Tagalog Conjunctions: 6 Unique But Easy Types

Wanna level up your simple Tagalog sentences to compound or complex sentences? Why not learn these essential Tagalog conjunctions today?

When you start learning the Tagalog or Filipino language, you’ll begin with simple sentences. But, if you wanna improve your sentence and use more complicated words and phrases, then it’s better to learn the Tagalog conjunctions.

In this blog, I will walk you through a simple lesson about conjunctions in Tagalog. You will also see how the Tagalog or Filipino language is different from the English language. So, let’s start learning about conjunction.

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.” 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:

English	Tagalog	English Example	Tagalog Example
Delicious food	Masarap na pagkain	We ate delicious food in the Philippines.	Kumain kami ng masarap na pagkain sa Pilipinas.
A fast train	Mabilis na tren	We rode a fast train from Taft to Quezon.	Sumakay kami sa mabilis na tren mula Taft papuntang Quezon Avenue.

-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.

Don’t forget that you can learn all these words easily by downloading a language-learning app. You can check the Ling app on the Play Store or the App Store and try your first free lessons!

English	Tagalog	English Example	Tagalog Example
A beautiful country	Maganda (-ng)/ Magandang bansa	The Philippines is a beautiful country.	Ang Pilipinas ay isang magandang bansa.
Filipino language	Wika (-ng)/ Wikang Filipino	The Filipino language is easy to learn.	Ang wikang Filipino ay madaling pag-aralan.

-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:

English	Tagalog	English Example	Tagalog Example
Expensive things	Mamahalin(-g)/ mamahaling gamit	We bought expensive things in the malls of the Philippines.	Kami ay bumili ng mamahaling gamit sa mga mall ng Pilipinas.
Modest girl	Mahinhin(-g)/ mahinhing dalaga	In the traditional culture, women in the Philippines are raised to be modest girls.	Sa tradisyunal na kultura, ang kababaihan sa Pilipinas ay pinalalaki para maging mahinhing dalaga.

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.

English	Tagalog Conjunctions	Notes
in / on / at	sa	Versatile preposition for location or time
of	ng	Indicates possession or relation
to (when referring to a person)	kay (singular)	Used for singular person
to (when referring to people)	kina (plural)	Used for plural persons
against (when referring to things)	laban sa	Used for inanimate objects, concepts, etc.
against (when referring to a person)	laban kay	Used for persons
regarding/concerning	hinggil sa	Used for things, concepts, etc.
regarding/concerning (when referring to a person)	hinggil kay	Used for persons
about/according to	tungkol sa	General use for subjects, concepts, etc.
about/according to (when referring to a person)	tungkol kay	Used for persons
about	ukol sa	Similar to tungkol sa but can have a slightly different nuance
about (when referring to a person)	ukol kay	Similar to tungkol kay
in accordance with	alinsunod sa	Used for things, rules, concepts, etc.
in accordance with (when referring to a person)	alinsunod kay	Used for persons

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:

English	Tagalog
I love using Filipino products, for the quality of their products is good.	Gustong-gusto kong gumamit ng mga produktong Pilipino, sapagkat maganda ang kalidad ng kanilang mga produkto.

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

And – At, At Saka

Example Sentence:

English	Tagalog
We went to many beautiful places, and we watched the concert by Regine Velasquez.	Pumunta kami sa magagandang lugar at nanoood kami ng konsyerto ni Regine Velasquez.

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:

English	Tagalog
I don’t wanna hurt the feelings of the locals, nor disrespect them.	Hindi ko gustong makasakit ng damdamin ng mga lokal ni ang magpakita ng kawalang respeto.

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:

English	Tagalog
We are about to book an expensive hotel, but our money is not enough.	Kukuha na sana kami ng mamahaling hotel, ngunit kulang ang gaming pera.

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:

English	Tagalog
Are we going to eat in Jollibee, or will we try a new fast food?	Kakain ba tayo sa Jollibee o susubok tayo ng bagong fastfood?

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:

English	Tagalog
He struggled when studying the Filipino language, yet, he still became an expert in speaking this language.	Nahirapan siyang pag-aaralan ang wikang Filipino, ganon pa man, nagawa niya pa ring maging bihasa sa pagsasalita ng wikang ito.

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:

English	Tagalog
I didn’t know how to get to Maynila, so I asked the people around.	Hindi ko alam kung paano pumunta ng Maynila, kaya nagtanong ako sa mga tao sa paligid.

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:

English	Tagalog Conjunctions	Sound
for	sapagkat, dahil, dahil sa	Play
and	at, at saka	Play
nor	ni, at hindi, ni hindi	Play
but	pero, datapwat, ngunit, subalit	Play
or	o, o kaya	Play
yet, nevertheless, nonetheless	gayon pa man, gayunman	Play
so	kaya, kung kaya’t	Play

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

English	Tagalog
Either book or app can help you learn the Filipino language.	Libro man o app, makatutulong pa rin ito sa pagaaral mo ng wikang Filipino.

Whether…Or/Neither…Or – Maging… O

English	Tagalog
Neither saving up nor taking a diet can stop you from tasting Filipino food.	Maging ang pagtitipid o pagdidiyeta ay hindi makapipigil sa iyong tumikim ng mga pagkaing Pilipino.

Neither..Nor – Hindi…Ni, Ni…Ni

English	Tagalog
He didn’t call nor ask about how I was doing.	Ni tumawag ni mangumusta ay di man lang nya ginawa.

Both…And – Kapwa…At, Parehong…At

English	Tagalog
In the Filipino culture, both government and citizen have responsibilities to their nation.	Sa kulturang Pilipino, kapwa gobyerno at mamamayan ay may tungkulin sa bayan.

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

English	Tagalog
Speaking the Filipino language not only makes your travel experience easy but also helps to build connections among people.	Ang pagsasalita ng wikang Filipino ay hindi lamang nakapagpapadali ng iyong paglalakbay kundi nakatutulong din itong bumuo ng koneksyon sa mga tao.

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

English	Tagalog Conjunctions	Sound
Either…or	O	Play
Whether…or/neither…or	Maging… o	Play
Neither..nor	Hindi…ni, ni…ni	Play
Both…and	Kapwa…at, parehong…at	Play
Not only…but (also)	Hindi lamang…kundi (pati)	Play

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.

Subordinating conjunction transforms a clause into an element whose context determines meaning. 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

English	Tagalog
Although we support different candidates, we should still respect each other.	Bagaman magkakaiba ang mga sinusoportahan nating kandidato, kailangan pa rin nating irespeto ang isa’t isa.

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

English	Tagalog
Even though it’s hard to enter a university in the Philippines, Filipinos still try their best to get in.	Kahit na mahirap makapasok sa isang unibersidad sa Pilipinas, ginagawa pa rin ng mga Pilipino ang lahat ng kanilang makakaya para makapasok.

When, At The Time That – Nang

English	Tagalog
The concert had just finished when he/she arrived.	Tapos na ang concert nang siya ay dumating.

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

English	Tagalog
The Philippines is considered the “Texting Capital of the World” because of the volume of messages they send every day.	Ang Pilipinas ay tinaguriang “Texting Capital of the World” dahil sa malaking bilang ng kanilang ipinadadalang text message sa bawat araw.

Than – Kaysa

English	Tagalog
It’s better to have a little knowledge of the Filipino language than to have a hard time speaking with the locals.	Mabuti na ang may kaunting kaalaman sa pagsasalita ng wikang Filipino kaysa mahirapang makipag-usap sa mga lokal.

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

English	Tagalog Conjunctions	Sound
Although	Bagaman / Bagamat	Play
Even though	Kahit	Play
When, At the time that	Nang	Play
Because	Dahil	Play
Than	Kaysa	Play

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:

English	Tagalog Conjunctions	English Example	Tagalog Example
but	pero, ngunit	We are about to book an expensive hotel, but our money is not enough.	Magbubook na sana kami ng mamahaling hotel, pero/ngunit kulang ang aming pera.
even though	kahit	Even though it was raining, we decided to continue with the picnic.	Kahit umuulan, nagpasya kaming ituloy ang piknik.
although	bagaman	Although he was tired, he finished the marathon.	Bagaman siya ay pagod, tinapos niya ang maraton.
while	habang	I still want to travel while everybody wants to sleep already.	Gusto ko pang mamasyal habang ang iba ay gusto nang matulog.

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:

English	Tagalog Conjnctions	English Example	Tagalog Example
because	dahil	Because of the talented Filipinos and beautiful sites in the country, the Filipino culture has slowly been recognized.	Dahil sa mga talentadong Pilipino at magagandang tanawin ng bansa unti-unting nakilala ang kulturang Pilipino.
because	sapagkat	The Philippines celebrated because Hidilyn Diaz won a gold medal in the Olympics.	Ang Pilipinas ay nagdiwang sapagkat nanalo si Hidilyn Diaz ng gintong medalya sa Olympics.
that’s why	kaya naman	The Westerns have a huge influence on the beauty standards among Filipinos, that’s why lots of people are undergoing surgeries.	Malaki ang impluwensiya ng mga bansang kanluranin sa kagandahan sa mga Pilipino, kaya naman marami ang sumasailalim sa mga operasyon.

Pamukod – The word pamukod came from the word bukod, which means “separate” in English. This pangatnig is used if you have something to separate.

Examples:

English	Tagalog Conjunction	English Example	Tagalog Example
whether, neither	maging	Neither studying late nor waking up early guarantees success in the exam.	Maging ang pag-aaral ng huli o ang paggising ng maaga ay hindi garantiya ng tagumpay sa pagsusulit.
or	o	Will we travel by plane, or shall we take the train?	Magbibiyahe ba tayo sa eroplano, o sasakay tayo ng tren?
nor	ni hindi	I don’t like coffee, nor do I enjoy tea.	Hindi ko gusto ang kape, ni hindi rin ako nag-eenjoy sa tsaa.

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

Examples:

English	Tagalog Conjnctions	English Example	Tagalog Example
therefore	samakatuwid	The guy studied the Filipino words related to interviews before going to the office. Therefore, he didn’t have a hard time when he was being asked.	Ang lalaki ay nag-aral ng mga salitang Tagalog na may kinalaman sa pakikipagpanayam bago pumunta sa opisina. Samakatuwid, hindi siya nahirapan noong siya’y tinatanong na.
if that’s the case	kung gayon	I’ve noticed that everyone is ready. If that’s the case, we may now leave.	Napansin kong handa na ang lahat. Kung gayon, maaari na tayong umalis.
so, that’s why	kaya	I heard that balut is really delicious, so I tried it.	Narinig kong masarap ang balut, kaya sinubukan ko ito.
this means that	ibig sabihin	There are lots of SB19 fans in different parts of the world. This means that lots of people already heard their songs.	Maraming tagahanga ang SB19 sa iba’t ibang panig ng mundo. Ibig sabihin, maraning tao na ang nakarinig ng kanilang mga awitin.

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

Examples:

English	Tagalog Conjunctions	English Example	Tagalog Example
if	kung	If the weather is fine, you can go hiking in different mountains in the Philippines.	Kung maganda ang panahon, maaari kang umakyat sa iba’t ibang bundok sa Pilipinas.
maybe / perhaps	baka	I’m lost, perhaps you can help me.	Naliligaw ako, baka maaari mo akong tulungan.
when	kapag	When you study the Filipino language, you’ll know more about their culture.	Kapag pinag-aralan mo ang wikang Filipino, mas marami kang malalaman tungkol sa kanilang kultura.
in case / if by chance	sakali	In case you got lost, look for the nearest train station.	Sakali na maligaw ka, hanapin mo ang pinakamalapit na istasyon ng tren.

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:

English	Tagalog Conjnctions	English Example	Tagalog Example
finally	sa wakas	Finally, I’m here in the Philippines!	Sa wakas, andito na ako sa Pilipinas!
in total / in general	sa kabuoan	My Philippines journey was full of adventure. In general, it was fun.	Ang karanasan ko sa Pilipinas ay puno ng iba’t ibang karanasan. Sa kabuoan, naging masaya ito.
in the end	sa bandang huli	We are looking for affordable accommodation. In the end, we stayed in a hotel in Makati.	Naghanap kami ng murang matutuluyan. Sa bandang huli, nanatili kami sa isang hotel sa Makati.

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

Examples:

English	Tagalog Conjunctions	English Example	Tagalog Example
and	at, at saka, saka	We went to many beautiful places, and we rode horses in Tagaytay.	Pumunta kami sa maraming magagandang lugar at sumakay kami sa mga kabayo sa Tagaytay.
like	gaya ng, katulad	There are lots of beautiful sites in the Philippines, like Hundred Islands, Palawan, Boracay, and Mayon Volcano.	Maraming magagandang tanawin sa Pilipinas gaya ng Hundred Islands, Palawan, Boracay, at Bulkang Mayon.
also	pati	The food in the Philippines is delicious, also, the street food is really mouthwatering.	Masarap ang pagkain sa Pilipinas, pati na rin ang street food ay talaga namang katakam-takam.
as well as	gayundin	The buildings that you can see in the cities of the Philippines are beautiful, as well as the natural sites that can be seen in their provinces.	Maganda ang mga gusali sa mga siyudad ng Pilipinas, gayundin ang mga natural na tanawin sa kanilang mga probinsya.

I know that learning these Tagalog conjunctions is quite a challenge, but if you have comments, questions, or clarifications, feel free to comment below this post. We at Ling are more than willing to answer. Good luck on your journey to learning the Tagalog language!

Updated By: Jefbeck