What Does "Bruha" Mean in Tagalog? Origins, Usage, & More

Spanish language teacher Carlos Valverde Ochando explains the connection between “bruha” and “bruja”

Co-authored by Carlos Valverde Ochando and Bertha Isabel Crombet, PhD

Last Updated: December 11, 2025 Fact Checked

• “Bruha” Meaning
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• “Bruha” vs. “Bruja”
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• Is it offensive?
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• Brujería Meaning

|Show more |Show less

You may have heard the slang term “bruha” or “bruja” before. With foreign roots, these words are most commonly used in the Philippines and Latin America. But what do they actually mean? And are they offensive? We’ve got all your burning “bruha” questions answered, from its definition to how it relates to “bruja,” with insights from Spanish language teacher Carlos Valverde Ochando.

Bruha Meaning in English

According to Spanish language teacher Carlos Valverde Ochando, "bruja/bruha" means "witch" in Spanish. It has the same meaning in Tagalog. Historically, "bruha/bruja" has negative connotations and is used to describe a woman as evil, ugly, or misbehaved. However, it's been reclaimed as a more positive term.

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Section 1 of 4:

What does “bruha” mean?

1. 
   “Bruha” means “witch” in Tagalog. In Tagalog, the official language of the Philippines, “bruha” means “witch.” According to Ochando, it comes from the Spanish “bruja,” which means the same thing. Spain’s colonization of the Philippines for over 300 years heavily influenced the language and culture, resulting in about 4,000 borrowed words from Spanish. “Bruha” is one of them, and depending on the context, it can be used to describe someone who does dark magic, a spiteful woman, or a healer.

   • “Bruha” can also be used to describe a “hag,” an “ugly” woman, a “repulsive” woman, a “mischievous” woman, or a woman with a bad or sour attitude.
   • Ochando says that in Spanish, "una bruja" is a disrespectful way to refer to an ill-intentioned older woman.
   • “Bruha” is generally considered a derogatory name, similar to “b***h” and “s**t.”
   • Historically, it’s believed that Spanish colonizers labeled spiritual and independent women as “bruhas” to further suppress them.
   • While many negative connotations do exist, the term “bruha” has been reclaimed in recent years as a positive descriptor, honoring the ancestral power of female spirituality, healing, and intuition.

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Carlos Valverde Ochando is an English and Spanish teacher based in Granada, Spain. He has over 12 years of experience in the field.
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Section 2 of 4:

What is the difference between “bruha” and “bruja?”

1. 
   Both words mean “witch,” just in different languages. Even though “bruha” is Tagalog and “bruja” is Spanish, both words translate to “witch” and share the same pronunciation. They’re pronounced “broo-hah,” with emphasis on the first syllable, and can be used interchangeably. Here are some examples of how to use “bruha” and “bruja” in a sentence:

   • “Don’t make Maria mad, she’s a bruha/bruja!”
   • “Tabitha taught me how to do a new moon ritual for good luck. She’s a good bruha/bruja.”
   • “Sabrina is a true bruha/bruja— she knew my ex was cheating on me before I did!”
   • “She’s not crazy— she’s just a bruha/bruja.”

Section 3 of 4:

Is “bruha” or “bruja” offensive?

1. 
   “Bruha” (or “bruja”) can be considered offensive. The term “witch” has historically negative connotations. Across most cultures, including Filipino, Latin American, and Spanish cultures, “witch” is associated with evil, dark magic and dangerous or spiteful women. However, “witch” can have more positive connotations, especially when using it to describe a “medicine doctor” (like a “curandera” in Latin America) or someone with a keen sense of intuition.

   • So, while it depends on the situation, calling someone a “witch” is generally unadvised unless it’s clearly done playfully among friends.
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Section 4 of 4:

What does “brujería” mean?

1. 
   “Brujería” means “witchcraft” in Spanish. Brujería can be used to describe black magic, Voodoo, Santeria, astrology, and spirituality, among other terms that describe dabbling with the occult. It emerged in the 1500s when the Transatlantic Slave Trade brought enslaved West Africans to the Spanish-colonized Caribbean. This merged the beliefs of indigenous people with those of West Africans, creating the blended practice of brujería.

   • A person who practices brujería is called a “bruja” or a “brujo.”
   • Brujería is an umbrella term for a wide range of supernatural practices and rituals, including spellcasting, herbal magic, and spiritual cleansing.

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