Tagalog/Ligatures

Tagalog uses the ligature na as a way for adjectives to modify nouns. In order to smoothen pronunciation, two other ligatures, -ng and -g (shortened forms of na), are also used.

Aralín (Lesson)
The Tagalog ligature na comes after words in order to modify them. For the sake of euphony, two other ligatures, -ng and -g, both shortened forms of na, are also used. The ligature used depends on the ending letter of the word, as shown below:


 * The ligature -ng is attached to words that end with a vowel
 * The ligature -g is attached to words that end with the letter "N"
 * The ligature na comes after the word being modified if it ends in a consonant other that "N"

Ang paggamit ng -ng (Usage of -ng)
As mentioned earlier, the ligature suffix ng is attached to words that end with a vowel, as shown in the following examples:


 * Ang puláng kama ay akin. (The red bed is mine.)
 * Marunong siyang magsalita ng wikang Ingles. (He/She can speak the English language.)

Ang paggamit ng -g (Usage of -g)
The ligature -g functions in the same way as -ng with the exception that the "N" from the latter is removed since the "N" is already incorporated into the word that the ligature is being attached to, as shown in these sentences:


 * Ang sínumang waláng sulatín bukas ay hindí pápasa sa klase ko. (Whoever does not have their essays tomorrow will not pass my class.)
 * Nandito ang aking mágasin. (My magazine is here.)

Ang paggamit ng na (Usage of na)
The ligature na does not attach itself to a word. Instead, it links the word being modified to the word being described. The na ligature only goes with words whose ending letter is neither a vowel nor ends with "N", as shown in these sentences:


 * Ang hayág na lugár na iyón ay malayò. (That public place is far.)
 * Máyroon akóng apat na tanóng. (I have four questions.)

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