Filipino Grammar

Learning to speak the Filipino language of Tagalog is a good idea for many people. It is a popular language in the United States, and many travel to the Philippines for business and recreation. Of course, you want to make sure that you are speaking correctly, and that means that you have to pay attention to Filipino grammar. Even though the subject of proper grammar is enough to make many eyes roll, it is not as difficult to learn as you might think. By taking small steps toward learning grammar, it is going to make understanding and speaking the language correctly all that easier.

Sentence Structure

A simple sentence in the language is going to have at least a subject and a verb. You will find that the sentence structure is opposite from what you would find in English. In the Filipino language, the verb or predicate actually comes after the subject. For example, the phrase Sheila is you, or Si Sheila ka, is correct. The predicate could be a verb, adjective, noun, or prepositional phrase.

When you write Filipino sentences, you will find that the pattern becomes subject and then predicate instead. You will use this most often in formal writing, and one can use it when speaking. This is an inverted form, but many who are learning the language find that it is useful because it is more similar to English. This is also a formal way of speaking in the language, and it is a correct form of Filipino grammar.

However, you should be aware that most speakers are not going to speak in this inverted way in daily conversation. Thus, it might be a better idea to learn the traditional way of speaking instead so you will be able to communicate with people naturally.

Tenses and Verbs

Speakers will soon find that tenses and Filipino verbs are very important to the language, and it is important to make sure that you know the different tenses and how to use the verbs correctly with different tenses. You will have present, past, and future tenses, and variations based on different situations just as you would with other languages.

Filipino grammar does not have to be as difficult as some make it out to be. Taking your learning slowly and finding ways to compare and contrast the differences with English can help you learn and gain knowledge so you can speak the language fluently.