Basic Tagalog for Foreigners and Non-Tagalogs. Paraluman S. Aspillera

ako. Yes, I am sure (or Yes, definitely). Hindî ako sigúro. I am not sure. Sigúro. Maybe.

      Remember to include pô or appropriately change ka into kayó or silá to all the above expressions whenever possible to show respect.

Kataká-taká!	It seems incredible!
Magalíng!	Outstanding! (literally: Skilled)
Nakayáyamót!	It is annoying!
Mabúhay!	Welcome! (literally: May you live long!)

      Mabuhay, the official greeting of Filipinos to foreign visitors, has also become an expression of collective joy and pride for any occasion, especially when Filipinos are proud of an achievement whether in politics or sports; may also be used to greet newly weds, Mabuhay ang bagong kasal! or literally, May the newlyweds live long!

Maligáyang batì (pô)!

Congratulations (sir/madam)! (literally: Happy greetings! The phrase has now come to be associated with birthday celebrations.)

      Exercises

      Match a situation from Column B to the appropriate response from column A.

COLUMN A	COLUMN B
Magalíng!	1. Your mother calls out that dinner is ready. You are still tidying up your study table as you have just finished doing your homework.
Anó pô?	2. Your 2-year old nephew sings the song Brother John from start to finish.
Magandáng hápon din pô.	3. Your grandmother asks a question but you did not understand half of the words she was saying.
Sandalí lang pô.	4. You are looking for a building along Ayala Avenue. While looking up at one tall building, you bump into somebody.
Paumanhín pô.	5. The town mayor is leaving the municipal hall just as you were entering. He greets you good afternoon.

      LESSON FOUR

      The Articles Si and Ang

      Any noun that is used as the subject of a sentence—including names of persons, places, and things— is always preceded by an article, except in direct conversation and in imperative statements.

      I. THE ARTICLES SI AND SINÁ

      The singular article si is used before the name of a person and the plural article siná is used before the names of two or more persons.

Si Ruth ay babáe.	Ruth is a woman.
Si Peter ay laláki.	Peter is a man.
Si Helen ay batáng babáe.	Helen is a young girl.
Si Tom ay batáng laláki.	Tom is a young boy.
Si Ruth ay magandá.	Ruth is pretty.
Si Peter ay marúnong.	Peter is intelligent.
Sina Helen at Tom ay mababaít.	Helen and Tom are good.
Sina Helen at Tom ay mga batà.	Helen and Tom are children.

      Note that Tagalog sentences follow a plurality rule where either the subject or predicate may be made plural. However, the pluralization of both subject and predicate is optional. In the last sentence above, the article sina indicates that the subject is plural while mga (a plural marker that has no meaning on its own) before batà indicates that the noun is plural. Adjectives form their plural by duplicating the first syllable of the root word. For example, mabaít (or kind, root word is baít) becomes mababaít.

      II. THE ARTICLES ANG AND ANG MGA

      The article ang is used before the name of a single thing or place while ang mga (pronounced manga) is used before the names of two or more things or places.