# di ba



## Qcumber

Is "dî bá?" a fixed expression like French "n'est-ce pas?" or does it vary as in English? For instance, which of the two following sentences is correct?

There are no crocodiles in this river, are there?
1) Waláng buwáya sa ílog na itó, dî bá?
2) Waláng buwáya sa ílog na itó, mayroón bá?


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## epistolario

Qcumber said:


> Is "dî bá?" a fixed expression like French "n'est-ce pas?" or does it vary as in English? For instance, which of the two following sentences is correct?
> 
> There are no crocodiles in this river, are there?
> 1) Waláng buwáya sa ílog na itó, dî bá?
> 2) Waláng buwáya sa ílog na itó, mayroón bá?


 
*Di ba* is the equivalent of *tag questions* in English (like isn't it, etc.) 

I believe it is a contraction of *hindi ba* ('di ba?). 

You are happy, aren't you?
Masaya ka, di ba? 

You aren't happy, are you?
Hindi ka ba masaya?  
Hindi ka masaya, di ba? *doesn't sound natural  not sure though *
Di ba, hindi ka masaya? sounds *OK  *

Let's hear from others.


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## Chriszinho85

Qcumber said:


> There are no crocodiles in this river, are there?
> 1) Waláng buwáya sa ílog na itó, dî bá?
> 2) Waláng buwáya sa ílog na itó, mayroón bá?


 I am by no means fluent in Tagalog, but in my opinion, I think your first example sounds better than the second one.  Don’t take my word for it yet.  You should wait for the other natives.  
 
I remember posting a message about this here.  I included an example of _di ba _used at the beginning of the sentence.  Does everyone agree with what I said in that post?


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## Camote

ffrancis said:


> *Di ba* is the equivalent of *tag questions* in English (like isn't it, etc.)
> 
> I believe it is a contraction of *hindi ba* ('di ba?).
> 
> You are happy, aren't you?
> Masaya ka, di ba?
> 
> You aren't happy, are you?
> Hindi ka ba masaya?
> Hindi ka masaya, di ba? *doesn't sound natural  not sure though *
> Di ba, hindi ka masaya? sounds *OK  *
> 
> Let's hear from others.


 
yes it is a contraction of *hindi ba*.
Hindi ka masaya, di ba? is also correct. 
ex. 
_Oo mahal mo siya, kapag kasama mo siya ay ngumingiti ka pero sa loob _
_mo, _hindi ka masaya di ba? 

Yes, you love him and when you're together you smile a lot, but you are not really happy, right?


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## Qcumber

From what you say, I have the impression *dî bá?* is used like French *n'est-ce pas?* i.e. it doesn't matter whether it is tagged to an affirmation or a negation.
*Nagtátrabáho ká, dî bá?* = You are working, aren't you.
*Hindî ká nagpápahingá, dî bá?* = You aren't taking a rest, are you? 

The remaining problem was when the sentence involved *may(roón) / walâ*. Apparently *dî bá* is also used with them.
*May gágawín ká, dî bá?* = You've got something to do, haven't you?
*Walâ káng gágawín, dî bá?* = You've got nothing to do, have you?


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## Qcumber

Chriszinho, I'm not sure *di ba* at the beginning of a statement is always *hindî bá*.

1) *Hindî bá > Dî bá balétè iyóng púnong-káhoy na iyón?*
= Isn't this tree a ficus?

2) *Dí bá, sandalî láng.* 
= Well, one moment, then.

What do native speakers think of no. 2?


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## epistolario

Qcumber said:


> Chriszinho, I'm not sure *di ba* at the beginning of a statement is always *hindî bá*.
> 
> 1) *Hindî bá > Dî bá balétè iyóng púnong-káhoy na iyón? *
> = Isn't this tree a ficus?
> 
> 2) *Dí bá, sandalî láng.*  *or di ba, sabi mo (niya, nila, etc) sandali lang*
> = Well, one moment, then.
> 
> What do native speakers think of no. 2?


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## Qcumber

Wow! Thanks a lot, Ffrancis. That's very hard Tagalog for us, foreigners. So many unaccented words look the same.


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## Chriszinho85

Qcumber said:


> Chriszinho, I'm not sure *di ba* at the beginning of a statement is always *hindî bá*.
> 
> 1) *Hindî bá > Dî bá balétè iyóng púnong-káhoy na iyón?*
> = Isn't this tree a ficus?
> 
> 2) *Dí bá, sandalî láng.*
> = Well, one moment, then.


Interesting.  I never knew that "di ba" could be used as it is in the second example.  Thanks for pointing that out Qcumber.


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## Camote

Qcumber said:


> Chriszinho, I'm not sure *di ba* at the beginning of a statement is always *hindî bá*.
> 
> 1) *Hindî bá > Dî bá balétè iyóng púnong-káhoy na iyón?*
> = Isn't this tree a ficus?
> 
> 2) *Dí bá, sandalî láng.*
> = Well, one moment, then.
> 
> What do native speakers think of no. 2?


 
wait a sec, shouldn't Di ba, sandali lang supposed to be a question because *di ba* alone is a question. As you pointed out chief ffrancis it's a contraction of *hindi ba = isn't it ; right? *therefore, the correct translation of the 2nd example should be *It'll just be a moment, right?*
If we are to translate *Well, one moment, then *in Filipino  it'll be *Ah, sige sandali lang*. 

_example: _

_Tol, bakit ang tagal yata di ba sandali lang daw sabi nung kahera?_
*Bro, what's the hold up, didn't the cashier said it'll just be a minute?*


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## Camote

Qcumber said:


> Chriszinho, I'm not sure *di ba* at the beginning of a statement is always *hindî bá*.
> 
> 1) *Hindî bá > Dî bá balétè iyóng púnong-káhoy na iyón?*
> = Isn't this tree a ficus?
> 
> 2) *Dí bá, sandalî láng.*
> = Well, one moment, then.
> 
> What do native speakers think of no. 2?


 
Hindi ba > Di ba balete iyong punong-kahoy na iyon?
_Isn't that a ficus tree?_

_this= ito ; eto_
_that = iyon, yaon_


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## Camote

Qcumber said:


> From what you say, I have the impression *dî bá?* is used like French *n'est-ce pas?* i.e. it doesn't matter whether it is tagged to an affirmation or a negation.
> *Nagtátrabáho ká, dî bá?* = You are working, aren't you.
> *Hindî ká nagpápahingá, dî bá?* = You aren't taking a rest, are you?
> 
> The remaining problem was when the sentence involved *may(roón) / walâ*. Apparently *dî bá* is also used with them.
> *May gágawín ká, dî bá?* = You've got something to do, haven't you?
> *Walâ káng gágawín, dî bá?* = You've got nothing to do, have you?


 
hah I wish I knew french .
actually, you can put di ba on almost anything just like how *eh? *is used in canadian conversations to make a regular sentence a question.


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## Qcumber

Camote said:


> hah I wish I knew french .
> actually, you can put di ba on almost anything just like how *eh? *is used in canadian conversations to make a regular sentence a question.


 
You needn't know much French to use "_n'est-ce pas?_". Students start using it at about lesson 10. Conversely foreigner using English have a hard time with tags.


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## Qcumber

Camote said:


> wait a sec, shouldn't Di ba, sandali lang supposed to be a question because *di ba* alone is a question. [...]


 
It all depends on the way you say it, hence the punctuation.

1) Dî bá sandalî láng? 
Wasn't it supposed to take just a minute?

2) Dî bá, sandalî láng!
In that case, just a minute!

Tagálog has two _ba_'s: an interrogative _bá_ and an exclamative _bá_.

Analyzing Tagalog texts in a scientific way, I noticed the language has many features that are not mentioned in my grammar (Schachter & Otanes 1972, Univ. of Calif. Press), although it is quite good.


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## Camote

Qcumber said:


> It all depends on the way you say it, hence the punctuation.
> 
> 1) Dî bá sandalî láng?
> Wasn't it supposed to take just a minute?
> 
> 2) Dî bá, sandalî láng!
> In that case, just a minute!  = Kung ganun, sige sandali lang!
> 
> Tagálog has two _ba_'s: an interrogative _bá_ and an exclamative _bá_.
> 
> Analyzing Tagalog texts in a scientific way, I noticed the language has many features that are not mentioned in my grammar (Schachter & Otanes 1972, Univ. of Calif. Press), although it is quite good.


 

Qcumber your first example is correct but the second one is *wrong* because you've just changed the expression of the speaker by replacing the question mark with an exclamation point but you are still asking the same question. As we have been pointing out over and over again, *di is a contraction of the negative word hindi*_ *and should be written like this* *'di**. 'Di ba? = Hindi ba?*_

taglish:
*Sandali lang, right?*

example of number 2.
*Bakit ngayon ka lang, 'di ba nasa kanto lang yung tindahan!*
Why/ now/ you / only/ isn't / is / corner / just / the / store

What took you so long, the store is just around the corner right! or
What took you so long, isn't the store just around the corner!


I suggest looking for the song *HIRAM *it uses 'di ba in almost every line and if you translate it as a whole it will clearly show you how *'di ba* is used in a sentence.

I'd be honest, I have not yet come across a really good Filpino-English Dictionary which makes me doubtful of how accurate grammar books are. I still trust my *Balarilang Filipino *textbooks (if I have it with me, I could explain it further.)


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## epistolario

Camote said:


> wait a sec, shouldn't Di ba, sandali lang supposed to be a question because *di ba* alone is a question. As you pointed out chief ffrancis it's a contraction of *hindi ba = isn't it ; right? *therefore, the correct translation of the 2nd example should be *It'll just be a moment, right?*
> If we are to translate *Well, one moment, then *in Filipino it'll be *Ah, sige sandali lang*.
> 
> _example: _
> 
> _Tol, bakit ang tagal yata di ba sandali lang daw sabi nung kahera?_
> *Bro, what's the hold up, didn't the cashier say it'll just be a minute?*


 
I believe, *di ba, sandali lang* is possible but I'm not sure of his translation in English (i.e., honestly, I don't know if that's how Brits express the same idea). In that statement, some details are implied. 

Mommy: O, iiwan ko lang kayo sandali. Mag-aral kayo, may exam kayo bukas. Bibisitahin ko lang ang Tita Esther niyo.
After two hours...
Brother: Ba't ang tagal ni Mommy? Sabi niya, pupunta lang siya sa kapitbahay.
Sister: Di ba, [sabi niya] sandali lang? 

Mommy: I'll just leave you for a while. Study your lessons because you have an exam tomorrow. I'll just visit your Aunt Esther.
After two hours ... 
Brother: What's taking her too/so long? She said she would only visit our neighbor. 
Sister: Didn't she say it would only take a few minutes? (not sure of my English)


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## Qcumber

Let's forget *di ba* and focus on *ba*.
Do you agree there is an exclamative *bá / bagá* beside the interrogative *bá / bagá*?


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## Camote

Qcumber said:


> Let's forget *di ba* and focus on *ba*.
> Do you agree there is an exclamative *bá / bagá* beside the interrogative *bá / bagá*?


 
ah yes, I agree. Their distinction is commonly seen in conversations.

example:

Totoy: _Kuya, ano* ba* yang ginagawa mo?_
*/brother/what/is/ that/doing/ you're/ *
_Bro, what are you doing?_
Kuya: Ano *ba*, pwede *ba* huwag kang makulit totoy!
*     /what/is it/please/don't/you/annoying/totoy*
_What do you want, could you please stop bothering me!_


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## Camote

ffrancis said:


> I believe, *di ba, sandali lang* is possible but I'm not sure of his translation in English (i.e., honestly, I don't know if that's how Brits express the same idea). In that statement, some details are implied.
> 
> Mommy: O, iiwan ko lang kayo sandali. Mag-aral kayo, may exam kayo bukas. Bibisitahin ko lang ang Tita Esther niyo.
> After two hours...
> Brother: Ba't ang tagal ni Mommy? Sabi niya, pupunta lang siya sa kapitbahay.
> Sister: Di ba, [sabi niya] sandali lang?
> 
> Mommy: I'll just leave you for a while. Study your lessons because you have an exam tomorrow. I'll just visit your Aunt Esther.
> After two hours ...
> Brother: What's taking her too/so long? She said she would only visit our neighbor.
> Sister: Didn't she say it would only take a few minutes? (not sure of my English)


 

ayos na yan chief *thumbs up*


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## Qcumber

So, there are two bá 's, one interrogative, one exclamative.
Now, do you admit there are two di's: one negative, *dî*, and another one expressing consequence, *dí*?


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## Camote

Qcumber said:


> So, there are two bá 's, one interrogative, one exclamative.
> Now, do you admit there are two di's: one negative, *dî*, and another one expressing consequence, *dí*?


 
nope there is only one *'di* and it's a contraction of *Hindi.*


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## Qcumber

Camote said:


> nope there is only one *'di* and it's a contraction of *Hindi.*


 Really? Then how do you translate *di* at the end of this joke?

(Friginal 1984, 1:103)
Titser: Sunog! Sunog!
Prinsipal: Alam ko!
Titser: Bakit bulong ka lang nang bulong diyan, Ma'm? [...] Teka nga muna, ano bang ibinubulong ninyo, Ma'm?
Prinsipal: Ano pa *di*, ang ibinubulong ko ay - Umulan sana! Umulan sana!


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## MariadeManila

Hi 



> Prinsipal: Ano pa *di*, ang ibinubulong ko ay - Umulan sana! Umulan sana!


 
The *di *used here is from KUNG HINDI (which is contracted to kundi) which means *but*

Camote help! I cant explain more


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## Qcumber

MariadeManila said:


> The *di *used here is from KUNG HINDI (which is contracted to kundi) which means *but*


 
I agree with you that *ano pa di* means "what else but". So here, it should be spelt *anó pá dî*. Thanks a lot. I need to find another occurrence to show what I mean.


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## Qcumber

What about *di* in this sentence?

*E kung wala di sabihin mong wala!*


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## Qcumber

What about this one?

*Aba, di limousine-limousine pa pala ito. Big shot ka siguro, ano?*


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