Magluto tayo ng manok at sabaw para sa pamilya ngayong gabi.

A natural translation is:

"Let’s cook chicken and soup for the family tonight."

• Magluto tayo → Let’s cook
• ng manok at sabaw → chicken and soup (indefinite)
• para sa pamilya → for the family
• ngayong gabi → tonight (literally: this evening)

• The root word is luto = to cook / cooking.
• Magluto is formed with the prefix mag-, which often marks an actor-focus verb in the future/infinitive/imperative sense.

Here, Magluto is functioning like:

• "to cook" (infinitive) or
• "Cook!" / "Let’s cook" (imperative/invitational, because of tayo).

So Magluto tayo is best understood as "Let’s cook."

Both Magluto tayo and Tayo magluto are grammatically possible, but Magluto tayo is more common and natural in this context.

• Standard word order is often: Verb + pronoun → Magluto tayo.
• Tayo magluto can sound a bit more emphatic or slightly marked, like emphasizing tayo (we/us).

For everyday speech, Magluto tayo is the default way to say "Let’s cook."

Filipino has two kinds of "we":

• tayo = we (including the person being spoken to) → inclusive we
• kami = we (excluding the person being spoken to) → exclusive we

In Magluto tayo..., the speaker is inviting the listener to join in cooking; that’s why tayo (inclusive) is used.

If you said Magluto kami ng manok at sabaw..., it would mean:

• "We (but not you) will cook chicken and soup..."
  which excludes the listener from the activity.

ng is a very important particle. Here it:

• Marks manok at sabaw (chicken and soup) as the object of the verb Magluto.
• Also makes the noun indefinite (not a specific, known chicken), like "some chicken and (some) soup".

So:

• Magluto tayo ng manok at sabaw ≈ Let’s cook (some) chicken and (some) soup.
• Without ng, the sentence would be ungrammatical or sound very unnatural.

para sa is a set expression that together means "for" (in the sense of intended for / for the benefit of).

• para alone does not usually stand by itself before a noun.
• sa is the general preposition/marker used with locations, directions, and also with para.

So:

• para sa pamilya = for the family (for their benefit)
• sa pamilya alone usually means to the family / at the family / in the family, depending on context, but para sa makes the "for (the benefit of)" meaning very clear.

No, you generally should not:

• para pamilya → ungrammatical.
• para pamilya ngayong gabi still sounds wrong or at least very unnatural.
• sa pamilya is grammatical, but the meaning shifts slightly to to/at/in the family rather than clearly for the family.

To say "for the family" in the sense used here, you almost always say para sa pamilya.

• ngayon = now / today (depending on context).
• ngayong = this (time word), used before another time expression.

In ngayong gabi:

• gabi = evening / night
• ngayong gabi = this evening / tonight

You use:

• ngayon alone: Ngayon na. → Right now.
• ngayong
  • time word: ngayong gabi, ngayong araw, etc.

Filipino word order is somewhat flexible. All of these are possible and natural, with slight differences in emphasis:

• Magluto tayo ng manok at sabaw para sa pamilya ngayong gabi.
• Ngayong gabi, magluto tayo ng manok at sabaw para sa pamilya.
• Magluto tayo ngayong gabi ng manok at sabaw para sa pamilya.

They all basically mean: "Let’s cook chicken and soup for the family tonight."

The main rule to keep is:

• Keep ng with its noun phrase.
• Keep para sa together with its noun phrase (pamilya).

Using the root luto, here are common forms:

• Past (completed action)

  • Nagluto tayo ng manok at sabaw para sa pamilya kagabi.
    → We (you and I) cooked chicken and soup for the family last night.

• Future (planned / will do)

  • Magluluto tayo ng manok at sabaw para sa pamilya mamayang gabi.
    → We (you and I) will cook chicken and soup for the family later tonight.

• Present / ongoing

  • Nagluluto tayo ng manok at sabaw para sa pamilya ngayon.
    → We (you and I) are cooking chicken and soup for the family now.

Magluto tayo is usually an inclusive suggestion or invitation, like:

• "Let’s cook." / "Why don’t we cook?"

It’s not as strong as a bossy command. To make it even friendlier or softer, speakers often add particles:

• Magluto na tayo. → Let’s cook now (come on, let’s start).
• Magluto na tayo nga. → adds a gentle, coaxing tone.
• Magluto naman tayo. → can sound like Come on, let’s (for a change / please).

• manok:

  • Can mean a chicken (the animal) or chicken meat, depending on context.
  • In Magluto tayo ng manok, it’s usually understood as chicken (meat) for food.

• sabaw:

  • Means soup or broth (the liquid part).

Because ng makes them indefinite, ng manok at sabaw is understood as:

• "(some) chicken and (some) soup/broth", not a specific chicken that everyone knows about.