Tagalog/Adjectives

Pang Uri - Adjectives

Most of Tagalog's adjectives are started with the prefix ma-, like maganda which means beautiful, its rootword is ganda with means beauty.

The order of an adjective and a noun is interchangeable, it can be an adjective first then followed by a noun or a noun first before an adjective. But remember: you must add the connector word na if the first word (maybe an adjective or noun) ends with a consonant or the suffix -ng if the first word (maybe an adjective or noun) ends with a vowel (or an -n) before being succeeded by the second word.

For example:

Batang maganda or Magandang bata both mean Beautiful child.
Maganda means beautiful and bata means child.

An adjective can be used as a predicate in a sentence. Most of the time, Tagalog sentences start with the predicate before the subject, but you can also put the subject before the predicate (Remember! You must put the word ay in between the subject and the predicate if you put the subject first before the adjective).

For Example:

Mahirap si Juan. (John is poor.)
Siya ay mahirap pero Masaya. (He is poor but happy.)

Kinds of Adjectives

Adjectives of Quality

1. Si Maria Makiling ay isang matapang na Babae.

Maria Makiling is a brave woman.
- Maria Makiling - Maria Makiling
- ay - is
- isa(-ng) - a
- matapang - brave
- babae - woman

2. Ang init noong Sabado.

It was hot last Saturday.
- Ang - It
- Init - Hot
- Noong - Last (Noong is used for Dates)
- Saturday - Sabado

3. Si Jose ay isang matapat na lalaki.

Jose is an honest man.
- Si - (Article indicating a person)
- Jose - Jose (Jose usually means Joseph in English)
- Matapat - Honest
- Lalaki - Man

4. Ang Maynila ay isang malaking lungsod.

Manila is a big city.
- Maynila - Manila
- Malaking(malaki na) - Big
- Lungsod - City

5. Ang Sampaguita ay isang magandang bulaklak.

Jasmine is a beautiful flower.
- Sampaguita - Jasmine
- Magandang(maganda na) - Beautiful
- Bulaklak - Flower

5. Mabaho ang kanal.

The canal is smelly.
- Mabaho - Smelly
- Kanal - Canal, Sewer System

6. Mabango ang pabango.

The perfume smells good.
- Mabango - Smells Good
- Pabango - Perfume

Adjectives of Quantity

1. Kaunti na lang ang pagkain natitira.

There's only little food left.
- Kaunti - Little
- Pagkain - Food
- Natitira - Left

Adjectives of Number

1. Maraming tao dumalo sa palabas.

There were many people that went to the concert/show.
- Marami/Maraming - Many
- Tao - People
- Dumalo - Visited
- Palabas - Show

Demonstrative Adjectives

1. Ang kabayong ito ay akin.

This horse is mine.
- Kabayo - Horse
- Ito - This/These
- Akin - Mine

2. Ang kabayong iyan ay sa iyo.

That horse is yours.
- Iyan - That
- Iyo - Yours

3. Masarap ang mga mansanas na ito.

These apples are delicious.
- Masarap - Delicious
- Mga Mansanas - Apples
- Ito - These/This

Useful Adjectives

Word	Antonym
Mabuti - Good	Masama - Bad
Tama - Right	Mali - Wrong
Mayaman - Rich	Mahirap - Poor
Maganda - Beautiful	Pangit - Ugly
Malinis - Clean	Madumi - Dirty
Mainit - Hot	Malamig - Cold
Mabigat - Heavy	Magaan - Light
Swerte - Lucky	Malas - Unlucky
Bata - Young	Matanda - Old
Marami - Many	Kaunti - Little

Exercise

Exercise 1.0

Translate these words into English:

1. Malamig-cold 2. Madumi-dirty 3. Kaunti-little 4. Marami-many 5. Matapat-honest 6. Matapang-brave