Using Basic Verbs (Present Tense)

Welcome! Now that you know basic Tagalog sentences, let's learn how to talk about actions happening now using simple present tense verbs. We'll focus on the most common way to form these verbs.

Doing Actions Now: Common Verbs

Tagalog verbs change form to show tense (like present, past, future). We'll focus on the present tense - actions happening right now. Many common verbs follow these patterns:

Verbs like "Kumain" (To Eat) - Using "-um-"

Some verbs add "-um-" inside the word. For the present tense, the first part of the word is often repeated.

• Root: kain (eat)

  • Present: Kumakain (is eating / eats)
  • Example: Kumakain ako. (I am eating.)

• Root: punta (go)

  • Present: Pumupunta (is going / goes)
  • Example: Pumupunta si Maria sa tindahan. (Maria is going to the store.)

• Root: inom (drink)

  • Present: Umiinom (is drinking / drinks)
  • Example: Umiinom ka ba ng kape? (Are you drinking coffee?)

• Root: lakad (walk)

  • Present: Lumalakat (is walking / walks)
  • Example: Lumalakat kami sa parke. (We are walking in the park.)

Verbs like "Magluto" (To Cook) - Using "Nag-"

Other verbs add "nag-" at the beginning. For the present tense, the first part of the root word is also repeated.

• Root: luto (cook)

  • Present: Nagluluto (is cooking / cooks)
  • Example: Nagluluto ang nanay. (The mother is cooking.)

• Root: aral (study)

  • Present: Nag-aaral (is studying / studies)
  • Example: Nag-aaral si Juan ng Tagalog. (Juan is studying Tagalog.)

• Root: basa (read)

  • Present: Nagbabasa (is reading / reads)
  • Example: Nagbabasa sila ng libro. (They are reading a book.)

• Root: salita (speak)

  • Present: Nagsasalita (is speaking / speaks)
  • Example: Nagsasalita ka ba ng Ingles? (Do you speak English?)

Key Idea: These verbs focus on the person doing the action (the "actor"). This is the most common pattern for beginners.

(You might sometimes hear verbs that sound different, like "kinakain" or "binabasa". These often focus more on the object being acted upon. Don't worry about forming these yet, just focus on recognizing and using the "kumakain" and "nagluluto" types for now!)

Using Verbs in Sentences

Let's use these verbs with the sentence structures you learned:

• [Verb] + [ang/si + Subject].

  • Kumakain ang bata. (The child is eating.)
  • Nagluluto si Ana. (Ana is cooking.)
  • Pumupunta kami. (We are going.)

• [Verb] + [Pronoun].

  • Nag-aaral ako. (I am studying.)
  • Nagbabasa ka ba? (Are you reading?)
  • Umiinom sila. (They are drinking.)

• [Verb] + [Pronoun] + [ng + Object].

  • Kumakain ako ng kanin. (I am eating rice.)
  • Nagbabasa siya ng libro. (He/She is reading a book.)
  • Nagluluto kami ng adobo. (We are cooking adobo.)

Expressing "Want" and "Like" - Using "Gusto"

A very useful word is gusto, which means "want" or "like". It often acts like a verb.

• Gusto ko. - I want / I like.
• Gusto ko ng kape. - I want/like coffee.
• Gusto mo ba ng tsaa? - Do you want/like tea?

You can also use gusto with another verb infinitive (the root form, sometimes with mag-):

• Gusto kong kumain. - I want to eat.
• Gusto niyang mag-aral. - He/She wants to study.
• Gusto nilang pumunta. - They want to go.

Conversation Practice

Let's see these verbs in a simple conversation:

Talking about Activities:

Wrap-Up

Magaling! (Great job!) You've learned how to use some of the most common Tagalog verbs in the present tense to talk about ongoing actions. You can now say what you and others are doing right now. Practice using verbs like kumakain, pumupunta, nagluluto, and nag-aaral. Remember gusto for expressing wants and likes!

In our final lesson, we'll explore Filipino culture to help you communicate even better!

Next up: Learn about Filipino culture!