Learn Hardcore Filipino: Mahirapan ako kapag maraming bisita sa bahay. - I have difficulty when there are many guests in the house.

nahihirapan ako is the progressive/aspectual form (“I am having difficulty right now”).
mahirapan ako is prospective or potential (“I will find it difficult” or “I would struggle”).
In Mahirapan ako kapag maraming bisita sa bahay, you’re making a general statement about what happens when there are many guests: “I will have a hard time whenever there are many visitors at home.”

How do the affixes ma‑ and ‑an change the root hirap?

The root hirap means “difficulty” or “to be hard.”
Prefix ma‑ turns that root into an adjective/intransitive verb meaning “to be difficult.”
Suffix ‑an on a ma‑ root creates a potential/experiential verb in actor focus, so mahirapan means “to experience difficulty” or “to encounter hardship.”
Because it’s actor focus, the one experiencing the difficulty becomes the subject (“ako”).

Why is the pronoun ako placed after the verb instead of at the beginning?

Tagalog frequently uses a predicate‑initial order (VSO or V‑pronoun‑object). Verbs and predicates typically come first, then the subject:
Mahirapan (verb) + ako (pronoun subject) + …
Putting ako after mahirapan is completely normal and emphasizes that “I” am the one affected.

Can I omit ako and just say Mahirapan kapag maraming bisita sa bahay?

Yes. Because ma‑…‑an is actor focus, the subject “I” is already implied. Omitting ako doesn’t change the basic meaning (“I will struggle…”), though including it makes the sentence explicitly personal or emphatic.

What is the function of kapag in this sentence?

Kapag is a subordinating conjunction meaning “when” for habitual or general conditions. It introduces situations that regularly or predictably occur:
kapag maraming bisita sa bahay = when(ever) there are many visitors at home
It’s different from kung (“if”) for hypothetical conditions and nang/nung for specific past events.

How is maraming bisita formed, and why isn’t there a separate mga?

marami means “many.”
When you use it before a noun, you link it with ng, which contracts to -ng, forming maraming.
bisita is “guest(s).”
So maraming bisita literally is “many-ng guest(s).” You don’t need mga as a plural marker because maraming already indicates plurality.

Why is sa bahay used, and what exactly does sa do?

sa is a locative marker that covers “at,” “in,” or “on.” It precedes the noun:
sa bahay = at/in the house/home
So maraming bisita sa bahay = “many visitors at the house.”

What’s the difference between kapag and the shorter form pag in casual speech?

kapag is the full conjunction for “when” (habitual).
In fast or informal speech, speakers sometimes drop the ka‑ and say pag with the same meaning.
Both introduce general/habitual time clauses, but pag is more colloquial.

If I want to change the example to “I would struggle when the rain is heavy,” how would I do that?

You replace the time clause after kapag with your new condition. For example:
Mahirapan ako kapag malakas ang ulan.
Here malakas = “strong/heavy,” ang ulan = “the rain.” The structure stays the same.