Language/Tagalog/Grammar/Asking-Questions

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Tagalog → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Asking Questions

Welcome to another exciting lesson in our "Complete 0 to A1 Tagalog Course"! Today, we’re diving into a fundamental aspect of communication: asking questions in Tagalog. Understanding how to ask questions is key to engaging in conversations, gathering information, and expressing curiosity about the world around you. Whether you’re traveling in the Philippines or chatting with Filipino friends, knowing how to ask questions will enrich your experience and help you connect with others.

In this lesson, we will explore essential question words in Tagalog, such as sino (who), ano (what), saan (where), kailan (when), and paano (how). We'll also look at how to form questions and provide examples to clarify each concept. By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to confidently ask and answer basic questions in Tagalog, setting a strong foundation for more complex interactions in the future.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this lesson:

Question Words in Tagalog[edit | edit source]

Sino (Who)[edit | edit source]

Asking about people is often the first step in any conversation. In Tagalog, we use the word sino to ask "who." Here are some examples:

Tagalog	Pronunciation	English
Sino siya?	/ˈsino ˈʃija/	Who is she?
Sino ang kasama mo?	/ˈsino ŋ kɑˈsɑmɑ mo/	Who is with you?
Sino ang guro mo?	/ˈsino ŋ ɡuˈɾo mo/	Who is your teacher?
Sino ang nagtuturo?	/ˈsino ŋ næʔtuˈɾo/	Who is teaching?
Sino ang nagluto?	/ˈsino ŋ næɡˈluto/	Who cooked?

Ano (What)[edit | edit source]

To ask about objects or things, we use ano. This versatile word can help you learn more about your surroundings. Examples include:

Tagalog	Pronunciation	English
Ano ito?	/ˈano ˈito/	What is this?
Ano ang gusto mo?	/ˈano ŋ ɡuˈsto mo/	What do you want?
Ano ang pangalan mo?	/ˈano ŋ pɑŋˈɡɑlɑn mo/	What is your name?
Ano ang kinakain mo?	/ˈano ŋ kɪnɑˈkɑin mo/	What are you eating?
Ano ang ginagawa mo?	/ˈano ŋ ɡɪnɑˈɡɑwɑ mo/	What are you doing?

Saan (Where)[edit | edit source]

To inquire about locations, we use saan. Knowing how to ask where something is can be particularly useful. Here are some examples:

Tagalog	Pronunciation	English
Saan ka pupunta?	/sɑˈan kɑ puˈpunˈtɑ/	Where are you going?
Saan ang banyo?	/sɑˈan ŋ ˈbɑɲo/	Where is the bathroom?
Saan tayo magkikita?	/sɑˈan ˈtɑjo mɑɡkɪˈkɪtɑ/	Where will we meet?
Saan ang tindahan?	/sɑˈan ŋ tɪnˈdɑhɑn/	Where is the store?
Saan nag-aaral ang mga bata?	/sɑˈan nɑɡʔɑˈɾæl ŋ mɑˈɡɑ ˈbɑtɑ/	Where do the children study?

Kailan (When)[edit | edit source]

Understanding time is crucial in conversations, and kailan helps you ask about it. Take a look at these examples:

Tagalog	Pronunciation	English
Kailan ang klase?	/kɑˈilan ŋ ˈklɑse/	When is the class?
Kailan ka babalik?	/kɑˈilan kɑ bɑbɑˈlik/	When will you return?
Kailan ang iyong kaarawan?	/kɑˈilan ŋ ˈiːjoŋ kɑˈɑɾɑwɑn/	When is your birthday?
Kailan tayo aalis?	/kɑˈilan ˈtɑjo ɑˈʔalɪs/	When are we leaving?
Kailan ang susunod na meeting?	/kɑˈilan ŋ suˈsunod nɑ ˈmitɪŋ/	When is the next meeting?

Paano (How)[edit | edit source]

Finally, to inquire about methods or ways to do something, we use paano. Here are some practical examples:

Tagalog	Pronunciation	English
Paano ito gawin?	/pɑˈɑno ˈito ɡɑˈwɪn/	How to do this?
Paano ka nag-aaral?	/pɑˈɑno kɑ nɑɡʔɑˈɾæl/	How do you study?
Paano magluto ng kanin?	/pɑˈɑno mɑɡˈluto nɑŋ ˈkɑnin/	How to cook rice?
Paano tayo makakapunta?	/pɑˈɑno ˈtɑjo mɑkɑkɑˈpunˈtɑ/	How can we get there?
Paano mag-apply sa trabaho?	/pɑˈɑno mɑɡʔəˈplaɪ sɑ trɑˈbɑho/	How to apply for a job?

Forming Questions[edit | edit source]

In Tagalog, forming questions is quite straightforward. Typically, you start with a question word followed by the rest of the sentence structure.

For example:

Sino ang guro mo? (Who is your teacher?)

Ano ang gusto mong kainin? (What do you want to eat?)

Saan tayo pupunta? (Where are we going?)

Kailan ang meeting? (When is the meeting?)

Paano mo ito nagawa? (How did you do this?)

Notice that the sentence structure remains simple. This clarity is one of the beauties of the Tagalog language—you can focus on the content of your question without getting bogged down by complex grammar rules.

Answering Questions[edit | edit source]

Now that we know how to ask questions, it’s equally important to understand how to answer them. Below are some example responses to the questions we’ve learned.

Question (Tagalog)	Answer (Tagalog)	English
Sino ang guro mo?	Ang guro ko ay si Gino.	My teacher is Gino.
Ano ang gusto mong kainin?	Gusto kong kumain ng adobo.	I want to eat adobo.
Saan tayo pupunta?	Pupunta tayo sa mall.	We are going to the mall.
Kailan ang meeting?	Ang meeting ay bukas.	The meeting is tomorrow.
Paano mo ito nagawa?	Nag-aral ako nang mabuti.	I studied hard.

Practice Exercises[edit | edit source]

Now it's time to put your knowledge to the test! Here are some exercises to help reinforce what you’ve learned:

1. Translate the following questions into Tagalog:

What is your name?

Where are you going?

Who is your friend?

When is your birthday?

How do you get to the school?

2. Respond to the following Tagalog questions:

Sino ang kasama mo?

Ano ang kinakain mo?

Saan ang bahay mo?

Kailan tayo magkikita?

Paano ka nag-aaral?

3. Fill in the blanks with the correct question word:

___ ang paborito mong pagkain? (What)

___ ang mga kaibigan mo? (Who)

___ nangyari? (What)

___ tayo pupunta mamaya? (Where)

___ ang petsa ngayon? (What)

4. Match the English questions to their Tagalog counterparts:

What do you want?

Where is the store?

Who is that?

When will you arrive?

How did you find out?

5. Create your own questions using the words sino, ano, saan, kailan, and paano. Share them with a partner and take turns answering.

Solutions to Exercises[edit | edit source]

1.

Ano ang pangalan mo?

Saan ka pupunta?

Sino ang kaibigan mo?

Kailan ang kaarawan mo?

Paano ka makakapunta sa paaralan?

2.

Ang kasama ko ay si Maria.

Kumakain ako ng kanin.

Ang bahay ko ay nasa Makati.

Magkikita tayo sa simbahan.

Nag-aaral ako sa bahay.

3.

Ano ang paborito mong pagkain?

Sino ang mga kaibigan mo?

Ano ang nangyari?

Saan tayo pupunta mamaya?

Ano ang petsa ngayon?

4.

| English Question || Tagalog Question |

|---||---|

| What do you want? || Ano ang gusto mo? |

| Where is the store? || Saan ang tindahan? |

| Who is that? || Sino iyan? |

| When will you arrive? || Kailan ka darating? |

| How did you find out? || Paano mo nalaman? |

5. (Answers will vary based on students’ creativity; encourage them to practice forming sentences.)

Congratulations! You've taken a significant step in mastering how to ask questions in Tagalog. With practice, you’ll become more confident in your ability to communicate effectively. Remember, every question you ask is a chance to connect, learn, and grow in your understanding of the language and culture.

Table of Contents - Tagalog Course - 0 to A1[edit source]

Course Presentation

Basic Greetings and Introductions

Basic Sentence Structure

Numbers and Time

Asking Questions

Everyday Activities

Present Tense

Food and Drink

Past Tense

Travel and Transportation

Future Tense

Shopping and Services

Filipino Customs and Traditions

Sources[edit | edit source]

Other Lessons[edit | edit source]

Contributors

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