may

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

Kunin mo ang araro doon sa may puno ng mangga.

(literally, “Get the shovel at the place with the mango tree.”)


ni

From Proto-Austronesian *ni (“marker of possession”).

inh

bisikleta ni Juan

of; possessive particle, used only with personal names

objective marker for personal names, objective form of si; functional equivalent of ng


ng

From earlier nang, from Proto-Greater Central Philippine *naN (indefinite object marker). See also ni and ang.
The two-letter spelling originates in a now defunct Spanish language abbreviation convention of drawing a tilde over words with nasal sounds, in this case nang, later rendered variously as ng̃, ñg or n͠g. The complications of typing ⟨ñ⟩, ⟨g̃⟩ or any such combination with tilde using English language typewriters in the American occupation period of the Philippines, caused it to be dropped in writing. Compare mga.

Kinain ng pusa ang isda.

Kumain ng isda ang pusa.

kuwento ng bayan

luto ng kusinero

(indirect or object marker for nouns or phrases other than personal names)

Pumasok ng silid si Tatay nang may dumating na bisita.

Dad went into his room when visitors had dropped by.

Bibiyahe ng Saudi ang kaibigan ko para magtrabaho.

My friend will depart for (to) Saudi to work.

to, into, towards; in the direction of; arriving at


sa

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *sa. Compare Bikol Central sa, Cebuano sa, Hiligaynon sa, Waray-Waray ha, Tausug ha, and Gorontalo ta.

Binigay ko na ang lahat sa kaibigan ko.

Sa Pilipinas ako ipinanganak.

Wala siya sa opisina.

used to refer to the location of something or some action: in; at; on (not used in a positive equational sentence)

Pupunta siya sa sinehan mamaya.

used to refer towards a location: to; toward

Sumama si Juan sa tatay niya.

used to refer to accompaniment: with; together with; in company with

Sa Lunes kami uuwi.

used to refer to a time period: at; on; in; during (of a year, month, day of the week, time of day, etc.)

Mas mabilis ang eroplano sa kotse mo.

Tubo siya sa Cebu.

used to refer to a place of origin or where one comes from: from; of (usually with galing or tubo)

Sa pagpasok niya sa bahay, tumunog ang telepono.

Upon his entrance to the house, the telephone rang.

a prescribed point in time when something occurred: upon; on; at the time of

Namatay sila sa gutom.

used to refer to the cause: due to; from; of

Lumabas ang estudyante sa pahintulot ng guro.

The student went out based on the permission from the teacher.

used to refer to the basis: on the basis of; on

Nabuhay sila sa tubig at tinapay lamang.

used to refer to one's dependence on or use of: on; through the use of

sa pamamagitan ng

mula sa

used in combination with other words to form more specific prepositional phrases


para

Nagtatrabaho si Ate Virgie para sa kanyang pamilya.


kay

Ang awiting ito ay para kay Tatay.

Ibigay mo ito kay Juan.

Used to mark oblique cases of personal nouns


banda

Early borrowing from Spanish banda (“band; gang; bank; border; edge; side of a ship”), from French bande, from Old Occitan banda (“regiment of troops”), from Proto-West Germanic *banda or Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍅𐌰 (bandwa, “sign; inidication; flag”). Similar to etymology 1 but borrowed earlier, shown by the shift in stress.

der

Aalis ako nang bandang alas kuwatro ng hapon.

Banda roon lang nakalagay ang susi.

The keys have been placed just around there.

Dito banda dumaan si Tatay.


nasa

Possibly from na- + sa. See also Cebuano naa.

marks the location of something; (to be) in, on, at


kina

Ang awiting ito ay para kina papa at mama.

This song is for (my) father and (my) mother.


kundi

Univerbation of kung (“if”) + di (“not”).

univerbation

Walang natira kundi siya.


bago

From Proto-Central Philippine *baqgu, from Proto-Philippine *baqʀu, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *baqəʀu, from Proto-Austronesian *baqəʀuh. Compare Ilocano baro, Kapampangan bayu, Cebuano bag-o, Tausug ba'gu, and Malay baru.


mula

Borrowed from Sanskrit मूल (mūla, “root; origin”).


kung

From Proto-Central Philippine *kuN (“if”). Compare Bikol Central kun and Cebuano kon.

Kung gabi, lumalabas ang bituin.

when; at (or as soon as) that time that; if


kontra

bakuna kontra tigdas


dapit

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *dapit (“ferry across”).


galing

Galing ako sa palengke.


bilang

From Proto-Philippine *bilaŋ (“supposing that; as if; to consider, treat as”). May be identical to etymology 1.


ng̃

Repúbliká ng̃ Pilipinas


pwera

Superseded, pre-2007 spelling of puwera.


imbes

Borrowed from Spanish en vez de (“instead of, in place of, rather than”).

bor+

Imbes na paluin, kausapin mo ang anak mo.

Instead of spanking, talk to your child.


tungod

about; concerning; regarding (usually with sa or kay)


tungkol sa

tl-prep

tungkól sa (Baybayin spelling ᜆᜓᜅ᜔ᜃᜓᜎ᜔ ᜐ)

tungkól sa (canonical)
ᜆᜓᜅ᜔ᜃᜓᜎ᜔ ᜐ (Baybayin)

about; regarding; concerning (not used with names of a living being)


laban sa

against (not used with names of a living being)


dahil sa

Dahil sa bagyo, nasuspindi ang klase.

The class got suspended due to the storm.

because of; due to (not used with names of a living being)


ukol

Ukol saan ba talaga ang papag-usapan natin?

(used with sa or kay) about; regarding; concerning


n͠g

Repúbliká n͠g Pilipinas


tungkol

From Proto-Philippine *tuŋkul (“about”).

Tungkol saan ba talaga ang papag-usapan natin?

Nagkaroon sila ng pagtatalo tungkol sa kontrobersiyal na batas.

They had a debate regarding the controversial law.


kapag

Kapag gabi na, lumalabas ang mga bituin.

When it's night already, the stars come out.


kawasa

tlb

(Batangas, Quezon, Marinduque, sometimes followed by ay)

Kawasa sa iyo, 'di ka kaagad natulog nang maaga, tinanghali ka tuloy ng gising.

That's because of [your doing]; you didn’t go to bed early, which is why you woke up late.

Kawasa't matalino ako kaya nasagutan ko 'yun.

Owing to I'm smart, that's why I was able to answer it.

Kawasa, alam mong madami akong bitbit, sa akin mo pa pinadala, kaya huwag mo 'kong sinisisi dini.

That’s because of [your doing], knowing I have so many loads, but you still made me carry those things, so don’t blame me here.

Kawasa ka, pinanood mo pa yung nakakaaduwang palabas.

It's your doing because you watched the disgusting show.

owing to; because of (an expression used to blame or make something or someone responsible for things that happened; it can also be used satirically)


laban kay

against (used with names of a living being)


pagka

Pagka umaga na, lumalabas ang araw.

When it's morning already, the sun comes out.


kapagka

Kapagka gabi na, lumalabas ang mga bituin.


bagay sa

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see bagay, sa.

bagay sa kabanalan

regarding virtues (literally, “things about virtues”)


sa kabila ng

tl-prep

sa kabilâ ng (Baybayin spelling ᜐ ᜃᜊᜒᜎ ᜈᜅ᜔)

sa kabilâ ng (canonical)
ᜐ ᜃᜊᜒᜎ ᜈᜅ᜔ (Baybayin)

on the other side of
on the other side of


puwera

Borrowed from Spanish fuera. See Spanish fuera de.

except; except for; apart from; besides; other than


dahil kay

Dahil kay Sarah, nakamit ni Olivia ang minimithi niyang pangarap.

Because of Sarah, Olivia achieved her desired dream.

because of; due to (used with names of a living being)


galing sa

Ito ba ay galing sa iyo?


hinggil sa

hinggíl sa (Baybayin spelling ᜑᜒᜅ᜔ᜄᜒᜎ᜔ ᜐ)

hinggíl sa (canonical)
ᜑᜒᜅ᜔ᜄᜒᜎ᜔ ᜐ (Baybayin)

Hinggil sa mga isyung kinakaharap ng lugar ngayon, marami pa rin ang naninirahan doon.

In regard to the issues the place is currently facing with, the people are still staying there.

in regard to; about (not used with names of a living being)


banda sa

Doon banda sa palengke.