# Conjuntion Pag/Kapag



## Inglip

Can someone explain Pag/Kapag conjuntions.

My grammar books says that Kung means - If/When in the future tense, and that it is the same as the conjuntions Pag/Kapag, but it doesn't explain how to use them.

Do I just add it to the root verb, and that covers all 3 tenses? Are they active or passive? Can it be applied to both active and passive verbs?

Pagdating niya - When they arrive.
kapagkanta ako - When I sing.
Pagtulog ang ina ko - When my mother sleeps.

Thanks!


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## Salbahe

My understanding of pag- is that it turns a verb into a noun. So I think "pagdating niya" would be "his/her arrival" as if their arrival were an object of discussion, instead of an action being performed by he/she. One common way I hear this often is "pag-ibig ko" meaning "my love" which expresses love as an object that exists, as opposed to an action that I would be performing, loving someone or something.

I don't think Kapag and Pag are related to each other in any way.  Pag is a verb affix, and Kapag is it's own word.


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## 082486

Pagdating niya...His/Her arrival.
Pagkanta ko...My singing.
Pag/Kapag tulog na ang nanay/ina ko...If my mother is already asleep.

Regarding the usage of Pag/Kapag and Kung, maybe others can best explain that...
   ♥ ♥ ♥


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## Inglip

Hmm, I think I get it. Thanks


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## karmllean

For me "Kung" is a bit tentative, uncertain, and theoretical, like the subjunctive mood in English. "Kapag" is conditional. "Pag" is a bit complicated: it can be a verb prefix "pag-" or simply a contraction of "kapag", that is, "'pag" written with an apostrophe in front, in which case it is a stand-alone word.

Examples:
Kung kaya kong iwanan ka, 'di na sana aasa pa. (If I could leave you, I wouldn't have hoped anymore) -this is actually from a famous song
Kapag umulan, kunin mo ang mga sinampay. (If/When it rains, bring in the clothes from the clothesline.)
Pagdating ng panahon, baka ikaw rin at ako. (When the time comes, we might end up together." -this is also from a famous song
'Pag kakanta ka, galingan mo. (If/When you are going to sing, sing well.)

I believe "pag" has a lot of intricacies that it needs a separate thread. Hehe.


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## karmllean

Allow me to make corrections on your examples.

Pagdating niya - When he/she arrives. ("nila" is for the plural "them")
kapagkanta ako - "Kapag" is a word, not an affix. After "kapag", you need to use a conjugated verb, any tense.
Pagtulog ang ina ko - In this example, "pag" is a contraction of "kapag" so it is a stand-alone word with apostrophe in front. ('Pag tulog ang ina ko) (This is an awkward construction though, because it sounds rude like the p***ng-ina word. I'd recommend using the word "nanay" to fix it.)

You can put any conjugated verb after all of them, except for the first example, which you can only combine with the simple verb form.


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