# Mabuti ng mabuti



## AskLang

Hello again guys,

Could you please help me translate this popular Tagalog line into English?

Mabuti ng mabuti kung may natututunan ka dyan, eh, wala naman.

Thanks!


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## rockjon

The mabuti usually indicates a type of "good." Usage normally means good in condition, state, or quality though you might know this already.  

If the form of mabuti is doubled, I think the meaning becomes intensified.  

"Mabuti ng mabuti kung may natututunan ka dyan, eh, wala naman."
It's really good or fine if you are learning something there. Nothing really.

The "wala naman" I think is the response to statement "Mabuti ng mabuti kung may natututunan ka dyan."

mabuti = fine or good
kung = if
may = have (state of having different from using the magkaroon verb form to have)
natututunan = learning (from the root tuto = to learn)
ka = you 
dyan = shortened form diyan means there (normally diyan means closer to the person being spoken to but further way than from the speaker)
wala = none
naman = a lot of meanings in Tagalog, here I think it means really


These type of sentences are sometimes described in Tagalog books as being indefinite sentences.  They normally talk about something, someone, somewhere, etc.  

Ex:
May gagawin ako. I something to do.
May pupuntahan ako. I have somewhere to go (to).
Mayroon akong ipapakita sa iyo. I have something to show you.  
Wala akong pupuntahan sa Martes.  I have no place to go to on Tuesday.


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## niernier

> mabuti ng mabuti



Teka, medyo masakit yata yan sa tenga pakinggan. Asklang, I know you are native Tagalog speaker but are you sure you could say that in Tagalog? I think its redundant. I suggest that the phrase only be,

Mabuti ng mabuti kung may natututunan ka dyan, eh, wala naman.
Good if you can learn something from that but you learn nothing.

Another thing, if mabuti should be intensified, or to be repeated that should be *mabuting mabuti*


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## AskLang

Can it also be -

Good enough if there's something you're learning from there but there's none.


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