Easy Tagalog Lesson

use of 'mag-' in Tagalog

The Tagalog prefix mag- is used to verbalize nouns. You can translate it as 'do' in most cases, but the meaning depends on the context. This is very useful because you can put it in front of English nouns. Filipinos do this all the time! That's why when you hear them speaking Tagalog, there seem to be a lot of English words sprinkled in.

Mag-tennis tayo.
Let's 'do' tennis. (Let's play tennis.)

Mag-shopping tayo.
Let's 'do' shopping. (Let's go shopping.)

Mag-hamburger tayo.
Let's 'do' hamburgers. (Let's eat hamburgers.)

Of course you can use mag in front of Tagalog nouns too. For example, the Tagalog noun for the word 'study' is aral. So what do you think the Tagalog verb for 'to study' is?

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Mag-McDo tayo.
Let's 'do' McDonalds. (Let's go and eat at McDonald's.)


Mag-Pizza Hut tayo.
Let's 'do' Pizza Hut. (Let's go and eat at Pizza Hut.)


Mag-Wendy's tayo.
Let's 'do' Wendy's. (Let's go and eat at Wendy's.)


Mag-ice cream tayo.
Let's 'do' ice cream. (Let's go have ice cream.)


Mag-tsinelas tayo.
Let's 'do' slippers. (Let's wear slippers.)


Mag-T-shirt na lang tayo.
Let's just 'do' T-shirts. Let's just wear T-shirts.