Learn Hardcore Filipino: May aso kami sa bahay, at mabait siyang alaga ng aking anak. - We have a dog at home, and she is a gentle pet of my child.

It’s the existential marker meaning “there is/are” or “have.” Pattern: May + noun + pronoun (possessor) + extra info. Example: May aso kami sa bahay = “We have a dog at home.”

What’s the difference between may, mayroon, and meron?

may is used directly before a noun: May aso kami.
mayroon/meron is often used when followed by a pronoun, adjective, or when standing alone: Meron kaming aso / Mayroon akong aso / Meron.
mayroon is the more formal spelling; meron is common in speech. Meaning is the same.

Why is it kami and not namin or amin?

kami (ang-case) is used after may to mark the possessor: May aso kami.
namin (genitive) shows possession after a noun: aso namin.
amin (oblique) appears after prepositions like sa: sa amin. All mean “we/our,” but their form depends on grammatical role.

Could it be tayo instead of kami?

Use kami when the listener is not included. Use tayo when you mean “we including you.” So May aso tayo sa bahay implies the listener shares the house/dog.

Does sa bahay mean “at our house”?

sa bahay generally means “at home/at the house” (not necessarily specifying whose). To specify it’s yours, say sa bahay namin or sa aming bahay.

Why is there no ang before aso?

After may, the noun is indefinite, so no ang. You can’t say May ang aso. If you make it definite, you’d use a different structure, e.g., Ang aso namin ay mabait.

What exactly is siyang here?

It’s siya + the linker -ng. The linker bridges elements, here connecting siya to alaga after the adjective mabait: mabait siyang alaga. Equivalent, more neutral wording: Siya ay mabait na alaga or Mabait na alaga siya.

Why is there a linker at all?

Filipino uses linkers (-ng/na) to connect modifiers and heads:

If the first word ends in a vowel, use -ng: mabait na → mabait na alaga, but with siya in between you get mabait siyang alaga.
If it ends in a consonant (other than sometimes n), use na: mabait na alaga.

What does alaga mean?

As a noun, alaga = “pet” or “ward/charge.” As a verb root: mag-alaga/alagaan = “to take care (of).” Here, alaga clearly means “pet.”

Does ng aking anak mean “of my child” or “for my child”?

It’s possessive: “of my child.” If you mean “for my child,” use para sa aking anak.

Can I replace ng aking anak with ng anak ko?

Yes. ng aking anak is a bit more formal; ng anak ko is very natural in speech. Both mean “of my child.”

Why ng and not nang?

ng marks possession (and direct objects): alaga ng aking anak.
nang is used for adverbs, “when,” “so that,” etc. In this sentence, you need possessive ng.

Is it okay to use siya for a dog? Should it be ito instead?

Both are fine. siya is commonly used for pets (they’re animate and often personified). ito/iyan/iyon are demonstratives (“this/that”) and can also refer to animals, especially when pointing to them: Mabait ito.

Could I just say a simpler second clause like mabait siya?

Yes: … at mabait siya. But … at mabait siyang alaga ng aking anak adds the nuance that the “good” quality is as a pet and ties it to “my child.”

Is the word order flexible? Where else can I put sa bahay?

Yes, Filipino allows movement for emphasis:

May aso kami sa bahay (neutral).
Sa bahay, may aso kami (fronts the location). Avoid May aso sa bahay kami; pronouns like kami prefer to be closer to may.

Is at the best connector here? What about tsaka or tapos?

at = “and” (neutral/standard). tsaka/at saka is more conversational “and then/and also.” tapos = “then/after that,” not a pure “and.” In casual speech: … sa bahay, tsaka mabait… is common.

Is the comma before at required?

Optional. Use it if you want a pause between the two clauses. Filipino punctuation generally follows English practice here.

How would I make it plural if we have multiple dogs?

May mga aso kami sa bahay…
For the second clause, pluralize the pronoun if referring to the dogs: … at mababait silang mga alaga ng aking anak (mababait = plural form is acceptable; many speakers also keep mabait: mabait silang mga alaga).

Pronunciation check: how do I say siya, siyang, and ng?

siya ≈ “shyah.”
siyang ≈ “shyang” (the -ng is a velar nasal).
ng on its own is that same velar nasal sound; it’s not pronounced like “eng.”