While the Kapampángan word “kalam” means “grace, blessing”, there is a similar word in Tagálog that means quite the opposite!
KÁLAM • (KAH-luhm)
grace, blessing, gift
Root: álam
Tagálog (Filipino): biyáyà
False Friends
Tagálog (Filipino)
KALÁM “hunger pains in the stomach”
Kapampángan
KÁLAM “grace, blessing, gift”
Derived Word
MÁLAM • (MAH-luhm)
gracious, generous
Tagálog (Filipino): mapagbiyáyà
Verb Conjugation
magkálam, mágkálam, mégkálam – to bestow blessings or gifts (Actor Focus)
pagkálaman, págkálaman, pigkálaman – to be blessed, granted blessings or gifts (Object Focus)
Example Lyrics:
Kálam ning Pasku, Kálam na ning Dios
Kálam ning banua pára king táu [Kap]
Biyáyà ng Paskó, Biyáyà ng Diyos
Biyáyà ng lángit pára sa táo [Tag]
G-ift of Christmas, Gift of God
Gift of heaven for man [Eng]
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