Skip to content

tukuyin

tukuyín with stress marks

to identify [it]

verb tu-ku-YIN OF VERB Native origin Less Common

From root: tukoy

Conjugations

Past (Completed)

tinukoy

ti-NU-koy

identified

Present (Incomplete)

tinutukoy

ti-nu-TU-koy

is being identified

Future (Contemplated)

tutukuyin

tu-tu-ku-YIN

will be identified

Usage Note

Tukuyin is the object-focus form of tukoy, meaning to point out, identify, or refer to something specific. It is a key term in grammar lessons where definite reference is the topic, and in everyday speech when someone is hinting at a particular person without naming them outright.

Examples

Beginner

" Tukuyin mo ang problema. "

Natural Translation

Identify the problem.

Literal Translation

Identify you the problem.

Intermediate

" Subukan mong tukuyin ang salarin sa pamamagitan ng larawan. "

Natural Translation

Try to identify the culprit using the photograph.

Literal Translation

Try you to-identify the culprit by means of image.

Advanced

" Mahirap tukuyin kung sino ang may kasalanan dahil walang nakakita sa aktuwal na pangyayari. "

Natural Translation

It is hard to identify who is at fault because no one saw the actual incident.

Literal Translation

Hard to-identify if who the with fault because none saw at actual that event.

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

Explore Tagalog by topic

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