Laba. [lah bah´] From the Spanish word lavar meaning to wash. So the washer person is labandera or labandero.

Laban. [lah´ban] To fight (verb) or a fight (noun). Laban became the unifying buzz word among those who opposed the Marcos dictatorship. We would make the “L” sign with our hands by pointing our four fingers upwards and our thumb at right angles to the fingers.

Labas. [lah bas´] Means out (verb) or a place outside. Also uttered loudly and imperatively when you want your cat to leave the premises. Anak sa labas is someone born out of wedlock.

Lab ko ‘to. [lub´ ko toh´] I love this. A corruption of the English sentence used by McDonald’s in its attempt to sell to its burgers to Filipino clients.

Labi. [lah´bee] Lip or lips—it doesn’t make a difference. If you notice, many Pinoy words do not make a distinction between singular, plural or collective nouns so we often get mixed up on English subject-verb agreement.Some trivia: Pinoys use their lips instead of their fingers to point and give directions. It looks like pouting to those who don’t know.

Labis. [lah´bis] The excess, extra of whatever. This word can be used as a noun or as an adjective.

Labo! [lah´boh] To mean unclear, murky; not understood. A short cut of the word malabo that can also mean not a good idea. One can also say, Labo mo! to mean, you don’t make sense, or you’re insane!

Labuyo. [lah boo´yoh] Mistakenly thought to mean the small, red hot pepper we love to put on food. The real meaning is a small and frisky rooster.

Lakas ng Loob. [lah kas´ nang lo ob´] This is an interesting phrase that has no definite translation in English. Lakas is strength and loob means inside so its literal translation is strength inside. Perhaps a more appropriate definition is has the
guts to.

Laki sa layaw. [lah key´ sa la´yao] A spoiled brat. Plenty of those here. What adds to the population is when doting grandparents or relatives raise these kids.

Lako. [lah koh´] To go around peddling. We sell anything we can carry on foot. Food, plants, clothes, plastic articles like basins and plates;even entire bed frames! Our favorite peddlers are those with ox-drawn carts carrying native things like clay stoves, wicker furniture, bamboo dividers. These merchants, usually from Northern Luzon, weave their way south. They stop when it gets dark, resuming their trip at dawn. It’s our version of the RV.

Lakwatsa. [lak wat´sa] From the Spanish lacuacha meaning to loiter, to go around aimlessly with truancy in mind. Lakwatsera/o is the person. Common among college kids who spend all their parents’ hard earned money, but don’t attend classes. So kids, have a heart. Flip burgers or run a corner store if it’s not your thing to study.

Lagay. [lah guy´] Literally means to put. It can also mean to bribe, as giving grease money. Usually given to a government official so one’s proposed project is approved. May be used as a noun to mean a bribe: How much “put” did you give the cop so he didn’t give you a ticket?

[Sa] lagay eh… [sa lah guy´ eh] So put it this way… A phrase with a double meaning: so how much bribe (lagay) will you give me?

Lagot. [lah ghot´] To cut off, but idiomatically can mean you’re sunk!

Lahar. [lah har´] The mud flow from a volcano that quickly turns into stone once cooled.  Tons of it came from Mount Pinatubo, in Zambales, that woke up after
600 years! It erupted in 1991, killing thousands and ruining millions of pesos
in property.

Lala. [la lah´] To mean seriousness, gravity. Malala means serious, grave.

‘La lang. [lah´lang] Means for no reason. The shortcut of wala lang (it’s nothing). The common response to why did you do that?

[May] lamat na. [mae la´mat na] There’s a crack or dent, mostly in a relationship.

Lamay. [lah´my] A wake. Among Pinoys, it can last several days and nights. May also mean to do something for an inordinate length of time. Linamay ko ang homework ko means I stayed up all night doing my homework.

Lambanog. [lam bah nog´] Fermented coconut sap that Pinoys have made into an alcoholic drink.

Lamon. [lah´mon] To eat with gusto—more like a swine.

Langit. [lang´it] A Filipino believer’s ultimate goal. Muslims, Catholics, Christians, Buddhists, Mormons, all believe in some kind of paradise, with variations of what awaits them there.

Lantok! [lan tok´] One of those expressions some Pinoy seniors invented to take the place of cuss words.

[Ma] lapad. [ma lah´pad] Means wide. What some husbands call their wives after these poor dears turn forty and don’t go to the gym.

Lapat. [Lah´pat] Means well-adjusted, close-fitting, exact. Ilapat means to exact or
demand what is due—like justice or punishment.

Lasing. [lah sing´] A drunk (noun) or to drink alcoholic beverages (verb). The government doesn’t seem to care who, what, when, where and how much Pinoys consume. People aren’t arrested for drinking and driving (no such thing as checking blood alcohol levels). Kids of any age (for long as you look tall) are never ID’ed. It’s a wonder we don’t have more alcohol-related deaths.

Lason. [lah´son] Poison.

Laspag. [las pag´] Overused; worn down. Can sometimes be used to describe one’s physical condition.

[Que] lastima. [que las´ tee mah] This sounded like a cuss word to us children, but we figured our 90 year-old great grandmother was too genteel to utter one. It turns out lastima only means, it hurts!

Latak [lah´tak] The dregs. Sometimes used to tease the youngest member of a family as latak. But one can argue that the best is saved for last. The crème de la crème stays at the top, not at the bottom.

Layas. [lah yas] To run away (accent on first syllable) or someone who likes to travel (accent on second syllable). Sometimes used as a command by a parent demanding an errant child to leave the house. A mainstay scene in Philippine cinema.

Leche ka! [leh´che  ka] Means you’re…milk!  Upset at someone but unwilling to utter an expletive? Try this one.

Leche flan. [leh´che flan] An egg yolk and milk custard of Spanish origin. A standard dessert for most parties because it’s yummy and very easy to make.

Lechon. [leh chon´] A pig roasted on a stake, then chopped into bite sizes and served with a ground liver sauce—the secret of a great lechon. Of course the skin must be crunchy, and the layer of fat between the skin and the meat must be thin. The roasted pig is usually the centerpiece dish. A roasted calf tastes better but is five times more expensive.

Lelang. [leh´lang] An unfashionable way of wearing one’s clothes too long. That was before.  In schools today, girls want their skirts to reach the floor. Forty years ago, we shortened our skirts when the nuns weren’t looking.

Lespu. [lehs´pooh] The cops. Syllables inverted again: pu-lis and lis-pu or lespu. Let’s party. An invite to do illegal drugs, party being the session itself.

Libak.[lee bak´] To ruin the reputation of someone. Libakera is the false witness.

Libis.[lee bis´]  The open fields of a farm. Used to colloquially to mean far from civilization just like liblib [lib lib´].

Libre naman! [lee´breh  nah man] Please treat us to...a house and lot...(if your in laws are moneyed.)

Ligal ba yan? [lee gal´ bah yan´] Is this something known by ...? Asked by the family driver of a 12 year old when the kid offers to drive his dad’s brand new car. Or when girlfriends want to know whether their chum’s boyfriend is known to
her parents.

Likha. [lik hah´] A creation; a thing produced by intelligence or skill. Pinoys are so talented and creative that we must keep documenting these achievements for future generations.

Liko. [lee koh] To turn. Liko-liko is twists and turns. Maling liko means the wrong turn.

Likod. [lee khod] The back (noun). May be used as a verb: to turn one’s back: tumalikod.

Likot or likot-likot. [lee khot-lee khot] Constant movement or non-stop motion. Something children are known for. May have the connotation of naughtiness. When someone has a malikot na kamay the person is a petty thief that may be bordering on kleptomania.

Ligaw na damo. [lee gao  na  dah mo] Grass. Used by a family to describe their Prodigal Son.  Also someone unruly or unbridled.

Ligoy. [lee´goy] This really means somebody verbose. A paligoy-ligoy person beats around the bush. When a flattered, but hesitant lady is about to turn down an ardent suitor of 20 years.

Ligtas. [lig tas´] This means to save; free or freed; or out of danger. The word can also mean free of any responsibility, which is not a good thing for families of deadbeat dads. Kaligtasan is salvation, redemption in the religious sense.

Lihim. [lee´him] A secret, confidential info. The way you keep it a secret that your family just won a 100,000,000 pesos in the lottery.

Lilitaw rin ‘yan. [lee´lee tao  din yan] The truth will out. In this world of deception and half-truths, this is what keeps many victims hopeful.

Linalangaw. [lee nah lang´gao] Refers to shop items on display that aren’t sold. Flies (langaw) are swarming over them instead. Pinuputakti (attacked by bees) is when items are very saleable.

Lintik! [lin tik´] A favorite expression of my grandmother when upset. We were told it meant lightning; but we could not find it in the Spanish-English-Filipino dictionary.

Lipas ka na! [lee pas´ ka  na] You’re outdated, old-fashioned. Or worse, a has-been.

Lipat. [lee´pat] To move or transfer. So it’s lipat-bahay to move house; lipat-bayan to immigrate.

Lista/o. [lis´tah/toh] This means ready in Spanish but in Filipino it means alert, intelligent, quick to understand and answer. It can also mean clever in a shrewd kind of way.

Litaw. [lee tao´] It is obvious, easily seen. Lilitaw din ‘yan means it will come out, whether it is a missing object, a situation that someone wants to hide, or even a missing person. A corollary to: the truth will come out when a brazen politico is
discovered stealing millions from the government coffers.

Litong-lito. [lee tong´lee toh´] Confused or muddled thinking. Like when trying to file taxes before the deadline. See hilong-hilo.

Liwaliw. [lee wah liw´] A pleasure trip. In modern lingo, a diversion of some kind.

Liwanag. [lee wah´nag] Light, radiance or brightness. We may use it to mean enlightenment or understanding as well.

Llamierda. [lya mee yer´dah] To go and hang out, seniors’ style.
Or at least only older people use this term. Can’t find it in the Spanish-English translator or Google, though. Check out paseo and pasyal.

Load. SMS credits bought for pre-paid cell phone lines. What kids spend their allowances on.

Loko. [lo´ko] From the Spanish word for crazy. We’ve corrupted it to luko-loko, which can also mean someone who cannot be trusted, or someone who takes advantage of another.

Longganisa. [long ga nee´sah] A traditional pork sausage that we probably learned from the Spaniards. Different localities have different versions. There are some slightly sour ones, some made with a lot of pepper and garlic, and some too sweet that they end up tasting like dessert!

Low bat. [loh but] Pinoys love to compare a cell phone battery to humans:  means feeble, low energy levels.

Lubog. [loo bog] To sink. Unless we do something quick about our clogged street drains filled with plastic bags and other wastes, most of our cities are doomed to sink beneath murky, dirty water. Say no to plastics and other non-biodegradable materials!

Lubog sa utang. [loo bog´ sah oo´ tung] Deep in debt.

Lubos-lubusin. [loo boos ´loo boo sin´] Doing it totally, completely. As in emptying out the government treasury to buy a condo in the Swiss Alps, a villa in Greece, a yacht in the Bahamas, and a 5th Avenue townhouse in New York.

Luge. [loo´geh] Lost in some kind of situation or transaction. See mukhang luge.

Luho. [loo´hoh] Materialistic; wanting the expensive, sometimes despite a lack of means.

Luhod. [loo hod] To kneel down, to describe the state of kneeling. A Filipino religious custom to kneel from the door of a church to the altar, is so popular
that some churches make provisions for this. This custom is to earnestly beseech God for a favor.

Lumang yaman. [loo mung  yah man] Old rich. The kind of in-laws to look for.

Lumilitaw. [loo mee´lee tao] . What it’s turning out to be. What was not known/apparent, is now out in the open.

Lungkot. [long khot]  Sad or terribly lonely. Felt, especially during the holidays, by the millions of expat Pinoys who miss their families back home.

Lupit. [loo pit´] Strict, tight fisted, not necessarily with money. Also used to describe someone who is stringent with the rules.

Lusog. [loo sug´] This means health (noun) or robust (adjective). Malusog is the politically correct word for mataba (fat or overweight).

Linuto. [lee noo´toh] Luto means cook. Linuto is the past tense of luto, but it can also mean a rigged affair.

Lutong bahay. [loo´tong ba´high] Food cooked at home. When many Filipinos eat out, they still crave for lutong bahay. You’d think people eat out precisely because they are tired of home-cooking. We carry this abroad. We’ve had Manila friends who asked us to take them to Goldilocks or Red Ribbon for dinuguan and puto (blood porridge and rice cake).

Lutong Macao. [loo´tong mah cao´] Politically incorrect way of saying a done deal. Something that’s been rigged. Where this came from, it’s probably better that we didn’t know!

To find other definitions, please press the first letter of the word: