kasama and kay: With a Person | Filipino Grammar

English with covers accompaniment, interaction, residence, inclusion, and instruments. Filipino does not use one invariant preposition for all of them. Kasama presents someone as a companion or included participant; kay/kina marks a named person in a sa-type role selected by a verb such as sumama, makipagkita, tumawag, or tumira.

The natural choice therefore depends on the construction. Kasama ko si Liza means “Liza is with me”; Sasama ako kay Liza means “I will go/join Liza”; Nakatira ako kay Liza can mean “I live at Liza’s place.” The English translation uses with repeatedly, but the Filipino relations differ.

Core ways to express “with a person”

Pattern	Relation	Model
kasama + ng-form possessor + ang/si companion	someone is accompanying someone	Kasama ko si Liza.
clause + kasama + ang/si phrase	add an accompanying participant	Dumating siya kasama ang kapatid niya.
sumama + kay/kina	join or go with a named person/group	Sasama ako kay Liza.
interaction verb + kay/kina	talk, meet, coordinate with	Makikipagkita ako kay Liza.
location/residence + kay/kina	at a person's place or household	Makikituloy kami kina Liza.
gamit ang / sa pamamagitan ng	instrument, not companion	gamit ang gunting

Kasama and kay are not interchangeable synonyms. The former is a relational noun/predicate meaning companion or included member; the latter is the singular personal counterpart of oblique sa.

Kasama as a predicate

Kasama ko si Irene sa pagpunta sa munisipyo.

Irene is coming with me to the municipal hall.

The person serving as reference point appears in the ng-form ko. The companion being identified is pivot si Irene. With full noun phrases, the same relation can use ni/ng:

Kasama ni Mang Pilo ang kaniyang apo sa palengke.

Mang Pilo's grandchild is with him at the market.

This can be contextually ambiguous about which participant is discourse center, so speakers often choose a clearer order or pronoun. Kasama ni Mang Pilo ang kaniyang apo identifies the grandchild as Mang Pilo’s companion; it does not use kay Mang Pilo.

With pronouns on both sides:

Kasama namin sila sa paglilinis ng tabing-dagat.

They are with us for the shoreline cleanup. (the reference group excludes the addressee)

Ng-form namin is selected by kasama, while ang-form sila is the companion pivot.

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In the predicate pattern Kasama ko si Ana, the reference person is an ng-form after kasama, and the companion being identified is an ang/si-form.

Kasama as an accompanying phrase

Dumating si Raul kasama ang kaniyang dalawang kapatid.

Raul arrived with his two siblings.

The kasama phrase adds participants who share Raul’s arrival. The main actor voice and si Raul remain unchanged.

Uuwi kaming kasama si Aling Nena pagkatapos ng programa.

We will go home with Aling Nena after the program. (kami excludes the addressee)

Linker -ng on kami connects the main participant to the accompanying relation. Contemporary speakers also use Uuwi kami kasama si Aling Nena in conversation (informal/conversational); the linked version is a clear careful model.

Sumama and verbs that select kay

The verb sumama means to join, accompany, or go along. A named person joined is an oblique and takes kay/kina.

Sasama ako kay Ruben sa pagkuha ng mga kagamitan.

I will go with Ruben to collect the equipment.

Sumama ang mga bata kina Lola at Lolo papunta sa bukid.

The children went with Grandma and Grandpa to the farm.

The common-noun counterpart uses sa: Sumama ang mga bata sa kanilang guro. Personal pronouns use sa kaniya/kanila, not kay siya or kina sila.

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After verbs such as sumama, choose the personal oblique from the complement: kay Liza, kina Liza at Ben, but sa kaniya/kanila for pronouns.

Other predicates independently select a personal oblique even when English uses with:

Makikipagpulong ang punong-guro kay G. Ramos bukas ng umaga.

The principal will meet with Mr. Ramos tomorrow morning.

Reciprocal makikipagpulong establishes the interaction; kay G. Ramos marks the named participant. Adding kasama is unnecessary unless the meaning is that Mr. Ramos accompanies someone rather than participates in the meeting.

For the full personal marker system, see kay for singular personal obliques.

Kay as a person's place or household

With residence, visits, and stops, kay/kina + person can denote the place associated with that person.

Makikituloy kami kay Tita Rosa habang kinukumpuni ang aming bahay.

We will stay with Aunt Rosa while our house is being repaired.

The phrase can mean at Aunt Rosa’s home, not necessarily beside her at every moment. Sa bahay ni Tita Rosa explicitly names the location.

Dadaan muna tayo kina Noel bago pumunta sa paliparan.

We will stop by Noel's place before going to the airport.

Although only Noel is written, kina Noel invokes Noel plus associates or household. Use singular kay Noel if only Noel or his individually associated place is intended.

Instrumental “with” uses another construction

Pinutol ni Dina ang tali gamit ang matalim na gunting.

Dina cut the rope with sharp scissors.

The scissors are an instrument, not a companion. Gamit ang, sa pamamagitan ng (formal), or an appropriate instrumental-voice verb expresses this meaning. Neither kasama nor personal kay translates instrumental English with.

Included, not accompanying

Kasama sa can mark membership or inclusion rather than physical company.

Kasama sa bayad ang almusal at paggamit ng paliguan.

Breakfast and use of the bathing facilities are included in the fee.

Negated hindi kasama means “not included” or “not accompanying,” depending on the complement. Walang kasama means someone has no companion.

Hindi kasama sa talaan si Ben, at wala rin siyang kasamang papasok.

Ben is not included on the list, and he also has no companion entering with him.

The first kasama sa expresses inclusion; walang kasama asserts absence of a companion. English not with cannot predict which Filipino negative construction is needed.

Questions and a short exchange

Two question patterns request different roles:

Sino ang kasama mo sa paglalakbay?

Who is traveling with you?

Kanino ka sasama sa paglalakbay?

Who will you join or go with on the trip?

The first identifies the companion pivot with sino and keeps reference person mo. The second uses kanino, the interrogative counterpart of personal oblique kay, because sasama selects the person joined.

—Sino ang kasama ninyo sa pagpunta sa ospital? —Kasama namin si Mila, pero hindi siya sasama kay Dr. Cruz sa loob ng silid.

—Who is going with you to the hospital? —Mila is with us, but she will not accompany Dr. Cruz into the room.

The answer contrasts predicate kasama namin si Mila with verbal sasama kay Dr. Cruz. Both translate with English with, but the marker frames remain distinct.

Common Mistakes

Using kay inside the kasama predicate

❌ Kasama ko kay Liza sa pulong.

Incorrect for ‘Liza is with me’; the identified companion needs si.

✅ Kasama ko si Liza sa pulong.

Liza is with me at the meeting.

Using sa before a personal name after sumama

❌ Sasama ako sa Liza papunta sa klinika.

Incorrect standard personal marking — a named personal oblique takes kay.

✅ Sasama ako kay Liza papunta sa klinika.

I will go with Liza to the clinic.

Translating instrumental with as kasama

❌ Binuksan niya ang kahon kasama ang maliit na kutsilyo.

Wrong for an instrument — this says the knife accompanied the action like a participant.

✅ Binuksan niya ang kahon gamit ang maliit na kutsilyo.

He/She opened the box with a small knife.

Confusing absence with exclusion

❌ Wala sa bayad ang hapunan.

Wrong for ordinary ‘Dinner is not included’; wala primarily presents absence from a place or domain.

✅ Hindi kasama sa bayad ang hapunan.

Dinner is not included in the fee.

Key Takeaways

Use kasama to identify a companion or add an accompanying participant. In Kasama ko si Ana, the reference person is ng-form and the companion is an ang/si-form. Use kay/kina when a verb such as sumama, makipagpulong, or makituloy selects a named personal oblique, including a person’s associated home or household. Use separate constructions for instruments and for inclusion, because English with does not map to one Filipino relator.

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