Learn Hardcore Filipino: Paano kami sasagot kung tahimik lang siya?

Paano means how and putting it at the start already makes the sentence a content question. You don’t need ba. Adding ba (e.g., Paano ba kami sasagot…) softens the tone or adds a hint of frustration/exasperation, but it isn’t required for grammar.

Why is it kami and not tayo?

Filipino distinguishes two kinds of “we”:

kami = we (excluding the listener)
tayo = we (including the listener) Here, the speaker is talking about their group answering, without necessarily including the person being addressed, so kami fits.

What tense/aspect is sasagot, and why not a present form like “do we answer”?

Sasagot is the contemplated/future (irrealis) aspect of the verb meaning “will answer / would answer.” Filipino often uses the contemplated aspect when the action is hypothetical, planned, or blocked by a condition (here, the kung clause). The other aspects are:

sumagot = completed (answered)
sumasagot = imperfective/progressive (is/are answering)

How is sasagot formed from the root sagot?

The root is sagot (“answer”). In the actor-focus (-um-) pattern:

Completed: sumagot
Progressive: sumasagot
Contemplated: sasagot (first syllable reduplication; the -um- isn’t shown in this form)

Could I say Paano kami makakasagot… instead of Paano kami sasagot…?

Yes. Makakasagot adds an “able to” sense: “How can we manage to answer…?” Sasagot is neutral future/irrealis (“how will we answer”), while makakasagot highlights ability or feasibility.

Why is it kung and not kapag?

kung = if (hypothetical/uncertain condition)
kapag = when/whenever (real, expected, or habitual condition) The sentence treats the silence as a condition that might occur (or be blocking), so kung is natural. Kapag tahimik lang siya would sound more like a general rule: “When he’s quiet (as a rule), how do we answer?”

What does lang add in tahimik lang siya?

Lang means “only/just/merely.” Tahimik lang siya = “He/She is just quiet,” implying that’s the only thing happening—no info to respond to. It can also soften the tone slightly, sounding less accusatory.

Is there a difference between tahimik lang siya and siya lang ang tahimik?

Yes:

tahimik lang siya = “He/She is just quiet.” (describing that person’s state)
siya lang ang tahimik = “Only he/she is quiet.” (contrastive: out of the group, only that person is quiet)

Where is the verb “to be” in tahimik lang siya?

Filipino doesn’t use a separate “to be” copula in basic predicate–subject sentences. Adjectives and nouns can function as predicates by themselves. So tahimik (quiet) is the predicate; siya (he/she) is the subject.

Is the word order Paano kami sasagot the only correct one?

That is the natural order with a WH-word: Paano + (actor) + verb is common. Paano sasagot kami is not natural. You could also say Paano kami makakasagot, or add emphasis by fronting another element, but keep paano at the start.

Can I front the conditional clause: Kung tahimik lang siya, paano kami sasagot?

Yes. That’s perfectly fine and often used to set up the condition first. The meaning stays the same.

How do you pronounce siya?

It’s pronounced like “shya” ([ʃa]/[sja]) in most speech. You’ll also see the informal texting spelling sya, but the standard spelling is siya.

Does siya mean “he” or “she”?

Both. Siya is gender-neutral and refers to a single person. Context tells you whether it’s “he” or “she.”

Could this be expressed in object-focus instead?

Yes. If you focus on the person being answered, you’d say:

Paano namin siya sasagutin kung tahimik lang siya? Here:
sasagutin is the object-focus form (root sagot
- -in).
The actor changes to a genitive pronoun: namin (we-excl, genitive) instead of kami. Use the actor-focus sasagot when the actor is your topic; use sasagutin when the object is your topic.

Is there a more explicit way to say “if he/she isn’t speaking”?

You can say:

Paano kami sasagot kung hindi siya nagsasalita? (if he/she is not speaking)
Paano kami sasagot kung walang sinasabi siya? (if he/she is saying nothing) These are a bit more explicit than tahimik lang siya, which is broader (“is just quiet”).