From root: tagal
Conjugations
Past (Completed)
nagtagal
nag-ta-GAL
stayed long
Present (Incomplete)
nagtatagal
nag-ta-ta-GAL
is staying long
Future (Contemplated)
magtatagal
mag-ta-ta-GAL
will stay long
Usage Note
Magtagal is used when referring to the duration of an action or stay, often in social contexts like visits or employment, and is frequently used in the negative to express a need to leave quickly.
Examples
" Huwag tayong magtagal dito. "
Natural Translation
Let's not stay long here.
Literal Translation
Don't we stay-long here.
" Ayaw naming magtagal sa labas. "
Natural Translation
We don't want to stay long outside.
Literal Translation
Dislike we stay-long at outside.
" Kahit gusto naming magtagal sa party, kailangan na naming umuwi dahil maaga kaming gigising bukas. "
Natural Translation
Even though we wanted to stay long at the party, we had to go home because we'd wake up early tomorrow.
Literal Translation
Even want we stay-long at party, need already we go-home because early we will-wake-up tomorrow.
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 workWord family
tagal has 10 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.
Is Tagalog Hard to Learn? An Honest Answer
Tagalog takes around 1,100 hours to reach professional proficiency. Here is what is easy, what is hard, and what to expect at 3, 6, and 12 months.
Ng vs Nang in Tagalog: The Spelling Rule
Ng vs nang sound identical but spell differently. Use ng to mark nouns (of, the object), and nang for how, when, repetition, and counting time.
Ang, Ng, Sa: The 3 Tagalog Case Markers Explained
Ang, ng, sa are the three Tagalog case markers every noun takes. Learn what each does, the personal forms si/ni/kay, plurals with mga, and clear examples.
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.