lapis
lápis with stress marks
pencil
Usage Note
Lapis is one of the first writing tools a Filipino child learns to use in school. It is often paired with the word "pambura" for mistakes.
Examples
" Matulis ang lapis ko. "
Natural Translation
My pencil is sharp.
Literal Translation
Sharp the pencil my.
" Gumamit ako ng lapis. "
Natural Translation
I used a pencil.
Literal Translation
I used a pencil.
" Bago magsimula ang pagsusulit, siniguro ng guro na may dala-dalang lapis at pambura ang bawat estudyante. "
Natural Translation
Before the exam started, the teacher made sure that each student had brought a pencil and an eraser.
Literal Translation
Before start the exam, made-sure of the teacher that has carry pencil and eraser the each student.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
How Tagalog words workDerived Words
Actor Focus Verbs
Object Focus Verbs
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.

How Long Does It Take to Learn Tagalog?
Survival Tagalog takes ~3-4 weeks and comfortable conversation 6-12 months. FSI's 1,100 hours is the professional bar, not the talking-to-family bar.

Seasons in the Philippines: A Tagalog Guide
The Philippines has two seasons, not four. Learn tag-araw, tag-ulan, and taglamig, the generative tag- prefix, and the weather vocabulary to match.

Po and Opo in Tagalog: Where to Put Them Right
Po and opo confuse learners — but placement follows one rule. Where po goes in a sentence, why it's opo not 'oo po', and the pronoun shift to learn.