Learn Hardcore Filipino: Alas otso pa sa relo mo, kaya hindi pa tapos ang gawain. - It is still eight o'clock on your watch, so the task is not yet finished.

When telling clock time, Tagalog commonly uses Spanish-based hour forms: alas + number. So you get alas dos, alas siyete, alas otso, etc. For 1:00, it’s ala una (not “alas uno”). Native numbers like walo are not used for clock hours in everyday speech; a more formal native alternative is ordinal-style time like ika-walo ng umaga, but that sounds official or ceremonial.

What does pa mean in both places, and is it the same meaning?

Yes. Pa means “still/yet.” In the first clause (Alas otso pa sa relo mo), it’s “it’s still 8 (only 8).” In the second (hindi pa tapos), with negation it means “not yet.”

Contrast with na (“already/anymore”):
- Tapos na ang gawain. = It’s already finished.
- Hindi na tapos. = It’s no longer finished/it won’t get finished (context-dependent).
- Hindi pa tapos. = It isn’t finished yet.

Where does pa go in the sentence? Could I move it?

Pa is an enclitic that normally goes right after the first element of the clause (often the predicate).

Correct: Alas otso pa sa relo mo.
Incorrect-sounding: “Pa alas otso …,” “Alas pa otso …,” “Alas otso sa relo mo pa …” In the second clause, hindi pa tapos puts pa right after hindi, which is standard: negator + enclitics + predicate.

What does sa relo mo literally mean, and why use sa?

It literally means “on your watch.” Sa marks location/time/setting, and relo is “watch.” Mo is the genitive (“your”) pronoun that follows the noun it modifies. Alternatives:

sa iyong relo (more formal)
ayon sa relo mo (“according to your watch”)
Note: relo = watch; orasan = clock (often a wall/desk clock).

Does kaya here mean “so/therefore” or “can/able to”?

Here kaya is a conjunction meaning “so/therefore.” It links a cause to a result. It’s different from the verb kaya (ko, mo, etc.) meaning “can/able to” (e.g., Kaya ko ‘yan. = I can do that). For “because,” use kasi (colloquial) or dahil (more formal).

Why is there a comma before kaya?

Because kaya is connecting two independent clauses. In writing, a comma commonly precedes kaya when it means “so/therefore.” You can also start a sentence with it: Kaya hindi pa tapos ang gawain.

Why is it hindi pa tapos and not hindi tapos pa?

Enclitics like pa prefer early/second position, so hindi pa tapos is the natural order. Hindi tapos pa sounds wrong. Think of it as: negator (hindi) + enclitic (pa) + predicate (tapos).

What exactly does tapos contribute here vs. using a verb like natapos?

Tapos is an adjective meaning “finished/done.” So hindi pa tapos = “not yet finished.”
Verb alternatives:

Hindi pa natapos ang gawain. = The task has not yet finished (event hasn’t occurred).
Hindi pa natatapos ang gawain. = The task is not yet getting finished/being completed (ongoing process).
All are valid; hindi pa tapos is the most neutral and common.

What’s the role of ang in ang gawain?

Ang marks the topic/subject-like noun phrase. Ang gawain = “the task/work (in focus).” For plural, use ang mga gawain. Don’t replace ang with ng here; ng typically marks non-topical objects or possessors, not the topic noun of a predicational sentence like this.

Does gawain mean “work/job” like trabaho, or something else?

Gawain means “task/assignment/duty” (often specific tasks, schoolwork, chores). Trabaho is broader: “work/job/employment” and also a task colloquially. Examples:

gawain sa bahay = chores
gawain sa klase = classwork
trabaho = work/job; a task at work

Can I drop one of the pa’s without changing the meaning?

Dropping pa changes the meaning:

Alas otso sa relo mo loses the “still/only” nuance.
hindi tapos ang gawain means “the task isn’t finished,” without the “yet” implication.
If you want the “only” sense even stronger, you can say pa lang: Alas otso pa lang sa relo mo.

Is the word order in the first clause fixed? Can I front sa relo mo?

Tagalog is flexible, but predicate-first is most typical:

Natural: Alas otso pa sa relo mo.
Also fine (topicalized setting): Sa relo mo, alas otso pa.
With emphasis: Alas otso pa lang sa relo mo. All are acceptable; choose based on what you want to foreground.

How do mo and iyong differ in sa relo mo vs sa iyong relo?

Mo is a genitive enclitic pronoun that follows the noun: relo mo.
Iyong is a determiner that precedes the noun: iyong relo.
Both mean “your,” but mo is more common in conversation. For respectful/plural “your,” use ninyo/inyo: sa relo ninyo / sa inyong relo.

Any quick pronunciation tips for key words?

otso: “OT-so” (two syllables).
relo: “re-LO.”
gawain: “ga-wa-IN” (three syllables; stress on the last).
kaya (conjunction): “KA-ya.”
tapos: “ta-POS.”