When it comes to learning any new language, one of the trickiest parts of the master’s is its critical structural points. With this being said, we will walk you through the best example sentences, rules, and forms and the most comprehensive explanations of how it is used and formed.
If you want to learn Tagalog grammar and speak like a pro, popular Tagalog verbs or pandiwa should be your top priority, as they can significantly change the meaning of any expression.
Table of Contents
What Are The Tagalog Verb Groups?
Tagalog verbs are indeed overwhelming for total beginners. To help you get started on how you can become a pro, you must first learn about the affixes.
Technically, there are four particular types of these in English: prefixes (in front of the verb), suffixes (last part of the verb), circumfixes (placed in front and after the verb), and infixes (inside the verb). These are essential in the sense that they reflect the completeness of a particular action. In the Tagalog language, this includes affixes such as:
- Mag verbs (actor-focused)
- Ma verbs (actor-focused)
- Um verbs (actor-focused)
- In verbs (object-focused)
- I verbs (object-focused)
But wait, perhaps you are wondering about the equivalent meaning of those popular Tagalog verbs, right? To answer your worries, check out the example table below to understand the complex conjugation process. Take note of the sentence examples, as you can use them in interactions.
| Root Verb | Future Tense | Present Tense | Past Tense | Imperative |
| lakad (walk) | maglalakad | naglalakad | naglakad | maglakad |
| nood (watch) | manonood | nanonood | nanood | manood |
| kain (eat) | kakain | kumakain | kumain | Kainin |
| sabi (say) | sasabihin | sinasabi | sinabi | sabihin |
| inom (to drink) | iinumin | iniinom | ininom | inumin |
See how those Tagalog sentences are formed? As someone just learning, we understand this can be quite challenging. In order to learn Tagalog quickly and use proper verb conjugation in the future, we recommend that you practice and memorize the most used verbs or the most popular Tagalog verbs first.
The Popular Tagalog Verbs
To quickly form expressions, read on and memorize the popular Tagalog verb forms below and use them along with other Filipino nouns and adjectives. If you want an interactive way of memorizing these vocabulary words, the Ling app is available to check out right now. You can access it no matter what gadget you have!
For your Tagalog vocabulary knowledge, here are some examples of Tagalog verbs:
| English | Tagalog | Sound | English Translation | Tagalog Example Sentence | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| To place | Ilagay | Put the food inside the refrigerator. | Ilagay mo ang pagkain sa ref. | ||
| To get | Kumuha | Get money from my wallet. | Kumuha ka ng pera sa wallet ko. | ||
| To find | Hanapin | Find the documents at home. | Hanapin mo ang papeles sa bahay. | ||
| To listen | Makinig | You need to listen to what I am saying to you. | Kailangan mong makinig sa mga sinasabi ko sa’yo. | ||
| To close | Isara | Close the door as you leave. | Isara mo ang pinto pag labas mo. | ||
| To open | Buksan | Open your book to page five. | Buksan mo ang libro sa ika limang pahina. | ||
| To walk | Lumakad | It’s better to walk than to run. | Mas mabuting lumakad kaysa tumakbo. | ||
| To write | Magsulat | Let’s write/author a book! | Magsulat na tayo ng libro! | ||
| To love | Magmahal | Love someone and you will know how much it hurts. | Magmahal ka para malaman mo ang sakit. | ||
| To rise | Tumayo | You have to rise up from the floor. | Kailangan mong tumayo mula sa sahig. | ||
| To lay down | Humiga | Mark needs to lay down in bed. | Kailangang humiga ni Mark sa kama. | ||
| To think | Magisip | Think before you make a decision. | Magisip ka bago ka magdesisyon. | ||
| To run | Tumakbo | He runs away because of fear. | Tumakbo siya palayo dahil sa takot. | ||
| To sleep | Matulog | You need to sleep because you are tired. | Kailangan mong matulog dahil pagod ka. |
Now that we have expanded your knowledge of this Tagalog language rule on popular Tagalog verbs and conjugation structure, the next thing that you can do is just practice it and answer challenging quizzes about it.
After all, learning can only be supported when you have a proper learning plan for yourself. If you are interested in knowing about other topics such as the infinitive, consonant, other language verb root, and the critical tense form (past, present, future case) in Tagalog, then we highly recommend that you check out our other language tips and posts only here at the Ling app.
From this website, you can also directly challenge yourself by learning using its web-based platform. Who knows, using this can literally turn you into a master Tagalog speaker! You can also try to learn other Tagalog grammar lessons with these apps too.
Additionally, if you enjoyed this post, please feel free to share it on social media to reach other language enthusiasts interested in taking fun and free courses, lessons, and tips on this language.
Why Learn The Tagalog Language?
If there is one particular language in Asia that seems to be much easier to tackle, then that would be Tagalog. You see, its current writing system is one of the reasons why it is such a breeze to learn, as it utilizes the classic Western Roman style and only adds two additional letters.
Also, it is important to note that Tagalog’s vocabulary is heavily influenced by Spanish to the point that some of the words are actively used even in today’s context. To make matters more exciting, the Filipino people have adopted foreign English words, resulting in the unofficial language of the Philippines, Taglish.
While the basic words are easy to write and memorize, the Tagalog language can be quite complicated when it comes to grammar rules. Instead of using the classic Subject-Verb-Object rule in English, the structure in the Filipino language is Verb-Subject-Object. Below are some examples using this order:
- Kinain niya ang Sisig. (He/she ate the Sisig.)
- Maglalakad siya pauwi mula dito. (He/She will walk his/her way from here.)
- Siya ang nagbasa nitong libro. (It was him/her who read this book.)
- Nakikinig siya sa paborito niyang kanta. (He/She is listening to his/her favorite song.)
- Kumain ka na ba? (Have you eaten?)
- Nagsasalita siya sa harap. (He/She is speaking in front.)
As you can see from the examples above, learning verbs in Tagalog is very important as it will help in the meaning-building and construction of grammatically correct expressions. After all, we cannot just use mere words and ready-made Tagalog expressions, right? In order to make sense and provide a clearer picture of what you want to say, you have to go all out and take the rules to heart.
How Do You Say Verbs In Tagalog?
The Tagalog word for verbs is pandiwa.
Other Tagalog Sentences That Use Tagalog Verbs
Apart from what you’ve learned earlier, here are other sentences that show you the common Tagalog conversation. We have a challenge for you. Can you determine the Tagalog adjectives, Tagalog adverbs, and Tagalog Prepositions here? Take a look at these sentences!
| English | Tagalog | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| Are there many people that bought fish today? | Marami bang bumili ng isda ngayon? | |
| I am not allowed to be late for classes today. | Bawal akong mahuli sa klase ngayon. | |
| Who will go with you at the concert? | Sinong kasama mong pupunta sa concert? | |
| Sarah took the basket with her and went to the market. | Kinuha ni Sarah ang basket at pumunta sa palengke. | |
| The school starts this Friday that is why they are preparing already. | Magpapasukan na sa Biyernes kaya sila ay naghahanda na. | |
| He/She gave roses to their boyfriend/girlfriend. | Binigyan niya ng rosas ang kanyang kasintahan. (Take note that Tagalog doesn’t have a definite gender for some words) | |
| Did you apply for the job posted at the online job portal? | Nagapply ka ba para sa trabaho na nakapaskil sa online job portal? |
Are you confused that there are English words in some of the example Tagalog sentences? Most Tagalog native speakers prefer to use English words when speaking casually.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tagalog Verbs
What Is The Infinitive Verb In Tagalog?
The infinitive form of a verb in Tagalog is called pawatas , which acts like a noun, verb, or adverb in a sentence. It can be a simple form of the verb, no matter what tense it is.
For example:
- Mahirap magaral kapag puyat.
It’s hard to study when you’re sleep-deprived.
In this sentence, you’ll see that magaral is in the infinite verb form because it acts like an adverb for the sentence.
What Are Modal Verbs In Filipino?
Modal verbs or pandiwa ng panghinahara in Filipino show expressions of possibility, necessity, permission, ability, or desire to do something. It conveys the intention of the subject and their attitudes/character towards a said situation.
For example:
- Gusto ko ng pandesal mamaya.
I want pandesal later.
In this sample Tagalog sentence, gusto acts as a desire towards something, which in this case is the pandesal.
Other types of modal verbs are:
- Kailangan (Must)
- Maari (Can/May)
- Dapat (Should/Must)
- Puwede (Can/May)
What Are The Passive And Active Voices Of Verbs In Tagalog?
Active voice of verbs in Tagalog means that in the sentence, the subject is the doer of the verb.
For example:
- Kumuha ako ng ilang pagkain sa lamesa.
I took some food from the table.
In this sentence, the subject is ako, the verb is in the active voice kumuha, the direct object is pagkain and the indirect object is lamesa.
On the other hand, for the passive voice of verbs, the focus is on the verb or action done by the subject.
For example:
Inilabas ni Juan ang electric fan.
The electric fan was brought out by Juan.
For this passive voice sentence example, the focus verb is Inilabas, meanwhile Juan is the subject and electric fan is the direct object.
If you want to become a master of Tagalog sentence structure, you should practice it with your Tagalog friends during your conversations.
Popular Tagalog Verbs: Wrapping Up
So, we just went through some popular Tagalog verbs. It’s kind of like getting a key to speaking Tagalog better. We looked at different kinds of Tagalog verbs and how to use them in sentences.
The main thing to remember? Practice these verbs in Tagalog as much as you can. Try them out when you’re talking, or use the Ling app for extra help. The more you use these verbs, the easier Tagalog will get. Keep practicing, and soon, talking in Tagalog will feel a lot more natural.
