Austronesian language family
M-Verbs
M-Verbs
Filipino, or Tagalog is rich in the word formation rules. The m-verb rule describes the way to derive an actor-focus verb from a word that starts with the letter p.
The rule states that m-verb can be derived from a "p" starting word by taking off the first letter "p" and setting "m" instead. This would create the m-verb in infinitive aspect.
Just as the mag-verbs, the derivation of the m-verb in perfect is accomplished by altering infinitive "m" with "n".
To derivation of the m-verb in progressive aspect requires some further steps. Just as the mag-verbs, um-verbs and other Filipino verbs, the repetition of the syllable -- usually the first syllable of the root -- means the verbs are in progressive and prospective aspect.
For m-verbs, the progressive form can be derived by repeating the second syllable of the perfect form of the m-verb which starts with the letter "n". The prospective form can be derived in the same way, repeating the second syllable, this time, of the infinitive form of the m-verb. Therefore, the prospective form of the m-verb shouldstart with the letter "m".
- Siya ang nanalo. (It is him/her who won.)
- Madalas kaming maligo kung napakainit. (We bathe often when it is extremely hot.)
The following applet shows tables of m-verbs in infinitive, perfect, progressive, and prospective forms aspects. Select any of the word in the drop-down list and the m-verbs in derived form will be shown below.