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Ibigay mo ang kape sa kaibigan.

Ibigay mo ang kape sa kaibigan.
Give the coffee to the friend.
FromLesson 3inHardcore Filipino

Breakdown of Ibigay mo ang kape sa kaibigan.

mo
you
kaibigan
the friend
sa
to
ibigay
to give
kape
the coffee
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Questions & Answers about Ibigay mo ang kape sa kaibigan.

What is the function of mo in Ibigay mo?
mo is a second-person singular enclitic pronoun. It indicates that you (singular) are the one being commanded. In Tagalog imperatives, the pronoun often attaches directly to the verb.
Why is ang used before kape, but not before kaibigan?
In an object-focus construction like ibigay, the direct object (the theme) is marked by ang, so ang kape signals that the coffee is the central focus of the action. Kaibigan is the indirect object (the recipient) and is introduced by sa, not ang, so no ang appears before kaibigan.
What does sa indicate in sa kaibigan?
sa functions like the English to when marking the recipient of an action. Here it marks kaibigan as the person to whom the coffee is given.
How would you say Give the coffee to your friend specifically?

Add the second-person pronoun mo after kaibigan:
Ibigay mo ang kape sa kaibigan mo.
This clarifies that the friend belongs to you.

Why is the verb ibigay used here instead of ibibigay or bigyan?
  • ibigay: Imperative form of bigay with the i‑ affix, object-focus (focus on ang kape).
  • ibibigay: Future tense of bigay (“you will give”).
  • bigyan: Actor-trigger form using the m‑ affix. Example: Bigyan mo ng kape ang kaibigan. Here the focus shifts to the recipient (ang kaibigan) and the coffee becomes an ng phrase (ng kape). Both constructions are correct but emphasize different elements.
Can I change the word order to Ibigay mo sa kaibigan ang kape? Does it mean something different?
Yes. Ibigay mo sa kaibigan ang kape is also correct. The meaning remains “Give the coffee to the friend,” but this order puts a bit more emphasis on sa kaibigan (the recipient).
How do you make the negative command Don’t give the coffee to the friend?

Use huwag at the start and shift mo to mong after huwag:
Huwag mong ibigay ang kape sa kaibigan.

How do you turn it into a question like Will you give the coffee to the friend?

Add the future infix ‑i‑ to the verb and the question particle ba:
Ibibigay mo ba ang kape sa kaibigan?
Literally, “Will you give the coffee to the friend?”

How would you say Give a cup of coffee to the friend?

Specify the measure with isang tasa ng kape:
Ibigay mo ang isang tasa ng kape sa kaibigan.
Here, ng links tasa and kape (like of in English).

How can you say Give the coffee to a friend (indefinite)?

Use isang before kaibigan:
Ibigay mo ang kape sa isang kaibigan.
This clearly means “to a friend.” Without isang, sa kaibigan can be understood as either “to the friend” or “to a friend,” depending on context.