Reference
Reference Materials
Core glossary, verb tables, cheat sheet, and answer keys
About this reference
This section is a working desk guide for the lessons above. It prioritizes high-frequency items from Parts 1–7. Stress is marked with an acute accent on the stressed vowel when helpful (e.g., salámat). Final glottal stops are noted with a trailing mark where contrast matters.
Core Tagalog–English Glossary
Alphabetical by Tagalog. Focus on words you will reuse in survival conversations.
| Tagalog | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ako | I / me (ang-form) | Topic pronoun |
| anak | child / offspring | |
| ano | what | |
| asawa | spouse | |
| ate | older sister; respectful address to older female | |
| ayos | okay / in order / great | Casual |
| ba | yes/no question particle | Enclitic |
| baba | get off / go down | Transport |
| bahay | house / home | |
| bakit | why | |
| basa | read (root) | bumasa |
| bayad | payment | |
| bayanihan | community cooperation | Cultural ideal |
| bukas | tomorrow; open | Context |
| busog | full (from food) | |
| CR | restroom | Common abbreviation |
| damit | clothing | |
| din / rin | also / too | rin after vowel |
| galit | angry | |
| gigil | urge to squeeze something cute | Untranslatable |
| gulay | vegetable(s) | |
| gusto | want / like | |
| gutom | hungry |
| Tagalog | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| hindi | no / not | Negates statements |
| huwag | don’t | Negative command |
| ikaw / ka | you (singular) | ka after verbs/particles |
| inom | drink (root) | uminom |
| isda | fish | |
| kaibigan | friend | |
| kain | eat (root) | kumain |
| kailan | when | |
| kami | we (excluding listener) | |
| kanan | right | |
| kapatid | sibling | |
| kayo | you (plural / polite singular) | |
| kilig | romantic flutter / butterflies | |
| kumusta / kamusta | how are you / hello | |
| kuya | older brother; respectful address to older male | |
| lolo / lola | grandfather / grandmother | |
| luto | cook (root) | magluto |
| mabuti | fine / good | |
| maganda | beautiful / nice | |
| magkano | how much | |
| malungkot | sad | |
| masaya | happy | |
| may / mayroon | there is / have |
| Tagalog | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| na | already / now | Enclitic |
| naman | softener / contrast | Enclitic |
| nanay / mama | mother | |
| oo / opo | yes / yes (respectful) | |
| pa | still / yet / else | Enclitic |
| paalam | goodbye | |
| paano | how | |
| pagkain | food | |
| pagod | tired | |
| palengke | market | |
| pamasahe | fare | |
| pasensya na | sorry / excuse me | |
| po | politeness particle | With elders, formal |
| punta | go (root) | pumunta |
| saan | where | |
| sakay | ride / board | |
| salámat | thank you | + po polite |
| sige | okay / go ahead | |
| sino | who |
| Tagalog | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| takot | afraid | |
| tampo | hurt / withdrawn displeasure | |
| tatay / papa | father | |
| tayo | we (including listener) | |
| tubig | water | |
| tulog | sleep (root) | matulog |
| tulong | help | |
| ulan | rain | |
| umaga / hapon / gabi | morning / afternoon / evening | Greetings |
| wala | none / there is no | |
| walang anuman | you’re welcome |
Master Verb Aspect Table High-frequency
Actor-focus patterns commonly taught first. Forms are representative; some roots also have object-focus paradigms.
| Root | Completed | Uncompleted | Contemplated | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| kain | kumain | kumakain | kakain | eat |
| inom | uminom | umiinom | iinom | drink |
| punta | pumunta | pumupunta | pupunta | go |
| uwi | umuwi | umuuwi | uuwi | go home |
| alis | umalis | umaalis | aalis | leave |
| basa | bumasa | bumabasa | babasa | read |
| sulat | sumulat | sumusulat | susulat | write |
| tulog | natulog | natutulog | matutulog | sleep |
| luto (mag-) | nagluto | nagluluto | magluluto | cook |
| aral (mag-) | nag-aral | nag-aaral | mag-aaral | study |
| linis (mag-) | naglinis | naglilinis | maglilinis | clean |
| bili | bumili | bumibili | bibili | buy |
| bigay | nagbigay | nagbibigay | magbibigay | give |
| tawa | tumawa | tumatawa | tatawa | laugh |
| iyak | umiyak | umiiyak | iiyak | cry |
| Example | Focus | Gloss |
|---|---|---|
| Kinain ng bata ang mangga. | Object | The child ate the mango. |
| Iluluto ni Ana ang adobo. | Object | Ana will cook the adobo. |
| Binasa ko ang libro. | Object | I read the book. |
Everyday Cheat Sheet
Markers
- ang — focused / topic noun phrase
- ng — non-focused actor/object/possessor
- sa — location, goal, recipient, oblique
- si / ni / kay — personal-name counterparts of ang / ng / sa
Negators
- hindi — not (statements)
- wala — none / not exist
- huwag — don’t (commands)
Survival phrases
- Magandang umaga / hapon / gabi po.
- Kumusta po kayo?
- Salamat po. / Maraming salamat po.
- Hindi ko po naiintindihan.
- Nasaan po ang CR?
- Magkano po ito?
- Tulong!
- Para po! (jeepney stop)
Answer Keys
Part 4 mini-drills
- Ang aso ay tumatakbo.
- Bumili ako ng tinapay.
- Pupunta kami sa Cebu.
- Ang pangalan niya ay Marco.
- kumain / kumakain / kakain
- uminom / umiinom / iinom
- pumunta / pumupunta / pupunta
- nagluto / nagluluto / magluluto
- Common object-focus: Iluluto ni Ana ang adobo.
- Focused participant: ang mangga (the mango / patient).
Chapter 7.1 matching
1-B food · 2-A sibling · 3-B right · 4-A rain · 5-B clothing
Exercises 7.2–7.8
See inline answers in Part 7 tables. Checkpoint 7.8: Salamat po; Nasaan ang CR?; Hindi ako pagod; Kain tayo!; Hindi ko naiintindihan.
Exercise 7.9 (additional)
Answers appear in the Part 7 tables for 7.9.1–7.9.2. Dialogue 7.9.3: Papunta po sa Quiapo. / Dadaan po ba sa simbahan? / Para po!