Module 14: Filipino Verbs/Mga Pandiwa
written by Amy C Peria and Precious Arao
Background
This module is designed for high school students. However, it can be modified to teach college/university students. In this module, students will learn about actor-focus verbs: infix -um- and prefixes mag- and ma-. They will learn how to conjugate the verbs in imperative, past, present, and future form, and write a sentence with the verb in imperative form. Lessons on Mga Pandiwa will continue to further modules.
Motivating Activity
Activity 1: Vocabulary Word Bank
Have your students brainstorm verbs they already know in Filipino without doing any research. Your students may already know many verbs. This will also begin a vocabulary word bank for the verb modules.
Note to teacher: This activity should help you determine what verbs your students are already familiar with. This will help you build upon their vocabulary by introducing new root words and also adding on to what they already know (e.g., they know “kumain” – expand their knowledge by letting them know the word in parts; taking the word apart via root word and then the affix -um-, then they can create the present/future form of the word kain.)
Task: Individually, have students write down at least five (5) verbs in Filipino. You may use mentimeter.com to create a word cloud or have students write down their verbs on the board and instruct them not to repeat any words that are already there.
Activity 2: Vocabulary Development
After the class has created a word bank, work with the students to define each word.
If students have written words already containing affixes, work with them to “pull apart the word” – distinguish between the root word and the verbal affix. This may show that the students are already aware of verb conjugation, but just need further assistance to build their knowledge. For example:
kumain: kain + -um- affix → kumain (imperative or past form, actor focus)
naghintay: hintay + nag- affix → naghintay (past form, actor-focus)
Have your students brainstorm verbs they already know in Filipino without doing any research. Your students may already know many verbs. This will also begin a vocabulary word bank for the verb modules.
Note to teacher: This activity should help you determine what verbs your students are already familiar with. This will help you build upon their vocabulary by introducing new root words and also adding on to what they already know (e.g., they know “kumain” – expand their knowledge by letting them know the word in parts; taking the word apart via root word and then the affix -um-, then they can create the present/future form of the word kain.)
Task: Individually, have students write down at least five (5) verbs in Filipino. You may use mentimeter.com to create a word cloud or have students write down their verbs on the board and instruct them not to repeat any words that are already there.
Activity 2: Vocabulary Development
After the class has created a word bank, work with the students to define each word.
If students have written words already containing affixes, work with them to “pull apart the word” – distinguish between the root word and the verbal affix. This may show that the students are already aware of verb conjugation, but just need further assistance to build their knowledge. For example:
kumain: kain + -um- affix → kumain (imperative or past form, actor focus)
naghintay: hintay + nag- affix → naghintay (past form, actor-focus)
Processing Activity
This module mainly focuses on the conjugation of verbs using the actor-focus affixes (-um-, mag-, and ma-) and writing complete sentences in command or imperative form. In modules 16, 18, and 20, students will learn how to write sentences using actor-focus verbs in past, present, and future form.
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Conjugation of Actor-focus Verbs
Actor-focus verbs are -um-, mag-, and ma-. -UM- verb conjugation -um- is an infix. |
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MAG- verb conjugation
Mag- is a prefix. |
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Practice!
Have students practice conjugation with these words and add words from the word bank they have created during the motivating activity.
Activity 3: Charades
From a word bank, have students act out the verbs in the imperative form. You may separate the classroom into separate groups to have them play against each other. However, the class may also do it together.
For example:
Umibig Sumayaw
Tumalon Kumanta
Kumain Magsipilyo
Umiyak Magtrabaho
Ngumiti Uminom
Verb Sentences
A simple or basic sentence in Filipino has a subject (or the topic) and a predicate (or the comment about the topic. The usual order is predicate and then the subject. Therefore, Verbs almost always precede the actor/object (depending on the subject of the sentence).
Predicate Subject
Sumayaw si John
‘Danced John’
John danced
Follow this sentence order: VAOL + TE
Verb Actor Object Location Time Expression
-um- ANG pronouns ng ______ sa ______
mag- (“subject set”)
Have students practice conjugation with these words and add words from the word bank they have created during the motivating activity.
- usap - talk to each other
- tawa - to laugh
- kanta - sing
- sayaw - dance
- salita - talk
Activity 3: Charades
From a word bank, have students act out the verbs in the imperative form. You may separate the classroom into separate groups to have them play against each other. However, the class may also do it together.
For example:
Umibig Sumayaw
Tumalon Kumanta
Kumain Magsipilyo
Umiyak Magtrabaho
Ngumiti Uminom
Verb Sentences
A simple or basic sentence in Filipino has a subject (or the topic) and a predicate (or the comment about the topic. The usual order is predicate and then the subject. Therefore, Verbs almost always precede the actor/object (depending on the subject of the sentence).
Predicate Subject
Sumayaw si John
‘Danced John’
John danced
Follow this sentence order: VAOL + TE
Verb Actor Object Location Time Expression
-um- ANG pronouns ng ______ sa ______
mag- (“subject set”)
ANG pronouns are pronouns in the subject set:
Time Expressions:
Past: kanina, kahapon, noong ____ (e.g. noong Biyernes), kagabi
Present: gabi-gabi, linggo-linggo, tuwing ____ (e.g. tuwing lunes), buwan-buwan, ngayon, araw-araw
Future: mamaya, bukas, sa ____ (e.g. sa Sabado), mamayang ____ (e.g. mamayang gabi), bukas ng _____ (e.g. bukas ng hapon), kinabukasan
Examples of sentences in imperative (command) form:
V A O L Time Expression
Pumunta ka sa eskuwela bukas.
Kumain kayo ng adobo sa Max’s.
Past: kanina, kahapon, noong ____ (e.g. noong Biyernes), kagabi
Present: gabi-gabi, linggo-linggo, tuwing ____ (e.g. tuwing lunes), buwan-buwan, ngayon, araw-araw
Future: mamaya, bukas, sa ____ (e.g. sa Sabado), mamayang ____ (e.g. mamayang gabi), bukas ng _____ (e.g. bukas ng hapon), kinabukasan
Examples of sentences in imperative (command) form:
V A O L Time Expression
Pumunta ka sa eskuwela bukas.
Kumain kayo ng adobo sa Max’s.
Culminating Activity
Activity 4: Translation
Often, students who have English as their primary language express what they want to say first in English then translate their thoughts to Filipino. To help them practice this method, have students translate the following sentences into Filipino
Activity 5: People Switch
For this activity, students will practice giving command sentences according to the scenario. Feel free to alter the scenario according to what best fits your students. Provide a worksheet containing time from 6 am through midnight (or as appropriate for your students). They will use this worksheet to create their one-day instruction.
Instruction for students:
This activity is similar to the movie The Princess Switch. You met Taylor, someone who looks and sounds exactly like you. You want to take a break from your life so you ask Taylor to live your life just for one day so that you can go and do things you have always wanted to do. In order for your family/friends to not notice that Taylor is pretending to be you, you must give Taylor instructions on how to be the “perfect” you just for one day. Taylor’s primary language is Filipino and you want to make sure he/she does not miss anything so you want to write his/her instructions in Filipino. From the time you normally wake up until the time you sleep, create sentences in Filipino using command form.
Example:
6 AM – Gumising ka.
6:15 AM - Uminom ka ng tubig sa refrigerator
6:30 AM - Magluto ng almusal.
…
9 AM - Pumasok sa eskuwela.
…
10 PM - Matulog sa kuwarto.
Often, students who have English as their primary language express what they want to say first in English then translate their thoughts to Filipino. To help them practice this method, have students translate the following sentences into Filipino
- You go talk with Bob.
- Eat the adobo.
- Dance in the bedroom later this evening.
- Ask the teacher a question.
- Drink the water.
Activity 5: People Switch
For this activity, students will practice giving command sentences according to the scenario. Feel free to alter the scenario according to what best fits your students. Provide a worksheet containing time from 6 am through midnight (or as appropriate for your students). They will use this worksheet to create their one-day instruction.
Instruction for students:
This activity is similar to the movie The Princess Switch. You met Taylor, someone who looks and sounds exactly like you. You want to take a break from your life so you ask Taylor to live your life just for one day so that you can go and do things you have always wanted to do. In order for your family/friends to not notice that Taylor is pretending to be you, you must give Taylor instructions on how to be the “perfect” you just for one day. Taylor’s primary language is Filipino and you want to make sure he/she does not miss anything so you want to write his/her instructions in Filipino. From the time you normally wake up until the time you sleep, create sentences in Filipino using command form.
Example:
6 AM – Gumising ka.
6:15 AM - Uminom ka ng tubig sa refrigerator
6:30 AM - Magluto ng almusal.
…
9 AM - Pumasok sa eskuwela.
…
10 PM - Matulog sa kuwarto.
Enrichment Activity
Using the following photos, have students describe the photos by creating their own sentences using the sentence structure VAOL + TE. You may provide vocabulary words that students must use in their sentence to practice the vocabulary. Feel free to add or replace these photos as you deem appropriate for your students.
Ano ang ginagawa ng mga subjects sa litrato?
Ano ang ginagawa ng mga subjects sa litrato?
Activity 7: Advice
For this activity, the students will be given a scenario and will be tasked to give simple advice according to the scenario.
For the advice, prompt them to create sentences using command sentences. The verb should be in imperative form.
Scenario: Your best friend is swamped with projects, homework, and exams. She/he is very stressed right now. What advice would you give him/her? What does he/she have to do to take care of herself? You may ask your students the question: Ano ang puwedeng gawin ng best friend mo? (e.g. Magyoga ka.) Have them come up with at least three (3) pieces of advice and share with a partner or to the class.
For this activity, the students will be given a scenario and will be tasked to give simple advice according to the scenario.
For the advice, prompt them to create sentences using command sentences. The verb should be in imperative form.
Scenario: Your best friend is swamped with projects, homework, and exams. She/he is very stressed right now. What advice would you give him/her? What does he/she have to do to take care of herself? You may ask your students the question: Ano ang puwedeng gawin ng best friend mo? (e.g. Magyoga ka.) Have them come up with at least three (3) pieces of advice and share with a partner or to the class.
Resources
- https://www.hawaii.edu/filipino/Grammar_Topics/Grammar_1-1.html
