Appendix:Tagalog adjectives
Types[edit]
Tagalog adjectives either belong to these two categories: passive and ma- adjectives
Passive[edit]
These adjectives generally serve as root words of transitive verbs, and have stress in the last syllable: e.g. baság (“broken, shattered”), punít (“torn”), sunóg (“burnt”)
Ma-[edit]
These adjectives are formed by adding the prefix ma- to a noun root, and usually indicates the quality of the object it describes: e.g. masaráp (“tasty”), madalî (“quick”), mainit (“hot”)
Comparison[edit]
Tagalog verbs have three degrees of comparison, as in English. There is an absolutive superlative, which is found in other Philippine languages like Cebuano, but in Tagalog, it only remains in the Batangas dialect.
Positive (payák)[edit]
Tagalog positive adjectives are the lemma form, without affixation or particles.
Comparative (pahambíng)[edit]
Tagalog comparative adjectives are generally formed by adding the particle mas.
Superlative (pasukdól)[edit]
Tagalog superlatives adjectives are formed by adding the prefix pinaka- or napaka-. The Batangas dialect preserves the absolutive superlative degree, prefixed with pagka-.
Plural adjectives[edit]
Tagalog plural adjectives are formed by reduplicating the first syllable of the root word, but it only occurs in adjectives indicating quality (or ma-) adjectives.
| Definition | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| big | malakí | malalakí |
| near | malapit | malalapit |
| small | maliít | maliliít |
| far | malayò | malalayò |
| short | maigsî | maiigsî |
| tall | matangkád | matatangkád |