From root: ulam
Conjugations
Past (Completed)
iniulam
i-ni-U-lam
used as a viand
Present (Incomplete)
iniuulam
i-ni-u-U-lam
using as a viand
Future (Contemplated)
iuulam
i-u-U-lam
will use as a viand
Usage Note
Iulam is used when designating a specific food item to serve as the viand or accompaniment for rice. It is commonly heard in casual settings when deciding what to eat for a meal or when repurposing a snack into a main dish.
Examples
" Iulam natin ang itlog. "
Natural Translation
Let's use the egg as a viand.
Literal Translation
Use-as-viand we the egg.
" Kailangan mong iulam ang gulay. "
Natural Translation
You need to use the vegetables as a viand.
Literal Translation
Need you use-as-viand the vegetables.
" Kung wala nang ulam, iulam na lang natin ang tirang adobo kahapon sa kanin. "
Natural Translation
If there's no more viand, let's just use yesterday's leftover adobo as the viand for the rice.
Literal Translation
If none anymore viand, use-as-viand just we the leftover adobo yesterday on rice.
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
ulam has 5 related forms 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.
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.
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.
Mano Po and Filipino Etiquette: A Visitor's Guide
Mano po presses an elder's hand to your forehead as a blessing. Learn who to mano, how to lip-point, and the etiquette that wins over a Filipino family.
Days of the Week and Months in Tagalog
The days of the week and months in Tagalog are Spanish loanwords. Learn all 7 days and 12 months with pronunciation, plus how to say dates and 'every Monday.'