From root: sampu
Usage Note
Sampu-sampu describes things coming or being arranged in groups or sets of ten.
Examples
" Inayos nila ang mga silya nang sampu-sampu. "
Natural Translation
They arranged the chairs by tens.
Literal Translation
Arranged they the chairs by tens.
" Nagbilang sila nang sampu-sampu. "
Natural Translation
They counted by tens.
Literal Translation
Counted they by tens.
" Pinasok ang mga turista nang sampu-sampu upang hindi magsiksikan sa loob ng makitid na museo. "
Natural Translation
The tourists were let in by tens so that they would not crowd inside the narrow museum.
Literal Translation
Let-in the tourists by tens so-that not crowd inside of narrow museum.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
How Tagalog words workWord family
sampu has 4 related forms built from the same root.
Related Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.

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.

Mano Po and Filipino Etiquette: A Visitor's Guide
Mano po presses an elder's hand to your forehead as a blessing. Learn who to mano, how to lip-point, and the etiquette that wins over a Filipino family.

Tagalog vs Filipino: What's the Difference & Which to Learn
Tagalog and Filipino aren't the same language — but they overlap almost completely. Here's the real difference and which one you should actually learn.

Tagalog Slang Guide: 20 Words You'll Hear on TikTok
Tagalog slang explained: lodi, petmalu, werpa, astig, chika and more. Decode Filipino TikTok comments, group chats, and pop culture with this practical guide.