nagsa-
mimicking or performing a role
Usage Note
Nagsa- indicates that the subject pretended to be or acted out the role of something — nagsabayani means played the hero, nagsaengel means acted like an angel. It adds a theatrical or ironic tone and is commonly heard in storytelling.
Examples
" Nagsahari siya sa dula. "
Natural Translation
He played the king in the play.
Literal Translation
Played-king he in-the play.
" Nagsasundalo ang kuya. "
Natural Translation
The older brother acted like a soldier.
Literal Translation
Acted-like-soldier the older-brother.
" Tuwing may bisita, nagsamayaman ang pamilya bagaman alam ng buong baryo na halos wala silang maipagmamalaki. "
Natural Translation
Whenever there were guests, the family acted rich even though the whole village knew they had almost nothing to boast about.
Literal Translation
Every-time has visitor, acted-rich the family although knows of-the whole village that almost none they that-can-be-boasted.
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 workRelated Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.
Tagalog Pronouns Explained: Complete Chart with Examples
Every Tagalog pronoun explained with clear charts: ang/ng/sa forms, tayo vs kami, ikaw vs ka, politeness markers, and the mistakes beginners make.
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.
How to Say Sorry in Tagalog: Patawad vs Pasensya
How to say sorry in Tagalog: patawad, pasensya na, and paumanhin compared on a simple severity-and-formality ladder so you pick the right word every time.
Na vs -ng in Tagalog: The Linker Rule Made Simple
When do you use na vs -ng in Tagalog? One simple rule, with clear examples, memory tips, and common mistakes explained for English-speaking beginners.