# sabihin mo na



## MarFish

Sometimes in songs I hear _na_ following a word that ends with a vowel and I am unsure whether it is a linker or the actual word _na_. For example, in a song the lyrics go like this:
_
sabihin mo na
ako ang hanap ng puso mo_

But shouldn't that be: _sabihin mong ako ang hanap ng puso mo_?

Perhaps a better example:

_tila ako ay umasa
_na ikaw ang aking tadhana

The reason I ask this is because if it is a linker, are they doing this so that they can add another syllable to fit in with the melody of the song? Or is it acceptable in spoken Tagalog (saying _na_ even when the preceding word ends in a vowel)?


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## meowchi

_"sabihin mo na.." _is "just say it" in english.


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## girlie84

There are two common uses for the Tagalog word *na.


*This Tagalog word is used more often than 'now' and 'already' in  English. It's in almost every other Tagalog sentence that's uttered in  conversation.   
*
Tapos na ako
*I'm finished now.

 (In English you could simply say I'm done.)
*Kumain ako.
*I ate.

*Kumain na ako.*
I've eaten (already).

*Mag-aral ka. 
*Study.
 (telling you to study)*

Mag-aral ka na.
*Study already.
(telling you that it's time to study)

*Pasko na.Maghanda na tayo.*
It's Christmas already. Let's get ready already.

*Martes na.* *Magtrabaho na tayo.
*It's Tuesday already. Let's work already.




_Another use of the word *na *is to connect a noun and whatever is describing it._ 


bahay na malaki
a house that's big= *malaking bahay* (a big house)*

prutas na hinog*
a fruit that's ripe= *hinog na prutas* (a ripe fruit)*

matapang na babae*
a woman that's brave= *babaeng matapang* (a brave woman)



Hope this points can help you...


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## DotterKat

I believe that indeed, artistic preference dictated the choice of using *na* as a subordinating conjunction to produce the musical phrasing desired by the composer.

Grammatically speaking _na_ is a subordinating conjunction (_that_) in both examples you gave:

Sabihin mo _na_ ako ang hanap ng puso mo.
Say _that_ I am the one your heart seeks.

Tila ako ay umasa _na_ ikaw ang aking tadhana.
It seems I hoped_ that_ you were my destiny.

Yes, in both Tagalog sentences it is possible to drop the na conjunction and replace it with the linker_ ng_:

Sabihin mo_ng_ ako ang hanap ng puso mo.
Tila ako ay umasa_ng_ ikaw ang aking tadhana.

Both forms, with the na subordinating conjuction or ng linker, are correct. The artist's choice must have been predicated upon which musical phrasing would fit the melody.


_Na_ functions as an adverb (_already_) when the line Sabihin mo na is taken by itself. This would translate to Say it already, or a more natural phrasing would be Just say it, as meowchi has correctly indicated. However, the result is very different once the entire sentence is considered, as I have outlined above.
Girlie84 has also kindly given you some examples of na as an adverb. The last half of the examples (bahay na malaki, etc.) use na as a linker.


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## MarFish

Thank you meowchi, girlie, and dotterkat!


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## girlie84




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## mataripis

for me it is " Be expressive" in English.


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## biankita

> _sabihin mo na
> ako ang hanap ng puso mo
> _


"Sabihin mo na" is not wrong per se. However, it implies impatience. Ergo, seen as impolite language because it comes out as a command rather than a request. However, in the context of this song, it means impatience with a mix of cajolery. 

Actually, it can mean two things.

"Sabihin mo na ako ang hanap ng puso mo."
If taken a continuous statement, it means "Tell me already that I'm the one your heart is looking for." It implies that you are asking that person to tell you that you are _that_ guy/girl.

or

If taken as two separate phrases/sentences "Sabihin mo na. Ako ang hanap ng puso mo." It can mean "Tell me already. I am the one your heart is looking for." This implies that you want to hear that you are the one for that person.



> _tila ako ay umasa
> na ikaw ang aking tadhana
> _



This one implies that it's one continuous statement meaning "It seem I am hoping that you are the one I'm destined for."

Had the "na" been on the same line as "tila ako ay umasa," it would be imply that "Tila ako ay umasa na." means "It seems I've already hoped." and that "Ikaw ang aking tadhana" is already a declarative statement that "You are my destiny." instead of hoping that you two are soulmates.

That's a thing about songs though, reading between lines for what the writer is implying can get tricky. Just on a side note. I am a native Filipino who lives in the Philippines. I don't really listen to music so I don't know what this is.


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