Bibili ako ng damit at sapatos kung mura at maganda.

I will buy clothes and shoes if they are cheap and nice.

Breakdown of Bibili ako ng damit at sapatos kung mura at maganda.

• ako: I
• at: and
• kung: if
• bumili: to buy
• damit: clothing
• sapatos: shoe
• mura: cheap
• maganda: nice

Questions & Answers about Bibili ako ng damit at sapatos kung mura at maganda.

What does the form bibili tell me about time/aspect, and how is it formed from the root bili?

Bibili is the contemplated (future) form of the UM-verb built on the root bili (to buy). For UM-verbs:

• Completed (past): bumili
• Incomplete/ongoing: bumibili
• Contemplated/future: bibili Notice that the -um- infix is not visible in the future form; instead, Filipino marks the future by reduplicating the first syllable of the root: bi + bili → bibili.

Could I use bumibili here instead of bibili?

No. Bumibili means buying is currently happening or habitual (I am buying / I buy regularly). Bibili is used for a future or intended action (I will buy / I’m going to buy). The sentence talks about a condition for a future purchase, so bibili fits.

Is the word order Bibili ako ... the only correct one? Can I start with Ako?

Filipino is typically verb-initial, so Bibili ako ... is the most natural. You can also say:

• Ako ay bibili ng ... (more formal/literary)
• Ako’y bibili ng ... (contracted formal)
• Bibili ng damit at sapatos ako ... (acceptable, but less neutral than verb–actor–object)

Why is it ng damit at sapatos and not ang? What’s being “focused” here?

With an UM-verb like bibili, the actor (the doer) is the grammatical topic, and the object is marked with ng:

• Actor-focus: Bibili ako ng damit at sapatos. If you want to topicalize the objects instead, switch to the -IN (object-focus) verb:
• Object-focus: Bibilhin ko ang damit at sapatos. Here, ang marks the definite objects as the topic, and the actor is ko.

Do I need to repeat ng before sapatos (ng damit at ng sapatos)?

Repeating ng is optional. Both are acceptable:

• ng damit at sapatos (more common and natural)
• ng damit at ng sapatos (clear and careful; sometimes used for emphasis or when the items are long/complex)

Should I use mga (plural) before damit and sapatos?

Use mga when you want to emphasize multiple distinct items:

• Generic/unspecified: ng damit at sapatos (clothes and shoes as categories)
• Clearly plural, multiple pieces/pairs: ng mga damit at mga sapatos Note: damit often behaves like an uncountable “clothing,” while sapatos typically refers to a pair; mga sapatos implies multiple pairs.

Who is the subject of mura at maganda? It feels like something is missing after kung.

Filipino allows an implied subject in predicate adjective clauses. Kung mura at maganda is understood as “if they are cheap and nice.” You can make it explicit:

• Kung mura at maganda sila
• Kung mura at maganda ang mga ito
• Kung mura at maganda ang damit at sapatos

Does mura at maganda apply to both the clothes and the shoes?

By default it’s understood to apply to the items mentioned, usually both as a set. If you want to be explicit that both items individually must meet the condition, say:

• Kung parehong mura at maganda ang damit at sapatos
• Kung kapwa mura at maganda ang damit at sapatos If only one condition must hold, you can use o (or): kung mura o maganda.

What’s the difference between kung and kapag here?

• Kung = if (hypothetical or conditional). Good for decisions contingent on a condition.
• Kapag = when/whenever (time-based or habitual). Use for routines or expected situations. In this sentence, kung is better because buying depends on whether the items are cheap and nice.

Can I put the if-clause first?

Yes. Both are fine:

• Bibili ako ng damit at sapatos kung mura at maganda.
• Kung mura at maganda, bibili ako ng damit at sapatos. When the kung clause comes first, a comma after it is common.

What’s the difference between ng and nang, and which one is this?

Here it’s ng (object marker) before damit. Differences:

• ng marks non-topic objects and also means “of” in possessive-like phrases.
• nang is a linker for adverbs/adjuncts (how/when/extent), can mean “when” in some contexts, or marks purpose/result in certain constructions. Do not use nang as the object marker.

Why is there no linker na/-ng in mura at maganda? Don’t adjectives need linkers?

Linkers na/-ng are used when modifiers attach to a noun (attributive position). Here, mura at maganda form a predicate (they’re saying “are cheap and nice”), so no linker is needed. Compare:

• Predicate: mura at maganda [sila]
• Attributive: murang damit at magandang sapatos (adjectives directly modifying nouns)

How would I negate this—either the buying or the condition?

• To negate the action: Hindi ako bibili ng damit at sapatos (I won’t buy…).
• To negate the condition: Bibili ako … kung hindi mahal at hindi pangit (… if they’re not expensive and not ugly) or more naturally flip the adjectives: Bibili ako … kung mura at maganda. If you mean “I won’t buy … if they’re not cheap and nice,” say: Hindi ako bibili … kung hindi mura at hindi maganda.

How do I say I will only buy them if they’re cheap and nice? Where does lang go?

Place lang after the verb (or actor) to mean “only [the action]” under that condition:

• Bibili lang ako ng damit at sapatos kung mura at maganda. You can also front lang with the actor: Ako lang ang bibili … (only I will buy…), which is a different meaning.

Can I use tsaka instead of at?

Yes, tsaka is common in speech and is a bit more casual. It can mean “and/and also/and then.”

• Bibili ako ng damit tsaka sapatos… For neutral or formal writing, at is safer.

If I want to refer to specific, definite items (those clothes and shoes), how do I say it?

Use the object-focus verb and ang for definites:

• Bibilhin ko ang damit at ang sapatos na iyon kung mura at maganda. Past/present forms for reference:
• Past: Binili ko ang …
• Present: Binibili ko ang …