# to be



## LatinRainbow

Hi you all,
here I am trying to learn a bit more about this language.
Can anyone help with the present of the verb to be?
I am
You are, etc.

Thanks in advance.


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## balasang

Hola amigo(amiga)!

Tagalog does not have the verb 'to be' as in like English and Spanish. There is a literal translation of 'to be' which is 'maging' but it's not used the way it is in Spanish and English. In fact Tagalog and other Philippine languages does not use 'to be' rather the focus type.

Since I can't post url's here yet. You may google with these words: _tagalog focus type_.

Rather than I am, You are we use Ako(to refer to oneself); ikaw, ka, kita(to the one you're talking to. The word you use will depend on your sentece construction. E.g. Mahal _Kita_(I love you), _Ikaw_ ang mahal _ko_(You are the one I love), sila(third person); ng, ang, etc...


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## LatinRainbow

balasang said:


> Hola amigo(amiga)!
> 
> Tagalog does not have the verb 'to be' as in like English and Spanish. There is a literal translation of 'to be' which is 'maging' but it's not used the way it is in Spanish and English. In fact Tagalog and other Philippine languages does not use 'to be' rather the focus type.
> 
> Since I can't post url's here yet. You may google with these words: _tagalog focus type_.


 
Ok, maraming salamat ( muchísimas gracias )
Good to know it, I appreciate your help, it's really hard to find any reliable sources about tagalog. 
( amiga, in fact )


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## Cracker Jack

In formal register, the verb to be is translated as ay.

Ako ay.... I am
Ikaw ay... You are
Siya/Ito ay...He/She/It is.

Just to let you know, these words may be contracted such as in Ako'y, Ika'y (very colloquial), Siya'y.  However, this is not usually employed in daily conversation.  The one used is rather the inversion of subject-predicate which makes causes a disappearance of the be.

However, in Batangas province, the sentence is always started with the subject, hence there is always ay in the sentence.

''Ay sya, kayo'y gumayak na at tayo'y yayao pa.'' 
''Ako'y maghihinaw la-ang ng aking kamay.''
''Ikaw ga'y nakain na?''

Hope this helps.


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## cALLgUrl

Hi Cracker Jack! Musta??? Im just wondering if "yayao" means aalis?
Im from the southern part of the country.

We have almost the same term used in washing hands (manghinaw).


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## Cracker Jack

You bet cidge.  Yayao is aalis.  Another meaning is mamamatay.  In the context I used, it means to go.  I am originally from the south too.


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## cALLgUrl

Ah I see...In our dialect mamamatay means "dying".


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