Dumating si Pedro nang maaga, kaya busog na siya bago ang tanghalian.

Pedro arrived early, so he was already full before lunch.

Breakdown of Dumating si Pedro nang maaga, kaya busog na siya bago ang tanghalian.

• na: already
• maaga: early
• bago: before
• kaya: so
• tanghalian: the lunch
• busog: full
• dumating: to arrive
• Pedro: Pedro
• siya: he

Questions & Answers about Dumating si Pedro nang maaga, kaya busog na siya bago ang tanghalian.

What does the bold marker si in si Pedro do?

Si is the personal name marker for a singular proper noun in the topic/subject position. Use:

• si for one person: si Pedro
• sina for more than one: sina Pedro at Juan For common nouns, use ang instead: ang lalaki. You wouldn’t normally say ang Pedro.

Why is it nang maaga, not ng maaga?

Use nang before words used adverbially (manner/time), like maaga, tahimik, mabilis: dumating nang maaga. Use ng mainly as the object/possessor marker. Rule of thumb: if the English sense is “how/when” (early, quietly, suddenly), use nang. Also, nang can mean “when” as a conjunction: Nang dumating si Pedro, ...

What tense/aspect is dumating, and how do I say present or future?

Dumating is completed aspect (perfective) of the root dating “to arrive” with the -um- infix.

• Incomplete/habitual: dumarating (is/keeps arriving)
• Contemplated/future: darating (will arrive) Examples: Dumarating si Pedro tuwing 8.; Darating si Pedro bukas.

Can I say Maagang dumating si Pedro instead of Dumating si Pedro nang maaga?

Yes. Maaga plus the linker -ng before the verb is natural: Maagang dumating si Pedro. It’s stylistically a bit more emphatic about “early,” but the meaning is the same.

What does kaya mean here, and how is it different from kasi or kaya “can”?

Here kaya is a conjunction meaning “so/therefore,” introducing the result. Contrast:

• Cause: Busog na siya kasi dumating siya nang maaga. (because)
• Result: Dumating siya nang maaga, kaya busog na siya. (so) Separate usage: kaya with pronouns means “can/able to” (e.g., kaya ko, kaya niya).

What does na add in busog na siya, and where do I put it?

Na is an enclitic meaning “already/now,” marking a change of state. Place it right after the first word of the predicate in its clause.

• Correct: Busog na siya.
• With inversion: Siya ay busog na.
• Not natural: kaya na busog siya (the na shouldn’t come before the predicate).

Why is there no word for “is” in busog na siya?

In Filipino, adjectives and nouns can serve directly as predicates; a copula (“is/are”) isn’t required. Busog na siya literally reads “Full already he/she.” A more formal variant is Siya ay busog na.

Does siya mean “he” or “she”?

Both. Siya is gender-neutral. Context (here, Pedro) tells you the gender.

Why is it bago ang tanghalian and not bago ng tanghalian?

When bago (“before”) is followed by a noun phrase, it takes ang: bago ang tanghalian (“before lunch”). When bago introduces a clause, no marker: bago magtanghalian (“before having lunch”). Avoid bago ng tanghalian in standard usage.

Could I repeat the name and say kaya busog na si Pedro instead of using siya?

Yes. Dumating si Pedro nang maaga, kaya busog na si Pedro bago ang tanghalian is grammatical. Using siya simply avoids repetition.

Other ways to say “before lunch”? Is there a difference between tanghali and tanghalian?

• bago ang tanghalian = before lunch (the meal)
• bago magtanghalian = before having lunch
• bago tanghali / bago ang tanghali = before noon (time of day) So tanghali = noon; tanghalian = lunch.

Do I need the comma before kaya?

Recommended, because it connects two independent clauses: Dumating si Pedro nang maaga, kaya busog na siya... In casual writing you may see it omitted, but keep it in standard prose.

How flexible is the word order here?

Quite flexible. All of these are natural:

• Dumating si Pedro nang maaga, ... (neutral)
• Maagang dumating si Pedro, ... (emphasis on “early”)
• Dumating nang maaga si Pedro, ...
• Si Pedro ay dumating nang maaga, ... (more formal) Similarly: Busog na si Pedro bago ang tanghalian.

What exactly does busog mean? Can it mean “fat”?

Busog means “full/satiated from eating.” It does not mean “fat.” For “fat,” use mataba. Example: Busog na ako = I’m full; Mataba ang pusa = The cat is fat.

Is there any nuance if I say kaya’t instead of kaya?

Kaya’t is a contracted, more formal/literary form meaning the same “so/therefore.” In everyday speech, kaya is more common.