Common Verbs
In Tagalog, verbs are action words that describe what someone is doing. The verb often comes at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the subject or object. Some of the most common verbs include “kumain” (to eat), “tumakbo” (to run), and “matulog” (to sleep). Understanding these basic verbs helps you form everyday sentences.
Sentence Examples
- Kumain (to eat) – Kumain ako ng mansanas. (I ate an apple.)
- Tumakbo (to run) – Tumakbo si Maria sa parke. (Maria ran in the park.)
- Matulog (to sleep) – Matutulog ako mamaya. (I will sleep later.)
The root verbs of the above are : kain, takbo and tulog. UM verbs are actor oriented verbs while NA/MA verbs are action oriented verbs. Learning Tagalog verbs is easy when you know the basics of verbs in the different tenses as the verbs alone will help you identify the tense of the sentence or understand when the action happened when someone tells you about something.
Assessment Questions
- 1. What does the verb kumain mean in English?
- A) To run
- B) To eat
- C) To sleep
- D) To walk
2. How do you say “I ran” in Tagalog?
A) Tumakbo ako
B) Kumain ako
C) Matulog ako
D) Tumalon ako
3. Which sentence uses the verb matulog correctly?
A) Matutulog si Juan sa kama.
B) Kumakain si Juan ng tubig.
C) Tumakbo si Juan ng libro.
D) Matutulog ang kotse ni Juan.
4. Which of these verbs means “to run”?
- A) Tumakbo
- B) Kumain
- C) Matulog
- D) Uminom
5. “Matutulog ako mamaya” means:
- A) I will eat later
- B) I will sleep later
- C) I will run later
- D) I will walk later
6. Choose the correct sentence:
- A) Tumakbo ang aso sa labas.
- B) Kumain ang bahay.
- C) Matulog ang damit.
- D) Uminom ang kotse.
7. What is the verb in the sentence “Kumain siya ng prutas”?
- A) Kumain
- B) Siya
- C) Ng
- D) Prutas
8. How do you say “She will run” in Tagalog?
- A) Tumakbo siya
- B) Tumakbo ako
- C) Tatakbo siya
- D) Kakain siya
9. Which verb means “to sleep”?
- A) Matulog
- B) Tumakbo
- C) Kumain
- D) Uminom
10. Complete the sentence: “____ ako ng tinapay.”
- A) Kumain
- B) Tumakbo
- C) Matulog
- D) Lumakad
Answer Key:
- 1.) B. To Eat
- 2.) A. Tumakbo ako
- 3.) A. Matutulog si Juan sa kama.
- 4.) A. Tumakbo
- 5.) B. I will sleep later
- 6.) A. Tumakbo ang aso sa labas.
- 7.) A. Kumain
- 8.) C. Tatakbo siya
- 9.) A. Matulog
- 10.) A. Kumain
