Learn Hardcore Filipino: Ayusin natin ang lamesa bago kumain. - Let us arrange the table before eating.

natin = we/our (inclusive: includes the listener). In patient-focus sentences like this, it marks the actor: “by us.”
namin = we/our (exclusive: excludes the listener). Using it would mean “we (not you) will do it,” not a suggestion.
tayo = we (inclusive) in nominative/subject form; used when the verb is actor-focused (e.g., Mag-ayos tayo ng lamesa.)

Why does the sentence start with the verb Ayusin?

Filipino is often verb-initial. Also, because the verb is in patient-focus (-in form), the thing being acted on (ang lamesa) is the topic, and the actor (natin) appears as a genitive pronoun after the verb. So verb-first sounds natural: Ayusin natin ang lamesa…

What exactly does ayusin mean, and why is it not spelled “ayosin”?

Root: ayos (order, arrangement; to fix/straighten/put in order).
ayusin is the patient-focus/goal-focus form with suffix -in (“to arrange/fix it” / “have it fixed/arranged”).
Spelling change: in many roots with o, the vowel becomes u before -in (e.g., tapos → tapusin, linis → linisin [no change here], ayos → ayusin). So “ayusin,” not “ayosin.”

Is Ayusin natin… a command or a suggestion?

It’s a hortative suggestion meaning “Let’s …” (inclusive). If you wanted a direct command to someone else, you’d say Ayusin mo ang lamesa… (“You fix the table…”). If you used namin, it stops being “let’s” and becomes a statement: Ayusin namin ang lamesa… (“We (not you) will fix the table…”).

Why is it ang lamesa and not ng lamesa?

Because the verb is in patient-focus (-in), the direct object (the patient) is promoted to topic and marked with ang: ang lamesa. In an actor-focus version, you’d demote the object to ng: Mag-ayos tayo ng lamesa bago kumain.

Could I say the same idea with an actor-focus verb?

Yes:

Patient-focus (given): Ayusin natin ang lamesa bago kumain. (Focus on the table as the goal.)
Actor-focus: Mag-ayos tayo ng lamesa bago kumain. (Focus on us doing the action.) Both are natural; the choice is about what you highlight.

Does kumain here mean “ate” (past)? Why isn’t it future like kakain?

In subordinate time expressions (with bago, “before”), Filipino often uses the bare/infinitival form of the actor-focus verb: bago kumain = “before eating/before we eat.” It’s not past here. You’ll also hear bago tayo kumain with an explicit subject; future meaning is supplied by context.

Is it okay/necessary to say bago tayo kumain instead of bago kumain?

Both are correct:

bago kumain = “before eating,” with the subject understood from context (here, “we”).
bago tayo kumain makes the subject explicit. Many speakers prefer this for clarity, but it isn’t required.

Can I add “first/please/already” type words? Where do they go?

Yes; common enclitics follow the first prosodic word (often the verb). Examples:

Ayusin muna natin ang lamesa bago kumain. (Let’s fix the table first…)
Ayusin na natin ang lamesa bago kumain. (Let’s fix the table already…)
Polite softeners: Puwede bang ayusin muna natin ang lamesa bago kumain?

Does ayusin ang lamesa mean “set the table” or “tidy/fix the table”?

It can mean either, depending on context. Before a meal, it often implies “set/prepare the table.” If you specifically mean “set the table,” you might also hear:

Ihanda natin ang lamesa… (prepare the table)
More formal to plating/serving: Ihain na natin ang pagkain. (serve the food)

Is lamesa the only correct word for “table”? What about mesa?

Both are used. lamesa is standard Tagalog; mesa is also common, especially in speech. Colloquially, many say ’yung mesa instead of ang lamesa.

Why is the subject of kumain missing? Can I say bago sila kumain or bago ako kumain?

Tagalog often drops pronouns when understood. You can absolutely specify:

bago tayo kumain (before we eat)
bago ako kumain (before I eat)
bago sila kumain (before they eat)

Could I say bago pa kumain or pagkatapos kumain?

Yes:

bago pa kumain = even before eating
pagkatapos kumain = after eating Example: Ayusin muna natin ang lamesa pagkatapos kumain. (Let’s tidy the table after eating.)

What changes if I move words around, like Ayusin ang lamesa natin?

Ayusin ang lamesa natin changes natin to modify lamesa (“our table”), not the actor. It means “Let’s fix our table,” which is different.
Keep natin right after the verb to mark the actor in patient-focus: Ayusin natin ang lamesa…

How would I address one person directly rather than saying “let’s”?

Use the second-person pronoun:

Ayusin mo ang lamesa bago ka kumain. (Fix the table before you eat.) Polite request:
Pakiaayos ang lamesa bago ka kumain. or Pakiayos ang lamesa bago ka kumain. (Please fix/tidy the table before you eat.)