totoo

Totoo is a Filipino word used in Tagalog that means truth or reality. It functions as both an adjective and a noun and is used to express veracity, authenticity, or genuineness.

In everyday speech it appears in phrases such as totoo ba? (is it true?), totoong balita (real news or true news), totoong tao (a real person), and ang totoong kwento (the real story). It can also serve as a predicate adjective as in Ang sinabi niya ay totoo (What he said is true). The expressions totoo lang or totoo naman are used to emphasize sincerity, often similar to for real or honestly.

In broader usage, totoo appears in journalism, literature, and media to signal factuality or authenticity, as opposed to rumor or fiction. It is often contrasted with hindi totoo (not true) or hindi tunay (not real). Related terms include katotohanan (truth, the fact) and tunay (real, genuine).

Nuance matters: totoo can refer to factual correctness, but it can also convey moral sincerity or genuineness, depending on context. The word carries a normative aspect in Filipino discourse, where claiming something as totoo is a claim of veracity and accountability.