Affix List

Introduction

This reference lists Tagalog verb and noun affixes organized by focus type and function. Each affix entry includes its form, placement, focus type, aspect handling, and examples. Use this list to identify affix patterns and understand how they modify root words.

Actor Focus Affixes

Actor focus affixes emphasize the doer of the action. The actor becomes the topic marked by ang or si.

-um- (Infix)

Affix	Focus	Aspect Handling	Example Root	Perfective	Imperfective	Contemplative	English
-um-	Actor	Infix after first consonant; reduplication of first syllable for imperfective	kain	kumain	kumakain	kakain	eat
-um-	Actor	Same pattern	sulat	sumulat	sumusulat	susulat	write
-um-	Actor	Same pattern	bili	bumili	bumibili	bibili	buy
-um-	Actor	Same pattern	dating	dumating	dumarating	darating	arrive

Placement Rule

-um- is inserted after the first consonant of the root. If the root starts with a vowel, -um- becomes a prefix: abot → umabot.

mag- (Prefix)

Affix	Focus	Aspect Handling	Example Root	Perfective	Imperfective	Contemplative	English
mag-	Actor	Prefix; nag- for perfective; reduplication of first syllable of root for imperfective	luto	nagluto	nagluluto	magluluto	cook
mag-	Actor	Same pattern	linis	naglinis	naglilinis	maglilinis	clean
mag-	Actor	Same pattern	trabaho	nagtrabaho	nagtatrabaho	magtatrabaho	work
mag-	Actor	Same pattern	aral	nag-aral	nag-aaral	mag-aaral	study

Perfective Form

In the perfective aspect, mag- becomes nag-.

ma- (Prefix)

Affix	Focus	Aspect Handling	Example Root	Perfective	Imperfective	Contemplative	English
ma-	Actor	Prefix; na- for perfective; reduplication for imperfective	tulog	natulog	natutulog	matutulog	sleep
ma-	Actor	Same pattern	upo	naupo	nauupo	mauupo	sit
ma-	Actor	Same pattern	hulog	nahulog	nahuhulog	mahuhulog	fall

Usage

ma- often indicates accidental or unintentional actions, or natural states.

mang- (Prefix)

Affix	Focus	Aspect Handling	Example Root	Perfective	Imperfective	Contemplative	English
mang-	Actor	Prefix; assimilates to mam-, man-, or mang- based on first letter of root	bili	namili	namimili	mamimili	shop/buy things
mang-	Actor	Same pattern	kuha	nangkuha	nangkukuha	mangkukuha	take/get (multiple)
mang-	Actor	Same pattern	sira	nanira	naninira	maninira	destroy (multiple)

Assimilation

Initial consonants p, b, t, d, k, g, s may drop when mang- is added, depending on phonetic rules.

maka- (Prefix)

Affix	Focus	Aspect Handling	Example Root	Perfective	Imperfective	Contemplative	English
maka-	Actor	Prefix; naka- for perfective	kain	nakakain	nakakakain	makakakain	able to eat
maka-	Actor	Same pattern	tulog	nakatulog	nakakatulog	makakatulog	able to sleep
maka-	Actor	Same pattern	dating	nakadating	nakakadating	makakadating	able to arrive

Meaning

maka- expresses ability or potential to perform an action.

makapag- (Prefix)

Affix	Focus	Aspect Handling	Example Root	Perfective	Imperfective	Contemplative	English
makapag-	Actor	Prefix; nakapag- for perfective	luto	nakapag-luto	nakakapagluto	makakapagluto	able to cook
makapag-	Actor	Same pattern	trabaho	nakapag-trabaho	nakakapagtrabaho	makakapagtrabaho	able to work

Function

makapag- combines ability (maka-) with actor focus (mag-).

Object/Patient Focus Affixes

Object focus affixes emphasize what is acted upon. The object becomes the topic marked by ang or si.

-in (Suffix)

Affix	Focus	Aspect Handling	Example Root	Perfective	Imperfective	Contemplative	English
-in	Patient	Infix -in- after first consonant for perfective; reduplication of first syllable for imperfective; -in suffix for contemplative	kain	kinain	kinakain	kakainin	was/is/will be eaten
-in	Patient	Same pattern	bili	binili	binibili	bibilhin	was/is/will be bought
-in	Patient	Same pattern	kuha	kinuha	kinukuha	kukunin	was/is/will be taken

Placement

The perfective form places -in- as an infix; the contemplative form adds -in as a suffix, sometimes becoming -hin after vowels.

-an (Suffix)

Affix	Focus	Aspect Handling	Example Root	Perfective	Imperfective	Contemplative	English
-an	Locative/Patient	Infix -in- + suffix -an for perfective; reduplication for imperfective	luto	nilutuan	nilulutuan	lulutuan	was/is/will be cooked on/at
-an	Locative/Patient	Same pattern	bili	binilhan	binibilhan	bibilhan	was/is/will be bought from
-an	Locative/Patient	Same pattern	abot	inabutan	inaabutan	aabutan	was/is/will be reached/given to

Function

-an often indicates the location where an action occurs or the recipient of an action.

i- (Prefix)

Affix	Focus	Aspect Handling	Example Root	Perfective	Imperfective	Contemplative	English
i-	Patient/Instrumental	Prefix i- + infix -in- for perfective; reduplication for imperfective	lagay	inilagay	inilalagay	ilalagay	was/is/will be placed
i-	Patient/Instrumental	Same pattern	bigay	ibinigay	ibinibigay	ibibigay	was/is/will be given
i-	Patient/Instrumental	Same pattern	abot	inabot	inaabot	iaabot	was/is/will be reached/handed

Usage

i- can indicate either what is acted upon or what is used as an instrument, depending on context.

Locative Focus Affixes

Locative focus affixes emphasize where an action occurs. The location becomes the topic.

-an (Suffix)

Affix	Focus	Aspect Handling	Example Root	Perfective	Imperfective	Contemplative	English
-an	Locative	Infix -in- + suffix -an	sulat	sinulatan	sinusulatan	susulatan	was/is/will be written on
-an	Locative	Same pattern	punta	pinuntahan	pinupuntahan	pupuntahan	was/is/will be gone to
-an	Locative	Same pattern	tulog	tinulugan	tinutulugan	tutulugan	was/is/will be slept in/on

pag-__-an (Circumfix)

Affix	Focus	Aspect Handling	Example Root	Perfective	Imperfective	Contemplative	English
pag-__-an	Locative	Circumfix with infix -in- for perfective	luto	pinaglutuan	pinaglulutuán	paglulutuán	was/is/will be cooked on/at (place)
pag-__-an	Locative	Same pattern	trabaho	pinagtrabahuan	pinagtatrabahuan	pagtatrabahuan	was/is/will be worked at

Benefactive Focus Affixes

Benefactive focus affixes emphasize for whom an action is performed. The beneficiary becomes the topic.

i- + pag- (Combination)

Affix	Focus	Aspect Handling	Example Root	Perfective	Imperfective	Contemplative	English
ipag-	Benefactive	Prefix ipag- + infix -in- for perfective	luto	ipinagluto	ipinagluluto	ipagluluto	was/is/will be cooked for
ipag-	Benefactive	Same pattern	bili	ipinagbili	ipinagbibili	ipagbibili	was/is/will be bought for
ipag-	Benefactive	Same pattern	gawa	ipinaggawa	ipinaggagawa	ipaggagawa	was/is/will be made for

i- (Prefix - Benefactive variant)

Affix	Focus	Aspect Handling	Example Root	Perfective	Imperfective	Contemplative	English
i-	Benefactive	Prefix i- + infix -in-	bili	ibinili	ibinibili	ibibili	was/is/will be bought for (someone)
i-	Benefactive	Same pattern	kuha	ikinuha	ikinukuha	ikukuha	was/is/will be gotten for

Instrumental Focus Affixes

Instrumental focus affixes emphasize what is used to perform an action. The instrument becomes the topic.

ipang- (Prefix)

Affix	Focus	Aspect Handling	Example Root	Perfective	Imperfective	Contemplative	English
ipang-	Instrumental	Prefix with -in- infix for perfective	sulat	ipinangsulat	ipinangsusulat	ipangsusulat	was/is/will be used to write
ipang-	Instrumental	Same pattern	kutkot	ipinangkutkot	ipinangkukutkot	ipangkukutkot	was/is/will be used to scrape
ipang-	Instrumental	Same pattern	putol	ipinangputol	ipinangpuputol	ipangpuputol	was/is/will be used to cut

i- (Prefix - Instrumental variant)

Affix	Focus	Aspect Handling	Example Root	Perfective	Imperfective	Contemplative	English
i-	Instrumental	Prefix i- + infix -in-	sakay	inisakay	isinisakay	isasakay	was/is/will be used for riding
i-	Instrumental	Same pattern	palo	ipinalo	ipinápalo	ipápalo	was/is/will be used to hit with

Causative Affixes

Causative affixes indicate that the subject causes someone else to perform an action.

pa-__-in (Circumfix)

Affix	Focus	Aspect Handling	Example Root	Perfective	Imperfective	Contemplative	English
pa-__-in	Causative	Circumfix with infix -in- for perfective	kain	pinakain	pinakakain	pakakainin	had (someone) eat
pa-__-in	Causative	Same pattern	gawa	pinagawa	pinagagawa	pagagawa	had (something) made
pa-__-in	Causative	Same pattern	sulat	pinasulat	pinasusulat	pasusulat	had (something) written

magpa- (Prefix)

Affix	Focus	Aspect Handling	Example Root	Perfective	Imperfective	Contemplative	English
magpa-	Causative Actor	Prefix; nagpa- for perfective	luto	nagpaluto	nagpapaluto	magpapaluto	had (someone) cook
magpa-	Causative Actor	Same pattern	gawa	nagpagawa	nagpapagawa	magpapagawa	had (something) made
magpa-	Causative Actor	Same pattern	gupit	nagpagupit	nagpápagupit	magpápagupit	had (hair) cut

Noun-Forming Affixes

pag- (Prefix)

Affix	Function	Example Root	Noun	English
pag-	Forms abstract noun from verb	ibig	pag-ibig	love
pag-	Forms abstract noun	asa	pag-asa	hope
pag-	Forms abstract noun	tulong	pagtulong	help/helping

pag-__-an (Circumfix)

Affix	Function	Example Root	Noun	English
pag-__-an	Forms noun indicating place or occasion	tinda	pagtindahan	store
pag-__-an	Same pattern	tipon	pagtipunan	gathering place
pag-__-an	Same pattern	luto	paglutuan	kitchen/place for cooking

ka-__-an (Circumfix)

Affix	Function	Example Root	Noun	English
ka-__-an	Forms abstract noun expressing state or quality	ganda	kagandahan	beauty
ka-__-an	Same pattern	laki	kalakihan	size/largeness
ka-__-an	Same pattern	buti	kabutihan	goodness

tag- (Prefix)

Affix	Function	Example Root	Noun	English
tag-	Forms noun indicating season or person who does something	ulan	tag-ulan	rainy season
tag-	Same pattern	init	tag-init	summer/hot season
tag-	Same pattern	luto	tagluto	cook (person)

mang- (Prefix - Noun-forming)

Affix	Function	Example Root	Noun	English
mang-	Forms noun for person who habitually does action	isda	mangingisda	fisherman
mang-	Same pattern	gamot	manggagamot	doctor/healer
mang-	Same pattern	gulo	mánguguló	troublemaker

Adjective-Forming Affixes

ma- (Prefix)

Affix	Function	Example Root	Adjective	English
ma-	Forms descriptive adjective	ganda	maganda	beautiful
ma-	Same pattern	bait	mabait	kind
ma-	Same pattern	taas	mataas	tall/high
ma-	Same pattern	init	mainit	hot

ma-__-in (Circumfix)

Affix	Function	Example Root	Adjective	English
ma-__-in	Forms adjective (alternative form)	luha	maluhaín	tearful
ma-__-in	Same pattern	sama	masamain	inclined to be bad

mapag- (Prefix)

Affix	Function	Example Root	Adjective	English
mapag-	Forms adjective indicating habitual behavior	bigay	mapagbigay	generous
mapag-	Same pattern	mahal	mapagmahal	loving
mapag-	Same pattern	mura	mapagmura	prone to cursing

-in (Suffix - Adjective)

Affix	Function	Example Root	Adjective	English
-in	Forms adjective (often with reduplication)	pula	pulahín	reddish
-in	Same pattern	bata	batain	childish

Reciprocal Affixes

mag-__-an (Circumfix)

Affix	Function	Example Root	Verb	English
mag-__-an	Indicates reciprocal action	usap	mag-usapan	to talk to each other
mag-__-an	Same pattern	kita	magkitaan	to see each other
mag-__-an	Same pattern	away	mag-awayan	to quarrel with each other

magka- (Prefix)

Affix	Function	Example Root	Verb	English
magka-	Indicates mutual or reciprocal action or state	sama	magkasama	to be together
magka-	Same pattern	sunod	magkasunod	consecutive
magka-	Same pattern	tulog	magkatulog	to sleep together

Social Register Affixes

paki- (Prefix)

Affix	Function	Example Root	Verb	English
paki-	Polite request	abot	pakiabot	please hand/pass
paki-	Same pattern	bigay	pakibigay	please give
paki-	Same pattern	kuha	pakikuha	please get

Politeness

paki- softens commands into polite requests, similar to "please" in English.

Diminutive and Augmentative

Reduplication

Pattern	Function	Example Root	Result	English
Full reduplication	Diminutive or plurality	bahay	bahay-bahay	little houses
Full reduplication	Diminutive	aso	aso-aso	little dog
Partial reduplication	Various aspects and intensification	ganda	magaganda	very beautiful (plural)

See Also

• Verb Affixes – Detailed explanation of verb affixation
• Verb Focus System – Understanding focus in Tagalog
• Verb Aspect – Aspect system details
• Root Word List – Common root words