Learn Hardcore Filipino: Dalhin mo rin ang tsinelas mo sa sala bago magsimula ang hapunan. - Also bring your slippers to the living room before dinner starts.

Yes. Dalhin mo is an imperative/request directed at “you.” The root is dala (bring/carry), and the verb form dalhin (patient-focus) means “to bring [something].” Adding mo (2nd person singular “you,” genitive form) gives “Bring (it), you,” i.e., “You, bring [it].”

Why use dalhin instead of magdala?

dalhin is patient/object-focus: it highlights the thing being brought. That’s why the thing, ang tsinelas mo, is marked with ang.
magdala is actor-focus: it highlights the doer and usually takes the thing as ng (indefinite).

Compare:

Dalhin mo ang tsinelas mo sa sala. (Bring your specific slippers to the living room.)
Magdala ka ng tsinelas sa sala. (Bring some slippers to the living room.) Here ka is used (actor-focus), and ng tsinelas is indefinite.

Why is it mo and not ka?

ka/ikaw = nominative (subject) form, used with actor-focus verbs: e.g., Magdala ka …
mo = genitive form of “you,” used for the actor when the verb is patient-focus: e.g., Dalhin mo … Because dalhin is patient-focus, the actor is in the genitive: mo.

What does ang do in ang tsinelas mo?

ang marks the topic/focus (often the patient in patient-focus verbs). In Dalhin mo rin ang tsinelas mo, the slippers are the focused/specified thing being brought, so they take ang. If you switched to actor-focus (Magdala ka), the thing would typically be ng tsinelas (indefinite).

What does rin mean here, and why is it after mo?

rin means “also/too.” It’s an enclitic particle that normally attaches right after the first word or phrase of the clause, unless you want to target a specific element for “also.” In the neutral reading, it lands after mo: Dalhin mo rin … = “You also bring …”

What’s the difference between rin and din?

They mean the same (“also/too”) but alternate based on sound:

Use rin after a word ending in a vowel, w, or y.
Use din after a word ending in other consonants. Since mo ends in a vowel (o), rin is used. In casual speech, many speakers mix them freely.

Can I move rin around to change what “also” applies to?

Yes, placement changes the most natural target of “also”:

Dalhin mo rin ang tsinelas mo … = You also (should) bring …
Dalhin mo ang tsinelas mo rin … = Bring your slippers too (in addition to some other thing).
Dalhin mo ang tsinelas mo sa sala rin … = … to the living room too (in addition to some other place). Note: As an enclitic, rin prefers early placement, so only move it if you really want to emphasize a specific element.

Is tsinelas singular or plural? Why not mga tsinelas?

In Filipino, tsinelas usually refers to a pair of slippers (treated as a set), so ang tsinelas mo commonly means “your slippers (the pair).” Use ang mga tsinelas mo if you mean multiple pairs or multiple sets.

What exactly does sa sala mean?

sa is a general locative marker that can mean “to/at/in.” sa sala means “to the living room” (as a destination) or “in the living room” (as a location). In this sentence, it’s a destination: bring the slippers to the living room.

Would sa loob ng sala be different?

Yes. sa loob ng sala means “inside the living room,” adding an “inside” nuance. The original sa sala is the normal, concise way to say “to the living room.”

How does bago magsimula ang hapunan work grammatically?

bago = “before” (a conjunction)
magsimula = actor-focus intransitive “to start”
ang hapunan = the subject that will start (the dinner) Pattern: bago + mag-verb + ang [subject] → “before [subject] starts.”

How would I say it for a past event: “before dinner started”?

Use the completed aspect: bago nagsimula ang hapunan = “before the dinner started.” For neutral/future/imperative timing, keep bago magsimula ang hapunan (“before the dinner starts”/“before dinner starts”).

Are there more idiomatic alternatives to the time phrase?

Yes, common options include:

bago maghapunan = before having dinner (general)
bago kumain ng hapunan = before eating dinner
bago ang hapunan = before dinner (noun phrase)

How do I make the command more polite or address more than one person?

Add po for politeness: Dalhin mo rin po ang tsinelas mo sa sala …
Address multiple people or speak formally: Dalhin ninyo (po) rin ang mga tsinelas ninyo sa sala … Colloquially, ninyo → nyo (and mo → ’yo in some contexts), but the full forms are safer for learners.

Can I move the time phrase to the front?

Yes. Example: Bago magsimula ang hapunan, dalhin mo rin ang tsinelas mo sa sala. Fronting time expressions is very natural in Filipino.

Why is it spelled dalhin? I’ve seen dalahin too.

Both forms exist. dalhin and dalahin are accepted variants formed by adding the suffix -hin to the root dala. You’ll encounter both in real use; dictionaries typically list dalhin (and often mention dalahin as a variant).

Does bago also mean “new”? How do I tell the difference?

Yes, bago can mean “before” (conjunction) or “new” (adjective). Context disambiguates:

bago magsimula … → “before … starts” (conjunction).
bago na sapatos → “new shoes” (adjective).