’m just being dramatic.