Learn Hardcore Filipino: Sarado ang pinto ngayon, kaya maghintay tayo dito. - The door is closed now, so let's wait here.

Tagalog typically puts the predicate first. Here, sarado (closed) is the predicate, and ang pinto (the door) is the topic/subject. So predicate-first gives: Sarado ang pinto. An English-like order is possible with inversion: Ang pinto ay sarado, but that sounds more formal or emphatic.

Can I say “Ang pinto ay sarado ngayon” instead?

Yes. Ang pinto ay sarado ngayon is correct, slightly formal or careful. Everyday speech prefers predicate-first: Sarado ang pinto ngayon.

What does ang do in “ang pinto”?

Ang marks the topic/nominative phrase—the thing being talked about. Compare:

ang pinto = the door (topic)
ang mga pinto = the doors (topic; plural with mga)
For personal names, use si/sina instead of ang: si Maria, sina Maria at Juan.

Is sarado the best word here? What about nakasara or nakasarado?

All are common:

sarado = closed (adjectival; very common for doors, stores).
nakasara (from root sara, “to close”) = in a closed state.
nakasarado is widely used in modern speech, similar in meaning. Nuance is minor; any of the three will be understood. Many prefer sarado or nakasara in careful Tagalog.

Could I say “Sarado na ang pinto” instead of using ngayon?

Yes, but nuance changes:

Sarado ang pinto ngayon = The door is closed now (time frame).
Sarado na ang pinto = The door is already closed (change-of-state; it wasn’t closed before). You can also combine: Sarado na ang pinto ngayon (a bit redundant but fine).

What does kaya mean here? Is it “so” or “because”?

Here kaya means “so/therefore/that’s why.” It introduces a result clause:

“Sarado ang pinto ngayon, kaya maghintay tayo dito.” = “…so let’s wait here.” For “because,” use kasi (casual) or dahil (neutral/formal). In careful writing don’t pair both: prefer either “Dahil sarado…, maghintay tayo…” or “…, kaya maghintay tayo….”

But doesn’t kaya also mean “can/able to”?

Yes—different use. As a verb/noun root kaya relates to ability:

Kaya mo? = Can you manage it?
Hindi ko kaya. = I can’t handle it. In your sentence it’s the conjunction meaning “so/therefore.”

What does the mag- in maghintay do?

mag- is an actor-focus affix. With root hintay (wait), maghintay means “to wait” (intransitive), focusing on the doer. It’s also the form used for suggestions/imperatives: Maghintay tayo = Let’s wait.

Why not use hintayin? What’s the difference between maghintay and hintayin?

maghintay (actor-focus, intransitive): to wait (no specific object). Example: Maghintay tayo dito.
hintayin (patient-focus, transitive): to wait for (someone/something). Example: Hintayin natin siya dito. = Let’s wait for him/her here.

Why is it tayo and not kami?

Tagalog distinguishes inclusive vs. exclusive “we”:

tayo = we (including the listener) → Let’s/we together.
kami = we (excluding the listener). Since the speaker includes the listener (“let’s”), tayo is correct. If the speaker meant “we (not you) will wait,” it would be Maghintay kami dito.

Can I move dito around? Is “Dito tayo maghintay” okay?

Yes. Common options (all natural, with slight emphasis differences):

Maghintay tayo dito. (neutral)
Dito tayo maghintay. (emphasizes the place: here)
Dito, maghintay tayo. (topicalizes “here” as a set-up)

What’s the difference between dito, diyan, doon, and the rito/riyan/roon forms?

dito = here (near the speaker)
diyan = there (near the listener)
doon = over there (far from both) rito/riyan/roon are largely interchangeable with dito/diyan/doon; the r-forms are a bit more formal/older in feel and often appear with narito/nariyan/naroon. In everyday speech, dito/diyan/doon are most common.

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

ngayon: starts with the velar nasal [ŋ], roughly “ng-” as in “sing,” then “-a-yon” → [ŋa-yon].
pinto: stress tends to fall on the last syllable; many speakers have a glottal stop at the end: pin-TO(ʔ).
kaya: “KA-ya” (not “ka-yaH”); y as in “yes.”
maghintay: stress on “-tay”: mag-hin-TAY.
sarado: sa-RA-do (tap the r).

Is there a difference between pinto and pintuan?

Yes:

pinto = the door (the panel/leaved door).
pintuan = doorway/doorframe/entrance area; also used for “door” in some contexts, but strictly it’s the doorway. Here pinto is the most precise.

What do particles like muna, lang, or na add in the second clause?

They soften or nuance the request:

kaya maghintay muna tayo dito = so let’s wait here for now/first.
kaya maghintay lang tayo dito = so let’s just wait here.
kaya maghintay na tayo dito = so let’s wait here now/already (let’s go ahead and wait).

How do I show tense/aspect with hintay?

Imperative/suggestion: Maghintay tayo (Let’s wait).
Completed: Naghintay tayo (We waited).
Progressive: Naghihintay tayo (We are waiting).
Future: Maghihintay tayo (We will wait). With an object (patient-focus): Hihintayin natin siya (We will wait for him/her).

Is the comma before kaya required?

Recommended, because kaya starts a result clause, much like “so/therefore” in English. In short sentences you may see it omitted, but the comma improves readability.