magtamo
magtamô with stress marks
to obtain
From root: tamo
Conjugations
Past (Completed)
nagtamo
nag-ta-MO
obtained
Present (Incomplete)
nagtatamo
nag-ta-ta-MO
is obtaining
Future (Contemplated)
magtatamo
mag-ta-ta-MO
will obtain
Usage Note
Magtamo is the actor-focus infinitive of tamo, belonging to a formal and literary register — rarely heard in casual conversation, but standard in speeches, citations, and written prose when describing someone receiving an honor, award, or consequence. The object-focus partner is tamuhin.
Examples
" Nais niyang magtamo ng karangalan. "
Natural Translation
He wishes to obtain honor.
Literal Translation
Wishes he to-obtain of honor.
" Layunin niyang magtamo ng mataas na karangalan sa paaralan. "
Natural Translation
His/Her goal is to obtain high honors at school.
Literal Translation
Goal his/her to-obtain of high honor at school.
" Sa pamamagitan ng tiyaga at sipag, nagtamo siya ng pinakamataas na parangal sa kanilang pamantasan nang taong iyon. "
Natural Translation
Through patience and diligence, she obtained the highest award at their university that year.
Literal Translation
Through of patience and diligence, obtained she of highest award at their university that year.
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
tamo has 1 related form 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.
Spaced Repetition for Tagalog: How Flashcards Make Words Stick
Cramming Tagalog vocabulary fails. See how spaced repetition — the science behind smart flashcards — makes words stick for the long term.
Tagalog Question Words: Ano, Sino, Saan & More
Tagalog question words like ano, sino, and saan need the right frame to work. Learn the ang-vs-pronoun rule, confusable pairs, and the ba particle with audio.
Tagalog Word Order: Sentence Structure Made Simple
Why Tagalog puts the verb first, and how ang, ng, and sa markers work. A clear guide to VSO word order, forming questions, and negation.
Tagalog Verb Focus System Explained (It's Not Active vs. Passive)
The Tagalog verb focus system isn't active vs. passive. Learn actor focus, object focus, and more with clear examples that finally make it click.