# Sayang



## AskLang

If not the word for word translation, what is the equivalent expression of this phrase in English?

*Nanghihinayang naman ako sa pagod mo.*

Many thanks.


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## DotterKat

*Nanghihinayang naman ako sa pagod mo.*

The best equivalent I can suggest is:

*I am sorry you wasted your time.*

Or

*I regret that your efforts were all for naught.

*Verbatim translations of that text will sound forced in English.

Gary


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## AskLang

Thanks DotterKat.

If I may add one more question, what is the equivalent of this phrase which uses the same word?

*Nanghihinayang naman ako sa talento mo.*


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## niernier

AskLang said:


> Thanks DotterKat.
> 
> If I may add one more question, what is the equivalent of this phrase which uses the same word?
> 
> *Nanghihinayang naman ako sa talento mo.*



The root word '*hinayang*' is a feeling of regret for not having utilized something or for wasting anything you find valuable or useful (from the word '*sayang*')

From that text, it is implied that the talents of that particular individual is wasted or not fully utilized. For example, he has talents on cartoon animation but instead he pursues courses related to other fields. Thus the speaker has feelings of regret towards the person.

As for me, an equivalent translation is:

I regret that you do not make use of your talents.

I don't know how to make a word for word translation for that though.
*Nanghihinayang *itself is a word that when translated to English must contain the words that feel regret for something which have been utterly wasted.


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## DotterKat

*Nanghihinayang naman ako sa talento mo.

*Though completely understandable, the above sentence can also be expressed in this manner, if only for the sake of discussing grammar:

*Nanghihinayang ako dahil hindi mo lubos na ginagamit ang iyong kakayahan / katalinuan / karunungan.*

"Talento" is one of those borrowed words from Spanish like "mesa" or "libro" that have become part of everyday Tagalog speech.

That said, there are many ways to translate the regret expressed by that particular sentence.
My suggestions:

I (bemoan _or _am unhappy with _or _am upset over) the fact that you are wasting your talents.

Other words you can use, depending on the degree of your emotional distress over a person's squandering of their God-given talents, could be:

lament, deplore, bewail, disapprove, mourn, be bitter about.....and many, many more.

Gary


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## AskLang

Thanks for the examples, niernier and DotterKat.


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## Cracker Jack

AskLang said:


> If not the word for word translation, what is the equivalent expression of this phrase in English?
> 
> *Nanghihinayang naman ako sa pagod mo.*
> 
> Many thanks.


 
Sayang could be roughly translated as ''What a pity/waste.''

But in your context, it would be different. ''I feel sorry that your efforts were all in vain.''


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## AskLang

Thanks Cracker Jack


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