From root: una
Conjugations
Past (Completed)
inuna
i-NU-na
did first
Present (Incomplete)
inuuna
i-nu-U-na
doing first
Future (Contemplated)
uunahin
u-u-NA-hin
will do first
Usage Note
Unahin is an object-focus verb used when prioritizing a specific task, person, or object before anything else. It is frequently heard in instructions or when discussing one's responsibilities and the order of actions in daily life.
Examples
" Unahin mo ang gawain. "
Natural Translation
Do the chore first.
Literal Translation
Do-first you the chore.
" Kailangan mong unahin ang pagkain. "
Natural Translation
You need to do the food first.
Literal Translation
Need you do-first the food.
" Lagi mong unahin ang mga bayarin bago ka gumastos sa mga bagay na hindi naman kailangan. "
Natural Translation
Always prioritize the bills before you spend on things you don't really need.
Literal Translation
Always you do-first the (plural) bill before you spend on (plural) thing that not really needed.
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.

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.

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.

Tagalog vs Filipino: What's the Difference & Which to Learn
Tagalog and Filipino aren't the same language — but they overlap almost completely. Here's the real difference and which one you should actually learn.

How Long Does It Take to Learn Tagalog?
Survival Tagalog takes ~3-4 weeks and comfortable conversation 6-12 months. FSI's 1,100 hours is the professional bar, not the talking-to-family bar.