# Actor/Object Focus



## ElectricPink

How do you decide whether it is the actor or object that are the focus of the sentence and does it matter?

For example are:

- Kinain ko ang mansanas
- I ate the apple

- Kumain ko ang mansanas
- I ate the apple

both correct, but the first one would be "I ate _the apple_" and the second one would be be "_I _ate the apple"?  If you see what I mean.

Salamat.

EDIT:  Really sorry if this should have been in the "Grammar" subforum.


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## redwine

Though I speak the language, I can't give you the grammatical difference between the two. It doesn't matter what and which is the focus of the sentence, for me at least and for 'masang pinoy' (common Filipinos) . I'll ask a Filipino Language instructor about this. For now, let me revise the sentences. 

-Kinain ko ang mansanas. 

-Kumain ako ng mansanas.


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## Chriszinho85

Hello ElectricPink.  I'm not too sure either about the focus of the sentences, but you can translate the sentences differently.  Maybe it will help you to see the difference.

_Kinain ko ang mansanas_ - The apple was eaten by me.

_Kumain ako ng mansanas. - _I ate the apple.  (or is it "I ate an apple"?)  ​


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## kios_01

I don't think it was a question of the voice of the verb. I'm not even sure Filipino verbs has voices. In fact, I doubt it. It's really more of a question of focus. So to answer the question...

The difference lies in the "definitiveness" (if there is such a word) of the apple. In the first sentence, the apple was definite. There was only one. In the second sentence, since the apple wasn't the focus, you could say that there was no apple in particular.

_Kinain ko ang mansanas._
= "I ate *the* apple." This means there was only one apple and you ate it.  Maybe somebody was looking for it and when he/she asked you where it was, you said you already ate it.

_Kumain ako ng mansanas._
= "I ate *an* apple." This means that you ate an apple. No apple in particular. You're just stating what you ate.

Hope that helped.


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## ElectricPink

Maraming salamat for the replies everyone.

Ok, yeah, I think I understand the difference in focus now, so if the object is "THE object" then it probably is the focus.

Can I also ask though, why does the grammar change in the two sentences?


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## moonshine

Hmm I don't know, if you want to stress the actor or the object in the sentence, maybe you should use these sentences instead:

Ako ay kumain ng mansanas - I ate an apple, focus on me as the doer of the statement.

Ang mansanas ay kinain ko - The apple was eaten by me, focus on the apple as the object of the statement.


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## kios_01

moonshine said:


> Hmm I don't know, if you want to stress the actor or the object in the sentence, maybe you should use these sentences instead:
> 
> Ako ay kumain ng mansanas - I ate an apple, focus on me as the doer of the statement.
> 
> Ang mansanas ay kinain ko - The apple was eaten by me, focus on the apple as the object of the statement.


 
Yeah, moonshine. Those are correct. You just modified the syntax a bit. But they're basically the same with the two sentences in question.

Ako ay kumain ng mansanas.
= _Kumain ako ng mansanas._

Ang mansanas ay kinain ko.
= _Kinain ko ang mansanas._


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## ElectricPink

Salamat again for the replies everyone.


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