Tagalog Compound Nouns
Some nouns are made up of two words, which may or may not be linked by a hyphen.
|
first word |
second word |
compound noun |
|---|---|---|
|
bahay house |
bakasyunan vacation place |
bahay-bakasyunan vacation home |
|
anak child (son or daughter) |
mayaman rich |
anak-mayaman person born to wealth |
|
bata’ child (boy or girl) |
lansangan street |
batang-lansangan* homeless child |
|
balik return |
bayan town, country |
balikbayan a Filipino returning to the Philippines either temporarily or for good |
first word |
bahay house |
second word |
bakasyunan vacation place |
compound noun |
bahay-bakasyunan vacation home |
first word |
anak child (son or daughter) |
second word |
mayaman rich |
compound noun |
anak-mayaman person born to wealth |
first word |
bata’ child (boy or girl) |
second word |
lansangan street |
compound noun |
batang-lansangan* homeless child |
first word |
balik return |
second word |
bayan town, country |
compound noun |
balikbayan a Filipino returning to the Philippines either temporarily or for good |
* If the first word ends in a vowel or /n/, -ng is added to it. See also: Na/-ng (p. 28)
In some cases, the literal meanings of the two component words disappear. Examples:
|
first word |
second word |
compound noun |
|---|---|---|
|
anak child (son or daughter) |
araw sun |
anak-araw albino |
|
hanap seeking |
buhay life |
hanapbuhay livelihood, work |
|
bunga fruit |
araw sun |
bungang-araw* prickly heat |
|
kapit hold, grasp |
bahay house |
kapitbahay neighbor |
|
kwento story, tale |
barbero barber |
kwentong-barbero* hearsay, tall tale, urban legend Lit. barber’s tale |
first word |
anak child (son or daughter) |
second word |
araw sun |
compound noun |
anak-araw albino |
first word |
hanap seeking |
second word |
buhay life |
compound noun |
hanapbuhay livelihood, work |
first word |
bunga fruit |
second word |
araw sun |
compound noun |
bungang-araw* prickly heat |
first word |
kapit hold, grasp |
second word |
bahay house |
compound noun |
kapitbahay neighbor |
first word |
kwento story, tale |
second word |
barbero barber |
compound noun |
kwentong-barbero* hearsay, tall tale, urban legend Lit. barber’s tale |
* If the first word ends in a vowel or /n/, -ng is added to it. See also: Na/-ng (p. 28)
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See notes on Terminology and Pronunciation Marks
This grammar guide is part of the Learning Tagalog Course.
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From Essential Tagalog Grammar: A Reference for Learners of Tagalog, Second Edition
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