When you tell yourself “I will do it tomorrow,” you’re tapping into one of the most versatile, yet subtly tricky, features of English: the auxiliary verb will. In Tagalog, however, there’s no direct one-to-one equivalent. Rather than a stand-alone future tense marker, Tagalog relies on a symphony of affixes, aspectual cues, adverbs, and context to convey what happens down the road. By and large, once you learn the building blocks—mag-, ma-, i-, reduplication, time words and a pinch of focus theory—you’ll see “will” in Tagalog isn’t a single word but a whole grammatical mindset waiting to be mastered. Let’s dive in!
1. Aspect Over Tense: The Tagalog Mindset
Tagalog verbs don’t inflect for tense the way English verbs do. Instead, they mark aspect—whether an action is incomplete (yet to happen or ongoing), complete (finished), or contemplated (just beginning).
- Magkokompleto (“will complete” / incomplete aspect)
- Nakumpleto (“has been completed” / perfective aspect)
- Nakumpletuhan (“had been completed for someone” / stative aspect)
To express future meaning—what “will” does in English—Tagalog simply uses the incomplete aspect. By selecting the correct affix pattern and sometimes doubling the first syllable (reduplication), you inherently signal “this is yet to occur.”
2. The Core Future-Aspect Affixes
2.1 Mag- Verbs (Actor Focus)
When the subject does the action, you’ll most often reach for mag- plus reduplication of the first syllable:
- magluto (“to cook”)
- magluluto (“will cook”)
Notice the doubled “lu–” after mag-. That’s the hallmark of future/imperfective—magmag-, maglalaba, maglalaro… you get the drift.
2.2 Ma- Verbs (Ability, Involuntary, Actor Focus)
For some root verbs, you swap in ma-:
- mahal (“expensive” / “to cost”)
- mamahal (“will love” / future of mahal “love”)
This can also convey natural changes:
- mamamatay (“will die”)
2.3 I- Verbs (Object Focus)
When the action is framed around the object being affected, Tagalog uses i-:
- dala (“to bring”)
- idadala (“will bring it”)
Again, you’ll often see reduplication:
- idaragdag (“will add”)
2.4 Pag- Verbs and Nominalized Forms
For verbs that emphasize the act itself:
- sulat (“write” / noun: “writing”)
- pagsusulat (“writing” / gerund)
- magsusulat (“will write” / actor focus future)
3. Time Words & Context: The Secret Sauce
Even with perfect affix mastery, you still stage the scene with mga panlinang pang-panahon—time words:
- bukas (“tomorrow”)
- mamaya (“later”)
- sa susunod na linggo (“next week”)
- sa darating na taon (“in the coming year”)
Pairing these with your future-aspect verb nails down the “will” meaning:
- Bukas, maglilinis ako ng bahay. (“Tomorrow, I will clean the house.”)
- Mamaya, ipapadala ko ’yung sulat. (“Later, I will send the letter.”)
Without a time marker, context alone often fills the gap—much like your phone’s calendar app pops up “Reminder: Meeting” without specifying date if it’s today.
4. Volition, Promise, Prediction—Different Shades of “Will”
English “will” can express mere future, firm promises, voluntary actions, or even predictions. In Tagalog, you layer extra words or idiomatic expressions:
- Promise / Volition “I will help you”—> Tutulungan kita. (Uses tulungan, future-aspect of tulong “help.”)
- Prediction “It will rain later”—> Uuling umuulan mamaya. (Reduplication uu signals imperfective; mamaya pins it to later.)
- Willingness “I will go with you”—> Sasama ako sa’yo. (Sasama = future of sumama “to join.”)
Sprinkle in phrases like “at the end of the day” to sound more conversational:
- At the end of the day, gagawin ko rin ’yan. (“At the end of the day, I will do that too.”)
5. “Will You…?”: Forming Questions
When asking someone to commit to a future action:
- Gagawa ka ba ng report bukas? (“Will you make the report tomorrow?”)
- Aalis na ba sila mamaya? (“Will they leave later?”)
Notice the -ba particle for yes/no questions—an elegant one-bit pivot that transforms a statement into a future-time inquiry.
6. Fixed Phrases (“Expressions Figées”) with “Will”
Every language has its idiomatic time-travelers—phrases you learn wholesale:
- Sisikapin kong… (“I will endeavor to…”)
- Hindi ko papayagan na… (“I will not allow that…”)
- Babalik-balikan ko ‘yan. (“I will revisit that again and again.”)
Each packs a future sense that you can’t dismantle easily—think of them like pre-baked cookies: drop them in, and you’re already ahead of the game.
7. Higher-Register Constructions
For formal or written Tagalog—legal docs, lit reviews, epic poetry—you might run into the “ay” inversion with infinitives:
- Ako ay lalahok sa pagtitipon bukas. (“I will participate in the gathering tomorrow.”)
- Ang gusali ay ipapatayo sa susunod na taon. (“The building will be erected next year.”)
This mirrors the majesty of English inversion (“Will you join us?” → “Will you join us?” is unchanged, but in statements you see “I shall attend”—it’s that kind of lift).
8. Putting It All Together: Sample Paragraph
“Bukas, magsusulat ako ng isang blog post tungkol sa pagbuo ng pangungusap sa Tagalog—isa sa mga paborito kong paksa. Habang ginagawa ko ito, susubukan kong ibahagi rin kung paano gamitin ang pag-uulit at mga panlinang pang-panahon nang tama. At, by the way, hindi ko rin kakalimutan ang mga expressions figées dahil mahalaga ang kulay ng wika.”
This mini-paragraph deploys:
- Time word: Bukas
- Future affix + reduplication: magsusulat
- Added nuance: susubukan kong (“I will try to”)
- Fixed phrase: expressions figées
9. Tips to Master “Will” in Tagalog
- Anchor with Time Markers Always ask yourself: Kailan? (“When?”) If it’s not now, you’re likely in future mode.
- Identify Focus Actor vs object. Decide: is your subject doing it or is it happening to something?
- Reduplication Drill Practice doubling the first syllable. It’s the secret handshake of the future aspect.
- Learn Fixed Phrases Memorize 5–10 idiomatic sentences that use future directly—your inner ear will thank you.
- Mix Registers Play with ay inversion in writing, and with colloquial mag- forms in speech. That contrast builds command.
10. Final Thoughts
By now you’ve seen that Tagalog’s “will” isn’t a one-word wonder. It’s a tapestry—threads of affixes, syllable dances, time words and context cues. Once you internalize the incomplete aspect and let time expressions guide your narrative, you’ll be turning “Sasabihin ko sa’yo bukas” into your go-to promise. As with any grammar adventure—at the end of the day, it’s all about consistent practice. So go ahead—experiment, make mistakes, revisit those idiomatic phrases—and soon enough, mamamarating na ang ginhawa: the joy of speaking Tagalog in the future tense with confidence.
