Skip to content

magtambang

magtambáng with stress marks

to ambush

verb mag-tam-BANG AF VERB Native origin Rare

From root: tambang

Conjugations

Past (Completed)

nagtambang

nag-tam-BANG

ambushed

Present (Incomplete)

nagtatambang

nag-ta-tam-BANG

is ambushing

Future (Contemplated)

magtatambang

mag-ta-tam-BANG

will ambush

Usage Note

Magtambang is the actor-focus form of tambang, used when the ambushing party — soldiers, bandits, or rivals lying in wait — is the grammatical focus. It carries a connotation of premeditated concealment and surprise, distinguishing it from a direct, open confrontation.

Examples

Beginner

" Plano nilang magtambang sa gabi. "

Natural Translation

They plan to ambush at night.

Literal Translation

Plan they to-ambush at night.

Intermediate

" Planong magtambang ng mga sundalo sa tagong landas. "

Natural Translation

The soldiers plan to set an ambush on the hidden path.

Literal Translation

Plan to-ambush of soldiers on hidden path.

Advanced

" Naghintay nang tahimik ang mga rebelde sa likod ng mga puno upang magtambang sa dumaraang convoy ng kaaway. "

Natural Translation

The rebels waited silently behind the trees in order to ambush the enemy's passing convoy.

Literal Translation

Waited quietly the rebels at behind of trees so to-ambush at passing convoy of enemy.

Free · iOS & Android

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 work

Word family

tambang has 1 related form built from the same root.

See all

Explore Tagalog by topic

Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.