May oras pa tayo ngayon.

We still have time now.

Breakdown of May oras pa tayo ngayon.

• ngayon: now
• tayo: we
• may: to have
• oras: time
• pa: still

Questions & Answers about May oras pa tayo ngayon.

What does the word may do here, and how is it different from meron/mayroon?

• may is an existential word meaning “there is/are” or “have.” It’s commonly used before a noun phrase: May oras...
• meron/mayroon are variants often used:
  • before a pronoun, with the linker: Meron pa tayong oras.
  • when standing alone as an answer: Meron pa.
  • mayroon is more formal/spelled-out; meron is the everyday form.
• Both are correct in this meaning. Your sentence with may is perfectly natural; a parallel version is Meron pa tayong oras ngayon.

What does pa add to the meaning?

• pa means “still,” “yet,” or “more/another,” signaling continuation or addition.
• Here it means there’s still time left (i.e., it hasn’t run out).
• Contrast with na (“already/no longer”):
  • May oras pa tayo. = We still have time.
  • Wala na tayong oras. = We no longer have time.

Where should pa go in the sentence? Could I say it somewhere else?

• Place clitic particles like pa right after the first content word/phrase of the predicate.
• That’s why it’s May oras pa tayo... not ❌May pa oras tayo and not ❌May oras tayo pa.
• If you add other clitics, pa typically comes before ba / rin(din):
  • May oras pa ba tayo?
  • May oras pa rin tayo.

Why is it tayo and not kami?

• tayo = “we” including the listener (inclusive).
• kami = “we” excluding the listener (exclusive).
• Using kami would mean “we (but not you) still have time now,” which changes the social meaning.

What does ngayon mean here: “now” or “today”?

• ngayon can mean “now (at this moment)” or “today,” depending on context. With oras it often means “now.”
• To be explicit about “today,” you can also say ngayong araw.

Can I move ngayon to other positions?

Yes. Common patterns and nuances:

• May oras pa tayo ngayon. (neutral, end-position time adverb)
• Ngayon, may oras pa tayo. (fronted for emphasis on “now”)
• As a linker form introducing a clause: Ngayong may oras pa tayo, umpisahan na natin.

Can I drop ngayon?

• Yes: May oras pa tayo. Context usually implies “now.”
• Adding ngayon just makes the timeframe explicit.

How do I make this a yes–no question naturally?

• Use rising intonation or add ba:
  • May oras pa ba tayo ngayon?
  • Meron pa ba tayong oras ngayon?
• Natural short answers:
  • Yes: Oo, meron pa. / Meron pa.
  • No: Wala na.

What’s the negative counterpart?

• Wala na tayong oras ngayon. = We don’t have time anymore now.
• Key pieces: wala (negative of may/meron) + na (“anymore/already no longer”).

How do I say “We still have two hours now”?

• May dalawang oras pa tayo ngayon.
• Alternative structure with the “more/another” sense before the noun: May dalawa pang oras tayo. (Here, pang = pa
  • linker -ng)
• Most learners find dalawang oras pa the easiest pattern.

How do I say “We still have time to do X / for X”?

• For activities (verb): May oras pa tayong mag- X. (e.g., mag-kape, mag-usap)
• For nouns (thing/event): May oras pa tayo para sa X.
• Examples:
  • May oras pa tayong mag-kape.
  • May oras pa tayo para sa meeting.

Why is it Meron pa tayong oras (with -ng) but not with may?

• With may, no linker is needed before the noun: May oras pa tayo.
• With meron/mayroon, when a pronoun is followed by a noun, the pronoun takes the linker -ng: Meron pa tayong oras.
• Think: meron + pronoun(-ng) + noun.

Is oras countable or uncountable? How do I talk about “more time” vs “more hours”?

• oras can be general “time” (uncountable) or “hour(s)” (countable).
• General time: May oras pa tayo.
• Specific hours: May dalawang oras pa tayo.
• “Another hour”: May isa pang oras tayo.

Any tips on pronunciation that commonly trip up English speakers?

• may = like English “my.”
• oras = OH-ras (stress on first syllable).
• tayo = TAH-yo (not “TIE-oh”).
• ngayon = nga-YON; the initial ng is like the “ng” in “sing,” then glide to “yōn.”

Is there a more formal version using ay inversion?

• Yes: Tayo ay may oras pa ngayon. This is grammatical but more formal or written. Everyday speech prefers the original word order.

Does ngayon pa mean the same thing?

• No. Ngayon pa? often means “Now, of all times?” expressing surprise or mild complaint. It can sound different in tone and implication.
• Your sentence May oras pa tayo ngayon is a neutral statement about still having time at present.