Markers, called pananda in Tagalog (from the root word tanda, meaning “mark”), have important role in Tagalog grammar. The markers are used in nouns, indicating its role in the sentence in relation to the verb phrase.
Tagalog conversations, much like everyday spoken interactions, often utilize shorter sentences with some words omitted. This reliance on shared context can be challenging for learners to follow. Noun markers, however, serve as guides within the sentence, aiding comprehension even when information is condensed.
Understanding Tagalog noun markers is crucial for grasping the fundamental structure of Tagalog sentences. These pananda noun markers function like indicators, revealing the role each noun plays within the sentence. They help clarify the relationship between the action (verb) and the nouns found in the “subject” (the thing being talked about) and/or predicate part of the sentence.
Noun markers play a key role in determining how a verb is used in a sentence and knowing how to transform verbs through the various affixes, considering its focus, aspect, mood, etc.
Now that we’ve established the importance of noun markers in understanding Tagalog sentences, it’s time to put that knowledge to good use! This post might seem lengthy, but fear not. To make things clear, we’ll use multiple examples with repeated explanations, ensuring you grasp the concept with each marker.
Let’s delve into the different markers themselves. The three main markers are ang, ng, and sa.
The ang Marker
The ang marker marks the noun (common noun) that is being talked about or being referred to in a statement. The noun following the ang marker is not just limited to playing the role of the action-taker, or the one “experiencing” things. It can also be the recipient of the action, the location where the action or event takes place, the instrument or tool used to do the action, and more.
The four ang markers are: ang, ang mga, si, and sina.
| Used for common nouns | Used for names/specific topic | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | ang | si |
| ‘yung | ||
| Plural | ang mga | sina |
| ‘yung mga |
Ang is commonly used for generic or common nouns, and its plural for is ang mga. In conversational or spoken Tagalog, ‘yung (contracted “iyon”) and ‘yung mga is used.
Si is used mostly for names of people. Informal usage of “si” includes proper nouns or aims to be more specific in conversations. Its plural form is sina.
The presence of “ang” and “si” indicates the “subject” is definite and fulfills the role of the noun being talked about or being referred to in the sentence.
| Tagalog | English | |
|---|---|---|
| Kumain ng pansit si Ana. | Ana ate pansit. | Ana is the one being talked about in the sentence and part of the “subject” of the sentence, sa indicated by the ang marker.Meanwhile, pansit is the direct object of the verb kumain (ate) and is part of the predicate. |
| Kinain ni Ana ang pansit. | The pansit was eaten by Ana. | Although the message is still the same in this sentence, pansit became the “subject” as indicated by the ang marker. It is the one being talked about while still functioning as the object of the action kinain (eaten by).Ana, the doer of the action, became a part of the predicate. |
Example:
| Tagalog | English | |
|---|---|---|
| Marumi ang sahig. *marumi – dirty sahig – floor | The floor is dirty. | The sahig (floor) is the one being talked about/referred to in the sentence. |
| Naliligo si Dani. *naliligo – bathing | Dani is bathing.(Dani is taking a bath.) | Dani is the one being talked about/referred to in the sentence. |
| Tumahol ang aso. *tumahol – barked | The dog barked. | The aso (dog) is the one being talked about/referred to in the sentence. |
| Makulit ang mga bata. *makulit – subborn/too playful | The kids are stubborn. | Mga bata (the kids) are the one being talked about/referred to in the sentence. |
| Sina Abby at JR ay aalis. *aalis – will leave | Abby and JR will leave.(Abby and JR are leaving.) | Abby and JR are the one being talked about/referred to in the sentence. |
The ng Marker
The ng marker has a couple of functions that are similar to the English preposition “of.” It is used to show that something is a part of a whole or collective, and to indicate possession.
Additionally, ng marker also functions as a directional marker, indicating the direction of an action which can be a place. Imagine the action as an arrow, and the sa marker points to the place or location where the action happens or gets done.
Lastly, the ng marker indicates the 1) doer and 2) object of an action in the predicate part of sentences.
The four ng markers are: ng, ng mga, ni, and nina.
| Used for common nouns | Used for people’s names/specific topic | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | ng | ni |
| Plural | ng mga | nina |
Ng is commonly used to mark generic or common nouns, and its plural for is ng mga.
Ni is used mostly for names of people, colloquial usage includes proper nouns or aims to be more specific in conversations; its plural form is nina.
Examples:
- Used to show that something is a part of a whole or collective
| Tagalog | English | |
| piraso ng papel | piece of paper | piraso (piece) is part of the whole papel (paper) |
| butones ng polo | button of shirt/ shirt’s button | butones (button/s) are one part of the polo (shirt) |
| pinuno ng pangkatlider ng grupo | leader of the group | pinuno/lider (leader) is part of the collective pangkat/grupo (group) |
| si Ms. Diaz ng Marketing Division | Ms. Diaz of Marketing Division | Ms. Diaz is a staff member of the Marketing Division |
- Used to mark possession
| Tagalog | English | |
|---|---|---|
| buntot ng pusa *buntot – tail, pusa – cat | tail of cat / cat’s tail | tail of cat / cat’s tail |
| Mahaba ang buhok ni Allan. *mahaba – long, buhok – hair, dalaga – lady | Allan’s hair is long. | Allan’s hair is long. |
| Nakakalat ang laruan ng mga bata. *laruan – toy | The kids’ toys are scattered. | The kids’ toys are scattered. |
| Mabait ang mga alaga nina Ed at Dee. *mabait – good/well-behaved, mga alaga – pets | Ed and Dee’s pets are well-behaved. | Ed and Dee’s pets are well-behaved. |
- Used to indicate direction (only “ng”)
| Tagalog | English | |
|---|---|---|
| Babalik ng Amerika ang boyfriend ni Ella. *balik – return | Ella’s boyfriend will go back to America. | The ng marker indicates/directs to Amerika (America) as the place where Ella’s boyfriend will go to.The ng marker ni marker indicates that the boyfriend being referred to is Ella’s. The “subject” of the sentence is boyfriend ni Ella (Ella’s boyfriend). |
| Luluwas ng Maynila si Papa. *luwas – going to the city or capital | Papa will go to Manila. | The ng marker indicates/directs to Maynila (Manila) as the place where Papa will go to. |
| Tatakbo ng pagka-mayor si Mr. Cruz. | Mr. Cruz is running for mayor. | The ng marker indicates that pagka-mayor (mayoralty) is the government position that Mr. Cruz is running for. |
- Used to mark the doer or object of an action in the predicate
| Tagalog | English | |
|---|---|---|
| Kinain ng aso ang hotdog. *kinain – eaten by | The hotdog was eaten by the dog.(The dog ate the hotdog.) | The first sentence in English, accurately translates the Tagalog sentence. This sentence retains the hotdog in the “subject” part of the sentence as the noun being talked about while also functioning as the object of the action kinain (was eaten). The noun aso (dog) is still a part of the predicate as the doer of the action.The second English sentence still conveys the same message as the Tagalog sentence but are not the same. The “subject” has changed from the object (hotdog) to the doer (dog) of the action. The hotdog became a part of the predicate as the verb’s direct object, no longer a subject. |
| Naglaro ng habulan ang mga bata. *naglaro – played, habulan – chase | The kids played chase. (The kids played by chasing one another.) | As indicated by the ng marker, habulan (chase) is the object of the action naglaro (played). It answers the question, what did the kids play?The kids are the doer of the action and are part of the “subject” of the sentence, as indicated by the ang marker. |
| Pinanood ni Margie ang laro. *pinanood – watched (a show) | The game was watched by Margie. | In this sentence, laro (game) is the noun being talked about or the “subject” of the sentence, and the object of the action.Margie, indicated by the ng-marker ni is the doer of the action pinanood (was watched by) iand s part of the predicate. |
| Nanood ng laro si Margie. *nanood – watched (by an audience) | Margie watched the game. | This sentence has the same message as the previous but this time, Margie is the one being talked about as indicated by the ang-marker si. Margie is also the doer of the action nanood (watched) and is part of the “subject” of the sentence.Indicated by the ng marker, the object of the action is laro (game) and is part of the predicate. |
| Tinulungan nina Alvin, JM, at Lex ang bata. *tinulungan – helped (by a helper) | The child was helped by Alvin, JM, and Lex. (Alvin, JM, and Lex helped the child.) | In this sentence, the kids (mga bata) are the ones being talked about as indicated by the ang mark and part of the sentence’s “subject.” They are the object/receiver of the action tinulungan (was helped by).On the other hand, Alvin, JM, and Alex are the doers of the action but are found in the predicate part of the sentence, as indicated by the ng-marker nina. |
The sa Marker
The sa marker acts similarly to a preposition in English. It can indicate the location of the action.
It also functions as a directional marker, indicating for which or in whose direction the action is performed. Imagine the action as an arrow, and the sa marker points to the person or thing receiving that action.
Sa markers can also signal possession, showing ownership by either a general or specific person or object.
The four sa markers are: sa, sa mga, kay, and kina.
| Used for common nouns | Used for people’s names/specific topic | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | sa | kay |
| Plural | sa mga | kina |
Sa is commonly used to mark generic or common nouns, and its plural for is sa mga.
Kay is used mostly for names of people, colloquial usage includes proper nouns or aims to be more specific in conversations. Its plural form is kina.
Examples:
- Used to indicate the location or direction of an action, like a preposition of place or location
| Tagalog | English | |
|---|---|---|
| Pupunta kami sa Jollibee. *pupunta – will bo, kami – we | We are going to Jollibee. | “Sa” marks the proper noun Jollibee as the location of the action pupunta (are going), which also implies a direction of going somewhere since it is in the contemplative aspect. Even if it is specific, “sa” is used instead of “kay” because it is referred in this sentence as the place/venue, not as an entity. |
| Nagtanghal ang artista sa entablado. *nagtanghal – performed, entablado – stage | The actor performed at the stage. | “Sa” marks the common noun entablado (stage), where the action nagtanghal (performed) was done by the artista (actor). |
| Bumibisita sa mga ospital taon-taon ang pangulo. *bumibisita – visits/visiting, taon-taon (taon – year, taon-taon – yearly), pangulo – president | The president visits hospitals yearly. | Sa marks mga ospital (hospitals) as the location which the pangulo (president) visits yearly (taon-taon). |
- Used to indicate for which or in whose direction the action is performed
| Tagalog | English | |
|---|---|---|
| Sumulat sa editor si Liza. *sumulat – wrote | Liza wrote to the editor. | The action sumulat (wrote) was meant for the editor/the action is going towards the direction of the editor. |
| Nagtanong ang babae ng direksiyon kay Jo. *Nagtanong – asked | The women asked Jo for directions. | The action nagtanong (asked) was for Jo (kay Jo). It was ang babae (the woman) who asked and the one being talked about in the sentence. |
- Used to show possession
| Tagalog | English | |
|---|---|---|
| Sa lolo ang baston. *baston – cane | The cane is lolo’s.(The cane belongs to the grandpa.) | “Sa” is used to mark the noun that follows as the owner of the object. It is a marker for common nouns thus, means that lolo refers to a grandpa that they don’t know, or just a grandpa in general. |
| Kay Lolo ang baston. | The cane is Lolo’s.(The cane belongs to Lolo.) | In this sentence, “kay” is used to mean that the speaker is referring to a specific Lolo, while leaving out the Lolo’s name. |
| Sa mga estudyante ang mga bag. *estudyante – student | The bags are the students’.(The bags belong to the students.) | “Sa mga” is used to show that the owners are the generic mga estudyante (students) are plural. |
| Kina Ed at Dee ang mga damit. *damit – clothes | The clothes are Ed and Dee’s.(The clothes belong to Ed and Dee.) | “Kina” is used to show the specific plural owners, Ed and Dee. |