# nakainom vs uminom



## itlog

Hello everyone

I saw the following sentence in one of my Tagalog lessons:

"Sabi niya, nakainom na siya" 

With my limited understanding of Tagalog, could it also be said like, "Sabi niya, uminom na siya"

Is this correct? I'm familiar with the "um" affix, but the "maka" affix is new to me. In the sentence above could "nakainom" or "uminom" be used? Why/Why not?


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## mataripis

Both are correct.


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## DotterKat

I agree that both are correct, but there is a slight nuance with the prefix *naka-*.
Naka- prefixed to a verb implies a possibility that has been fulfilled (note the difference between the naka- adjective prefix attached to a noun).
Both nakainom and uminom imply a past action of drinking something. The nuance can be that with nakainom, the person may have had an impediment to drinking something. Such impediment having been removed, the person was then_ able to drink_ something.
Uminom simply declares that the person _drank something_, without regard to any impediment that may have caused an _inability to drink something_.
It may seem like splitting hairs, but there is that extra shade of meaning to naka- plus a verb.


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