The 14+ Most Popular Tagalog Verbs To Learn Today

popular Tagalog verbs - A photo of a cartoonish man and woman

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.

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.

See how those 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 on Google Play and Apple Store. You can access it no matter what gadget you have!

EnglishTagalogSoundEnglish TranslationTagalog Example SentenceSound
To placeIlagayPut the food inside the refrigerator.Ilagay mo ang pagkain sa ref.
To getKumuhaGet money from my wallet.Kumuha ka ng pera sa wallet ko.
To findHanapinFind the documents at home.Hanapin mo ang papeles sa bahay.
To listenMakinigYou need to listen to what I am saying to you.Kailangan mong makinig sa mga sinasabi ko sa’yo.
To closeIsaraClose the door as you leave.Isara mo ang pinto pag labas mo.
To openBuksanOpen your book to page five.Buksan mo ang libro sa ika limang pahina.
To walkLumakadIt’s better to walk than to run.Mas mabuting lumakad kaysa tumakbo.
To writeMagsulatLet’s write/author a book!Magsulat na tayo ng libro!
To loveMagmahalLove someone and you will know how much it hurts.Magmahal ka para malaman mo ang sakit.
To riseTumayoYou have to rise up from the floor.Kailangan mong tumayo mula sa sahig.
To lay downHumigaMark needs to lay down in bed.Kailangang humiga ni Mark sa kama.
To thinkMagisipThink before you make a decision.Magisip ka bago ka magdesisyon.
To runTumakboHe runs away because of fear.Tumakbo siya palayo dahil sa takot.
To sleepMatulogYou 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! 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.

Popular Tagalog Verbs To Learn

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 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.

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.

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