1 Part of speech, core meaning, sentence position, and example sentences
- Part of speech
- Sentence-position rule
A conjugated tanom form normally begins the predicate, followed immediately by any clitic actor-pronoun: Mo-tanom ko ug kamatis ugma sa buntag.
I will plant tomatoes tomorrow morning. - Example sentences
- Mo-tanom ko og sili sa garden karong hapon. — I will plant chili peppers in the garden this afternoon.
- Nag-tanom sila sa humayan kada tingpugas. — They plant in the rice field every planting season.
- Gi-tanoman sa mga mag-uuma ang bungtod og kahoy. — The hill was planted with trees by the farmers.
2 Verb derivations of tanom
| Form | Voice & aspect | Typical translation | Sample sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| mag-tanom | Actor focus, habitual / future | “will be planting; usually plant” | Mag-tanom sila ug mais kada Marso. — They plant corn every March. |
| mo-tanom | Actor focus, non-past / imperative | “will plant; plant!” | Mo-tanom ta karon aron mabasa pa ang yuta. — Let’s plant now while the soil is moist. |
| nag-tanom | Actor focus, progressive / recent past | “is / was planting” | Nag-tanom siya pag-abot nato. — He was planting when we arrived. |
| mi-tanom / ni-tanom | Actor focus, completed past | “planted” | Ni-tanom ko ug rosas kagahapon. — I planted roses yesterday. |
| gi-tanom | Patient focus, completed past | “was planted (by …)” | Gi-tanom sa barangay ang libo-libong punuan. — Thousands of seedlings were planted by the village. |
| tanom-on (-on) | Patient focus, future / imperative | “to be planted / plant it” | Tanom-on nato ang liso sa mas lawom nga lupa. — We will plant the seed in deeper soil. |
| tanom-an (-an) | Locative / beneficiary focus | “to plant on / plant for” | Tanomi ang bakanteng lote og kahoy, palihog. — Please plant trees on the vacant lot. |
3 Common phrases
- tanom sa paso — potted plant
- mag-tanom og gulay — plant vegetables
- gi-tanom sa uma — planted in the field
- tanom-on nga liso — seed to be planted
- tanom-an sa lungsod — town planting site
4 Detailed usage notes
- Actor-focus everyday use — mo-/nag-/ni-tanom highlight the planter.
- Patient focus — gi-tanom, tanom-on emphasize what is being planted.
- Locative / beneficiary focus — tanom-an, tanomi draw attention to the planting site or recipient of the planting effort.
- Noun vs. verb — As a noun, tanom refers to any plant or crop: daghang tanom sa garden.
- Reduplication — tanom-tanom can suggest hobby gardening or casual planting of ornamental plants.
5 Common mistakes & how to avoid them
| Mistake | Issue | Correct form |
|---|---|---|
| Mo-tanom ako og okra. | Actor clitic must follow immediately after the verb. | Mo-tanom ko og okra. |
| Gi-tanom ko ang punuan. | With gi-, actor must be genitive (ni / sa). | Gi-tanom ni ko ang punuan. |
| Tanom-on ta siya! | Beneficiary/locative command needs tanomi (-i). | Tanomi siya! |
6 Short everyday conversations
- A: Unsay imong tanomon karon? — What will you plant today?
B: Mo-tanom ko og lettuce para sa salad. — I’ll plant lettuce for salad. - A: Nag-tanom ba sila sa likod balay? — Are they planting in the backyard?
B: Oo, nag-tanom sila og mga herbal nga tanom. — Yes, they’re planting herbs. - A: Tanomi ko palihog og usa ka kahoy diri. — Please plant me a tree here.
B: Sige, kuhaon nako ang pala. — Sure, I’ll get the shovel. - A: Nganong ni-tanom ka sa ting-init? — Why did you plant in the dry season?
B: Kay drought-resistant man ang tanom. — Because the plant is drought-resistant. - A: Mag-tanom ta og mga bulak sa front yard? — Shall we plant flowers in the front yard?
B: Oo, para mas nindot tan-awon ang balay. — Yes, to make the house look nicer.
