Appendix:Tagalog verbs

Tagalog verbs follow a complex system of affixes to create verbs with subtle differences in meaning, and are inflected for focus/trigger, aspect and number. As a Philippine language, Tagalog follows the Austronesian voice system to determine the focus/trigger of the verb in a sentence (which are indicated by or )

Conjugation
Conjugations of Tagalog verbs are based on the Austronesian system, which is retained in the Philippine and Formosan languages, some Bornean languages, and Malagasy, but is lost in most other Malayo-Polynesian languages (e.g. Malay, Indonesian, Javanese, Chamorro, Māori, Hawaiian). The table below shows a non-exhaustive summary of commonly used verb conjugations, including dialectal ones (e.g. those used in Batangas, Tayabas and Marinduque dialects).

Tagalog verb conjugations can be analyzed through their trigger/focus and mood, or their morphology; the former primarily used in Tagalog grammar taught to Filipinos, and the latter to foreign learners:

Aspects
Tagalog verbs are conjugated by aspect, which rather conveys the completion of the act and the time the action is done. The verb aspects are the complete, progressive , contemplative , and the recently complete.


 * Complete or perfective: - indicates the action has been completed.
 * Progressive - indicates the action is still being in progress.
 * Contemplative - indicates the action is not done but anticipated.
 * Recently complete - only used in some verbs. Indicates the action has been recently completed.

Agent-focus (or "active voice")
The agent focus or active voice places the focus of the sentence on the agent of the verb.

Patient-focus (or "passive voice")
The patient focus or passive voice places the focus of the sentence on the patient or object of the verb.

Singular verb
The common form is used the agent is singular.

Plural verb
This verb form is used with plural agents.

Trigger system
Tagalog verbs use the Austronesian system to indicate the thematic role of the subject (indicated by ) in a sentence. The Tagalog system uses these triggers: actor, object, locative, benefactive, instrumental, causative, directional, and reciprocal. Tagalog verbs are formed from adding affixes to a root word, and is very intricate, as they also convey moods.

1.) Actor trigger
 * Magluluto ang babae ng kalamay.
 * The woman will cook kalamay.

2.) Object trigger
 * Lulutuin ng babae sa lata ang bigas.
 * The woman will cook the rice in a can.

3.) Locative trigger
 * a. location subject
 * Binilhan ng lalaki ng bigas ang tindahan ng lola.
 * The man bought rice in the old woman's store.
 * b. goal subject
 * Binilhan ng lalaki ng bigas sa palengke ang lola.
 * The man bought rice in the market for the old woman.

4.) Benefactive trigger
 * Ibinili ni Pepe ng sapatos ang kanyang anak na babae.
 * Pepe bought his daughter shoes.

5.) Instrumental trigger
 * Ipinambukas nila ng pinto ang susi.
 * They opened the door using the key.

6.) Causative trigger
 * Ikinagulat ng pamilya ang biglang pagkamatay ng kanilang anak.
 * The family are shocked by the sudden death of their child.

Moods
Tagalog verbs can also be conjugated for moods, including indicative, causative, distributive, social, and potential. Affixes also have nuances on the mood they indicate, as given


 * Imperative
 * Indicative
 * Causative
 * Distributive
 * Social
 * Potential

Verbs with no inflection
Tagalog also has verbs lacking inflection, such as the existential particles and, and the particle , which has no exact English translation and is used to indicate a plea or a warning. These are not true verbs, but are particles.

Irregular verbs
Tagalog also has irregular verbs, like:


 * Verbs with elision and metathesis: (root: ),  (root: ),  (root: )
 * Verbs with substitution: (root: ),  (root: ),  (root: )
 * Clipped verbs: (root: ),  (root: )

Agent-verb agreement in agent-focus verbs
The number in Tagalog agent-focus verbs is determined by the subject, where:


 * A singular verb is used with a singular agent
 * Example: Kumakain siya ng sinigang.
 * He is eating sinigang.
 * A plural verb is used with a plural agent
 * Example: Magsikain na tayo.
 * Let us eat.

Verb focuses

 * Actor
 * Example: Bumili si Berto ng bigas.
 * Berto bought rice.
 * Object
 * Example: Nagpapatatapon ako ang basura.
 * I'm asking [you] to throw away the garbage.
 * Locative
 * Example: Nagtatanim ang pamilya ng gulay sa kanilang bakuran.
 * They family are planting vegetables in their backyard.
 * Benefactor
 * Example: Huwag kang magbigay ng pera sa pulubi.
 * Don't give the beggar money.
 * Causative
 * Example: Naiyak siya sa eksenang napanood niya sa pelikula.
 * She cried after seeing a scene in the movie.
 * Direction
 * Example: Lumuwas sila pa-Maynila.
 * They left for Manila.

Verb-object agreement in patient-focus verbs
The inflection of Tagalog patient-focus verbs also must agree with the object it focuses on.


 * Actor
 * Example: Nagdiriwang ng kanilang ikadalawampung anibersaryo ang mag-asawa.
 * The couple are celebrating their 20th anniversary.
 * Objective
 * Example: Nagsasayaw sila ng tinikling.
 * They are dancing tinikling.
 * Benefactor
 * Example: Binigyan niya ng bagong laruan ang kanyang mga anak.
 * He gave his children new toys.
 * Locative
 * Example: Binilhan nila ng bagong damit sa tiyangge.
 * They bought new clothes in the flea market.
 * Instrumental
 * Example: Pinunasan ni Allen ang bintana gamit ang basahan.
 * Allen wiped the mirror with a rug.
 * Directional
 * Example: Ipinasyal niya sa Luneta ang kanyang pamilya.
 * He strolled his family at Luneta.

Verbal nouns
Certain actor-trigger verb conjugations also give a verbal noun form.