Note: This post has tables with multiple rows and columns. It is best to view the tables using a desktop or laptop computer, not a mobile phone.
Not all Filipino verbs with the affix UM and MA are actor-focus verbs. Others are experiencer-focus verbs (pokus sa nakakaranas). If the subject of the sentence is the one experiencing or undergoing the action or event that is described by the verb, then the verb is an experiencer-focus verb. Ramos and Bautista in Handbook of Tagalog Verbs: Inflections, Modes, and Aspects (1986) call the subject the actor-undergoer, which could be persons and animals, or animate objects. They did not call the verb an experiencer-focus verb in their work, but a special type of actor-focus verb. According to them, if the subject is an inanimate object, the verb is an object-focus verb. For the authors, the verb lumamig in the sentence below is an object-focus verb since the subject (coffee) is an inanimate object.
Lumamig ang kape ko. = My coffee has become cold. [root word: lamig; l(um)amig]
However, Zamar in Filipino: An Essential Grammar (2023) used an experiencer-focus verb with a non-living subject and she points out that the subject is ‘non-volitional’. A volitional actor acts a result of a choice or decision; the actor has control over the action. If the subject is a volitional actor that does the action described by the verb, then the verb is an actor-focus verb. If the subject is non-volitional, the verb is an experiencer-focus verb, whether or not the subject is living. Therefore, some context is necessary in deciding whether a verb is an actor-focus verb or an experiencer-focus verb. If no context is given, then the reader has to assume the most likely scenario.
Following Zamar’s lead, some of my sample sentences with experiencer-focus verbs use subjects that are non-living.
The experiencer-focus verbs are often mistaken for actor-focus verbs since they have similar affixes (um and ma). But unlike the actor/doer of an actor-focus verb, the experiencer often has little or no control over the event or action expressed by the verb. Given this condition, verbs that describe accidents experienced by the subject (especially subjects that are animate), such as nadulas, nahulog, and natapilok, would be categorized as experiencer-focus verbs.
Noun-based Experiencer-Focus MA Verbs
The table below lists several experiencer-focus MA verbs. I have grouped them together because their root words are nouns. For example, the verb mabalo (to become a widow) comes from the root word and noun balo (widow). Typically, if a subject experiences the action or event described by the verb, it is a result of forces or factors external to the subject. The formation of the verbal aspects of experiencer-focus MA verbs follow the same word formation rules as the actor-focus MA verbs.
It should be noted that these verbs only become experiencer-focus verbs if the ‘experiencer’ is the subject of the sentence. In the examples below, the subject is underlined and the verb is boldfaced.
1. Baka mahawa si Marco sa sakit ni Monica. = Marco might be infected with Monica’s illness. [root word: hawa; ma- + hawa = mahawa]
2. Si Cecilia ay nadulas sa banyo. = Cecilia slipped in the bathroom. [root word: dulas; na- + dulas = nadulas]
3. Naaantala ang paglipad namin dahil sa bagyo. = Our flight is being delayed because of the storm. [root word: antala; na + a + antala = naaantala ]
4. Mapipinsala ang mga pasahero ng bus kung hindi maingat ang tsuper. = The passengers of the bus will be injured if the driver is not careful. [root word: pinsala; ma- + pi + pinsala = mapipinsala]
There are a lot of verbs in the table. 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.
| ROOT WORD | INFINITIVE (PAWATAS} | ENGLISH TRANSLATION | COMPLETED/ PERFECTIVE (PERPEKTIBO) | INCOMPLETED/ IMPERFECTIVE (IMPERPEKTIBO) | CONTEMPLATED (KONTEMPLATIBO) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| abala | maabala | to be inconvenienced | naabala | naaabala | maaabala |
| antala | maantala | to be delayed | naantala | naaantala | maaantala |
| aresto | maaresto | to be arrested | naaretso | naaaresto | maaaresto |
| balo | mabalo | to become a widow | nabalo | nababalo | mababalo |
| bighani | mabighani | to be charmed by someone | nabighani | nabibighani | mabibighani |
| biktima | mabiktima | to be victimized | nabiktima | nabibiktima | mabibiktima |
| bilanggo | mabilanggo | to be imprisoned | nabilanggo | nabibilanggo | mabibilanggo |
| binat | mabinat | to relapse | nabinat | nabibinat | mabibinat |
| dulas | madulas | to slip or slide | nadulas | nadudulas | madudulas |
| duwal | maduwal | to retch or throw up | naduwal | naduduwal | maduduwal |
| hawa | mahawa | to get infected or catch a disease | nahawa | nahahawa | mahahawa |
| himatay | mahimatay | to lose consciousness or faint | nahimatay | nahihimatay | mahihimatay |
| iyak | maiyak | to cry involuntarily | naiyak | naiiyak | maiiyak |
| lunod | malunod | to drown | nalunod | nalulunod | malulunod |
| ospital | naospital | to be hospitalized | naospital | naoospital | maoospital |
| pinsala | mapinsala | to be harmed or injured | napinsala | napipinsala | mapipinsala |
| pulubi | mamulubi | to become poor | namulubi | namumulubi | mamumulubi |
| putla | namutla | to become pale | namutla | namumutla | mamumutla |
| suka | masuka | to feel nauseous | nasuka | nasusuka | masusuka |
| tapilok | matapilok | to have one's ankle twisted after a misstep | natapilok | natatapilok | matatapilok |
| tawa | matawa | to be induced to laughter | natawa | natatawa | matatawa |
| tukso | matukso | to be tempted | natukso | natutukso | matutukso |
| ulila | maulila | to become orphaned or left alone | naulila | nauulila | mauulila |
Adjective-based Experiencer-Focus MA Verbs
The table below is another set of experiencer-focus MA verbs. I grouped these verbs together because their root words are adjectives. The meanings of the root words are listed in the second column. It has to be noted that some roots words can also be used as nouns. These experiencer-focus MA verbs describe the subject becoming or having the quality expressed by the adjective.
It should be noted that these verbs only become experiencer-focus verbs if the ‘experiencer’ is the subject of the sentence. In the examples below, the subject is underlined and the verb is boldfaced.
5. Ang aso ay nabingi dahil sa malalakas na pagsabog. = The dog became deaf because of the loud explosions. [root word: bingi; na- + bingi = nabingi]
6. Ang negosyo namin ay nalulugi dahil mababa ang aming benta. = Our business is losing money because our sales are low. [root word: lugi; na- + lu + lugi = nalulugi]
7. Magugutom si Ollie kung hindi siya kumain ng almusal. = Ollie will be hungry if he doesn’t eat breakfast. [root word: gutom; ma- + gu + gutom = magugutom]
There are a lot of verbs in the table. 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.
| ROOT WORD | MEANING | INFINITIVE (PAWATAS} | ENGLISH TRANSLATION | COMPLETED/ PERFECTIVE (PERPEKTIBO) | INCOMPLETED/ IMPERFECTIVE (IMPERPEKTIBO) | CONTEMPLATED (KONTEMPLATIBO) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| baliw | crazy | mabaliw | to go crazy | nabaliw | nababaliw | mababaliw |
| bigo | unsuccessful | mabigo | to be unsuccessful or disappointed | nabigo | nabibigo | mabibigo |
| bingi | deaf | mabingi | to become deaf | nabingi | nabibingi | mabibingi |
| buhay | alive | mabuhay | to live or have life | nabuhay | nabubuhay | mabubuhay |
| buking | found out | mabuking | to be found out | nabuking | nabubuking | mabubuking |
| bulag | blind | mabulag | to become blind | nabulag | nabubulag | mabubulag |
| buntis | pregnant | mabuntis | to become pregnant | nabuntis | nabubuntis | mabubuntis |
| busog | full | mabusog | to be satiated after eating | nabusog | nabubusog | mabubusog |
| dapa | lying face down | madapa | to stumble or fall flat | nadapa | nadadapa | madadapa |
| gutom | hungry | magutom | to be hungry | nagutom | nagugutom | magugutom |
| hilo | dizzy | mahilo | to feel dizzy or nauseated | nahilo | nahihilo | mahihilo |
| huli | caught | mahuli | to be caught | nahuli | nahuhuli | mahuhuli |
| hulog | fallen | mahulog | to fall | nahulog | nahuhulog | mahuhulog |
| laglag | dropped or fallen | malaglag | to fall off | nalaglag | nalalaglag | malalaglag |
| lugi | loser (financially) | malugi | to lose financially | nalugi | nalulugi | malulugi |
| luma | old or worn out | maluma | to become old or worn out | naluma | naluluma | maluluma |
| mulat | with eyes opened | mamulat | to have one's eyes opened or to realize | namulat | namumulat | mamumulat |
| pagod | tired | mapagod | to become tired | napagod | napapagod | mapapagod |
| paos | hoarse | mapaos | to have a hoarse voice | napaos | napapaos | mapapaos |
| patay | dead | mamatay | to die | namatay | namamatay | mamamatay |
| pikon | oversensitive | mapikon | to be easily offended | napikon | napipikon | mapipikon |
| pilay | lame | mapilay | to become crippled or lame | napilay | napipilay | mapipilay |
| pukaw | awake | mapukaw | to be awakened or aroused | napukaw | napupukaw | mapupukaw |
| pula | red | mapula | to become red or reddish | namula | namumula | mamumula |
| puti | white | maputi | to become white or whitish | namuti | namumuti | mamumuti |
| salanta | injured | masalanta | to be injured or damaged | nasalanta | nasasalanta | masasalanta |
| sanay | used to | masanay | to get used to | nasanay | nasasanay | masasanay |
| sawi | unfortunate | masawi | to be unfortunate or to die | nasawi | nasasawi | masasawi |
| talo | defeated | matalo | to be defeated | natalo | natatalo | matatalo |
| tuyo | dry | natuyo | to dry up | natuyo | natutuyo | matutuyo |
| uhaw | thirsty | mauhaw | to be thirsty | nauhaw | nauuhaw | mauuhaw |
| ulol | crazy | maulol | to go mad or crazy | naulol | nauulol | mauulol |
Feelings-Based Experiencer-Focus MA Verbs
The table below is another set of experiencer-focus MA verbs. I grouped these verbs together because their root words are related to feelings or mental states. The part of speech is indicated after each root word, whether it is a noun (n.), an adjective (adj.), or a verb (v.). The meanings of the root words are listed in the second column. There should be something that has caused the subject to experience the feeling or mental state denoted by the root word.
It should be noted that these verbs only become experiencer-focus verbs if the ‘experiencer’ is the subject of the sentence. In the examples below, the subject is underlined and the verb is boldfaced.
8. Nainggit si Dino sa batang may laruan. = Dino was envious of the child with the toy. [root word: inggit; na- + inggit = nainggit]
9. Ang bagong empleyado ay nalulula sa mga gawain. = The new employee is feeling overwhelmed by the tasks. [root word: lula; na- + lu +lula = nalulula]
10. Magagalit si Nanay kung hindi mo sabihin ang totoo. = Mother will get angry if you don’t tell the truth. [root word: galit; ma- + ga + galit = magagalit]
There are a lot of verbs in the table. 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.
| ROOT WORD | MEANING | INFINITIVE (PAWATAS} | ENGLISH TRANSLATION | COMPLETED/ PERFECTIVE (PERPEKTIBO) | INCOMPLETED/ IMPERFECTIVE (IMPERPEKTIBO) | CONTEMPLATED (KONTEMPLATIBO) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| akit, n. | attraction | maakit | to feel attracted to | naakit | naaakit | maaakit |
| aliw, n. | amusement | maaliw | to be amused | naaliw | naaaliw | maaaliw |
| asar, adj. | infuriating | maasar | to be furious or pissed off | naasar | naaasar | maaasar |
| bagabag, n. | uneasiness | mabagabag | to be agitated | nabagabag | nababagabag | mababagabag |
| bahala, n. | responsibility or care | mabahala | to be concerned | nabahala | nababahala | mababahala |
| balisa, adj. | anxious | mabalisa | to be upset or anxious | nabalisa | nababalisa | mababalisa |
| bigla, adj. | sudden | mabigla | to be shocked or surprised | nabigla | nabibigla | mabibigla |
| buwisit, n. | nuisance | mabuwisit | to feel annoyed | nabuwisit | nabubuwisit | mabubuwisit |
| dismaya, n. | dismay | madismaya | to feel discouraged or disappointed | nadismaya | nadidismaya | madidismaya |
| duwag, n., adj. | coward | maduwag | to be terrified or cowardly | naduduwag | naduduwag | maduduwag |
| galak, n. | joy | magalak | to feel happy | nagalak | nagagalak | magagalak |
| galit, n., adj. | anger; angry | magalit | to get angry | nagalit | nagagalit | magagalit |
| gulat, adj. | shocked | magulat | to be surprised or startled | nagulat | nagugulat | magugulat |
| hiya, n. | shyness | mahiya | to be shy | nahiya | nahihiya | mahihiya |
| hiya, n. | shame or embarrassment | mahiya | to feel ashamed | nahiya | nahihiya | mahihiya |
| inggit, n., adj. | envy or jealousy; envious or jealous | mainggit | to be jealous or envious | nainggit | naiinggit | maiinggit |
| inip, n. | boredom or impatience | mainip | to feel bored or impatient | nainip | naiinip | maiinip |
| inis, n., adj. | annoyance; annoyed | mainis | to feel annoyed | nainis | naiinis | maiinis |
| kuntento, adj. | content or satisfied | makuntento | to be contented | nakuntento | nakukuntento | makukuntento |
| lito, adj. | confused | malito | to be confused | nalito | nalilito | malilito |
| lula, n. | dizziness | malula | to feel dizzy or overwhelmed | nalula | nalulula | malulula |
| lungkot, n. | sadness | malungkot | to feel sad | nalungkot | nalulungkot | malulungkot |
| panatag, adj. | tranquil or peaceful | mapanatag | to be content or at peace | napanatag | napapanatag | mapapanatag |
| saktan, v. | to hurt someone | masaktan | to be emotionally hurt or offended | nasaktan | nasasaktan | masasaktan |
| sindak, n. | terror or shock | masindak | to feel shock or terror | nasindak | nasisindak | masisindak |
| sorpresa, n. | surprise | masorpresa | to be surprised | nasorpresa | nasosorpresa | masosorpresa |
| suya, n. | disgust | masuya | to be disgusted or fed up | nasuya | nasusuya | masusuya |
| takot, n. | fear | matakot | to be afraid | natakot | natatakot | matatakot |
| taranta, adj. | perturbed | mataranta | to be perturbed or rattled | nataranta | natataranta | matataranta |
| tulala, adj. | dazed | matulala | to be dumbfounded or dazed | natulala | natutulala | matutulala |
| tuwa, n. | gladness or delight | matuwa | to be glad or delighted | natuwa | natutuwa | matutuwa |
Experiencer-Focus UM Verbs
The table below lists several experiencer-focus UM verbs. The root words of these verbs are either nouns or adjectives. The meanings of the root words are listed in the second column. The adjectives related to the root words are listed in the third column. The formation of the verbal aspects of experiencer-focus UM verbs follow the same word formation rules as the actor-focus UM verbs.
These verbs are experiencer-focus verb if the ‘experiencer’ is the subject of the sentence. The experiencer-focus verbs describe the subject acquiring the quality (or more of it) expressed by the root word. There should be a reason for the subject’s acquisition of or change in the quality. In the examples below, the subject is underlined and the verb is boldfaced.
11. Lumala ang sitwasyon sa Ukraine. = The situation in Ukraine has worsened. [root word: lala; l(um)ala = lumala]
12. Ang takure sa kalan ay umiinit. = The kettle on the stove is becoming hot. [root word: init; um- + i + init = umiinit]
13. Ikaw ay yayaman kung marunong ka mag-ipon at mamuhunan. = You will be rich if you know how save and invest. [root word: yaman; ya + yaman = yayaman]
There are a lot of verbs in the table. 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.
| ROOT WORD | MEANING | ADJECTIVE | INFINITIVE (PAWATAS} | ENGLISH TRANSLATION | COMPLETED/ PERFECTIVE (PERPEKTIBO) | INCOMPLETED/ IMPERFECTIVE (IMPERPEKTIBO) | CONTEMPLATED (KONTEMPLATIBO) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bagal, n. | slowness | mabagal | bumagal | to become slow | bumagal | bumabagal | babagal |
| bata, adj. | young | bata | bumata | to become young again | bumata | bumabata | babata |
| bilis, n. | quickness | mabilis | bumilis | to become faster | bumilis | bumibilis | bibilis |
| galing, n. | excellence | magaling | gumaling | to become well or healed | gumaling | gumagaling | gagaling |
| ganda, n. | beauty | maganda | gumanda | to become beautiful | gumanda | gumaganda | gaganda |
| ginhawa, n. | ease or relief | maginhawa | guminhawa | to feel better or feel relief | guminhawa | gumiginhawa | giginhawa |
| ikli, n. | shortness | maikli | umikli | to become short in length | umikli | umiikli | iikli |
| init, n. | heat or warmth | mainit | uminit | to become hot | uminit | umiinit | iinit |
| itim, adj. | black | maitim | umitim | to become dark or black | umitim | umiitim | iitim |
| kinis, n. | smoothness | makinis | kuminis | to become smooth | kuminis | kumikinis | kikinis |
| lakas, n. | strength | malakas | lumakas | to become strong | lumakas | lumalakas | lalakas |
| laki, n. | size or largeness | malaki | lumaki | to become bigger | lumaki | lumalaki | lalaki |
| lala, n. | severity | malala | lumala | to become worse | lumala | lumalala | lalala |
| lambot, n. | softness | malambot | lumambot | to become soft | lumambot | lumalambot | lalambot |
| lamig, n. | coldness | malamig | lumamig | to become cold | lumamig | lumalamig | lalamig |
| liit, n. | smallness | maliit | lumiit | to become small in size | lumiit | lumiliit | liliit |
| pangit, adj. | ugly | pangit | pumangit | to become ugly | pumangit | pumapangit | papangit |
| payat, adj. | thin or slim | payat | pumayat | to become thin | pumayat | pumapayat | papayat |
| puti, adj. | white | puti | pumuti | to become white | pumuti | pumuputi | puputi |
| sama, n. | wickedness | masama | sumama | to become bad or unlucky | sumama | sumasama | sasama |
| sarap, n. | deliciousness | masarap | sumarap | to become delicious | sumarap | sumasarap | sasarap |
| sikat, adj. | famous | sikat | sumikat | to become famous | sumikat | sumisikat | sisikat |
| taas, n. | height or altitude | mataas | tumaas | to become higher | tumaas | tumataas | tataas |
| taba, n. | fat | mataba | tumaba | to become fat | tumaba | tumataba | tataba |
| talino, n. | intelligence or talent | matalino | tumalino | to get smart | tumalino | tumatalino | tatalino |
| tanda, n. | age | matanda | tumanda | to become old | tumanda | tumatanda | tatanda |
| tangkad, n. | height of a person | matangkad | tumangkad | to become tall | tumangkad | tumatangkad | tatangkad |
| tigas, n. | hardness | matigas | tumigas | to harden or stiffen | tumigas | tumitigas | titigas |
| tumba, adj. | fallen down | tumba | tumumba | to fall down | tumumba | tumutumba | tutumba |
Below is the link to the PDF file that have the tables shown above. This PDF file is for personal and classroom use only. Uploading this document anywhere on the internet is not allowed. Commercial use and mass distribution (that is, more than the usual number of students that a teacher may have) is strictly prohibited.
If there are verbs that you think do not belong in any of the tables above, please leave a comment.
