# Not seeing something.



## Inglip

I am a bit confused about the correct grammar when I want to say that I didn't see something.

Example: I didn't see anything.

I don't know if I should use 'wala' or 'hindi'

I thought it was: wala ko nakita

But I was listening to a filipino conversation between two natives. I couldn't follow everything but they were talking about airport security, and one person said 'Hindi ko nakita' in reference to security gaurds at the airport.

What's the correct way to express that something wasn't seen.


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## DotterKat

First of all, not seeing _something_ is not the same as not seeing _anything_.

Think of it as the difference between not seeing anything at all (*Wala akong nakita*) and not seeing something in particular (*Hindi ko nakita*).

Nakita mo ba ang eroplano?
Hindi ko nakita (ang eroplano. Pero nakita ko yung shuttle bus, mga tao at ang mga bagahe.)

Nakita mo ba ang eroplano?
Wala akong nakita (kasi natutulog ako / nakatalikod ako / may kausap ako sa telepono, etc.)

However, your specific example of not seeing security guards at the airport can be answered using either wala or hindi, depending on the intent of the speaker.

*Wala akong nakitang security guard* conveys the idea with more conviction that the speaker definitely did not see a guard in the area in question. *Hindi ko nakita ang security guard* allows some benefit of the doubt that although a guard was not seen in the immediate area in question, the guard may have been in a nearby location albeit not readily visible from your vantage point.

This subtle difference may become more important with what happens after the above encounter. Let's say you get stopped at the boarding gate because of contraband goods. You can be belligerent and declare that nobody stopped you and that in fact you didn't even see a single guard at the screening area (Wala akong nakitang security guard) or you can be apologetic and claim that you did not see the guards while allowing that they may have been there but you just somehow missed them (Hind ko nakita ang security guard). In this example, it all depends on the context and what stance you want to take --- confrontational and with absolute conviction (Wala akong nakita!) or amicable and apologetic (Hindi ko sila nakita, pasensya na ho kayo.)


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## Inglip

Ah ok I get it.

I think that is the tone she was implying, that she didn't see the gurads, although they were around. I think that was the sort of tone she implied in what she said.

Thanks for the help.

Does the use of wala/hindi apply to other things, for example: Wala akong ginawa/ Hindi ko ginawa. 
Imagine a teacher has accused a naughty child of something, he could reply 'wala akong ginawa' To state he definatly didn't do anything. 
Now imagine a person asked their friend if they did anything last night and they reply 'Hindi ko ginawa' to imply they didn't do much, just relaxed around the house.

Is that correct?


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## DotterKat

Inglip said:


> Does the use of wala/hindi apply to other things, for example: Wala akong ginawa/ Hindi ko ginawa.
> Imagine a teacher has accused a naughty child of something, he could reply 'Wala akong ginawa' To state he definitely didn't do anything.
> .......Is that correct?



Yes, the above statement is correct.

However, for this situation ---  ".......imagine a person asked their friend if they did anything last night and  they reply 'Hindi ko ginawa' to imply they didn't do much, just relaxed  around the house."

The same response would be appropriate ---- _Wala akong ginawa (kagabi)._ Again, saying _Hindi ko ginawa _would be more appropriate as a response to a query about a _specific_ activity. 

Ginawa mo ba ang homework mo kagabi? _Hindi ko ginawa._ (No need to clarify it with the clause ....Hindi ko ginawa_ ang homework ko...._ because it is a direct reply to a question about this _specific _acitivity.)

Anong ginawa mo kagabi? _Wala akong ginawa_.
The open ended question _Anong ginawa mo kagabi? What did you do last night?_ gets the response _Wala akong ginawa (kagabi) / I didn't do anything (last night) _because no specific activity was asked about. If you respond with _Hindi ko ginawa (ang kahit na ano) _that would be similar to saying _I did not do nothing_ which of course is incorrect and should never be used unless you are aiming for a peculiar literary effect.


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## mataripis

the correct Tagalog expression , _" Wala akong napansin" / Wala akong napuna._


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