manman
manmán with stress marks
spy; observe
Usage Note
Manman describes covert observation or surveillance — as a verb, the form manmanan means to watch or spy on someone. The sense of watching without being seen is central to its meaning, and it appears in both everyday and security contexts.
Examples
" Manmanan mo ang pinto. "
Natural Translation
Keep watch on the door.
Literal Translation
Watch you the door.
" Kailangan natin ng manman sa mga kilos ng kalaban. "
Natural Translation
We need a spy of the enemy's movements.
Literal Translation
Need we of spy on-the movements of-the enemy.
" Inutusan ng pulis ang bagong tauhan na manmanan ang bahay nang hindi napapansin ng mga naninirahan doon. "
Natural Translation
The police ordered the new recruit to spy on the house without being noticed by the residents there.
Literal Translation
Ordered by-the police the new personnel to spy-on the house [nang] not noticed by the residents there.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
How Tagalog words workObject Focus Verbs
Related Words
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- Balbalan ethnolinguistic group (Kalinga)
- Hiligaynon ethnolinguistic group/language
- Ilokana female native of the Ilocos region; Ilokana woman
- Ilokano Ethnolinguistic group in Ilocos
- Ilonggo Language/People of Western Visayas
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