# yung vs. ang



## Chriszinho85

Hello everyone.  I have a simple question that I've always wondered about regarding  the use of "yung" and "ang."  Are these two always interchangeable?  I've always thought that "yung" was an informal way to say "ang."  If not, then what are the differences in their use? Thanks.

Chris


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## Cracker Jack

No they are not.  Strictly speaking.  However there are Tagalog speakers who just don't seem to know which word to use.  It turns out that they are lousy speakers of their native language.

Yun = that 
Yung + noun = that + noun

Yun alone is a pronoun that substitutes any noun.  Yung + noun, in this structure yun is demonstrative that + noun. Ang, on the other hand is the definite article ''The.''


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## Chriszinho85

Ah.. I understand.  Now that you've explained that "yung" comes from the demonstrative pronoun it seems so obvious.  Thanks Cracker Jack.


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## Change1031

What is "yung"?


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## tigfa

Change1031 said:


> What is "yung"?



"the"


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## Change1031

tigfa said:


> "the"



So I'm guessing you "yung" is similar to an ang marker. You can tell what noun is in focus with "yung" as well?


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## tigfa

Change1031 said:


> So I'm guessing you "yung" is similar to an ang marker. You can tell what noun is in focus with "yung" as well?




To be honest I have a very limited understanding on how tagalog works. I speak it well but I have no idea when to use which marker and so on. The system is just so different that I don't even know where to begin.


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## DotterKat

Change1031 said:


> What is "yung"?


'Yung is the ang pronoun iyon with the ligature -ng at the end, then modified and contracted to 'yung in colloquial parlance.

Iyon (or the modified versions 'yon, 'yong or 'yung) is the ang pronoun to use for objects, ideas or concepts that are far from both the speaker and his interlocutor or at least not  currently in their immediate vicinity.
Iyan (or 'yang) is the ang pronoun for objects near the interlocutor.
Ito (or 'to, 'tong) is the ang pronoun for objects near the speaker.

*Iyon*: far from both speaker and interlocutor
Binili ko [iyon / 'yon] para sa iyo. I bought that for you. (_I bought something for you. The thing is not in our immediate vicinity_).
Binili ko [iyong / 'yong / 'yung] pusa para sa iyo. (_I bought that cat for you. The cat is still not in our vicinity_). Iyon or that is now a demonstrative pronoun.

*Iyan*: near the interlocutor
Binili ko [iyan  / 'yan] para sa iyo. I bought that for you. (_I bought something for you. The thing is right there, close to you_).
Binili ko [iyang / 'yang] pusa para sa iyo. _(I bought that cat for you. The cat is right next to you)_. Iyan or that is now a demonstrative pronoun.

*Ito*: near the speaker
Binili ko [ito / 'to] para sa iyo. I bought this for you (I bought something for you and it is right here next to me).
Binili ko [itong / 'tong] pusa para sa iyo (I bought this cat for you and it is right here next to me). Ito or that as a demonstrative pronoun.


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## Change1031

thanks!


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