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Tagalog Grammar Lite Appendix C Linker
Appendix C - Linker
A linker is used to connect certain words together in some constructions. It follows these rules:
if the first word ends with a vowel, add ng to it
Ex: maganda (na/-ng) babae = magandang babae (beautiful woman)
if the first word ends with an n, add g to it
Ex: mayaman (na/-ng) lalaki = mayamang lalaki (rich man)
if the first word ends with any other consonant and a) the second word isn’t an infinitive, put na between the words b) the second word is an infinitive verb, use nothing at all
Ex a): maalat (na/-ng) pagkain = maalat na pagkain (salty food)
Ex b): mahirap (na/-ng) kumain = mahirap kumain (hard to eat)
natives don’t often put the linker after names, so we won’t either
Ex: Kailangan rin ni Maria (not Mariang) magluto ng manok. = Maria needs to cook chicken too.
Corrections
Tagalog Grammar Lite Appendix C Linker
A linker is used to connect certain words together in some constructions. It follows these rules:
if the first word ends with a vowel, add ng to it
Ex: maganda (na/-ng) babae = magandang babae (beautiful woman)
if the first word ends with an n, add g to it
Ex: mayaman (na/-ng) lalaki = mayamang lalaki (rich man)
if the first word ends with any other consonant and a) the second word isn’t an infinitive, put na between the words b) the second word is an infinitive verb, use nothing at all
Ex a): maalat (na/-ng) pagkain = maalat na pagkain (salty food)
Ex b): mahirap (na/-ng) kumain = mahirap kumain (hard to eat)
natives don’t often put the linker after names, so we won’t either
Ex: Kailangan rin ni Maria (not Mariang) magluto ng manok. = Maria needs to cook chicken too.
In rapid speech -ng rules are often ignored, learner should be aware of that. Remember -ng is a surface form, is the underlying form and it can resurface and ignore standard rules of vowel vs consonants.