Tagalog Grammar - Pronouns (Panghalip)

Pronouns (Panghalip)

Like nouns, personal pronouns are categorized by case. As above, the indirect forms also function as the genitive.

Examples:

Sumulat ako.
"I wrote."

Sinulatan ako ng liham.
"He/She wrote me a letter."

Ibibigay ko sa kaniyá.
"I will give it to him/her."

Genitive pronouns follow the word they modify. Oblique pronouns can take the place of the genitive pronoun but they precede the word they modify.

Ang bahay ko.
Ang aking bahay.
"My house."

The inclusive dual pronoun kata/kita has largely disappeared in Manila though it may be used in other Tagalog dialects, particularly those spoken in the rural areas. However kita is used to replace the pronoun sequence ko ikaw, (I you).

The 1st-2nd dual pronoun "kata/kita" referring to "you and I" is traditionally used as follows:

Magkaibigan kita. (In Manila, "Magkaibigan tayo")
"You and I are friends." (In Manila, "We are friends")

As previously mentioned, the pronoun sequence ko ikaw, (I you) may be replaced by kita.

Mahál kitá.
"I love you."

Bibigyan kitá ng pera.
"I will give you money."

Nakita kitá sa tindahan kahapon.
"I saw you at the store yesterday."

Kaibigan kitá.
"You are my friend."

The inclusive pronoun tayo refers to the first and second persons. It may also refer to a third person(s).

The exclusive pronoun kamí refers to the first and third persons but excludes the second.

Walâ tayong bigás.
"We (you and me) don't have rice."

Walâ kaming bigás.
"We (someone else and me, but not you) don't have rice."

The second person singular has two forms. Ikáw is the non-enclitic form while ka is the enclitic which never begins a sentence. The plural form kayó is also used politely in the singular, similar to French vous. (See below)

The nouns are gender neutral, hence siya means either he or she.