Phrases & Vocabulary

Adjectives

Separate adjectives are sometimes used to describe things and people (e.g. tall building, tall person). Adjectives without a noun are often ended with the article na which roughly translates as "already" or "now." This is usually dropped when translating back into English. Madumi na. [It's] dirty (now/already). In Tagalog, an article such as na or pa is required when no noun follows the adjective. Na is a bit more immediate (i.e. shorter time than expected) than pa, but both have similar usage.

Many nouns can become adjectives by adding the prefix Ma, such as Dumi (dirt) becoming Madumi (dirty).

Adjective-noun pairs must be linked. Na (not the same na as above) is used if the adjective ends in a constant, and _ng is used if it ends in a vowel. Magandang babae (beautiful girl). Malinis na kusina (clean kitchen).

Beautiful 
Ganda