Login

u/PreviousPerception31

r/PinoyPastTensed r/Tagalog r/AskPinoyMen r/FilipinoAmericans
I got frustrated with static dictionaries, so I built a "living" dictionary focused on deep morphology, root-word trees, and modern slang evolution.
▲ 29 r/Tagalog

I got frustrated with static dictionaries, so I built a "living" dictionary focused on deep morphology, root-word trees, and modern slang evolution.

Kumusta everyone!

I'm a solo developer. Right before I graduated, I decided to skip building a standard static portfolio and instead build something I felt our language really needed: a modern, community-driven dictionary called Diksyo (diksyo.app).

The Problem: Whenever I try to look up Tagalog words, current dictionaries feel incredibly static. They treat the language like a museum exhibit rather than something that lives, breathes, and evolves. They often fail to capture how our language is composed of shared dialects and modern slang.

Language is a public construct, it only works because we all trust and agree on the meaning. For example, traditional dictionaries define awit strictly as a song, but today it's also widely used as an expression for when something goes wrong (lol). If the community uses a word a certain way, that becomes the official meaning.

What's Live Right Now (The MVP): I wanted to build a dictionary that actually maps out how the language works. It’s currently a Minimum Viable Product, but for the language nerds here, you might enjoy these features:

  • Deep Context & Morphology: It features bilingual search, an interactive root word tree, deep morphological breakdowns, and homonym disambiguation. It doesn't just define a word; it shows you how it was built.
  • Research-Backed Learning: I integrated the ts-fsrs Spaced Repetition algorithm for vocabulary games to help learners actually retain what they study.
  • Diksyo AI: A built-in learning assistant you can ask for specific grammar rules or contextual sentence examples.

Full Transparency & The Grand Vision: I am hosting this completely on free tiers. To get the MVP off the ground, the initial dictionary data is generated (zero web-scraping was used). Because of this, there will be bugs. As a solo dev still iterating, some root words might not map perfectly yet, and descriptions can occasionally miss the mark.

But that perfectly justifies the next phase: Community Moderation. On the site, you'll see UI templates for upvoting/downvoting words, verifying definitions, and leaving comments. Once the backend for that is fully hooked up, the community will naturally fix bad data, submit new colloquialisms, and evolve the dictionary together.

I’d love for you all to play around with the search, test out the root-word trees, tear it apart, and tell me what you think. Is a community-curated dictionary focusing on morphology something you'd actively use?

Link: diksyo.app

Maraming salamat!

u/PreviousPerception31 — 3 days ago
▲ 32 r/FilipinoAmericans

I built a modern Filipino dictionary app to help us learn the language as it's actually spoken today (slang included!). I’d love your feedback.

Kumusta everyone!

I'm a solo developer. Right before I graduated, I decided to skip building a standard static portfolio and instead build something real that could help those of us trying to learn, practice, or reconnect with our heritage. I wanted to share the MVP with you all: Diksyo (diksyo.app).

The Problem:
If you’ve ever tried to learn Filipino or look up words your relatives are using, you know that current dictionaries feel incredibly stiff and formal. They fail to capture how our language actually lives, breathes, and evolves. For example, traditional dictionaries define awit strictly as a song, but today, people in the motherland use it as an expression for when something goes wrong (lol). I wanted to build something that bridges that gap between textbook Tagalog and how Filipinos actually speak today.

What's Live Right Now (The MVP):
I am building a living dictionary. It is currently a Minimum Viable Product, but it’s completely free to use:

  • Deep Context & Root Words: Filipino is built on root words. The app features bilingual search, an interactive root word tree, and deep morphological breakdowns to help you actually understand how words are formed, rather than just memorizing them.
  • Learning Tools: I built in vocabulary games using a spaced-repetition algorithm to help words stick in your memory. There's also a built-in Learning Assistant ("Diksyo AI") where you can ask specific grammar questions or ask for context on how to use a word in a sentence.
  • Jeepney UI: The visual design and progression system are heavily inspired by iconic local Jeepney signages to give it that nostalgic, cultural feel.

Full Transparency & The Grand Vision:
I am hosting this completely on free tiers! To get the app off the ground, the initial dictionary data is generated (absolutely zero web-scraping was used). Because I'm a solo dev still iterating on this, some root words might not match perfectly yet, some definitions would be wrong and there will be bugs.

That is exactly why I am building the community features next. Soon, the community will be able to upvote/downvote words, verify definitions, and submit new slang. The goal is for native speakers and learners to collaborate and evolve the dictionary together.

I’d love for you to play around with the search, try the games, and tell me what you think. Does a tool like this actually help you feel more connected to the language?

Link: diksyo.app

Maraming salamat!

u/PreviousPerception31 — 5 days ago
▲ 1 r/AskPinoyMen

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about why I so often feel like I'm just not enough, and I realized a lot of it comes down to how I view my own value as a man.

Social Contract
Growing up, the message drilled into me was pretty clear (by my mama and lola haha) : my ultimate role is to be the provider. I was taught that I needed to be the head of the household, work tirelessly, and make a lot of money to support a family. I internalized that so deeply that my entire path became incredibly money-centric. I chased wealth because I thought my masculinity depended on it.

But looking around now, I feel like the social contract we were all sold is broken. For a lot of us young guys, taking on debt for a degree only to get spat out into an uncertain, brutal job market feels like a rigged game. Wealth is so concentrated at the top, and it feels like the majority of us are just losing. When that traditional "provider" role feels completely out of reach, it doesn't just make me feel broke. It leaves me with this profound sense of failure, disempowerment, and anger. It feels like we are being asked to live up to an entirely unattainable standard.

Dating
This pressure bleeds heavily into my dating life, too. Even with everything changing in the modern world, I still catch myself believing that women overwhelmingly prefer wealthy men (tiktok standards maybe: "broke men don't deserve p*ssy"). It feels intrinsically built into my expectations, this toxic idea that I have to be someone else, someone richer or with higher status, just to have a shot at being loved for who I am.

Dating apps just make that insecurity scream louder. Staring at my phone, my lack of popularity becomes painfully apparent and reduced to brutal metrics. It is so easy to tie my entire self-worth to how many swipes I get. Because of this, I've caught myself viewing modern relationships as purely transactional: If I can just become an attractive, wealthy man, I can give her a lifestyle, and she’ll give me affection. But deep down, I know that’s not a relationship. That’s a business transaction.

Loneliness
Honestly, experiencing this kind of loneliness makes me completely understand why the manosphere is growing so fast. Men are lonely. We are desperately searching for connection, a sense of belonging, and a community that actually supports us. But I see how quickly it turns toxic.

When I look at the guys falling into those extreme spaces (bugoy na koykoy), I don't just see angry men; I see guys who are deeply unsatisfied with themselves, their lives, and their finances. They just aren't happy. Whether it's the feeling of being uncool in school, dealing with a brutal breakup, losing a job, or just realizing that grinding a 9-to-5 isn't the James Bond life we thought we'd have, we are all just searching for self-love and purpose.

And society makes it incredibly hard for us to admit that we're struggling. I know I find it difficult to open up about my mental health or my failures because I'm terrified of being ridiculed. So, a lot of us suffer in silence. We watch online content that tells us women only want "alpha males," we blame ourselves for falling short, and we internalize the lie that individual financial success is the only gold standard for a man's life.

Moving Forward
I'm trying to unlearn this. The truth is, there isn't inherently an issue with wanting to provide and protect. I know I still find a sense of purpose in that. But tying my entire right to exist to my net worth is killing my spirit. I also know that true empowerment as a man doesn't require pushing women down or viewing the world through a lens of resentment.

We shouldn't mock the guys who fall into that bitterness; we need to recognize it as a symptom of a much larger problem. A lot of us just want to feel important. When society acts like it only values extreme wealth or status, it's inevitable that a lot of us are going to feel left behind.

So, to the guys here: How do you separate your self-worth from your net worth? In a world that constantly tells you you're only as good as what you can provide, how do you cope with the feeling of worthlessness?

reddit.com
u/PreviousPerception31 — 4 months ago