Learn Hardcore Filipino: Paano kita tatawagan kung wala kang telepono? - How will I call you if you don't have a phone?

kita is a special pronoun meaning “I [verb] you.” It bundles the actor “I” and the object “you” into one word. Use it when the doer is “I” (ako) and the direct object is “you” (ikaw/ka).

Correct: Tatawagan kita (I will call you)
Also common: Mahal kita (I love you)
Don’t add ko or ikaw with it: ✗ Tatawagan ko kita; ✗ Tatawagan kita ikaw
You can’t use kita after prepositions like sa: use sa iyo instead (e.g., Tatawag ako sa iyo)

Why is kita placed after Paano instead of next to the verb?

Short pronouns and particles (like ko, mo, ka, kita, na, pa, ba) usually sit right after the first word of the clause. Since the first word here is Paano (“how”), kita comes immediately after it: Paano kita tatawagan …
Without a fronted question word, it would be: Tatawagan kita …

What’s the difference between tatawagan, tatawag, and tatawagin?

tatawagan: -an (goal/locative focus). The person is the goal/recipient of the call. Perfect for phone calls with a direct object: Tatawagan kita.
tatawag: actor focus (AF). Use with sa
- recipient: Tatawag ako sa iyo (I will call you).
tatawagin: -in (patient focus). Usually “will call/summon (by name).” Not typically used for phone calls: Tatawagin kita ≈ “I will summon you.”

Can I say Paano tatawagan kita … or Paano tatawagin kita …?

Paano tatawagan kita … is ungrammatical in standard word order because kita should go after the first word: say Paano kita tatawagan …
Paano tatawagin kita … changes the meaning to “How will I summon you …,” not “call by phone.” For phone calls, keep tatawagan.

Why is it Wala kang telepono and not something with hindi (e.g., ✗ Hindi ka may telepono)?

wala negates existence/possession and pairs with may/meron:

Affirmative: May telepono ka. (You have a phone.)
Negative: Wala kang telepono. (You don’t have a phone.) Use hindi to negate verbs/adjectives, not possession. ✗ Hindi ka may telepono is ungrammatical.

What exactly is kang in wala kang telepono?

kang = ka + -ng (the linker). It links ka to the following noun phrase. It’s written together.

Parallel: Wala akong telepono (ako + -ng → akong)
Don’t write it with a space: ✗ ka ng

Is kung the right word here, or should it be kapag?

Use kung for “if” (a condition). Kapag means “when/whenever” (time-based, often habitual).

Paano kita tatawagan kung wala kang telepono? = How can I call you if you don’t have a phone? (conditional)
Kapag would imply “whenever/when you don’t have a phone,” which isn’t the intended logic here.

Would Paano kita matatawagan … be better or more natural?

It’s also natural. matatawagan (ma- -an, potential) highlights ability: “How will I be able to call you …”
Both are fine:

Paano kita tatawagan … (How will I call you …)
Paano kita matatawagan … (How will I be able to call you …)

What aspect/tense is tatawagan, and what are the other forms?

tatawagan is contemplated (future-like) aspect of tawagan (-an).

Completed: tinawagan (I called)
Incomplete/progressive: tinatawagan (am/was calling; call repeatedly)
Contemplated: tatawagan (will call)

How do I say this politely to someone older or to a stranger?

Avoid kita (it has no respectful plural form). Use kayo and po:

Paano ko po kayo tatawagan kung wala po kayong telepono?

Does telepono mean a cellphone or a landline?

telepono is generic “telephone,” but many people use it for landlines in contrast to cellphone/selpon. If you specifically mean a mobile, say cellphone:

Wala kang cellphone? (You don’t have a cellphone?)

Can I change the word order, like Paano ko tatawagan ka …?

No. With pronouns, Tagalog has strict clitic placement:

Say: Paano kita tatawagan …
If you avoid kita, use AF: Paano ako tatawag sa iyo …
Don’t say: ✗ Paano ko tatawagan ka …; ✗ Paano tatawagan kita …

How do I say the same idea without using kita?

Use actor focus with a prepositional recipient:

Paano ako tatawag sa iyo kung wala kang telepono? (How will I call you if you don’t have a phone?)