Tagalog Conjunctions: 6 Unique But Easy Types To Master For Fluency

Want to level up your simple Tagalog sentences to compound or complex ones? When you start learning the Tagalog or Filipino language, you begin with simple sentences, but to use more complicated words and phrases, you need the Tagalog conjunctions.

In this lesson, I will walk you through conjunctions in Tagalog and show you how Tagalog differs from English. It is perfect for anyone moving from beginner to intermediate or from intermediate to advanced Tagalog.

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What Are The Types Of Tagalog Conjunctions?

In the English language, conjunctions are words used to connect words, clauses, and sentences.

There are different types of conjunctions – coordinating conjunctions, correlative conjunctions, and subordinating conjunctions.

In the Tagalog or Filipino language, the word used to connect words, clauses, and sentences is called Pang-ugnay, but this is quite tricky because there are three types of pang-ugnay, and some of them do not have English counterparts.

Here are the different conjunctions or pang-ugnay in the Tagalog or Filipino language:

1. Pang-Angkop

Pang-angkop connects two words to make them sound more beautiful and easy to pronounce.

The English language does not have an equivalent for this because this has something to do with the spelling of the words. The word angkop in Filipino can mean “adapt.”

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So, pang-angkop is used to let the word “adapt” to the other one. There are three types of pang-angkop:

Na

The pang-angkop ‘na’ is used when the first word ends with a consonant. See examples below:

-Ng

The next pang-angkop is -ng. You might wonder what the dash in the beginning means.

This dash means that there’s a word before it. But, when you’re going to put it in a word, you must remove the dash already.

The pang-angkop -ng is used when the first word ends with a vowel.

-G

The last pang-angkop is -g. Again, the dash before the letter g indicates that there’s a word before it.

This pang-angkop is used when the first word ends with the letter n. See examples below:

2. Pang-Ukol (Preposition)

The next type of pang-ugnay is pang-ukol or preposition in Tagalog.

A preposition is a word or set of words that come before a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to indicate a direction, place, location, time, spatial relationships, or location or to introduce an object.

3. Pangatnig (Connecting Words)

After learning the first two pang-ugnay, let us learn pangatnig. Pangatnig is a term that connects two or more words. They link words, sentences, or clauses together.

Like what was mentioned above, the English language has three (3) types of conjunctions – coordinating conjunctions, correlative conjunctions, and subordinating conjunctions.

But, take note that Filipino conjunctions are categorized in a unique way.

Filipino conjunctions are divided into groups based on how they are employed in sentences or the types of phrases or clauses to which they refer.

Let us discuss the different pangatnig, like how you learn it in English, so you won’t be too confused.

4. Pangatnig Na Panimbang (Coordinating Conjunctions)

A coordinating conjunction or pangatnig na panimbang is a word or group of words that connect elements that have equal weight or importance and are grammatically alike.

The abbreviation FANBOYS stands for the seven most common English coordinating conjunctions: for, and, neither, nor, but, or, yet, and so.

For – Sapagkat

Example Sentence:

Note: The Filipino words sapagkat and dahil can also be translated as “because“ in English.

And – At, At Saka

Example Sentence:

Note: The word at saka adds more formality to speech. This conjunction can also be translated as “moreover” and “in addition to that” in English.

Nor – Ni, At Hindi, Ni hindi

Example Sentence:

Note: Filipinos do not frequently speak like this. You’ll seldom hear this in casual conversation. For beginners, there are lots of ways that you can express yourself without using this conjunction.

Many people get confused about this, especially for a child beginning to learn Tagalog. In the Philippines, the word ni is also one of the pronouns.

Because of this, you really have to understand the context before determining if the word ni is to be used as a conjunction or a pronoun.

But – Pero, Datapwat, Ngunit, Subalit

Example Sentence:

Note: These words have the same meaning. The only difference is where and how they are used. Filipinos commonly use pero in daily conversation, while the rest are usually used in formal situations, books, and written formal essays. You’ll seldom hear Filipinos use datapwat in casual conversations.

Or – O, O kaya

Example Sentence:

Note: This coordinating conjunction is used the same way in English. It’s not hard to remember because it sounds and is spelled almost like the English word. This is also commonly used when choosing something.

Yet/Nevertheless/ Nonetheless- Gayon Pa Man, Gayunman

Example Sentence:

Note: This is also not common among native speakers to use every day. In daily conversations, they simply use the word pero because it is easier to use and also has the same meaning.

So – Kaya, Kung kaya’t

Example Sentence:

Note: The word kaya is the most frequently used form, while kung kaya’t means “so that” or “that’s why” in English.

Here is the summary of the coordinating conjunctions you have learned above:

5. Pangatnig Na Magkatugma (Correlative Conjunction)

Correlative Conjunctions or mga pangatnig na magkatugma are used in pairs. They’re utilized to link two grammatically similar but equally important or weighted parts.

Either…Or – Man… O

Whether…Or/Neither…Or – Maging… O

Neither..Nor – Hindi…Ni, Ni…Ni

Both…And – Kapwa…At, Parehong…At

Not Only…But Also – Hindi Lamang…Kundi (Pati, Din)

Here is the summary of the correlative conjunctions you have learned above:

6. Pangatnig Na Panubali (Subordinating Conjunctions)

Subordinating conjunctions or mga pangatnig na panubali are used to connect a dependent clause (sugnay na hindi makapag-iisa) to an independent clause (sugnay na makapag-iisa).

The subordinating conjunction precedes the dependent clause and transforms it into an element whose context determines meaning. Moreover, subordinate clauses can be found at the start or middle of a sentence.

Here is a list of subordinating conjunctions in Filipino.

Although – Bagaman / Bagamat

Note: The dependent clause is Bagaman magkakaiba ang mga sinusoportahan nating kandidato. The word bagaman is not commonly used in normal conversations. You can usually hear this in the news, from teachers, and other formal platforms.

Even Though – Kahit

When, At The Time That – Nang

Note: You might be confused about the other Filipino words, ng and nang, because these two words are pronounced the same way, but they have different meanings and usage. The word ng is a preposition, while nang is in conjunction.

Because – Dahil

Than – Kaysa

Here is the summary of the subordinating conjunctions you have learned above:

How Do Filipinos Learn Conjunctions?

The one you have learned above is how conjunctions are taught in English, but in terms of Tagalog grammar, they have different types of conjunctions.

In fact, they have more than three (3) types of conjunctions. Here are the more types of Filipino or Tagalog conjunctions and how Filipinos use them.

Paninsay – These are used to connect two contrasting ideas.

Examples:

Pananhi – The word pananhi came from the word sanhi, which means “cause” in English. This conjunction connects words, phrases, or clauses that indicate the causes and effects of events.

Examples:

Pamukod – The word pamukod came from the word bukod, which means “separate” in English. This pangatnig is used if you have something to separate, so if you are looking for pamukod in English, think of it as a separating conjunction.

Examples:

Panlinaw – This conjunction is used to clarify a statement. The word linaw means “clear”.

Examples:

Panubali – Panubali is used in stating probability or doubt. The word panubali came from pasubali, which means dissent or reservation.

Examples:

Panapos – The word panapos came from the word tapos, which means “finish” or “end”. From this, you can imply that this type of conjunction is used to indicate the end of a sentence or speech.

Examples:

Panimbang – This type of conjunction is used to connect words, phrases, or clauses that have the same meaning or weight.

Examples:

How Do You Say Conjunctions In Tagalog?

The Tagalog words for conjunctions are Pangatnig Play Pangatnig and Pang-ugnay Play Pang-ugnay .

Did you miss out on the difference between these two Tagalog words? Scroll up and check out the meaning and their examples!

Additional Sample Sentences For Tagalog Conjunctions

Binabati kita (that is congratulations in Tagalog)!

You’re halfway to mastering more Tagalog conjunctions. Pumped up to do more? Here are some bonus Tagalog sentences that we want you to learn!

Did these words make you sweat a bit? It’s not surprising because some of these words are in the intermediate Tagalog lessons or even at the advanced level.

Don’t worry; with enough practice and motivation, they will start to feel natural.

Tips When Using Tagalog Conjunctions

Want more tips that only language learning pros know for Tagalog conjunctions?

We have some easy tips that you can carry with you whenever you start learning conjunctions in Tagalog.

1. According to gurus of language learning, higher levels of language learning will have few grammar mistakes. Perhaps you can already see this during your intermediate Tagalog practice.
2. Create your sample sentence with conjunctions in English first. Then, as you translate it to Tagalog, look back at this lesson and choose which one fits your description.
3. We recommend at least being intermediate level in your Tagalog skills. Some of the words here can still be used by beginners but, how it is used and its rules can be a bit tricky for beginners.
4. Here’s a bonus tip from us: common Tagalog conjunctions that you can see in even basic sentences are: dahil, kung, saka, pati, kaya, na and ng.
5. Lastly, make sure to mix up the Tagalog words as examples and even create questions out of this lesson. You can always reach out to us or your Tagalog friend for any clarification.

We also have a guide for advanced Tagalog grammar which explains more about other Tagalog words and phrases as well as grammar rules you can expect in this language level.

Which Tagalog Conjunctions Have No Direct English Match?

Many unique Tagalog words are not found in other languages. Some Tagalog conjunctions that only exist in the Tagalog language are:

1. Sukdulan

Sukdulan can also be used as a Tagalog adjective or Tagalog adverb.

However, its English translation, extremely, does not match up with its use as a Tagalog conjunction because it only talks about its adjective and adverb function.

The closest words that can be used in English are to the extent, to the point, in extent, or that’s why.

An example sentence for sukdulan is:

• Galit na galit na ang boss sa kaniya, sukdulan siyang tinanggal sa trabaho.
  His boss is so angry at him to the point that he is removed from his job.

2. Porket

The nearest English meaning of this Tagalog word is just because. That is because this word is a joined word for porke and at. It may sound like it came from the Spanish word porque but it has a different meaning. Porque in Spanish means because.

Example sentence:

• Niloko niya ang kaniyang kasintahan porket siya ay sawa na sa kanya.
  He cheated on his girlfriend just because he is not interested with her anymore.

3. Yamang

This is a rarely used Tagalog word. In modern Tagalog, it’s nearest meaning is dahil sa, gayun din, or sapagka’t. In English, the nearest meanings are in as much as or because.

Here is an example to explain this archaic Tagalog word:

• Yamang siya ay napromote sa trabaho, siya ay nagyabang na.
• In as much as she was promoted, she boasted already.

Frequently Asked Questions About Conjunctions In Tagalog

How Can You Memorize Tagalog Conjunctions?

So let’s take a recap of what Tagalog conjunctions are. These are Tagalog words that connect clauses, phrases, and sentences. They come in six types: Pang-angkop, Pang-Ukol (Preposition), Pangatnig (Connecting Words), Pangatnig Na Panimbang (Coordinating Conjunctions), Pangatnig Na Magkatugma (Correlative Conjunction) and Pangatnig Na Panubali (Subordinating Conjunctions), each with its own words and rules.

This is one of the most extensive grammar lessons, so we recommend being at least at an intermediate level in Tagalog to learn the nuances of Tagalog conjunctions. Don’t fret, you can start with basic sentences that use at least one type of Tagalog conjunction, then practice them with your Tagalog-speaking friend until you understand these words and how they’re used.

Did You Learn Tagalog Through Conjunctions Today?

You made it through every type of Tagalog conjunction, from pang-angkop to pangatnig na panubali, so give yourself a pat on the back! Every new connector makes your Tagalog sentences sound more natural.

With flashcards, native speaker audio, quick mini-games and Dialog for real conversation practice, Ling keeps learning simple and fun. Start learning Tagalog today, and if you have questions about this lesson, leave a comment below!