magkaila
magkailá with stress marks
to deny
From root: kaila
Conjugations
Past (Completed)
nagkaila
nag-ka-i-LA
denied
Present (Incomplete)
nagkakaila
nag-ka-ka-i-LA
is denying
Future (Contemplated)
magkakaila
mag-ka-ka-i-LA
will deny
Usage Note
Magkaila is the actor-focus mag- form of kaila, carrying a formal or literary register that distinguishes it from the more everyday itanggi or ikaila. Found in written prose, legal language, and oratory, it conveys deliberate, often morally weighted denial rather than casual refusal and is less common in everyday spoken Tagalog.
Examples
" Huwag kang magkaila. "
Natural Translation
Do not deny it.
Literal Translation
Do-not you to-deny.
" Mahirap magkaila kapag may ebidensya. "
Natural Translation
It is hard to deny when there is evidence.
Literal Translation
Hard to deny when has evidence.
" Patuloy siyang nagkaila sa harap ng hukom kahit malinaw na ipinakita sa kanya ang mga ebidensya. "
Natural Translation
He kept on denying it before the judge even though the evidence was clearly shown to him.
Literal Translation
Continued he to-deny in front of judge even-if clear that was-shown to him the evidences.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
How Tagalog words workWord family
kaila has 1 related form 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.

Tagalog Root Words: Learn a Few Hundred, Understand Thousands
Tagalog root words unlock vocabulary fast: learn a few hundred and recognize thousands. Real word families, examples, and a practical study strategy.

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.

Tagalog Numbers 1-100: Counting, Time & Money Explained
Learn Tagalog numbers 1-100 and beyond. Master both native and Spanish-derived counting systems, plus telling time, reading prices, and ordinals.