# Paki- Usage



## neealio

Is the usage of Paki- liberal?  like can i use it freely with almost no restrictions? I know that Pa- can sometimes be preferred right?

For example:

Paki-larawan = please describe

paki-picture = please take a picture.    i think pa-picture is used more often?


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## mimaroza

You'll never hear anyone use Paki with liberal. Liberal usually means a political party or views. I would lean on using Paki-gamit "gamit" means use. Or "Paki-gamit todo-todo". Which literally means  Using it all the way (no restrictions).


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## neealio

mimaroza said:


> You'll never hear anyone use Paki with liberal. Liberal usually means a political party or views. I would lean on using Paki-gamit "gamit" means use. Or "Paki-gamit todo-todo". Which literally means  Using it all the way (no restrictions).


sorry i think i should have written it better what i meant was "can the usage of 'paki-' be used liberally?"  as in can i be used freely? haha that was my bad



neealio said:


> Is the usage of Paki- liberal?  like can i use it freely with almost no restrictions? I know that Pa- can sometimes be preferred right?
> 
> For example:
> 
> Paki-larawan = please describe
> 
> paki-picture = please take a picture.    i think pa-picture is used more often?


also is the usage of paki-larawan correct @mimaroza


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## mimaroza

neealio said:


> sorry i think i should have written it better what i meant was "can the usage of 'paki-' be used liberally?"  as in can i be used freely? haha that was my bad



Its still strange tbh. Paki is like "please". Even saying "Please liberally" sounds strange in English doesn't it?  Its sounds weird in Filipino as well.

I would recommend "Paki-gamit nang todo-todo" or simply "Paki-gamit todo-todo".

Paki-larawan for please describe is what I would use. Younger Filipinos would even use PAKI-DESCRIBE as some form of Taglish (Tagalog-English).


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## DotterKat

neealio said:


> sorry i think i should have written it better what i meant was "can the usage of 'paki-' be used liberally?"  as in can i be used freely? haha that was my bad



Yes, for the most part.  If you stick to the formulation paki + verb root word, then it would be understandable to most Tagalog speakers. I am sure there would a few specific instances this formulation would sound awkward, but paki (please) is so commonly used that adding a root verb to it would be intelligible especially if it comes from someone who may be new to Tagalog.

As for asking someone to take your picture and if you wish to stick to the paki + verb root word formulation, you could say:

Paki-kunan mo kami ng litrato.
Paki-kunan mo kami ng picture, please (yes this is Taglish and yes there is redundancy but that would be the natural flow of a sentence like this).

The preceding two sentences would be appropriate for requesting strangers to take your picture and you would normally append _mama _or_ ale_ or miss (mister / sir /  ma'am / miss) at the beginning as a show of respect.  If you are asking someone you already know to take your picture, most people would simply say:

Kunan mo naman kami ng picture.


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