Expression of Case by the Verb in Tagalog

Abstract

Excerpt

In Philippine languages, on the other hand, this case-indicaing function of the verb is developed to a high degree. The active, as in Indo-European and Semitic, denotes the case of the agent, but the passive expresses not only the accusative, but also the dative, instrumental, locative, and ablative; the noun whose case is to be indicated being made the subject of the passive verb.

In Tagalog, which may be taken as a type of these languages, a verb may have an active and three so-called passive forms, which are known respectively, according to the particles with which they are formed, as the in, i, and an passives.