Beneficiary Focus

There are two affixes that mark the beneficiary focus: IPAG- and -AN. Attaching any of these affixes to a root indicates that the focus of the sentence is the noun for whom/which the action is done. This is different from the object focus. IPAG and -AN mark the focus as the word that receives the benefit of the action. In English, this word that receives thebenefit of the action is called the indirect object. Let's take a look at an example in English:
1. Fred gave the car to Bob.         BENEFICIARY FOCUSED
In English, car is the direct object and Bob is the indirect object. Bob got the benefit from receiving the car. In Tagalog, if the word Bob is the word that is in focus, then the sentence would be Beneficiary Focused.
However, if the word car in this sentence were the focus, then the sentence would be Object Focused in Tagalog:
2. Fred gave the car to Bob.         OBJECT FOCUSED
As mentioned above, if the benefactor (or indirect object) is the focus then the affix IPAG or -AN is placed in the verb. If the benefactor is not in focus, however, then the benefactor would would be marked by PARA SA in front.
IPAG- Verbs
IPAG- is the prototypical beneficiary focus verbal affix. Most of the time, this affix is shortened to I-, especially when the verb root to which it is attached does not have an I- object focus form.

Root	Benefic. F. Verb	Beneficiary F. Sentence	Converted Actor FocusSentence
luto	ipaglutoto cook something for someone	Ipagluto mo ang nanay ng lumpiya.Cook the egg roll for Mother.	Magluto ka ng lumpiya para sa nanay.Cook the egg roll for Mother.
handa	ipaghandato prepare something for someone	Ipaghanda mo si Lina ng damit.Prepare clothes for Lina.	Maghanda ka ng damit para kay Lina.Prepare clothes for Lina.
laba	ipaglabato do laundry for someone	Ipaglaba mo ako.Do the laundry for me.	Maglaba ka para sa akin.Do the laundry for me.
hugas	ipaghugasto do the dishes for someone	Ipaghugas mo siya ng mga plato.Do the dishes for her.	Maghugas ka ng mga plato para sa kanya.Do the dishes for here.

-AN Verbs
There are some roots that take the affix -AN to form beneficiary focus verbs. Following a word that ends in a vowel, it has the form -HAN. These should not be confused with the location/direction focus forms.

Here are some examples of Beneficiary Focus -AN verbs and sentences:

Root	Verb	Beneficiary F. Sentence	Converted Actor FocusSentence
bili	bilhan to buy something for someone	Bilhan mo ang bata ng kendi.Buy the kid a candybar.	Bumili ka ng kendi para sa bata.Buy a candybar for the kid.
kanta	kantahan to sing for someone	Kantahan mo si Noel ng kundiman.Sing Noel a love song.	Kumanta ka ng kundiman para kay Noel.Sing a love song for Noel.
luto	lutuan to cook for someone	Lutuan mo siya ng adobo.Cook adobo for him.	Magluto ka ng adobo para sa kanya.Cook adobo for him.
timpla	timplahan to prepare a drink for someone	Timplahan mo ako ng kape.Prepare coffee for me.	Magtimpla ka ng kape para sa akin.Prepare coffee for me.

Location/Direction Focus

The location/direction focus is indicated by the affix -AN/-HAN. Attaching this affix to verb root indicates that the focus of the sentence is a location or the direction of the action. -ANis the only affix used to indicate location/direction focus. It might be easier to remember the connection between -AN and location if you remember that -AN is used generally in the Tagalog language as a location marker. -AN is the prototypical location indicator. For example, the Tagalog word for worship is simba, but if you add -AN to this word to makesimbahan the meaning becomes church (the place where you worship). The word tinda means 'to sell,' but if you add -AN to this word to make tindahan the meaning becomes store.
Keep in mind however that ambiguities may arise since -AN can also be used to indicate object-focus and beneficiary-focus as well.
-AN is a suffix and is added to the end of the verb. If the verb ends in a vowel, then an H is added on to -AN to make -HAN.
Here are a few examples of location/direction-focus verbs and sentences: The noun/noun phrase in focus is underlined. The corresponding actor-focus sentences are also provided.

Root	Loc./Dir. Focus Verb	Loc./Dir. Focus Sentence	Converted Actor Focus Sentence
punta	puntahan to go (to)	Puntahan mo ang kaibigan mo (sa palengke).(You) Go, see your friend (in the market).	Pumunta ka sa kaibigan mo (sa pelengke).(You) Go, see your friend (in the market).
bigay	bigyan*to give	Bigyan mo ng pera ang kapatid mo.(You) Give your brother some money.	Magbigay ka ng pera sa kapatid mo.(You) Give some money to your brother.
dala	dalhan*to bring	Dalhan mo ng prutas si Maria. (You) Bring some fruits to Maria.	Magdala ka ng prutas kay Maria.(You) Bring some fruits to Maria.
lagay	lagyan to put	Lagyan mo ng bulaklak ang mesa.(You) Put some flowers on the table.	Maglagay ka ng bulaklak sa mesa.(You) Put some flowers on the table.

*These verbs have undergone other form changes not discussed here.
Let's take a look at the second sentence:
Bigyan mo    ng pera ang kapatid   mo.
give     you      money       brother  of you
The AN on the end of the verb tells you that the focus of the sentence (kapatid mo) is the location or direction where the action of the verb (give) will take place. This location is the part of the sentence that is emphasized. Notice that the other words in the sentence are not in focus.

Object-Focus Verbs

There are several affixes that indicate that the focus of the sentence is the object (receiver of the action). The most common ones are discussed in this section, -IN, I-, -AN, and MA-. Attaching any of these affixes on to a verb indicates that the focus of the sentence is the receiver of the action (object). Be aware however that -IN is the only affix that is used solely to mark the focus as the object. In a sense, it is the prototypical object focus affix. The other affixes can indicate object focus, but they can also be used for different purposes. I- may also mark beneficiary- or instrumental-focus, -AN locative- or beneficiary-focus, and MA- actor-focus. A learner would be advised to memorize the functions of the different affixes. The table of verbs provided in this site should be a helpful introduction.
The -IN Verb
The affix -IN is the only "real" object-focus affix. That is, an -IN verb is always object-focus. When -IN is attached to a verb that ends in a vowel, an H is needed between it and the affix. Here are some examples, all of which are in the imperative or command form:

Root Word	Object Focus Verb	Sentence
bili	bilhin to buy	Bilhin mo ang sapatos.(You) Buy the (pair of) shoes.
kain	kainin to eat	Kainin mo ang lumpiya.(You) Eat the egg roll.
basa	basahin to read	Basahin mo ang diyaryo mamaya.(You) Read the newspaper later.
luto	lutuin to cook	Lutuin mo ang isda sa kusina.(You) Cook the fish in the kitchen.

Let's take a look at the last example:
Lutuin mo ang isda sa kusina.
cook   you         fish     kitchen
The -IN affix tells you that the focus is to recieve the action of the verb. The focus is isda (fish), so you know that it is the fish that is to be cooked, and not you (mo).

The I- Verb
I- verbs are the second most common Object Focus verbs next to -IN.  I- is a prefix, and thus it goes in front of the word. The prefix I- is typically used to mark Object Focus, but I- can also be used to mark beneficiary and instrumental. However, these uses occur less frequently.

Here are a few examples that are in the imperative or command form:

Root Word	Object Focus Verb	Sentence
luto	ilutoto cook	Iluto mo ang isda sa kusina.(You) Cook the fish in the kitchen.
sulat	isulatto write	Isulat mo ang pangalan mo sa papel.(You) Write your name on the paper.
tago	itagoto keep	Itago mo ang sulat.(You) Keep the letter.
sara	isarato close	Isara mo ang pinto.(You) Close the door.

The -AN Verbs
The -AN affix is not used in very many verbs as an object focus marker. There are however a few specific verb roots that use -AN for this purpose. A learner would be advised to memorize the verb roots that take this affix to mark object focus. The most common use of -AN is to mark location/direction-focus.
-AN is suffix, and thus should be placed at the end of a word. When -AN follows a verb root that ends in a vowel, the affix takes the form -HAN. 
Here are a few examples:

Root	Object F. Verb	Object Focus Sentence	ConvertedActor FocusSentence
bukas	buksan*to open	Buksan mo ang bintana.Open the window.	Magbukas ka ng bintana.Open the window.
takip	takpan*to cover	Takpan mo ang bibig mo.Cover your mouth.	Magtakip ka ng bibig mo.Cover your mouth.
laba	labhan*to wash	Labhan mo ang damit ni Monica.Wash Monica's dress.	Maglaba ka ng damit ni Monica.Wash Monica's dress.

*These verb have undergone other form changes that are not discussed here.

The MA- Verb
There are certain verbs that use MA- as an object focus marker. These verbs (kita, pansin, alam, etc.) form a special set of verbs because they are always object focused. They can never be actor focused. In some grammar books, these verbs are said to express abilitative and/or accidental mode. Thus, these verbs do not have imperative forms (in other words, they can never be used as commands). Membership of this set is not very large, so learners would be advised to memorize the verb roots that take the MA- affix to indicate object focus. Here some of the most common MA- verbs:

Root	Object Focus Verb	Sentence
kita	makitato see	Nakita ng bata ang titser.The child saw the teacher.
dinig	marinig*to hear	Narinig ni Ana ang boses ni Noel.Ana heard Noel's voice.
pansin	mapansinto notice	Napansin ko ang bagong sapatos ni Maria.I noticed Maria's new shoes.
alam	malaman*to learn/know about smthg.	Nalaman ko ang pangalan niya.I learned his name.