magtapal
magtapál with stress marks
to apply a patch
From root: tapal
Conjugations
Past (Completed)
nagtapal
nag-ta-PAL
applied a patch
Present (Incomplete)
nagtatapal
nag-ta-ta-PAL
is applying a patch
Future (Contemplated)
magtatapal
mag-ta-ta-PAL
will apply a patch
Usage Note
Magtapal is the actor-focus infinitive of tapal and covers both traditional folk remedies — applying herbal poultices or heated leaves — and modern adhesive bandages or plasters. Used when the person applying the patch is the focus; the object-focus partner tapalan shifts focus to the wound or surface being treated.
Examples
" Magtapal ka ng gamot sa sugat. "
Natural Translation
Apply medicine to the wound.
Literal Translation
Apply-patch you of medicine on wound.
" Mahirap magtapal ng plaster kapag mabalahibo ang balat. "
Natural Translation
It is difficult to apply a medical patch when the skin is hairy.
Literal Translation
Difficult to-apply-patch of plaster when hairy the skin.
" Tinuruan ako ng lola kong magtapal ng dahon ng bayabas sa galos para mabilis itong gumaling. "
Natural Translation
My grandmother taught me to apply guava leaves to a scrape so that it would heal quickly.
Literal Translation
Taught me by grandmother my to-apply-patch of leaf of guava on scrape so fast this to-heal.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
How Tagalog words workWord family
tapal 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.

Filipino Food: 12 Essential Dishes (With Tagalog Names)
Filipino food, from adobo to halo-halo: learn the Tagalog names, pronunciations, and ingredients behind 12 dishes you'll want to try on your first trip.

Philippine Christmas Traditions: World's Longest Holiday
Philippine Christmas traditions run four months — from Ber-month carols to Simbang Gabi dawn masses, Noche Buena feasts, and parol lanterns lighting every street.

How to Say "I Love You" in Tagalog: Phrases & Meaning
Learn how to say I love you in Tagalog. Mahal kita, Iniibig kita, and Filipino terms of endearment for partners, family, and friends — with cultural notes.

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.