Suppose you’re making a list of gifts you’ll give to your Filipino friend. But you want to speak Tagalog properly without butchering many Tagalog words. Basically, there are tons of plural Filipino words with different pronunciations, forms, and meanings.
How do you memorize all these rules as a beginner? The best way is to find out how to make this Tagalog word plural first. Making Philippine words plural is easy as memorizing vocabulary! Find out here!
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Pointers When Making Philippine Words Plural
Before you say hello to your Filipino friends, let’s recap how an English root word is made plural. The English sentence structure puts an additional letter(s) on the root words of a singular noun or a counter noun to change it to the plural form. Sometimes, English words are irregular nouns that modify the word to become plural. There is another set of rules if a root word ends with an x or a z.
How about for Philippine words? Is Filipino grammar very different from the English language? Let’s find out!
Adding The Word Mga Before The Noun(s)
You’ll see the most common words in the Tagalog language: ang, mga, na, and ng. These are markers or particles for identifying Tagalog nouns in sentences and giving emphasis. However, mga is a particle that denotes a plural form for common and sometimes proper nouns.
The marker mga, when added to a word, means adding an s at the end of the Tagalog nouns. So, for example, if you want to say artists, you will say mga artista.
Still confused? Here are some examples to practice with:
| English | Tagalog | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| Kids | Mga bata | |
| Classrooms | Mga silid-aralan | |
| Classmates | Mga kaklase | |
| Books | Mga libro | |
| Neighbors | Mga kapitbahay | |
| Pencils | Mga lapis | |
| They went to the store to buy books. | Sila ay pumunta sa tindahan para bumili ng mga libro. |
Indicating A Number Before The Nouns
Similar to English words, the Tagalog language also uses numbers (numerals) to highlight how many nouns there are. In Tagalog, you don’t have a similar rule of adding an s at the end of a word. Hence, the root word with the number before it is enough to indicate that it’s not a singular word.
Let’s take a look at the sentence examples for this rule:
- He had already sold two yachts. = Dalawang yate na ang nabenta niya.
- Thirty passengers were left by the jeepney (jeep). = Tatlumpung pasahero ang naiwan ng jeepney (jeep).
- One hundred pictures were destroyed because of the fire. = Isang daang litrato ang nasira sa isang malaking sunog.
Adding A Counter Before The Countable And Uncountable Nouns
How about countable nouns? Adding s at the end of these words doesn’t make sense. For example, in the English language, you don’t say milks. Instead, you add another word, such as jug (jugs) of milk, to make it countable and change it to the plural form. So, for countable and uncountable nouns, Tagalog also adds a counter to measure or count things, actions, and events.
Sometimes, Tagalog words still add mga in front of these countable nouns to emphasize their plurality.
Check out these examples:
| English | Tagalog | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| One sack of rice | Isang kaban ng bigas | |
| One bundle of vegetables | Tatlong bigkis ng gulay | |
| Jugs of milk | Mga pitsel ng gatas | |
| One group of teachers | Isang grupo ng mga titser | |
| Five battalions of soldiers | Limang batalyong sundalo |
Inserting A Prefix On The Adjective To Change Its Number
In English, rules for plural forms are non-existent for adjectives. The adjectives, whether masculine or feminine, stay the same. On the other hand, the Tagalog language includes having a plural form for Tagalog adjectives for emphasis. So which way do you change it?
Ma- is usually the word you’ll use for Tagalog adjectives to make them plural.
Here are a few examples to ponder:
| English | Tagalog | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| Beautiful women | Magagandang babae | |
| Old men | Matatandang lalaki | |
| Intelligent students | Matatalinong magaaral | |
| Fertile farmlands | Mayayabong na sakahan |
How Do You Say Plural In Tagalog?
The Tagalog word for plural is pangmarami
Or you can also use the word pangmaramihan
Other Words And Phrases To Practice Making Philippine Words Plural
Do you want to know more about Tagalog grammar with Tagalog plural words? Check out this vocabulary list and see more examples.
| English | Tagalog | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| A group of students gathered together outside the mall. | Isang grupo ng mga estudyante ang nagtipon sa labas ng mall | |
| A bunch of girls are preparing for their presentation | Ang lipon ng mga babae ay naghahanda para sa kanilang presentasyon | |
| There are rules to obey for this hospital | May mga palatandaan para sundin sa ospital na ito | |
| Are the projects submitted for tomorrow? | Naisumite na ba ang mga proyekto para bukas? | |
| Do you want to meet the |
Frequently Asked Questions About Making Philippine Words Plural
Are There Some Tagalog Words That You Can’t Make Plural?
Yes, if we’re talking about mass Tagalog nouns, these words are already made plural.
For example, scissors in Tagalog is gunting. Another example is kamay which is the Tagalog body part for hands.
Is The Word Philippines Singular Or Plural?
The Philippines is a plural word because it talks about the group of islands, The Philippines. However, when talking about the country, The Philippines can be also agreed as a singular word.
What Is The Plural Form Of Filipino?
Filipino can be used as a collective noun which talks about the citizens of the Philippines. However, you can also use Filipinos for its plural form.
Why Learn Making Philippine Words Plural?
Other Philippine languages also have their form of plural words. However, Tagalog is the most common language you’ll find Filipinos speaking globally. So, there’s no stopping you from learning more about Tagalog vocabulary! Especially if you’ve decided to become a master of Tagalog. That said, plural forms are regular for any basic sentence, and you will encounter these words from the Titos and Titas to the manong sorbetero (ice cream vendor) you’ll buy a sorbetes from. But how do you buy more than one ice cream without speaking a single English word?
If you’re eager to learn more about Tagalog nouns and how to speak Tagalog naturally, read our tips on making Philippine words plural.
Improve Your Tagalog Sentences With Ling
Marami ka pang mga Tagalog na salitang pagaaralan. You still have many words to learn.
Languages are a window to discovering how the world revolves. The best way to communicate with people is to speak their native language. So what is the next step when learning a new language? Practicing them daily, of course!
If you want to use these Tagalog conversations on the go, why not download the Ling app? It is a handy language-learning app that contains 60+ languages with 200+ Tagalog grammar lessons and more. Moreover, you’ll enjoy chatting with an AI chatbot that feels like you’re talking to native speakers.
Suppose you’re like me and want to know more about Tagalog grammar. In that case, you can check out our articles for Tagalog verbs, learn vocabulary for Filipino shopping, or even learn the unique words you’ll find in Tagalog. Don’t get stuck in the singular form of new nouns you’ve learned in Tagalog. Learn Tagalog with Ling app now!
