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How to Conjugate Filipino -IN Verbs : Cheat Sheet

-IN Verb Conjugation:

-IN verbs may be the most difficult verbs for Filipino language students to conjugate.
The page below will guide you through conjugating these verbs, and list the -IN verb irregularities you may encounter.

When you get the hang of it, you can practice these conjugations until they become second nature using our -IN Verb Flash Cards.
These flash cards include a huge list of the most commonly used -IN verbs for you to study.


Summary: Steps to Conjugate Regular -IN Verbs

Infinitive:
Add "-in" to the end of the root.
If the last letter of the root is a vowel and that vowel does not have a glottal stop, use "-hin" instead of "-in".
Completed (Past):
Add an "-in-" infix to the middle of the root (see below for examples).
Uncompleted (Present):
Add an "-in-" infix to the middle of the root with a repeating first syllable of the root.
Contemplated (Future):
Repeat the first syllable of the root.
Then add "-in" to the end of the root in the same way as was done for the Infinitive.

Formula:

Infinitive:
Completed (Past):
Uncompleted (Present):
Contemplated (Future):
Infinitive:
root + in
Completed (Past):
r + in + oot
Uncompleted (Present):
r + in + o + root
Contemplated (Future):
ro + root + in

Example Root: kain

Infinitive:
Completed (Past):
Uncompleted (Present):
Contemplated (Future):
Infinitive:
kain + in
kainin
Completed (Past):
k + in + ain
kinain
Uncompleted (Present):
k + in + a + kain
kinakain
Contemplated (Future):
ka + kain + in
kakainin

Example Root: tanggáp

Infinitive:
Completed (Past):
Uncompleted (Present):
Contemplated (Future):
Completed (Past):
t + in + anggap
tinanggap
Uncompleted (Present):
t + in + a + tanggap
tinatanggap
Contemplated (Future):
ta + tanggap + in
tatanggapin

Example Root: tahî

* note: even though the "tahi" root ends in a vowel, "tahi" has a glottal stop on the final vowel, so the suffix continues to be "-in".
Infinitive:
Completed (Past):
Uncompleted (Present):
Contemplated (Future):
Infinitive:
tahi + in
tahiin
Completed (Past):
t + in + ahi
tinahi
Uncompleted (Present):
t + in + a + tahi
tinatahi
Contemplated (Future):
ta + tahi + in
tahiin

Example Root: basa

* note: this root ends in a vowel that doesn't have a glottal stop, so the "-in" suffix becomes "-hin".
Infinitive:
Completed (Past):
Uncompleted (Present):
Contemplated (Future):
Completed (Past):
b + in + asa
binasa
Uncompleted (Present):
b + in + a + basa
binabasa
Contemplated (Future):
ba + basa + hin
babasahin

Example Root: kanselá

* note: this root ends in a vowel that doesn't have a glottal stop, so the "-in" suffix becomes "-hin".
Infinitive:
Completed (Past):
Uncompleted (Present):
Contemplated (Future):
Completed (Past):
k + in + ansela
kinansela
Uncompleted (Present):
k + in + a + kansela
kinakansela
Contemplated (Future):
ka + kansela + hin
kakanselahin


Conjugating -IN Verbs for Roots Beginning with a Vowel

For roots beginning with a vowel, the "-in-" infix switches to an "in-" prefix in the Completed (Past) and Uncompleted (Present) forms.
Infinitive and Contemplated (Future) conjugation does not change.

Formula:

Infinitive:
Completed (Past):
Uncompleted (Present):
Contemplated (Future):
Infinitive:
root + in
Completed (Past):
in + root
Uncompleted (Present):
in + r + root
Contemplated (Future):
r + root + in

Example Root: alís

Infinitive:
Completed (Past):
Uncompleted (Present):
Contemplated (Future):
Infinitive:
alis + in
alisin
Completed (Past):
in + alis
inalis
Uncompleted (Present):
in + a + alis
inaalis
Contemplated (Future):
a + alis + in
aalisin

Example Root: ulít

Infinitive:
Completed (Past):
Uncompleted (Present):
Contemplated (Future):
Infinitive:
ulit + in
ulitin
Completed (Past):
in + ulit
inulit
Uncompleted (Present):
in + u + uulit
inuulit
Contemplated (Future):
u + ulit + in
uulitin


Conjugating -IN Verbs for Roots Beginning with "L", "Y" or "R"

Roots beginning with these letters are conjugated differently to make pronunciation easier.
The "-in-" infix switches to a "ni-" prefix in the Completed (Past) and Uncompleted (Present) forms.
Infinitive and Contemplated (Future) conjugation does not change.
There are many roots beginning with "L" where this conjugation applies. Roots beginning with "Y" and "R" are less common.

Formula:

Infinitive:
Completed (Past):
Uncompleted (Present):
Contemplated (Future):
Infinitive:
root + in
Completed (Past):
ni + root
Uncompleted (Present):
ni + ro + root
Contemplated (Future):
ro + root + in

Example Root: linis

Infinitive:
Completed (Past):
Uncompleted (Present):
Contemplated (Future):
Completed (Past):
ni + linis
nilinis
Uncompleted (Present):
ni + li + linis
nililinis
Contemplated (Future):
li + linis + in
lilinisin

Example Root: lu

* note: the final "o" vowel in the root changes to a "u" here. This "o" to "u" switch happens frequently in the Filipino language.
Infinitive:
Completed (Past):
Uncompleted (Present):
Contemplated (Future):
Infinitive:
lutu + in
lutuin
Completed (Past):
ni + luto
niluto
Uncompleted (Present):
ni + lu + luto
niluluto
Contemplated (Future):
lu + lutu + in
lulutuin

Example Root: yakap

Infinitive:
Completed (Past):
Uncompleted (Present):
Contemplated (Future):
Completed (Past):
ni + yakap
niyakap
Uncompleted (Present):
ni + ya + yakap
niyayakap
Contemplated (Future):
ya + yakap + in
yayakapin


Irregular -IN Verbs:

There aren't many irregular -IN verbs, however the ones that do exist are used frequently in everyday language. It may be helpful to note that the irregularities only show up in the Infinitive and Future conjugations.

List of Major Irregular -IN Verbs:
The verbs listed below cover the vast majority (by frequency of use) of all commonly used irregular Filipino -IN verbs:

Root: dala :: dalhín, dinalá, dinádalá, dádalhín
*Irregular Note: Expected "dalahin" is shortened to "dalhin".
Root: bili :: bilhín, binilí, biníbilí, bíbilhín
*Irregular Note: Expected "bilihin" is shortened to "bilhin".
Root: gawa :: gawín, ginawâ, ginagawâ, gágawín
*Irregular Note: Expected "gawain" is shortened to "gawin".
Root: hingi :: hingín, hiningî, hinihingî, híhingín
*Irregular Note: Expected "hingiin" is shortened to "hingin".
Root: kuha :: kunin, kinuha, kinukuha, kukunin
*Irregular Note: Expected "kuhahin" is shortened to "kunin".
Root: kilala :: kilalanin, kinilala, kiníkilala, kíkilalanin
*Irregular Note: Expected "kilalahin" in changed to "kilalanin".
Root: kaya :: kayanin, kinaya, kinakaya, kakayanin
*Irregular Note: Expected "kayahin" in changed to "kayanin".
Root: alala :: alalahanin, inalala, ináalala, áalalahanin
*Irregular Note: Expected "alalahin" in changed to "alalahanin".
Root: sunod :: sundín, sinunód, sinúsunód, súsundín
*Irregular Note: Expected "sunodin" in shortened to "sundin".