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Questions & Answers about Mahal ko ang ating alaga.
Why is it ko and not ako?
Ko is the genitive/clitic pronoun meaning “my/used by me,” and it attaches to a predicate like mahal to mean “I love ….” Ako is the nominative “I.”
- Mahal ko ang… = “I love …”
- Mahal ako (ng …) = “I am loved (by …)” So ako would flip the meaning.
Is mahal a verb here?
Grammatically, mahal is an adjective (“dear/beloved/expensive”) used as a predicate. Filipino allows adjective-first sentences without “to be,” so Mahal ko ang … expresses “I love ….” If you want a clear verb, use mahalin:
- Past: Minahal ko ang …
- Future: Mamahalin ko ang …
How is Mahal ko ang … different from Mahal kita?
Mahal kita specifically means “I love you,” using the special pronoun kita (“I [do something to] you”). Mahal ko ang … takes a full noun phrase after ang, e.g., Mahal ko ang ating alaga. You use kita only when the object is “you” (singular) and the subject is “I.”
Why use ang before ating alaga? Why not si or kay?
Ang marks a specific/common noun phrase (often like “the”). Si is only for personal names (e.g., Mahal ko si Ana). Kay/Kina are oblique markers used after certain prepositions; they are not used with mahal in this pattern.
What exactly does ating mean, and how is it different from aming? What about natin and namin?
- Ating = “our (inclusive)” placed before a noun: listener is included.
- Aming = “our (exclusive)” placed before a noun: listener is excluded. Post-nominal forms:
- … natin = “our (inclusive)” after the noun.
- … namin = “our (exclusive)” after the noun. So ang ating alaga = “our (yours and mine) pet,” while ang aming alaga excludes the listener.
Can I say ang alaga natin instead of ang ating alaga?
Yes. Both are natural:
- ang ating alaga (pre-nominal, a bit more formal/“grouped”)
- ang alaga natin (post-nominal, very common in conversation)
Can I drop ang and say Mahal ko ating alaga?
No. You need the marker. Say Mahal ko ang ating alaga (or Mahal ko ang alaga natin).
What does alaga mean? Is it only “pet”?
Not only. Alaga can mean:
- a pet/animal you keep
- a person under someone’s care (a child, ward, patient)
- by extension, something/someone you raise or look after (e.g., alagang isda = farmed fish) Context decides the sense. In this sentence, it most naturally means “pet.”
How do I make it plural?
Insert the plural marker mga: Mahal ko ang ating mga alaga = “I love our pets.”
How do I talk about past or future?
Use the verb mahalin for clear tense/aspect:
- Past (completed): Minahal ko ang ating alaga.
- Present/habitual state: Mahal ko ang ating alaga.
- Future: Mamahalin ko ang ating alaga.
How do I negate it?
Put hindi before the clitic pronoun: Hindi ko mahal ang ating alaga = “I don’t love our pet.”
Where does politeness po go?
Place po after the first element or after the clitic: Mahal ko po ang ating alaga (very common). Mahal ko ang ating alaga po is also heard but less neutral.
Why not write Mahal kong ating alaga?
Kong is ko + -ng (the linker) and turns ko into a modifier of the next noun: Mahal kong alaga = “my beloved pet.” But your sentence is “I love our pet,” which requires Mahal ko ang …, not the modifier form. Mixing kong with ating (“my our”) is ungrammatical.
Can I front the topic with ay?
Yes: Ang ating alaga ay mahal ko. This is a more formal/topicalized version; the meaning stays the same, with extra emphasis on “our pet.”
How do I ask “Do you love our pet?”
Use the yes/no particle ba and switch to second person: Mahal mo ba ang ating alaga? With politeness: Mahal mo po ba ang ating alaga?
Is mahal the same as gusto?
No. Mahal = “love.” Gusto = “like/want.”
- Gusto ko ang ating alaga = “I like our pet.”
- Note: gusto also forms “want” with ng for an indefinite object (e.g., Gusto ko ng aso = “I want a dog”). You don’t do that with mahal.