From root: una
Usage Note
Unahan is a locative nominalization of una denoting the foremost position in a physical space, line, or competition. It functions as both a noun naming the front area and an informal verb urging someone to take the lead, reflecting its flexibility in casual Filipino speech.
Examples
" Nasa unahan ang bus. "
Natural Translation
The bus is up front.
Literal Translation
Located-at front-position the bus.
" Pumunta ka sa unahan. "
Natural Translation
Go to the front position.
Literal Translation
Go you to front-position.
" Mas maganda ang tanaw kapag nakaupo ka sa unahan ng bus na papunta sa bundok. "
Natural Translation
The view is nicer when you sit at the front of the bus heading to the mountains.
Literal Translation
More nice the view when seated you at front-position of bus that going to mountain.
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
una has 8 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 Greetings: How to Say Hello, Goodbye & Po/Opo
Master Tagalog greetings with pronunciation: kumusta, magandang umaga, po and opo polite forms, time-of-day phrases, and the mano po tradition.
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.
Philippines Geography for Learners: Islands & Language
Philippines geography for Tagalog learners: 7,641 islands, three island groups, and the Southern Luzon heartland where the Tagalog language was born.
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.