Filipino has two standard noun patterns. A phrase marker can precede a noun followed by a linked demonstrative—ang librong ito “this book,” ang teleponong iyan “that phone by you,” ang bahay na iyon “that house over there.” Alternatively, a linked ang-form demonstrative can precede the noun: itong libro, iyang telepono, iyong bahay. In the post-noun pattern, the whole phrase receives ang, ng, or sa according to its role in the clause.
English marks plural on the demonstrative (these/those). Filipino instead uses the same distance form regardless of number, adds mga when plurality matters, and requires a linker between the demonstrative and noun in either order.
Review the general linker na and -ng pattern if the three surface shapes are not yet familiar.
The core noun-phrase patterns
| Distance | After a vowel | After n | After another consonant | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speaker-proximal | librong ito | pagkaing ito | aklat na ito | mga librong ito |
| Addressee-proximal | librong iyan | pagkaing iyan | aklat na iyan | mga librong iyan |
| Distal | librong iyon | pagkaing iyon | aklat na iyon | mga librong iyon |
After a vowel, add suffix -ng: libro + -ng → librong. After n, add -g: pagkain + -g → pagkaing. After another consonant, use separate na: aklat na. This linker connects the noun and demonstrative; it is not the separate phrase marker ng.
Three distances with the same noun
The physical contrast depends on speaker and addressee, not fixed measurements.
Akin ang librong ito sa tabi ko.
This book beside me is mine.
Pakibuksan ang librong iyan sa harap mo.
Please open that book in front of you.
Nasa mataas na estante ang librong iyon.
That book over there is on the high shelf.
The first book is speaker-side, the second addressee-side, and the third removed from both. English may translate both iyan and iyon as that, but Filipino distinguishes the anchors.
Distance can also be perceptual or discourse-based. A document open on the addressee's screen is naturally dokumentong iyan. Something mentioned earlier and treated as removed from the current focus can be ideyang iyon.
The outer marker shows the whole phrase's role
The demonstrative stays after the linked noun while the beginning of the phrase changes with its clause role.
| Role | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Pivot | ang + noun + linker + demonstrative | ang liham na ito |
| Non-pivot | ng + noun + linker + demonstrative | ng liham na ito |
| Oblique/location | sa + noun + linker + demonstrative | sa liham na ito |
Mahalaga ang liham na ito sa aplikasyon mo.
This letter is important for your application.
Kailangan ko ng kopya ng liham na ito.
I need a copy of this letter.
May maling petsa sa liham na ito.
There is an incorrect date in this letter.
The sequence na ito remains the same. Ang, ng, and sa belong to the larger construction; they are not Filipino equivalents of English this.
Pre-noun itong, iyang, and iyong
Filipino also permits linked demonstratives before a noun: itong libro, iyang telepono, iyong bahay. These compact phrases are common when pointing directly or bringing the referent into immediate focus.
Basahin mo itong paalala bago ka pumirma.
Read this notice before you sign.
Ilipat mo iyang baso para hindi matapon.
Move that glass by you so it doesn't spill.
Here itong is ito + -ng, and iyang/iyong likewise contain the linker. Do not add another ang before these compact forms in the same function: ang itong paalala is not the standard phrase.
The post-noun patterns ang paalalang ito and ang basong iyan are more transparent for beginners and work across outer marker roles. Pre-noun forms are natural but do not eliminate the need to learn ang/ng/sa + noun + demonstrative.
Conversational 'tong, 'yang, and 'yong occur widely (informal). Careful writing uses itong, iyang, iyong. Note that iyong can also be the linked long possessive “your”; context distinguishes iyong bahay “that house” from “your house,” and everyday speakers often avoid ambiguity through post-noun phrasing.
Number, animacy, and definiteness
Demonstratives do not change for plural. Place mga before the noun:
Ibalik mo sa kabinet ang mga tasang iyan pagkatapos gamitin.
Return those cups by you to the cabinet after using them.
The form remains iyan, not a special equivalent of English those. With people, demonstrative noun phrases can sound neutral when pointing out a group—mga gurong iyon—but personal names and pronouns follow their own system. Expressions such as itong si Marco can convey familiarity, irritation, or narrative vividness and need contextual treatment (informal); they are not the neutral model for names.
Demonstratives usually make a referent identifiable, but ang should still be analyzed as a phrase marker rather than a definite article. The construction and discourse together establish identifiability.
Questions and a short exchange
Iyo ba ang payong na iyan sa tabi ng pinto?
Is that umbrella by the door yours?
—Aling sobre ang ipapadala ko? —Itong sobre na may asul na marka.
—Which envelope should I send? —This envelope with the blue mark.
The answer uses pre-noun itong because the speaker is selecting the nearby envelope directly. A full answer could be Ipadala mo ang sobreng ito.
Negation rejects the selected referent without changing its demonstrative phrase:
Hindi ko kailangan ang dokumentong iyon; itong bagong kopya ang tama.
I don't need that document over there; this new copy is the correct one.
Common Mistakes
Omitting the linker
❌ Pakibigay ang libro ito sa bisita.
Incorrect — libro ends in a vowel and needs suffix -ng before ito.
✅ Pakibigay ang librong ito sa bisita.
Please give this book to the visitor.
Using na after a vowel
❌ Isara mo ang bintana na iyan bago umalis.
Incorrect in the intended noun–demonstrative phrase — vowel-final bintana takes suffix -ng.
✅ Isara mo ang bintanang iyan bago umalis.
Close that window by you before leaving.
Using a locative form to modify a noun
❌ Basahin mo ang liham na dito.
Incorrect for 'this letter' — dito means 'here,' not the nominal demonstrative ito.
✅ Basahin mo ang liham na ito.
Read this letter.
Adding ang before a compact pre-noun demonstrative
❌ Dalhin mo ang itong kahon sa kusina.
Incorrect — itong already forms the compact demonstrative noun phrase.
✅ Dalhin mo itong kahon sa kusina.
Bring this box to the kitchen.
Key Takeaways
- Link the noun to ito/iyan/iyon: librong ito, pagkaing iyan, aklat na iyon.
- Put the phrase's outer ang/ng/sa marker before the noun when the construction requires it.
- Use mga for plural; the demonstrative itself does not change.
- Compact itong/iyang/iyong + noun is natural, especially in direct pointing; shortened forms are (informal).
Now practice Filipino
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Start learning Filipino →Related Topics
- Three-Way Demonstrative SystemA1 — Choose Filipino demonstratives by distance from speaker and addressee, then select the entity, ng-form, locative, or manner series required by the construction.
- ito, iyan, and iyon as Ang-FormsA1 — Use ito, iyan, and iyon as entity demonstratives and pivots, with distance anchored to the speaker, addressee, or both.
- nito, niyan, and niyon as Ng-FormsA1 — Use nito, niyan, and niyon for non-pivot themes, possessors, actors, and other ng-form relations across Filipino's three deictic distances.
- Demonstratives as PredicatesA2 — Use nominal, locative, and manner demonstratives as predicate-initial expressions without inserting an English-style copula.
- Emotional Distance with iyanA2 — Understand how addressee-centered iyan, niyan, diyan, and ganiyan can signal involvement, approval, teasing, criticism, or emotional distance.
- Linkers na and -ng at a GlanceA1 — A practical introduction to the linkers that connect modifiers, nouns, numbers, and selected complements in Filipino phrases.