Learn Tagalog 06

The linkers na and -ng are used to connect certain words that belong together.

Examples in English would be friendly person, big dog, dog that jumped, box that fell and so on.

The ending -ng is attached to words that end in vowels. For example:

malaki – means big
aso – means dog
malaking aso – means big dog

As you can see, the linker -ng is connected to malaki.

-ng is also used when the first word ends in /n/. In that case, one /n/ is dropped. For example:

mayaman – means rich
turista – means tourist
mayamang turista – means rich tourist

Na, on the other hand, is used after words that end in consonants, except /n/. For example:

mabait – means kind, good or friendly
tao – means person
So mabait na tao – means kind person

Na and -ng can also be understood as that, which or who.

So you can say malaking aso – big dog
Or, asong malaki – dog that’s big

The first option sounds more natural in conversation.

When used to mean that, which or who, na can also come after vowels or /n/.

Again, aso – means dog
tumalon – means jumped
so asong tumalon – means dog that jumped
and aso na tumalon also means dog that jumped

Both are fine.

I’d like to point out that na is not always a linker! It has several uses.

The most common other use is to mean now (unlike before). For example:

OK na. – means It’s OK now. Na is not a linker here.