Skip to content

makinig

to listen

verb ma-KI-nig AF VERB Common
Illustration of "makinig" (to listen)

From root: kinig

Conjugations

Past (Completed)

nakinig

na-KI-nig

listened

Present (Incomplete)

nakikinig

na-ki-KI-nig

listening

Future (Contemplated)

makikinig

ma-ki-KI-nig

will listen

Usage Note

Makinig is used when someone is intentionally paying attention to a sound, person, or advice. It is an actor-focus verb often used in both casual conversations and formal commands to direct focus toward the speaker.

Examples

Beginner

" Makinig ka sa akin. "

Natural Translation

Listen to me.

Literal Translation

Listen you to me.

Intermediate

" Makinig ka nang mabuti sa guro. "

Natural Translation

Listen carefully to the teacher.

Literal Translation

Listen you with well to teacher.

Advanced

" Kung makikinig ka lang nang mabuti sa payo ng matatanda, maiiwasan mo ang maraming pagkakamali. "

Natural Translation

If you would just listen carefully to the advice of elders, you could avoid many mistakes.

Literal Translation

If listen you just with well to advice of elders, avoid you the many mistakes.

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

Word family

kinig has 5 related forms built from the same root.

See all

Explore Tagalog by topic

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