Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Grammar
Second Edition
A Reference for Learners of Tagalog
Fiona De Vos
To my husband, Fre
Contents
Introduction
13
Pronunciation
17
17
21
Replaceable sounds
25
29
29
31
Syllable repetition
33
Na/-ng
34
35
35
The POD
35
The News
36
38
43
Ang markers
43
45
Ng markers
45
46
Sa markers
49
49
Summary
51
Pronouns
Ang pronouns
53
53
Personal pronouns
53
Demonstrative pronouns
55
57
58
Personal pronouns
58
Demonstrative pronouns
59
61
Sa pronouns
63
Personal pronouns
63
Demonstrative pronouns
64
66
68
Kita
71
72
Mismo
74
Nouns
77
Gender
77
Plurals
78
Noun affixes
80
Compound nouns
99
101
102
Verbs
The basic form
105
105
105
Verb affixes
108
Aspects
Overview
206
206
Completed
208
Uncompleted
210
Unstarted
212
Summary
214
Recently completed
215
217
Irregular verbs
218
220
Commands
220
Requests
221
222
223
Huwag
225
227
228
230
230
232
234
234
Pseudo-verbs
236
Overview
236
Using pseudo-verbs
237
Repeated pseudo-verbs
240
Adjectives
241
241
Gender
242
242
Adjective affixes
243
Compound adjectives
257
Intensity
258
258
Repeated adjectives
260
260
261
Plural adjectives
262
263
Contents 7
Equality
263
Inequality
266
Superlative
267
269
269
269
272
Ordinal numbers
273
Fractions
273
274
Numbers in use
278
280
Expressing similarity
284
284
Para
286
Tulad
287
Mukha
Expressing manner
Expressing location
Nasa
287
288
289
289
291
Sa
292
292
293
294
May
295
Positions
296
298
Expressing extent
299
300
Month names
300
301
301
Clock time
302
304
306
310
Time clauses
311
Expressing condition
318
322
Expressing contrast
326
Expressing possibility
328
333
Enclitic words
339
Overview
339
340
340
341
342
342
345
Na
345
Pa
353
Man
357
Nga
358
Din/Rin
361
Lang
362
Naman
365
Daw/Raw
368
Po/Ho
369
Ba
369
Pala
370
Kaya
372
Muna
373
Tuloy
374
Kasi
375
Yata
376
Sana
377
Contents 9
379
379
Stand-alone meron/marami/wala
381
382
383
385
386
Questions
387
Yes/no questions
387
Confirmation questions
389
Alternative questions
391
Please-repeat questions
392
393
393
394
407
Negation
407
Hindi
407
Ewan
409
Ni
410
Ni ni
411
Other
411
412
414
417
418
418
419
421
POD-first sentences
424
PODayNews
424
PODpauseNews
425
425
427
431
Opening particles
432
Closing particles
435
Interjections
438
441
Appendix B: Terminology
445
Bibliography
447
Index
449
Contents 11
Introduction
E s s e n t i a l T a g a l o g G r a m m a r offers:
pronunciation marks, with all long vowels (stress) and glottal stops
indicated
E s s e n t i a l T a g a l o g G r a m m a r includes:
13
E s s e n t i a l T a g a l o g G r a m m a r is recommended for:
native speakers who want to gain insights into their own language
Exercises
After reading a section with one or more tables containing Tagalog and
English phrases, you can do the following exercises:
Cover up the column containing the English phrases and say the
meaning of the Tagalog phrases.
Cover up the Tagalog column, read the English phrases and say the
Tagalog phrases.
reorganized sections
and more
Contact
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, you can contact the
author at:
team@learningtagalog.com
Maraming salamat po!
Introduction 15
Pronunciation
examples
corresponding
IPA symbols
sounds in English
a
aga
palm, about
[a], []
ere
whey, dress
[e], []
igi
happy, kit
[i], []
oso
row, thought
[o], []
uso, usa
goose, put
[u], []
17
Consonants
The following consonants are used in native Tagalog words.
consonant
but
do
go
ham
cat
left
man
no
ng
r i n g i n g [IPA symbol: ]
tip
run
sea
store
we
yes
Note:
1. /k/, /p/ and /t/ are not aspirated, that is, there is no puff of air after
them.
Letter names
The two Tagalog letters that are not found in the English alphabet are
called e n g e e (ng) and e n y e h ().
All the other letters have the same names as in English. Note that z is
called z e e , as in American English.
Pronunciation 19
Diphthongs
diphthong
ay
wise
ey
whey
oy
boy
uy
too young
aw
now
ew
yeah why
iw
kiwi
ow
row
pronounced as
examples
pronounced as
ll
ly
Cal l e
Calye
Vil l egas
Vilyegas
ny ( g n in
El Ni o
El Ninyo
lasagna)
Los Ba os
Los Banyos
trabaho
work, job
aso
dog
makakasama
buhay
life
buhay
alive
Pronunciation 21
mag-aaral
will study
mag-aaral
student, pupil
Kumust a ?
Kumusta n a ?
tama
right, correct
hindi
not
naligo
bawat
each, every
siyay
he/shes
yan
example
pronun-
meaning
ciation
a so
aso
dog
mag-a ral
magaral
to study
maa ga
maaga
early
Maaga pa(h).
pronunciation
underline
long vowel
long vowel
// followed by a pause*
glottal stop
Replaceable sounds
Replaceable vowel sounds
Some vowel sounds in native words can be replaced under certain
conditions.
change
example
alternative
meaning
pronunciation
from /i/ to /e/
lalaki
lalake
man, male
sige na
sigi na
come on,
please
to tal
tutal
after all,
anyway
alternative
meaning
pronunciation
Gabi .
Gabe.
Evening.
I tlog.
Egg.
Abri l.
April.
Gabi na.
Pronunciation 25
2. From /e/ to /i/: when /e/ is in the final syllable of a word that is not
followed by a pause*
example
alternative
meaning
pronunciation
Sige na.
Sigi na.
Sige .
OK.
Pe rlas.
Pearl.
E le ksyon.
Election.
3. From /o/ to /u/: when /o/ is short (unstressed) and not followed by a
pause*
example
alternative
meaning
pronunciation
Ano pa?
Anu pa?
What else?
Bo tika.
Butika.
Drugstore.
Biyo lin.
Biyulin.
Violin.
Ano ?
What?
Bo la.
Ball.
may be
example(s)
replaced
alternative
meaning
pronunciation(s)
by
ai
ay, ey, e
ka i lan
kaylan, keylan,
when
kelan
au
aw, o
ka u nti
kawnti, konti
a little
ay
ey, e
ma y
mey, me
theres
(a/some)
diy, dy
d i y an,
jan,
there,
d y aryo
jaryo
newspaper
niy
(ny)
n i y og
og (nyog)
coconut
siy, sy
sh
s i y a,
sha,
he/she,
mas y ado
mashado
too (much)
t i y ak,
chak,
doubtless,
t y an
chan
belly
kot s e,
koche,
car,
t s okolate
chokolate
chocolate
tiy, ty
ts
ch
ch
Pronunciation 27