Nasa kusina si Liza ngayon.

Liza is in the kitchen now.

Breakdown of Nasa kusina si Liza ngayon.

• ay: to be
• nasa: in
• ngayon: now
• kusina: the kitchen
• Liza: Liza

Questions & Answers about Nasa kusina si Liza ngayon.

What does the word nasa mean and how is it used here?

Nasa is a locative marker that means “at/in/on (a place).” It introduces a location as the predicate. In Nasa kusina si Liza ngayon, the predicate is nasa kusina (“in the kitchen”), telling you where Liza is. Think of nasa + location as “is located at + location.”

Why is there no word for “is” in the sentence?

Filipino doesn’t use a copula like “is” in simple equational or locative sentences. The location phrase nasa kusina serves as the predicate, followed by the topic si Liza. So the structure is predicate first, then the topic: “In the kitchen (predicate) is Liza (topic), now.”

What does si before Liza do?

Si marks a singular personal name as the topic (ang-case). Use:

• si for one name: si Liza
• sina for multiple names: sina Liza at Ana
• ang for common nouns: ang pusa, ang bata

So si Liza tells you the named person is the topic of the sentence.

Can I drop si and say Nasa kusina Liza ngayon?

Avoid dropping si with personal names in standard Filipino. Nasa kusina si Liza ngayon is the natural form. You may hear omission in fast or casual speech, but for clear, correct Filipino, keep si.

Can I start the sentence with the name instead?

Yes. A common formal/inverted variant is:

• Si Liza ay nasa kusina ngayon. This puts the topic first and uses ay. In everyday speech, the predicate-first version (Nasa kusina si Liza ngayon) is more common.

Where can I place ngayon (“now”)?

It can move around for emphasis:

• Nasa kusina si Liza ngayon. (neutral)
• Nasa kusina ngayon si Liza. (slight emphasis on the time)
• Ngayon, nasa kusina si Liza. (fronted time; often with a comma) All are acceptable.

How do I make this a yes–no question?

Add ba, the yes–no particle:

• Nasa kusina ba si Liza ngayon? Short answers:
• Oo/Opo, nasa kusina siya.
• Hindi/Hindi po, wala siya sa kusina.

How do I ask “Where is Liza?” using this pattern?

Use Nasaan, which means “Where is …?”:

• Nasaan si Liza? Answer with nasa + place:
• Nasa kusina si Liza.

Is nasa the same as na + sa?

Historically it comes from na + sa, but in modern Filipino nasa is a single fixed word meaning “be at/in/on.” The na here is not the “already” na. Treat nasa as one word.

What’s the difference between nasa and sa?

• nasa + location is commonly used for a stative location predicate: Nasa kusina si Liza.
• sa + location marks an oblique phrase and is used broadly (destinations, locations, times, etc.): Pupunta si Liza sa kusina. As a predicate, many speakers also accept Sa kusina si Liza, but nasa is the clearer “is located at” form for location statements. Do not say nasa sa; choose one or the other.

Should I ever say nasa sa kusina?

No. Nasa already contains the locative function; it directly takes the location: nasa kusina (not nasa sa kusina). You can, however, say nasa loob ng kusina (“inside the kitchen”).

How do I negate this sentence?

For locative negation, use wala … sa:

• Wala si Liza sa kusina ngayon. (Liza is not in the kitchen now.) Avoid Hindi nasa kusina si Liza as a general negation; it sounds odd unless used contrastively (e.g., Hindi nasa kusina si Liza, nasa sala siya.).

How do I say it with a pronoun instead of the name?

Replace si Liza with siya (he/she):

• Nasa kusina siya ngayon.

How do I say it for multiple people?

Use sina with names, or ang mga with common nouns:

• Nasa kusina sina Liza at Ana ngayon.
• Nasa kusina ang mga bisita ngayon.

What if the topic is not a person?

Use ang (for singular) or ang mga (for plural):

• Nasa kusina ang kawali. (The frying pan is in the kitchen.)
• Nasa kusina ang mga plato. (The plates are in the kitchen.)

How do I say “right now” for extra emphasis?

Use ngayon na or sa ngayon depending on nuance:

• Nasa kusina si Liza ngayon na. (right now, immediate)
• Sa ngayon, nasa kusina si Liza. (for now/at present; may imply it could change)

How do I pronounce ngayon?

Start with the ng sound (as in “sing”), but at the beginning of the word: “nga-yon” (two syllables). Approximate: “nga-YON,” with stress on the second syllable. So: nga-YON.