In my previous posts, I talked about translating English verbs with different tenses to Filipino. Strictly speaking, instead of tense, the Filipino language has what linguists would call the verbal aspect. The verbal aspect indicates whether an action or event has begun, is still in progress, has been completed, or has yet to begin. This is accomplished by changing the root word by reduplication and affixation.

According to Maria Sheila Zamar in Filipino: The Essential Grammar (2023), the four aspects of Filipino verbs are infinitive, completed, incompleted, and contemplated. Schachter and Otanes in Tagalog Reference Grammar (1972) identify the three aspects of the Tagalog verb system as perfective, imperfective, and contemplated. However, according to Ramos and Bautista in Handbook of Tagalog Verbs: Inflections, Modes, and Aspects (1986), the infinitive form of the verb (the imperative form of the verb) does not imply an aspect.

In Filipino, these three aspects of verbs (mga aspekto ng pandiwa) are called aspektong perpektibo, aspektong imperpektibo, and aspektong kontemplatibo. The perfective or completed aspect describes an action or event as started and completed or terminated (e.g, kumain). The imperfective or incompleted or progressive aspect describes an action or event that has begun but is not yet completed or terminated; it is still in progress (e.g., kumakain). Finally, the contemplated aspect describes an action or event that has not begun but is expected to happen (e.g., kakain).

I have seen that the terms aspektong perpektibo, aspektong imperpektibo, and aspektong kontemplatibo are interchanged with the terms aspektong pangnagdaan or aspektong naganap (past), aspektong pangkasalukuyang or aspektong nagaganap (present), and aspektong panghinaharap or aspektong magaganap (future), respectively. As a result, verbal tense is often associated with verbal aspect even though they are different concepts in the study of linguistics.

Distinguishing tense from aspect is a bit confusing. I would say that when we talk about tense, we use the terms past tense, present tense, and future tense. (In English, tenses would be categorized as past and non-past.) We tend to talk about the event or action relative to the a past, present, or future time, as if we are placing or containing it in those three time categories. When we talk about aspect, we tend to describe time as a feature of the event or action. Aspect answers the questions Has the event or action started? Did it just begin? It is still in progress? Is it repeated or habitual? Did it just end? Has it ended?

When the doer or performer of the action described by the verb is the subject or focus of the sentence, the verb is said to have the actor focus (AF), sometimes called agent focus. Actor focus verbs in Filipino have the prefixes MAG, UM, or MA. Some verbs can take both affixes MAG and UM (e.g., magbalik, bumalik). The verbs with the prefix KA, as in the word kaluluto, are said to belong to another verbal aspect called recent perfective or perpektibong katatapos.

Filipino verbs with the actor focus are conjugated differently from verbs with the object focus (OF). Let’s look at examples of AF verbs with the prefix MAG in the four different verbal aspects as described by Zamar. The verbal aspects of the actor focus MAG verbs are formed as described below. Let’s use the root word aral (to study) and bayad (to pay).

1. Infinitive aspect (pawatas): Add the prefix mag- to the root word. If the root word begins with a vowel (A, E, I, O, or U), write a hyphen after the prefix.

Examples: mag-aral (mag- + aral), magbayad (mag + bayad)

Mag-aral kayo nang mabuti para sa pagsusulit bukas. = Study well for the test tomorrow.

Magbayad ka ng labindalawang piso sa drayber ng dyip. = Pay twelve pesos to the driver of the jeep.

2. Completed or perfective aspect (aspektong perpektibo): Add the prefix nag- to the root word. If the root word begins with a vowel (A, E, I, O, or U), write a hyphen after the prefix.

Examples: nag-aral (nag- + aral), nagbayad (nag + bayad)

Nag-aral kami para sa pagsusulit ngayon. = We studied for the test today.

Nagbayad ako ng pamasahe. = I paid the fare.

3. Incompleted, imperfective or progressive aspect (aspektong imperpektibo): Reduplicate the first syllable or first consonant-vowel (CV) pair of the root word, then add the prefix nag-. If the root word begins with a vowel (A, E, I, O, or U), the vowel is the first syllable. If the root word begins with a vowel, write a hyphen after the prefix.

Examples: nag-aaral (nag- + a + aral), nagbabayad (nag + ba + bayad)

Nag-aaral ang mga bata sa kanilang kuwarto. = The children are studying in their room.

Nagbabayad ako para sa kuryente kada buwan. = I pay for the electricity each month.

4. Contemplated aspect (aspektong kontemplatibo): Reduplicate the first syllable or first consonant-vowel pair of the root word, then add the prefix mag-. If the root word begins with a vowel (A, E, I, O, or U), the vowel is the first syllable. If the root word begins with a vowel, write a hyphen after the prefix.

Examples: mag-aaral (mag- + a + aral), magbabayad (mag + ba + bayad)

Mag-aaral kami sa silid-aklatan sa Biyernes. = We will study in the library on Friday.

Magbabayad kami ng renta para sa buwan ng Nobyembre. = We will pay the rent for the month of November.

There are a lot of verbs in the table below. Click on Next below the table to see the other verbs. Click on Previous to view the previous verbs. Use the Search bar to search a particular root word or English translation. Click the UP arrow in a column header to order the items alphabetically from A. Click the DOWN arrow to reverse the order.

Don’t worry! There’s a downloadable PDF file below the table. This would be a good resource for teachers who want to make exercises, quizzes, tests, or assignments on conjugating Filipino verbs.

Verbal Aspects of Filipino Actor-Focus MAG Verbs

ROOT WORD	ENGLISH TRANSLATION	INFINITIVE (PAWATAS)	COMPLETED/ PERFECTIVE (PERPEKTIBO)	INCOMPLETED/ IMPERFECTIVE (IMPERPEKTIBO)	CONTEMPLATED (KONTEMPLATIBO)
abot	to hand over something	mag-abot	nag-abot	nag-aabot	mag-aabot
aksaya	to waste or squander	mag-aksaya	nag-aksaya	nag-aaksaya	mag-aaksaya
alaga	to take care of	mag-alaga	nag-alaga	nag-aalaga	mag-aalaga
alala	to worry	mag-alala	nag-alala	nag-aalala	mag-aalala
alis	to remove	mag-alis	nag-alis	mag-aalis	mag-aalis
almusal	to eat breakfast	mag-almusal	nag-almusal	nag-aalmusal	mag-aalmusal
aral	to study	mag-aral	nag-aral	nag-aaral	mag-aaral
away	to fight or quarrel	mag-away	nag-away	nag-aaway	mag-aaway
ayos	to organize or arrange	mag-ayos	nag-ayos	nag-aayos	mag-aayos
baba	to bring down	magbaba	nagbaba	nagbababa	magbababa
bakasyon	to go on a vacation	magbakasyon	nagbakasyon	nagbabakasyon	magbabakasyon
balatkayo	to disguise oneself	magbalatkayo	nagbalatkayo	nagbabalatkayo	magbabalatkayo
balik	to come back or return	magbalik	nagbalik	nagbabalik	magbabalik
balita	to report (information)	magbalita	nagbalita	nagbabalita	magbabalita
banta	to threaten	magbanta	nagbanta	nagbabanta	magbabanta
bantay	to guard	magbantay	nagbantay	nagbabantay	magbabantay
basa	to read	magbasa	nagbasa	nagbabasa	magbabasa
bati	to become friends again	magbati	nagbati	nagbabati	magbabati
bawal	to forbid	magbawal	nagbawal	nagbabawal	magbabawal
bayad	to pay	magbayad	nagbayad	nagbabayad	magbabayad
benta	to sell	magbenta	nagbenta	nagbebenta	magbebenta
bigay	to give	magbigay	nagbigay	nagbibigay	magbibigay
bihis	to get dressed	magbihis	nagbihis	nagbibihis	magbibihis
bilang	to count	magbilang	nagbilang	nagbibilang	magbibilang
biro	to joke	magbiro	nagbiro	nagbibiro	magbibiro
bukas	to open something	magbukas	nagbukas	nagbubukas	magbubukas
bura	to erase	magbura	nagbura	nagbubura	magbubura
daan	to pass	magdaan	nagdaan	nagdaraan	magdaraan
dagdag	to add more or increase	magdagdag	nagdagdag	nagdaragdag	magdaragdag
dala	to bring	magdala	nagdala	nagdadala	magdadala
dasal	to pray	magdasal	nagdasal	nagdarasal	magdarasal
daya	to cheat	magdaya	nagdaya	nagdaraya	magdaraya
dilig	to water plants	magdilig	nagdilig	nagdidilig	magdidilig
gamot	to cure or heal	maggamot	naggamot	naggagamot	maggagamot
hagis	to throw	maghagis	naghagis	naghahagis	maghahagis
halal	to elect	maghalal	naghalal	naghahalal	maghahalal
halo	to mix	maghalo	naghalo	naghahalo	maghahalo
handa	to prepare	maghanda	naghanda	naghahanda	maghahanda
hatid	to drop off or bring	maghatid	naghatid	naghahatid	maghahatid
hilamos	to wash one's face	maghilamos	naghilamos	naghihilamos	maghihilamos
hintay	to wait	maghintay	naghintay	naghihintay	maghihintay
hiwa	to cut or slice	maghiwa	naghiwa	naghihiwa	maghihiwa
hiwalay	to separate from one another	maghiwalay	naghiwalay	naghihiwalay	maghihiwalay
hugas	to wash	maghugas	naghuguas	naghuhugas	maghuhugas
ingay	to make noise	mag-ingay	nag-ingay	nag-iingay	mag-iingay
init	to heat something up	mag-init	nag-init	nag-iinit	mag-iinit
ipon	to collect or save	mag-ipon	nag-ipon	nag-iipon	mag-iipon
isip	to think	mag-isip	nag-isip	nag-iisip	mag-iisip
iwan	to leave behind	mag-iwan	nag-iwan	nag-iiwan	mag-iiwan
kamay	to eat with one's bare hands	magkamay	nagkamay	nagkakamay	magkakamay
kita	to meet	magkita	nagkita	nagkikita	magkikita
kuwento	to tell a story	magkuwento	nagkuwento	nagkukuwento	magkukuwento
laba	to wash clothes	maglaba	naglaba	naglalaba	maglalaba
labas	to take or bring out	maglabas	naglabas	naglalabas	maglalabas
lagay	to place something	maglagay	naglagay	naglalagay	maglalagay
lakad	to walk	maglakad	naglakad	naglalakad	maglalakad
lakbay	to journey or travel	maglakbay	naglakbay	naglalakbay	maglalakbay
lako	to peddle or sell	maglako	naglako	naglalako	maglalako
lakwatsa	to wander around	maglakwatsa	naglakwatsa	naglalakwatsa	maglalakwatsa
laro	to play a game	maglaro	naglaro	naglalaro	maglalaro
ligpit	to put away	magligpit	nagligpit	nagliligpit	magliligpit
linis	to clean	maglinis	naglinis	naglilinis	maglilinis
lipat	to move or transfer something	maglipat	naglipat	naglilipat	maglilipat
luto	to cook	magluto	nagluto	nagluluto	magluluto
mahal	to love	magmahal	nagmahal	nagmamahal	magmamahal
maneho	to drive a vehicle	magmaneho	nagmaneho	nagmamaneho	magmamaneho
mano	to raise an elder's hand to your forehead	magmano	nagmano	nagmamano	magmamano
nakaw	to steal	magnakaw	nagnakaw	nagnanakaw	magnanakaw
paalam	to ask permission or say goodbye	magpaalam	nagpaalam	nagpapaalam	magpapaalam
pahinga	to rest	magpahinga	nagpahinga	nagpapahinga	magpapahinga
palit	to change or replace	magpalit	nagpalit	nagpapalit	magpapalit
pasyal	to take a stroll or tour	magpasyal	nagpasyal	nagpapasyal	magpapasyal
patay	to slaughter (an animal)	magpatay	nagpatay	nagpapatay	magpapatay
pinta	to paint	magpinta	nagpinta	nagpipinta	magpipinta
plantsa	to iron or press	magplantsa	nagplantsa	nagpaplantsa	magpaplantsa
punas	to wipe	magpunas	nagpunas	nagpupunas	magpupunas
puno	to fill up a container	magpuno	nagpuno	nagpupuno	magpupuno
punta	to go to	magpunta	nagpunta	nagpupunta	magpupunta
regalo	to give a gift	magregalo	nagregalo	nagreregalo	magreregalo
sabi	to say	magsabi	nagsabi	nagsasabi	magsasabi
salita	to talk or speak	magsalita	nagsalita	nagsasalita	magsasalita
sara	to close	magsara	nagsara	nagsasara	magsasara
sauli	to return something borrowed	magsauli	nagsauli	nagsasauli	magsasauli
saya	to be happy	magsaya	nagsaya	nagsasaya	magsasaya
sayaw	to dance	magsayaw	nagsayaw	nagsasayaw	magsasayaw
sikap	to strive	magsikap	nagsikap	nagsisikap	magsisikap
sipilyo	to brush one's teeth	magsipilyo	nagsipilyo	nagsisipilyo	magsisipilyo
sugal	to gamble	magsugal	nagsugal	nagsusugal	magsusugal
sukat	to try the fit of some clothing	magsukat	nagsukat	nagsusukat	magsusukat
suklay	to comb one's hair	magsuklay	nagsuklay	nagsusuklay	magsusuklay
sulat	to write or compose	magsulat	nagsulat	nagsusulat	magsusulat
sunog	to burn	magsunog	nagsunog	nagsusunog	magsusunog
suot	to wear	magsuot	nagsuot	nagsusuot	magsusuot
tago	to hide oneself	magtago	nagtago	nagtatago	magtatago
takip	to cover	magtakip	nagtakip	nagtatakip	magtatakip
tanim	to plant	magtanim	nagtanim	nagtatanim	magtatanim
tanong	to ask a question	magtanong	nagtanong	nagtatanong	magtatanong
tapon	to throw	magtapon	nagtapon	nagtatapon	magtatapon
tapos	to graduate	magtapos	nagtapos	nagtatapos	magtatapos
tayo	to erect or build	magtayo	nagtayo	nagtatayo	magtatayo
tinda	to sell	magtinda	nagtinda	nagtitinda	magtitinda
trabaho	to work	magtrabaho	nagtrabaho	nagtatrabaho	magtatrabaho
turo	to teach	magturo	nagturo	nagtuturo	magtuturo
ulit	to redo	mag-ulit	nag-ulit	nag-uulit	mag-uulit
usap	to converse	mag-usap	nag-usap	nag-uusap	mag-uusap
usisa	to investigate or inquire	mag-usisa	nag-usisa	nag-uusisa	mag-uusisa
utos	to give an order	mag-utos	nag-utos	nag-uutos	mag-uutos
uwi	to bring home	mag-uwi	nag-uwi	nag-uuwi	mag-uuwi
walis	to sweep	magwalis	nagwalis	nagwawalis	magwawalis

Click the link below to download a PDF file of the table above. This PDF file is for personal and classroom use only. Uploading it anywhere on the internet is not allowed. Commercial use and mass distribution is strictly prohibited.

In the next post, I will give a list of the actor focus UM verbs.