may

ᜋᜌ᜔ (Baybayin)
mey (alternative nonstandard)
me (alternative nonstandard)
mi (alternative obsolete)

From Proto-Central Philippine *may (existential marker). See also Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *mai (“and”).

May tubig sa bahay.

May pagkain ako rito, sa'yo na lang.

particle used as an existential marker: to be; to have


o

Compare Hokkien 乎 (hôⁿ / hô͘), English oh and Spanish oh.

Nandiyan na naman siya o.

Ganito kasi dapat 'yan o.

You're supposed to do it like this, you see?

(informal) sentence-ending particle used to express warning or to catch someone's attention.


pi

Alteration of po with /i/ to sound cutesy. Originally a typographical error due to the closeness of the positions of the I and O keys in the keyboard.

Okey pi!


ba

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ba, or shortened form of baga. Cognate with Cebuano ba and Malagasy va.

Mayroon ka bang pera?


me

pronunciation spelling
pronunciation spelling


b

From the Abakada alphabet letter b being pronounced as ba.

D2 k b?

Abbreviation of ba (interrogative particle)


c

Borrowed from English c (cee), homophonous to si.


ano

Inherited from Proto-Philippine *qanú, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *anu, from Proto-Austronesian *(na-)nu. Compare Tausug unu.


manga

From Proto-Central Philippine *maŋa, from Proto-Philippine *maŋa, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *maŋa.


ne

ᜈᜒ (Baybayin)
ane (alternative)
hana (alternative)
hane (alternative)
hani (alternative)

Compare Ilocano ne, Kapampangan ne, and Japanese ね (ne).

Tapos magkikita tayo sa bahay ni Aling Neneng, ne?

Afterwards, we'll see each other at Ms. Neneng's house, am I right?

Maligo ka na, ne?

Sentence-final question marker particle indicating emphasis and asking for confirmation: right?; eh?; isn't it, innit?


ga

tlb

(dialectal, Batangas, Quezon, Mindoro, Marinduque)

Possibly a shortened form of baga, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ba. Cognate with Cebuano ba and Malagasy va.


ho

Taga-saan naman ho kayo?

(familiar) honorific particle used while speaking to one's superior, elder, or guest


po

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *puəq. Compare Malay empu, Indonesian empu, Old Javanese mpu. Also possibly from clipping of poon (“lord”).

Tuloy po kayo.

Pupunta po ako sa simbahan, Inay.

marks respect toward the person the speaker is addressing


raw

Masaya raw siya.


bapa

Ganda mo bapa!

Tamis bapa nito a!

Pagkahayop mo bapa a!

Katiisan bapa nang loob niya a!


di

dî (canonical)
ᜇᜒ (Baybayin)
'di (alternative)
d (alternative Internet)

From Proto-Philippine *diq (“particle of negation”). Blust (2010-) notes that this word is believed by some to be short for hindi (“no; not”), but its agreement with the monosyllabic word in other languages suggests that this shorter form is older. See also dili (“not; no; hardly; rarely; seldom”). Compare Yami ji, Ilocano di, Isnag di, Cebuano di /dili, Maranao di', Western Subanon di, Mansaka di, Tausug di'.


ay

ᜀᜌ᜔ (Baybayin)
'y (alternative)
e (alternative)

Compare Hanunoo ay, Cebuano kay, Remontado Agta ay, and Ibanag ay. Similar function to Ilocano ket and Pangasinan et.

Ako ay Pilipino. (Pilipino ako.)

Ika'y isang sirena. (Sirena ka.)

Separates the subject and the predicate. Indicative of a sentence inversion, i.e. from predicate-first form to subject-first form.

Kung gayon ay sumunod sa akin

Parini ka ay/Ay, parini ka.

(dialectal) Particle used in start or end of sentences to express warning or catch attention. See also: a, o, oy, and aya /ayaa.


pala

Ikaw pala!

expressing sudden realization; indication of surprise.


nang

Wala nang ibang hahanapin pa.

combination of na and -ng; more; already

Tumakbo nang mabilis ang bata.

used to connect adverbs of manner or degree to the word they modify

Tumakbo nang tumakbo ang bata hanggang siya'y napagod.

The child ran and ran until he became tired.


este

Borrowed from Spanish este (“uh; um”, interjection/filler).

bor+

Pupunta ako sa panaderya, este, restawran.

I am going to the bakery, I mean, the restaurant.


a

Alternative form of ha (sentence-ending particle)


kako

Univerbation of 'ka ko, with 'ka from wika.


daw

ᜇᜏ᜔ (Baybayin)
dao (alternative)
rao (alternative)
raw (alternative)

Marunong daw siya.

indicates something said by another person or group: so they say; according to people; according to an aforementioned person

Ikaw raw ang nagpasimuno ng gulo?

Are you allegedly the one who started the mess?


mas

Borrowed from Spanish más, from Latin magis.

Mas malaki ako kumpara sa kaniya.

Mas mahal ang talong dito kumpara sa kabilang palengke.

The eggplant here is more expensive than the one on the other market.


ata

Alternative form of yata: may; perhaps; I think


baga

Possibly derived from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ba.

Ano baga ang nais mong mangyari?


dela

Borrowed from Spanish dela, from de la. Its use as a contraction of de la in Spanish-origin surnames is from the American colonial era, possibly by influence of Italian della.

particle found in Spanish-derived surnames when originally spelled with de la, such as dela Cruz (from earlier de la Cruz


kamo

Univerbation of 'ka mo, with 'ka from wika.


baya

Oo baya.

Adidalwa baya ang natira.

expresses assurance or sureness of an event


naman

namán (canonical)
ᜈᜋᜈ᜔ (Baybayin)
nman (alternative Internet)
nmn (alternative Internet)

Tulungan mo naman ako.

Pupunta si Miguel sa eskwela. Si Mark naman ay pupunta sa opisina.

Miguel is going to school. On the other hand, Mark is heading to the office.

Okay, ako naman!

Sana Vietnam naman ang manalo sa Miss Universe.

I wish Vietnam would win this time in Miss Universe.

particle used to express the turn of somebody or something

Sabi nila may pera daw sa lamesa, wala naman!

They told me there's money on the table but there really was none!

Wala ka namang sinabi na pupunta ka, ha?

But you really didn't tell me you were coming, huh?

Maganda siya, tamad naman.

Mali 'yung sagot mo sa number 5. — Hindi ah! Tama naman, ah!

Your answer in number 5 is incorrect. — No way! It's correct, mind you!

Wala naman akong kasalanan, ah!

Sasama ka ba sa amin? — Oo naman!

Sabihin mo na sa akin ang sekreto mo. Wala namang makakaalam na iba, eh.

Tell me that secret of yours already. Nobody else is really going to know.

particle used to give additional information so the other person will be finally convinced of what you've said or asked

Ang tanga naman niyun!

Sana mamatay na 'yang gagong 'yan! — Huwag naman!

I wish that jerk would die! — Oh, not at all!

Grabe naman 'yung nangyaring lindol sa Japan!

How outrageous was the earthquake that happened in Japan!

Kawawa naman 'yung mga nasalanta ng bagyong Yolanda!

How pitiful are the victims of typhoon Yolanda!

particle used in exclamatory sentences to add more emotion


delas

Borrowed from Spanish delas, from de las. Its use as a contraction of de las in Spanish-origin surnames originated during the American colonial era, possibly by influence of Italian della and delle.

particle found in Spanish-derived surnames when originally spelled with de las, such as delas Alas (from earlier de las Alas)


mga

ᜋᜅ (Baybayin)
mañga (alternative)
mang̃a (alternative)
man͠ga (alternative)
m̃ga (alternative)
mg̃a (alternative)
m͠ga (alternative)
manga (alternative archaic)

From earlier manga, from Proto-Central Philippine *maŋa, from Proto-Philippine *maŋa, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *maŋa. Compare Bikol Central mga, Hanunoo mga, and Hiligaynon mga.
The three-letter spelling originated in a now defunct Spanish language abbreviation convention of drawing a tilde over words with nasal sounds. In this case manga, earlier rendered as mang̃a, was later contracted as mg̃a or m͠ga. The complications of typing ⟨ñ⟩, ⟨g̃⟩ or any such tilded combination using English language typewriters during the American occupation of the Philippines caused it to be dropped in writing. Compare ng.
The abbreviated form was kept to avoid possible confusion with prefix manga-.

mga aso


kuno

kunó (canonical)
ᜃᜓᜈᜓ (Baybayin)
kano (alternative)

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kunu. Compare Hiligaynon kuno, Pangasinan kuno, Bikol Central kono, Cebuano kono, Waray-Waray kono, Kapampangan kanu, Ibanag kanu, Ilocano kano, Indonesian konon, Malay konon, Ivatan kunu.

so they say; according to someone; it is said


nga

ngâ (canonical)
ᜅ (Baybayin)
ñga (alternative)
ng̃a (alternative)
n͠ga (alternative)

Tama nga 'to.


'y

ᜌ᜔ (Baybayin)
,i, (alternative)
'i (alternative obsolete)


ngay

Ikaw ngay?

Used to question the listener
for a response or affirmation

Nasan ka na ngay?

Where are you? [I have been waiting for so long!]

Used to question the listener
that implies impatience.

Ano ngay yan?

Used to question the listener
that implies dismay or disgust.

Oo ngay.

Used to agree with what the listener has said.

Wala ngay akong magagawa.

Wala ngay akong magagawa.

[I'm sorry], I wasn't able to do anything.


puko

pukô (canonical)
ᜉᜓᜃᜓ (Baybayin)
poco (alternative)

According to Fr. Domingo de los Santos (1835), from po (respect particle) + ko (“my; mine”) but the glottal stop is left unexplained.

(dialectal, Laguna, Quezon, emphatic) marks respect toward the person the speaker is addressing: ma'am; sir

(women's speech, obsolete) marks respect toward the person the speaker is addressing


delos

Borrowed from Spanish dela, from de la. Its use as a contraction of de los in Spanish-origin surnames is from the American colonial era, possibly by influence of Italian della, delle and degli.

particle found in Spanish-derived surnames when originally spelled with de los, such as delos Santos (from earlier de los Santos


kaniya

kániyá (canonical)
ᜃᜈᜒᜌ (Baybayin)
caniya (alternative)
kanya (alternative)

Univerbation of 'ka niya, with 'ka from wika.


na naman

na namán (canonical)
ᜈ ᜈᜋᜈ᜔ (Baybayin)
nanaman (alternative)

Kumain na naman ako.

Nandito na naman siya?


'no

ᜈᜓ (Baybayin)
ano (alternative)
no (alternative)
noh (alternative colloquial)

Possibly clipping of ano (“what”) or from Spanish no. See also Japanese ね (ne).

Meron pala talagang ganun noh. Yung walang appeal kahit na maganda at sexy naman si best friend. O baka naman takot lang din akong magalit sa akin ang sister ko pag pinatulan ko si Tessa. Heheh, palagay ko ganun na nga.

2012, Jay Panti, The Panti Clicks and Tweets, Psicom Publishing Inc., page 79:

“Pero hoy, hindi naman sa lahat noh! Yung iba lang at malay natin baka ganoon mag-isip si Ariel kaya step 5 might work! You just need to make her jealous, kahit wag ka ng mag-date ng girls basta just try to be sweet with others and show it to her para magselos siya.”

2013, HaveYouSeenThisGirL [Denny], Steps To You, VIVA Psicom Publishing Corp., page 45:

Natuwa si Cyan. “Aba'y ibig sabihin nu'n eh, hindi na kami manghuhula pa ng mga sasabihin namin? Ang galing naman noh?” “Ganoon na nga mga iho...” Hanga ang lahat. “Woooowww!” Lumapit ang matanda kay Kenji.

2014, Kirsten Nimwey, The Explorers (Tagalog Edition), →ISBN:

(tag question) Sentence-final question marker particle indicating emphasis and asking for confirmation: right?; eh?; isn't it, innit?

Ngayon, ito na no? Nakikita ninyo ang halaga ng kalikasan.

Now, this is it, yeah? You see the importance of nature.

meaningless filler particle, which may also have a softening effect when introducing information: well...; you see...

Hindi ako magnanakaw no!

emphasis particle especially with intent of clarification


ikanga

tl-head

ikangà or íkangâ (Baybayin spelling ᜁᜃᜅ)

ikangà (canonical)
íkangâ (canonical)
ᜁᜃᜅ (Baybayin)

[ʔɪˈxaː.ŋɐʔ]

[ˌʔiː.xɐˈŋaʔ]


din naman

din namán (canonical)
ᜇᜒᜈ᜔ ᜈᜋᜈ᜔ (Baybayin)

[ˌd̪ɪn̪ n̪ɐˈman̪]

Hindi ako pupunta sa party. Wala rin naman akong kilala doon.

I'm not coming to the party. After all, I don't know anyone there.

Itapon mo na 'yan. Sira din naman na, eh!

You can throw that away! It's broken, after all.

Bakit ka pa nag-aaral eh babagsak ka rin naman.

What's the point of your studying when you're going to fail anyways?

used to express that something is pointless

Ikaw din naman!

emphasis that another matches a description


lang naman

lang namán (canonical)
ᜎᜅ᜔ ᜈᜋᜈ᜔ (Baybayin)

Kamusta ka na? — Okay lang naman ako.

Bakit ba tayo naghahanda? Sino ba ang dadating bukas? — 'yung presidente lang naman!

What are we preparing for? Who's coming over tomorrow? — Oh, it's just the president!


pa naman

Umuulan nang malakas sa labas. — Talaga? Naku, wala pa naman akong dalang payong.

It's raining hard outside. — Really? Oh no, I didn't even bring an umbrella.

Hindi na raw matutuloy 'yung party. — Talaga? Bumili pa naman ako ng bagong damit.

The party has been cancelled. — Really? I even bought a new dress.

used to express fear, worry or disappointment about something unexpected happened

Maaga pa naman.


'ika nga

'ikâ ngâ or 'ikà ngâ (Baybayin spelling ᜁᜃ ᜅ)

'ikâ ngâ (canonical)
'ikà ngâ (canonical)
ᜁᜃ ᜅ (Baybayin)
ikanga (alternative)
ika nga (alternative)

/ʔiˌkaʔ ˈŋaʔ/

[ʔɪˌxaʔ ˈŋaʔ]

/ˌʔikaʔ ˈŋaʔ/

[ˌʔiː.xɐʔ ˈŋaʔ]

[ʔɪˌxaː ˈŋaʔ]

[ˌʔiː.xaː ˈŋaʔ]

'Ika nga, “Life doesn't come with a manual,” kanya-kanyang diskarte iyan!

As the saying goes, “Life doesn't come with a manual,” each one has their own ways!

used before or after a proverb, adage or cliché: as the saying goes


ika nga

ikâ ngâ or ikà ngâ (Baybayin spelling ᜁᜃ ᜅ)

ikâ ngâ (canonical)
ikà ngâ (canonical)
ᜁᜃ ᜅ (Baybayin)

/ʔiˌkaʔ ˈŋaʔ/

[ʔɪˌxaʔ ˈŋaʔ]

/ˌʔikaʔ ˈŋaʔ/

[ˌʔiː.xɐʔ ˈŋaʔ]

[ʔɪˌxaː ˈŋaʔ]

[ˌʔiː.xaː ˈŋaʔ]


'ka mo

'kâ mo (canonical)
ᜃ ᜋᜓ (Baybayin)
kamo (alternative)

From 'ka + mo with the first element from wika. Compare 'ika mo and Kapampangan amu.

Ano 'ka mo?

'Ka mo kanina, "Uulan mamaya." Kaya't dapat huwag na tayo umalis.

You said a while ago, "It will rain later." Therefore, we should not leave.


disin

Borrowed from Spanish dicen, third-person plural present indicative of decir.

Nalunod disin sa ilog.

(Laguna, Quezon, obsolete) indicates something said by another person or group: so they say; according to people; according to an aforementioned person


kitdi

Borrowed from Ilocano kitdi, variant of ketdi.

Si Carlos kitdi ang may kasalanan.

used to entreat or persuade the listener

Si Carlos kitdi ang may kasalanan.

used to oppose the listener: on the contrary


'ka ko

'kâ ko (canonical)
ᜃ ᜃᜓ (Baybayin)
kako (alternative)

From 'ka + ko with the first element from wika. Compare 'ika ko.

'Ka ko, dalhin mo iyong maleta!

“Anong problema?”, 'ka ko, ngunit hindi niya ako kinikibo.

“What's the problem”, I said, but she isn't talking to me.