From root: basa
Conjugations
Past (Completed)
nabasa
na-ba-SA
got wet
Present (Incomplete)
nababasa
na-ba-ba-SA
getting wet
Future (Contemplated)
mababasa
ma-ba-ba-SA
will get wet
Usage Note
Mabasá is used to describe the accidental or unintentional act of getting wet, such as being caught in the rain or having water spilled on oneself. It is important to emphasize the final syllable to distinguish it from 'mabasa' (to read).
Examples
" Baka mabasa ka sa ulan. "
Natural Translation
You might get wet in the rain.
Literal Translation
Maybe get-wet you at rain.
" Ayaw kong mabasá sa ulan. "
Natural Translation
I don't want to get wet in the rain.
Literal Translation
Dislike I get-wet at rain.
" Nagdala ako ng payong dahil ayokong mabasa habang naglalakad pauwi sa biglang pag-ulan. "
Natural Translation
I brought an umbrella because I don't want to get wet while walking home in the sudden rain.
Literal Translation
Brought I of umbrella because dislike-I get-wet while walking going-home in sudden raining.
Take Tagalog with you
The full course, a 12,500-word dictionary, and flashcards that make every word stick — free to start on iOS and Android.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
How Tagalog words workWord family
basa has 15 related forms built from the same root.
Related Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.
Is Tagalog Hard to Learn? An Honest Answer
Tagalog takes around 1,100 hours to reach professional proficiency. Here is what is easy, what is hard, and what to expect at 3, 6, and 12 months.
Tagalog Slang Guide: 20 Words You'll Hear on TikTok
Tagalog slang explained: lodi, petmalu, werpa, astig, chika and more. Decode Filipino TikTok comments, group chats, and pop culture with this practical guide.
Spaced Repetition for Tagalog: How Flashcards Make Words Stick
Cramming Tagalog vocabulary fails. See how spaced repetition — the science behind smart flashcards — makes words stick for the long term.
Tagalog Word Order: Sentence Structure Made Simple
Why Tagalog puts the verb first, and how ang, ng, and sa markers work. A clear guide to VSO word order, forming questions, and negation.