| Tagalog Grammar |
Article Index for Tagalog |
Website Links For Tagalog |
Information AboutTagalog Grammar |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT TAGALOG GRAMMAR | |
| filipino language | |
| tagalog language | |
| grammars of specific languages | |
|
NOUNS While Tagalog nouns are not ( Nominative ), Ergative ( Genitive ), and Oblique . Unlike English and Spanish which are Nominative-accusative Languages , Tagalog is an Ergative-absolutive Language . It's a common misconception that Tagalog is frequently spoken in the passive voice. Absolutive or nominative markers mark the actor of an intransitive verb and the object of a transitive verb. Ergative or genitive markers mark the object (usually indefinite) of an intransitive verb and the actor of a transitive one. They also mark possession. Oblique markers are similar to prepositions in English. They mark things such as location and direction. Furthermore, noun markers are divided into two classes: one for names of people (personal) and the second for everything else (common). Below is a chart of case markers. ''Mga'' (pronounced {Link without Title} ) marks the plural. Examples: Dumatíng ang lalaki. "The man arrived." Nakita ni Juan si Maria. "John saw Maria." Pupuntá sina Elena at Roberto sa bahay ni Miguél. "Elena and Roberto will go to Miguel's house." Nasaán ang mga libró? "Where are the books?" Na kay Tatay ang susì. "Father has the keys." PRONOUNS Like nouns, personal pronouns are categorized by case. Examples: Sumulat akó. "I wrote." Sinulatan akó. "(He) wrote me." Ibibigáy ko sa kaniyá. "I will give it to her." Genitive pronouns follow the word they modify. Oblique pronouns can take the place of the genitive pronoun but they precede the word they modify. Ang bahay ko. Ang aking bahay. "My house." The dual pronoun ''katá/kitá'' has largely disappeared though it may be used in other Tagalog dialects, particularly those spoken in the rural areas. However ''kitá'' is used to replace the pronoun sequence ''ko ikáw''. Mahál kitá. "I love you." Bibigyán kitá ng pera. "I will give you money." Nakita kitá sa tindahan kahapon. "I saw you at the store yesterday." Kaibigan kitá. "You are my friend." The inclusive pronoun ''táyo'' refers to the first and second persons. It may also refer to a third person(s). The exclusive pronoun ''kamí'' refers to the first and third persons but excludes the second. Walâ táyong bigás. "We (you and I) don't have rice." Walâ kamíng bigás. "We (someone else and I, but not you) don't have rice." The second person singular has two forms. ''Ikáw'' is the non-enclitic form while ''ka'' is the Enclitic which never begins a sentence. The plural form ''kayó'' is also used politely in the singular, similar to French ''vous''. The nouns are gender neutral, hence ''siyá'' means either ''he'' or ''she''. DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS Tagalog's demonstrative pronouns are as follows. Examples: Anó itó? "What's this?" Sino ang lalaking iyon? "Who is that man?" Galing kay Pedro ang liham na itó. "This letter is from Pedro." Nandito akó. "I am here." Kakain silá roón. "They will eat there." Saán ka man naróroon. "Wherever you are." Kumain niyán ang batà. "The child ate some of that." Ayón palá ang salamín mo! "So that's where your glasses are!" Heto isang regalo para sa iyó. "Here's a gift for you." For the most part, ''iré'' has disappeared from the vocabulary of most Tagalog speakers. In its place, ''itó'' is used. VERBS Tagalog verbs are morphologically complex and take on a variety of affixes reflecting focus, aspect, mode, and others. Conjugation Chart Below is a chart of the main verbal Affixes which consists of a variety of Prefixes , Suffixes , Infixes , and Circumfixes . In the chart, ''CV'' stands for the Reduplicated first syllable of a rootword, which is usually the first consonant and the first vowel of the word. ''N'' stands for a nasal consonant which assimilates to ''ng'', ''n'', or ''m'' depending on the consonant following it. The dashes indicate the type of affix a particular Morpheme is. For example ''-um-'' is an infix that is placed between the first consonant and the first vowel of a rootword. The word ''sumulat'' (actor focus and completed aspect or infinitive) is composed of the rootword ''sulat'' and the infix ''-um-''. Its other Conjugations are ''sumusulat'' and ''susulat''. With object-focus verbs in the completed and progressive aspects, the infix ''-in-'' frequently becomes the infix ''-ni-'' or the prefix ''ni-'' if the rootword begins with , , , or ; e.g., ''linalapitan'' or ''nilalapitan'' and ''inilagay'' or ''ilinagay''. Focus An interesting feature of verbs in Tagalog and in other Philippine languages is its focus system. This means that the role or relationship of the noun in focus (marked by the absolutive marker) is reflected in the verb. There are six main types of focus: actor, object, location, beneficiary, instrument, and reason. All of the focuses, with the exception of the actor focus, are naturally transitive. Actor Other actor focus affixes are ''mag-'', ''maN-'', and ''ma-''. The difference between ''mag-'' and ''-um-'' is a source of confusion among learners of the language. Generally speaking there are two main distinctions among many; ''mag-'' refers to externally-driven actions and ''-um-'' for internally-driven ones. For example ''bumilí'' means ''to buy'' while ''magbilí'' means ''to sell''. However, ''mag-ahit'' means ''to shave oneself'' while ''umahit'' means ''to shave someone''. ''ma-'' is used with only a few verbs. One of them is ''matulog'' (to sleep). Bumilí ng saging ''ang lalaki'' sa tindahan para sa unggóy. "''The man'' bought bananas at the store for the monkey." Object There are three main object focus affixes. -in is used for objects that are moved towards the actor; ''kainin'' (to eat something), ''bilhín'' (to buy something). Objects that are permanently changed; ''basagin'' (to crack something), ''patayín'' (to kill something). And things that are thought of; ''isipin'' (to think of something), ''alalahanin'' (to remember something). i- is used for objects which undergo a change of state such as being moved away from an actor; ''ibigáy'' (to give something), ''ilagáy'' (to put something), ''itaním'' (to plant something). -an is used for items undergoing a surface change (e.g., cleaning); ''hugasan'' (to rinse something), ''walisán'' (to sweep something off). Binilí ng lalaki ''ang saging'' sa tindahan para sa unggóy. "The man bought ''the banana'' at the store for the monkey." Affixes can be also used in nouns or adjectives: ''baligtaran'' (from ''baligtád'', to reverse) (reversible), ''katamaran'' (from ''tamád'', lazy) (laziness), ''kasabihán'' (from ''sabi'', to say) (proverb), ''kasagutan'' (from ''sagót'', answer), ''bayarín'' (from ''bayad'', to pay) (payment), ''bukirín'' (from ''bukid'', farm), ''lupaín'' (from ''lupa'', land), ''pagkakaroón'' (from ''doón/roón'', there) (having/appearance), and ''pagdarasál'' (from ''dasál'', prayer). Verbs with affixes (mostly suffixes) are also used as nouns, which are differentiated by stress position. Examples are ''panoorin'' (to watch or view) and ''panoorín'' (materials to be watched or viewed), ''hangarín'' (to wish) and ''hangarin'' (goal/objective), ''aralin'' (to study) and ''aralín'' (studies), and ''bayaran'' (to pay) and ''bayarán'' (someone or something for hire). Locative The locative focus refers to the location or direction of an action. Binilhán ng lalaki ng saging ''ang tindahan''. "The man bought bananas ''at the store''." Benefactive The benefactive focus refers to the person or thing an action is being done for; i.e., the beneficiary of an action. Ibinilí ng lalaki ng saging ang ''unggóy''. "The man bought bananas ''for the monkey''." Instrument The instrument focus refers to the means by which an action is performed. Ipinambilí ng lalaki ng saging ''ang pera ng asawa niyá''. "The man bought bananas ''with his wife's money''." Reason The reason focus refers to the cause or reason why an action is performed. Ikinabilí ng lalaki ng saging ''ang pagdatíng ng unggóy''. "The man bought bananas ''because of the monkey's arrival''." Aspect Tagalog verbs conjugate for aspect rather than for tense. There are four types of aspect: infinitive (including imperative), completed (perfective), progressive (imperfective), and contemplated (usually future). Infinitive Gustó kong ''matulog''. "I want ''to sleep''." ''Matulog'' ka na! "''Go to sleep'' now!" Completed ''Sinulatan'' ka ni Maria. "Maria ''wrote'' you." Progressive ''Sumasayáw'' siyá ngayón. "He is dancing now." ''Sumasayáw'' siyá kanina. "He was dancing earlier." Noóng batà pa akó, ''umiinóm'' akó ng kapé. When I was a child, I used to drink coffee. Contemplated ''Hahanapin'' ba natin ang susì ko? "''Will'' we ''look for'' my keys?" Mode Tagalog verbs also have affixes expressing mode; some examples are indicative, causative, potential, social, and distributed. Indicative Nagdalá siyá ng liham. "He brought a letter." Bumilí kamí ng bigás sa palengke. "We bought rice at the market." Kumain akó. "I ate." Hindî siyá nagsasalitâ ng Tagalog. "He does not speak Tagalog." Causative Nagpadalá siya ng liham sa kaniyáng iná. "He sent (literally: caused to be brought) a letter to his mother." Distributive Namili kamí sa palengke. "We went shopping at the market." Social Nakikain akó sa mga kaibigan ko. "I ate with my friends." Potential Hindî siyá nakakapagsalitâ ng Tagalog. "He is not able to speak Tagalog." MODIFIERS In Tagalog, a word can take the role of both an adverb and an adjective. Adjectives modify nouns by the linker ''na''. However if ''na'' follows a word ending in a vowel or glottal stop, then it becomes suffixed to that word as ''-ng''. The adjective can either come before or come after the word it modifies. Adverbs modify verbs by following the verb and being marked by ''nang'' or preceding the verb with the linkers ''na'' or ''-ng'', which is optional. The word ''mabilís'' (fast) is used as an example below: Mabilís ang kabayo. "The horse is fast." Ang mabilís na kabayo. Ang kabayong mabilís. "The fast horse." Tumatakbó ang kabayo nang mabilís. Mabilís na tumakbó ang kabayo. "The horse runs fast." Modifiers can be a stand-alone rootword or the rootword can be affixed: ''basâ'' (wet), ''buháy'' (alive), ''patáy'' (dead), ''hinóg'' (ripe), ''pangit'' (ugly), ''pulá'' (red) ''putî'' (white), and ''itím'' (black). The most common modifier prefix is ''ma-'': ''matandâ'' (old), ''mataás'' (high), ''maliít'' (little), ''malakí'' (big), ''mabahò'' (smelly), ''masaráp'' (delicious), ''malakás'' (strong), and ''mapulá'' (reddish). Other affixes denote different meanings. For example ''pinaká-'' is the superlative; ''pinakamalakás'' (strongest). Another is ''nakasalamín'' (bespectacled, wearing glasses). ENCLITIC PARTICLES Tagalog has enclitic particles that have important information conveying difference nuances in meaning. Below is a list of Tagalog's enclitic particles. #''na'' and ''pa''
#''man'': even, even if, even though #''ngâ'': indeed; used in affirmations or emphasis. Also softens imperatives #''din, rin'': too, also #''lamang'' (''lang''): limiting particle; only or just #''daw, raw'': a reporting particle that expresses that the information in the sentence is second-hand; they say, he said, reportedly, supposedly, etc. #''hô'' and ''pô'': politeness. ''pô'' being the most respectful. #''ba'': used in yes-and-no questions and optionally in other types of questions #''muna'': for now, for a minute and yet (in negative sentences). #''namán'': used in making constrasts; softens requests; emphasis #''kasí'': expresses cause; because #''kayâ'': expresses wonder; I wonder; perhaps (we should do something) #''palá'': expresses that the speaker has realized or suddenly remembered something; realization particle #''yatà'': expresses uncertainty; probably, perhaps, seems #''tulóy'': used in cause and effect; as a result #''sanà'': expresses hope, unrealized condition (with verb in completed aspected), used in conditional sentences. The order listed above is the order in which the particles follow if they are used in conjunction with each other. Generally, the last five particles listed can take any order however they are listed in the recommended order. The particles ''na'' and ''pa'' cannot be used in conjunction with each other as well as ''pô'' and ''hô''. Dumatíng na raw palá ang lola mo. "Oh yeah, your grandmother supposedly arrived." Palitán mo na rin. "You change it also." Walâ pa yatang asawa ang kapatíd niyá. "Perhaps his brother still doesn't have a wife." Itó lang kayâ ang ibibigáy nilá sa amin. "I wonder if this is the only thing that they're going to give us." Nag-aral ka na ba ng wikang Kastilà? "Have you already studied Spanish?" Batà pa kasí. "It's because he's still young." Pakisulat mo ngâ muna ang iyóng pangalan dito. "Write your name here first, please." WORD ORDER Tagalog word order Verb-Subject-Object (VSO) or more specifically, predicate initial (referred to in Tagalog grammar as ''Tuwirang Ayos''). Kumantá ang batà. "The child sang." Iinumín nilá ang serbesa. "They will drink the beer." Magagandá ang mga dalaga. "The young women are beautiful." Malakás ang ulán. "The rain is strong." Word order may be inverted (referred to in Tagalog grammar as ''Kabaligtarang Ayos'') by way of the inversion marker ''ay'' ('' 'y'' after vowels). Contrary to popular belief, this is not the Copula ''to be''. A slight, but optional, pause in speech or a comma in writing may replace the inversion marker. This construction is oftentimes viewed by native speakers as formal or literary. Below are the sentences from above but in inverted form. Ang batà ay kumantá. Ang batà, kumantá. Ang serbesa'y iinumín nilá. Ang serbesa, iinumín nilá. Ang mga dalaga'y magagandá. Ang mga dalaga, magagandá. Ang ulán ay malakás. Ang ulán, malakás. EXISTENTIAL To express existence (there is/are) and possession (to have), the words ''may'' and ''mayroón'' are used. These words are used interchangeably but have different constructions. May pera ako. Mayroón akóng pera. "I have money." May libró sa loób ng bahay niyá. Mayroóng libró sa loób ng bahay niyá. "There is a book inside his house. NEGATION There are three negation words: ''hindî'', ''walâ'', and ''huwág''. Hindî negates verbs and equations. It is sometimes shortened to ''dî''. Hindî akó magtatrabaho bukas. "I will not work tomorrow." Hindî mayaman ang babae. "The woman is not rich." Walâ is the opposite of ''may'' and ''mayroón''. Walâ akóng pera. Waláng pera akó. "I do not have money." Waláng libró sa loób ng bahay niyá. "There are no books in his house." Huwág is used in expressing negative commands. It can be used for the infinitive and the future aspect. Huwág kang umiyák. "Don't cry." Huwág kayóng tatakbó rito. "Don't run here." INTERROGATIVE WORDS Tagalog's interrogative words are: ''alín'', ''anó'', ''bákit'', ''gaáno'', ''ilán'', ''kailán'', ''kaníno'', ''kumustá'', ''magkáno'', ''nasaán'', ''níno'', ''paáno'', ''saán'', and ''síno''. With the exceptions of ''bakit'', ''kumustá'', and ''nasaán'', all of the interrogative words have optional plural forms which are formed by reduplication. They are used when the person who is asking the question anticipates a plural answer. Alín means ''which''. Alín ang punong-lungsód ng Estados Unidos - Washington, DC o New York? "Which is the capital of the United States - Washington, DC or New York?" Alíng palda ang gustó mo? "Which skirt do you like?" Alín sa mga iyán ang bibilhín ni Canuto? "Which of those will Canuto buy?" Anó means ''what''. Anó ang ginagawâ nilá? "What are they doing?" Anó ang kumagát sa kaniyá? "What bit him?" Anóng oras daratíng si Luisa? "What time will Luisa arrive?" Anú-anóng klaseng inumín ang pipiliin ninyó? "What kind of drink will you guys choose?" Bakit means ''why''. Bakit nasa Barcelona silá? "Why are they in Barcelona?" Bakit ka umiiyák? "Why are you crying?" Gaano means ''how'' but is used in inquiring about the quality of an adjective or an adverb. The rootword of the modifier is prefixed with ''ka-'' in this construction. Gaanong kalayo ang bahay ni Nicomedes? "How far is Nicomedes' house?" Gaano kang katagal sa Montréal? "How long will you be in Montréal?" Gaano kayáng kahahabà ang mga ahas na iyón? "I wonder how long those snakes are?" Gaanong kabilís na tumatakbó ang kabayo? "How fast is the horse running?" Ilán means ''how many''. Ilán ang anák nina Arsenio at Edilberta? "How many children do Arsenio and Edilberta have?" Iláng taón ka na? "How old are you?" Kailán means ''when''. Kailán uuwî si Victor? "When will Victor come home? Mulâ kailán ka nag-aaral ng Tagalog? "Since when have you been learning Tagalog? Kanino means ''whom'' or ''whose''. It is the oblique form of ''sino'' (who). Kanino itó? "Whose is this?" Para kanino ang pagkaing iyán? "Whose food is that?" Ibibigáy ko ang pera kanino? "I will give the money to whom?" Kaninong sapatos iyón? "Whose shoes are those?" Kumustá is used to inquire how something is (are). It is frequently used as a greeting meaning ''How are you?'' It is derived from the Spanish ''¿cómo está?''. Kumustá ang iná ninyó? "How is your mother?" Kumustá ang trabaho mo? "How is your work?" Kumustá ka? "How are you?" Magkano means ''how much'' and is usually used in inquiring the price of something. Magkano ang kotseng iyón? "How much is that car?" Magkakano ang saging? "How much are the bananas?" Nasaán means ''where'' but is used to inquire about the location of an object and not used with verbs. In speech it is reduced to ''asan''. Nasaán si Antonia? "Where is Antonia?" Nasaán ang susì ko. "Where are my keys?" Nino means: ''who'', ''whose'', and ''whom''. It is the ergative and genitive form of ''sino''. Sapatos nino iyón? "Whose shoes are those?" Nakita ka nino? "Who saw you?" Ginawâ nino? "Who did it?" Paano is used in asking ''how'' something is done or happened. Paano mo gagawín? "How will you do this?" Paano siyá nasaktán? "How did he get hurt?" Papaano ako makakatulong sa mga biktimá? "How (in what ways) will I be able to help the victims?" Saán means ''where'' but it is used to inquire about the location of where an action was performed. Saán ka nag-aaral? "Where do you study?" Saán mamimilí si Estelita? "Where will Estelita go shopping?" Taga-saán siyá? "Where is she from?" Sino means ''who'' and ''whom'' and it is in the absolutive or nominative form. Sino siyá? "Who is he?" Sino ang nakita mo? "Whom did you see?" Sinu-sino ang mga dating presidente ng Pilipinas? "Who are the former presidents of the Philippines?" SEE ALSO |
|
|