Tagalog:Ng and Na question?

Question

I am quite new to Tagalog, and I've been building my vocab much more than my grammar skills. I understand that na is past tense, but I just get confused when I see something for example... "Isang papel na supot na walang-laman." I do know what the sentance means, but many times in a place where I would personally put "Ng" I see "Na" instead, can someone please help me out on the use of "Na" over "Ng". What does "Na" infer on the sentence that "Ng" doesn't, and visa-versa? Answers are greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Isang papel na supot na walang-laman = A paper bag with no content.



"Ng" and "na" are used as linkers to show connection between two words.



1. Ng = usually used when the first word (modifier) ends with a vowel



isa (modifier) = one

papel (word being modified) = paper

isang papel = one paper



maganda (modifier) = beautiful/good

umaga (word being modified) = morning

magandang umaga = good morning



2. Na = usually used when modifier ends with a consonant.



papel na supot = paper bag

papel (modifier) = paper

supot (word being modified) = bag



dilaw na saging = yellow banana

dilaw (modifier)= yellow

saging (word being modified)= banana

Answer 2

The preposition "Na" has a lot of purposes. As you say, it can be used to indicate a past action like Kumain na ako (I ate already.) But it can also be used to introduce an adjective like for example in your given sentence: "Isang papel na supot na walang laman." (A paper that is a bag that is empty(literal translation) or simply, "A paper bag that is empty."



On the other hand, "Ng" is used to indicate possessiveness. For example, "Ginamit ko ang lapis ng ate ko." (in translation, "I used the pencil of my sister.")



I'm not quite sure if "ng" is different from "nang" preposition used in Tagalog. The "nang" is used as an adverb like "Nag-aral ako nang mabuti." (in translation, I studied hard.)



Hope this helps. Goodluck on your Tagalog study.

Answer 3

While "na" does indicate past tense (actually it indicates more of a finished action, or a completed aspect, than a past tense), note that it actually has more than one use/meaning. "Na" used as a prefix to a word such as "nagawa" (done) nasulat (wrote/has been written) You can also use "na" to mean "that (is)" as in "Ang baso na nabasag" (the glass that broke) and "Ang pitaka na pula" (the purse that is red) or "already" as in "Nagawa ko na iyong pinagawa mo sa akin." (I already did what you told me to do).



"Ng" on the other hand, sort of means "of", but a closer approximation would be the "de" of French. It can be used to indicate association or possession, among other things.



"Ang lapis ng guro" = "The teacher's pencil." (lit. The pencil of the teacher)

"Ang mga mag-aaral ng paaralan" = "The students of the school."



To curious...about...anything, I hear that the difference between "nang" and "ng" is that the first one means "from" and the second means "of". I`m not 100% sure, but I think that`s the general distinction.

Answer 4

well "NA" can be described as a form of adjective, adverb or a tense....depending on how you construct the sentence



example:



HAYAN NA ANG BAKULAW --> na was used to connect the adjective



ANO NA ANG GINAGAWA MO?---> na was used to connect the adverb



SUPOT NA NANAWALAN NG LAMAN---> as you can observe..."NA" was also use to connect tenses, whether past, present or future



while for NG....



pretty much the same thing...



can also be combine though...NA+NG= NANG



technically you don't have to be confused...

Answer 5

Na"" is a past tense adverb always used after a verb and "Ng" is the same as "the" in English used before a noun