Learn Hardcore Filipino: Saan po ang opisina ninyo, at anong oras po kayo pumapasok? - Where is your office, and what time do you come in?

Kayo (you) and its matching possessive ninyo (your) are used for either plural “you” or polite/respectful singular “you.” Because the sentence uses po, it’s addressing someone respectfully, so kayo/ninyo is the right choice. Use ikaw/ka and mo with friends, peers, or younger people: e.g., Saan ang opisina mo? Anong oras ka pumapasok?

What does po mean, and where should it go?

Po is a politeness particle used when speaking respectfully (to elders, customers, strangers, etc.). It’s an enclitic, so it typically follows the first word or phrase of the clause:

Saan po ang opisina ninyo?
Anong oras po kayo pumapasok? Using po in both clauses is natural. A Manila variant is ho; po is safe everywhere.

Can I put only one po, or is repeating it okay?

Both are fine. Many speakers naturally place po in each clause:

One clause: Saan po ang opisina ninyo?
Two clauses: Saan po… at anong oras po…? Using it once for the whole turn still sounds polite, but repeating it where it fits is very common.

Why Saan and not Nasaan?

Both occur in real life, but there’s a guideline:

Nasaan asks for the location of something/someone: Nasaan ang opisina ninyo?
Saan is used more broadly, often with actions: Saan ka pupunta? Many people also say Saan ang opisina ninyo? in everyday speech. If you want the most textbook form for “Where is…?”, use Nasaan.

Why is kayo before the verb in Anong oras po kayo pumapasok? Isn’t Tagalog verb-first?

Neutral Tagalog tends to be verb-initial, but question words (like saan, anong oras) are fronted. After that fronted phrase, the pronoun often comes before the verb:

Anong oras (po) kayo pumapasok? You might also hear Anong oras pumapasok kayo?, but with pronouns, kayo before the verb is very common and natural here.

What aspect/tense is pumapasok? How does it differ from pumasok and papasok?

The verb is from the UM-verb pumasok (to enter; to go in to work).

Completed (past): pumasok — “went in/entered”
Incomplete (present/progressive/habitual): pumapasok — “is going in / goes in (habitually)”
Contemplated (future): papasok — “will go in” Pattern: UM appears in past and present (with reduplication in present), and drops in the future.

Does pumapasok here mean “enter,” or “go to work”?

Context decides. In schedules and work talk, pumapasok commonly means “go in to work/clock in,” not just physically “enter.” So the question is essentially about your starting time at work.

Is Anong oras ang pasok ninyo? also correct?

Yes. Pasok can be a noun meaning “time/shift of going in (to work/school).” So:

Anong oras ang pasok ninyo? = “What time is your start time/shift?” It’s very natural in everyday Filipino.

Why is it anong oras and not sa anong oras?

Both exist, but Anong oras…? is the default conversational way to ask “What time…?” Sa anong oras…? can sound more formal or bookish. Also note that anong is just ano + ang contracted before a noun: anong oras = “what time.”

What is ang doing in ang opisina ninyo? Can I drop it?

Ang marks the topic/subject phrase. In standard Filipino you do not drop it here; Saan po ang opisina ninyo? is the expected form. Very casual speech sometimes omits markers, but learners should keep ang.

Can I say ang inyong opisina instead of ang opisina ninyo?

Yes:

Ang opisina ninyo (postposed possessive pronoun)
Ang inyong opisina (preposed possessive adjective) Both are correct. Inyong can sound a bit more formal or written; ninyo is very common in speech.

Is the comma before at necessary? Should these be two sentences?

A comma before at isn’t necessary, and joining two separate questions with at is stylistically optional. Many would simply make them two sentences:

Nasaan/Saan po ang opisina ninyo? Anong oras po kayo pumapasok? If you keep at, you can also drop the comma.

What’s the difference between ninyo, niyo, and nyo?

They’re the same word in different registers:

ninyo: careful/standard spelling
niyo: common informal spelling
nyo: very casual/texting For formal writing, use ninyo. In conversation, all are understood.

How can I show I mean plural “you all,” not polite singular?

Add a clarifier:

kayong lahat / ninyong lahat (you all)
kayo nina… (you along with…) Example: Anong oras po kayong lahat pumapasok? Without a clarifier, kayo/ninyo could be either polite singular or plural.

Should I add ba anywhere in these questions?

No. Ba is for yes/no questions. You don’t use ba with question words like saan or anong oras. So:

Correct: Saan po ang opisina ninyo?
Incorrect: Saan po ba ang opisina ninyo? (This is sometimes heard in speech to soften, but grammatically the wh-word doesn’t need ba. As a learner, skip it here.)

Can I add naman in the second question?

Yes, it sounds friendly and helps the flow from one topic to the next:

Saan po ang opisina ninyo? Anong oras naman po kayo pumapasok? Here naman lightly contrasts or transitions: “and what about the time you go in?”