magtaghoy
magtaghóy with stress marks
to wail or lament
From root: taghoy
Conjugations
Past (Completed)
nagtaghoy
nag-tag-HOY
wailed
Present (Incomplete)
nagtataghoy
nag-ta-tag-HOY
is wailing
Future (Contemplated)
magtataghoy
mag-ta-tag-HOY
will wail
Usage Note
Magtaghoy is the actor-focus form of taghoy, used for wailing or making a mournful cry associated with grief, suffering, or deep longing. It belongs firmly to a literary and poetic register; in everyday speech, iyak or umiyak is far more common for crying.
Examples
" Masakit magtaghoy sa libing. "
Natural Translation
It is painful to wail at a funeral.
Literal Translation
Painful to-wail at funeral.
" Masakit magtaghoy kapag nawalan ng mahal sa buhay. "
Natural Translation
It is painful to wail when you lose a loved one.
Literal Translation
Painful to wail when lost of loved one in life.
" Sa gitna ng dilim, hindi napigil ng ina ang magtaghoy nang malungkot habang inaalala ang nawawala niyang anak. "
Natural Translation
In the middle of the darkness, the mother could not keep from wailing sorrowfully as she remembered her missing child.
Literal Translation
In middle of darkness, not stopped of mother the to-wail sorrowfully while remembering the missing her child.
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 Affixes Explained: A Beginner's Guide to Word Building
Tagalog affixes turn one root word into dozens of meanings. Learn prefixes, infixes, suffixes, and circumfixes with clear examples for beginners.
Tagalog Verb Conjugation: Aspects Made Simple
Tagalog verb conjugation uses aspects, not tenses. Learn the three aspects with -um- and mag- verbs, one reduplication rule, and clear example tables.
Days of the Week and Months in Tagalog
The days of the week and months in Tagalog are Spanish loanwords. Learn all 7 days and 12 months with pronunciation, plus how to say dates and 'every Monday.'
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.