Vocabulary
may/*me
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have; exist
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meron/*mayroón
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have; exist
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walâ
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not have; not exist
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*For explanation only - no need to memorize.
Grammar
May and meron roughly mean “have” or “exist”. These are negated with wala, which roughly means not have or not exist. Anything you can express with may you can also express with meron, but they use different grammar. Wala uses the same grammar as meron. If you do not know them, or need a refresher, please go to Appendix A and memorize sa form noun markers.
May
May means “have” or “exist” and is more common than its short form me, so we will use only may from now on. It needs to come immediately before an object.
May + object + possessor/location. (Tag.) = Possessor has object/There is object in location. (Eng.)
Notes: Possessor takes ang form, location takes sa form.
Ex: May sasakyan ka ba?
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= Do you have a car?
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Ex: May estudyante sa eskwelahan.
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= There is a student in the school.
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Ex: May tsokolate ba ang babae sa bahay mo?
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= Does the woman in your house have chocolate?
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Here are some possible positive responses:
Ans: Oo, may sasakyan ako.
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= Yes, I have a car.
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Ans: Opo. May estudyante sa eskwelahan.
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= Yes. There is a student in the school. (resp.)
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Ans: Oo. May tsokolate ang babae.
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= Yes. The woman has chocolate.
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Meron
Meron means “have” or “exist” and is more common than its long form mayroon, so we will use only meron from now on. Unlike may, it does not need to come immediately before an object.
Meron + linker + object + possessor/location. (Tag.) = Possessor has object/There is object in location. (Eng.)
Notes: Possessor takes ang form, location takes sa form.
Ex: Meron ka bang sasakyan?
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= Do you have a car?
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Ex: Merong estudyante sa eskwelahan.
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= There is a student in the school.
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Ex: Meron bang tsokolate ang babae sa bahay mo?
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= Does the woman in your house have chocolate?
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Here are some possible positive answers:
Ans: Oo, meron akong sasakyan.
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= Yes, I have a car.
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Ans: Opo. Meron pong estudyante sa eskwelahan.
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= Yes. There is a student in the school. (resp.)
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Ans: Oo. Meron siyang tsokolate.
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= Yes. She has chocolate.
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It is also ok to just say:
Ans: Meron.
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= I have/there is/etc.
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However, you cannot just state may, because may requires an object. That is a major difference between meron and may.
Wala
Wala means “not have” or “not exist”, and is used to give negative statements or negative answers to may/meron questions. Wala uses the same grammar as meron and it does not need to come before an object.
Wala + linker + object + possessor/location. (Tag.) = Possessor does not have object/There is no object in location. (Eng.)
Notes: Possessor takes ang form, location takes sa form.
Ex: Wala kang sasakyan.
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= You do not have a car.
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Ex: Walang estudyante sa eskwelahan.
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= There are no students in the school.
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Ex: Wala siyang tsokolate.
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= She has no chocolate.
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It is also ok to just say:
Ex: Wala.
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= There are none/you do not have/etc.
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Ang May/Walang
If you put ang before may/walang it means roughly “the one who has/does not have”. Ang merong also works, but it is less common, so we will not use it.
ang + may/walang + noun (Tag.) = the one who/that has/does not have (Eng.)
Ex: ang may sasakyan
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= the one who has a car
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Ex: ang walang tubig
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= the one without water
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Ex: Hindi masaya ang walang pera.
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= The one without money is not happy.
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More on Sa Form of Nouns and Personal Pronouns
The sa form of a name or personal pronoun often implies “to someone”. But it can also mean “with someone”, and in the case of plural names or pps, “at someone’s place”, depending on the context.
Ex: kay Maria
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= to Maria or with Maria
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Ex: sa kaniya
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= to him/her or with him/her
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Ex: kina Joaquin at Joshua
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= to Joaquin and Joshua, with Joaquin and Joshua or at Joaquin and Joshua’s
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Ex: sa kanila
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= to them, with them or at their place
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Sample sentences
When either may or meron is possible, use may unless (meron) is indicated.
Q1
Who has money at their place?
Sino ang may pera sa kanila?
Q2
Do you have real white adobo? (resp.)(meron)
Meron po ba kayong tunay na puting adobo?
Q3
The man at her house has no money.
Walang pera ang lalaki sa bahay niya.
Q4
I am not the one with a house in Parañaque.
Hindi ako ang may bahay sa Parañaque.
Q5
The ones with chocolate are happy.
Masaya ang mga may tsokolate.
Q6
We (excl.) don't have drinks. (resp.)
Wala po kaming inumin.
Q7
There are tired students at our (excl.) place.
May pagod na mga estudyante sa amin.
Q8
We (incl.) have their famous building. (meron)
Meron tayong sikat nilang gusali.
Q9
They have no children.
Wala silang anak.
Q10
Yes. Maria and Angel have water. (resp.)(meron)
Opo. Meron pong tubig sina Maria at Angel.
Drills - Lesson 8