Skip to content

kapag

if, when, whenever

adverb conjunction ka-PAG Native origin Common

Usage Note

Kapag is a versatile conditional and temporal conjunction used to introduce clauses expressing conditions or repeated occurrences. Unlike kung, which is purely conditional, kapag implies the condition is likely to happen or happens habitually — a distinction that learners of Tagalog should keep in mind.

Examples

Beginner

" Masaya ako kapag kasama ka. "

Natural Translation

I'm happy when I'm with you.

Literal Translation

Happy I when companion you.

Intermediate

" Kapag umuulan, hindi kami naglalaro sa labas. "

Natural Translation

Whenever it rains, we don't play outside.

Literal Translation

Whenever rains, not we play in outside.

Advanced

" Kapag natapos mo na ang iyong takdang-aralin, maaari ka nang maglaro kasama ang iyong mga kaibigan sa labas. "

Natural Translation

Once you've finished your homework, you can play with your friends outside.

Literal Translation

When finished you already the your homework, can you already play with the your plural friend at outside.

Free · iOS & Android

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 work

Explore Tagalog by topic

Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.