Vocabulary
paano
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how; in which way
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gaano
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how; to what extent
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kumustá
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how is; how are
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bakit
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why
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Grammar
Appendix K has a table of all the question words with definitions and example sentences. This lesson will cover the four words you have not seen yet: paano, gaano, kumusta and bakit.
Paano
Paano roughly means “how” as in “in which way”. Like most of the other question words, it can start a question:
Paano + phrase? (Tag.) = How phrase? (Eng.)
Ex: Paano ka natulog?
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= How did you fall asleep?
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Ex: Paano niya gusto ito?
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= How does she like it?
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And as mentioned in an earlier lesson, question words can be used in a non-question sentences after kung:
Ex: Hindi ko nakita kung paano niya ginawa ito.
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= I did not see how she did it.
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Gaano
Gaano roughly means “how” as in “to what extent”. It is used with adjective roots in a way similar to ganito/ganun:
gaano + (ka + adj root) (Tag.) = how adjective (Eng.)
Ex: Gaano ka kapagod?
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= How tired are you?
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Ex: Nakita ko kung gaano siya kaganda.
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= I saw how beautiful she was.
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Ex: Gaano siya kabilis magluto ng adobo?
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= How fast does she cook adobo?
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You might have been expecting the uncompleted, nagluluto, in the previous example, but it takes the infinitive when the meaning is “in general”. When there is a time frame involved, the verb behaves as expected:
Ex: Gaano siya kabilis nagluto ng adobo?
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= How fast did she cook adobo?
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Extra: Gaano (ba) Ang
Another way to say “how much” is with gaano (ba) ang:
Ex: Gaano (ba) ang kailangan mo?
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= How much do you need?
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As has been mentioned previously, ba is optional after question words, and serves as sort of an intensifier. To avoid confusion with gaano karami, we will not use this construction; I just wanted you to know that you may hear this.
Ilan vs Magkano vs Gaano
These words sometimes have similar or overlapping meanings, so it is worth comparing them here.
ilan – how many; some
Ex: Ilan ang mga mangga?
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= How many mangoes are there?
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Ex: Ilang mangga.
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= Some mangoes.
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magkano – how much (money)
Ex: Magkano ang sasakyan?
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= How much is the car?
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Ex: Magkano ang mga mangga?
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= How much are the mangoes?
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gaano – how; to what extent
Ex: Gaano karaming pagkain?
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= How much food?
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Ex: Gaano karaming mangga?
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= How many mangoes?
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Kumusta
Kumusta roughly means “how is” or “how are”.
kumusta + noun phrase (Tag.) = how is/are noun phrase (Eng.)
It can be a simple greeting.
Ex: Kumusta!
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= Hi!
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Ex: Kumusta ka?
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= How are you?
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Ex: Kumusta po kayo?
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= How are you? (resp.)
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It can also be a normal interrogative.
Ex: Kumusta ang halo-halo mo?
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= How is your halo-halo?
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Ex: Kumusta si Maria?
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= How is Maria?
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Ex: Alam ko kung kumusta siya.
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= I know how she is.
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Bakit
Bakit roughly means “why”.
Bakit + phrase? (Tag.) = Why phrase? (Eng.)
Ex: Bakit hindi?
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= Why not?
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Ex: Bakit ka naglalagay ng aso sa CR?
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= Why are you putting a dog in the restroom?
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Ex: Tinanong niya kung bakit ako naglalagay ng aso sa CR.
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= She asked why I am putting a dog in the restroom.
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Bakit behaves like a host for Ito and Yun
Colloquially, in bakit phrases, similar to hindi and huwag, demonstrative pronouns ito and yun are normally placed at the end of the enclitic cluster by native speakers.
Ex: Bakit nila ito gagawin?
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= Why will they make it?
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Ex: Bakit niya yun sinabi?
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= Why did he say that?
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Ex: Bakit ito umalis?
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= Why did it leave?
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Sample sentences
Q1
Why are you (pl.) studying it in Seattle? (resp.)
Bakit po ninyo ito pinag-aaralan sa Seattle?
Q2
How did you get your fastest car?
Paano mo nakuha ang pinakamabilis mong sasakyan?
Q3
I do not know how she is, because it is very hot here.
Hindi ko alam kung kumusta siya, kasi sobrang init dito.
Q4
How poor is the man that they were discussing?
Gaano kahirap ang lalaking pinag-usapan nila?
Q5
Why is halo-halo more delicious than chocolate?
Bakit mas masarap ang halo-halo kaysa sa tsokolate?
Q6
Mark knows how to cook for them in the pan.
Alam ni Mark kung paano paglutuan ang kawali para sa kanila.
Q7
How are you? Happy, right? I am just as happy as you.
Kumusta ka? Masaya, di ba? Kasing saya kita.
Q8
Do you know how fast the car you were laughing at is?
Alam mo ba kung gaano kabilis ang sasakyang pinagtawanan mo?
Q9
Why aren't those the same? Give me half!
Bakit hindi pareho ang mga yun? Bigyan mo ako ng kalahati!
Q10
How will Mr. Bautista scoop them adobo?
Paano sila pagsasandukan ni Sir Bautista ng adobo?
Drills - Lesson 57