Appendix:Tagalog adjectives

Types

Tagalog adjectives either belong to these two categories: passive and ma- adjectives

Passive

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-

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

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)

Tagalog positive adjectives are the lemma form, without affixation or particles.

Comparative (pahambíng)

Tagalog comparative adjectives are generally formed by adding the particle mas.

Superlative (pasukdól)

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

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