tukuyin
tukuyín with stress marks
to identify [it]
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
" Tukuyin mo ang problema. "
Natural Translation
Identify the problem.
Literal Translation
Identify you the problem.
" 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.
" 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.
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.

Languages of the Philippines: Tagalog, Cebuano, and More
Languages of the Philippines: one national language (Filipino) plus 180+ regional languages. Here's who speaks what, where, and why it matters to you.

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.

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.

Magkano: How to Ask "How Much" in Tagalog
Magkano means how much in Tagalog. Learn to ask a price, tell it apart from ilan and gaano, sound polite with po, and haggle at the palengke.