Learn Hardcore Filipino: Madalas magdala ng laruan ang anak ko para sa aso kaysa sa pusa. - My child often brings a toy for the dog rather than for the cat.

Filipino is typically predicate-first. The predicate here is Madalas magdala ng laruan (para sa aso kaysa sa pusa), and the topic/subject ang anak ko follows it. You can front the subject in a more formal style using ay:

Ang anak ko ay (mas) madalas magdala ng laruan para sa aso kaysa sa pusa.

Why use magdala and not dalhin?

magdala is actor-focus (AF): it highlights the doer. The object then takes ng (ng laruan).
dalhin is object-focus (OF): it highlights the thing being brought, which then takes ang. The actor takes ng. Example OF rewording: Mas madalas dalhin ng anak ko ang (mga) laruan para sa aso kaysa sa pusa. Use AF when you’re talking about what the child does; use OF when you want to spotlight the toy(s).

Should it be nagdadala because it’s habitual after madalas?

Both are acceptable:

Madalas magdala… (very common and natural)
Madalas (na) nagdadala… (imperfective form emphasizes ongoing/habitual action) Adding na after madalas is optional and slightly more formal: Madalas na nagdadala…

Why is it ng laruan and not ang laruan?

With an actor-focus verb like magdala, the direct object is marked by ng and is typically non-topical/indefinite. If you switch to object-focus (dalhin) to spotlight a specific toy/toys, you’d use ang:

Mas madalas dalhin ng anak ko ang laruan…

Do I need to mark plural “toys” with mga, or is laruan enough?

Number is often unmarked in Filipino. ng laruan can mean “a toy” or “toys” in general. Use ng mga laruan if you want to explicitly say “toys” (plural), or add quantifiers like maraming laruan (many toys).

Why para sa aso and not para kay aso?

Use:

para sa
- common nouns: para sa aso, para sa pusa
para kay
- personal names/titles: para kay Bruno, para kay Maria
Pronouns: para sa kanya (for him/her), para sa kanila (for them)

Could I say just sa aso instead of para sa aso?

They differ:

para sa aso = intended for the dog (beneficiary)
sa aso = “to the dog/at the dog,” more like a destination/goal With bringing/bringing-along, para sa is the clearest way to express “for (someone/something) to use.”

Why is it kaysa sa pusa? When do I use kaysa, kaysa sa, or kaysa kay?

With common nouns, the careful form is kaysa sa: para sa aso kaysa sa pusa.
With personal names or personal pronouns: kaysa kay Maria, kaysa sa kanya.
Colloquial kesa is common in speech. Dropping sa after kaysa is also heard informally, but kaysa sa is the safe, taught form with nouns.

Do I need mas before madalas?

The textbook comparative pattern is Mas + adverb/adjective + kaysa…, so:

Mas madalas magdala… para sa aso kaysa sa pusa. Your original sentence is understandable and heard in speech, but adding mas makes the comparison explicit and is preferred in careful usage.

Does anak mean “son” or “daughter”?

anak is gender-neutral: “child.” To specify:

anak na lalaki (son), anak na babae (daughter)
mga anak ko (my children)

Can I front the subject using ay?

Yes. It’s a common formal/written inversion:

Ang anak ko ay (mas) madalas magdala ng laruan para sa aso kaysa sa pusa. Meaning doesn’t change; it’s a stylistic choice.

Why ang before anak and not si?

ang marks common nouns used as the topic: ang anak ko.
si is for personal proper names: si Maria, si Bruno. (Plural: ang mga for common nouns; sina for multiple named persons.)

Where would a pronoun subject like siya go?

Pronouns often come after the predicate’s first element:

Madalas siyang magdala ng laruan… (very natural)
Madalas, nagdadala siya ng laruan… Formal fronting is possible: Siya ay madalas magdala…

Is laruan related to laro? Does laruan have other meanings?

Yes. Root laro = “play.” laruan commonly means “toy,” and in other contexts can be a place/instrument related to playing. In everyday modern usage, laruan = “toy,” while “playground” is typically paláruan.

How do I show the dog or cat is ours/his/hers?

Add a possessor to the sa-phrase:

para sa aso namin/aso ko (our/my dog)
para sa pusa niya (his/her cat)
If the pet has a name: para kay Bruno

Can I rearrange parts of the sentence?

Yes, Filipino allows flexible order as long as markers stay correct. Natural variants include:

Mas madalas magdala ng laruan para sa aso ang anak ko kaysa sa pusa.
Ang anak ko ay mas madalas magdala ng laruan para sa aso kaysa sa pusa. Keep the predicate chunk together before the ang-marked subject unless you use the ay inversion.