Busog kami kagabi dahil masarap ang hapunan.

We were full last night because the dinner was delicious.

Breakdown of Busog kami kagabi dahil masarap ang hapunan.

• ay: to be
• masarap: delicious
• hapunan: the dinner
• kami: we
• kagabi: last night
• busog: full
• dahil: because

Questions & Answers about Busog kami kagabi dahil masarap ang hapunan.

What exactly does the word busog mean here? Does it mean “fat”?

Busog means “full/satiated from eating.” It does not mean “fat” (that’s mataba). You can intensify it as busog na busog (“really full/so stuffed”).

Why is the order Busog kami and why is there no word for “was”?

Filipino often uses predicate-first word order. Adjectives can serve directly as predicates, so Busog kami literally means “Full we (were/are).” There’s no separate “to be” verb; past time is understood from the time word kagabi (“last night”).

Can I say Kami ay busog kagabi instead?

Yes. Kami ay busog kagabi is a more formal, “inverted” style using ay. The neutral everyday style is predicate-first: Busog kami kagabi. For the second clause, you can likewise say Ang hapunan ay masarap instead of Masarap ang hapunan.

Where can I put kagabi in the sentence?

It’s flexible:

• Kagabi, busog kami dahil masarap ang hapunan.
• Busog kami kagabi dahil masarap ang hapunan.
• Busog kami dahil masarap ang hapunan kagabi. (This last one emphasizes the timing of the dinner’s deliciousness.)

If there’s no past-tense marker, how do we know it’s past?

Time adverbs like kagabi (“last night”) provide the time reference. Adjectives like busog and masarap don’t inflect for tense.

Why is it kami and not tayo for “we”?

Kami = “we/us” excluding the listener. Tayo = “we/us” including the listener. If you want to include the person you’re talking to, say: Busog tayo kagabi… Otherwise, Busog kami kagabi… is correct.

What’s the difference between dahil and kasi?

Both mean “because.”

• dahil is a bit more formal and is used before a full clause: Busog kami kagabi dahil masarap ang hapunan.
• kasi is casual and typically appears after the first element of the clause: Busog kami kagabi kasi masarap ang hapunan. It can also start an answer/explanation in conversation: Kasi masarap ang hapunan.

In Masarap ang hapunan, why isn’t it Ang masarap hapunan?

Because masarap is the predicate (“is delicious”) and ang hapunan is the subject (“the dinner”). If you want to modify the noun directly (“delicious dinner”), use the linker: masarap na hapunan.

Can I say dahil sa masarap na hapunan instead of dahil masarap ang hapunan?

Yes. Use:

• dahil
  • clause: dahil masarap ang hapunan (“because the dinner is delicious”).
• dahil sa
  • noun phrase: dahil sa masarap na hapunan (“because of the delicious dinner”).

How do I say “our dinner”?

• Excluding the listener: ang hapunan namin (Our dinner, not yours)
• Including the listener: ang hapunan natin (Our dinner, yours and mine) Example: Busog kami kagabi dahil masarap ang hapunan namin.

How can I intensify the meaning (e.g., “very full,” “so delicious”)?

• Very full: busog na busog, sobrang busog, or sobra kaming busog.
• Very delicious: napakasarap, sobrang sarap, or the idiomatic exclamation Ang sarap ng hapunan!

How do I pronounce the words? Where is the stress?

Approximate stress (caps = stressed syllable):

• buSOG
• kaGAbi
• DAhil
• masaRAP
• haPUnan

How do I turn it into a yes/no question or a why-question?

• Yes/no with ba: Busog ba kayo kagabi dahil masarap ang hapunan? (ba typically follows the first element of the predicate)
• Why-question with bakit: Bakit kayo busog kagabi? — Dahil masarap ang hapunan.

How do I negate it?

• Simple negation: Hindi kami busog kagabi.
• Keeping the cause: Hindi kami busog kagabi dahil hindi masarap ang hapunan.

Could I use a verb like nabusog instead of the adjective busog?

Yes. Nabusog kami kagabi dahil masarap ang hapunan. This emphasizes the result (“we got full/became full”). Adjective busog states a condition; verb nabusog focuses on the change/result.

What’s the difference between Masarap ang hapunan and Ang sarap ng hapunan?

Both mean the dinner is delicious. Masarap ang hapunan is a straightforward descriptive sentence. Ang sarap ng hapunan is more emotive/exclamatory and uses the noun sarap (“deliciousness”).

Can I use yung instead of ang?

Yes, in informal speech: Masarap yung hapunan. Yung is the colloquial form of ang.

Is hapunan the standard word for “dinner”? What about other meals?

Yes. hapunan = dinner/supper. Others:

• almusal = breakfast
• tanghalian = lunch
• merienda = snack (between meals)