Tagalog | Affixes

Changing a word based on it's affix.

Tense

Um affix and doubled syllable rules.

Some of this information I have taken from here.

Also, here's a link to a huge list of verbs and their proper tense affixes:

http://www.seasite.niu.edu/tagalog/tagalog_verbs.htm

Past Tense

If the word starts with a consonant you, you split the first consonant and vowel with -um-. If the root word starts with a vowel you prefix it with -um-.

Future Tense

You double up the first syllable.

Present Tense

It's a combination of past and future tense to get the present tense. See chart below:

root word	past	future	present
kain	kumakin	kakain	kumakain
inom	uminom	iinom	umiinom

Mag vs Nag

This should be pretty easy, but mag/nag has other implementations outside of tense. Like turning a noun into a verb. In the sense of tense though: mag is future, nag is present.

root word	future	present
kain	mag-kain	nag-kain
unon	mag-iinom	nag-iinom

The different uses between using mag/nag and um is kinda wishy-washy. I seem to find different answer as to which is proper. In the end, they both kinda do the same thing, but using mag/nag can sometimes change the word's meaning altogether. This thread had a pretty good breakdown though.

Ma- and Pa-

Changing a noun into an adjective/adverb/verb. Information summarized from this post here.

Ma

When attached to a noun, it changes the noun into an adjective/verb. Then in some cases provide a tense to a verb making it infinitive or future tense. See examples below.

Root word	English	Adjective-Verb	English
Tulog	Sleep	Matutulog ka	Go to sleep
ligo	Bath	maligo ka	Go take a bath
ganda	beauty	maganda	beautiful (full of beauty)
tabat	fat	matabat	fatso (full of fat)
lakas	strength	malakas	strong

Pa

Pa is used to politely ask to perform an action. Information summarized from here.

Root	Example	English
abot	Paabot ng suka	Kindly hand me over the vinegar
lagay	Palagay diyan	Kindly put it there.

Pa can also be used as still or yet when followed up by an action.

Example	English
nagluluto pa ako	I'm still cooking
merong pa	There's still some (more)