Question: How do I say girlfriend in Tagalog

A useful feature of the tagalog.com dictionary is that it can perform a reverse lookup. Enter an English word to find Tagalog words with a definition that contains the English word.

Colloquially, and in Taglish, “girlfriend” is what we use. KASINTAHAN is the true Tagalog word for girlfriend/boyfriend but nowadays it is only used in formal conversations.NOBYA is adapted from the Spanish “novia”. Older generations still use the word.DYOWÀ or JOWÀ is slang for boyfriend/girlfriend/lover/live-in partner and is in common use among Millenials and younger generations. SYOTÀ is an older slang term for it and is not as popular as the more encompassing “dyowa/jowa” anymore. "Girlfriend" is your best choice. If you really want to say it in Tagalog and you are not younger than Gen X, you may use "nobya". If you're a Millenial or younger, "jowa/dyowa" is OK, but use it only among peers. Never use "jowa/dyowa" or "syota" to refer to your girlfriend when talking to her parents unless you want to be branded as Mr. Crude. 🙂